cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The real threat to GM crops in poor countries: consumer and policy resistance to GM foods in rich countries

Abstract In most poor countries today, farmers still plant no GM food or feed crops at all. Some are now planting GM cotton, but GM food and feed crops have not yet been grown commercially anywhere in developing Asia or the Middle East, and in only one African country (South Africa). Government authorities in most of these countries have not yet given farmers official permission to plant any GM food or feed crops—superficially in most cases because of precautionary concerns about biological safety. The more fundamental reason is now a fear that consumers in high-income importing regions, such as Europe and Japan, will shun imports from any country that begins planting GM varieties. The new EU regulation calling for strict labelling and traceability on all GM-derived foods and feeds (requiring a costly physical segregation of GM from non-GM all the way up the marketing chain) will further discourage the planting of GM crops in poor countries.
Reduction in STEMI Transfer Times Utilizing a Municipal “911” Ambulance Service

Introduction The time interval from diagnosis to reperfusion therapy for patients experiencing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. Hypothesis It is hypothesized that the time required for interfacility patient transfers from a community hospital to a regional percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) center using an Advanced Life Support (ALS) transfer ambulance service is no different than utilizing the “911” ALS ambulance. Methods Quality assurance data collected by a tertiary care center cardiac catheterization program were reviewed retrospectively. Data were collected on all patients with STEMI requiring interfacility transfer from a local community hospital to the tertiary care center's PCI suite, approximately 16 miles away by ground, 12 miles by air. In 2009, transfers of patients with STEMI were redirected to the municipal ALS ambulance service, instead of the hospital's contracted ALS transfer service. Data were collected from January 2007 through May 2013. Temporal data were compared between transports initiated through the contracted ALS ambulance service and the municipal ALS service. Data points included time of initial transport request and time of ambulance arrival to the sending facility and the receiving PCI suite. Results During the 4-year study period, 63 patients diagnosed with STEMI and transferred to the receiving hospital's PCI suite were included in this study. Mean times from the transport request to arrival of the ambulance at the sending hospital's emergency department were six minutes (95% CI, 4-7 minutes) via municipal ALS and 13 minutes (95% CI, 9-16 minutes) for the ALS transfer service. The mean times from the ground transport request to arrival at the receiving hospital's PCI suite when utilizing the municipal ALS ambulance and hospital contracted ALS ambulance services were 48 minutes (95% CI, 33-64 minutes) and 56 minutes (95% CI 52-59 minutes), respectively. This eight-minute period represented a 14% (P = .001) reduction in the mean transfer time to the PCI suite for patients transported via the municipal ALS ambulance. Conclusion In the appropriate setting, the use of the municipal “911” ALS ambulance service for the interfacility transport of patients with STEMI appears advantageous in reducing door-to-catheterization times. Tennyson JC , Quale MR . Reduction in STEMI Transfer Times Utilizing a Municipal “911” Ambulance Service. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(1):1-4 .
Ozone air quality and radiative forcing consequences of changes in ozone precursor emissions

[1] Changes in emissions of ozone (O3) precursors affect both air quality and climate. We first examine the sensitivity of surface O3 concentrations (O3srf) and net radiative forcing of climate (RFnet) to reductions in emissions of four precursors – nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and methane (CH4). We show that long-term CH4-induced changes in O3, known to be important for climate, are also relevant for air quality; for example, NOx reductions increase CH4, causing a long-term O3 increase that partially counteracts the direct O3 decrease. Second, we assess the radiative forcing resulting from actions to improve O3 air quality by calculating the ratio of ΔRFnet to changes in metrics of O3srf. Decreases in CH4 emissions cause the greatest RFnet decrease per unit reduction in O3srf, while NOx reductions increase RFnet. Of the available means to improve O3 air quality, therefore, CH4 abatement best reduces climate forcing.
An EBSP study of directionally recrystallized cold-rolled nickel

Abstract Electron backscattered patterns have been employed to reveal the orientation distribution and texture evolution of 90% cold-rolled polycrystalline nickel, which was subjected to directional annealing at a variety of temperatures. At 370 °C, equi-axed grain structures with a weak cube texture were observed after (primary) directional recrystallization at hot zone velocities from 2–40 mm/h, with the sharpest cube texture present at the slowest hot zone speed. At 1000 °C, with a temperature graduate of 50 °C/cm ahead of the hot zone, equi-axed grains with weak {1 2 4} 1 ¯ > textures were produced by (secondary) directional recrystallization at hot zone velocities from 5–100 mm/h. In contrast, either columnar grains or single crystals could be produced by directional (secondary) recrystallization at either 1000 °C with a temperature gradient of 1000 °C/cm, or 800 °C with a temperature gradient of 800 °C/cm in front of the hot zone. The columnar grains also typically have {1 2 4} 1 ¯ > orientations, the preferred texture for secondary recrystallization. The {1 2 4} 1 ¯ >-oriented grains form high-angle, random boundaries, and thus, high-mobility boundaries with the texture-pinned, cube-oriented grains in front of the hot zone, suggesting that the columnar grains were produced by secondary recrystallization via oriented grain growth.
P187 Matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in sputum of asthmatics

Introduction and Objectives Metalloproteinases are implicated in the development of airway remodelling in asthma due to their ability to cleave collagen and elastin with extracellular matrix. We optimised a method to purify messenger Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) sputum samples. Methods The mRNA expression of a wide range of pertinent Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP), A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinases (ADAM), A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs (ADAMTS) and Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases (TIMP) was measured from induced sputum with hypertonic saline using Quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) in 17 (11 male) non-smoking adults with steroid naive asthma and 12 (6 male) healthy controls. Ten patients with asthma completed open labelled montelukast therapy 10mg per day for 8 weeks. Total mRNA was extracted from the cellular content of the induced sputum plug using a combination of Trizol extraction and Qiagen RNeasy spin columns. To each 0.5ml Trizol extract, 300µl of chloroform was added. The aqueous layer was recovered into a fresh tube and mixed with a half volume of 100% ethanol. Samples were applied to RNeasy Mini spin columns. RT-PCR, using Taqman low-density arrays, was used to determine gene expression. Results The mean (SD) age and forced expiratory volume in 1 second of asthmatics was 36 (13.4) years and 101.16 (15.47)% predicted respectively and for healthy volunteers was 36 (7.2) years and 92.16 (17.43)% predicted. MMP25 expression was significantly (p = 0.04) higher and MMP15 expression was significantly (p = 0.04) lower is asthmatics compared to healthy volunteers. ADAM28 was significantly (p = 0.03) higher and ADAM17 and ADAMTS15 expression were significantly lower in asthma (p = 0.007 & 0.008 respectively). TIMP2 expression was significantly (p = 0.007) lower in the asthma. There were no significant changes in expression of any of the metalloproteinases or their inhibitors after montelukast therapy. Conclusion We have studied a wide range of known MMPs, ADAMs, ADAMTSs and inhibitors with a refined technique and successfully increased the yield from induced sputum samples. Significant differences were found between healthy volunteers and asthmatic patients for gene expression of some metalloproteinases/TIMPs. This technique could be used in the future when evaluating gene expression in asthma.
A descriptive review and meta-analysis of family-based emergent literacy interventions: To what extent is the research applicable to low-income, ethnic-minority or linguistically-diverse young children?

Abstract The acquisition of emergent literacy for young children who are ethnic-minority, low-income or non-English speaking is threatened by myriad social risks. Given the need for empirically-supported interventions for these groups, a comprehensive literature review was undertaken, involving both a descriptive review and a meta-analysis. The 31 selected published articles each satisfied criteria for being an intervention study involving caregivers in its delivery to children between the ages of two to six years. A meta-analysis was conducted using a subset of 14 studies that utilized an experimental or quasi-experimental design. This two-pronged review demonstrated significant limitations in the generalizability of this literature to these important groups of children. Future directions for advancing intervention development are presented.
Plasma fibronectin during myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion: Effects of magnesium, diltiazem, and a novel Mac‐1 inhibitor

The important role of fibronectin (Fn) has been recognized in patients with ischemic heart disease. However, serial changes of Fn during both brief and prolonged ischemia-reperfusion are poorly known. Plasma Fn was measured during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and myocardial stunning (MS), and in the absence of myocardial injury. The effects of magnesium (Mg), diltiazem, and a Mac-1 inhibitor on the level of Fn were elucidated. Forty-nine swine underwent prolonged (50 min) or brief (8 min) coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion, while six control animals were free of ischemia. During the AMI experiments, plasma Fn underwent a significant progressive increase. Mg or diltiazem similarly affects the plasma Fn, reducing its release during the entire reperfusion period, and did not influence the plasma Fn in the absence of myocardial injury. Contrarily, Mac-1 inhibition resulted in the Fn elevation in controls, and during the occlusion phase, with no significant effect during reperfusion. There were no changes in the plasma Fn during MS, while inhibition of Mac-1 was associated with the significant increase of Fn during ischemia-reperfusion. Ability of Mg, diltiazem, and leumedins to modulate plasma Fn level may have direct clinical implications for the use of these agents in patients with coronary artery disease.
Generalized auto-calibrating technique for image reconstruction from sensitivity encoded MRI data

MRI with multiple receiver coils (parallel MRI) has been extensively used to achieve higher spatial and temporal resolution, suppress imaging artifacts, and reduced scan time. A number of techniques have been proposed to reconstruct images from reduced (undersampled) k-space datasets acquired by multiple coils. All the techniques require some type of calibration information to describe image encoding by spatially varying coil sensitivities. This information can be derived from supplementary calibration scans. However, this approach increases scan time and can be erroneous due to patient motion between calibration and imaging scans. Auto-calibrating techniques such as the commonly used GRAPPA, do not require calibration scans and estimate reconstruction coefficients directly from acquired k-space data. GRAPPA typically gives good quality results for low undersampling rates. However, strong noise amplification and non-resolved aliasing artifacts makes the technique less applicable in cases of high undersampling. In this work, we have proposed a novel auto-calibrating technique for image reconstruction from sensitivity encoded MRI data that overcomes limitations of the existing auto-calibrating techniques. In the proposed technique (GARSE), specifics of coil sensitivity representation in the image and k-space domains are utilized in the reconstruction in such a way that more trustworthy reconstruction coefficients can be identified resulting in improved image quality. GARSE reconstruction coefficients are spatially variable and adjusted according to local coil sensitivities characteristics, whereas GRAPPA reconstruction coefficients are spatially invariant and, therefore, sub-optimal. Results from MRI studies of phantoms and humans demonstrate substantial advantages of GARSE in comparison with GRAPPA, especially for high undersampling rates.
Characterization of a novel protein regulated during the critical period for song learning in the zebra finch

Abstract A male zebra finch learns a song by listening to a tutor, but song learning is normally restricted to a critical period in juvenile development. Here we identify an RNA whose expression in the song control circuit is altered during this critical period. The RNA encodes a soluble presynaptic protein that forms a predicted amphipathic a helix typical of the lipid-binding domain in apolipoproteins. We show this protein, which we call synelfin, to be the homolog of the human non-Aβ component (and its precursor) recently purified from Alzheimer's disease amyloid. We suggest this highly conserved protein may serve a novel function critical to the regulation of vertebrate neural plasticity.
An experimental approach to measuring the effects of a controller conflict probe in a free routing environment

The unstructured traffic environment that is gradually evolving in the National Airspace System may necessitate decision aiding tools to help controllers manage aircraft traffic efficiently and within acceptable safety and workload levels. An experiment was designed to assess the effect of conflict detection and trial planning resolution aids and traffic conditions on the performance of controllers and the efficiency of flight. Twelve controllers participated in a high-fidelity simulation study in the Indianapolis Center dynamic simulation facility using the user request evaluation tool (URET). Study results indicated that URET clearly improves the acceptability of operations and may enhance safety, particularly in the unstructured environment. In addition, the study findings strongly support a shift toward more strategic air traffic control with conflict probe as well as a significant increase in the contribution of the D controller to the primary sector tasks. Because of study limitations, it was not possible to associate any quantitative estimates of airspace user benefits with the potentially more efficient resolution strategies. The results and experimental approach are discussed in terms of their contribution to measurement methods and issues in the evolutionary progression toward a free flight-based air traffic system.
"Pimp My Roomba": designing for personalization

We present a study of how householders personalize their domestic vacuuming robot, iRobot's Roomba". In particular, we build on Blom and Monk's [3] theory of personalization that argues that personalization does not only occur naturally but can also be induced by design choices. In this study, we created a personalization toolkit, which allowed people to customize their Roomba's appearance and distributed it to 15 households. Our observations of these households provide empirical support that personalization can facilitate positive experiences with a Roomba, and having materials to hand can increase the odds of customization. We conclude by discussing design implications for personalization.
Portfolio diversification effects of trading blocs: The case of NAFTA

Abstract This study investigates the evolving nature of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) stock market interdependencies and their association with diversification gains from the perspective of US investors. The issues are addressed for both short- and long-run interdependencies through correlation of stock market returns and cointegration of stock market prices. The basic findings include: (1) the existence of a long-term relationship (a cointegration relation) which is time-varying and statistically unstable and (2) diversification gains with cointegration not consistently lower than without cointegration. Thus, per-unit-of-risk diversification gains to US investors from NAFTA stock markets are determined by return volatilities, return correlations and domestic market performance. Based on increased return volatilities and return correlations and the very small per-unit-of-risk diversification gains even when the US stock market performs poorly, US investors’ diversification gains have diminished since the implementation of NAFTA.
Attendance and outcome in a work site weight control program: Processes and stages of change as process and predictor variables

This naturalistic study assessed client changes during treatment and identified salient predictors of therapy attendance and outcome. Subjects were assessed on processes and stages of change, self-efficacy, social support, weight history (including expectations, goals, and reasons for losing weight), and demographics at the beginning, middle, and end of a 10-week, behaviorally oriented work site program for weight control. Significant shifts from contemplation to action occurred for clients remaining in treatment. There were also significant modifications in the use of change processes as a result of treatment: counterconditioning, contingency management, stimulus control, interpersonal control, and social liberation increased while medication use, wishful thinking, and minimizing threats decreased. Change processes employed during the early portion of the group treatment were the best predictors of treatment attendance and outcome, superior to self-efficacy, social support, weight history, and demographic variables. The results supported a transtheoretical model that emphasizes dynamic processes and stages as core dimensions for understanding how people change.
Early postnatal differentiation of granule cell dendrites in the olfactory bulbs of normal and unilaterally odor-deprived rats

Abstract Unilateral naris closure in rat pups on the day after birth (P1) results in a substantial loss of synaptic targets for the late developing granule cell population, suggesting granule cell differentiation may be altered. However, dramatic reductions in granule cell numbers also occur in deprived bulbs. A loss of ‘competitors’ may therefore balance losses in synaptic availability. The issue was quantitatively addressed by analyzing granule cell dendritic development in both sham-operated and unilaterally deprived pups. The period between P10 and P30 was marked by significant developmental increases in dendritic height, length and numbers of branches in control subjects. Continued growth was virtually confined to the most distal processes. Spine number and density also increased, but subsequently decreased in all by sixth-order processes. Growth curves for normal and deprived conditions were virtually identical at all ages suggesting that deprivation-induced changes do not involve alterations in initial phases of granule cell dendritic elaboration.
Pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum in infants and children

Abstract The increasing use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in the treatment of pulmonary insufficiency is associated with an increased frequency of pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and pneumopericardium in children. While the clinical implications and treatment of pneumothorax are well documented, the treatment of pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium in the presence of continuing elevated airway pressures is not. In the presence of continuing positive-pressure ventilation in the newborn compression of the heart and great veins, sudden bradycardia, and loss of blood pressure lead to a fatal outcome unless the pericardium is decompressed. In older patients, routine palpation for subcutaneous emphysema aids in early diagnosis. When positive-pressure ventilation is needed to sustain life, early measures to decompress the trapped air are necessary.
Imidazole-Ligated Compound I Intermediates: The Effects of Hydrogen Bonding

An unresolved issue of peroxidase activity is the role played by the hydrogen bond between the proximal histidine ligand and a highly conserved aspartate group. It has been postulated that this hydrogen bond imparts imidazolate character to the axial ligand, increasing its donating ability and stabilizing the high valent compound I intermediate. A general feature of biological compound I intermediates is that they display weaker spin couplings than model systems. To understand how the Asp-His hydrogen bond affects the electronic structure of the compound I intermediate and to establish a connection between it and the decreased coupling strengths observed in peroxidases, we have perfomed density functional calculations on imidazole- and imidazolate-ligated perferryl porphyrin species. It was found that the imidazolate compound I intermediate possesses an imidazolate-based radical, while the imidazole compound I intermediate possesses a porphyrin-based radical. Delocalizaton of the radical onto the axial ligand was found to reduce the strength of the spin coupling.
Prevention of air bubble formation in a microfluidic perfusion cell culture system using a microscale bubble trap

Formation of air bubbles is a serious obstacle to a successful operation of a long-term microfluidic systems using cell culture. We developed a microscale bubble trap that can be integrated with a microfluidic device to prevent air bubbles from entering the device. It consists of two PDMS (polydimethyldisiloxane) layers, a top layer providing barriers for blocking bubbles and a bottom layer providing alternative fluidic paths. Rather than relying solely on the buoyancy of air bubbles, bubbles are physically trapped and prevented from entering a microfluidic device. Two different modes of a bubble trap were fabricated, an independent module that is connected to the main microfluidic system by tubes, and a bubble trap integrated with a main system. The bubble trap was tested for the efficiency of bubble capture, and for potential effects a bubble trap may have on fluid flow pattern. The bubble trap was able to efficiently trap air bubbles of up to 10 μl volume, and the presence of captured air bubbles did not cause alterations in the flow pattern. The performance of the bubble trap in a long-term cell culture with medium recirculation was examined by culturing a hepatoma cell line in a microfluidic cell culture device. This bubble trap can be useful for enhancing the consistency of microfluidic perfusion cell culture operation.
The use of lanthanum to study the functional development of the Casparian strip in corn roots

Lanthanum in combination with electron microscopy was used to study the functional development of the Casparian strip in the primary root of corn (Zea mays L. WF9 X M14). The Casparian strip was first visible between 13 and 16 mm from the root tip, and was first an effective barrier to lanthanum movement through the apoplast from cortex to stele between 14 and 18 mm from the apex. Until the Casparian strip was formed, lanthanum ion freely penetrated the stelar apoplast. By 18 mm from the apex lanthanum was completely restricted to the extracellular spaces of the cortex. Treatment with 0.02 or 0.03% (v/v) Triton X-100 increased the permeability of the plasma membrane, and allowed lanthanum ion to penetrate the cortical symplast. After the detergent treatment, the endodermis no longer functioned as a barrier to La3+ movement from cortex to stele. This confirms that an intact plasma membrane is necessary for the primary endodermis to control the passage of solutes into the vascular tissues of the stele.
Electron transport in strongly correlated nanostructures

We present a short review on electron transport in strongly correlated nanostructures, quantum dots in particular. We describe briefly the main correlation effects, namely the Coulomb blockade and Kondo effect, and introduce three widely used numerical techniques to study these effects. We then give a brief summary of some more elaborate set-ups where two or more effects compete, making the transport properties very interesting to study. In particular, we report the cases of multilevel quantum dots, carbon nanotube based quantum dots, and quantum dots coupled by RKKY interaction.
Check bouncing and fiscal irresponsibility: Evidence of nonideological shirking by legislators

Kalt and Zupan have measured ideological shirking by legislators. Here we present evidence concerning nonideological shirking. We demonstrate that representatives with more overdrawn checks tend to be more fiscally irresponsible, with fiscal irresponsibility measured by National Taxpayer Union ratings and by representatives' voting behavior on the recent House balanced budget amendment vote.
Medical and nonmedical users of prescription drugs among college students.

Abstract Objectives: To examine medical and nonmedical users of prescription opioids, central nervous system depressants, and stimulants taken individually and in combination. Participants: Undergraduates at an urban mid-Atlantic university with 12,000 students. Methods: A questionnaire administered in classes provided 413 responses, with a usable response rate of 94%. Results: Nonmedical users obtained prescription drugs from friends and took them with friends. More nonmedical users than medical users took combinations of drugs. Nonmedical users did not show strong preferences for particular drugs. Nonmedical users compared to medical users who took only 1 drug were more likely to take stimulants and less likely to take opioids. Conclusions: The nonmedical use of prescription drugs by college students is a social activity that involves sharing drugs and taking combinations of drugs with friends. Discouraging nonmedical use must focus on the dangers of combining drugs, sharing drugs, and using social gath...
From science communication to relationship-building: contemplative practice and community engagement in the environmental sciences

True engagement with communities on environmental issues involves not only the technical knowledge that scientists offer, but also the ability to relate effectively. While there are now many courses and books that offer tools focused on helping scientists improve their communication skills, a fundamental piece of the communication puzzle is often left out: the ability to listen deeply. Listening is particularly important in the context of community engagement where relationships are central and it is vital that solutions be co-developed, offering a higher chance for success over the long term. Contemplative practices including meditation have the potential to enhance both individual and broader community engagement capacity. Cultivating the ability to listen and deepen the relationship to oneself and others are important components of many of these practices. Case studies applying contemplative practice—in particular the practice of mindfulness meditation, which is focused on developing self-awareness in the present moment and without judgment—in professional fields including medicine and law can be useful as environmental scientists practice community engagement and relationship-building.
Zeolite-catalyzed chlorination of toluene by sulfuryl chloride: activity, selectivity and deactivation of NaX and NaY zeolites

Chlorination of toluene with sulfuryl chloride was studied using NaX and NaY zeolites as catalysts under conditions where ring chlorination predominates. The zeolites are more selective than conventional Lewis acid catalysts with initial para-chlorotoluene : ortho-chlorotoluene ratios of 1.2. Both faujasites studied underwent rapid deactivation under reaction conditions. The deactivation of NaX was much more rapid than that of NaY. The accumulation of polychlorinated toluenes in the pores of the catalyst may be initially responsible for the loss of activity. In the case of NaY, this lost activity can be partially recovered by soaking the catalyst in fresh toluene, whereas attempts to regenerate by burning out the deposited materials cause a rapid disintegration of the catalyst. Zeolite fouling is accompanied by a more severe dealumination process that eventually leads to structural collapse and complete loss of activity.
Pain and anxiety in the emergency department

Study objectives: Anxiety has been shown to affect pain measurement and treatment in other clinical settings. There has been no evaluation of the relation between pain and anxiety in the emergency department (ED). We hypothesize that there may be an important interaction between anxiety and pain in ED patients. The study objective is to determine the levels of anxiety experienced by ED patients with pain and evaluate the correlation of pain intensity and anxiety. Methods: The study design was prospective and observational. The setting was an academic ED with an annual volume of 32,000 patients. Trained undergraduate research associates enrolled a convenience sample of patients presenting with moderate to severe pain, defined as a pain verbal numeric rating scale (NRS) greater than 3, from September 2003 to December 2003. Those excluded were younger than 18 years or too ill to participate. Pain intensity was measured using an 11-point (0 to 10) previously validated NRS. Anxiety was measured using an 11-point (0 to 10) anxiety NRS that has been used in other acute care settings. Results are reported as means with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Correlation was determined using Spearman ρ. Results: Five hundred eighty-two patients were enrolled. Mean age was 36 years, with 318 (55%) female patients. Three hundred nine (53%) patients had moderate to severe anxiety at presentation (NRS>3), and 219 (38%) patients had moderate to severe anxiety at discharge. Mean pain intensity at presentation was 8.1 (95% CI 7.5 to 8.7) for patients with moderate to severe anxiety and 7.3 (95% 7.1 to 7.5) for patients with no or mild anxiety. Correlation of pain and anxiety at presentation was ρ equal to 0.18. Mean pain at discharge was 6.3 (95% 5.9 to 6.6) for patients with moderate to severe anxiety and 4.7 (95% 4.4 to 4.9) for patients with no or mild anxiety. Correlation of pain and anxiety at discharge was ρ equal to 0.32. Conclusion: Patients with moderate to severe anxiety at discharge have higher mean pain intensity at discharge than those with no or mild anxiety. Pain intensity and anxiety are poorly correlated at presentation and only slightly correlated at discharge. Further evaluation of the interactions of pain and anxiety may allow improvement in pain management in the ED. Limitations include convenience sampling and use of an anxiety scale that has not been validated in an ED setting.
Focus on prolactin as a metabolic hormone

New information about the effects of prolactin (PRL) on metabolic processes warrants re-evaluation of the overall metabolic actions of PRL. PRL affects metabolic homeostasis by regulating key enzymes and transporters that are associated with glucose and lipid metabolism in several target organs. In the lactating mammary gland, PRL increases the production of milk proteins, lactose and lipids. In adipose tissue, PRL generally suppresses lipid storage and adipokine release. PRL supports the growth of pancreatic islets, stimulates insulin secretion and increases citrate production in the prostate. A specific case is made for PRL in the human breast and adipose tissue, where it acts as a circulating hormone and an autocrine or paracrine factor. Although the overall effects of PRL on body composition are modest and species specific, PRL might be involved in the manifestation of insulin resistance.
Local and regional factors influence the structure of treehole metacommunities

Abiotic and biotic factors in a local habitat may strongly impact the community residing within, but spatially structured metacommunities are also influenced by regional factors such as immigration and colonization. We used three years of monthly treehole census data to evaluate the relative influence of local and regional factors on our study system. Every species responded to at least one of three local environmental factors measured: water volume, leaf litter mass, and presence of a top predator. Several species were affected by water volume, and a non-exclusive group of species were influenced by leaf litter mass. Relative abundance of Aedes triseriatus was higher in treeholes with higher volumes of water, and relative abundances of three out of six other species were lower in treeholes with higher volumes of water. Leaf litter mass positively affected densities of Aedes triseriatus and relative abundance of several dipteran species. The density of the top predator, Toxorhynchites rutilus, affected the relative abundance of the two most common species, A. triseriatus and Culicoides guttipennis. Treeholes with T. rutilus had an average of two more species than treeholes without T. rutilus. We found little evidence of synchrony between pairs of treeholes, either spatially or temporally. There were high levels of spatial and temporal turnover, and spatial turnover increased with distance between patches. The strong effects of water volume, leaf litter mass, and presence of a top predator, along with the high temporal turnover strongly suggest that species presence and density are determined by local factors and changes in those factors over time. Both low water volume and high predator densities can eliminate populations in local patches, and those populations can recolonize patches when rain refills or predators exit treeholes. Population densities of the same species were not matched between pairs of treeholes, suggesting variation in local factors and limited dispersal. Distance effects on spatial turnover also support limitations to dispersal in the metacommunity, and we conclude that the weight of evidence favors a strong influence of local factors relative to regional factors.
Enhancing phytoremediation through the use of transgenics and endophytes

In the last decade, there has been an increase in research on improving the ability of plants to remove environmental pollution. Genes from microbes, plants, and animals are being used successfully to enhance the ability of plants to tolerate, remove, and degrade pollutants. Through expression of specific bacterial genes in transgenic plants, the phytotoxic effects of nitroaromatic pollutants were overcome, resulting in increased removal of these chemicals. Overexpression of mammalian genes encoding cytochrome P450s led to increased metabolism and removal of a variety of organic pollutants and herbicides. Genes involved in the uptake or detoxification of metal pollutants were used to enhance phytoremediation of this important class of pollutants. Transgenic plants containing specific bacterial genes converted mercury and selenium to less toxic forms. In addition to these transgenic approaches, the use of microbes that live within plants, termed endophytes, also led to improved tolerance to normally phytotoxic chemicals and increased removal of the pollutants. Bacteria that degraded a herbicide imparted resistance to the herbicide when inoculated into plants. In another study, plants harboring bacteria capable of degrading toluene were more tolerant to normally phytotoxic concentrations of the chemical, and transpired less of it into the atmosphere. This review examines the recent advances in enhancing phytoremediation through transgenic plant research and through the use of symbiotic endophytic microorganisms within plant tissues.
Consequences of Embryonic UV‐B Exposure for Embryos and Tadpoles of the Plains Leopard Frog

: In organisms with complex life cycles, understanding the effects of environmental change requires investigating the possibility that the effect of such change on one stage will have consequences for other stages. We investigated the effects of embryonic exposure to UV-B radiation on embryo and tadpole development of the plains leopard frog ( Rana blairi). Embryos were exposed to sunlight filtered to provide two levels of UV-B exposure (e.g., at 310 nm: high exposure is approximately 84% transmittance and low exposure is approximately 58% transmittance). Hatching success of embryos exposed to different UV-B levels did not differ. Tadpoles resulting from exposed embryos were raised at three densities. Growth and development were slower in tadpoles exposed to higher UV-B levels as embryos. Density negatively affected growth and development. Survivorship did not differ among UV-B or density treatments. Our results suggest that even if lethal effects are not exhibited at one stage, sublethal effects may manifest themselves at other stages, possibly affecting the long-term success of exposed individuals and populations. Resumen: En organismos con ciclos de vida complejos, entender los efectos del cambio ambiental exige investigar la posibilidad de que los efectos de este cambio en un estadio de vida en particular puedan tener consecuencias en otro estadio. Nosotros investigamos los efectos de la exposicion embrionica a radiacion UV-B en el desarrollo de embriones y renacuajos de la rana leopardo de las planicies ( Rana blairi). Los embriones fueron expuestos a luz solar filtrada para proveer dos niveles de exposicion a UV-B ( por ejemplo, a 310 nm una exposicion alta con transmision ≈ 84% y una exposicion baja con transmision ≈ 58%). El exito de eclosion de los embriones expuestos a diferentes niveles de UV-B fue similar. Los renacuajos resultantes de los embriones expuestos se criaron a tres densidades diferentes. El crecimiento y desarrollo fue menor en los renacuajos expuestos a los niveles mas altos de UV-B cuando eran embriones. La densidad afecto negativamente el crecimiento y el desarrollo. La supervivencia no fue diferente entre los diferentes tratamientos de UV-B o densidad. Nuestros resultados sugieren que a pesar de que no se observan niveles letales en un estadio en particular, se pueden manifestar niveles subletales en otros estadios, posiblemente afectando el exito a largo plazo de los individuos y las poblaciones expuestas.
The genetics of psoriasis and autoimmunity.

▪ Abstract Psoriasis is an inflammatory/autoimmune disease and, as with many autoimmune diseases, is associated with alleles from the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). With psoriasis and autoimmune disease, the penetrance of the MHC-associated alleles is never 100%, even for monozygotic twins. This may be because development requires additional environmental and/or genetic modifiers or requires specific T-cell receptor arrangements. Families segregating single or multilocus susceptibility alleles other than the MHC have also been reported. Overlapping genetic locations of loci for different autoimmune diseases have been known for several years and are starting to reveal common genes or genetic variants. These include genes normally involved in preventing spontaneous T-cell activation or proliferation, immune synapse formation, or cytokine production via pathways such as those mediated by NFκB and those involved in thymic selection. Autoimmunity may also involve dysregulation of genes or pathways reg...
Closing The Schools: Lessons From The 1918–19 U.S. Influenza Pandemic

ABSTRACT: When the novel strain of A/H1N1 influenza first appeared in spring 2009, closing schools was initially a common and often challenging strategy implemented in many communities. Arguments f...
Functional anatomy of the auditory system in sharks and rays

This article proposes that elasmobranch ears may be divided into two general categories based on differences in the development of an ensemble of anatomical features that are believed to be associated with specialization for sound detection. The ear in Carcharhinus is typical of one category. It contains the largest sensory epithelia in any vertebrate ear. In the wild, carcharhinid sharks can be attracted by pulsed low-frequency sounds, such as those that are produced by struggling wounded fish. They can hear frequencies up to at least 1 kHz and can localize the direction to a source of sound from at least 250 m. Responses to sound have been recorded from the non-otolithic macula neglecta and the otolithic sacculus in carcharhinid sharks. Those sensory epithelia and the structures associated with a dorsal sound channel that leads to the macula neglecta are much more developed in this type of ear than in the ears of other elasmobranchs. It is proposed that auditory specialization may provide a particular selective advantage to carcharhinid sharks and other shark species that feed by raptorial predation. The auditory pathways of the brain have been studied in batoid elasmobranchs where the ear does not appear to be particularly specialized for sound detection. The neurons that contact the sensory epithelia of the ear project to a series of first-order relay nuclei that form the octaval column of the medulla oblongata. The cells in that column project to the vestibular system and to centers in a lemniscal pathway where physiological responses to sound have been recorded. The organization of the identified acoustic centers in elasmobranch brains resembles that found in tetrapods, suggesting that a basic auditory lemniscal pathway may have evolved in a common ancestor of those groups more than 400 million years ago.
Sea MARC 1 side‐scan sonar imaging near the East Pacific Rise

Six seamounts and many small constructional volcanic cones were recently investigated during a combined Sea MARC 1 and Seabeam survey of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) axis between 9.5°N and 13°N as part of an overall program funded by the National Science Foundation designed to characterize the along-strike morphology and structure of the axis of the EPR [Rise Axis Tectonic Team, 1983]. The larger seamounts studied fall into two principal categories: those that exhibit purely constructional volcanic terrain and those where the summits and flanks show significant structural and erosional features such as summit calderas (cover photo) and collapse craters and edifice flanks which have been extensively modified owing to mass-wasting processes (Figure 1). The seamounts studied include three volcanos just west of the EPR axial graben at 9°52′, which form a linear group that trends N60°W. The flanks and summits of these seamounts were insonified on overlapping traverses by using Sea MARC 1 side-scan sonar and Seabeam, multi-beam echosounding. Sea MARC 1 is a midrange side-scan system developed by International Submarine Technology of Redmond, Washington, and Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York. It can insonify swaths of seafloor as great as 5 km (full width) and depicts seafloor morphology and structure as small as a few meters with great accuracy. The resulting bathymetric base a n d sonar images have clearly identified an evolutionary pattern in the progressive structural and morphological development of these seamounts as one moves away from the EPR axis, with the details of the sonar records having important implications for constructional volcanism on the flank of the EPR.
Metastable States in Parametrically Excited Multimode Hamiltonian Systems

Consider a linear autonomous Hamiltonian system with m time periodic bound state solutions. In this paper we study their dynamics under time almost periodic perturbations which are small, localized and Hamiltonian. The analysis proceeds through a reduction of the original infinite dimensional dynamical system to the dynamics of two coupled subsystems: a dominant m-dimensional system of ordinary differential equations (normal form), governing the projections onto the bound states and an infinite dimensional dispersive wave equation. The present work generalizes previous work of the authors, where the case of a single bound state is considered. Here, the interaction picture is considerably more complicated and requires deeper analysis, due to a multiplicity of bound states and the very general nature of the perturbation's time dependence. Parametric forcing induces coupling of bound states to continuum radiation modes, of bound states directly to bound states, as well as coupling among bound states, which is mediated by continuum modes. Our analysis elucidates these interactions and we prove the metastability (long life time) and eventual decay of bound states for a large class of systems. The key hypotheses for the analysis are: appropriate local energy decay estimates for the unperturbed evolution operator, restricted to the continuous spectral part of the Hamiltonian, and a matrix Fermi Golden rule condition, which ensures coupling of bound states to continuum modes. Problems of the type considered arise in many areas of application including ionization physics, quantum molecular theory and the propagation of light in optical fibers in the presence of defects.
CORAL II: linking behavior and structure in an IC design system

This paper describes a technique for maintaining very fine grained links between a behavioral specification and an automatically generated VLSI structural implementation. CORAL II execedes previous systems in the scope of design representations involved and the complexity of the relationships handled. The design representations used are described, as are the behavioral transformations that may be applied and the types of design choices that may be made. The complications introduced by these transformations and design decisions are discussed. Some possible applications of this work are outlined and an existing graphical interface for examining the synthesized design and its relationship to the behavioral specification is described.
Mechanism of Action of Granaticin: Inhibition of Ribosomal RNA Maturation and Cell Cycle Specificity

Granaticin, an antibiotic produced by Streptomyces species was found to be cytotoxic (ED50 3.2 μg/ml) against human oral epidermoid carcinoma (KB) cells. At ED50 concentrations RNA synthesis was inhibited to the greatest extent. Prelabeling of RNA in KB cells, followed by addition of granaticin (2.13 μg/ml) showed that ribosomal RNA maturation was inhibited. The inhibition of the formation of functional ribosomal RNA was determined by sucrose gradient centrifugation and showed that the accumulation of 45S preribosomal RNA was dependent on granaticin concentration and on the time granaticin was in contact with the KB cells. The effect of granaticin (6.3 μg/ml) on KB cells in the different cell cycle phases showed preferential inhibition (93%) of cell survival in the G2 phase. However, RNA synthesis was only 20% inhibited by granaticin in KB cells in the G2 phase. From these results, it was concluded that ribosomal RNA maturation was not the only site of action of granaticin toxicity.