cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFICACY OF SOYBEAN-BASE LIQUID FERTILIZER FOR GREENHOUSE CROPS

A soybean-base liquid fertilizer [Daniels Plant Food, Sherman TX, USA; 10 nitrogen (N):1.8 phophorus (P):2.5 potassium (K)] for petunia was compared for efficacy to two formulations of 20N:4.4P:16.6K with 40 and 70% of the nitrogen in the reduced form. Petunias treated with the soybean-base fertilizer were taller, flowered in 4.5% less time, had the highest plant rating for foliar color and plant form, and did not differ in plant dry weight from the control (40% reduced nitrogen). Foliar nitrogen concentration was not affected by fertilizer source. Also, cyclamen grown with the soybean-base fertilizer had similar plant and corm growth and formed 47% more flowers than the control. Foliar levels of potassium although lower were adequate in the soybean-base fertilized plants. Ammonium toxicity and potassium deficiency symptoms did not occur with either species. While the substrate pH in the high reduced nitrogen soybean-base treatment was expected to be lower, it was higher or similar to the control in each ...
Laboratory Studies of Virus Survival During Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

The survival of three enteroviruses (polio 1, coxsackie B3 and echo 1) and a rotavirus (SA-11) was studied under laboratory conditions. The effects of temperature, dissolved oxygen, detention time, sludge source and virus type on virus inactivation were determined. Temperature was the single most important factor influencing the rate of virus inactivation. No significant differences were found for virus inactivation rates at dissolved oxygen levels between 0.9 and 5.8 mg/l. However, the inactivation rate of the viruses under aerobic conditions was found to be significantly greater than the inactivation rate under anaerobic conditions (−0.77log10/day vs −0.33 log10/day). Sludge source, detention time and virus type did not significantly influence the rate of virus inactivation.
Esterase Spectra and Adaptive Plasticity in Rice Varieties

Analysis of the esterase spectra was performed on 27 rice varieties which differ in the duration of the vegetation period (early, medium-, and late-ripening varieties) and in the roots, stem, and leaf blades. Organ-and variety-specific differences were found in 5 esterase loci. Late-ripening rice varieties were characterized by lower resistance to salinization and thickening of crops, but not to higher temperatures. A definite correlation was revealed between these differences and those observed in the tissue-specific esterase spectra. Typical for early and medium-ripening varieties were genotypes with nonzero activity by esterase locus 1 (isoferment with the highest electrophoretic mobility), as well as its expression in various tissues simultaneously.
The effect of amytal on the cardiac output and peripheral resistance of man.

Measurements of cardiac output and intra-arterial pressure on 5 normal young men and 5 hypertensive patients before and during sedation with Amytal demonstrated a decreased cardiac output and an increased peripheral resistance during the period of sedation. It is concluded that the theoretic basis for the use of Amytal sedation as a device for selection of hypertensive patients for sympathectomy is not valid.
Demographic Effects on Personal Saving in the Future

After briefly examining the various proposed causes for the decline in the U.S. personal saving rate in the past decade, this essay then argues that a shift in the demographic composition of the population will be a much more important cause for a decline in personal saving in the future. A change in the balance between those in the labor force who are saving and retirees who are dissaving will result in a considerable fall in the aggregate saving rate under most assumptions. The simulation model used to examine this phenomenon takes into account the interest rate, the growth rate of the economy, the retirement age, the growth of population, and the life expectancy. Attention is also given to certain consequences of the fall in the saving rate, such as changes in the interest rate, changes in asset prices, and a decline in the GDP growth rate. Analyses of the long-term growth of the U.S. economy generally focus primary attention on the rate of technological change. It is generally assumed that saving to finance the necessary investment will not be a problem. In this essay, I use a simulation model incorporating a lifetime income approach toward saving to argue that this assumption is wrong. More specifically, I show that in the long run, personal saving will decline as a shift in the demographic balance between savers (those in the working ages) and dissavers (retired workers), and, as a result, economic growth will taper off, especially since it seems unlikely that the decline in personal saving will be offset by increases either in business or government saving or in greater capital inflows from abroad.
Alpha and theta EEG in vigilance.

During a 1-hr. vigilance session Ss were required to detect specified digit triads in an uninterrupted random digit series. EEG was recorded continuously with sampled epochs analyzed by computer fo...
Antitumour triterpenes of Maytenus diversifolia

Abstract The known compounds maytansine and sitosterol-β- D -glucoside as well as the new triterpenes maytenfoliol and maytenfolic acid were isolated as antileukemic agents from Maytenus diversifolia . Other triterpenes isolated included the new maytensifolin-A and -B as well as the known friedelin, canophyllal, β-amyrin, canophyllol, pachysonol, 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one and 30-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one.
Drop Coalescence during Emulsion Formation in a High-Pressure Homogenizer for Tetradecane-in-Water Emulsion Stabilized by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

Abstract The present study investigates the effects of homogenizer pressure, surfactant concentration, ionic strength, and dispersed phase fraction on the coalescence rate of tetradecane-in-water emulsions during their formation in a high-pressure homogenizer. Experiments were conducted in a recirculating system consisting of a Rannie laboratory-scale single-stage homogenizer and a stirred vessel for tetradecane-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The initial evolution of the number concentration of droplets in the stirred tank was measured when subjected to a negative stepchange in the homogenizer pressure. The average drop coalescence rate constant in the homogenizer was inferred by fitting the experimental evolution of the number concentration of drops to a simple model accounting for the coalescence in the homogenizer under the assumption of a quasi steady state in the homogenizer. The residence time of the emulsion in the homogenizer was evaluated from the analysis of radial turbulent flow between disks. The step down homogenizer pressure was varied in the range 20.7–48.3 MPa, the drop size in the range 174–209 nm, the dispersed phase fraction in the range 5%–15%, SDS concentration in the range 0.0033–0.25 wt%, and ionic strength in the range 0.01–0.1 M. The coalescence rate constants were found to be in the range from 3.34×10 −17 to 2.43×10 −16 m 3 s −1 . The coalescence rate constant was found to be higher for higher homogenizer pressures, smaller drop sizes, lower dispersed phase fractions, and lower SDS concentrations and was insensitive to variations in ionic strength.
“Right-Sizing” in Oftering Parish: Labor Hoarding Peasant Firms in Austria, 1700–1850

When Hans Rosenberg wrote an assessment of the first three published volumes—by Friedrich Lutge, Heinz Haushofer, and Wilhelm Abel—of what would become the six-volume Deutsche Agrargeschichte (1962–1984), he thought he detected a new analytical direction in German agrarian history, one that pointed toward how the economic and social experiences of rural populations could be understood as mutually intertwined and active in the broader course of events. In contrast to the legal formalism of Lutge and the technicist agronomism of Haushofer, Rosenberg held up Wilhelm Abel's work as particularly noteworthy for seeing rural populations simultaneously engaged in several kinds of markets, with movements in European grain prices over three centuries playing, for Abel, the role of comparable indicators for regionally differentiated market swings with diverse effects on rural life.
The Death of a Soviet Science: Sergei Pervushin and Economic Cycles in Russia, 1850–1930

T X he worldwide depression after World War I revived anxiety about the ability of the capitalist system to survive future crises. European and American economists sought to improve the statistical tools with which to analyze and ameliorate cyclical fluctuations. Various institutes sprang up, notably the National Bureau of Economic Research in New York in 1920 and the Institut f?r Konjunkturforschung in Berlin in 1925.1 In the Soviet Union under the New Economic Policy (NEP, 1921-28), the Bolshevik government likewise needed statistics on agriculture, finance, trade, and industry, partly to make the case for the imminent collapse of capitalism, but primarily to repair the ravages of World War I and the Civil War and to chart a strategy of economic development to be funded primarily by meager domestic resources. The Bolshevik leadership sought to staff the agencies of the new state with technically skilled and politically committed experts from the working class and peasantry, but so few such cadres existed that it had no choice but to hire professional staff trained in the tsarist period, whose political allegiance to communism it considered doubtful. The tension between the government's preference for politically committed "red" cadres and its dependence on "expert" employees existed in every Soviet agency. In the Central Statistical Administration (TsSU), for example, many statisticians who had gathered data and analyzed
The mixing state of carbonaceous aerosol particles in northern and southern California measured during CARES and CalNex 2010

Abstract. Carbonaceous aerosols impact climate directly by scattering and absorbing radiation, and hence play a major, although highly uncertain, role in global radiative forcing. Commonly, ambient carbonaceous aerosols are internally mixed with secondary species such as nitrate, sulfate, and ammonium, which influences their optical properties, hygroscopicity, and atmospheric lifetime, thus impacting climate forcing. Aircraft-aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (A-ATOFMS), which measures single-particle mixing state, was used to determine the fraction of organic and soot aerosols that are internally mixed and the variability of their mixing state in California during the Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) and the Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) field campaigns in the late spring and early summer of 2010. Nearly 88% of all A-ATOFMS measured particles (100–1000 nm in diameter) were internally mixed with secondary species, with 96% and 75% of particles internally mixed with nitrate and/or sulfate in southern and northern California, respectively. Even though atmospheric particle composition in both regions was primarily influenced by urban sources, the mixing state was found to vary greatly, with nitrate and soot being the dominant species in southern California, and sulfate and organic carbon in northern California. Furthermore, mixing state varied temporally in northern California, with soot becoming the prevalent particle type towards the end of the study as regional pollution levels increased. The results from these studies demonstrate that the majority of ambient carbonaceous particles in California are internally mixed and are heavily influenced by secondary species that are most prevalent in the particular region. Based on these findings, considerations of regionally dominant sources and secondary species, as well as temporal variations of aerosol physical and optical properties, will be required to obtain more accurate predictions of the climate impacts of aerosol in California.
Learning Disabled Students and Their Families: Implications and Strategies for Counselors.

The social and emotional problems of learning disabled students are described, and research is presented that substantiates the interactional role of the family in these problems. The literature suggests that the family is one of the more crucial determinants in the growth and development of children with learning disabilities, but it has frequently been ignored in terms of treatment planning. The purpose of this article is to review some of the major personal and social issues facing learning disabled students and to suggest ways that school counselors and mental health workers can work with families of these children for remediation purposes.
Rofecoxib steady-state pharmacokinetics [PK] in moderate hepatic insufficiency patients (HI)

Rofecoxib steady-state pharmacokinetics [PK] in moderate hepatic insufficiency patients (HI)
Indirect monitoring of acetate exhaustion and cell recycle improve lactate production by non-growing Escherichia coli.

A two-phase, lactate fermentation by Escherichia coli ALS974 generates succinate and ethanol anaerobically from acetate. These by-products can be minimized by monitoring acetate concentration indirectly with dissolved O2 (DO) during the initial aerobic cell-growth phase. Without DO monitoring, 3 g succinate/l and 1 g ethanol/l were generated while, with monitoring, less than 1 g succinate/l and no detectable ethanol were generated with 130 g lactate/l being produced. Furthermore, using a cell-recycle fermentation with ultrafiltration prolonged the anaerobic lactate production phase from 22 to 34 h, thereby achieving a lactate productivity of 4.2 g/l h, nearly 20% greater than the productivity of the fed-batch process.
ANALYSIS AND MODELING OF SERVO MOTOR CONTROL IN MILITARY VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS

Abstract : This paper covers the analysis of various concepts that are used to implement Servo Motor Control in military vehicular control systems. A survey of existing hard real-time servo controls and applicable design patterns is presented. These design patterns along with their critical parameters are identified and described. Potential solutions are created from combinations of design patterns and parameter choices. The solutions are modeled with plausible parameters to identify parameter sensitivities. As the modeling progresses, the solutions' frequency responses, sensitivities and functional performance are also evaluated. This paper concludes with a summary of architectural guidelines.
CD4+CD25+ Immunoregulatory T Cells Suppress Polyclonal T Cell Activation In Vitro by Inhibiting Interleukin 2 Production

Peripheral tolerance may be maintained by a population of regulatory/suppressor T cells that prevent the activation of autoreactive T cells recognizing tissue-specific antigens. We have previously shown that CD4+CD25+ T cells represent a unique population of suppressor T cells that can prevent both the initiation of organ-specific autoimmune disease after day 3 thymectomy and the effector function of cloned autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells. To analyze the mechanism of action of these cells, we established an in vitro model system that mimics the function of these cells in vivo. Purified CD4+CD25+ cells failed to proliferate after stimulation with interleukin (IL)-2 alone or stimulation through the T cell receptor (TCR). When cocultured with CD4+CD25− cells, the CD4+CD25+ cells markedly suppressed proliferation by specifically inhibiting the production of IL-2. The inhibition was not cytokine mediated, was dependent on cell contact between the regulatory cells and the responders, and required activation of the suppressors via the TCR. Inhibition could be overcome by the addition to the cultures of IL-2 or anti-CD28, suggesting that the CD4+CD25+ cells may function by blocking the delivery of a costimulatory signal. Induction of CD25 expression on CD25− T cells in vitro or in vivo did not result in the generation of suppressor activity. Collectively, these data support the concept that the CD4+CD25+ T cells in normal mice may represent a distinct lineage of “professional” suppressor cells.
Model-based segmentation and estimation of 3D surfaces from two or more intensity images using Markov random fields

An approach and algorithm for 3D primitive model recognition, parameter estimation, and segmentation from a sequence of images taken by one or more calibrated cameras are presented. Though the approach and algorithm are applicable to more general models, the experiments described are for primitive objects that are 3D planes. Given two or more images taken by one or more calibrated cameras, the algorithm simultaneously segments the images and 3D space into regions, each region associated with a single planar patch, and estimates the parameters of the 3D plane associated with each segmented region. The algorithm is suitable for parallel processing and should function at close to the best possible accuracy. Markov random fields are used to provide very coarse prior knowledge of the regions occupied by the planar patches, resulting in markedly enhanced accuracy. >
A general imperfect-software-debugging model with S-shaped fault-detection rate

A general software reliability model based on the nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) is used to derive a model that integrates imperfect debugging with the learning phenomenon. Learning occurs if testing appears to improve dynamically in efficiency as one progresses through a testing phase. Learning usually manifests itself as a changing fault-detection rate. Published models and empirical data suggest that efficiency growth due to learning can follow many growth-curves, from linear to that described by the logistic function. On the other hand, some recent work indicates that in a real industrial resource-constrained environment, very little actual learning might occur because nonoperational profiles used to generate test and business models can prevent the learning. When that happens, the testing efficiency can still change when an explicit change in testing strategy occurs, or it can change as a result of the structural profile of the code under test and test-case ordering.
High Performance Workplaces and Family Friendly Practices: Promises Made and Promises Kept *

High performance workplaces elicit greater involvement and productivity from employees but past theory and evidence remain divided on whether or not such workplaces are compatible with family friendly work practices. We present new evidence on the association using perceptions of a representative sample of workers and an innovative testing framework. The evidence reveals that high performance workplaces are no more likely to make commitments to provide family friendly workplaces than are other workplaces. It shows, however, that high performance workplaces are more likely to keep the family friendly commitments they make, thereby maintaining a “psychological contract” based on mutual obligation. As providing family friendly practices requires both making and keeping commitments, the evidence confirms that high performance workplaces are more likely to provide such practices.
Implicit sequence learning in people with Parkinson's disease.

Implicit sequence learning involves learning about dependencies in sequences of events without intent to learn or awareness of what has been learned. Sequence learning is related to striatal dopamine levels, striatal activation, and integrity of white matter connections. People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to dopamine deficiency and therefore striatal deficits, and they have difficulties with sequencing, including complex language comprehension and postural stability. Most research on implicit sequence learning in PD has used motor-based tasks. However, because PD presents with motor deficits, it is difficult to assess whether learning itself is impaired in these tasks. The present study used an implicit sequence learning task with a reduced motor component, the Triplets Learning Task (TLT). People with PD and age- and education-matched healthy older adults completed three sessions (each consisting of 10 blocks of 50 trials) of the TLT. Results revealed that the PD group was able to learn the sequence, however, when learning was examined using a Half Blocks analysis (Nemeth et al., 2013), which compared learning in the 1st 25/50 trials of all blocks to that in the 2nd 25/50 trials, the PD group showed significantly less learning than Controls in the 2nd Half Blocks, but not in the 1st. Nemeth et al. hypothesized that the 1st Half Blocks involve recall and reactivation of the sequence learned, thus reflecting hippocampal-dependent learning, while the 2nd Half Blocks involve proceduralized behavior of learned sequences, reflecting striatal-based learning. The present results suggest that the PD group had intact hippocampal-dependent implicit sequence learning, but impaired striatal-dependent learning. Thus, sequencing deficits in PD are likely due to striatal impairments, but other brain systems, such as the hippocampus, may be able to partially compensate for striatal decline to improve performance.
Role of selection and inbreeding on the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Sinclair swine

Summary This paper reports the quantitative analysis of the historical database of a herd of Sinclair swine affected by cutaneous malignant melanoma. The herd was under partial and non-systematic selection for melanoma susceptibility (animals having at least one tumour during the first 6 weeks of life). Weighted selection differentials for the number of tumours at birth and the number of tumours at 6 weeks were generally positive and between )0.43 and 4.76 tumours for the number of tumours at 6 weeks. Estimates of the heritability for number of tumours at birth and at 6 weeks using 1934 animals were 0.27 (� 0.03) and 0.25 (� 0.03), respectively. The estimate of the genetic correlation between these two traits was 0.95 (� 0.03). Genetic trends were positive for the number of tumours at birth and at 6 weeks. In spite of positive selection differentials and a moderate heritability, there was a negative phenotypic trend in the number of tumours. Natural selection might be acting in a direction opposite to artificial selection in the Sinclair herd. The slopes of the regression of the number of tumours at birth, at 6 weeks, and melanoma susceptibility on individual inbreeding coefficients were non-significant, indicating no evidence of dominance. The number of live-born pigs was lower in litters from parents susceptible to the disease (p < 0.01).
Towards the Development of a Fuel Cell System for Residential Applications: Propane Reforming via Catalytic Partial Oxidation

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that 5% of air pollutants originate from small internal combustion engines (ICE) used in non-automotive applications. While there have been significant advances towards developing more sustainable systems to replace large ICEs, few designs have been implemented with the capability to replace small ICEs such as those used in the residential sector for lawn and garden equipment. Replacing these small residential internal combustion engines presents a unique opportunity for early market penetration of fuel cell technologies. This paper describes the initial efforts to build an innovative residential-scale fuel cell system using propane as its fuel source, and the deployment of this technology in a commonly used device found throughout the U.S. There are three main components to this program, including the development of the propane reforming system, fuel cell operation, and the overall system integration. This paper presents the reforming results of propane catalytic partial oxidation (cPOx). The primary parameters used to evaluate the reformer in this experiment were reformate composition, carbon concentration in the effluent, and reforming efficiency as a function of catalyst temperature and O2/C ratio. When including the lower heating value (LHV) for product hydrogen and carbon monoxide, maximum efficiencies of 84% were achieved at an O2/C ratio of 0.53 and a temperature of 940°C. Significant solid carbon formation was observed at catalyst temperatures below 750°C.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
NASA standard for models and simulations : credibility assessment scale

As one of its many responses to the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia accident, NASA decided to develop a formal standard for models and simulations (M&S). Work commenced in May 2005. An interim version was issued in late 2006. This interim version underwent considerable revision following an extensive Agency-wide review in 2007 along with some additional revisions as a result of the review by the NASA Engineering Management Board (EMB) in the first half of 2008. Issuance of the revised, permanent version, hereafter referred to as the M&S Standard or just the Standard, occurred in July 2008. Bertch, Zang and Steeleiv provided a summary review of the development process of this standard up through the start of the review by the EMB. A thorough recount of the entire development process, major issues, key decisions, and all review processes are available in Ref. v. This is the second of a pair of papers providing a summary of the final version of the Standard. Its focus is the Credibility Assessment Scale, a key feature of the Standard, including an example of its application to a real-world M&S problem for the James Webb Space Telescope. The companion paper summarizes the overall philosophy of the Standard and an overview of the requirements. Verbatim quotes from the Standard are integrated into the text of this paper, and are indicated by quotation marks.
The demand for casino gaming.

In this study an econometric model is developed to examine the determinants of the demand for casino gaming, specifically the demand for slot machine wagering at riverboats and racinos. In addition to examining the effects of traditional demand variables, the effect on wagering of variables such as location of a wagering facility and of government restrictions, is examined. A unique measure of accessibility of market area customers to a facility and to competing facilities was developed. The demand for wagering at a facility was found to increase as access by customers in its market area increases and to decrease as access by its customers to competing riverboats, racinos or Indian casinos increases. Government restrictions were found to have an adverse effect on wagering at a riverboat. On the other hand, wagering at a riverboat was found to increase when such restrictions were imposed on competing riverboats. The presence of total loss limits and restrictions on boarding times at a riverboat were found ...
Narcissism, Exploitative Attitudes, and Academic Dishonesty: An Exploratory Investigation of Reality Versus Myth

Renewed interest in the effects of narcissism in the media has generated a closer examination of the phenomenon. This coupled with an increase in academic misbehavior among both high school and university students has provided an opportunity to scrutinize the effects of narcissism on attitudes toward academic dishonesty. The authors investigated this relationship and the presence of intervening variables such as academic entitlement and exploitativeness. The results indicate that the relationship between narcissism and academic dishonesty may be mediated by exploitative attitudes.
Correlation of HER-2 Status With Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors and Histologic Features in 3,655 Invasive Breast Carcinomas

We studied the inverse relationship between HER-2 and estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors using HER-2 testing and correlated HER-2 status with histologic features in 3,655 unselected invasive breast carcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis for ER, PR, and HER-2 and fluorescence in situ hybridization for HER-2 were performed. ER and PR expression were decreased significantly in HER-2+ tumors compared with HER-2- tumors (ER, 49.1% vs 78.17%; PR, 24.3% vs 53.13%). Even among HER-2+ tumors, the rate of ER or PR expression in high-grade tumors was significantly decreased compared with intermediate-grade tumors. HER-2 was positive in 10.87% of grade 2 and 27.84% of grade 3 ductal carcinomas and negative in all grade 1 ductal carcinomas. HER-2 overexpression or amplification essentially was limited to grades 2 and 3 ductal carcinomas and correlated inversely with ER or PR expression. Although ER or PR expression is decreased in HER-2+ tumors, a substantial proportion of them still express ER or PR.
Annual Testosterone Rhythm in the Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Annual variations in serum testosterone levels in wild male black b ears (Ursus americanus) were determined. 31 samples were obtained over the course of 1 year from 21 trapped bears. High mean testosterone valu es of 153 ng/100 ml were found during March through mid-July and low mean values of 47 ng/100 ml were found during mid-July through November; the difference being highly significant (p less than .001). Testicular length was also significantly higher during the period of high values than during the period of low testosterone values (p less than .005). S erum testosterone levels were quite high (mean 161 ng/100 ml) in 5 anima ls studied in the spring while they were still in their dens even though they showed a 19% loss in body weight and had been socially isolated. The findings suggest that the annual testosterone cycle of Ursus americanus is not dependent on nutritional and social factors.
The effects of human capital, organizational demography, and interpersonal processes on venture partner perceptions of firm profit and growth

Abstract Venture teams, which are comprised of two or more partners, are becoming one of the more popular and important modes of new business development. Traditionally, financial capital has been the primary perspective in assessing venture viability. To expand the venture evaluation horizon, we examined the effects of human capital, organizational demography, and interpersonal processes on partner evaluations of venture performance, defined as the presence of profit and growth. The results support this approach in analyzing venture teams, and we propose that this perspective be included in future venture viability assessment, and used for intervention to enhance venture success. Suggestions are provided for future research.
Glucose turnover and gluconeogenesis in human pregnancy.

The rate of appearance (Ra) of glucose in plasma and the contribution of gluconeogenesis were quantified in normal pregnant women early ( approximately 10 wk) and late ( approximately 34 wk) in gestation. Their data were compared with those of normal nonpregnant women. Glucose Ra was measured using the [U-13C]glucose tracer dilution method. Gluconeogenesis was quantified by the appearance of 2H on carbon 5 and 6 of glucose after deuterium labeling of body water pool. Weight-specific glucose Ra was unchanged during pregnancy (nonpregnant, 1.89+/-0.24; first trimester, 2.05+/-0.21; and third trimester 2.17+/-0.28 mg/kg.min, mean+/-SD), while total glucose Ra was significantly increased (early, 133.5+/-7.2; late, 162.6+/-16.4 mg/min; P = 0.005). The fractional contribution of gluconeogenesis via pyruvate measured by 2H enrichment on C-6 of glucose (45-61%), and of total gluconeogenesis quantified from 2H enrichment on C-5 of glucose (i.e. , including glycerol [68-85%]) was not significantly different between pregnant and nonpregnant women. Inasmuch as total glucose Ra was significantly increased, total gluconeogenesis was also increased in pregnancy (early pregnancy, 94.7+/-15.9 mg/min; late pregnancy, 122.7+/-9.3 mg/min; P = 0.003). These data demonstrate the ability of the mother to adapt to the increasing fetal demands for glucose with advancing gestation. The mechanism for this unique quantitative adjustment to the fetal demands remains undefined.
Molecular Basis of Environmentally Induced Birth Defects

Exposure of the developing conceptus to selected environmental agents can lead to deleterious and often times lethal birth defects. These malformations result in serious emotional and financial consequences to families and societies worldwide. As we continue to progress technologically, we face challenges from the introduction of new pharmacological agents and chemical compounds into the environment. This results in a concomitant need to more fully understand the relationship between in utero exposure to environmental teratogens and the risk of congenital malformations. The goal of this review is to provide a current perspective of the major concepts related to the molecular basis of environmentally induced birth defects. Starting with a discussion of commonly occurring birth defects, we consider important fundamental facets of embryonic development, teratology, and gene-environment interactions. The review then summarizes our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in selected birth defects following exposure to pharmacological compounds, including thalidomide, retinoids, and valproic acid. Understanding these signaling pathways may lead to the development of safer pharmaceutical compounds and a reduction in the number of infants born with preventable birth defects.
Dynamic summarization of bibliographic-based data

Traditional information retrieval techniques typically return excessive output when directed at large bibliographic databases. Natural Language Processing applications strive to extract salient content from the excessive data. Semantic MEDLINE, a National Library of Medicine (NLM) natural language processing application, highlights relevant information in PubMed data. However, Semantic MEDLINE implements manually coded schemas, accommodating few information needs. Currently, there are only five such schemas, while many more would be needed to realistically accommodate all potential users. The aim of this project was to develop and evaluate a statistical algorithm that automatically identifies relevant bibliographic data; the new algorithm could be incorporated into a dynamic schema to accommodate various information needs in Semantic MEDLINE, and eliminate the need for multiple schemas. We developed a flexible algorithm named Combo that combines three statistical metrics, the Kullback-Leibler Divergence (KLD), Riloff's RlogF metric (RlogF), and a new metric called PredScal, to automatically identify salient data in bibliographic text. We downloaded citations from a PubMed search query addressing the genetic etiology of bladder cancer. The citations were processed with SemRep, an NLM rule-based application that produces semantic predications. SemRep output was processed by Combo, in addition to the standard Semantic MEDLINE genetics schema and independently by the two individual KLD and RlogF metrics. We evaluated each summarization method using an existing reference standard within the task-based context of genetic database curation. Combo asserted 74 genetic entities implicated in bladder cancer development, whereas the traditional schema asserted 10 genetic entities; the KLD and RlogF metrics individually asserted 77 and 69 genetic entities, respectively. Combo achieved 61% recall and 81% precision, with an F-score of 0.69. The traditional schema achieved 23% recall and 100% precision, with an F-score of 0.37. The KLD metric achieved 61% recall, 70% precision, with an F-score of 0.65. The RlogF metric achieved 61% recall, 72% precision, with an F-score of 0.66. Semantic MEDLINE summarization using the new Combo algorithm outperformed a conventional summarization schema in a genetic database curation task. It potentially could streamline information acquisition for other needs without having to hand-build multiple saliency schemas.
Issues in Establishing Climate Sensitivity in Recent Studies

Numerous attempts have been made to constrain climate sensitivity with observations [1-10] (with [6] as LC09, [8] as SB11). While all of these attempts contain various caveats and sources of uncertainty, some efforts have been shown to contain major errors and are demonstrably incorrect. For example, multiple studies [11-13] separately addressed weaknesses in LC09 [6]. The work of Trenberth et al. [13], for instance, demonstrated a basic lack of robustness in the LC09 method that fundamentally undermined their results. Minor changes in that study’s subjective assumptions yielded major changes in its main conclusions. Moreover, Trenberth et al. [13] criticized the interpretation of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as an analogue for exploring the forced response of the climate system. In addition, as many cloud variations on monthly time scales result from internal atmospheric variability, such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation, cloud variability is not a deterministic response to surface temperatures. Nevertheless, many of the problems in LC09 [6] have been perpetuated, and Dessler [10] has pointed out similar issues with two more recent such attempts [7,8]. Here we briefly summarize more generally some of the pitfalls and issues involved in developing observational constraints on climate feedbacks. [...]
Assisting Dairymen in the Wise Use of Chemicals, Drugs, and Additives

Abstract The proper use of drugs, chemicals, and feed additives is a continuing problem to dairymen and the dairy industry. Transferring the latest research data into easily understood recommendations to producers must be accomplished. Feed industry and state extension personnel were surveyed to determine traditional and innovative delivery methods, available resources, and current field problems. Resource materials were reviewed and listed for future use and reference. Several comments and concerns were raised by survey respondents.
Next‐Generation Model‐Based Drug Discovery and Development: Quantitative and Systems Pharmacology

Pharmaceutical researchers have undertaken many initiatives and technologies to stem the rising costs of drug discovery and development. Biomarkers, adaptive trial designs, modeling, trial simulations, predictive metabolism, data mining, and disease models have reshaped the way in which researchers approach discovery and development. Quantitative pharmacology (QP), which leverages model-based approaches, operates at both cultural and technical levels to integrate data and scientific disciplines so as to utilize existing knowledge while concomitantly enhancing the ability to make predictions about future experiments and results.
Cognitive Models and Health Decision Making

Four hypotheses are proposed concerning intracultural variation in the conceptualization of disease and the reported use of professional health services. It is concluded that educational level explains more of the variance than any other factor tested. Analysis of the structure of cognitive models of disease indicates that physicians and nonpractitioners tend to view each disease as a unique entity rather than as one of a class of diseases.
DIET OF THE DEL NORTE SALAMANDER (PLETHODON ELONGATUS): DIFFERENCES BY AGE, GENDER, AND SEASON

Abstract Terrestrial salamanders are integral components of forest ecosystems and the examination of their feeding habits may provide useful information regarding various ecosystem processes. We studied the diet of the Del Norte Salamander (Plethodon elongatus) and assessed diet differences between age classes, genders, and seasons. The stomachs of 309 subadult and adult salamanders, captured in spring and fall, contained 20 prey types. Nineteen were invertebrates, and one was a juvenile Del Norte Salamander, representing the first reported evidence of cannibalism in this species. Mites and ants represented a significant component of the diet across all age classes and genders, and diets of subadult and adult salamanders were fairly similar overall. We detected, however, an ontogenetic shift with termites and ants becoming less important and spiders and mites becoming more important with age. These differences between subadults and adults can likely be attributed to the inability of subadults to consume l...
Compact Multiband Antenna for Handheld Devices

A compact multiband antenna is presented for wireless handheld devices. The proposed design uses two folded L-shaped strips connected by a short stub and fed from a common excitation. Compared to other available multiband antenna designs, the proposed design has simpler structure, smaller size, and higher mode independence.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor165 Gene Transfer Augments Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Human Subjects

Preclinical studies in animal models and early results of clinical trials in patients suggest that intramuscular injection of naked plasmid DNA encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can promote neovascularization of ischemic tissues. Such neovascularization has been attributed exclusively to sprout formation of endothelial cells derived from preexisting vessels. We investigated the hypothesis that VEGF gene transfer may also augment the population of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In patients with critical limb ischemia receiving VEGF gene transfer, gene expression was documented by a transient increase in plasma levels of VEGF. A culture assay documented a significant increase in EPCs (219%, P<0.001), whereas patients who received an empty vector had no change in circulating EPCs, as was the case for volunteers who received saline injections (VEGF versus empty vector, P<0.001; VEGF versus saline, P<0.005). Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis disclosed an overall increase of up to 30-fold in endothelial lineage markers KDR (VEGF receptor-2), VE-cadherin, CD34, alpha(v)beta(3), and E-selectin after VEGF gene transfer. Constitutive overexpression of VEGF in patients with limb ischemia augments the population of circulating EPCs. These findings support the notion that neovascularization of human ischemic tissues after angiogenic growth factor therapy is not limited to angiogenesis but involves circulating endothelial precursors that may home to ischemic foci and differentiate in situ through a process of vasculogenesis.
On expressing lexical generalizations in HPSG

This paper investigates the status of the lexicon and the possibilities for expressing lexical generalizations in the paradigm of Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG). We illustrate that the architecture readily supports the use of implicational principles to express generalizations over a class of word objects. A second kind of lexical generalizations expressing relations between classes of words is often expressed in terms of lexical rules. We show how lexical rules can be integrated into the formal setup for HPSG developed by King (1989, 1994), investigate a lexical rule specification language allowing the linguist to only specify those properties which are supposed to differ between the related classes, and define how this lexical rule specification language is interpreted. We thereby provide a formalization of lexical rules as used in HPSG.
International Students as a Resource for Internationalization of Higher Education

This study used a cross-sectional survey to examine the perceptions of undergraduate and graduate international students enrolled at a public university in the Midwest, regarding international students’ perspectives on how their university engages them as cultural resources, and how such engagement might impact students’ perceptions of the value they receive from U.S. higher education. The data suggest that international students are not actively engaged as cultural resources although they would like to do more to help others learn about their countries and cultures. The level of desired engagement as a cultural resource was the highest among South and Central American students, and the lowest among European students. The study identifies multiple areas of opportunities for higher education to facilitate international students’ active contributions to the university’s strategic goal of global engagement and internationalization while also positively impacting the manner in which international students per...
Black Hats and Smooth Hands: Elite Status, Environmentalism, and Work among the Ranchers of Acre, Brazil

Cattle ranchers are often presented as the wealthy, violent, and environmentally destructive villains of Amazonia. Ranchers in the state of Acre, Brazil, are viewed in a particularly negative light, due to their perceived association with the assassination of “rainforest martyr” Chico Mendes in 1988. The objective of this paper is to increase our understanding of this enigmatic, powerful group through an ethnographic description of ranchers in relation to features of their villain label: elite status and environmental destruction. Drawing on 18 months of fieldwork with Acrean ranchers and other rural groups, I analyze the ways in which the ranchers conform to and challenge classification as an elite group in relation to economic and political power, describe how rancher status is constructed and expressed in social situations, and compare the extent to which other rural social groups agree with perceptions of the ranchers. Understanding the ranchers' perspective, especially with regard to environmental debates, requires an examination of how they perceive their work in relation to history and ideology, and how they have adapted the term to defend their interests and engage current political debates centered on environmental preservation.
THE TURNED TORUS KNOT IN S4

A spun knotted torus in the 4-sphere is formed by rigidly sweeping a knotted curve along a circle. Alternately, as the knotted curve is swept along the circle we could give it a number of full turns (Dehn twists). We show the resulting knotted torus depends only on the knotted curve and whether the number of turns is even or odd. The even and odd turned spun tori have nondiffeomorphic complements. This is generalized in some cases to include twist spun turned torus knots.
Advanced-Stage Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome: Survival and Response to Treatment

Abstract Introduction Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Although MF often has an indolent course, patients can progress to, or present with, advanced stage (stage IIB-IVB) MF or with the leukemic variant, Sezary syndrome (SS). Patients and Methods We prospectively evaluated multiple prognostic variables, including demographics, age, TNMB (blood) stage, histologic features, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), white blood cell counts, and response to treatment, in 168 patients with advanced-stage MF and SS from 2007 to June 2014. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to determine the median overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the prognostic factors with univariate and multivariate analyses. Results We analyzed 140 patients with MF and 28 with SS, whose median survival was 2.47 years. A total of 79 patients (47%) died of any cause. On univariate analysis, age, lymph node stage, and serum LDH level were significant for prognosis. On multivariate analysis, skin and node stage, age, large cell transformation, and LDH level were significantly associated with worse OS. Only N stage and LDH were significant for DSS. Patients who had received biologic response modifiers and histone deacetylase inhibitors first had better survival (2.5 years) than the patients initially treated with multiagent chemotherapy (9 months). Conclusion We found that only a few factors can predict OS and DSS for patients with advanced MF/SS. Also, nonchemotherapy options should be preferred for front-line therapy to improve survival, outcomes, and side effects, including immunosuppression.