cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome size variation among common dandelion accessions informs their mode of reproduction and suggests the absence of sexual diploids in North America

Apomixis is the ability of plants to produce asexual seeds, which are clones of the mother plant. The phenomenon of apomixis is tightly linked to ploidy, where diploids lack apomixis and reproduce sexually, while higher ploidy levels can exhibit apomixis. Taraxacum F.H.Wigg. species (dandelions) commonly exhibit apomixis; however, only limited studies have evaluated genome size variation of the iconic weedy dandelion, Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg. (common dandelion), particularly in North America. To evaluate the ploidy and reproductive biology of common dandelion, we created a global collection, with an emphasis on North America and determined genome size by evaluating seeds with flow cytometry. A total of 635 accessions were screened, and with the exception of two accessions from Germany and Austria, all were found to exclusively contain polyploid seed. The mode of reproduction of a sample of 96 of these accessions was observed by conducting emasculations. Our results indicate that the diploid, sexual cytotype of common dandelion may be absent in North America, while diploids were found in previously described areas of Central Europe. This suggests that the clonal lineages of common dandelion in North America may largely be derivative from apomictic plants introduced from abroad. Furthermore, if all North American common dandelion is apomictic, it may be unreceptive to pollen, which may isolate it from other dandelion species and inform the potential for gene flow.
Gaits analysis using pressure image for subject identification

In this paper, a method for human identification using footprints obtained by a pressure sensor pad is proposed. The proposed method registers the sequence of pressure images in time and spatial domain and uses principle component analysis to produce a compact feature vector. The method is tested on footprints collected from 35 subjects and an accuracy of 97% is observed based on a 10-fold cross validation using SVM classifier.
Serum Concentrations of Sex Hormone-binding Globulin Vary Widely in Younger and Older Men: Clinical Data from a Men's Health Practice.

Abstract Background The testosterone (T) status of a man is influenced by serum concentrations of sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG). Specifically, tight binding of T to SHBG is believed to render the SHBG-bound T fraction biologically unavailable, meaning that interpretation of T levels in the clinical setting depends in part on knowledge of SHBG concentrations. Although SHBG levels have been reported in population studies, there is scant information for men presenting with clinical symptoms. Objective To report SHBG values for a large cohort of men presenting to a men’s health center. Design, setting, and participants Medical records were reviewed for 1000 consecutive patients seen at our center with a reported SHBG value. SHBG concentrations were measured by a national clinical laboratory using an immunoassay run on a Beckman Coulter DXi system. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Patients were age-stratified and data were plotted in the form of comparative histograms. Results and limitations The mean age (± standard deviation) of the total cohort was 53.5 ± 13.5 yr (range 17–91). The mean SHBG was 31.8 ± 15.2 nmol/l (range 6-109), with a nearly 20-fold difference from the lowest to the highest values. SHBG was >60 nmol/l in 5.6% of the men. Patients were stratified according to age. A total of 535 patients were ≤54 yr old. In this younger cohort, the mean age was 40.52 ± 7.9 yr (range 17–54) and mean SHBG was 27.7 ± 13.3 nmol/l (range 6–88), and 2.2% of patients had SHBG >60 nmol/l. A total of 465 patients were ≥55 yr old. In this older cohort, the mean age was 64.8 ± 7.23 yr (range 55–91) and mean SHBG was 36.6 ± 15.8 nmol/l (range 11–109), and 9% of patients had SHBG >60 nmol/l. Mean SHBG was significantly higher in the older group ( p Conclusions A remarkably wide distribution of SHBG concentrations was observed in a clinical population of men presenting to a men’s health center, among both younger and older men. Since SHBG concentrations greatly influence test results for hormones that bind to SHBG, recognition of this large interindividual variability should be considered in the clinical interpretation of these hormone results, particularly for T. Routine SHBG testing should be considered for men suspected of T deficiency. Patient summary Sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) levels vary widely among both older and younger men. This may impact the interpretation of test results for hormones that bind to SHBG, such as testosterone, since the portion that binds to SHBG is believed to not be biologically available.
In-situ characterization of microstructural changes in a carbon nanotube sheet under sustained load

Abstract The present study characterizes the creep behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets under externally applied sustained loads. Creep loads at levels ranging from 85% to 98% of the ultimate tensile strength of the CNT sheet were applied using a tensile tester inside a scanning electron microscope chamber. The microscope enabled in-situ characterization of the microstructural changes in the CNT sheet under the influence of the applied load. The loads were sustained for 1,000,000 s or failure, whichever occurred first. A computational pattern recognition technique was also developed that enabled quantitative approximation of the time dependent changes in distribution of individual CNT orientation with reference to the loading direction. It was observed that the CNTs increasingly aligned along the loading direction during the initial loading phase when the CNT sheet was ramped up to the desired load level. Further microstructural changes by way of individual CNTs continuing to gradually align along the loading direction was observed after the loads were sustained at the desired levels. The pattern recognition computational results validated the experimental findings. Slight relaxation of the CNTs was also observed upon the removal of load once 1,000,000 s was reached.
The Use of Ticarcillin in the Treatment of Acute Urinary Tract Infections

Infections caused by gram negative bacteria have become an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalised patients. The urinary tract is a common site from which serious infections can arise and disseminate to cause systemic infections. Infections of the urinary tract under these circumstances are commonly caused by hospital-acquired gram negative bacteria, many of which are resistant to frequently used antibiotics. Agents commonly used to treat these resistant organisms have potentially serious side effects, such as nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, excessive salt loads and platelet abnormalities. In an effort to decrease these risks of side effects and to increase the effectiveness of such agents, research of newer antibiotics continues.
Aspects of Technology Transfer: U.S. Policy and Practice

Technology transfer has long been a important policy issue in the United States. During the Cold War, the focus was on preventing the transfer of military significant technologies. With the end of the Cold War, however, the main issues have shifted from the military to the commercial. This, in turn, has two sides: concern about the unwanted transfer of commercially valuable technology to global competitors and the desire to more effectively utilize technology developed within the U.S. by government-funded programs. This paper addresses the latter of these two points.
Tagging data in the network stack: mbuf_tags

We describe the mbuf_tag API, a mechanism for tagging data as they flow through the network stack. Originally introduced in OpenBSD, mbuf_tags were initially intended for use by the IPsec stack. The API has matured enough to be used by several other kernel components, and formed the basis for the FreeBSD mbuf_tags. We present the API, discuss its various uses in the OpenBSD network stack, and describe some plans for future work. Our goal is to demonstrate the flexibility of this relatively simple mechanism and expose it to other kernel developers.
The Role of Exercise in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Exercise is a critical component of rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Research trials have shown proven benefits, although the mechanisms of benefit are not clear. Direct effects on cardiopulmonary function play a role as well as, most likely, psychological effects of education and social support available in most programs. All patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease need to exercise, as tolerated, on a routine basis.
Sense of community and its relationship with psychological well-being in assisted living.

Objectives: Sense of community (SOC) is a comprehensive psychological assessment of the relationship between person and place and relates to positive psychological outcomes in community-living adul...
Myh11 Lineage Corneal Endothelial Cells and ASCs Populate Corneal Endothelium.

Purpose To establish Myh11 as a marker of a subset of corneal endothelial cells (CECs), and to demonstrate the feasibility of restoring the corneal endothelium with Myh11-lineage (Myh11-Lin[+]) adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs). Methods Intraperitoneal administration of tamoxifen and (Z)-4-hydroxytamoxifen eyedrops were used to trace the lineage of Myh11-expressing cells with the Myh11-Cre-ERT2-flox-tdTomato mouse model. Immunostaining and Western blot characterized marker expression and spatial distribution of Myh11-Lin(+) cells in the cornea, and administration of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine labeled proliferating cells. ASCs were isolated from epididymal adipose Myh11+ mural cells and treated with cornea differentiation media to evaluate corneal endothelial differentiation potential. Differentiated ASCs were injected into the anterior chamber to test for incorporation into corneal endothelium following scratch injury. Results A subset of CECs express Myh11, a marker previously thought restricted to only mural cells. Myh11-Lin(+) CECs marked a stable subpopulation of cells in the cornea endothelium. Myh11-Lin(+) ASCs undergo CEC differentiation in vitro and incorporate into injured corneal endothelium. Conclusions Dystrophy and dysfunction of the corneal endothelium accounts for almost half of all corneal transplants, the maintenance of the cornea endothelium is poorly understood, and there are a lack of mouse models to study specific CEC populations. We establish a mouse model that can trace the cell fate of a subpopulation of CECs based on Myh11 expression. A subset of ASCs that share this Myh11 transcriptional lineage are capable of differentiating into CECs that can incorporate into injured corneal endothelium, revealing a potential cell source for creating engineered transplant material.
Tectonic and eustatic impact on depositional features in the upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk Group of south-central Texas, USA

Abstract The upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk Group in south-central Texas, USA, displays vertical and lateral variations in thickness and facies resulting from an irregular paleotopography of the seafloor and variable preservation of 3rd-order sea-level cycles. During the Coniacian to early Campanian, the tectonic evolution of the San Marcos Arch, a prominent basement feature in the study area, impacted facies and sequence architecture within the Austin Chalk Group. Outcropping sections of the Austin Chalk Group along the margin of the Edwards Plateau in south-central Texas stratigraphically transition between inner and outer ramp environments. The cyclic stacking pattern of facies is recorded in vertical stratigraphic succession as 3rd-order cycles separated by discontinuity surfaces and condensed deposits. Inner ramp facies consist of Thalassinoides-burrowed bivalve wackestone to packstone with minor occurrences of skeletal grainstone. Outer ramp facies comprise Planolites-burrowed foraminiferal chalk and marl with fine skeletal debris. Condensed facies associated with transgressive re-working are characterized by glauconitic packstone with high concentrations of coarse skeletal debris and lithoclasts. Gamma-ray profiles of outcrops investigated in the study area are correlated to subsurface wireline logs of wells drilled along the outcrop and subsurface trend, in order to construct a stratigraphic framework across the San Marcos Arch. This stratigraphic framework is biostratigraphically well constrained and correlated to the type section of the Austin Chalk Group farther north in the vicinity of Austin. The integration of sedimentological and stratigraphic information enables the identification of four regional 3rd-order depositional sequences within the Austin Chalk Group. Thickness maps of each depositional sequence illustrate the tectonic evolution of the San Marcos Arch and its influence on the deposition of the Austin Chalk Group, which is judged as negligible during most of the lower Austin Chalk Group (Coniacian), and started to trigger lateral thickness variations and pinch-outs in the Santonian and early Campanian. Syndepositional tectonic movement played an active role in the geometry of Austin Chalk depositional sequences and should be accounted for in sequence stratigraphic models developed in chalk depositional settings to explain the occurrence of coarser and cleaner facies.
Use of virus-induced gene silencing to characterize genes involved in modulating hypersensitive cell death in maize.

Plant disease resistance proteins (R-proteins) detect specific pathogen-derived molecules, triggering a defence response often including a rapid localized cell death at the point of pathogen penetration called the hypersensitive response (HR). The maize Rp1-D21 gene encodes a protein that triggers a spontaneous HR causing spots on leaves in the absence of any pathogen. Previously, we used fine mapping and functional analysis in a Nicotiana benthamiana transient expression system to identify and characterize a number of genes associated with variation in Rp1-D21-induced HR. Here we describe a system for characterizing genes mediating HR, using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in a maize line carrying Rp1-D21. We assess the roles of 12 candidate genes. Three of these genes, SGT1, RAR1, and HSP90, are required for HR induced by a number of R-proteins across several plant-pathogen systems. We confirmed that maize HSP90 was required for full Rp1-D21-induced HR. However, suppression of SGT1 expression unexpectedly increased the severity of Rp1-D21-induced HR while suppression of RAR1 expression had no measurable effect. We confirmed the effects on HR of two genes we had previously validated in the N. benthamiana system, hydroxycinnamoyltransferase and caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase. We further showed the suppression the expression of two previously uncharacterized, candidate genes, IQ calmodulin binding protein (IQM3) and vacuolar protein sorting protein 37, suppressed Rp1-D21-induced HR. This approach is an efficient way to characterize the roles of genes modulating the hypersensitive defence response and other dominant lesion phenotypes in maize.
Trends in Radiation Therapy for Bone Metastases, 2015 to 2017: Choosing Wisely in the Era of Complex Radiation

Purpose Guidelines recommend short-course (≤10 fractions) external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for bone metastases. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may also improve outcomes; however, routine use is not recommended outside clinical trials. We assessed national radiation therapy trends in complex techniques for bone metastases and associated expenditures. Methods and Materials Using a claims-based Medicare data set covering 84% of beneficiaries, we assessed the relative proportion of all radiation episodes represented by bone metastases. We then evaluated use of short-course and long-course (>10 fractions) EBRT, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and SBRT for bone metastases in hospital-affiliated outpatient (OPD) or freestanding (FREE) facilities. We assessed differences using χ2d or Wilcoxon rank sum tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. We identified associations with modality, fractionation, and expenditures using multivariable logistic/linear regression. Results Among 467,781 radiation episodes for 17 cancer diagnoses, the overall proportion of episodes dedicated to bone metastases (9.4%) was stable from 2015 to 2017, although treatments were increasing in the hospital-affiliated outpatient setting (P Conclusions Approximately 1 in 4 patients received long-course EBRT, with small reductions in use largely replaced by complex treatment modalities. However, expenditures for complex modalities also decreased over time. As alternative payment models take effect, quality metrics are needed to ensure appropriate, effective, and safe delivery of complex technologies.
EFFECTS OF 5-HT ON ACTIVITY OF ARCUATE NEURONS OF RAT HYPOTHALAMIC SLICES

Extracellular recordings were made from 176 spontaneous discharging units in the arcuate nucleus of rat hypothalamic slices. Depending on the patterns of discharge, the units were divided into three types; slow irregular (76% ), fast continuous (26.5%) and phasic units (6.3%). The effect of 5-HT on the different types of units were observed. The results indicated that most of neurons were inhibited by 5-HT, and only a small portion of the cells showed excitation and a few of the slow irregular units showed "excitation after inhibition". With 5-HT 10-6 mol/L we found that 12 units inhibited by 5-HT could not be reversed by CHD, while the 4 inhibited units could be partly or completely reversed by MSG. 4 of the 7 neurons inhibited by 5-HT were partly blocked by Pindobind-5-HT1A but not for the remaining 3 neurons. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of 5-HT on arcuate neurons may be mediated by 5-HT1 receptor, while some by 5-HT1A receptor.
Proteasomal conformation controls unfolding ability

The 26S proteasome is the macromolecular machine responsible for the bulk of protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. As it degrades a ubiquitinated protein, the proteasome transitions from a substrate-accepting conformation (s1) to a set of substrate-processing conformations (s3 like), each stabilized by different intramolecular contacts. Tools to study these conformational changes remain limited, and although several interactions have been proposed to be important for stabilizing the proteasome’s various conformations, it has been difficult to test these directly under equilibrium conditions. Here, we describe a conformationally sensitive Forster resonance energy transfer assay, in which fluorescent proteins are fused to Sem1 and Rpn6, which are nearer each other in substrate-processing conformations than in the substrate-accepting conformation. Using this assay, we find that two sets of interactions, one involving Rpn5 and another involving Rpn2, are both important for stabilizing substrate-processing conformations. Mutations that disrupt these interactions both destabilize substrate-processing conformations relative to the substrate-accepting conformation and diminish the proteasome’s ability to successfully unfold and degrade hard-to-unfold substrates, providing a link between the proteasome’s conformational state and its unfolding ability.
Reduced concentrations of vaginal metabolites involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis are associated with increased vulvar vestibular pain and vaginal muscle tenderness in provoked vestibulodynia: An exploratory metabolomics study

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic vulvar pain disorder characterized by hypersensitivity and severe pain with pressure localized to the vulvar vestibule. Knowledge regarding pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to the etiology and production of symptoms in PVD remains incomplete but is considered multifactorial. Using a cross-sectional observational study design, data from untargeted metabolomic profiling of vaginal fluid and plasma in women with PVD and healthy women was combined with pain testing and brain imaging in women with PVD to test the hypotheses that women with PVD compared to healthy women show differences in vaginal and plasma metabolites involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis. Steroid hormone metabolites showing group differences were correlated with vulvar vestibular pain and vaginal muscle tenderness and functional connectivity of brain regions involved in pain processing in women with PVD to provide insight into the functional mechanisms linked to the identified alterations. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to determine the impact of hormonal contraceptive use on the study findings. Women with PVD compared to healthy controls had significant reductions primarily in vaginal fluid concentrations of androgenic, pregnenolone and progestin metabolites involved in steroidogenesis, suggesting localized rather than systemic effects in vagina and vulvar vestibule. The observed reductions in androgenic metabolite levels showed large effect size associations with increased vulvar vestibular pain and vulvar muscle tenderness and decreases in androgenic and progestin metabolites were associated with decreased connectivity strength in primary sensorimotor cortices. Women with PVD showed symptom-associated reductions in vaginal fluid concentrations of metabolites involved in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones previously shown to affect the integrity of vulvar and vaginal tissue and nociceptive processing. Deficiency of certain steroids may be an important mechanism contributing to the pathophysiology of symptoms in PVD may provide potential diagnostic markers that could lead to new targets for therapeutic intervention.
Honeypot Allocation Games over Attack Graphs for Cyber Deception

In this chapter, we introduce a cyber deception defense approach and propose a scalable allocation algorithm to place honeypots over an attack graph. We formulate a two‐person zero‐sum strategic game between the network defender and an attacker. The developed game model captures the network topology and its characteristics. The game also counts for the cost associated with the defense action and the attack cost. Nash equilibrium defense strategies are analytically characterized and studied for a special game. The complexity of the general game is discussed and a scalable algorithm is proposed to overcome the game complexity. This chapter extends the model to a dynamic game formulation to better understand game evolution with players' actions. Finally, numerical results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed cyber deception approach.
Vibrational Energy Transfer

The theory of energy transfer in molecular collisions is of importance for the understanding of a great variety of physical problems.(1–7) In many of these problems we are interested in determining probabilities of energy transfer between the translational motion and one or more of the internal motions of the molecules. There has been much work done in recent years on the calculation of vibrational transition probabilities and inelastic scattering cross sections in which vibrational and/or rotational states are excited. Such collisions are a characteristic process in a simple molecular gas in the temperature range from 100° to 5000°K. Electronic transitions during collision will take place to a significant extent only at higher temperatures. For a gas in thermal equilibrium, individual molecules are constantly gaining or losing energy through collisions, but the total energy is unchanged. If conditions of equilibrium are suddenly changed, the gas finds itself seeking a new state of equilibrium; the rate of adjustment is governed directly by the collision efficiency, which measures the amount of energy either gained or lost per collision. At large separations, the colliding molecules attract slightly so their electron cloud overlapping is not important. However, as they approach each other to close range, where the overlapping of electron clouds is appreciable, repulsive forces are set up.
Beyond Within: Paths to Moksha in John Steinbeck's The Pastures of Heaven

When John Steinbeck turned his full attention to the writing of fiction in the early 1930s, his mind was saturated nearly to the point of obsession with mythology, psychology, and religious lore - fascinations that fueled his creative energy and sustained his artistic output during the tough early years of his publishing career.1 By natural temperament he was intensely interested in unexplained "dark and strong" forces, what he later referred to in a letter to Carl Wilhelmson as libidinous "streams" that propel humans on their journey through life.2 Instinctively, Steinbeck knew that these seen and unseen elements play a huge part in shaping human action and direction. As a consequence, his writer's quest for human understanding eventually would bring him face-to-face with the boundaries of his own beliefs, a shadowy nexus of sacred and profane, figured ironically in the title of The Pastures of Heaven. Significantly, the subject and themes of this work not only provided the genesis of all his most important later fiction, but also heralded Steinbeck's first sustained attempt at addressing a pivotal question posed repeatedly in many of his novels, that of how people make spiritual adjustments in a universe that values reason over empathy, brawn over heart. A conventional avenue of approach to this question often taken by American authors such as Steinbeck is to address the problem directly or indirectly via established Anglo-European philosophical, scientific, and theological perspectives. Among many of Steinbeck's contemporaries - including Cather, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Faulkner, and Lewis - the examination of
Experimental Limits for Melting in the Earth's Crust and Upper Mantle

The conditions for melting in the crust and upper mantle are governed by the mineralogy (determined by bulk composition, depth, and temperature), the water content, the physical state of the water (available in pore fluid or bound in crystals), P_e_H_2O, and the temperature distribution. The average composition of the crust is andesitic and its mineralogy is dominated by feldspars and quartz. Melting curves in the presence of excess water at pressures ranging to more than 10 kb (40-km depth) have now been determined for individual feldspars, for most feldspar-quartz combinations, and for many major rock types. In the presence of an aqueous vapor phase, the granitic components of many crustal rocks combine to produce water saturated liquid of granite composition. Starting assemblages for melting in rock-water systems consist of minerals with interstitial vapor, hydrous and anhydrous minerals with no vapor, or anhydrous minerals with no vapor. Models for magma generation must consider whether the liquids produced are water saturated or water deficient under the conditions of melting. From estimates of temperatures in the crust it becomes apparent that no granitic liquids can be produced at a depth shallower than 20 km. Results from water-excess experiments and interpolated water deficient conditions indicate that the normal product of partial fusion of many crustal rocks is a water undersaturated granite liquid in a crystal mush which persists through a wide temperature range. It is not likely that liquids of intermediate composition are generated directly, because temperatures are too high, but crystal-liquid assemblages of intermediate bulk composition may move to higher levels in the crust by diapiric rise. The generation of basaltic magmas in a dry mantle requires unusually high temperatures. Thus, most basal tic magmas must be produced under conditions where the local temperature greatly exceeds that of the average geothermal gradient. However, the presence of trace amounts of water in the mantle does permit incipient melting of eclogite or peridotite with a normal geothermal gradient. The depth interval within which such melting occurs in rock-water systems coincides with the seismic low-velocity zone; this fact may explain the presence of the zone as a continuous layer in the earth's mantle. Crustal melting, localized in orogenic belts, is not likely to produce continuous layers. However, removal of pore fluids from deep seated continental basement rocks by repeated melting may have produced regions with laterally extensive uniform properties, despite their variegated compositions.
Social Judgment and Decision Making

Part 1. The Processes of Judgment and Decision Making. T. Gilovich, J. Cone, E. Rosenzweig, Where the Mind Goes: The Influence of Endogenous Priming on Thought and Behavior. P. Fischer, J.K. Koppl, D. Frey, S.E.G. Lea, The Cognitive Economy Model of Selective Exposure: Integrating Motivational and Cognitive Accounts of Confirmatory Information Search. B.K. Payne, J.L.B. Iannuzzi, Automatic and Controlled Decision Making: A Process Dissociation Perspective. J.I. Krueger, The (Ir)rationality Project in Social Psychology: A Review and Assessment. Part 2. Measurement Issues. H. Blanton, J. Jaccard, Irrational Numbers: Quantifying Accuracy and Error. L. Jussim, S.T. Stevens, E. Salib, The Extraordinary Strengths of Social Judgment: A Review Based on the Goodness of Judgment Index. J. Ullrich, A Multivariate Approach to Ambivalence Models: It's More Than Meets the IV. Part 3. Ecological Rationality. U. Hoffrage, R. Hertwig, Simple Heuristics in a Complex Social World. J. Denrrell, G.L. Mens, Social Judgments from Adaptive Samples. K. Fiedler, J.I. Krueger, More Than an Artifact: Regression as a Theoretical Construct. Part 4. Applications. P.M. Todd, S.S. Place, R.I. Bowers, Simple Heuristics for Mate Choice Decisions. P. DeScioli, R. Kurzban, The Company You Keep: Friendship Decisions From a Functional Perspective. R.P. Larrick, J.B. Soll, A.E. Mannes, The Social Psychology of the Wisdom of Crowds. L.L. Shu, C.J. Tsay, M.H. Bazerman, Cognitive, Affective, and Special-Interest Barriers to Policy Making. J. Baron, Where Do Non-Utilitarian Moral Rules Come From?
What are the functional consequences of neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia

Objective : It has been well established that schizophrenic patients have neurocognitive deficits, but it is not known how these deficits influence the daily lives of patients. The goal of this review was to determine which, if any, neurocognitive deficits restrict the functioning of schizophrenic patients in the outside world. Method : The author reviewed studies that have evaluated neurocognitive measures as predictors and correlates of functional outcome for schizophrenic patients. The review included 1) studies that have prospectively evaluated specific aspects of neurocognition and community (e.g., social and vocational) functioning (six studies), 2) all known studies of neurocognitive correlates of social problem solving (five studies), and 3) all known studies of the neurocognitive correlates and predictors of psychosocial skill acquisition (six studies). Results : Despite wide variation among studies in the selection of neurocognitive measures, some consistencies emerged. The most consistent finding was that verbal memory was associated with all types of functional outcome. Vigilance was related to social problem solving and skill acquisition. Card sorting predicted community functioning but not social problem solving. Negative symptoms were associated with social problem solving but not skill acquisition. Notably, psychotic symptoms were not significantly associated with outcome measures in any of the studies reviewed. Conclusions : Verbal memory and vigilance appear to be necessary for adequate functional outcome. Deficiencies in these areas may prevent patients from attaining optimal adaptation and hence act as neurocognitive rate-limiting factors. On the basis of this review of the literature, a series of hypotheses are offered for follow-up studies.
TNFR1/Phox Interaction and TNFR1 Mitochondrial Translocation Thwart Silica-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Macrophages play a fundamental role in innate immunity and the pathogenesis of silicosis. Phagocytosis of silica particles is associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), secretion of cytokines, such as TNF, and cell death that contribute to silica-induced lung disease. In macrophages, ROS production is executed primarily by activation of the NADPH oxidase (Phox) and by generation of mitochondrial ROS (mtROS); however, the relative contribution is unclear, and the effects on macrophage function and fate are unknown. In this study, we used primary human and mouse macrophages (C57BL/6, BALB/c, and p47phox−/−) and macrophage cell lines (RAW 264.7 and IC21) to investigate the contribution of Phox and mtROS to silica-induced lung injury. We demonstrate that reduced p47phox expression in IC21 macrophages is linked to enhanced mtROS generation, cardiolipin oxidation, and accumulation of cardiolipin hydrolysis products, culminating in cell death. mtROS production is also observed in p47phox−/− macrophages, and p47phox−/− mice exhibit increased inflammation and fibrosis in the lung following silica exposure. Silica induces interaction between TNFR1 and Phox in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, TNFR1 expression in mitochondria decreased mtROS production and increased RAW 264.7 macrophage survival to silica. These results identify TNFR1/Phox interaction as a key event in the pathogenesis of silicosis that prevents mtROS formation and reduces macrophage apoptosis.
Development and implementation of a data quality assurance scheme for ambient sulfur dioxide monitoring

Abstract An objective data quality assurance scheme, which can be coded algorithmatically, is developed to validate measurement of ambient sulfur dioxide data. The essential feature of the scheme is a set of data rejection criteria imposed for one minute, three minute, hourly, and twenty‐four hour averaged sulfur dioxide concentrations. The scheme also includes (i) correction of any time drifts, (ii) corrections of span and zero drifts, and (iii) conversion of the digital information on sulfur dioxide levels into absolute concentrations. The scheme was incorporated in a data processing software and implemented in a sulfur dioxide monitoring network. The data obtained from the initial four‐month monitoring period were reported. It is found that the data quality assurance scheme works well; all suspicious data have been rejected and most of the rejected data are those collected during equipment breakdown periods. This paper describes the development and implementation of a data quality assurance scheme desi...
Analytic Solution of Euler’s Equations of Motion for an Asymmetric Rigid Body

The problem of the time evolution of the angular velocity of spinning rigid body, subject to torques about three axes, is considered. An analytic solution is derived that remains valid when no symmetry assumption can be made. The solution is expressed as a first-order correction to a previous solution, which required a symmetry or near-symmetry assumption. Another advantage of the new solution (over the former) is that it remains valid for large initial conditions of the transverse angular velocities.
Predation, thermoregulation, and wing color in pierid butterflies.

This paper explores two hypotheses about the relationships among predation, thermoregulation, and wing color in butterflies: First, that butterflies are susceptible to predation during thermally marginal periods (e.g., cool weather) when effective thermoregulation and flight are not possible; second, that Pieris butterflies are relatively unpalatable to visual predators, supporting the idea that the white wing pigment of Pieris represents aposematic coloration. Field experiments with Pieris and Colias in 1984 and 1985 demonstrate that substantial predation may occur during the morning period before butterflies are able to actively fly. Circumstantial evidence is presented to suggest that at least some of the predation is by small, cursorial mammals. Feeding experiments in the field using Grey Jays as predators indicate that Pieris napi and P. occidentalis are less palatable than other sympatric butterflies, including confamial Colias alexandra. These and previous results suggest that Pieris are edible but less preferred as prey by birds, and that the degree of palatibility may vary among Pieris species. The relatively low palatability of these Pieris is consistent with the hypothesis that their white pigmentation represents aposematic coloration; however, the cues by which potential bird predators might discriminate against Pieris have not been established.
California's Channel Islands: The Archaeology of Human-Environment Interactions

California's Channel Islands: The Archaeology of Human-Environment Interactions. Edited by Christopher S. Jazwa and Jennifer E. Perry. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City. 2013. ISBN 978-1...
From the hyper-local to the supra-global: review of the globalization of supermax prisons

From the hyper-local to the supra-global: review of the globalization of supermax prisons Keramet A. Reiter Crime, Law and Social Change An Interdisciplinary Journal ISSN 0925-4994 Volume 61 Number 3 Crime Law Soc Change (2014) DOI 10.1007/s10611-013-9502-6
Variable Anisotropic Brain Electrical Conductivities in Epileptogenic Foci

Source localization models assume brain electrical conductivities are isotropic at about 0.33 S/m. These assumptions have not been confirmed ex vivo in humans. This study determined bidirectional electrical conductivities from pediatric epilepsy surgery patients. Electrical conductivities perpendicular and parallel to the pial surface of neocortex and subcortical white matter (n = 15) were measured using the 4-electrode technique and compared with clinical variables. Mean (±SD) electrical conductivities were 0.10 ± 0.01 S/m, and varied by 243% from patient to patient. Perpendicular and parallel conductivities differed by 45%, and the larger values were perpendicular to the pial surface in 47% and parallel in 40% of patients. A perpendicular principal axis was associated with normal, while isotropy and parallel principal axes were linked with epileptogenic lesions by MRI. Electrical conductivities were decreased in patients with cortical dysplasia compared with non-dysplasia etiologies. The electrical conductivity values of freshly excised human brain tissues were approximately 30% of assumed values, varied by over 200% from patient to patient, and had erratic anisotropic and isotropic shapes if the MRI showed a lesion. Understanding brain electrical conductivity and ways to non-invasively measure them are probably necessary to enhance the ability to localize EEG sources from epilepsy surgery patients.
Parathyroid hormone stimulation of the renal 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1α-hydroxylase—Effect of age and free radicals

The capacity of parathyroid hormone (PTH) to increase serum 1,25(OH)2D levels declines with age in both rats and humans. In young rats, PTH stimulates renal 1,25(OH)2D production and increases mRNA levels for the terminal mitochondrial P450 of the 1α-hydroxylase complex (CYP27B1 or CYP1α). However, in older rats PTH increases mRNA levels but not 1,25(OH)2D production. This suggests that in old animals there is either decreased CYP1α protein levels in response to PTH or that the protein produced lacks functionality. The CYP1α protein is located on the inner mitochondrial membrane, the site of increased free radical production with age. To study these possibilities, we examined the effect of PTH and free radicals on CYP1α expression in a model system—AOK-B50 renal tubular cells. PTH increased CYP1α mRNA and protein in a similar time-dependent manner, suggesting that CYP1α protein levels were largely regulated by mRNA levels. The effect of free radicals was determined by preincubation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a standard model for studying free radical damage. H2O2 inhibited PTH-stimulated CYP1α protein levels and 1,25(OH)2D production in a dose dependent manner. However, 1,25(OH)2D production was more sensitive to H2O2 than was CYP1α protein levels. This suggests that the catalytic activity of the CYP1α protein may be reduced by free radical damage in these cells. Future studies will focus on detecting oxidative damage in this model system and in vivo.
Sr concentrations and isotope ratios as tracers of ground-water circulation in carbonate platforms: Examples from San Salvador Island and Long Island, Bahamas

Abstract The depth to which seawater and fresh water circulate through modern carbonate platforms may be estimated with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope ratios of dissolved Sr 2+ that is enriched through carbonate mineral dissolution and recrystallization. In 23 water samples from onshore San Salvador Island and Long Island, Bahamas, carbonate mineral dissolution and aragonite-to-calcite transformations elevate Sr 2+ concentrations to twice seawater values in water with near seawater salinity, and to about 130 times the expected value for seawater that has been mixed with fresh water. Carbonate mineral dissolution enriches Ca 2+ concentrations to around 30 times seawater concentrations only in the mixed waters; water with seawater salinity has approximately seawater Ca 2+ concentrations. Assuming two end-member mixing between seawater Sr 2+ and mineral-derived Sr 2+ , model estimates indicate that mineral-derived Sr 2+ of 19 samples have 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios equivalent to modern seawater within error of the measurement, indicating alteration of shallow buried Late Pleistocene to Holocene carbonate minerals. Four samples have mineral-derived Sr 2+ with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios lower than modern seawater value. These low ratios reflect alteration of carbonate minerals that were deposited around 1 mybp, although the measured 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values could reflect ages as great as 4.6 Ma considering the analytical uncertainty of the measurements. These estimated ages are likely to be minimum values because alteration of modern carbonate minerals at the surface would provide an unknown, but probably large amount of Sr 2+ with modern seawater isotope signatures, thereby overprinting any low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of non-modern mineral-derived Sr 2+ . Three of the four samples with low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios have high salinities and were collected from the interior of the islands. They reflect seawater flow paths at least tens of meters deep may link the ocean to water several kilometers inland. The fourth sample is from the fresh-water lens below a Pleistocene beach ridge (~ 125 ka) only 100 m from the shore line. This sample suggests the lens may be thicker than expected based on estimates of recharge, hydraulic conductivity and size of the ridge.
ON THE NASTIC AND TRAUMATIC RESPONSES IN THE PEA TEST

THE "PEA TEST" of Went (1934), a test method for the plant growth hormone auxin, depends on the curvature of longitudinally slit, growing stems (see sketch, fig. 1). Because of released tissue tensions and compressions, the slit halves of the stems curve strongly outward, a new equilibrium position being reached after a short time. In auxin solutions the preliminary outward curvature is soon followed by an inward curvature, i.e., a curvature toward the cut surface. This inward curvature is a result of unequal growth of the "inside" and "outside" layers of tissue and is a function of the auxin concentration. There has been a series of investigations on the physiological mechanism of this response (Went, 1934; Jost and Reiss, 1936; van Overbeek and Went, 1937; Tbimann and Schneider, 1938, 1939; Jost, 1938; Went, 1939). The explanations offered cover most of the conceivable possibilities and include: 1. Growth of the layers of cells near the longitudinallv cut surface such that these "inner" cells become more nearlv isodiametric; i.e., they decrease in length although they increase in volume. Thus the "inside" becomes shorter and causes an inward curvature. 2. Auxin can enter only through the intact surface (not through the cut surface), and establishes, therefore, an auxin gradient such that the 'outer layers are stimulated to grow more than the inner. 3. All layers have about equal access to the supplied auxin, but the central and peripheral layers inherently accumulate auxins to different degrees or respond to them to different degrees-i.e., the response is nastic. 4. The injury resulting from slitting reduces the potential growth of cells near the cut-i.e., the response is traumatic. The first two explanations have already been abandoned. The nastic and traumatic explanations remain; their evaluation in relation to each other is the subject of this paper. In making this evaluation, allowances must be made for the variable condition of the material used. For example, the finding that a given fraction of the curvature of highly responsive halved stems is the result of trauma or of nasty need not necessarily hold exactly in another case where only slightly responsive halved stems are encountered. In this connection it is of interest that with pea stems the reactivity varies to such a degree as to give the large curvatures reported by Went (1934, 1939) or no inward curvatures at all as reported by Jost and Reiss (1936); similarly with dandelion (Taraxacum) flower stalks, either inward pea test curvatures or only extreme outward curvatures can be obtained, in this case, de-
Whole brains, half brains, and writing

(1989). Whole brains, half brains, and writing. Rhetoric Review: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 127-136.
Metabolic consequences of resistive-type exercise

This brief review concerns acute and chronic metabolic responses to resistive-type exercise (RTE) (i.e., Olympic/power weight lifting and bodybuilding). Performance of RTE presents power output substantially greater (10-15-fold) than that evident with endurance-type exercise. Accordingly, RTE relies heavily on the anaerobic enzyme machinery of skeletal muscle for energy supply, with alterations in the rate of aerobic metabolism being modest. Hydrolysis of high energy phosphate compounds (PC, ATP), glycogenolysis, and glycolysis are evident during an acute bout of RTE as indicated by metabolic markers in mixed fiber type skeletal muscle samples. The type of RTE probably influences the magnitude of these responses since the increase in blood lactate is much greater during a typical "bodybuilding" than "power lifting" session. The influence of RTE training on acute metabolic responses to RTE has received little attention. An individual's inherent metabolic characteristics are apparently sufficient to meet the energy demands of RTE as training of this type does not increase VO2max or substantially alter the content of marker enzymes in mixed fiber type skeletal muscle. Analyses of pools of fast- vs slow-twitch fibers, however, indicate that RTE-induced changes may be fiber type specific. Future studies should better delineate the metabolic responses to RTE and determine whether these are related to the enhanced performance associated with such training.
Compounds targeting disulfide bond forming enzyme DsbB of Gram-negative bacteria

In bacteria, disulfide bonds confer stability on many proteins exported to the cell envelope or beyond. These proteins include numerous bacterial virulence factors, and thus bacterial enzymes that promote disulfide bond formation represent targets for compounds inhibiting bacterial virulence. Here, we describe a new target- and cell-based screening methodology for identifying compounds that inhibit the disulfide bond-forming enzymes Escherichia coli DsbB (EcDsbB) or Mycobacterium tuberculosis VKOR (MtbVKOR), which can replace EcDsbB, although the two are not homologs. Initial screening of 51,487 compounds yielded six specifically inhibiting EcDsbB. These compounds share a structural motif and do not inhibit MtbVKOR. A medicinal chemistry approach led us to select related compounds, some of which are much more effective DsbB inhibitors than those found in the screen. These compounds inhibit purified DsbB and prevent anaerobic growth of E. coli. Furthermore, these compounds inhibit all but one of the DsbBs of nine other Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria tested.