cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Propensity for Flying and Walking by the Colorado Potato Beetles Treated with Imidacloprid

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) is a very serious pest of potatoes which is highly mobile and capable of rapid evolution of resistance to chemical control. Insect movement, resulting in gene flow between resistant and susceptible populations, is considered to be an important factor affecting the development and spread of insecticide resistance. We investigated the movement of adult Colorado potato beetles by flight and by walking following the treatment with a sublethal dose of imidacloprid in the laboratory. Imidacloprid had a pronounced negative effect on beetle mobility. The proportion of beetles flying and walking, as well as the number and duration of performed flights, were significantly decreased for the treated beetles. Since local selection followed by long-distance dispersal have been reported to lead to serious area-wide problems with the insecticide-resistant Colorado potato beetle, long-term suppression of flight activity recorded in our study suggests that imidacloprid applications may reduce outflow of resistant alleles.
A Multi-Core Sphere Decoder VLSI Architecture for MIMO Communications

The sphere decoding algorithm finds applications in multi-input multi-output (MIMO) decoding, because it achieves near maximum likelihood (ML) detection performance with significantly reduced computational complexity. Previous work has focused on implementations based on K-best or depth-first search, limiting the BER performance or the search speed. This paper presents a scalable multi-core sphere decoder architecture that can combine the advantages of the K-best and depth-first search methods. The proposed architecture demonstrated a 3-5 dB improvement in the BER performance for 16times16 systems using 16 processing elements (PEs) compared to the architecture with one PE. An improved search speed of the multi-core architecture also enables a 10times energy efficiency improvement over the single core architecture for the same data rate.
Gaining competitive advantage in the U.S. wireless telephony market: the marketing challenge

Abstract Wireless telephony in the U.S. is undergoing a major change due to Federal Communications Commission regulations and the new telecommunications bill. This paper identifies some of the major strategic and environmental factors associated with this change. Some strategies for gaining sustainable competitive advantage are discussed along with their marketing implications.
Uncommon biliary strictures

The majority of benign biliary strictures are secondary to iatrogenic injury at surgery, sclerosing cholangitis, or chronic pancreatitis. There are several more uncommon causes of benign strictures of the bile ducts. These include recurrent pyogenic cholangitis, Mirizzi's syndrome, retroperitoneal fibrosis, and biliary varices. There are even rarer causes such as tuberculous involvement of the biliary tree, other infections such as schistosomiasis, common bile duct webs, and rare vascular anomalies. Management of the underlying cause of biliary strictures is warranted but radiological, endoscopic, or surgical intervention is often necessary for the strictures per se. The etiology, presentation, investigation, and management of uncommon biliary strictures are detailed in this article.
Reduced-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based on YSZ Thin-Film Electrolyte

A planar thin-film solid oxide fuel cell has been fabricated with an inexpensive, scalable, technique involving colloidal deposition of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films on porous NiO-YSZ substrates, yielding solid oxide fuel cells capable of exceptional power density at operating temperatures of 700 to 800°C. The thickness of the YSZ film deposited onto the porous substrate is approximately 10 Rim after sintering, and is well bonded to the NiO/YSZ substrate. Ni-YSZ/YSZ/LSM cells built with this technique have exhibited theoretical open-circuit potentials (OCPs), high current densities, and exceptionally good power densities of over 1900 mW/cm 2 at 800°C. Electrochemical characterization of the cells indicates negligible losses across the Ni-YSZ/YSZ interface and minor polarization of the fuel electrode. Thinfilm cells have been tested for long periods of time (over 700 h) and have been thermally cycled from 650 to 800°C while demonstrating excellent stability over time.
A comparison of the effects of cyclosporin A, dexamethasone, and ouabain on the interleukin-2 cascade.

AbstractWe have studied the mechanism by which cyclosporin2 A (CsA), dexamethasone (DEX), and ouabain (OUA) inhibit T cell proliferation by measuring the effects of these agents on 1) interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, 2) acquisition of IL-2 responsiveness, 3) the induction of IL-2 receptor expression, and 4) the specific interaction of IL-2 with its receptor. DEX primarily inhibited IL-2 production and did not block acquisition of responsiveness to IL-2 or interaction of IL-2 with its receptor. OUA mainly interfered with the mitogenic activity of IL-2 on IL-2 dependent cells and showed a modest inhibitory effect on IL-2 production. In contrast, CsA blocked acquisition of responsiveness of resting T cells to IL-2, inhibited IL-2 production, and also inhibited IL-2 receptor expression at 48 hrs but not at 24 hrs following mitogen stimulation. The protocol described in these studies should prove to be useful in dissecting the mechanisms responsible for the depressed lymphoproliferative responses in different ...
A Gallium-68 Radiopharmaceutical That is Retained in Myocardium: 68Ga[(4,6-MeO2sal)2BAPEN]+

The cationic gallium(III) complex formed with the bis(4,6-dimethoxy)salicylaldimine of N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethylenediamine has been investigated as a potential 68Ga radiopharmaceutical for imaging the heart with PET. The 67Ga complex of this ligand was prepared by ligand exchange from 67Ga-acetylacetonate and its biodistribution determined in ether anesthetized rats following intravenous injection. At 1 min postinjection, 1% of the injected dose was found in the heart with heart-to-blood and heart-to-lung ratios of 2.3:1 and 1.9:1, respectively. No clearance of 67Ga radioactivity from the heart was observed over the 1-min to 2-hr time frame studied. The 68Ga complex of this ligand was also prepared and the tracer further evaluated in a PET imaging study with a normal dog. Beyond 20 min postinjection, the heart was clearly delineated in the 68Ga PET images with good heart-to-blood and heart-to-lung contrast. No clearance of myocardial 68Ga radioactivity was observed over the 90-min imaging period, which is consistent with the results obtained in the rat. Gallium-68 complexes of this type may be useful as radiopharmaceuticals for imaging the heart with PET.
Revealing the Bacterial Butyrate Synthesis Pathways by Analyzing (Meta)genomic Data

Butyrate-producing bacteria have recently gained attention, since they are important for a healthy colon and when altered contribute to emerging diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and type II diabetes. This guild is polyphyletic and cannot be accurately detected by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Consequently, approaches targeting the terminal genes of the main butyrate- producing pathway have been developed. However, since additional pathways exist and alternative, newly recognized enzymes catalyzing the terminal reaction have been described, previous investigations are often incomplete. We undertook a broad analy- sis of butyrate-producing pathways and individual genes by screening 3,184 sequenced bacterial genomes from the Integrated Microbial Genome database. Genomes of 225 bacteria with a potential to produce butyrate were identified, including many pre- viously unknown candidates. The majority of candidates belong to distinct families within the Firmicutes, but members of nine other phyla, especially from Actinobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Fusobacteria,Proteobacteria,Spirochaetes, andThermotogae, were also identified as potential butyrate producers. The established gene catalogue (3,055 entries) was used to screen for butyrate synthesis pathways in 15 metagenomes derived from stool samples of healthy individuals provided by the HMP (Human Micro- biome Project) consortium. A high percentage of total genomes exhibited a butyrate-producing pathway (mean, 19.1%; range, 3.2% to 39.4%), where the acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) pathway was the most prevalent (mean, 79.7% of all pathways), followed by the lysine pathway (mean, 11.2%). Diversity analysis for the acetyl-CoA pathway showed that the same fewfirmicute groups as- sociated with several Lachnospiraceae andRuminococcaceae were dominating in most individuals, whereas the other pathways were associated primarily with Bacteroidetes. IMPORTANCE Microbiome research has revealed new, important roles of our gut microbiota for maintaining health, but an un- derstanding of effects of specific microbial functions on the host is in its infancy, partly because in-depth functional microbial analyses are rare and publicly available databases are often incomplete/misannotated. In this study, we focused on production of butyrate, the main energy source for colonocytes, which plays a critical role in health and disease. We have provided a complete database of genes from major known butyrate-producing pathways, using in-depth genomic analysis of publicly available ge- nomes,filling an important gap to accurately assess the butyrate-producing potential of complex microbial communities from "-omics"-derived data. Furthermore, a reference data set containing the abundance and diversity of butyrate synthesis pathways from the healthy gut microbiota was established through a metagenomics-based assessment. This study will help in understand- ing the role of butyrate producers in health and disease and may assist the development of treatments for functional dysbiosis.
STUDIES IN PERTURBATION THEORY. X. LOWER BOUNDS TO ENERGY EIGENVALUES IN PERTURBATION-THEORY GROUND STATE

The eigenvalue problem $H\ensuremath{\Psi}=E\ensuremath{\Psi}$ in quantum theory is conveniently studied by means of the partitioning technique. It is shown that, if $\mathcal{E}$ is a real variable, one may construct a function ${\mathcal{E}}_{1}=f(\mathcal{E})$ such that each pair $\mathcal{E}$ and ${\mathcal{E}}_{1}$ always bracket at least one true eigenvalue $E$. If $\mathcal{E}$ is chosen as an upper bound by means of, e.g., the variation principle, the function ${\mathcal{E}}_{1}$ is hence going to provide a lower bound. The reaction operator $t$ associated with the perturbation problem $H={H}_{0}+V$ for a positive-definite perturbation $V$ is studied in some detail, and it is shown that a lower bound to $t$ may be constructed in a finite number of operations by using the idea of "inner projection" closely associated with the Aronszajn projection previously utilized in the method of intermediate Hamiltonians. By means of truncated basic sets one can now obtain not only upper bounds but also useful lower bounds which converge towards the correct eigenvalues when the set becomes complete. The method is applied to the Brillouin-type perturbation theory, and lower bounds may be obtained either by pure expansion methods, by inner projections, or by a combination of both approaches leading to perturbation expansions with estimated remainders. The applications to Schr\"odinger's perturbation theory are also outlined. The method is numerically illustrated a study of lower bounds to the ground-state energies of the helium-like ions: He, ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{B}}^{+2}$, etc.
Adrenal cortical tumors in children: factors associated with poor outcome.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate recurrence and survival outcomes in pediatric adrenal cortical neoplasms. Methods A 90-year retrospective review of children with adrenal cortical neoplasms was performed using multivariate Cox regression analysis to identify factors associated with recurrence and tumor-related mortality. Results The evaluable cohort included 29 patients. Twenty-seven underwent resection. Twenty-two (81%) had localized disease, and 5 (19%) had locally advanced disease (all received chemotherapy and 2 of 5 were cured). Two patients presenting with metastatic disease died despite treatment. There were 4 recurrences; all patients died. Tumor-related mortality was 24% (7/29). Kaplan-Meier freedom from recurrence was 85% at 1 year (95% confidence interval, 75%-95%). Multivariate Cox regression revealed that older age ( P = .01), higher mitotic rate ( P = .005), and necrosis ( P P = .007) and larger tumor size ( P = .03) were significant predictors of tumor recurrence. Conclusion Risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with adrenocortical tumors include older age, higher mitotic rate, higher percent necrosis, and larger tumor size. Therefore, the presence of these factors may warrant consideration of adjuvant chemotherapy, even in the absence of advanced disease.
Hopfield Network as Static Optimizer: Learning the Weights and Eliminating the Guesswork

This article presents a simulation study for validation of an adaptation methodology for learning weights of a Hopfield neural network configured as a static optimizer. The quadratic Liapunov function associated with the Hopfield network dynamics is leveraged to map the set of constraints associated with a static optimization problem. This approach leads to a set of constraint-specific penalty or weighting coefficients whose values need to be defined. The methodology leverages a learning-based approach to define values of constraint weighting coefficients through adaptation. These values are in turn used to compute values of network weights, effectively eliminating the guesswork in defining weight values for a given static optimization problem, which has been a long-standing challenge in artificial neural networks. The simulation study is performed using the Traveling Salesman problem from the domain of combinatorial optimization. Simulation results indicate that the adaptation procedure is able to guide the Hopfield network towards solutions of the problem starting with random values for weights and constraint weighting coefficients. At the conclusion of the adaptation phase, the Hopfield network acquires weight values which readily position the network to search for local minimum solutions. The demonstrated successful application of the adaptation procedure eliminates the need to guess or predetermine the values for weights of the Hopfield network.
An extended particle with interacting constituents

It is shown that a manifestly covariant description of a system of particles can accommodate pairwise scalar interactions without sacrificing the canonical integrity of each particle co-ordinate and its conjugate momentum. The proof requires the introduction of a center-of-mass four-vector co-ordinate. The deduced functional relationship between this center-of-mass proper time and the proper time of each constituent particle yields the expected binding-energy defect for the system rest mass.
A practical method for predicting frequent use of emergency department care using routinely available electronic registration data.

Accurately predicting future frequent emergency department (ED) utilization can support a case management approach and ultimately reduce health care costs. This study assesses the feasibility of using routinely collected registration data to predict future frequent ED visits. Using routinely collected registration data in the state of Indiana, U.S.A., from 2008, we developed multivariable logistic regression models to predict frequent ED visits in the subsequent two years. We assessed the model’s accuracy using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity, and positive predictive value (PPV). Strong predictors of frequent ED visits included age between 25 and 44 years, female gender, close proximity to the ED (less than 5 miles traveling distance), total visits in the baseline year, and respiratory and dental chief complaint syndromes. The area under ROC curve (AUC) ranged from 0.83 to 0.92 for models predicting patients with 8 or more visits to 16 or more visits in the subsequent two years, suggesting acceptable discrimination. With 25 % sensitivity, the model predicting frequent ED use as defined as 16 or more visits in 2009 and 2010 had a PPV of 59.5 % and specificity of 99.9 %. The “adjusted” PPV of this model, which includes patients having 8 or more visits, is 81.9 %. We demonstrate a strong association between predictor variables present in registration data and frequent ED use. The algorithm’s performance characteristics suggest that it is technically feasible to use routinely collected registration data to predict future frequent ED use.
High Resolution Tem Studies of β-Alumina Type Structures

High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been used to study structures found in secondphase particles in commercial alumina compacts. Analytical electron microscopy has been used to identify elements present in the particles. Computer image simulation has been used for both the structural interpretation of high resolution images and predicting the effect which the presence of other elements would have on the observed structures.
Age Structure and Productivity of a Gray Fox Population

A knowledge of the structure of a population is essential for the clarification of population characteristics. This paper presents some of the facts learned about aging, age structure, reproduction and mortality in a population of gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ) in southern Georgia and northern Florida between June, 1952, and March, 1956. The base study area referred to throughout this paper as the Thomasville, Georgia, area embraces the southern portions of Thomas and Grady counties in Georgia and the northern portions of Leon and Jefferson counties, Florida. It is bordered on the southeast by Lake Miccosukee and on the southwest by Lake Iamonia. It lies in the Tift upland region of the lower coastal plains, and is characterized by a sandy soil and a typical savannah–longleaf pine disclimax of the Gulf coastal plains. Much of the total land mass is in large plantations that have extensive stands of natural longleaf pine. Some of the plantations are managed as an economic unit and have a considerable amount of agriculture in addition to the timber production. Others, however, are managed primarily as private hunting reservations notwithstanding the potential timber revenues. On both types of plantations the woodlands are burned annually or biennially according to the management recommendations outlined by Stoddard (1931). The study area is bisected by the Ochlochnee River and dissected by numerous small streams. Water, however, has been less abundant than normal as a result of the extended drought that has prevailed in much of the South during the period of this study. The gray fox is the only wild member of the family Canidae to be found in this area and the population is continuous throughout; however, as is to be expected due to varying land use practices or other factors, the density of foxes is not homogeneous throughout. …
Keeping a Home: Changing Mortgage Markets and Regional Economic Distress

Abstract In the relatively affluent post World War II period, homeownership in the United States has risen steadily to include an increasing segment of the working class. Although the extension of homeownership has helped to attenuate some of the inequalities of class and to integrate the more affluent segments of the working class into the social and political mainstream, economic and political events are threatening this historic trend. Dependent upon long term financing, homeownership has two components: keeping as well as buying a home. High and persistent rates of unemployment in old industrial areas have meant the loss of stable incomes for skilled workers, and with it, rising rates of home mortgage delinquency and foreclosure. To examine the threat to continued homeownership, this paper locates homeownership in its structural context, at the intersection of major changes in financial institutions (deregulation) as well as local economic and industrial change. Our research suggests that regional eco...
Distribution of VA mycorrhizal fungi along a latitudinal temperature gradient

Spores of Gigaspora and Scutellospora species predominated in the root zones of three major plant species growing in the barrier dunes extending from northern New Jersey to Virginia. Similarity in edaphic factors, vegetation, daylength during the growing season, and precipitation along a 355 km transect permitted study of the composition of the VAM fungal community in response to temperature. Twenty-three species of VAM fungi were recovered. Dominant species along the transect were G. gigantea, Acaulospora scrobiculata, and S. dipapillosa. Some species were more abundant in the northern (cooler) regions of the transect and others were more abundant in the southern regions. Average VAM fungal species richness was positively correlated with distance south along the transect and with temperature parameters. Temperature effects on the VAM fungal community may be separated into two components, a direct effect on the fungi and an indirect effect mediated through the host plant. Plots of rank/log Importance Value depicted the structure of the VAM fungal community and were of use in identifying severe habitats where heat stress appeared to be the controlling factor. Dominance by a single fungal species was inversely correlated with distance south and with temperature parameters. It was most pronounced in northern sites and in the root zones of heat-stressed Ammophila breviligulata plants growing near the species' southern limit.
Weeds in Orchards as Important Alternate Sources of Green Peach Aphids in Late Spring

As the population of green peach aphids (GPA), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), declined on peach trees, another population increased on lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L., and pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus L., on the floor of the orchard. In 1973 and 1974 we estimated that roughly 3–16 million aphids/acre were produced on the floor of a peach orchard. The same weed hosts inspected 1–6 miles away from peach orchards indicated a substantial decrease in the number of GPA. However, a survey in the fruitgrowing area showed that apple orchards in proximity to peach orchards had as many GPA on the same weed hosts as in peach orchards. Orchard grass used as a ground cover will greatly minimize the number of suitable weed hosts of the GPA.
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease in Chengdu,2011

Objective To understand the epidemic pattern of hand foot and mouth disease(HFMD) in Chengdu and provide evidence for the prevention and control of the disease.Methods Based on data collected from national epidemic surveillance network,throat swab,herpes fluid were collected from the patients for pathogen detection by qRT-PCR method.Results A total of 18 284 cases were reported in Chengdu in 2011,including 283 severe cases and 3 deaths.The overall incidence was 125.22/100 000 and the case fatality rate was much lower than national average level,with no outbreak of HFMD in Chengdu.Onset prevailed through all 4 seasons with a double-peak pattern;the main morbidity crowd was under 5 years old;pathogens predominant strains showed a trend of transform from EV71 to CoxA16.Conclusion Morbidity of HFMD is relatively high in Chengdu yet with a low mortality rate and no outbreak;early warning and timely treatment could effectively prevent outbreaks of HFMD and decrease the mortality rate.
Intelligent decoupling control based on coupling degree for gas collector pressure

Gas collecting process of coke ovens is characterized by asymmetry,strong coupling,great disturbance and non-linearity. Through analysis of asymmetry and coupling relationship,an intelligent decoupling control method based on coupling degree is presented. First,coupling degrees between butterfly valve opening and gas collector pressure were calculated by probability and statistics law,coupling characteristic was analyzed,and structure of intelligent decoupling control system for gas collector pressure was established.Then,multiple gas collectors were grouped based on coupling degree,and intro-group and inter-group decoupling controllers were designed by applying intelligent decoupling control algorithm,so as to eliminate pressure coupling influence of each gas collector caused by parallel production of coke ovens.The results of actual running show that the method not only performs intelligent decoupling control of gas collecting process of coke ovens,but also has advantages of fast response and high steady state accuracy.The method has a good anti-disturbance ability to external interference.
Research on Acacia saligna Seed Germination Method

Three different methods were used to treat Acacia saligna seeds for germination.The results indicated that sulfuric acid treating,ethanol soaking and hot water soaking seeds had different impacts on the seed imbibition rate,germination potential and germination rate.The highest imbibition rate of 100% was observed by the treatment of hot water.The highest germination rate of 90% and the highest germination potential of 72.15% were observed when the seeds were soaked into 80°C hot water for 40 min.However,the effects of sulfuric acid treating and ethanol soaking had not obviously different from the control treatment.Analysis of variance and multiple comparisons indicated that the average germination rate of seeds treated with 80℃ hot water for 40min was significantly greater than the other treatments.
Comparative study of Georgian breeds of mulberry silkworm according to the main biotechnological characteristics

Abstract Efficiency of natural silk thread production is conditioned completely by high productivity of mulberry silkworm breeds and hybrids and by biotechnological characteristics of cocoon. Silk capacity is one of the most significant indices of breed productivity. Nutrition of Georgian breeds and hybrids of mulberry silkworm of Mziuri and Digmuri groups was performed in the Georgian Agrarian University, in the laboratory of sericulture, in spring seasons of 2012–2014. In the process of grain incubation and silkworm feeding the first day selection methods were used. Silk capacity, worm viability and cocoon yield were considered as the main signs for selection. Emphasis was made on the increase of silk capacity in further generations. At the nutrition of Mziuri and Dighmuri group mulberry silkworm breeds in 2012–2014 years, economic indices such as silk capacity and cocoon yield per gram worm have increased. At the nutrition of Mziuri and Doghmuri group breeds in similar conditions it became vivid that Dighmuri breeds are more resistant to diseases. To elevate viability and biotechnological characteristics it is necessary to carry out significant selection measures, application of blood refreshing method to overcome inbreed depression.
Effects of intra-arterial arginine-vasopressin infusions on peripheral blood flows in conscious dogs.

1. We reported in an earlier study that intravenous infusions of arginine-vasopressin (AVP), 220 pg min −1 kg −1 for 1 h, substantially reduced blood flow to the skin, skeletal muscle, pancreas, colon, small intestine, abdominal fat and myocardium [1] in conscious dogs. In the present study, we infused AVP directly into the artery supplying these organs and tissues in order to determine the relative contribution of local versus systemic mechanisms in the vascular resistance changes previously observed. 2. Regional blood flows were measured with radioactive microspheres in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs before and during intra-arterial infusions of AVP administered into the left axillary artery ( n = 6), the left coronary artery ( n = 6), and the cranial mesenteric artery ( n = 6). The infusion rates were calculated to increase local, target organ plasma concentrations of AVP to the levels reached in our previous study while minimizing systemic changes. 3. Left axillary AVP artery infusion significantly reduced skin and compact bone blood flow, but had no effect on skeletal muscle blood flow. Intra-coronary AVP infusion had no effect on myocardial blood flow nor on cardiac output. Intramesenteric AVP infusion had no effect on blood flow to the colon, small intestine and abdominal fat, but significantly reduced blood flow to those areas of the pancreas which received blood from the cannulated artery. 4. Measurements in a limited number of dogs indicated that the local axillary and mesenteric venous levels of AVP were similar when the hormone was infused systemically at a rate of 220 pg min −1 kg −1 or intra-arterially at a lower rate. 5. These findings suggest that the increase in resistance measured in the skeletal muscle, small intestine, colon and abdominal fat after systemic administration of small amounts of AVP results in large part from indirect mechanisms. Direct vasoconstrictor effects of AVP at these plasma concentrations appear limited to the skin, the pancreas and the compact bones.
Western-style diet, sex steroids and metabolism

The evolutionary transition from hunting to farming was associated with introduction of carbohydrate-rich diets. Today, the increased consumption of simple sugars and high-fat food brought about by Western-style diet and physical inactivity are leading causes of the growing obesity epidemic in the Western society. The extension of human lifespan far beyond reproductive age increased the burden of metabolic disorders associated with overnutrition and age-related hypogonadism. Sex steroids are essential regulators of both reproductive function and energy metabolism, whereas their imbalance causes infertility, obesity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and increased appetite. Clinical and translational studies suggest that dietary restriction and weight control can improve metabolic and reproductive outcomes of sex hormone-related pathologies, including testosterone deficiency in men and natural menopause and hyperandrogenemia in women. Minimizing metabolic and reproductive decline through rationally designed diet and exercise can help extend human reproductive age and promote healthy aging. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Quality in Diabetes/Obesity and Critical Illness Spectrum of Diseases - edited by P. Hemachandra Reddy.
Romancing forensics: Legal failure in forensic science administration

Replacing romance with realism in our picture of the law helps us to recognize problems in the legal system and design ameliorative measures. This point applies to an area of the law profoundly neglected by economists, namely, forensic science. Romanticized images of forensic science diminish our capacity to notice problems and respond to them with proposals for improvement. In the romanticized vision of television shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, forensic scientists are infallible wizards. Realism, however, requires us to see forensic experts as ordinary people who respond to the same incentives as people in other areas of human action, and in the same ways. Peart and Levy (2005) call such realism “analytical egalitarianism.” Occasional bad apples notwithstanding, forensic scientists are good men and women who apply themselves diligently, often in spite of low pay and poor working conditions. They are good people, not good wizards. Because our legal system expects them to be infallible wizards, however, error rates greatly exceed readily attainable levels.
Summary, Conclusion, Discussion and Future Research

This chapter summarizes the main argument and concludes. It also lists some ideas for future research. It recommends public policy actions and includes a broader policy discussion (especially about inequality and redistribution).
A Survey of Computational Photography in the Small: Creating intelligent cameras for the next wave of miniature devices

The sheer ubiquity of smartphones and other mobile vision systems has begun to transform the way that humans and machines interact with each other and the way that they interact with the world. Even so, a new wave of widespread computing is on the horizon, with devices that are even smaller. These are micro and nano platforms, with feature sizes less than one millimeter. These types of platforms are quickly maturing out of research labs, with some examples shown in Figure 1. These devices can potentially induce futuristic applications; for example, swarms of robotic flapping insects [29] could have applications in agriculture and security, while medical devices such as those described in [5] and [8] would enable body area networks and minimally invasive procedures. Devices such as those described in [1] are commercially available and could allow the creation of far-flung sensor networks.
Biogeochemistry: Mercury methylation on ice

Metagenomic analysis of Antarctic sea-ice and brine reveals the presence of hgcAB-like genes in the microaerophilic marine bacterium Nitrospina. These are similar to ones responsible for mercury methylation in anaerobic microorganisms and provide a plausible mechanism for mercury methylation in oxic marine environments.
Tailored Temozolomide Therapy for Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Alternative treatment modalities are greatly needed for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Previous preclinical data and clinical observations show that only patients lacking expression of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGAT) in leukemic blasts are sensitive to temozolomide. Furthermore, AGAT enzymatic activity can be significantly decreased by protracted exposure to low doses of temozolomide. Based on these data, we have designed a phase II clinical trial tailoring temozolomide therapy to elderly patients with AML according to AGAT status. AGAT promoter methylation status was determined in pretreatment leukemic samples. Patients demonstrating evidence of AGAT promoter methylation were stratified to conventional doses of temozolomide at 200mg/m2 orally x 7 days. Patients demonstrating lack of AGAT promoter methylation (unmethylated) were stratified to receive protracted doses of temozolomide (100mg/m2 orally x 14 days) followed by conventional doses of temozolomide. Those patients who achieved CR were given up to 5 similar consolidation treatments. Eleven patients have been treated to date. The median age was 78 (71–83) and 6 were male. Seven patients were newly diagnosed and 6 patients had a normal karyotype. Nine patients had an unmethylated AGAT promoter in their leukemic blasts. Correlative AGAT protein expression in leukemic blasts will be presented at the meeting. All patients had an intact mismatch repair pathway. Median HCT-CI score was 1 (0–5). Four patients (4/10) achieved a complete remission after 1 cycle of therapy (1/2 for patients with methylated AGAT promoter and 3/8 for patients with unmethylated AGAT promoter). Nonhematologic toxicities attributed were minimal. Drug-related hematologic toxicities were difficult to distinguish from disease-related cytopenias. Six patients developed neutropenic fever (four patients developed neutropenic fever before the start of therapy). Three (3/10) patients remain alive with a median duration of remission of 4.5 months (4–5 months). Four patients have died from disease progression. And two patients died of neutropenic sepsis. One patient who achieved a CR, experienced prolonged marrow aplasia (47 days) following consolidation cycle #1 and withdrew from the study. The trial is ongoing with an accrual goal of 36 patients. These preliminary results suggest that temozolomide therapy may be individually tailored to elderly patients with AML according to AGAT promoter status.
Leveraging unsupervised training sets for multi-scale compartmentalization in renal pathology

Clinical pathology relies on manual compartmentalization and quantification of biological structures, which is time consuming and often error-prone. Application of computer vision segmentation algorithms to histopathological image analysis, in contrast, can offer fast, reproducible, and accurate quantitative analysis to aid pathologists. Algorithms tunable to different biologically relevant structures can allow accurate, precise, and reproducible estimates of disease states. In this direction, we have developed a fast, unsupervised computational method for simultaneously separating all biologically relevant structures from histopathological images in multi-scale. Segmentation is achieved by solving an energy optimization problem. Representing the image as a graph, nodes (pixels) are grouped by minimizing a Potts model Hamiltonian, adopted from theoretical physics, modeling interacting electron spins. Pixel relationships (modeled as edges) are used to update the energy of the partitioned graph. By iteratively improving the clustering, the optimal number of segments is revealed. To reduce computational time, the graph is simplified using a Cantor pairing function to intelligently reduce the number of included nodes. The classified nodes are then used to train a multiclass support vector machine to apply the segmentation over the full image. Accurate segmentations of images with as many as 106 pixels can be completed only in 5 sec, allowing for attainable multi-scale visualization. To establish clinical potential, we employed our method in renal biopsies to quantitatively visualize for the first time scale variant compartments of heterogeneous intra- and extraglomerular structures simultaneously. Implications of the utility of our method extend to fields such as oncology, genomics, and non-biological problems.
Relative importance of aneurysm diameter and body size for predicting AAA rupture in men and women

Objectives Women have been shown to have up to a four-fold higher risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture at any given aneurysm diameter compared to men, leading to recommendations to offer repair to women at lower diameter thresholds. Although this higher risk of rupture may simply reflect greater relative aortic dilatation in women who have smaller aortas to begin with, this has never been quantified. Our objective was therefore to quantify the relationship between rupture and aneurysm diameter relative to body size and to determine whether a differential association between aneurysm diameter, body size, and rupture risk exists for men and women.
Paperless office: fact or fiction?

The apparent proliferation of Information Technology only enables us to capture less than 5% of our physical data electronically for retrieval at a later date. Ironically, the use of IT has increased our consumption of paper and caused the now infamous information overload. This article examines why the much heralded «paperless office» failed to materialise in the 80s despite the availability of the software to capture text, structured information and image, and asks if we should have any faith in the industry's cries that the 1990s wil be the decade that revolutionises our working practices and enables us as a species to make a significant step forward in the management of the one facility that demarques us from the rest of the animal kingdom, the ability to pass knowledge from one generation to the next
How to Regulate: A Guide for Policymakers

Markets sometimes fail. But so do regulatory efforts to correct market failures. Sometimes regulations reach too far, condemning good activities as well as bad, and sometimes they don't reach far enough, allowing bad behavior to persist. In this highly instructive book, Thomas A. Lambert explains the pitfalls of both extremes while offering readers a manual of effective regulation, showing how the best regulation maximizes social welfare and minimizes social costs. Working like a physician, Lambert demonstrates how regulators should diagnose the underlying disease and identify its symptoms, potential remedies for it, and their side effects before selecting the regulation that offers the greatest net benefit. This book should be read by policymakers, students, and anyone else interested in understanding how the best regulations are crafted and why they work.
From body to flesh: Lefort, Merleau-Ponty, and democratic indeterminacy:

Claude Lefort’s theory of democratic indeterminacy has been an influential source among democratic theorists to demonstrate that democratic times lack absolute and determinate grounds on which to b...
Facilitated acquisition of the classically conditioned eyeblink response in active duty military expressing posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Abstract Objective Learning diathesis models underscore the role of hyper-conditioning in the development of PTSD following trauma exposure. Eyeblink classical conditioning is one method of examining associative learning biases independent of fear and threat produced by trauma. Facilitated learning is apparent in individuals self-expressing PTSD symptoms, as well as behaviorally inhibited (BI) temperament, a vulnerability factor for PTSD. Here, we examine eyeblink conditioning in active duty military personnel and relate learning with PTSD symptomology. Method Volunteers were 83 active duty United States Coast Guard personnel (18 females) recruited from small boat stations. Personnel were administered the PTSD Checklist (PCL) to assess current PTSD symptoms using DSM-IV criteria. BI temperament was assessed with the Adult Measure of Behavioural Inhibition (AMBI). Eyeblink conditioning was conducted using a partial reinforcement schedule, whereby paired trials (500-ms pure tone conditioned stimulus co-terminating with a 50-ms air-puff unconditional stimulus) were interpolated with 50% CS-alone trials. Results Consistent with previous work, there was a high degree of concordance between BI and incidence of PTSD. Further, PTSD was associated with faster learning during the acquisition period, with conditioned responding sustained through the extinction period. Conclusions These results reinforce the relationship between BI and PTSD in an active duty military sample, supporting previous observations in veteran and civilian samples. The conditioning data are consistent with predictions derived from a learning diathesis model of stress and anxiety, suggesting facilitated associative learning may represent an additional vulnerability for the development and maintenance of stress-related pathology.
Handbook of Instructional Communication: Rhetorical and Relational Perspectives

Preface. I. FOUNDATIONS. 1. Foundations of Instructional Communication. Timothy P. Mottet Steven A. Beebe 2. Instructional Communication: The Historical Perspective. James C. McCroskey Linda L. McCroskey II. RHETORICAL PERSPECTIVES. 3. Understanding the Audience, Student Communication Traits. James C. McCroskey Virginia P. Richmond 4. Understanding the Source: Teacher Credibility and Aggressive Communication Traits. Scott A. Myers Matthew M. Martin 5. Instructional Message Variables. Joseph L. Chesebro Melissa Bekelja Wanzer 6. Teachers' Influence Messages. K. David Roach Virginia P. Richmond Timothy P. Mottet III. RELATIONAL PERSPECTIVES. 7. Students' Influence Messages. Timothy P. Mottet Steven A. Beebe Cathy Fleuriet 8. Teacher Immediacy and the Teacher-Student Relationship. Virginia P. Richmond Derek R. Lane James C. McCroskey 9. Teacher and Student Affinity-Seeking in the Classroom. Ann Bainbridge Frymier Melissa Bekelja Wanzer 10. College Teacher Misbehaviors. Mary B. McPherson Patricia Kearney Timothy G. Plax 11. Student Resistance. Patricia Kearney Timothy G. Plax Mary B. McPherson IV. RESEARCH, THEORY, AND ASSESSMENT. 12. Conducting Instructional Communication Research. James C. McCroskey Linda L. McCroskey 13. Theorizing About Instructional Communication. Timothy P. Mottet Ann Bainbridge Frymier Steven A. Beebe 14. Assessing Instructional Communication. Timothy P. Mottet Virginia P. Richmond James C. McCroskey
Essential and Absolute Spectra

The goal of this chapter is the characterization of the essential spectrum and Fredholm indices of two classes of linear differential operators on unbounded domains. The first class is comprised of nth-order differential operators with spatially varying coefficients that tend at an exponential rate to constant values at \(\pm \infty \).
Mechanical factors in experimental spinal cord injury.

Reliable animal models of spinal cord injury are essential for studying pathological mechanisms and for laboratory testing of experimental treatments. The normal unpredictability of neurological ou...
Adenovirus-mediated heme oxygenase-1 gene transfer into rabbit ocular tissues.

Purpose. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress protein induced up to 100-fold within a few hours after exposure to oxidative stress, and it has been shown to counteract oxidative injury induced by ultraviolet light or free radicals. The current study was undertaken to determine whether the HO-1 gene can be introduced into adult rabbit ocular tissues by microinjection of a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus human HO-1 cDNA (Adv-HHO). Methods. Human HO-1 gene was used for transfection studies to differentiate endogenous from transfected HO. The purified Adv-HHO construct (10 8 pfu/ml) was mixed with lipofectamine and microinjected into the anterior chamber, vitreous cavity, and subretinal space of New Zealand rabbit eyes. After 2 weeks, total RNA was extracted from different ocular tissues, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed using specific human HO-1 primers, and amplification products were subjected to Southern hybridization. Results. Transfection with the Adv-HHO construct into rabbit corneal epithelial cells in culture resulted in a functional expression of the human HO-1 gene ; the human HO-1 mRNA was detected, and enzyme activity increased threefold. Human HO-1 mRNA was detected in the retina after microinjection of the Adv-HHO construct into the subretinal space. Microinjection into the vitreous resulted in HO-1 mRNA expression in the corneal endothelium, iris, lens, and retina ; after intracameral injection of the Adv-HHO construct, human HO-1 mRNA was detected in corneal epithelium and endothelium, ciliary body, lens, and iris. Regardless of the injection site, transfected human HO-1 mRNA was undetectable in tissues outside the eye, that is, brain, liver, and kidney. Conclusions. These results demonstrated a tissue-selective functional transfer of the human HO-1 gene into rabbit ocular tissues in vivo. This technique may be a promising means for delivering HO-1 gene in vivo as a protective mechanism against oxidative stress that contributes to the pathogenesis of ocular diseases such as cataract, light-induced injury, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :2202-2210.
Is left populism the radical democratic answer

This commentary challenges views of left populism as the normative desirable path for radical democracy. It disentangles populist diagnosis of the failures and deficits of democracy from its soluti...