cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions Between Marine Predators: Dolphin Food Intake is Related to Number of Sharks

Dolphins and sharks feed at times on the same food; however, the influence of these interactions on the feeding success of either predator has not been measured. I employed underwater video to record bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus and silky sharks Carcharhinus falciformis feeding on the same school of fish, and for the first time measured food intake of free-ranging dolphins. Regression analyses showed that dolphin food intake diminished as the number of feeding sharks increased, but was unrelated to the number of dolphins feeding, size of the prey clump or duration of feeding events. The number of dolphins increased at the beginning of a feeding event in the presence of sharks but not in their absence. This increase apparently provided a benefit to dolphins since the number of sharks feeding was negatively related to the number of dolphins feed- ing. Other studies have indicated that risk of shark predation influences dolphin group size and habi- tat use. This study indicates that interspecific contests over food influence dolphin food intake and perhaps also dolphin group size.
Immunonutrition in critical illness: still fishing for the truth

1 Clinical Fellow, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 3 Professor, Departments of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
In Search of Human Skin Pheromones

The term pheromone was first designated by Karlson and Luscher 1 in 1959 as a substance secreted by an animal to the outside of that individual, which was then received by another individual, classically of the same species, and which then elicited some behavioral or developmental response in the latter. They composed the term from the Greek words pherein , which means to bring or to transfer, and hormon , which means to excite. In the usual context, this response in the second individual is of a sexual or of a reproductive physiologic nature, although sometimes the definition might even be extended to include other social responses such as when a dog uses pheromones in urine to mark territory. Classically, pheromones are thought of as being olfactory, but these chemicals may also be received by contact. Pheromones may be present in many different sites in animals, such as in the skin, including some of its glands, saliva, urine, vaginal discharge, and feces.
W-2W Current Steering DAC for Programming Phase Change Memory

This paper presents the design and experimental results of W-2W current mirror binary-weighted current steering digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and its application for programming phase change memory (PCM). This new approach significantly reduces the layout area of current-mode DACs by the virtue of its compact size. The proposed DAC can replace the write driver circuits in phase change memories. Both 6-bit and 12-bit DACs have been fabricated in 0.5 mum CMOS technology. The layout size of the 12-bit and the 6-bit DACs is 0.09 mm 2 and 0.04 mm 2 respectively. Experimental results are presented and the limitations are discussed.
Syntactic Constraints on Paraphrases Extracted from Parallel Corpora

We improve the quality of paraphrases extracted from parallel corpora by requiring that phrases and their paraphrases be the same syntactic type. This is achieved by parsing the English side of a parallel corpus and altering the phrase extraction algorithm to extract phrase labels alongside bilingual phrase pairs. In order to retain broad coverage of non-constituent phrases, complex syntactic labels are introduced. A manual evaluation indicates a 19% absolute improvement in paraphrase quality over the baseline method.
Frequency of Antibiotic Resistance among Group B Streptococcus Isolated from Healthy College Students

We report resistant rates to erythromycin and clindamycin among Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus) isolated from a random sample of healthy male and nonpregnant female college students. Observed resistance rates were twice as high as those reported among pregnant women from the same geographic area 2 years prior.
Skeletal muscle tremor and the influence of adrenergic drugs.

Physiologic postural skeletal muscle tremor is enhanced by beta2 receptor agonists such as those used in the treatment of asthma. This is a peripheral response rather than one occurring at the central nervous system level. It is greatest when drugs are administered by the oral or parenteral routes, and is the most important dose-limiting factor for oral administration. Clinically important tremor is minimal after aerosolized administration of clinically recommended doses of aerosolized beta2 receptor agonists, but can be significant when larger doses are administered. Sympathomimetic drugs which can selectively stimulate airway beta2 receptors, as opposed to skeletal muscle beta2 receptors, do not currently exist. Combining orally administered beta2 agents with theophylline potentiates the effects on muscle tremor. There does not seem to be a clinical advantage, in terms of reduced side effects such as muscle tremor, to combining “small doses” of oral beta agonists and theophylline as opposed to using eit...
Record Arctic ozone depletion could occur again

In the winter of 2010–2011, ozone levels above the Arctic declined to record lows, creating the first Arctic ozone hole, similar to the well-known Antarctic ozone hole. Scientists believe the ozone depletion was due partly to unusually cold temperatures in the stratosphere above the Arctic, as colder stratospheric temperatures make ozone-destroying chemicals such as chlorine more active. As global climate change continues, the Arctic stratosphere is expected to get colder, but levels of ozone-destroying chemicals should decline, as emissions of these chemicals were banned by the Montreal Protocol. To try to learn more about Arctic ozone dynamics and determine whether the Arctic ozone hole is likely to recur, Sinnhuber et al. looked at satellite observations of temperature, ozone, water vapor, and chemicals that affect ozone in the Arctic atmosphere. They also used a model to determine how sensitive ozone levels are to stratospheric temperatures and chemistry. They found that their model accurately reproduced measured conditions. Their model suggests that stratospheric temperatures 1°C lower than in the 2010–2011 winter would result in locally nearly complete ozone depletion in the Arctic lower stratosphere with current levels of chemicals. A 10% reduction in ozone-depleting chemicals would be offset by a 1°C decrease in stratospheric temperatures.
Analysis of Soil Whole- and Inner-Microaggregate Bacterial Communities

Although soil structure largely determines energy flows and the distribution and composition of soil microhabitats, little is known about how microbial community composition is influenced by soil structural characteristics and organic matter compartmentalization dynamics. A UV irradiation-based procedure was developed to specifically isolate inner-microaggregate microbial communities, thus providing the means to analyze these communities in relation to their environment. Whole- and inner-microaggregate fractions of undisturbed soil and soils reclaimed after disturbance by surface coal mining were analyzed using 16S rDNA terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) and sequence analyses to determine salient bacterial community structural characteristics. We hypothesized that inner-microaggregate environments select for definable microbial communities and that, due to their sequestered environment, inner-microaggregate communities would not be significantly impacted by disturbance. However, T-RFLP analysis indicated distinct differences between bacterial populations of inner-microaggregates of undisturbed and reclaimed soils. While both undisturbed and reclaimed inner-microaggregate bacterial communities were found dominated by Actinobacteria, undisturbed soils contained only Actinobacteridae, while in inner-microaggregates of reclaimed soils Rubrobacteridae predominate. Spatial stratification of division-level lineages within microaggregates was also evidenced, with Proteobacteria clones being prevalent in libraries derived from whole microaggregates. The fractionation methods employed in this study therefore represent a valuable tool for defining relationships between biodiversity and soil structure.
Allelopathy as a mechanism for the invasion of Typha angustifolia

The direct competitive effects of exotic plants on natives are among the leading causes of plant extinctions worldwide. Allelopathy, one type of direct plant competition, has received relatively little research, particularly in aquatic and wetland systems, even though allelopathy can be a potent mechanism through which plant communities are structured. Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) is an invasive exotic plant in North America that often forms monocultures in disturbed wetlands and is more invasive than native members of its genus. We tested whether T. angustifolia was allelopathic and whether it produced different biochemicals than a native congener by growing it with the native bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis (river bulrush) in soil with and without activated carbon and by qualitatively and quantitatively comparing soluble phenolics produced in the roots of T. angustifolia and the native Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail). T. angustifolia had a strong allelopathic effect on B. fluviatilis, reducing the longest leaf length and root, shoot, and total biomass of B. fluviatilis. When the allelopathy of T. angustifolia was ameliorated by activated carbon, however, longest leaf length, ramet number, root biomass, shoot biomass, and total biomass of T. angustifolia were greatly reduced due to resource competition with B. fluviatilis. Furthermore, T. angustifolia produced different, but not more, soluble phenolics than T. latifolia suggesting that the identity of the phenolics is different between the two species rather than the concentrations. The allelopathic effects of T. angustifolia on a North American native wetland plant and its production of root biochemicals that appear to differ from those produced by a native congener are consistent with the possibility that T. angustifolia may use a novel allelochemical in its invasion of North American wetlands.
Molecular Mechanisms for Altered Glucose Homeostasis in HIV Infection

A complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to HIV-associated insulin resistance remains elusive. Complex interrelationships between genetic predisposition, disease-related body changes and multidrug therapy all contribute to alterations in glucose homeostasis. These abnormalities can be differentiated between acute and reversible changes directly induced by HAART medications and more chronic and less reversible changes due to the development of lipodystrophy and hyperlipidemia. Implicated pathways include changes in adipokine secretion, insulin signaling, lipid homeostasis and disease-related increases in inflammatory mediators. The insulin responsive facilitative glucose transporter GLUT4 is the first molecule to have been identified as a direct target of HIV protease inhibitors. Efforts to elucidate the mechanisms directly responsible for the evolution of insulin resistance during HIV infection and therapy will be greatly assisted by the further identification and characterization of direct molecular targets amenable to pharmacologic therapy and/or the development of newer antiretroviral agents that do not adversely affect these target proteins.
Agar Gel Lipoprotein Electrophoresis: A Correlated Study with Ultracentrifugation

Interest in lipoprotein electrophoresis has been stimulated by a reappraisal of hyperlipoproteinemic syndromes and definition of five basic types according to Fredrickson (Types I, II, III, IV, V). The basic analytic reference for lipoprotein studies remains ultracentrifugal analysis. We have adapted an agar gel lipoprotein electrophoretic system employing a photometric scan and quantification of lipoprotein fractions based on post-electrophoresis Sudan Black B staining. This method of lipoprotein partitioning has been compared with lipoprotein analysis by ultracentrifugation. Statistically significant correlation between the methods is demonstrated.
Ilial Anterior Rotation Hypermobility in a Female Collegiate Tennis Player

Background and Purpose: This case report describes the examination, evaluation, and intervention by a physical therapist for a female collegiate tennis player with a right ilial anterior rotation hypermobility. Case Description: The patient was a 21-year-old, female collegiate tennis player who developed a right anterior ilial rotation hypermobility as a result of her tennis stroke. Functional limitations were related to sitting, squatting, gait, and playing tennis. Treatment interventions consisted of massage, joint manipulation, stretching, stabilization exercises, sport-specific exercises and modification of tennis stroke, proprioceptive taping, and the use of a sacroiliac belt. Outcomes: After 26 weeks (33 treatments), tissue tenderness of the sacroiliac joint region was normalized, pelvic/trunk and lower-extremity mobility and flexibility were restored, sacroiliac symmetry and stability were regained, and the patient achieved her goal of returning to competitive tennis at the collegiate level. Discussion: The patient's right ilial anterior rotation hypermobility was directly related to the mechanics of her tennis stroke. Her outcomes suggest that rehabilitation should focus on the entire abdomino-sacro-pelvic-hip complex, addressing articular, neural, and muscular inhibitions and deficiencies.
Experimental Dynamical Seasonal Forecasts of Tropical Cyclone Activity at IRI

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) has been issuing experimental seasonal tropical cyclone activity forecasts for several ocean basins since early 2003. In this paper the method used to obtain these forecasts is described and the forecast performance is evaluated. The forecasts are based on tropical cyclone‐like features detected and tracked in a low-resolution climate model, namely ECHAM4.5. The simulation skill of the model using historical observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over several decades, as well as with SST anomalies persisted from the previous month’s observations, is discussed. These simulation skills are compared with skills of purely statistically based hindcasts using as predictors recently observed SSTs. For the recent 6-yr period during which real-time forecasts have been made, the skill of the raw model output is compared with that of the subjectively modified probabilistic forecasts actually issued. Despite variations from one basin to another, the levels of hindcast skill for the dynamical and statistical forecast approaches are found, overall, to be approximately equivalent at fairly modest but statistically significant levels. The dynamical forecasts require statistical postprossessing (calibration) to be competitive with, and in some circumstances superior to, the statistical models. Skill levels decrease only slowly with increasing lead time up to 2‐3 months. During the recent period of real-time forecasts, the issued forecasts have had higher probabilistic skill than the raw model output, due to the forecasters’ subjective eliminationof the ‘‘overconfidence’’ bias in the model’s forecasts. Prospects for the future improvement of dynamical tropical cyclone prediction are considered.
The interactive effects of UV-B and insecticide exposure on tadpole survival, growth and development

Because declines within amphibian populations can seldom be attributed to a single cause, it is important to focus on multiple stressors, both natural and anthropogenic. Variables such as UV-B radiation and chemical contamination can interact with one another in ways that might not be predicted from single-factor studies. We exposed southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) tadpoles to the insecticide carbaryl and varying intensities of UV-B radiation in artificial ponds and examined their effects on survival, size at metamorphosis, and the duration of the larval period. Tadpole survival to metamorphosis was positively influenced by UV-B intensity. Tadpoles in ponds exposed to carbaryl contained over three times more algae and yielded larger metamorphs than control ponds. Although previous laboratory studies have indicated carbaryl becomes more toxic in the presence of UV-B, we did not find such an effect, perhaps because of the protection afforded by dissolved organic carbon within the ponds. Our research emphasizes the importance of conducting field studies to more accurately predict what occurs under a natural setting.
An examination of GCSE music uptake rates

The GCSE music examination is the principal form of accredited study for students aged 15+. (More students take the examination than previously took GCE O-level and CSE examinations combined.) For this reason the examination is generally thought of as a success. An analysis is made of uptake rates during the period 1994-8 and comparisons are made with uptake rates in other optional subjects. Based on this evidence, a suggestion is made that GCSE music is not as successful or attractive to students as is commonly thought. An assumption is made that there are factors that make this situation surprising and worth further research. Some possible reasons for the current situation are explored.
Recovery and Genetic Diversity of Escherichia coli Isolates from Deep Litter, Shallow Litter, and Surgical Shoe Covers

SUMMARY Litter is a common source of infectious agents in poultry production environments. Typical sampling methods only examine bacteria on the surface; however, bacteria recovered with these methods may not be representative of the population in the litter. To test this hypothesis, both shallow (top 2 in.) and deep (bottom 2 in.) litter samples were taken and compared with a surface sampling method (i.e., surgical shoe covers). Escherichia coli isolates were recovered from all 3 sample types and examined using an automated ribotyping system to determine the genetic diversity of the isolates. Twenty-six unique E. coli strains were recovered from the 3 different sampling methods. There was no correlation among strains between visit age, house, flock, or farm and ribogroups. Based upon the patterns of E. coli recovery among the different sample types, our results suggest that surface sampling methods are equally capable of recovering common isolates from the litter. Surgical shoe covers were easy to use, provided the same core population of isolates, and were comparable to shallow litter in the number of strains recovered.
Recovery of visual functions in a mouse model of Leber congenital amaurosis.

The visual process is initiated by the photoisomerization of 11-cis-retinal to all-trans- retinal. For sustained vision the 11-cis-chromophore must be regenerated from all-trans-retinal. This requires RPE65, a dominant retinal pigment epithelium protein. Disruption of the RPE65 gene results in massive accumulation of all-trans-retinyl esters in the retinal pigment epithelium, lack of 11-cis-retinal and therefore rhodopsin, and ultimately blindness. We reported previously (Van Hooser, J. P., Aleman, T. S., He, Y. G., Cideciyan, A. V., Kuksa, V., Pittler, S. J., Stone, E. M., Jacobson, S. G., and Palczewski, K. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 97, 8623–8628) that in Rpe65−/− mice, oral administration of 9-cis-retinal generated isorhodopsin, a rod photopigment, and restored light sensitivity to the electroretinogram. Here, we provide evidence that early intervention by 9 -cis- retinal administration significantly attenuated retinal ester accumulation and supported rod retinal function for more than 6 months post-treatment. In single cell recordings rod light sensitivity was shown to be a function of the amount of regenerated isorhodopsin; high doses restored rod responses with normal sensitivity and kinetics. Highly attenuated residual rod function was observed in untreated Rpe65−/− mice. This rod function is likely a consequence of low efficiency production of 11-cis- retinal by photo-conversion of all-trans- retinal in the retina as demonstrated by retinoid analysis. These studies show that pharmacological intervention produces long lasting preservation of visual function in dark-reared Rpe65−/− mice and may be a useful therapeutic strategy in recovering vision in humans diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis caused by mutations in the RPE65 gene, an inherited group of early onset blinding and retinal degenerations.
Nonadditivity in a Two-Way Classification: Is it Interaction or Nonhomogeneous Variance?

Abstract Nonadditivity in a two-way table with one observation per cell may be due either to row- or to column-related nonhomogeneous variance or to interaction between the row and column factors. A general model that can detect both of these types of nonadditivity is discussed. The data alone are not sufficient to distinguish between interaction and row- or column-related nonhomogeneous variance when there is one observation per cell. A study of the fitted coefficients in the proposed model together with the scientific background of the problem can, however, provide the data analyst with the information necessary to develop a useful interpretation for the observed nonadditivity. Examples are included to illustrate the proposed methodology. In one example, involving the effects of four varieties of wheat in 13 locations, it is shown that the variety-related nonhomogeneous variance detected by several authors is more usefully interpreted as a level-dependent interaction due to the differences among the yie...
Diversity combining in wireless relay networks with partial channel state information

We develop a novel diversity combiner for joint reception in wireless relay networks with unknown relay-to-destination channel. The partially available channel information poses an obstacle for utilization of the relay diversity. We tackle this problem by formulating a unified second-order cone programming (SOCP) receiver which jointly detects and decodes transmitted signals from both source and relay nodes. Our results demonstrate that the proposed diversity combiners can achieve performance close to that of the maximum-ratio combiner based on full channel information.
Mutations as Missing Data: Inferences on the Ages and Distributions of Nonsynonymous and Synonymous Mutations

This article describes a new Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method applicable to DNA sequence data, which treats mutations in the genealogy as missing data. The method facilitates inferences regarding the age and identity of specific mutations while taking the full complexities of the mutational process in DNA sequences into account. We demonstrate the utility of the method in three applications. First, we demonstrate how the method can be used to make inferences regarding population genetical parameters such as theta (the effective population size times the mutation rate). Second, we show how the method can be used to estimate the ages of mutations in finite sites models and for making inferences regarding the distribution and ages of nonsynonymous and synonymous mutations. The method is applied to two previously published data sets and we demonstrate that in one of the data sets the average age of nonsynonymous mutations is significantly lower than the average age of synonymous mutations, suggesting the presence of slightly deleterious mutations. Third, we demonstrate how the method in general can be used to evaluate the posterior distribution of a function of a mapping of mutations on a gene genealogy. This application is useful for evaluating the uncertainty associated with methods that rely on mapping mutations on a phylogeny or a gene genealogy.
Spectroscopy of Eu3+-Doped PtS2 Nanoclusters

The synthesis and characterization of PtS2 nanoclusters synthesized in AOT/hexanol/heptane inverse micelles are reported. Electron diffraction and optical spectroscopy have been used to characteriz...
Complement involvement in periodontitis: molecular mechanisms and rational therapeutic approaches

The complement system is a network of interacting fluid-phase and cell surface-associated molecules that trigger, amplify, and regulate immune and inflammatory signaling pathways. Dysregulation of this finely balanced network can destabilize host-microbe homeostasis and cause inflammatory tissue damage. Evidence from clinical and animal model-based studies suggests that complement is implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, a polymicrobial community-induced chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the tooth-supporting tissues. This review discusses molecular mechanisms of complement involvement in the dysbiotic transformation of the periodontal microbiome and the resulting destructive inflammation, culminating in loss of periodontal bone support. These mechanistic studies have additionally identified potential therapeutic targets. In this regard, interventional studies in preclinical models have provided proof-of-concept for using complement inhibitors for the treatment of human periodontitis.
Understanding the Impact of Face Mask Usage Through Epidemic Simulation of Large Social Networks

Evidence from the 2003 SARS epidemic and 2009 H1N1 pandemic shows that face masks can be an effective non-pharmaceutical intervention in minimizing the spread of airborne viruses. Recent studies have shown that using face masks is correlated to an individual’s age and gender, where females and older adults are more likely to wear a mask than males or youths. There are only a few studies quantifying the impact of using face masks to slow the spread of an epidemic at the population level, and even fewer studies that model their impact in a population where the use of face masks depends upon the age and gender of the population. We use a state-of-the-art agent-based simulation to model the use of face masks and quantify their impact on three levels of an influenza epidemic and compare different mitigation scenarios. These scenarios involve changing the demographics of mask usage, the adoption of mask usage in relation to a perceived threat level, and the combination of masks with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as hand washing and social distancing. Our results shows that face masks alone have limited impact on the spread of influenza. However, when face masks are combined with other interventions such as hand sanitizer, they can be more effective. We also observe that monitoring social internet systems can be a useful technique to measure compliance. We conclude that educating the public on the effectiveness of masks to increase compliance can reduce morbidity and mortality.
Solomon's Sword

"Solomon's Sword" uses the stories of two families to explore the myths that, Shapiro argues, are at the heart of the state's long and enduring failure to be a consistent help to failing families and their children. One story is that of a childless couple whom the state of Connecitcut gave a child to adopt. The birth mother, who abandoned the child nine hours after she was born and whose parental rights were terminated, returned to reclaim the child. The second story is that of the 19 children who were found in a squalid Chicago apartment in 1994. Five of their mothers were sisters. Shapiro argues that in both cases the state refused to acknowledge that family relationships, strained as they might have been, existed in these homes and that that failure resulted, once again, in a well-intentioned but ill-conceived attempt to "save" the children, to give them new lives in which the past is somehow made to disappear.
The P72R polymorphism of p53 predisposes to obesity and metabolic dysfunction

p53 is well known for its tumor suppressor role, but this protein also has a poorly understood role in the regulation of metabolism. Human studies have implicated a common polymorphism at codon 72 of p53 in diabetic and pre-diabetic phenotypes. To understand this role, we utilized a humanized mouse model of the p53 codon 72 variants and monitored these mice following challenge with a high-fat diet (HFD). Mice with the arginine 72 (R72) variant of p53 developed more-severe obesity and glucose intolerance on a HFD, compared to mice with the proline 72 variant (P72). R72 mice developed insulin resistance, islet hypertrophy, increased infiltration of immune cells, and fatty liver disease. Gene expression analyses and studies with small-molecule inhibitors indicate that the p53 target genes Tnf and Npc1l1 underlie this phenotype. These results shed light on the role of p53 in obesity, metabolism, and inflammation.
A zero-inflated Poisson model for insertion tolerance analysis of genes based on Tn-seq data

Motivation Transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-seq) is an emerging technology that combines transposon mutagenesis with next-generation sequencing technologies for the identification of genes related to bacterial survival. The resulting data from Tn-seq experiments consist of sequence reads mapped to millions of potential transposon insertion sites and a large portion of insertion sites have zero mapped reads. Novel statistical method for Tn-seq data analysis is needed to infer functions of genes on bacterial growth. Results In this article, we propose a zero-inflated Poisson model for analyzing the Tn-seq data that are high-dimensional and with an excess of zeros. Maximum likelihood estimates of model parameters are obtained using an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, and pseudogenes are utilized to construct appropriate statistical tests for the transposon insertion tolerance of normal genes of interest. We propose a multiple testing procedure that categorizes genes into each of the three states, hypo-tolerant, tolerant and hyper-tolerant, while controlling the false discovery rate. We evaluate the proposed method with simulation studies and apply the proposed method to a real Tn-seq data from an experiment that studied the bacterial pathogen, Campylobacter jejuniAvailability and implementation: We provide R code for implementing our proposed method at http://github.com/ffliu/TnSeq A user's guide with example data analysis is also available there. Contact pliu@iastate.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Anticatalase Activity of Sulfanilamide and Related Compounds. V. Bacteriostatic Activity of some Sulfonhydroxamides

SummaryThe acyl aminobenzenesulfonhydroxamides have strong anti-catalase activity and, when present in broth cultures of the pneumococcus, cause inhibition of growth associated with increased accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. When the caproyl compound is added to growing cultures, inhibition of growth is detectable almost immediately but reaches a maximum only after time for accumulation of peroxide has elapsed. Inhibition by sulfanilamide, on the other hand, is detectable somewhat later and approaches a maximum more slowly.
Local Linear Dependence and the Vanishing of the Wronskian

on the interval I. However, it has also long been known that for n functions which are only (n 1)-times differentiable (so that their Wronskian is defined) the sufficiency part of the above statement no longer holds. Peano [12] seems to have been the first to point this out, and Bocher [3] has given an example which shows that even if the functions involved are infinitely differentiable on I, the identical vanishing of the Wronskian is still not sufficient to imply their linear dependence on I. It was then recognized that the functions involved must satisfy other conditions, supplementary to the vanishing of their Wronskian, in order to guarantee their linear dependence. Peano [13] and Bocher [5] have given such conditions (for example, Lemma 3 of Sec. 2 of this paper) and Bocher has shown that his conditions include those of Peano. In this paper we look at this problem from a slightly different point of view. Namely, instead of placing linear dependence in the forefront and looking for a condition to supplement the identical vanishing of the Wronskian, rather, we shall put the vanishing of the Wronskian in the forefront and ask for a kind of generalized dependence (necessarily weaker than linear dependence) which is equivalent to it. This point of view has led the author to define a new type of dependencef relation for functions of a real variable which he has called "local linear dependence." It is shown that local linear dependence and the identical
Analysis on Differential Pressure Fluctuation of Boiler Water Circulating Pump Under Different Working Conditions

Boiler water circulating pump is an important facility for control of circulating boilers.In order to guarantee safety operation of boiler water wall,pressure differential variation at both inlet and outlet of the pump was theoretically and practically studied under various working conditions,based on which countermeasures were proposed to prevent hidden dangers resulted from pressure differential drops.This may serve as a reference for operation optimization of boiler water circulating pumps.
Transient Hypothyroxinemia of Prematurity

Thyroid hormones play an important role in central nervous system development, starting from the exclusive maternal contribution in the first trimester and transitioning to a fully independent servo-control system at term birth. Extremely preterm delivery before 28 weeks’ gestational age disrupts this normal transition and reveals the challenge of whether replacement hormone will benefit cognitive and motor development. Although the evidence regarding deficiency is compelling, the hormone replacement question remains unanswered for preterm neonates.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Resistant and Susceptible Common Bean Genotypes in Response to Soybean Cyst Nematode Infection.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) reproduces on the roots of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and can cause reductions in plant growth and seed yield. The molecular changes in common bean roots caused by SCN infection are unknown. Identification of genetic factors associated with SCN resistance could help in development of improved bean varieties with high SCN resistance. Gene expression profiling was conducted on common bean roots infected by SCN HG type 0 using next generation RNA sequencing technology. Two pinto bean genotypes, PI533561 and GTS-900, resistant and susceptible to SCN infection, respectively, were used as RNA sources eight days post inoculation. Total reads generated ranged between ~ 3.2 and 5.7 million per library and were mapped to the common bean reference genome. Approximately 70–90% of filtered RNA-seq reads uniquely mapped to the reference genome. In the inoculated roots of resistant genotype PI533561, a total of 353 genes were differentially expressed with 154 up-regulated genes and 199 down-regulated genes when compared to the transcriptome of non- inoculated roots. On the other hand, 990 genes were differentially expressed in SCN-inoculated roots of susceptible genotype GTS-900 with 406 up-regulated and 584 down-regulated genes when compared to non-inoculated roots. Genes encoding nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat resistance (NLR) proteins, WRKY transcription factors, pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and heat shock proteins involved in diverse biological processes were differentially expressed in both resistant and susceptible genotypes. Overall, suppression of the photosystem was observed in both the responses. Furthermore, RNA-seq results were validated through quantitative real time PCR. This is the first report describing genes/transcripts involved in SCN-common bean interaction and the results will have important implications for further characterization of SCN resistance genes in common bean.
WHEN SHOULD WE NOT TRANSFER FUNCTIONAL ANNOTATION BETWEEN SEQUENCE PARALOGS

Current automated computational methods to assign functional labels to unstudied genes often involve transferring annotation from orthologous or paralogous genes, however such genes can evolve divergent functions, making such transfer inappropriate. We consider the problem of determining when it is correct to make such an assignment between paralogs. We construct a benchmark dataset of two types of similar paralogous pairs of genes in the well-studied model organism S. cerevisiae: one set of pairs where single deletion mutants have very similar phenotypes (implying similar functions), and another set of pairs where single deletion mutants have very divergent phenotypes (implying different functions). State of the art methods for this problem will determine the evolutionary history of the paralogs with references to multiple related species. Here, we ask a first and simpler question: we explore to what extent any computational method with access only to data from a single species can solve this problem.We consider divergence data (at both the amino acid and nucleotide levels), and network data (based on the yeast protein-protein interaction network, as captured in BioGRID), and ask if we can extract features from these data that can distinguish between these sets of paralogous gene pairs. We find that the best features come from measures of sequence divergence, however, simple network measures based on degree or centrality or shortest path or diffusion state distance (DSD), or shared neighborhood in the yeast protein-protein interaction (PPI) network also contain some signal. One should, in general, not transfer function if sequence divergence is too high. Further improvements in classification will need to come from more computationally expensive but much more powerful evolutionary methods that incorporate ancestral states and measure evolutionary divergence over multiple species based on evolutionary trees.
Lagrangian differentiation, Gauss-Jacobi integration, and Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problems

A general Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem can be formulated as the variational problem $$\delta \int_a^b {[\hat p\left( x \right)[u'\left( x \right)]^2 + \hat q\left( x \right)u^2 \left( x \right) - \lambda u^2 \left( x \right)]w\left( x \right)dx = 0.}$$ I show that the problem can be reduced to a rapidly convergent matrix eigenvalue problem by approximating the integral using the Gauss-Jacobi integration scheme for the weight w(x), and approximating derivatives using Calogero's Lagrangian differentiation scheme. The fractional error in the mth eigenvalue decreases with the matrix size n as |δλm/λm| ∝ n1/2(mπe/4n)2n-2. I give some examples which illustrate this behavior.
Investigation of Drainage Rates Affecting Stability of Earth Dams

The investigation described in this paper was undertaken for the purpose of studying the effects of increased rates of reservoir drawdown on the stability of an earth dam. Field observations of the...
Unprecedented drought over tropical South America in 2016: significantly under-predicted by tropical SST

Tropical and sub-tropical South America are highly susceptible to extreme droughts. Recent events include two droughts (2005 and 2010) exceeding the 100-year return value in the Amazon and recurrent extreme droughts in the Nordeste region, with profound eco-hydrological and socioeconomic impacts. In 2015–2016, both regions were hit by another drought. Here, we show that the severity of the 2015–2016 drought ("2016 drought" hereafter) is unprecedented based on multiple precipitation products (since 1900), satellite-derived data on terrestrial water storage (since 2002) and two vegetation indices (since 2004). The ecohydrological consequences from the 2016 drought are more severe and extensive than the 2005 and 2010 droughts. Empirical relationships between rainfall and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the tropical Pacific and Atlantic are used to assess the role of tropical oceanic variability in the observed precipitation anomalies. Our results indicate that warmer-than-usual SSTs in the Tropical Pacific (including El Nino events) and Atlantic were the main drivers of extreme droughts in South America, but are unable to explain the severity of the 2016 observed rainfall deficits for a substantial portion of the Amazonia and Nordeste regions. This strongly suggests potential contribution of non-oceanic factors (e.g., land cover change and CO2-induced warming) to the 2016 drought.
Developing Neutrophils Must Eat…Themselves!

In this issue of Immunity, Riffelmacher et al. (2017) show that autophagy is necessary for the release of free fatty acids from intracellular stores within neutrophil precursor cells. This limits glycolysis, increases oxidative phosphorylation, and is essential for neutrophil maturation.
CCmiR: a computational approach for competitive and cooperative microRNA binding prediction.

Motivation The identification of microRNA (miRNA) target sites is important. In the past decade, dozens of computational methods have been developed to predict miRNA target sites. Despite their existence, rarely does a method consider the well-known competition and cooperation among miRNAs when attempts to discover target sites. To fill this gap, we developed a new approach called CCmiR, which takes the cooperation and competition of multiple miRNAs into account in a statistical model to predict their target sites. Results Tested on four different datasets, CCmiR predicted miRNA target sites with a high recall and a reasonable precision, and identified known and new cooperative and competitive miRNAs supported by literature. Compared with three state-of-the-art computational methods, CCmiR had a higher recall and a higher precision. Availability and implementation CCmiR is freely available at http://hulab.ucf.edu/research/projects/miRNA/CCmiR. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Circadian Rhythms of Retinomotor Movement in a Marine Megapredator, the Atlantic Tarpon, Megalops atlanticus.

Many ecologically and economically important marine fish species worldwide spend portions of their lives in coastal regions that are increasingly inundated by artificial light at night. However, while extensive research illustrates the harmful effects of inappropriate light exposure on biological timing in humans, rodents and birds, comparable studies on marine fish are virtually nonexistent. This study aimed to assess the effects of light on biological clock function in the marine fish retina using the Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) as a model. Using anti-opsin immunofluorescence, we observed robust rhythms of photoreceptor outer segment position (retinomotor movement) over the course of the daily light–dark cycle: cone outer segments were contracted toward the inner retina and rods were elongated during the day; the opposite occurred at night. Phase shifting the daily light–dark cycle caused a corresponding shift of retinomotor movement timing, and cone retinomotor movement persisted in constant darkness, indicating control by a circadian clock. Constant light abolished retinomotor movements of both photoreceptor types. Thus, abnormally-timed light exposure may disrupt normal M. atlanticus clock function and harm vision, which in turn may affect prey capture and predator avoidance. These results should help inform efforts to mitigate the effects of coastal light pollution on organisms in marine ecosystems.
Blockchain's roles in strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy

Abstract This paper evaluates blockchain's roles in strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy. Since most of the data is currently stored in cloud data centers, it also compares how blockchain performs vis-vis the cloud in various aspects of security and privacy. Key underlying mechanisms related to the blockchain's impacts on the Internet of Things (IoT) security are also covered. From the security and privacy considerations, it highlights how blockchain-based solutions could possibly be, in many aspects, superior to the current IoT ecosystem, which mainly relies on centralized cloud servers through service providers. Using practical applications and real-world examples, the paper argues that blockchain's decentralized feature is likely to result in a low susceptibility to manipulation and forgery by malicious participants. Special consideration is also given to how blockchain-based identity and access management systems can address some of the key challenges associated with IoT security. The paper provides a detailed analysis and description of blockchain's roles in tracking the sources of insecurity in supply chains related to IoT devices. The paper also delves into how blockchain can make it possible to contain an IoT security breach in a targeted way after it is discovered. It discusses and evaluates initiatives of organizations, inter-organizational networks and industries on this front. A number of policy implications are discussed. First, in order to strengthen IoT, regulators can make it obligatory for firms to deploy blockchain in supply chain, especially in systems that are mission critical, and have substantial national security and economic benefits. Second, public policy efforts directed at protecting privacy using blockchain should focus on providing training to key stakeholders and increasing investment in this technology. Third, one way to enrich the blockchain ecosystem would be to turn attention to public–private partnerships. Finally, national governments should provide legal clarity and more information for parties to engage in smart contracts that are enforceable.
Robert Rankin: Scottish Link with Ramanujan

The Scottish mathematician Robert Rankin was associated with Ramanujan’s mentor G.H. Hardy. He also handled the manuscripts in the estate of G.N. Watson and had them deposited in the Wren Library at Trinity College, Cambridge University. Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook was among these manuscripts. After describing Rankin’s life, the remarkable story of the discovery of the Lost Notebook is recalled. The article also includes a discussion of Rankin’s work in number theory relating to prime numbers, modular forms and the Ramanujan tau function.
Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) longevity estimates confirmed with bomb radiocarbon dating

The longevity of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) remains unresolved. The use of fin spines and sagittal otoliths for age reading has led to unconfirmed longevity estimates near 20–30 years. Age validation has been elusive because large individuals are uncommonly caught, and a technique that can be applied to structures that provide estimates of age was absent. The use of otolith chemical signatures has been limited by sagittal otoliths that are very small — whole otolith mass of adult blue marlin rarely exceeds 10 mg for the largest fish. Recent advances in the detection limits of radiocarbon (14C) with accelerator mass spectrometry — coupled with recently acquired knowledge of marine bomb 14C signals spanning the tropical Pacific Ocean — have led to an opportunity to age blue marlin from small amounts of otolith material. In this study, otoliths from a recently collected 1245 lb (565 kg) female blue marlin at a measured 146-inch (371 cm) lower jaw fork length were analyzed for 14C. Estimated longevity wa...
Integrated Social Class Identities Improve Academic Performance, Well-Being, and Workplace Satisfaction:

Biculturalism has typically been used as a framework to understand the experiences of people who move to new societies or who have multiple ethnic identities; we argue that first-generation college...