cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Occurrence and Ecological Risks from Fipronil in Aquatic Environments located within Residential Landscapes

This study investigated the occurrence of fipronil and its metabolites in aquatic environments in residentially-developed landscapes, including five canals and three retention ponds. Fipronil was detected at four of the sites, with concentrations of 0.5-207.3 ng L-1. Fipronil sulfone and fipronil sulfide were detected at three sampling sites, with concentrations ranging from 0.46 to 57.75 and 0.40-26.92 ng L-1, respectively. Multiple risk assessment methods were performed to characterize potential ecological risks, including deterministic screening and probabilistic risk assessment techniques. The deterministic method indicated no risk to certain biotic groups (i.e. aquatic plants, fish, molluscs, and algae-moss-fungi), but did indicate risks to larval insects and crustaceans. Results from the probabilistic risk assessment indicated significant ecological risks (acute and chronic) ranging from0.75 to 58.9% and 3.9-35.0% when organisms were exposed to the maximumand median concentrations detected, respectively. The potentially affected fraction of species (PAF) likely to be acutely impacted ranged from 4.6 to 8.1% (fipronil), 0.2-1.6% (fipronil sulfone), and 1.9-3.1% (fipronil sulfide) in the ponds with frequent detectable concentrations. The PAF likely to be impacted at chronic toxicity levels ranged from 16.5 to 23.8% for fipronil. Joint probability curve analysis indicated that concentrations exceeded the LC50 of the most sensitive 5% of species 8.5-18.8% of the time at two of the sites with the most frequent detections. Using the more conservative NOEC/LOEC values, there was a 75-78% probability that concentrations were high enough to negatively affect the most sensitive 5% of species at the same two sites, indicating significant risks for chronic toxicity. JPCs indicated a <= 2.6% probability of fipronil sulfone exceeding the LC50 concentrations for the most sensitive 5% of species at the same two sites; and a 4.3-6.8% probability of fipronil sulfide exceeding the LC50 concentrations at the same sites. Results indicate that fipronil and its sulfone and sulfide degradation products may present significant risks to aquatic organisms in some residentially-developed areas.
Enhancing Performance Through Public Sector Networks: Mobilizing Human Capital in Communities of Practice

Important performance outcomes of public management networks are examined, based on a study of 14 intergovernmental networks comprised of administrators and program specialists. The key to performance is based on the application of connective human capital. Collaborative public value is added as network actors pursue those knowledge-building actions related to solving interagency problems. Performance outcomes are examined from individual administrator, partner agency, network process, and tangible results perspectives. Specific project outcomes of each network are illustrated. Finally, the importance of networks as communities of practice for achieving collaborative outcomes is demonstrated as a key public management process.
Computer simulation of multipulse and Fourier transform NMR experiments. I. Simulations using the Bloch equations

Abstract A variety of multipulse and Fourier transform NMR experiments have been simulated using a computer program based on the Bloch equations. The program can calculate the effect of any sequence of pulses and delays on the magnetization vector. Examples considered are the conventional Fourier experiment and its alternating phase modifications, the partially relaxed and progressive saturation approaches to T1 measurements, Carr-Purcell and modified Carr-Purcell experiments for T1 and T1ϱ measurements and for signal-to-noise enhancement, and finally the conventional time-shared NMR experiment. The effects of magnetic field inhomogeneity and finite pulse power are included in the calculations where necessary.
Structural basis for immune recognition of lysozymes. II. Reactive but non-immunogenic epitopes.

Certain epitopes on protein molecules are reactive with antibody but are not immunogenic. Rabbit antiserum prepared against hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) reacted poorly or not at all with peptides LHII (a. a. 13-105) and LHIII (a. a. 106-129) derived from the action of CNBr on reduced HEL (HEL (CB)). In sharp contrast, antiserum raised (a) to the derivative HEL (CB) with two peptide chain cleavages at methionines 12 and 105, or (b) to bob-white lysozyme (BEL), reacted with peptides LHII and LHIII. These peptides were able to compete directly with HEL in a 125I-HEL-anti-HEL(CB) system, or an 125I-HEL-anti-BEL system, but could not inhibit the 125I-HEL-anti-HEL reaction. The results demonstrate that some epitopes on HEL(CB) or BEL are reactive and immunogenic, while the same or related epitopes on HEL, although reactive with antibodies directed against them, are not immunogenic. Such epitopes are referred to as heterotopes (epitopes definable by their reactivity on a related, heterologous protein). The usage of a chemical derivative of HEL allowed the localization of another heterotope region close to tryptophan 62. The existence of heterotopes was discussed in terms of current models of cellular cooperation. The view was advaced that the activation of a particular antibody-producing precursor cell is dependent on a special steric relationship of carrier to haptenic epitopes.
VO2max Measured with a Self-selected Work Rate Protocol on an Automated Treadmill.

ABSTRACTPurposeThe use of graded maximal exercise tests for measuring maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2max) is common practice in both cardiopulmonary rehabilitation settings and in sports medicine research. Recent alterations of common testing protocols to allow for self-selected work rates (SPV) ha
Japan and the League of Nations: empire and world order, 1914–1938

Japan and the League of Nations: empire and world order, 1914–1938, by Thomas W. Burkman, Honolulu, University of Hawaii Press, 2008, xiv + 289 pp., US$60.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8248-2982-7 The pos...
A 200 TW Driving Laser for Generating Microjoule Level Isolated Attosecond Pulses

A carrier-envelope phase stabilized 200 TW, 15 fs Ti:Sapphire laser is being developed for generating isolated attosecond pulses with microjoule energy. Preliminary carrier-envelope phase effects have been demonstrated in Double Optical Gating experiments.
Toward Molecular Mechanoelectric Sensors: Flexoelectric Sensitivity of Lipid Bilayers to Structure, Location, and Orientation of Bound Amphiphilic Ions

The curvature-induced polarization (i.e. flexoelectricity) of lipid bilayers produces ac currents (Ivib) on application of vibrations. Binding of aromatic amphiphilic ions to one or both interfaces...
Computer Simulation of Final-Stage Sintering: II, Influence of Initial Pore Size

A two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation procedure has been used to investigate the effect of the initial pore size on the microstructural evolution and the kinetics of final-stage sintering. The sintering time scales with rt/Dgb and the grain-growth time scales with ri/D,,,. Pores are found to ef- fectively pin the grain boundaries from the beginning of final-stage sintering at a porosity of 6 = 0.09 until 6 = 0.03. For 6 I 0.03, the remaining pores do not effectively retard grain-boundary migration and normal grain growth occurs. Small pores were found to be less effective at retarding grain growth than expected on the basis of a simple grain- growth pinning model. The mean pore size was found to be N THE preceding paper,' hereafter referred to as part I, we I have described a two-dimensional model for final-stage sin- tering and performed computer simulations using Monte Carlo techniques. In this model, both grains and pores are mapped onto a regular lattice and the resulting microstructure evolves in a self-consistent manner via grain growth and pore shrink- age, as dictated by the energetics and the kinetics of the system. By an appropriate choice of the nearest-neighbor interactions, grain-boundary and surface energies may be as- signed separately. Similarly, the rate constants associated with grain-boundary diffusivity, surface diffusivity, and grain- boundary mobility may also be independently assigned. The simulated microstructure bears close resemblance to those observed in cross sections of experimental samples during final-stage sintering. Features such as pore shrinkage, grain growth, pore migration, pore breakaway, and pore reattach- ment are observed in the simulations. It is also found that the sintering rate decreases monotonically with time and that it scales linearly with grain-boundary diffusivity- although de- viations from the equilibrium shape of pores can slow down sintering somewhat. Although the dependence of the sintering rate on grain- boundary diffusivity is important and self-evident, it is also of great interest to explore the interrelationship between microstructural parameters, such as pore size, grain size, and porosity. In particular, it would be desirable to establish a quantitative correlation between the initial microstructure
Attenuation of ischemia induced increases in sodium and calcium by the aldose reductase inhibitor Zopolrestat

Objective: We have previously demonstrated that zopolrestat, an inhibitor of the enzyme aldose reductase, reduces ischemic injury in hearts from diabetic and non-diabetic rats. To further explore potential cardioprotective mechanisms of zopolrestat, we measured changes in intracellular sodium, calcium, and Na+,K+-ATPase activity in zopolrestat treated hearts during ischemia and reperfusion. Methods: Hearts from acute diabetic (Type I) and age-matched control rats were isolated and retrogradely perfused. Hearts had either control perfusion or exposure to 1 μM zopolrestat for 10 min, followed by 20 min of global ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. Changes in intracellular sodium and calcium were measured using 23Na and 19F magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively, while the activity of Na+,K+-ATPase was measured using biochemical assays. Results: Zopolrestat blunted the rise in [Na]i during ischemia in both diabetic hearts and non-diabetic hearts. The end-ischemic [Na]i was 21.3±2.6 mM in the zopolrestat treated diabetics and 25.9±2.3 in zopolrestat treated non-diabetics, versus 31.6±2.6 mM and 32.9±2.8 mM in the untreated diabetics and untreated non-diabetics, respectively. ( P =0.002). Similarly, the rise in [Ca]i at the end of ischemia was significantly reduced in zopolrestat treated diabetic and non-diabetic hearts ( P =0.005). Zopolrestat increased the activity of Na+,K+-ATPase in diabetic hearts under baseline conditions (11.70±0.95 versus 7.28±0.98 μmol/h/mg protein, P =0.005) as well as during ischemia and reperfusion. Similar changes in Na+,K+-ATPase activity were also observed in non-diabetic hearts. Conclusions: The data provide additional support to the protective effects of zopolrestat and suggest that a possible mechanism of action may be associated with the attenuation of the rise in [Na]i and [Ca]i during ischemia and reperfusion.
Migration inhibition of alloimmune mouse macrophages by soluble transplantation antigens.

Abstract Specific allogeneic transplantation antigens were solubilized and shown to inhibit the migration of alloimmune macrophages. Alloimmune macrophages treated with trypsin prior to antigen exposure migrated in the presence of the specific soluble antigens. The arming of nonimmune macrophages and the rearming of trypsinized immune macrophages with hyperimmune serum was readily observable using the migration inhibition test, whereas immune serum was ineffective.
Waveguides of Arbitrary Cross Section by Solution of a Nonlinear Integral Eigenvalue Equation

The problem of electromagnetic wave propagation in hollow conducting waveguides of arbitrary cross section is formulated as an integro-differential equation in terms of fields at the waveguide boundary. Cutoff wave numbers and wall currents appear as eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a nonlinear eigenvalue problem involving an integro-differential operator. A variational solution is effected by reducing the problem to matrix form using the method of moments. A specific solution of the problem is developed using triangle expansion functions in the method of moments. The solution is simplified by symmetry considerations and is implemented by two digital computer programs. Listings and full documentation of these programs are available. This solution yields accurate determinations of cutoff wave numbers, wall currents, and distributions of both longitudinal and transverse modal field components for the first several modes. Illustrative computations are presented for the single-ridge waveguide, which has a complicated boundary shape that does not lend itself to exact solution.
The role of inflammatory mediators in the biology of major depression: Central nervous system cytokines modulate the biological substrate of depressive symptoms, regulate stress-responsive systems, and contribute to neurotoxicity and neuroprotection

The role of inflammatory mediators in the biology of major depression: central nervous system cytokines modulate the biological substrate of depressive symptoms, regulate stress-responsive systems, and contribute to neurotoxicity and neuroprotection
SLICED: Slide-based concurrent error detection technique for symmetric block ciphers

Fault attacks, wherein faults are deliberately injected into cryptographic devices, can compromise their security. Moreover, in the emerging nanometer regime of VLSI, accidental faults will occur at very high rates. While straightforward hardware redundancy based concurrent error detection (CED) can detect transient and permanent faults, it entails 100% area overhead. On the other hand, time redundancy based CED can only detect transient faults with minimum area overhead but entails 100% time overhead. In this paper we present a general time redundancy based CED technique called SLICED for pipelined implementations of symmetric block cipher. SLICED SLIdes one encryption over another and compares their results for CED as a basis for protection against accidental faults and deliberate fault attacks.
Mineral supplementation practices of adults in seven western states

Abstract Seven western states in the U.S. were surveyed to evaluate the frequency of supplement intakes for calcium, iron, and zinc for an adult population. Of the 2451 adults who completed and returned the questionnaire, there were 1643 supplement users. Thirteen percent of these indicated use of a calcium supplement, 11% an iron supplement, and 12% a zinc supplement. More females than males were mineral supplement users. The data indicated that there is a potential for low copper status due to some levels of zinc and calcium supplementation; low zinc status due to some levels of iron supplementation; and low iron status due to some levels of calcium supplementation. The reasons cited for mineral supplement use related to a number of misconceptions as to the physiologic role of calcium and zinc in particular. The use of these supplement were for undocumented reasons, and at some of the intake levels consumed, users may be detracting from their nutritional status via the potential interaction among the minerals.
The downstream financial effects of a nursing home practice on an academic medical center.

Objective To determine the financial impact of a nursing home practice on an academic medical center. Design Retrospective cohort design. Setting Middle-sized Midwestern community with fee-for-service Medicare population. Sample One hundred seventy-six nursing home residents followed by faculty and residents of a medical school department of family and community medicine. Measurements Billings and collections for professional and hospital services delivered by the academic medical center during fiscal year 1998. Results One hundred forty-four patient-years of service resulted in over $1 million in billed charges. For every $1 billed by family medicine, consulting physicians billed $2 and the hospital billed $10. This amounted to over $4000 per patient per year in reimbursement. This practice generated a wide variety of clinical problems (37 different diagnosis–related groups (DRGs) for the 61 admissions to the hospital). Conclusions There is a significant downstream financial effect of a nursing home practice on an academic health center. For this and other reasons, this practice may be worthy of institutional support.
Knock-out of SO1377 gene, which encodes the member of a conserved hypothetical bacterial protein family COG2268, results in alteration of iron metabolism, increased spontaneous mutation and hydrogen peroxide sensitivity in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a facultative, gram-negative bacterium capable of coupling the oxidation of organic carbon to a wide range of electron acceptors such as oxygen, nitrate and metals, and has potential for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites. The complete 5-Mb genome of S. oneidensis MR-1 was sequenced and standard sequence-comparison methods revealed approximately 42% of the MR-1 genome encodes proteins of unknown function. Defining the functions of hypothetical proteins is a great challenge and may need a systems approach. In this study, by using integrated approaches including whole genomic microarray and proteomics, we examined knockout effects of the gene encoding SO1377 (gi24372955), a member of the conserved, hypothetical, bacterial protein family COG2268 (C lusters of O rthologous G roup) in bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, under various physiological conditions. Compared with the wild-type strain, growth assays showed that the deletion mutant had a decreased growth rate when cultured aerobically, but not affected under anaerobic conditions. Whole-genome expression (RNA and protein) profiles revealed numerous gene and protein expression changes relative to the wild-type control, including some involved in iron metabolism, oxidative damage protection and respiratory electron transfer, e. g. complex IV of the respiration chain. Although total intracellular iron levels remained unchanged, whole-cell electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) demonstrated that the level of free iron in mutant cells was 3 times less than that of the wild-type strain. Siderophore excretion in the mutant also decreased in iron-depleted medium. The mutant was more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and gave rise to 100 times more colonies resistant to gentamicin or kanamycin. Our results showed that the knock-out of SO1377 gene had pleiotropic effects and suggested that SO1377 may play a role in iron homeostasis and oxidative damage protection in S. oneidensis MR-1.
Elevated CO2 significantly delays reproductive development of soybean under Free-Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE)

The effect of rising atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide [CO(2)] on the reproductive development of soybean (Glycine max. Merr) has not been evaluated under open-air field conditions. Soybeans grown under Free-Air CO(2) Enrichment (FACE) exhibit warmer canopies due to decreased latent heat loss because of decreased stomatal conductance. According to development models based on accumulated thermal time, or growing degree days ( degrees Cd), increased canopy temperature should accelerate development. The SoyFACE research facility (Champaign, Illinois, USA) was used to test the hypothesis that development is accelerated in soybean when grown in [CO(2)] elevated to 548 micromol mol(-1). Canopy temperature was measured continuously with infrared thermometry, and used in turn to calculate GDD. Opposite to expectation, elevated [CO(2)], while increasing canopy temperature, delayed reproductive development by up to 3 days (P <0.05). Soybean grown in elevated [CO(2)] required approximately 49 degrees Cd more GDD (P <0.05) to complete full bloom stage (R2) and approximately 52 degrees Cd more GDD (P <0.05) to complete the beginning seed (R5) stage, but needed approximately 46 degrees Cd fewer GDD (P <0.05) to complete seed filling (R6). Soybeans grown in elevated [CO(2)] produced significantly more nodes (P <0.01) on the main stem than those grown under current [CO(2)]. This may explain the delay in completion of reproductive development and final maturation of the crop under elevated [CO(2)]. These results show a direct effect of rising [CO(2)] on plant development that will affect both projections of grain supply and may be significant to other species including those in natural communities.
Multilingual MLP features for low-resource LVCSR systems

We introduce a new approach to training multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) for large vocabulary continuous speech recognition (LVCSR) in new languages which have only few hours of annotated in-domain training data (for example, 1 hour of data). In our approach, large amounts of annotated out-of-domain data from multiple languages are used to train multilingual MLP systems without dealing with the different phoneme sets for these languages. Features extracted from these MLP systems are used to train LVCSR systems in the low-resource language similar to the Tandem approach. In our experiments, the proposed features provide a relative improvement of about 30% in an low-resource LVCSR setting with only one hour of training data.
DIRECT LOOKS AND CONTROL LOCATION IN AUTOMOBILES

A laboratory study was carried out to determine the frequency and duration of operator direct looks to fingertip and panel-mounted automotive controls. Five groups of 16 subjects each were tested on one of five multifunction stalk configurations. Movement and operation times were recorded as subjects performed a secondary tracking task during which commands were given to find and operate automotive controls. The results indicate that drivers' direct looks to a control increased as a function of hand travel distance to the control. Large differences were found between stalk and panel-mounted controls. The type of multifunction stalk had an effect on subjects' performance and frequency of direct looks.
State transition times for limited contention multiple access schemes

Adaptive limited contention schemes for multiple access broadcast communications are discussed in the environment characterized by a wide load distribution and the need for fast transitions between optimal states of the access schemes. Recently, a number of different limited contention schemes have been introduced and analyzed, usually from the point of view of load and utilization.Here, we are first introducing a classification of different adaptive limited contention access schemes. Next, we are discussing various applications characterized with a load which is predominantly distributed over two extreme values. Then we derive transition times between the states. The process oriented simulation method was used for this purpose. Different schemes are compared based on transition times between the states.
Wegener’s Granulomatosis

Clinical manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis are nonspecific and indistinguishable from a variety of neoplastic, infectious, and inflammatory diseases. Ophthalmic disease is the presenting feature in nearly one sixth of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and will ultimately develop in a majority. The discovery of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, particularly antiproteinase-3, has changed the clinical approach to evaluating patients suspected of having Wegener's granulomatosis. These antibodies are distinguished from other related autoantibodies because they produce a coarse granular pattern of cytoplasmic staining on indirect immunofluorescence with ethanol-fixed neutrophils. Treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis with oral cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids has decreased morbidity and improved survival, but side effects from long-term immunosuppressive therapy are common and sometimes serious. The effectiveness of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in decreasing the number and severity of recurrences of Wegener's granulomatosis is being investigated. It remains to be determined if wide use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in limited Wegener's granulomatosis could further improve the quality of life for some patients.
Feeding and associated electrical behavior of the Pacific electric ray Torpedo californica in the field

The predatory behavior of 74 Pacific electric rays (Torpedo californica), studied between August and December during 1988 through 1991 in situ off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, southern California, consisted of two feeding modes: an ambush from the substratum during the day and a more vigorous attack from the water column at night. Predatory motor patterns and electric organ discharges (EODs) were recorded on the video and audio channels of a housed camcorder. Predatory motor patterns included four phases: (1) jump (simultaneous with EOD initiation), (2) pectoral-fin cupping, (3) orientation to prey, and (4) ingestion. The initial electrical activity of the rays was a train of 46 to 414 5-ms monophasic EODs that lasted 0.45 to 7.06 s; the maximum number of EODs produced during an attack was >1200. Maximum output, measured on only one ray, was 45 V. Fifty-five rays were presented one of four types of prey stimuli: live fish (LF), freshly-speared fish (FSF), frozen fish (FF), or a simulated bioelectric field (SBF). The percent frequency of attacks for the LF, FSF, and FF treatments ranged from 70 to >90%, but was <30% for the SBF. The interval between prey presentation and attack was ≃30 s for the LF, FSF, and FF and over five times longer for the SBF; intervals averaged <4 s for the three rays tested at night. Attacks by rays on energized electrodes provide the first evidence that electric rays use electroreceptors to detect their prey. However, the lack of clear differences among the four prey treatments in five characteristics of the initial pulse train suggests that a suite of sensory stimuli cooperate in triggering an attack and regulating the electrical output during the attack.
Eustatic Sea-Level Control of Silurian (Niagaran) Reefs, Michigan Basin: ABSTRACT

Eustatic sea-level changes controlled Niagaran reef and off-reef facies and eogenesis both in the Michigan basin and on the adjacent platform, as shown by surface (Thornton, northeast Illinois; Pipe Creek Jr., central Indiana) and subsurface reef studies (Onandaga, south Michigan). We recognize four stages of development defined by alternating highstands and lowstands of sea level. (1) During Llandoverian-Wenlockian time, a highstand resulted in growth of reefs with 10s to 100 m depositional relief with a basal stromatactis mudstone facies capped by volumetrically dominant crinoidal wackestone to grainstone-coral boundstone facies. Reef growth was below wave base and was characterized by extensive submarine cementation. (2) A relative fall of sea level in the late Wenlock an caused a saline brine to develop in the restricted Michigan basin, halting pinnacle reef growth and resulting in A-1 Evaporite deposition and anhydrite replacement of reef fossils and sediment. This fall of sea level did not expose the shelf or bring reef tops above wave base. It may be expressed in the surface reefs as distal megabreccias containing normal marine stromatoporoid-coral-Renalcis fauna and in the subsurface reefs (basin) by a hiatal break. (3) A Ludlovian-Pridolian highstand resulted in basinal reef rejuvenation (stromatoporoid-algal boundstone facies and followed by the stromatolite facies) and dissolution of replacement anhydrite. The deep-water basinal A-1 Carbonate was deposited at this time. (4) A subsequent lowstand (Pridolian?) resulted in basinal hypersalinity, c ssation of pinnacle reef growth, and A-2 Evaporite deposition. End_of_Article - Last_Page 604------------
The DSP workbench: Modeling parallel architectures as concurrent processes

The simulation of parallel digital signal processing algorithms and hardware structures can be improved by modeling processing elements as processes executing concurrently on a single CPU or a local-area network. The 'DSP Workbench' strives to hide the location of processes and their communication details from the user.
Choroid plexus carcinoma in children: the Head Start experience.

Background Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) is a rare aggressive intracranial neoplasm with a predilection for young children and a historically poor outcome. Currently, no defined optimal therapeutic strategy exists. The Head Start (HS) regimens have included irradiation-avoiding strategies in young children with malignant brain tumors using high dose chemotherapy to improve survival and minimize neurocognitive sequelae. Procedure Three sequential HS studies have been conducted from 1991 to 2009. HS treatment strategy has consisted of maximal surgical resection followed by five cycles of intensive induction followed by consolidation myeloablative chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue (AuHCR). Irradiation was given following recovery from consolidation based on the patient's age and evidence of residual disease. Results Twelve children with CPC (median age of 19.5 months) have been treated with HS regimens. Ten patients had >95% resection. Three patients had disseminated disease at diagnosis. Ten patients completed consolidation of whom five are alive, irradiation and disease free at 29, 43, 61, 66 and 89 months from diagnosis. Seven patients experienced tumor recurrence/progression at a median time of 13 months (range 2–43 months). Five patients received irradiation, one for residual disease and four upon progression or recurrence, of whom one is alive at 61 months. The 3- and 5-year progression-free survivals are 58% and 38% and overall survivals 83% and 62% respectively. Late deaths from disease beyond 5 years were also noted. Conclusion Head Start strategies may produce long-term remission in young children with newly diagnosed CPC with avoidance of cranial irradiation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:784–789. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conversion of Ectoderm to Mesoderm by Cytoplasmic Extrusion in Leech Embryos

The role of cytoplasmic domains in the determination of the fates of ectodermal and mesodermal cells has been investigated in leech embryos. When yolk-deficient cytoplasm (teloplasm) was extruded from the animal pole of the zygote, the ectodermal precursor blastomere was converted to a mesodermal fate. This change of fate can be prevented by replacement of the extruded animal teloplasm with teloplasm from the vegetal pole. The fate of the mesodermal precursor blastomere was unaffected by teloplasm extrusion or rearrangement. These results demonstrate that ectodermal and mesodermal determination offate involves a binary decision dependent on the position of teloplasm along the animal-vegetal axis.
Experience with Tolvaptan for Euvolemic and Hypervolemic Hyponatremia in the Acute Care Setting.

Abstract Background: Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte disorder and is associated with multiple comorbidities. Management strategies are varied and etiology-dependent. The use of tolvaptan, a vasopressin antagonist, outside of clinical trials has not been well characterized. Objectives: To quantify tolvaptan compliance with institutional guidelines and make recommendations concerning reasonable expectations for its role in hyponatremia management. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study in a 125-bed community hospital. Patients admitted in 2013 who received at least one dose of tolvaptan were included. Results: Thirty-seven patient encounters were evaluated. Tolvaptan was prescribed with 83.7% adherence to the institutional order set. Mean age was 71 ± 16.4 years with 20 (54%) females. Hyponatremia was a contributory cause of admission in 15 (40.5%) patients and offending medications were discontinued in 7 (19%). Causes of hyponatremia included syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormo...
Simulations of heat transfer to solid particles flowing through an array of heated tubes

Abstract A novel solar receiver that uses solid particles as a heat transfer fluid is being developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for use in concentrating solar power plants. The prototype considered here is enclosed and contains arrays of hexagonal heat transfer tubes that particles flow between. Discrete element method (DEM) simulations were completed for a laboratory-scale solar receiver for different geometric configurations, hexagon apex angles, particle sizes, and mass flow rates. The heat transfer strongly depends on the particle size, where increased heat transfer is obtained using smaller particles. At higher solids mass flow rates, more particles contact the heat transfer surfaces and the overall heat transfer increases. When a sharper apex angle was used, the particles flow through the receiver at a faster velocity, but the heat transfer decreases because the solids concentration decreases slightly at higher velocities. The DEM simulations show that the heat transfer strongly depends on the solids concentration near the heat transfer surfaces as well as particle size. A new continuum model has recently been developed (Morris et al., 2015) that accounts for both of these effects, and it was previously tested for simple systems. In the current effort, the continuum model was applied to the complex solar receiver and validated via comparison to DEM data. The results indicate that the new continuum model accurately predicts the local heat transfer coefficient and yields an overall heat transfer coefficient with an average error less than 5%.
Hysteresis Switching LPV Control of a Wind Turbine System Covering Partial and Full Load Conditions

For variable-speed wind energy conversion systems, control objectives may be different in partial and full load regions (or in low and high wind speed regions). Typical control objectives are to maximize the energy capture at low wind speeds, and to maintain the generated power and the rotational turbine speed within safety limits at high wind speeds. In such a case, it is difficult to design a single robust controller covering both partial load and full load conditions. This paper presents a systematic switching control method for a variable-speed variable-pitch wind turbine over a wide wind speed region. The whole framework is based on the linear parameter-varying (LPV) control theory, which is an extension of robust control for linear systems to nonlinear ones. Two LPV controllers are designed, each suitable in a different wind speed region. A hysteresis switching logic is applied to guarantee the stability when the switching event occurs between the two controllers. Nonlinear simulations are conducted to demonstrate the proposed control scheme.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Commentary on: Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Literature.

The author has presented 2 new cases of breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and a thorough review of a growing number of reported cases of this rare tumor.1 Case 1 . This patient, who sought treatment 9 years after cosmetic augmentation with Biocell saline implants, had a late seroma. The diagnosis was confirmed histochemically from the aspirant, which was positive for CD30 and anaplastic lymphoma kinase negative (ALK-ve). A workup proved to be negative for any spread. Interestingly, she was recently diagnosed with sprue, which …
Notes on Wisconsin Resupinate Basidiomycetes

Collections of fungi that extend their reported North American range are noted here. These collections were made by the author near Razorback Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin, within a conifer-hardwood association that contained large numbers of decaying logs and stumps of Tsuga canadensis. The collections are deposited in the mycological herbarium of Illinois State University (ISU). Names of other herbaria cited are abbreviated as in the fifth edition of the Index Herbariorum (2 ).
Abstract SY29-02: The TSC-mTOR pathway and control of anabolic tumor cell metabolism

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) plays an evolutionarily conserved role as a molecular link between cellular growth conditions and the anabolic processes promoting cell growth. This protein kinase complex has the ability to sense and integrate signals emanating from pathways that monitor cellular growth conditions, including the availability of intracellular nutrients and energy, the presence of specific growth factors and cytokines, and a variety of cellular stresses. Importantly, the integrated control over mTORC1 activity and cell growth is corrupted in most human tumors. mTORC1 senses many of these upstream signals through a small G protein switch involving the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) tumor suppressors, TSC1 and TSC2, and the Ras-related small G protein Rheb, an essential activator of mTORC1. The TSC1-TSC2 complex functions as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for Rheb, thereby stimulating its conversion to the inactive GDP-bound form and inhibiting its activation of mTORC1. Multi-site phosphorylation of the TSC1-TSC2 complex downstream of distinct signaling pathways accounts for much of the signal-integrating capacity of mTORC1. Importantly, both the oncogenic PI3K-Akt and Ras-Erk pathways phosphorylate and inhibit TSC2 to activate mTORC1. Aberrant regulation of the TSC1-TSC2 complex leading to constitutive activation of mTORC1 is a common molecular event in a large variety of pathological settings, including the majority of genetic tumor syndromes and sporadic cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the TSC1-TSC2 complex is regulated and functions to properly control Rheb and mTORC1 are not well understood. Furthermore, the downstream consequences of dysregulated mTORC1 signaling in tumors remain poorly defined. This lecture will focus on recent studies in our laboratory to 1) characterize a third stoichiometric component of the TSC1-TSC2 complex and its role in mTOR regulation, and 2) the role of mTORC1 in the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells induced by common oncogenic events. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr SY29-02. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-SY29-02
The Beginning and Growth of the American Dental Association’s Group Life Insurance Program

The ADA takes a look at its 40-year-old insurance program, the largest of its kind in the nation, which, on January 1, 1969, will offer members up to $50,000 of life insurance for half that of an individual policy.
ZO-1 maintains its spatial distribution but dissociates from junctional fibrils during tight junction regulation

Tight junctions restrict diffusion of hydrophilic solutes through the paracellular pathways of columnar epithelia. It is now apparent that the barrier function of tight junctions is physiologically regulated. Current models of the tight junction envisage junctional subunits consisting of extracellular "kisses" between plasma membranes of adjacent cells, intramembrane components represented by freeze-fracture fibrils, and cytoplasmic elements of the cytoskeleton. Insights into functional relationships between these various components of tight junctions should be provided by mapping component interrelationships in states of altered junctional permeability. Here we define the spatial distribution of ZO-1 during a state of physiological regulation of intestinal absorptive cell tight junctions. Enhanced permeation of absorptive cell junctions in response to activation of apical membrane Na(+)-solute cotransporters does not lead to redistribution of the ZO-1 pool, as judged from quantitative ultrastructural immunolocalization studies employing two different ZO-1 antibodies. Surprisingly, ZO-1, which normally localizes under junctional kisses/fibrils, focally persists at sites where junctional kisses/fibrils are cleared. These findings suggest that 1) spatial redistribution of ZO-1 does not contribute to physiological regulation of junctions elicited by activation of Na(+)-solute cotransport and 2) ZO-1 and junctional fibrils may spatially dissociate during such regulated states.
Opportunities for clinical applications of rest-activity rhythms in detecting and preventing mood disorders.

Purpose of review Rest-activity rhythm (RAR) measurements may aid in the detection of depression risk and serve as an important target for depression prevention. This review evaluates the strength of current evidence supporting these potential applications. Recent findings Depression is associated with lower activity levels, that is less regularly patterned, and potentially shifted earlier or later in the day. Specific RAR patterns (combinations of several RAR characteristics) in patients with clinical depression may be unique or partially shared across disorders. Longitudinal research is limited but provides initial evidence that multiple distinct RAR patterns are associated with the risk of developing depression symptoms. Summary RAR measures provide a comprehensive and objective assessment of depression's behavioral manifestations, and therefore may be useful as monitoring tool, providing additional information to help clinicians tailor behavioral treatments to specific patients. RARs also appear to contribute to depression risk and may be an important target for depression prevention. But research has not established valid predictive metrics using RARs to diagnose depression or detect depression risk. Future research should prioritize establishing the specific RAR patterns related to depression risk in high-risk groups, and should seek to place this risk within the known psychosocial and neurobiological risk architecture of depression.
swga: a primer design toolkit for selective whole genome amplification.

Motivation Population genomic analyses are often hindered by difficulties in obtaining sufficient numbers of genomes for analysis by DNA sequencing. Selective whole-genome amplification (SWGA) provides an efficient approach to amplify microbial genomes from complex backgrounds for sequence acquisition. However, the process of designing sets of primers for this method has many degrees of freedom and would benefit from an automated process to evaluate the vast number of potential primer sets. Results Here, we present swga , a program that identifies primer sets for SWGA and evaluates them for efficiency and selectivity. We used swga to design and test primer sets for the selective amplification of Wolbachia pipientis genomic DNA from infected Drosophila melanogaster and Mycobacterium tuberculosis from human blood. We identify primer sets that successfully amplify each against their backgrounds and describe a general method for using swga for arbitrary targets. In addition, we describe characteristics of primer sets that correlate with successful amplification, and present guidelines for implementation of SWGA to detect new targets. Availability and implementation Source code and documentation are freely available on https://www.github.com/eclarke/swga . The program is implemented in Python and C and licensed under the GNU Public License. Contact ecl@mail.med.upenn.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Conceptualization and implementation of ecosystems-based adaptation

While ecosystems-based adaptation (EbA) has been received with great interest, the requirements for EbA implementation and its precise benefits under future climate change are unclear. Furthermore, EbA’s overlap with environmental, and development policy agendas leads to ambiguity regarding what actions fall under the rubric of EbA. We analyze the projects identified by the UNFCCC as examples of EbA to understand how EbA is conceptualized and promoted by the international community. Addressing climate change is the primary objective of 58% of the EbA projects; the other 42% of projects provide adaptation benefits yet are not primarily driven by climate change. A project’s adaptation targeting is tied to its information needs. Projects whose primary objective is to address climate change are more likely to use detailed climate projections than projects whose primary objective is to address natural hazards, development or ecosystems degradation. A majority of projects do not address uncertainty in future climate change or in adaptation benefits, nor do they track adaptation outcomes. This prevalent lack of monitoring highlights the possibility of a gap between expected and realized adaptation outcomes. It also represents a lost opportunity for improving knowledge of the thresholds of effectiveness of EbA and of factors influencing EbA efficacy.
Using landscape habitat associations to prioritize areas of conservation action for terrestrial birds.

Predicting species distributions has long been a valuable tool to plan and focus efforts for biodiversity conservation, particularly because such an approach allows researchers and managers to evaluate species distribution changes in response to various threats. Utilizing data from a long-term monitoring program and land cover data sets, we modeled the probability of occupancy and colonization for 38 bird Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the robust design occupancy modeling framework, and used results from the best models to predict occupancy and colonization on the Iowa landscape. Bird surveys were conducted at 292 properties from April to October, 2006-2014. We calculated landscape habitat characteristics at multiple spatial scales surrounding each of our surveyed properties to be used in our models and then used kriging in ArcGIS to create predictive maps of species distributions. We validated models with data from 2013 using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Probability of occupancy ranged from 0.001 (SE 0.70). The most important predictor for occupancy of grassland birds was percentage of the landscape in grassland habitat, and the most important predictor for woodland birds was percentage of the landscape in woodland habitat. This emphasizes the need for managers to restore specific habitats on the landscape. In an era during which funding continues to decrease for conservation agencies, our approach aids in determining where to focus limited resources to best conserve bird species of conservation concern.
Thermal morphing anisogrid smart space structures: thermal isolation design and linearity evaluation

To meet the requirements for the next generation of space missions, a paradigm shift is required from current structures that are static, heavy and stiff, toward innovative structures that are adaptive, lightweight, versatile, and intelligent. A novel morphing structure, the thermally actuated anisogrid morphing boom, can be used to meet the design requirements by making the primary structure actively adapt to the on-orbit environment. The anisogrid structure is able to achieve high precision morphing control through the intelligent application of thermal gradients. This active primary structure improves structural and thermal stability performance, reduces mass, and enables new mission architectures. This effort attempts to address limits to the author's previous work by incorporating the impact of thermal coupling that was initially neglected. This paper introduces a thermally isolated version of the thermal morphing anisogrid structure in order to address the thermal losses between active members. To evaluate the isolation design the stiffness and thermal conductivity of these isolating interfaces need to be addressed. This paper investigates the performance of the thermal morphing system under a variety of structural and thermal isolation interface properties.
Allergic encephalitis following injection of dialysate of brain tissue.

SummaryThe dialysate of benzene-ether extracted brain tissue is capable of causing signs and lesions of allergic encephalitis in guinea pigs. The material recovered in the dialysate is free of protein and presumably contains only substances of low molecular weight.