cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seasonal variation of newt forelimb regeneration under controlled environmental conditions.

Forelimb regeneration studies using the newt, Notophthalmus viridescens, were done under constant environmental conditions at 20°C. A series of three-month regenerative studies were done during a two and one-half year period. Under conditions which eliminated factors known to affect regeneration, such as temperature and variation in light-dark cycle, a significant seasonal variation in the regenerative process was found. The rate and amount of regenerative new growth during the summer was enhanced over that in winter. A series of repetitive regenerations in the same group of animals demonstrated that this variation was cyclic under controlled environmental conditions for long periods of time. It is suggested that a cyclic biologic rhythm, probably endocrine in nature, is responsible for the phenomenon.
Sonographically documented stable seminoma: a case report

Seminoma of the testis has a diverse natural history. We report a unique case of histologically confirmed classic seminoma in a 32-year-old patient documented by ultrasound on two occasions one year apart. The tumor size did not change during that time. We explore the possibility of a dichotomy in growth within seminoma and the need to identify molecular methods to predict the subset of tumors that behave biologically less aggressive.
The effects of study participation in the Familial Intracranial Aneurysm Study on cigarette smoking.

Background Cigarette smoking is the most modifiable risk factor for the formation and rupture of intracranial aneurysm (IA). This study examined the impact of participation in the Familial IA study on smoking behavior. Methods On entry into the study, a baseline smoking history was obtained. At follow-up visits, subjects were surveyed concerning their current smoking status. Risk reduction education was site specific and the study did not include a standard approach. Results Of participants, 66% had a history of cigarette smoking, with 33.1% being current smokers. There was a significant reduction in the proportion of current smokers by the third yearly follow-up visit (26.7%, P P P P = .002). Individuals older then 51 years had a greater reduction in the amount of cigarettes smoked per day compared with those younger than 51 years (2.3 cigarettes/day reduction v 1.5, P = .002). Conclusion Subjects who entered into the Familial IA study had a significant decrease in their smoking by the end of 3 years. Factors associated with decreased smoking were diagnosis of IA and older age.
A Versatile Synthesis of 3-Substituted 5-Alkyl Butyrolactones Via Dyotropic Rearrangement

Abstract Substituted acetic acid dianions are convertable to to 3,5-disubstituted butyrolactones, employing a dyotropic rearrangement as the key step.
The preparation, crystal growth and perfection of double halides of CsNiCl3 type

Abstract Several double chlorides and bromides of CsNiCl 3 type have been prepared by dehydration of aqueous solutions. Crystals of RbFeCl 3 , RbNiCl 3 , and CsMnBr 3 , 0.5–1 cm 3 in volume have been grown from the melt by the Bridgman technique. The mosaic spreads determined by neutron diffraction techniques range from 15 to 30 min of arc.
A 31P NMR and TG/DSC-FTIR Investigation of the Influence of Initial pH on Phosphorus Recovery as Struvite

Phosphorus can be reclaimed from nutrient-rich sources as the mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) for reuse as fertilizer. This study determines the impact of initial pH (pHi) from 8 to 11 on the fraction of precipitated struvite from a MgCl2–(NH4)2HPO4–NaCl–H2O system. The rate of P removal from solution increases with pHi and maximizes at pHi 10. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of recovered precipitates shows changes in morphology and decreasing particle size with increasing pHi. 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) confirms that struvite constitutes 96–99% of the phosphate at pHi 8–10, with newberyite (MgHPO4·3H2O) as a minor crystalline phase. At pHi 11, 60% of the solid is struvite, with 22% of the phosphate contained in an amorphous phase and 18% as sodium phosphate. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) reveals a correlation in the mass loss from the solids with the percentage of struvite detected. Coupling Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) with TG indicates that the molar conc...
Imaging morphogenesis: technological advances and biological insights

Morphogenesis, the development of the shape of an organism, is a dynamic process on a multitude of scales, from fast subcellular rearrangements and cell movements to slow structural changes at the whole-organism level. Live-imaging approaches based on light microscopy reveal the intricate dynamics of this process and are thus indispensable for investigating the underlying mechanisms. This Review discusses emerging imaging techniques that can record morphogenesis at temporal scales from seconds to days and at spatial scales from hundreds of nanometers to several millimeters. To unlock their full potential, these methods need to be matched with new computational approaches and physical models that help convert highly complex image data sets into biological insights.
Atmospherically transported volcanic dust in South Pacific deep sea sedimentary cores at distances over 3000 km from the eruptive source

Abstract Analyses of deep-sea sedimentary cores from the southwest and southcentral Pacific reveal very similar time patterns in the accumulation of atmospherically transported volcanic dust. A series of volcanic eruptions on the Balleny Islands between 1.8 and 1.6 my ago will be recorded in high latitude marine sediments of the entire South Pacific. The results of this study indicate that the history of the world's atmospheric volcanic activity is clearly amenable to definition by study of selected deep-sea sedimentary core traverses.
HEPTACARPUS PUGETTENSIS, A NEW HIPPOLYTID SHRIMP FROM PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON

ABSTRACT A new shrimp, Heptacarpus pugettensis (family Hippolytidae), is described. This small striped species occurs under rocks in the low intertidal zone in Puget Sound and the San Juan Archipelago. The combination of a short rostrum and epipods on the first two percopods readily distinguish it from other members of the genus.
Investigating hypothetical bias: induced-value tests of the referendum voting mechanism with uncertainty

Following Taylor et al . (2001), we design an induced-value experiment to test for hypothetical bias in a referendum voting mechanism. In our experiment, the level of benefit from the public good increases with the number of Yes votes (conditional on the referendum passing by majority rule). This is intended to introduce uncertainty. In contrast to Taylor et al . (2001), we find evidence of significant hypothetical bias in a referendum voting mechanism, when the level of benefits is uncertain. A cheap-talk treatment is shown to eliminate this bias.
Characteristics of people with self-reported stress-precipitated seizures

article i nfo Objective:Stressisthemostcommon patient-reportedseizure precipitant. We aimedtodetermine moodandep- ilepsy characteristics of people who report stress-precipitated seizures. Methods:Sequential patients at a tertiary epilepsy center were surveyed about stress as a seizure precipitant. We asked whether acute (lasting minutes-hours) or chronic (lasting days-months) stress was a seizure precipitant, whetherstress reduction had beentried, and what effectstress reduction had on seizurefrequency. We collected information on antiepileptic drugs, history of depression and anxiety disorder, prior or current treatment for de- pression or anxiety, and scores on the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory (NDDI-E) and Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 (GAD-7) instruments, which are administered at every visit in our Epilepsy Center. We also asked whether respondents thought that they could predict their seizures to determine if stress as a seizure precipitant was correlated with seizure self-prediction. Results: Two hundred sixty-sixsubjectswere included: 219 endorsed stressas a seizure precipitant (STRESS(+)) and 47 did not (STRESS (�)). Among STRESS (+) subjects, 85% endorsed chronic stress as a seizure precipitant, and 68% endorsed acute stress as a seizure precipitant. In STRESS (+) subjects, 57% had used some type of relax- ation or stress reduction method (most commonly yoga, exercise and meditation), and, of those who tried, 88% thought that these methods improved seizures. Among STRESS (�) subjects, 25% had tried relaxation or stress reduction, and 71% thought that seizures improved. Although univariate analysis showed multiple associations with stress as a seizure precipitant, in the multivariable logistic regression, only the GAD-7 score was associated with STRESS (+) (OR = 1.18 (1.03-1.35), p = 0.017). Subjects who reported stress as a seizure precipitant were more likely to report an ability to self-predict seizures (p b 0.001). Conclusion: Stress-precipitated seizures are commonly reported by patients, may be associated with either acute stress or chronic stress, and are associated with higher scores on anxiety tests. Patients frequently use stress re-
State measures and sleep stages.

The present study examines the relationship between sleep and mood variables in an aging (50- to 60-yr.-old) sample of 36 males and 39 females. Data from two nights of sleep recordings were correlated with 5 mood scales from the Lorr Mood test administered 1/2 hr. prior to bedtime on the second night. 18 sleep variables were analyzed. Correlations from the first night of sleep and mood variables were compared with those obtained from the same mood variables and second night's sleep. Male and female subjects were analyzed separately. Analyses indicated many more significant correlations (28) than would be expected by chance (4).
The Z-Petawatt Laser at Sandia National Laboratories

Performance characteristics and first experiments on Sandiapsilas Z-Petawatt (ZPW) laser will be presented. This system will provide enhanced backlighting capabilities on the Z-Accelerator by achieving multi 10 keV X-rays in less than a picosecond.
Heterogeneous Oxidation of Catechol

Natural and anthropogenic emissions of aromatic hydrocarbons from biomass burning, agro-industrial settings, and fossil fuel combustion contribute precursors to secondary aerosol formation (SOA). How these compounds are processed under humid tropospheric conditions is the focus of current attention to understand their environmental fate. This work shows how catechol thin films, a model for oxygenated aromatic hydrocarbons present in biomass burning and combustion aerosols, undergo heterogeneous oxidation at the air–solid interface under variable relative humidity (RH = 0–90%). The maximum reactive uptake coefficient of O3(g) by catechol γO3 = (7.49 ± 0.35) × 10–6 occurs for 90% RH. Upon exposure of ca. 104-μm thick catechol films to O3(g) mixing ratios between 230 ppbv and 25 ppmv, three main reaction pathways are observed. (1) The cleavage of the 1,2 carbon–carbon bond at the air–solid interface resulting in the formation of cis,cis-muconic acid via primary ozonide and hydroperoxide intermediates. Furthe...
Development of a microfluidic biosensor for detection of environmental mycobacteria

In this paper, we describe the development of a microfluidic culture-based biosensor for detecting mycobacteria in environmental samples. The biochips rely upon the unique paraffinophilic (i.e., wax-loving) nature of mycobacteria to rapidly and selectively differentiate them from non-target microorganisms. A new method of depositing and patterning paraffin was developed to fabricate the prototype biosensors using Opticlear™ as solvent to generate liquid paraffin and pattering with positive photoresist lift-off. The prototype biochips were experimentally tested to demonstrate the concept of rapid and selective detection of mycobacteria using pure cultures and epifluorescence microscopy to visualize microorganisms on the surface. Our successful demonstration of the culture-based biochip technology presents an alternative approach for developing new technology to track microorganisms in complex environmental samples. A microfluidic chip to selectively culture mycolic acid containing actinomycetes from environmental samples will improve screening for mycobacteria to protect public health as well as screening for mycobacteria to reduce the costs associated with treating nocardiafoam at sewage treatment plants.
CONCENTRATION OF RELAXIN IN THE BLOOD SERUM OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM RABBITS1

RELAXIN was first discovered in the blood serum of pregnant rabbits by Hisaw (1926). Subsequent work showed that the relaxative hormone was also present in the blood serum of several species of mammals during pregnancy (Hisaw, 1929; Pommerenke, 1934; Abramson, Hurwitt and Lesnick, 1937). However, the greatest concentration of the hormone was found in the blood of pregnant rabbits (Hisaw, 1929). In this animal relaxin could be detected first on the 7th or 8th day of pregnancy. With the advance of pregnancy increasing amounts of the hormone could be found until a maximal concentration was reached in the latter part of gestation. Qualitative tests of the blood immediately after parturition showed a rapid decline in the hormonal content and about 24 hours after parturition, tests for the hormone were negative. The purpose of the present study was to investigate in a more precise and quantitative way the relationship between the stage of gestation and the concentration of relaxin in the serum and urine of preg...
Use of Pulse Oximetry to Recognize Severity of Airflow Obstruction in Obstructive Airway Disease: Correlation With Pulsus Paradoxus

Study objectives The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to confirm the observation that pulse oximetry tracing correlates with pulsus paradoxus, and is therefore a measure of the severity of air trapping in obstructive airway disease. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting The ICU in a tertiary care academic hospital. Patients Twenty-six patients consecutively admitted to the ICU with obstructive airway disease, either asthma or COPD. Measurements and results Forty-six percent of the study patients required mechanical ventilation, and 69% had an elevated pulsus paradoxus. We defined the altered pulse oximetry baseline tracing as the respiratory waveform variation (RWV). The RWV was measured in numerical form as the change in millimeters from the baseline. Pulsus paradoxus was significantly correlated with the RWV of the pulse oximetry tracing (p Conclusions We describe the characteristic alterations in the pulse oximetry tracings that occur in the presence of pulsus paradoxus and auto-PEEP. Since pulse oximetry is available universally in ICUs and emergency departments, it may be a useful noninvasive means of continually assessing pulsus paradoxus and air trapping severity in obstructive airway disease patients.
Use of isoproterenol during programmed ventricular stimulation in patients with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia

Twenty-three consecutive patients (20 men and 3 women) with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in whom sustained VT was not inducible in a baseline electrophysiology test underwent repeated testing during isoproterenol infusion to determine the inducibility of sustained monomorphic VT. After the baseline study, each patient received a 2 to 4 μg/min infusion of isoproterenol (mean 2.5 ± 0.8 μg/min). The sinus cycle length shortened by a mean of 29% ± 9% and programmed stimulation was repeated. Nineteen patients had no inducible sustained, monomorphic VT, two patients had only inducible nonsustained VT, and two patients had ventricular fibrillation. Patients were followed up for 10 to 20 months (mean 14.4 ± 2.9 months) and had no syncope, sustained monomorphic VT, or sudden death. Isoproterenol infusion during programmed stimulation in patients with coronary heart disease and nonsustained VT does not facilitate the induction of sustained monomorphic VT.
Maturation of evoked mossy fiber input to rat cerebellar Purkinje cells (II.)

The aim of this work was to establish a time sequence for the functional maturation of the mossy fiber afferent system to the cerebellum, in order to place it in the context of overall cerebellar cortical development. Rat pups at various ages were anesthetized with 0.5% halothane, and Purkinje cell activity was monitored extracellularly as limbs were electrically stimulated. The results showed that Purkinje cells can receive input from the periphery via the mossy fiber system at least by the seventh postnatal day, which is relatively early in overall cerebellar development. It is clear that synaptic transmission begins soon after the mossy fiber terminals and granule cell dendrites are in physical proximity. Initially, such input has a long latency (66 msec), is easily fatigued (at 10/sec), and has a prolonged duration of excitatory effect on Purkinje cells (27 msec). These and other functional parameters become mature by the third postnatal week (6–9 msec latency, following frequency above 20/sec), which is well before overall cerebellar cortical cytological development is completed. The maturation of many functional parameters of the cerebellar afferent systems and the acquisition of new motor behaviors are shown to emerge in parallel. Motor function appears to correlate with the establishment of a mature time scale of operation of the cerebellar circuitry.
Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, and Stachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective

Damp buildings often have a moldy smell or obvious mold growth; some molds are human pathogens. This has caused concern regarding health effects of moldy indoor environments and has resulted in many studies of moisture- and mold-damaged buildings. Recently, there have been reports of severe illness as a result of indoor mold exposure, particularly due to Stachybotrys chartarum. While many authors describe a direct relationship between fungal contamination and illness, close examination of the literature reveals a confusing picture. Here, we review the evidence regarding indoor mold exposure and mycotoxicosis, with an emphasis on S. chartarum. We also examine possible end-organ effects, including pulmonary, immunologic, neurologic, and oncologic disorders. We discuss the Cleveland infant idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage reports in detail, since they provided important impetus for concerns about Stachybotrys. Some valid concerns exist regarding the relationship between indoor mold exposure and human disease. Review of the literature reveals certain fungus-disease associations in humans, including ergotism (Claviceps species), alimentary toxic aleukia (Fusarium), and liver disease (Aspergillys). While many papers suggest a similar relationship between Stachybotrys and human disease, the studies nearly uniformly suffer from significant methodological flaws, making their findings inconclusive. As a result, we have not found well-substantiated supportive evidence of serious illness due to Stachybotrys exposure in the contemporary environment. To address issues of indoor mold-related illness, there is an urgent need for studies using objective markers of illness, relevant animal models, proper epidemiologic techniques, and examination of confounding factors.
Cytoskeletal motors in Arabidopsis. Sixty-one kinesins and seventeen myosins.

Cytoskeletal motor proteins are ATPases that use the energy released from ATP hydrolysis to move along the cytoskeletal elements of microtubules and actin microfilaments. Found among all eukaryotic organisms, kinesins are microtubule-based motor proteins with a conserved kinesin motor domain, and myosins are actin microfilament-based motor proteins with a conserved myosin motor domain. Cytoskeletal motor proteins directly contribute to the organization of various cytoskeletal arrays during cell division and cell growth in plant tissues. They are also responsible for the motility of molecules and organelles, and the segregation of genetic materials during mitosis and meiosis. In the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), there are at least 61 genes encoding kinesins and 17 genes encoding myosins. Most Arabidopsis kinesins and all myosins are evolutionarily divergent from their counterparts in animals and fungi. Little is known about the functions of most plant kinesins and myosins. Arabidopsis kinesins form a number of subfamilies. The mitotic kinesins in the BIMC/Kinesin-5 and the NCD/Kinesin-14 subfamilies appear to be similar to those in fungi and animals. Others, however, are very divergent, as their nonmotor sequences are unique to plants. Some of Arabidopsis kinesins are associated with microtubules, mitochondria, Golgi stacks, and vesicles. They affect microtubule organization, organelle distribution, and vesicle transport, respectively. Ultimately, Arabidopsis kinesins contribute directly or indirectly to cell division and cell growth in various tissues. Arabidopsis myosins are classified into two subfamilies: class VIII and class XI. The class XI myosins are associated with various organelles/vesicles. Functions of Arabidopsis myosins are still elusive. Future efforts will be devoted to deciphering not only the functions of these motors by molecular genetics but also the molecular mechanisms underlying how these roles are played.
Modified logistic regression: an approximation to SVM and its applications in large-scale text categorization

Logistic Regression (LR) has been widely used in statistics for many years, and has received extensive study in machine learning community recently due to its close relations to Support Vector Machines (SVM) and AdaBoost. In this paper, we use a modified version of LR to approximate the optimization of SVM by a sequence of unconstrained optimization problems. We prove that our approximation will converge to SVM, and propose an iterative algorithm called "MLR-CG" which uses Conjugate Gradient as its inner loop. Multiclass version "MMLR-CG" is also obtained after simple modifications. We compare the MLR-CG with SVMlight over different text categorization collections, and show that our algorithm is much more efficient than SVMlight when the number of training examples is very large. Results of the multiclass version MMLR-CG is also reported.
Selecting a programming language for your project

Since the mandate was dropped that the Ada language had to be used in all DoD projects, software managers have had more freedom to choose which programming language to use on their DoD projects. For most new DoD software projects that need a general purpose high-level language, Ada, C, or C++ are the main contenders, with increasing attention paid to the new language celebrity, Java. Furthermore, multilanguage systems seems to be getting increasingly popular. As a result, companies offer integrated multilanguage programming environments. Although each programming language has its own strengths and weaknesses, the reason for choosing a particular language may ultimately be based on factors having nothing to do with the technical merits of the language itself. Such factors may include the availability of compilers for the host/target, the maturity and efficiency of available compilers, the availability of programmers who already know the language, whether the language can easily interface with existing systems such as graphical user interfaces or data bases, the existence of legacy software written in a specific language, or how well the language fits in with adopted COTS products. A few common misconceptions that may affect the choice of a programming language are listed.
Critical Care of Patients With Acute Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke: Update on Recent Evidence and International Guidelines

Patients with acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are often managed in a critical care setting. Disturbances in BP, body temperature, and serum glucose are commonly observed but their management remains controversial. The reversal of antithrombotic medications and prognostication are especially challenging for intracerebral hemorrhages. This review highlights recent clinical trials and the recommendations found in international guidelines relevant to these topics. We aim to provide a practical and brief, yet current, review of these more problematic areas of stroke care.
Cone Resources and the Ecology of the Red Pine Cone Beetle, Conophthorus resinosae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Red pine cone beetles (Conophthorus resinosae Hopkins) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) suffer negligible mortality from parasites or predators. Their population levels are governed by variations in weather and the availability of food. Their life history characteristics and ecology resemble those of other cone beetles but differ slightly owing to the peculiarities of red pine cone and seed size and perhaps cone production frequency as well. Red pine cone beetles destroyed on the average 79% of the annual cone crops during an 11-yr period.
Photovoltaic-powered light-emitting diode lighting systems

Although lighting systems powered by photovoltaic (PV) cells have existed for many years, they are not widely used, especially in lighting for buildings, due to their high initial cost and low conversion efficiency. One of the technical challenges facing PV-powered lighting systems has been how to use the dc power generated by the PV module to energize common light sources that are designed to operate efficiently under ac power. Usually, the efficacy of dc light sources is very poor compared to ac light sources. Rapid developments in LED lighting systems have made this technology a potential candidate for PV-powered lighting systems. This study analyzed the efficiency of each component of PV-powered lighting systems to identify optimum system configurations for different applications.
Pharmacotherapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disabling, progressive disease. The past decade has seen an explosion in the available therapies for the management of PAH. Choosing appropriate pharmacotherapy can be a daunting task for the practitioner, as no head-to-head comparisons between drugs have been published. This article aims to assist the practitioner in developing an evidence-based, rational pharmacologic treatment algorithm for the management of patients with PAH. Currently approved pharmacotherapy and the pivotal trials that led to approval for the respective agents are reviewed. Common dilemmas in the treatment of PAH for which strong evidence is lacking are discussed.
Biological contributions to addictions in adolescents and adults: prevention, treatment, and policy implications.

Abstract Purpose Despite significant advances in our understanding of the biological bases of addictions, these disorders continue to represent a huge public health burden that is associated with substantial personal suffering. Efforts to target addictions require consideration of how the improved biological understanding of addictions may lead to improved prevention, treatment, and policy initiatives. Method In this article, we provide a narrative review of current biological models for addictions with a goal of placing existing data and theories within a translational and developmental framework targeting the advancement of prevention, treatment, and policy strategies. Results Data regarding individual differences, intermediary phenotypes, and main and interactive influences of genetic and environmental contributions in the setting of developmental trajectories that may be influenced by addictive drugs or behavior indicate complex underpinnings of addictions. Conclusions Consideration and further elucidation of the biological etiologies of addictions hold significant potential for making important gains and reducing the public health impact of addictions.
Discriminative Log-Linear Grammars with Latent Variables

We demonstrate that log-linear grammars with latent variables can be practically trained using discriminative methods. Central to efficient discriminative training is a hierarchical pruning procedure which allows feature expectations to be efficiently approximated in a gradient-based procedure. We compare L1 and L2 regularization and show that L1 regularization is superior, requiring fewer iterations to converge, and yielding sparser solutions. On full-scale treebank parsing experiments, the discriminative latent models outperform both the comparable generative latent models as well as the discriminative non-latent baselines.
Preparation of heterobimetallic compounds containing octaethylporphyrinrhodium and their reactions with hydrogen and carbon monoxide

Abstract Octaethylporphyrinrhodium dimer ([Rh(OEP)] 2 ) reacts with a series of transition metal dimers (M′M′; M′ = Mn(CO) 5 ; Mo(CO) 3 Cp; Ru(CO) 2 C 5 Me 5 ) to form metalmetal bonded heterobimetallic compounds ((OEP)RhM′). The heterobimetallic compounds reported in this paper react with H 2 and CO to produce M′H and equilibrium quantities of Rh(OEP)(H) and Rh(OEP)(CHO).
Determining the Foraging Range and Origin of Resurgence After Treatment of Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Urban Areas

Abstract The foraging range and distribution of Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), colonies in urban areas of southern California extended at least 61 m (200 feet) from feeding stations and structures. Ants were fed at 25% sucrose feeding stations containing 0.01% fluorescent brighter (FB28). Within 14 d, from 77–90% of the ants sampled next to the feeding stations were positive for FB28. The percentage of ants with FB28 declined gradually to ≈55% 61 m away from the feeding station. The percentage of marked ants in the controls didn’t change over the 4-wk-test period. There were ≈290,000 ants visiting the monitored stations each night before treatments. The 0.0001% fipronil baits and 0.06% fipronil SC sprays provided significant reductions in at least 4 wk. The percentage of ants marked with FB28 decreased significantly in both bait and spray treatments over 4 wk suggesting that the resurgence of ants in treated areas were because of immigration from untreated areas. It is likely that much larger a...
Review Article: Envenomation By Loxosceles Reclusa

Envenomation by the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa , may result in a dermonecrosis which can be accompanied by systemic manifestations, including hemolytic anemia. Experimental results have indicated that the local and systemic complications in vertebrates induced by L. reclusa envenomation are probably manifestations of both venom mass action and immunopathological phenomena. The complexity of the venom-victim interactions makes loxoscelism a medical problem that will require considerable experimentation to resolve.
The Sickling Phenomenon and its Bearing on the Problem of Red Cell Structure

This paper is concerned with the shape transformations of the promeniscocyte, a cell morphologically indistinguishable from the normal human erythrocyte, into the meniscocyte or sickle cell. This shape change occurs when promeniscocytes are exposed to reduced O 2 tensions, and is completely reversible.
Evaluating trophic cascades as drivers of regime shifts in different ocean ecosystems

In ecosystems that are strongly structured by predation, reducing top predator abundance can alter several lower trophic levels—a process known as a trophic cascade. A persistent trophic cascade also fits the definition of a regime shift. Such ‘trophic cascade regime shifts' have been reported in a few pelagic marine systems—notably the Black Sea, Baltic Sea and eastern Scotian Shelf—raising the question of how common this phenomenon is in the marine environment. We provide a general methodology for distinguishing top-down and bottom-up effects and apply this methodology to time series from these three ecosystems. We found evidence for top-down forcing in the Black Sea due primarily to gelatinous zooplankton. Changes in the Baltic Sea are primarily bottom-up, strongly structured by salinity, but top-down forcing related to changes in cod abundance also shapes the ecosystem. Changes in the eastern Scotian Shelf that were originally attributed to declines in groundfish are better explained by changes in stratification. Our review suggests that trophic cascade regime shifts are rare in open ocean ecosystems and that their likelihood increases as the residence time of water in the system increases. Our work challenges the assumption that negative correlation between consecutive trophic levels implies top-down forcing.
Production and Characterization of Anisotropic Particles from Biodegradable Materials

In recent years, production and characterization of anisotropic particles has become of interest in a wide range of scientific fields including polymer chemistry, drug delivery, electronics, energy, and nanotechnology. In this work, we demonstrate a novel formulation for production of anisotropic particles via an internal phase separation of biodegradable components. Specifically, binary mixtures of biodegradable polymers poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, and biodegradable lipid Precirol (glyceryl palmitostearate) were dissolved in dichloromethane, emulsified, and prepared into anisotropic particles using a modified solvent evaporation technique. During the slow evaporation process the components self-assembled into anisotropic particles with distinct morphologies. Polymer/polymer formulations resulted in compartmentalized anisotropic heterodimer particles, while polymer/lipid combinations yielded "ice cream cone" shaped particles. It was found that addition of certain active pharmaceuticals resulted in an altered, pox-like segregation at the particle surface of polymer/polymer formulations. The anisotropic nature of the particles was subsequently characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, electrophoresis, and X-ray diffraction. Successful formulations presented here may potentially be employed as multicompartmental drug carriers with staggered drug release rates or alternatively as a colloidal excipient for an arsenal of pharmaceutical applications.
Effect of Laser Irradiation on Carbon-Implanted Copper Substrates

We have analyzed the non-equilibrium thermal effects of pulsed nanosecond lasers on carbon-implanted copper substrates. The thermal effects of pulsed nanosecond lasers were simulated by numerically solving the heat flow equation and taking into account the phase changes which occur at the surface of the irradiated solid. Intense pulsed laser irradiation induces rapid heating at the near surface resulting in melting, followed by rapid quenching of the melt phase. The effect of laser variables (energy density, etc.) on the maximum melt depth, melt-in and solidification velocities and transient temperature profiles have been computed. Maximum melt depths and the surface temperatures were found to increase approximately in a linear manner with pulse energy density. Extremely high average solidification velocities (20-45 m/sec) were calculated which may give rise to solute trapping and other non-equilibrium segregation effects. The change in laser-irradiated characteristics of copper substrates as a result of carbon-ion implantation is also discussed.
Bionomics of Cuterebra austeni (Diptera: Cuterebridae) and its Association with Neotoma albigula (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the Southwestern United States

Cuterebra austeni Sabrosky causes cutaneous myiasis in white-throated woodrats, Neotoma albigula, in the southwestern United States. In central and southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, this species is bivoltine. Adult flies are active at hilltop aggregation sites from early spring through mid-May and again to a lesser extent in the fall months. Eggs produced from laboratory matings of adult flies hatched in response to warm breath (34-36 degrees C) 6-8 d after oviposition. Oviposition takes place around burrow entrances and near the bases of Opuntia cacti. In the wild, myiasis occurs in woodrats primarily during the spring months, with a small second peak during the fall. Larvae develop in cutaneous warbles in the sternal and the ventral cervical area of N. albigula and complete development in 33 d. Woodrats do not appear to be affected seriously by the presence of 1-5 larvae. Morphological changes in larvae and pupae are described through to adult eclosion.
Simplied one-way Karnaugh map method for optimization of logic design

Based on the traditional simplified Karnaugh map method in the design of the combined logic function, a novel simplified one-way Karnaugh map method was presented, in which logic variable of logic function and the place of the component of MSI were considered carefully. Using the method, the complicated rules and steps of the reduced dimension method or the heuristic approach of the decision of arbitrary item of separating variable method was avoided. The method is suitable for simplification of the fully described or partially described logic function, especially for the optimization of combination of the arbitray items of the combined logic circuit.
Study on the determination of urinary iodine in 96-well microplate

Objective:To establish a rapid,simple,which can be used for batch samples new method for determination of Urinary iodine.Methods: According to the reaction principle for ammonium persulfate digestion As-Ce catalytic spectrophotometry,60 micro urine samples were simultaneously sealed and digested in a 96-well microplate,then the absorbance of the samples were simultaneously measured by the ELIASA,so the contents of iodine in 60 urine samples were obtained at the same time.Results: The losses and cross contamination of samples weren′t found in the 96-well microplate when digestion and determination.The method was liner in the range of 0 μg/L~300 μg/L,the regression equation:C(μg/L)=17.68-367.4lgA,R=0.9985,the within and between RSDs were 2.32%~5.60% and 4.50%,respectively the rates of recovery were 93.3%~105.9%.The determination results of iodine in 60 urine samples by the method were agreed with those obtained by the standard method.Conclusion: The method is less regents consumption,simple,rapid,accurate and reliable,it is suitable for analysis of large number of samples.Based on the above,this method has high value in practical application.
Interdisciplinary integration for quality improvement: the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center Firm System.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Many of the characteristics of Firm Systems lend themselves to the application of principles of continuous quality improvement (CQI). A Firm System is defined as two or more parallel practices organized on the principle of continuity of relationships between patients and an interdisciplinary group of health care professionals and trainees. Firm Systems are organized around the care of the patient or customer and emphasize access, continuity, and quality of care. Case study The Firm System was implemented at the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) not as a CQI initiative per se, but as an effort to coordinate the processes involved in the delivery of patient care. The primary goals of this implementation were to improve the quality of patient care, medical education, and health care research. The main strategy to deal with problems caused by uncoordinated care were to move from a departmental approach to an integrated interdisciplanary approach. This approach represented a paradigm shift within the organization that extended to planning, documentation, and the general work environment. Most important, the institution had leaders who were committed to the Firm System and willing to authorize resources to ensure its success. Conclusion VA hospitals are ideal settings for Firm Systems because they provide longitudinal, comprehensive care with a centralized, prepaid payment mechanism, and they have well-developed information systems that allow the random assignment of patients to Firms. Recommendations to others interested in implementing Firm Systems include creation of a written plan that can gain general support; identification of resources needed for successful implementation; remembering that the patient is the most important customer, as well as that complex systems have many customers; monitoring of performance; and the importance of randomizing patients and providers.
Psychopharmacology for Social Anxiety Disorder

Publisher Summary Pharmacotherapy is a reasonable option for most individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD), given the degree of associated impairment and the efficacy of established medication treatments for the disorder. Pharmacological approaches to SAD have been shown to substantially reduce avoidance and psychological distress. Furthermore, both cognitive and physical symptoms of anxiety can interfere with optimal performance and ultimately lead to avoidance of feared situations; thus, medications that can directly decrease anxiety and physical symptoms typical of the disorder may help improve performance in social or professional situations. Finally, tendencies toward shyness and excessive concerns about social comparisons are likely to be strongly biologically based, given the early onset of behaviorally inhibited temperament, evidence of a significant genetic contribution from twin and family studies, and the biological salience of social hierarchies in the evolution of humans as a group-living species. These findings support the use of biologically based treatments. A number of medications have been studied for the treatment of SAD. Early reports suggested the potential value of MAOI, reversible inhibitors of MAO-A (RIMAs), and benzodiazepines. Most clinical trials have included predominantly or exclusively patients with the generalized type of SAD. This chapter presents a review of the research progress on pharmacotherapy for SAD over time.
Expanding the Field of View: The Role of Agricultural Employers in Street-Level Immigration Policy Implementation:

More than half the U.S. farm labor force is undocumented, and thousands of U.S. employers hire farmworkers through the short-term H-2A visa program. Immigration enforcement and H-2A policy thus hav...
Dilation-aware enrolment for iris recognition

Iris recognition systems typically enrol a person based on a single ‘best’ eye image. Research has shown that the probability of a false non-match result increases with increased difference in pupil dilation between the enrolment image and the probe image. Therefore, dilation-aware methods of enrolment should improve the accuracy of iris recognition. The authors examine a strategy to improve accuracy through a dilation-aware enrolment step that selects one or more enrolment images based on the observed distribution of dilation ratios for that eye. Additionally, they demonstrate that an image with median dilation is the optimal single eye image dilation-aware enrolment choice. Their results confirm that this dilation-aware enrolment strategy does improve matching accuracy compared with traditional single-image enrolment, and also compared with multi-image enrolment that does not take dilation into account.
Direct Synthesis of Large-Scale WTe2 Thin Films with Low Thermal Conductivity

Large-scale, polycrystalline WTe2 thin films are synthesized by atmospheric chemical vapor reaction of W metal films with Te vapor catalyzed by H2Te intermediates, paving a way to understanding the synthesis mechanism for low bonding energy tellurides and toward synthesis of single-crystalline telluride nanoflakes. Through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivities of single-crystal WTe2 flakes and polycrystalline WTe2 thin films are measured for the first time. Nanoscale grains and disorder in WTe2 thin films suppress the in-plane thermal conductivity of WTe2 greatly, which is at least 7.5 times lower than that of the single-crystalline flakes.
Those Who Can Do Self-Study, Do Self-Study: But Can They Teach It?

AbstractThis article describes the challenges encountered by a teacher educator and self-study practitioner as he attempted to facilitate a group of colleagues in learning about and engaging in self-study over a two year period. While competent in conducting self-study for himself, the author had never before tried to teach it to others. This led to teaching experiences in which the author grappled with his decision-making across three critical facets of his pedagogy. The findings of this self-study indicate that it is possible to broadly categorize these dilemmas in decision-making as instructional challenges, relational challenges, and methodological challenges. Uncovering and discussing these challenges gives those involved in the self-study of teacher education practices community an opportunity to consider how such dilemmas might be navigated beneficially to advance understanding and use of self-study methodology by others.
Prevalence and predictors of androgen receptor and programmed death-ligand 1 in BRCA1-associated and sporadic triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancers comprise 15% of breast cancers and are more common in women with BRCA1 mutations. Although most have basal gene expression signatures, others resemble luminal tumors with expression of androgen receptor-related genes and some express the immunoinhibitory protein programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Given the availability of androgen receptor-targeted and immune therapies for triple-negative breast cancers, determining predictors of these biomarkers is important. To determine the prevalence and predictors of androgen receptor and PD-L1 expression in BRCA1-associated and sporadic triple-negative breast cancer. We studied 197 triple-negative breast cancers: 78 (39.6%) from BRCA1 mutation carriers and 119 (60.4%) from noncarriers. Tumor pathology was reviewed and tissue microarray sections were immunostained for androgen receptor and PD-L1. Androgen receptor expression was seen in 18% of tumors and was significantly less common in tumors from BRCA1 mutation carriers than noncarriers (9.2 vs. 23.7%; P=0.01). Twenty-six percent of cancers expressed PD-L1 with no significant difference in frequency between carriers and noncarriers. Factors predicting androgen receptor expression were lower histologic grade (odds ratio (OR) 4.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–19.7), older age at diagnosis (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.03–1.7) and PD-L1 expression (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.1–6.1). PD-L1 expression was significantly more common in cancers with lymphocytic infiltrates (OR, 3.3; 95% CI 1.1–10.4) and androgen receptor expression (OR, 3.2; 95% CI 1.4–7.5), and less common in tumors with lymphovascular invasion (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.92). These results identify predictors for androgen receptor and PD-L1 expression among triple-negative breast cancers that may lead to better treatment selection and participation in clinical trials. Factors that help predict triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes can guide use of targeted treatments. TNBC encompasses several tumor subtypes, some of which — for instance, those that express the androgen receptor (AR) or the immunoinhibitory protein PD-L1 — may respond well to newly developed drugs. Identifying subtypes is therefore important for effective treatment of TNBC. Nadine Tung at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, USA, and colleagues analysed AR and PD-L1 expression in 197 TNBC tumors from patients with and without mutations in the gene BRCA1, which also influences response to certain treatments. They found that AR and PD-L1 were expressed in 18% and 26% of tumors, respectively, and identified futher factors associated with these subtypes, such as more advanced age at diagnosis or lymphocytic infiltration, that could improve treatment selection for patients with TNBC.
Extreme weather and climate events with ecological relevance: a review.

Robust evidence exists that certain extreme weather and climate events, especially daily temperature and precipitation extremes, have changed in regard to intensity and frequency over recent decade...