cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethylene perception inhibitor 1-MCP decreases oxidative damage of leaves through enhanced antioxidant defense mechanisms in soybean plants grown under high temperature stress

Abstract Ethylene is a stress hormone involved in early senescence and abscission of vegetative and reproductive organs under stress conditions. Ethylene perception inhibitors can minimize the impact of ethylene-mediated stress. The effects of high temperature (HT) stress during flowering on ethylene production rate in leaf, flower and pod and the effects of ethylene inhibitor on ethylene production rate, oxidative damage and physiology of soybean are not understood. We hypothesize that HT stress induces ethylene production, which causes premature leaf senescence and flower and pod abscission, and that application of the ethylene perception inhibitor 1-Methyl cyclopropene (1-MCP) can minimize HT stress induced ethylene response in soybean. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether ethylene is produced in HT stress; (2) quantify the effects of HT stress and 1-MCP application on oxidative injury; and (3) evaluate the efficacy of 1-MCP at minimizing HT-stress-induced leaf senescence and flower abscission. Soybean plants were exposed to HT (38/28 °C) or optimum temperature (OT; 28/18 °C) for 14 d at flowering stage (R2). Plants at each temperature were treated with 1-MCP (1 μg L −1 ) gas for 5 h or left untreated (control). High temperature stress increased rate of ethylene production in leaves, flowers and pods, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), membrane damage, and total soluble carbohydrate content in leaves and decreased photosynthetic rate, sucrose content, F v / F m ratio and antioxidant enzyme activities compared with OT. Foliar spray of 1-MCP decreased rate of ethylene production and ROS and leaf senescence traits but enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities (e.g. superoxide dismutase and catalase). In conclusion, HT stress increased ethylene production rates, caused oxidative damage, decreased antioxidant enzyme activity, caused premature leaf senescence, increased flower abscission and decreased pod set percentage. Application of 1-MCP lowered ethylene and ROS production, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, increased membrane stability, delayed leaf senescence, decreased flower abscission and increased pod set percentage. The beneficial effects of 1-MCP were greater under HT stress compared to OT in terms of decreased ethylene production, decreased ROS production, increased antioxidant protection, decreased flower abscission and increased pod set percentage.
Induction of pain facilitation by sustained opioid exposure: relationship to opioid antinociceptive tolerance

Opioid analgesics are frequently used for the long-term management of chronic pain states, including cancer pain. The prolonged use of opioids is associated with a requirement for increasing doses to manage pain at a consistent level, reflecting the phenomenon of analgesic tolerance. It is now becoming clearer that patients receiving long-term opioid therapy can develop unexpected abnormal pain. Such paradoxical opioid-induced pain, as well as tolerance to the antinociceptive actions of opioids, has been reliably measured in animals during the period of continuous opioid delivery. Several recent studies have demonstrated that such pain may be secondary to neuroplastic changes that result, in part, from an activation of descending pain facilitation mechanisms arising from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM). One mechanism which may mediate such pain facilitation is through the increased activity of CCK in the RVM. Secondary consequences from descending facilitation may be produced. For example, opioid-induced upregulation of spinal dynorphin levels seem to depend on intact descending pathways from the RVM reflecting spinal neuroplasticity secondary to changes at supraspinal levels. Increased expression of spinal dynorphin reflects a trophic action of sustained opioid exposure which promotes an increased pain state. Spinal dynorphin may promote pain, in part, by enhancing the evoked release of excitatory transmitters from primary afferents. In this regard, opioids also produce trophic actions by increasing CGRP expression in the dorsal root ganglia. Increased pain elicited by opioids is a critical factor in the behavioral manifestation of opioid tolerance as manipulations which block abnormal pain also block antinociceptive tolerance. Manipulations that have blocked enhanced pain and antinociceptive tolerance include reversible and permanent ablation of descending facilitation from the RVM. Thus, opioids elicit systems-level adaptations resulting in pain due to descending facilitation, upregulation of spinal dynorphin and enhanced release of excitatory transmitters from primary afferents. Adaptive changes produced by sustained opioid exposure including trophic effects to enhance pain transmitters suggest the need for careful evaluation of the consequences of long-term opioid administration to patients.
Comparison of primary and secondary panic disorder: a preliminary report

Abstract We examined the onsets of comorbid psychiatric disorders in patients with panic disorder (PD) ( N = 54). In 42 patients (77.8%), PD was preceded by another psychiatric condition (secondary PD group), while in 12 patients (22.2%), PD occurred first or was the only diagnosed mental disorder (primary PD group). Patients with primary and secondary PD did not differ with respect to demographic variables, mean ages of onset of PD, mean duration of PD, number of patients with a personality disorder, and number of patients with different DSM-III-R subtypes of PD. Except for the anger and sleep scales of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 90, patients with primary PD had significantly less self-rated psychopathology; they also displayed less extensive phobic avoidance, and had a lower rate of current psychiatric comorbidity. These findings are discussed in light of the value of the concepts of comorbidity and primary / secondary dichotomy.
The etiology and incidence of thermal burns

Abstract 1. 1. Burns and scalds merit especial consideration because the great majority of these injuries are preventable. 2. 2. The mortality rate of burns and scalds is exceedingly high, as compared with other injuries of equal frequency. 3. 3. The therapeusis of these injuries in general use today has not appreciably bettered the prognostic outlook, if we judge from statistical records. 4. 4. Because of the prevalence of burns and scalds in children of pre-school age, they should be particularly protected from the possibilities of thermal accidents. 5. 5. In their conduct of household duties, women too frequently are oblivious of the dangers to which their clothing subjects them.
A comparison of the α-helix forming propensities and hydrogen bonding properties of serine phosphate and α-amino-γ-phosphonobutyric acid

The ability of serine phosphate (SerP) or alpha-amino-gamma-phosphonobutyric acid (AbuP) and arginine to form a salt bridge between their side chains appears to be much greater when they are spaced i/i+4 than when they are spaced i/i+3. The side chain-side chain interaction between SerP/Arg and AbuP/Arg, positioned i/i+4, contribute 0.45 and 0.62 kcal mol(-1), respectively, toward stabilizing the alpha-helical conformation of a peptide.
An Ultra-Wideband, Microwave Radar for Measuring Snow Thickness on Sea Ice and Mapping Near-Surface Internal Layers in Polar Firn

Sea ice is generally covered with snow, which can vary in thickness from a few centimeters to >1 m. Snow cover acts as a thermal insulator modulating the heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, and it impacts sea-ice growth rates and overall thickness, a key indicator of climate change in polar regions. Snow depth is required to estimate sea-ice thickness using freeboard measurements made with satellite altimeters. The snow cover also acts as a mechanical load that depresses ice freeboard (snow and ice above sea level). Freeboard depression can result in flooding of the snow/ice interface and the formation of a thick slush layer, particularly in the Antarctic sea-ice cover. The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) has developed an ultra-wideband, microwave radar capable of operation on long-endurance aircraft to characterize the thickness of snow over sea ice. The low-power, 100mW signal is swept from 2 to 8GHz allowing the air/snow and snow/ ice interfaces to be mapped with 5 c range resolution in snow; this is an improvement over the original system that worked from 2 to 6.5 GHz. From 2009 to 2012, CReSIS successfully operated the radar on the NASA P-3B and DC-8 aircraft to collect data on snow-covered sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic for NASA Operation IceBridge. The radar was found capable of snow depth retrievals ranging from 10cm to >1 m. We also demonstrated that this radar can be used to map near-surface internal layers in polar firn with fine range resolution. Here we describe the instrument design, characteristics and performance of the radar.
Numerical modelling of meso-scale finish machining with finite edge radius tools

Finite edge radius plays a significant role in finish machining processes when the undeformed chip thickness is often less than a few hundred microns and comparable to the size of the cutting edge. At suboptimal cutting speeds, edge radius tools may induce deeper subsurface plastic deformation, increase microhardness through work-hardening and mostly due to the ploughing of the cutting edge. Once tool edge radius, tool geometry and cutting conditions are optimised, finish machining can produce superior surface properties than surfaces generated by grinding and polishing. In this paper, an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE)-based numerical modelling is employed. The Johnson-Cook (J-C) plasticity model is used to describe the work material behaviour. A detailed friction modelling at the tool-chip interface is also carried. Numerical modelling revealed stress and temperature fields induced by the finite edge radius cutting edge on the machined subsurface.
Partial sensing coverage and deployment efficiency in wireless directional sensor networks

Unlike most existing works that focus on a conventional omni-directional sensor network, we investigate the sensing coverage problem in a directional sensor network through mathematically modeling, analysis, and computer-based simulation evaluation. Research results show: 1) A factor of (2π/θ) more sensors will be required to provide the same sensing coverage in a θ(θ α = ln(1-α)-ln(1-f)/ln(1-f), is solely determined by the sensing coverage requirement in an application and is independent of sensor features. Simulation results validate the modeling, derivation, and analysis.
The Rationale for Expert Immunity or Liability Exposure in Case Law Since Briscoe: Reasserting Immunity Protection for Friendly Expert Witnesses

In 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Briscoe v. LaHue provided a comprehensive analysis of the rationale and bases for witness immunity. Since that decision, courts have wrestled with the extent of immunity for adverse, court-appointed, or “friendly” expert witnesses. Following Briscoe, the Washington Supreme Court in 1989 first addressed friendly expert immunity in Bruce v. Byrne-Stevens. In the Bruce decision, the court granted an expert immunity to suit by his former client who had hired the expert for litigation support. While six states have addresses friendly expert immunity since Bruce, all refuse to grant immunity to friendly experts. For several reasons, courts should adopt the Bruce approach and grant immunity from suit for friendly experts. First, the claimant had control over the expert selection, retention, and extent of review. Second, liability inappropriately results in expert self-censorship, either by not agreeing to serve as an expert or by shading of testimony. Third, immunity better serves the judicial interest in finality of dispute resolution. Finally, the reasons for denying immunity in the post-Bruce case law fail to persuade after critical scrutiny. Courts should reject post-Bruce expert liability exposure, and grant immunity to experts against suits from their former clients.
The Dialectics of Charisma

(1971). The Dialectics of Charisma. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 387-402.
Role for CysJ flavin reductase in molybdenum cofactor-dependent resistance of Escherichia coli to 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine.

We have previously described a novel Escherichia coli detoxification system for the removal of toxic and mutagenic N-hydroxylated nucleobases and related compounds that requires the molybdenum cofactor. Two subpathways (ycbX and yiiM) were identified, each employing a novel molybdo activity capable of inactivating N-hydroxylated compounds by reduction to the corresponding amine. In the present study, we identify the cysJ gene product as one additional component of this system. While the CysJ protein has been identified as the NADPH:flavin oxidoreductase component of the CysJI sulfite reductase complex (CysJ8I4), we show that the role of CysJ in base analog detoxification is unique and independent of CysI and sulfite reductase. We further show that CysJ functions as a specific partner of the YcbX molybdoenzyme. We postulate that the function of CysJ in this pathway is to provide, via its NADPH:flavin reductase activity, the reducing equivalents needed for the detoxification reaction at the YcbX molybdocenter. In support of the proposed interaction of the CysJ and YcbX proteins, we show that an apparent CysJ-YcbX “hybrid” protein from two Vibrio species is capable of compensating for a double cysJ ycbX defect in E. coli.
Assimilation and Contrast in Geometrical Illusions: A Theoretical Analysis:

It is argued that an unwarranted dichotomization of geometrical illusions has produced theories whose explanatory scope is limited to either assimilation or contrast. Since recent attempts at integration lack precision, a 1977 unified model of the perception of extent by Brigner was revised to predict accurately both assimilative and contrastive phases of the parallel lines illusion. Application of the revised model to other geometrical illusions was discussed and a means of parsimoniously accounting for variations in assimilative illusions occurring with age and with lightness of the stimulus figure was suggested.
Placental surface cysts detected on sonography: histologic and clinical correlation.

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome and histologic findings of pregnancies in which placental surface cysts were detected on prenatal sonography. Methods A computerized search of our obstetric sonographic database from 1988 through 2000 identified 34 cases. Results of pathologic examinations, when performed, were obtained. Sonographic features were correlated with histologic findings and clinical parameters. Results On review of available microscopic slides, in all cases in which the cyst was seen at pathologic examination, there was subchorionic fibrin with central cyst formation. All pregnancies resulted in live births, although intrauterine growth restriction occurred in 4 (12%) of 34. Three (11%) of 28 cases with placental pathologic findings had maternal floor infarction. Only 2 significant associations between sonographic features and postnatal findings were found. In all cases of intrauterine growth restriction, average cyst size was larger than 4.5 cm. Of 12 cysts larger than 4.5 cm, 4 (33%) had intrauterine growth restriction. Of 22 cysts smaller than 4.5 cm, there were no instances of intrauterine growth restriction (P = .01). Of 32 cases with 3 or fewer cysts, only 2 had intrauterine growth restriction, whereas in 2 cases with more than 3 cysts, both had intrauterine growth restriction (P = .01). Conclusions Most placental surface cysts are associated with a normal pregnancy outcome. Most such cysts are related to cystic change in an area of subchorionic fibrin. Cysts larger than 4.5 cm or more than 3 in number are more frequently associated with intrauterine growth restriction.
Simple Examples of Complex Phenomena in Plasticity.

Abstract In 1951 D.C. Drucker presented a classic example of a simple three-bar system in which a single monotonically-increasing external load produced an actual plastic stress reversal with one bar yielding first in tension and then in compression. This example is reviewed and built upon. Other simple examples illustrate general loading, unloading, and reloading of elastic/plastic structures, shakedown, and lack of uniqueness in contained plastic deformation.
Issues in the Regulation of Dietary Supplements

Increasing use of dietary supplements in the United States has commanded attention to regulatory issues regarding these products. Prior to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), regulation of dietary supplements was a gray area—they were classified somewhere between food and drugs. Regulations governing the acceptable claims for dietary supplements were finalized in January 2000, yet many issues remain controversial concerning the questionable safety and efficacy of these products. Premarketing approval based upon clinical trials is not required for dietary supplements, making it difficult to determine safety, efficacy, and potential drug interactions. Little is known about the use of dietary supplements in pregnancy or in pediatric populations. Many supplements do not have standards for quality, strength, and purity. These concerns, as well as others, must be addressed in order to provide patients with safe and effective dietary supplements that could be instrumental in preventing disease and promoting health.
Corrosion and wear studies of uncoated and ultra-thin DLC coated magnetic tape-write heads and magnetic tapes

Problems with corrosion and wear in magnetic tape drives lead the industry to consider the use of ultra-thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings for tape heads and metallic tapes. In this study, corrosion and wear tests are conducted on uncoated and coated tape-write heads and tapes. A multi-component flowing mixed gas test, known as the Battelle Class II test, and an elevated temperature & humidity test are used to accelerate corrosion. While past researchers have evaluated corrosion effects by measurement of changes in magnetic properties of tape, surface analysis is successfully used here to study corrosion products directly. Corrosion specimens are examined using optical microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Functional drive tests are conducted to measure the effectiveness of DLC coatings, deposited by ion beam, via study of pole tip recession (PTR) in tape heads. Heads are shown to benefit in both corrosion resistance and in PTR resistance from the addition of DLC. In both cases, 20 nm thick coatings outperform 10 and 5 nm thick coatings. Coatings on ME tape show some limited benefit in corrosion resistance. ME tape specimens exposed in cartridges show much less evidence of corrosion than those exposed outside of cartridges. MP tape shows better corrosion resistance than uncoated and coated ME tapes.
On the inviscid stability of the laminar mixing of two parallel streams of a compressible fluid

The inviscid stability of the laminar mixing of two parallel streams of a compressible fluid is investigated with respect to three-dimensional wavy disturbances. The flow is more unstable as the angle between the disturbance-wave-number vector and the principal-flow direction exist even at very high Mach number, and the flow is still unstable. However, it is also found that increasing the Mach number of the flow tends to stabilize the flow.
Population Migration and the Variation of Dopamine D4 Receptor (DRD4) Allele Frequencies Around the Globe

Abstract This article reports an association between the variation of dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) allele frequencies around the globe and population migration patterns in prehistoric times. After compiling existing data on DRD4 allele frequencies of 2,320 individuals from 39 populations and on the migration pattern of these groups, we found that, compared to sedentary populations, migratory populations showed a higher proportion of long alleles for DRD4. The correlation between macro-migration (long-distance group migration) and the proportion of long alleles of DRD4 was .85 ( p p = .001). We discussed the adaptive value of long alleles of DRD4—a genetic trait that has been linked in some studies to the personality trait of novelty-seeking and to hyperactivity— in migratory societies and the possibility of natural selection for a migration gene.
Interaction of ciliary disease protein retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator with nephronophthisis-associated proteins in mammalian retinas.

Purpose: Retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) is a cilia-centrosomal protein that frequently mutates in Xlinked retinal degeneration and associated disorders. RPGR interacts with multiple ciliary proteins in the retina. Perturbations in the assembly of RPGR complexes are associated with retinal degeneration. This study was undertaken to delineate the composition and dissection of RPGR complexes in mammalian retinas. Methods: Immunoprecipitation of RPGR from ciliary fraction of bovine retina was performed, followed by mass spectrometry analysis. The glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay was performed to validate the interaction. Immunodepletion experiments were performed to dissect the partitioning of RPGR in different protein complexes in mammalian retinas. Results: We found that RPGR associates with a ciliary protein nephrocystin-4 (nephroretinin; NPHP4) that is mutated in nephronophthisis (NPH) and RP (Senior-Loken syndrome). This association is abolished in the Rpgr-knockout mouse retina. The RCC1-like domain of RPGR interacts with the N-terminal 316 amino acids of NPHP4. In the retina, RPGR also associates with NPHP1, an NPHP4-interacting protein; RPGR interacts directly with amino acids 243–586 of NPHP1. We further show that, in the retina, RPGR associates with and is partitioned in at least two different complexes with NPHPassociated proteins, (i) NPHP1, NPHP2, and NPHP5, and (ii) NPHP4, NPHP6, and NPHP8. Conclusions: RPGR may regulate some complexes with NPHP proteins in the mammalian retina. The disruption of these complexes may contribute to the pathogenesis of retinal degeneration in X-linked RP and associated ciliary diseases.
Commission Versus Receipt of Violence During Pregnancy: Associations With Substance Abuse Variables:

The tendency for women to report both commission and receipt of violence is an understudied phenomenon. In particular, little is known about individual differences as a function of commission vs. receipt of partner violence among pregnant women. Using a sample of 78 cohabiting low-SES pregnant women, the current study examines three violence subtypes based on self-report (primarily commission of violence, primarily receipt of violence, and no report of violence) and investigated differences in a range of other risk factors among these subtypes. In this sample, 47% reported higher levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration than victimization; 14% reported more IPV victimization than perpetration; and 39% reported no IPV. Results demonstrate clear differences between women reporting IPV and those not reporting IPV and clear differences between IPV subtypes in terms of partner substance use, with women reporting primarily receipt of violence also reporting more drug and alcohol abuse by their partners. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that the commission of violence may be more common during pregnancy than the receipt of violence, but that risks for these two subgroups are similar.
Control analysis for solar panel dust mitigation using an electric curtain

Abstract An energy efficiency and control analysis is given for application of a transparent electric curtain for dust mitigation on a solar panel. The electric curtain technique has been proposed by NASA as an effective active method for dust removal from solar panels in planetary and lunar exploration, and this method also has potential for mitigation of dust build-up on terrestrial solar panels in dry environments. Since energy expenditure rate required for electric curtain operation can be significantly higher than the energy capture rate from a solar panel, a control scheme for activation and deactivation of the electric curtain is necessary to achieve optimal net energy capture. The control method examined in the current paper is one in which the electric curtain is activated when the panel output voltage decreases to a fraction V ′ o n of the clean panel output voltage and deactived when the output voltage exceeds a second output voltage fraction V ′ o f f . A combination of theoretical and computational approaches is used to determine how the energy efficiency changes with change in the threshold voltage ratios. A scaling analysis is developed that identifies a single key dimensionless parameter that influences the efficiency results. Optimal values of turn-on and turn-off voltage ratio are determined in terms of this parameter, and it is demonstrated that the efficiency decreases rapidly as the turn-off voltage ratio is raised above the optimal value. All of the efficiency predictions for a given mitigation velocity profile are collapsed onto a single curve with appropriate choice of the scaling parameters, which is then used to develop an optimal control criterion.
Pretty-Bad-Proxy: An Overlooked Adversary in Browsers' HTTPS Deployments

HTTPS is designed to provide secure web communications over insecure networks. The protocol itself has been rigorously designed and evaluated by assuming the network as an adversary. This paper is motivated by our curiosity about whether such an adversary has been carefully examined when HTTPS is integrated into the browser/web systems. We focus on a specific adversary named “Pretty-Bad-Proxy” (PBP). PBP is a malicious proxy targeting browsers’ rendering modules above the HTTP/HTTPS layer. It attempts to break the end-to-end security guarantees of HTTPS without breaking any cryptographic scheme. We discovered a set of vulnerabilities exploitable by a PBP: in many realistic network environments where attackers can sniff the browser traffic, they can steal sensitive data from an HTTPS server, fake an HTTPS page and impersonate an authenticated user to access an HTTPS server. These vulnerabilities reflect the neglects in the design of modern browsers – they affect multiple major browsers and a large number of websites. We believe that the PBP adversary has not been rigorously examined in the browser/web industry. The vendors of the affected browsers have all confirmed the vulnerabilities reported in this paper. Most of them have patched or planned on patching their browsers. We believe the attack scenarios described in this paper may only be a subset of the vulnerabilities under PBP. Thus further (and more rigorous) evaluations of the HTTPS deployments in browsers appear to be necessary.
Statistical analysis of subspace-based estimation of reduced-rank linear regressions

A number of signal processing and system identification problems include linear regressions with a reduced-rank regression matrix. A typical step in "subspace-based" algorithms is to apply the singular value decomposition (SVD) to compute a low-rank factorization. However, it is not clear how certain weighting matrices should be defined for best possible accuracy. We present a statistical analysis of the estimate of the reduced-rank regression matrix, and we discuss a couple of approaches for finding weighting matrices.
Essentiality, Bypass, and Targeting of the YycFG (VicRK) Two-Component Regulatory System in Gram-Positive Bacteria

Bacterial two-component systems and phosphorelays are woven into the fabric of cellular regulatory mechanisms ensuring homeostatic equilibrium under a wide variety of environmental conditions (reviewed in references [13][1], [15][2], [18][3], [19][4], [23][5], and [28][6]). Of the individual two-
Viral Infection of the Pregnant Cervix Predisposes to Ascending Bacterial Infection

Preterm birth is the major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, and bacterial infections that ascend from the lower female reproductive tract are the most common route of uterine infection leading to preterm birth. The uterus and growing fetus are protected from ascending infection by the cervix, which controls and limits microbial access by the production of mucus, cytokines, and antimicrobial peptides. If this barrier is compromised, bacteria may enter the uterine cavity, leading to preterm birth. Using a mouse model, we demonstrate, to our knowledge for the first time, that viral infection of the cervix during pregnancy reduces the capacity of the female reproductive tract to prevent bacterial infection of the uterus. This is due to differences in susceptibility of the cervix to infection by virus during pregnancy and the associated changes in TLR and antimicrobial peptide expression and function. We suggest that preterm labor is a polymicrobial disease, which requires a multifactorial approach for its prevention and treatment.
Spermatogenesis: The Commitment to Meiosis

Mammalian spermatogenesis requires a stem cell pool, a period of amplification of cell numbers, the completion of reduction division to haploid cells (meiosis), and the morphological transformation of the haploid cells into spermatozoa (spermiogenesis). The net result of these processes is the production of massive numbers of spermatozoa over the reproductive lifetime of the animal. One study that utilized homogenization-resistant spermatids as the standard determined that human daily sperm production (dsp) was at 45 million per day per testis (60). For each human that means ∼1,000 sperm are produced per second. A key to this level of gamete production is the organization and architecture of the mammalian testes that results in continuous sperm production. The seemingly complex repetitious relationship of cells termed the "cycle of the seminiferous epithelium" is driven by the continuous commitment of undifferentiated spermatogonia to meiosis and the period of time required to form spermatozoa. This commitment termed the A to A1 transition requires the action of retinoic acid (RA) on the undifferentiated spermatogonia or prospermatogonia. In stages VII to IX of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, Sertoli cells and germ cells are influenced by pulses of RA. These pulses of RA move along the seminiferous tubules coincident with the spermatogenic wave, presumably undergoing constant synthesis and degradation. The RA pulse then serves as a trigger to commit undifferentiated progenitor cells to the rigidly timed pathway into meiosis and spermatid differentiation.
Daubert and Forensic Science: The Pitfalls of Law Enforcement Control of Scientific Research

In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences published a landmark report on forensic science: Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward. The Report represents one of the most important developments in forensic science since the establishment of the crime laboratory in the 1920s. Within months, Justice Scalia cited the report in Commonwealth v. Melendez-Diaz, noting that “[s]erious deficiencies have been found in the forensic evidence used in criminal trials” and “[f]orensic evidence is not uniquely immune from the risk of manipulation.” After two years of studying fingerprints, handwriting, ballistics, and other common forensic techniques, the Academy concluded that “some forensic science disciplines are supported by little rigorous systematic research to validate the discipline’s basic premises and techniques.” Indeed, “only nuclear DNA analysis has been rigorously shown to have the capacity to consistently, and with a high degree of certainty, demonstrate a connection between an evidentiary sample and a specific individual or source.” The NAS Report’s centerpiece is a proposal to establish an independent federal agency, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to control funding and research in the field. This proposal, which is now before Congress, wrests control of forensic science from law enforcement and was attacked by government agencies before the Report was even released. While the Report made clear that the Department of Justice, through the FBI Crime Laboratory and National Institute of Justice, had failed in its obligation to improve forensic science, the Report did not provide details of this failure. This Article supplies those details, documenting how government agencies manipulated science at the expense of both science and justice. As the Report noted, basic research in the forensic sciences is weak. Yet, the only agency currently capable of funding that research, the Department of Justice, has hindered efforts to conduct independent scientific studies.
Marketing with Social Media: A LITA Guide

Today, a library’s social media presence is as crucial as its collections, resources, and staff. It is equally important to select the proper social media tool to market library programs and services, engage patrons, and listen to the online communities that interact with libraries. Marketing with Social Media: A LITA Guide underscores the importance of establishing a social media marketing plan before selecting the most popular or multiple platforms. Drawing contributors from different library environments, editor Beth Thomsett-Scott has collected relevant advice, suggested best practices, and provided marketing examples of libraries using popular social media tools such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Cardiac ATP-sensitive K+ channels: regulation by intracellular nucleotides and K+ channel-opening drugs

ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels are present at high density in membranes of cardiac cells where they regulate cardiac function during cellular metabolic impairment. KATP channels have been implica...
Das kundenzentrierte Unternehmen in konvergierenden Märkten — Herausforderungen — Strategien — Erfolgsfaktoren

Jede Bewegung hat seine Gegenbewegung. Dies bestatigt sich offensichtlich auch in den konvergierenden Markten von Telekommunikation, Medien, IT und Unterhaltungselektronik. Die Konvergenz der Markte fuhrt auch dort zu einer Gegenbewegung, der Divergenz von Geschaftsmodellen, Angeboten, Zielgruppen1 und nun auch zur Divergenz der Management-Paradigmen.
Reactions of the Larvae of the Khapra Beetle and Trogoderma parabile to Certain Food Substances and Organic Compounds

A modified venturi-type olfactometer was used to test mature larvae of the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, and T. parabile Beal. Reactions of the larvae are extremely similar. They are repelled by air containing a high percent of relative humidity. Very low concentrations of CO2 appear repellent whereas high concentrations are strongly attractive. The alcohols containing from 3 to 7 carbons are repellent to T. parabile while T. granarium is repelled by those with 3 to 10 carbon atoms. Both fish meal and dry brewer’s yeast are significantly attractive to T. parabile while only fish meal is attractive to T. granarium .
Linear-Scaling Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Based on the Idea of “From Fragments to Molecule”

To circumvent the cubic scaling and convergence difficulties encountered in the standard top-down localization of the global canonical molecular orbitals (CMOs), a bottom-up localization scheme is proposed based on the idea of “from fragments to molecule”. That is, the global localized MOs (LMOs), both occupied and unoccupied, are to be synthesized from the primitive fragment LMOs (pFLMOs) obtained from subsystem calculations. They are orthonormal but are still well localized on the parent fragments of the pFLMOs and can hence be termed as “fragment LMOs” (FLMOs). This has been achieved by making use of two important factors. Physically, it is the transferability of the locality of the fragments that serves as the basis. Mathematically, it is the special block-diagonalization of the Kohn–Sham matrix that allows retention of the locality: The occupied–occupied and virtual–virtual diagonal blocks are only minimally modified when the occupied–virtual off-diagonal blocks are annihilated. Such a bottom-up loca...
Amino acids of turnip yellow mosaic virus.

Summary1. The amino acids of the protein of crystalline turnip yellow mosaic virus were studied by paper chromatographic and microbiological technics. 2. Virtually all the protein was accounted for by microbiological assay for 18 amino acids performed on hydrolysates of the protein. 3. The protein was characterized by the presence of large amounts of serine, threonine, and proline. Hydroxyproline was not detected.
Classification and evaluation system of important national forest scenery resources in Hunan Province

By learning from domestic and foreign research results related to the forest scenery classification and evaluation system,and regarding Hunan important national forest scenery resources as evaluation targets,this paper creatively proposed qualitative evaluation criteria of "four categories and eight grades" to identify the objects to be included in the"protection contents of important national forest scenery resource".Then,regarding the quality of forest scenery resources as evaluation core,the quantitative evaluation factor and evaluation index system of forest scenery resources were established by using AHP and Delphi method.This research has done some in-depth study for establishing classification and evaluation system of important national forest scenery resource and evaluating important national forest scenery resources in China.
Ileal segment for ureteral substitution or for improvement of ureteral function.

AbstractA total of 29 patients received an ileal segment interposition between the upper and lower urinary tract for partial or total ureteral substitution, or for ileal wrapping around a massively dilated, aperistaltic ureter. Indications for an operation included the presence of an extensively diseased or short ureter and an aperistaltic megaureter that had failed previous reconstructive attempts. Nine patients (group 1) underwent an ileal sleeve procedure in an attempt to increase the ureteral peristaltic activity and facilitate drainage. Among these patients 7 (78%) had a stable upper tract radiologically and normal serum creatinine (less than 1.6mg./100ml), while 2 (22%) had deterioration of the renal function. Ten patients (group 2) had undergone a myriad of reconstructions that failed and then underwent complete ureteral substitution with ileum. Among them, renal function (as evidenced by excretory urography and serum creatinine) is stable in 7 (70%) and deteriorated in 3 (30%). In 10 patients (gro...
From Homelessness to Employment Perceptions of OEF and OIF Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The purpose of this study was to document the first-person perspectives of 10 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) regarding their efforts to move from homelessness to employment. A qualitative, phenomenological study design was employed through the use of in-depth interviews. Five themes emerged, labeled as (a) fallout from PTSD, (b) motivation to change, (c) family support, (d) rehabilitation counseling, and (e) developing a new work identity. Findings suggest that veterans of this era with PTSD express the values and attitudes needed for work adjustment and successful reintegration into the workforce. It is anticipated that the results of this study will stimulate the rehabilitation counseling profession to continue advancements in training, research, and service provision to better meet the vocational rehabilitation needs of veterans with PTSD.
Die Arthroskopie des Rückfußes

Zusammenfassung Die posteriore Arthroskopie stellt ein standardisiertes Verfahren zur operativen Therapie des dorsalen Sprunggelenkschmerzes dar. Die Pathologien beinhalten knochernes und weichteiliges dorsales Impingement durch Osteophyten, akzessorische Knochen, freie Gelenkkorper oder Synovialitiden. Auch Irritationen der FHL-Sehne verursachen haufig dorsale Sprunggelenkschmerzen. Mittels der posterioren Arthroskopie in der Zwei-Portal-Methode konnen die genannten schmerzverursachenden Strukturen schnell und technisch einfach adressiert werden. Geeignet fur die endoskopische Therapie sind auch symptomatische Haglundexostosen ohne wesentliche Achillessehnenpathologie. Die Vorteile der dorsalen Arthroskopie gegenuber offenen Verfahren bestehen in der schnelleren postoperativen Regeneration und dem geringeren Risikos einer Verletzung des N. suralis.
Genetic Resources of Watermelon

As a result of many years of domestication and selection for desirable fruit quality, most of the modern dessert watermelon cultivars share a narrow genetic base. Africa is the center of origin and diversity of the genus Citrullus and is thus the focus of efforts to collect and conserve germplasm for enhancing dessert watermelons with resistance to diseases and pests. In addition to C. lanatus, accessions of several other species of Citrullus have been used as sources of disease and pest resistance. These are C. amarus (citron watermelon), which is native to southern Africa, C. mucosospermus (egusi watermelon) of sub-Saharan/western Africa origin, and C. colocynthis (colocynth) native to the deserts of northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Citrullus amarus, C. lanatus, and C. mucosospermus are readily intercrossed with one another and thus C. amarus and C. mucosospermus have at times been classified as subspecies or botanical varieties within C. lanatus. Genetic resources within Citrullus contain genes conferring resistance to a broad range of fungal diseases such as Fusarium wilt, anthracnose, gummy stem blight; oomycete diseases including Phytophthora capsici, powdery mildew, downy mildew; viruses such as the watermelon strain of Papaya ringspot virus, Zucchini yellow mosaic virus, and Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV); and insect pests such as root-knot nematodes, whiteflies, and mites. Watermelon germplasm collections are maintained in China, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), maintains a large collection of watermelon and related Citrullus spp. germplasm. The USDA/ARS/NPGS, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs contains general information on accessions held within the USDA/NPGS collection.
Race, Juvenile Transfer, and Sentencing Preferences: Findings From a Randomized Experiment:

In light of the expansion of punitive “get tough” policies for juvenile offenders, some researchers have uncovered evidence that juveniles who are waived to the adult court receive more severe sanc...
Reduced Surgical Site Infection Rates Following Spine Surgery Using an Enhanced Prophylaxis Protocol.

BACKGROUND Postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication after spine surgery. Reduction of SSI has many benefits including, but not limited to, the reduced length of stay, readmission rates, and morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE To determine whether an enhanced antibiotic prophylaxis reduced the rate of surgical site infections in spine surgery. METHODS This is a retrospective observation study which analyzed the incidence of postoperative SSI following a consecutive series of 1,486 cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine operations performed at a single institution by the senior author between the dates of October 2001 to March 2014. Patients with surgeries between October 2001 and November 2005 received a standard institutional antibiotic prophylaxis. Patients between December 2005 and March 2014 underwent an enhanced antibiotic protocol. RESULTS A total of nine cases met the criteria for SSI. All nine cases were recorded during the initial time period when the standard institutional prophylaxis was used. Further, these cases were only observed under posterior operative approaches. No further cases of SSI were observed after the institution of the enhanced antibiotic prophylaxis (p < 0.0001). This was statistically significant in the cervical and lumbar regions (p < 0.0042 and p < 0.0119, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although difficult to predict the incidence of SSI, this study found that the use of an enhanced antibiotic prophylaxis protocol significantly reduced one surgeon's overall rates of surgical site infections after spine surgery.
Identifying positioning-based attacks against 3D printed objects and the 3D printing process

Zeltmann, et al. demonstrated that structural integrity and other quality damage to objects can be caused by changing its position on a 3D printer’s build plate. On some printers, for example, object surfaces and support members may be stronger when oriented parallel to the X or Y axis. The challenge presented by the need to assure 3D printed object orientation is that this can be altered in numerous places throughout the system. This paper considers attack scenarios and discusses where attacks that change printing orientation can occur in the process. An imaging-based solution to combat this problem is presented.
Using an alumni survey to target improvements in an emergency medicine training programme.

Introduction The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is the governing body responsible for accrediting graduate medical training programme in the USA. The Emergency Medicine Milestones (EM-Milestones) were developed by the ACGME and American Board of Emergency Medicine as a guide and monitoring tool for the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences to be acquired during training. Alumni surveys have been reported as a valuable resource for training programme to identify areas for improvement; however, there are few studies regarding programme improvement in emergency medicine. We aimed to use the EM-Milestones, adapted as an alumni self-assessment survey, to identify areas for training programme improvement. Methods This study was conducted at an urban, academic affiliated, community hospital in New York city with an emergency medicine training programme consisting of 30 residents over 3 years. Alumni of our emergency medicine training programme were sent an EM-Milestones-based self-assessment survey. Participants evaluated their ability in each EM-Milestones subcompetency on a Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results Response rate was 74% (69/93). Alumni reported achieving the target performance in 5/6 general competencies, with Systems-Based Practice falling below the target performance. The survey further identified 6/23 subcompetencies (Pharmacotherapy, Ultrasound, Wound Management, Patient Safety, Systems-Based Management and Technology) falling below the target performance level. Discussion Alumni self-evaluation of competence using the EM-Milestones provides valuable information concerning confidence to practice independently; these data, coupled with regular milestone evaluation of existing trainees, can identify problem areas and provide a blueprint for targeted programme improvement.