cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hematologic Complications of Pregnancy

Pregnancy induces a number of physiologic changes that affect the hematologic indices, either directly or indirectly. Recognizing and treating hematologic disorders that occur during pregnancy is difficult owing to the paucity of evidence available to guide consultants. This review discusses specifically the diagnosis and management of benign hematologic disorders occurring during pregnancy. Anemia secondary to iron deficiency is the most frequent hematologic complication and is easily treated with oral iron formulations; however, care must be taken not to miss other causes of anemia, such as sickle cell disease. Thrombocytopenia is also a common reason for consulting the hematologist, and distinguishing gestational thrombocytopenia from immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets), or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is essential since the treatment differs widely. Occasionally the management of mother and infant involves the expeditious recognition of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), a condition that is responsible for severe life-threatening bleeding of the newborn. Additionally, inherited and acquired bleeding disorders affect pregnant women disproportionately and often require careful monitoring of coagulation parameters to prevent bleeding in the puerperium. Finally, venous thromboembolism (VTE) during pregnancy is still largely responsible for mortality during pregnancy, and the diagnosis, treatment options and guidelines for prevention of VTE during pregnancy are explored.
In Vitro Hormonal Regulation of Glycogen Phosphorylase Activity in Fat Body of the Tropical Cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis

Blaberus hypertrehalosemic hormone (Bld-HTH)-dependent glycogen phosphorylase activation was investigated using in vitro fat bodies from the cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis. Resting levels of active phosphorylase were decreased by the presence of trehalose and glucose. Phosphorylase activation was dose-responsive to Bld-HTH and increased ca. 3-fold over a range of 0.02 to 2 nM Bld-HTH. Maximum phosphorylase activation required only 5-min exposure to Bld-HTH; reversion to the inactive state began within 15 min after Bld-HTH removal and was completed by 60 min. Octopamine also activated phosphorylase but required 103-fold higher concentrations than did Bld-HTH. Concentrations of Bld-HTH and octopamine that increased active phosphorylase did not elevate fat body cAMP levels, although a high concentration of octopamine increased tissue cAMP levels. cAMP did not increase phosphorylase activity, but Ca2+ was important for both Bld-HTH-and octopamine-dependent phosphorylase activation.
Silver and gold NMR.

Silver and gold, together with copper, form the transition metal group IB elements in the periodic table and possess very different nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic properties. While there is only one gold isotope ( A 197 u ) , which has a spin of 3/2 and therefore a quadrupole moment, silver occurs in two isotopic forms ( A 107 g and A 109 g ), both of which have a spin 1 2 and similar NMR spectroscopic properties. The unfavorable properties of gold have prevented its NMR spectroscopic investigation thus far. On the other hand, there are several reports of silver NMR. However, the low sensitivity of silver, combined with its long relaxation times have rendered the direct detection of silver possible only with concentrations greater than a few tenth molar. Reviewed here are the general limitations of silver NMR and some techniques to partially overcome these limitations, as well as a summary of currently available chemical shift and scalar coupling data on A 109 g .
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of Counterion Incorporation in Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is widely used in organic electronics and biomaterial coatings because of its outstanding electrical properties and chemical stability. In this research, X-...
The effects of self-monitoring of smoking and awareness of accuracy feedback upon a concurrent behavior

Abstract Following baseline, smokers observed and recorded their smoking behavior while reading sections of their textbooks Self-monitoring was done alone or with the presence of another observer who then gave the smoker feedback as to the accuracy of self-monitoring Control subjects continued with baselinne conditions through all sessions. Self-monitoring of smoking, besides producing reactive effects upon smoking itself, affected the level of comprehension of the material. The presence of another observer who provided feedback affected the several measures differently. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the clinical use of self-monitoring.
Pharmacoresistant epilepsy: Definition and explanation

Abstract Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurological disorders, estimated to affect more than 60 million people worldwide. In the majority of these patients, seizures can be effectively suppressed with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Still, a significant percentage of patients (estimated to exceed 40% in some studies) exhibit pharmacoresistance during the course of their frequently lifelong condition. We review our current understanding of some of the many missing pieces that constitute the puzzle of pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PRE), which can be practically defined as failure to achieve seizure freedom following adequate trials of two tolerated and appropriately chosen AEDs. The complexity of PRE reflects the dynamic nature of the underlying disease biology and the multiplicity of mechanisms of drug resistance. We summarize some of the known clinical predictors, patterns and causes of treatment failure and examine potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and implications for the development of future therapies
A bifurcation analysis of a differential equations model for mutualism.

We develop from basic principles a two-species differential equations model which exhibits mutualistic population interactions. The model is similar in spirit to a commonly cited model [Dean, A.M., Am. Nat. 121(3), 409–417 (1983)], but corrects problems due to singularities in that model. In addition, we investigate our model in more depth by varying the intrinsic growth rate for each of the species and analyzing the resulting bifurcations in system behavior. We are especially interested in transitions between facultative and obligate mutualism. The model reduces to the familiar Lotka–Volterra model locally, but is more realistic for large populations in the case where mutualist interaction is strong. In particular, our model supports population thresholds necessary for survival in certain cases, but does this without allowing unbounded population growth. Experimental implications are discussed for a lichen population.
Electron Scattering by Highly Polar Molecules: A Benchmark Experiment

Absolute measurements of an integral of the differential cross section for the scattering of electrons by CsBr are reported in the 1--22.5-eV energy range. A precise prescription for comparison with theory is presented, thus setting a benchmark for testing calculations. Comparison with Born-approximation calculations is also presented.
Does the choice of bottle nipple affect the oral feeding performance of very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants?

Background: There is a continuous debate regarding the best bottle nipple to be used to enhance the bottle-feeding performance of a preterm infant. Aim: To verify that feeding performance can be improved by using the bottle nipple with the physical characteristics that enhance infants’ sucking skills. Methods: Ten “healthy” VLBW infants (941±273 g) were recruited. Feeding performance was monitored at two time periods, when taking 1–2 and 6–8 oral feedings/d. At each time and within 24 h, performance was monitored using three different bottle nipples offered in a randomized order. Rate of milk transfer (ml/min) was the primary outcome measure. The sucking skills monitored comprised stage of sucking, suction amplitude, and duration of the generated negative intraoral suction pressure. Results: At both times, infants demonstrated a similar rate of milk transfer among all three nipples. However, the stage of sucking, suction amplitude, and duration of the generated suction were significantly different between nipples at 1–2, but not 6–8 oral feedings/d. Conclusion: We did not identify a particular bottle nipple that enhanced bottle feeding in healthy VLBW infants. Based on the notion that afferent sensory feedback may allow infants to adapt to changing conditions, we speculate that infants can modify their sucking skills in order to maintain a rate of milk transfer that is appropriate with the level of suck-swallow-breathe coordination achieved at a particular time. Therefore, it is proposed that caretakers should be more concerned over monitoring the coordination of suck-swallow-breathe than over the selection of bottle nipples.
Evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of a computer-tailored intervention to increase human papillomavirus vaccination among young adult women.

Abstract Objective: To examine acceptability and feasibility of a Transtheoretical Model (TTM)–based computer-tailored intervention (CTI) for increasing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in college-aged women. Participants: Two hundred forty-three women aged 18–26 were recruited between February and May of 2011. Methods: Participants completed the intervention and a 14-item evaluation of intervention content and delivery. Results: Most participants had heard of HPV (91%), but the majority (57%) of participants were in Precontemplation for getting vaccinated. Eighty-nine percent of participants rated the CTI positively across all acceptability items, and 91% endorsed intention to get vaccinated after intervention. Although average ratings in each demographic subgroup were positive, Hispanic women and participants in more advanced stages of change rated the program more favorably than non-Hispanic and earlier-stage participants. Additionally, HPV knowledge was higher among white/non-Hispanic participan...
Chemotherapy for pediatric brain tumors.

Advances have recently been made in the use of chemotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. Chemotherapy increases disease-free survival in high-risk primltive neuroectodermal tumor/medulloblastoma patients and enables the reduction of radiation therapy in standard-risk patients. Radiation can be significantly delayed and neurotoxicity ameliorated in many infants using chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can cause reduction in size of low-grade giloma, optic glioma, and oligodendroglioma. High-grade glioma and ependymoma are relatively chemoresistant. Physiclans caring for children with brain tumors are encouraged to participate in controlled studies, so that objective information can be gathered and the role of chemotherapy in these tumors can be better defined.
A contextual model for axonal sorting into glomeruli in the mouse olfactory system

No models fully account for how odorant receptors (ORs) function in the guidance of axons of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) to glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. Here, we use gene targeting in mice to demonstrate that the OR amino acid sequence imparts OSN axons with an identity that allows them to coalesce into glomeruli. Replacements between the coding regions of the M71 and M72 OR genes reroute axons to their respective glomeruli. A series of M71-M72 hybrid ORs uncover a spectrum of glomerular phenotypes, leading to the concept that the identity of OSN axons is revealed depending on what other axons are present. Naturally occurring amino acid polymorphisms in other ORs also produce distinct axonal identities. These critical amino acid residues are distributed throughout the protein and reside predominantly within transmembrane domains. We propose a contextual model for axon guidance in which ORs mediate homotypic interactions between like axons.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with matched unrelated donors for patients with hematologic malignancies using a preparative regimen of high-dose cyclophosphamide and fractionated total body irradiation

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from an HLA-identical sibling donor is effective therapy for patients with bone marrow failure states and those with hematologic malignancies. However, only a minority of them will have an HLA-identical sibling donor; unrelated donors, matched or partially mismatched, have been used successfully for patients lacking a related donor. Even though results with allogeneic transplants using unrelated donors are encouraging, the incidence of complications including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and graft rejection or late graft failure is increased compared to identical sibling transplants. The combination of cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (TBI) has been used as an effective preparative regimen for allogeneic transplants, however, the total dosage and dosing schedule of both the cyclophosphamide and TBI has varied significantly among studies. To decrease the rate of graft rejection and late graft failure with volunteer donors, we evaluated a preparative regimen of high-dose cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg over 4 consecutive days, days -8, -7, -6, -5) followed by fractionated TBI (1400 cGy administered in eight fractions over 4 days, days -4, -3, -2, -1). GVHD prophylaxis included FK506 and methotrexate. From July 1993 to January 1996, 43 adult patients, median age 38 years (range 18-58 years), were treated with this preparative regimen. Seventeen patients had low-risk disease and 26 had high-risk disease. Thirty-one donor/recipient pairs were matched for HLA-A, -B, and -DR by serology and molecular typing. Seven additional pairs were minor mismatched at the HLA-A or HLA-B loci. Four other donor/recipient pairs were HLA-A,-B, and -DR identical by serology but allele mismatched at either DRB1 or DQB. Forty patients were evaluable for myeloid engraftment. Engraftment occurred in all 40 patients at a median of 19 days. There were no cases of graft rejection or late graft failure. Nephrotoxicity was the primary adverse event with 26 patients (60%) experiencing a doubling of their creatinine. Hepatic veno-occlusive disease occurred in seven patients, six of whom had high-risk disease. All patients who had relapsed or refractory disease prior to BMT achieved a complete remission following BMT. Six patients transplanted for high-risk disease relapsed a median of 377 days post-BMT. None of the patients with low-risk disease have relapsed following transplant; the Kaplan-Meier survival for those patients with low-risk disease is 62% and 37% for those patients transplanted with high-risk disease (P = 0.0129). The median Karnofsky performance status is 100% (range 70-100%). Therefore, a preparative regimen of high-dose cyclophosphamide and fractionated TBI is an acceptable regimen for patients receiving an allograft from unrelated donors.
Development of a novel vascular phantom for navigation testing in interventional MRI

Purpose Interventional MRI offers the unique capability to steer catheters by creating a magnetic field near the catheter tip. Efficacy of MR guided navigation must be tested in vitro in vascular phantoms that mimic the in vivo environment. Previous vascular phantoms have shortcomings including lack of MRI compatibility, artifact creation, non-physiologic stiffness, and high frictional resistance that limits navigation capabilities. We sought to develop a vascular phantom from poly(vinyl) alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) that overcomes these limitations and provides a tool to test our magnetically-assisted remote control (MARC) endovascular catheter. Materials and Methods Design considerations for the phantom were as follows: MRI compatible, MR relaxation times similar to body tissues, smooth lumen that mimics vessel feel during navigation, compatible with flow, range of navigational difficulty, and the ability to accommodate 6 French catheters. Phantom Box Construction: To provide physiologically relevant vessel trajectories, multiple symmetric angles (30-90°) and diameters (3/16-7/8 in.) were designed from Delrin rods connected together and placed in an acrylic box. PVA-C was poured into the phantom box and cross-linked with freeze-thaw cycles. The rods were removed leaving pathways mimicking vessel lumens. PVA-C Process: A gel was created using a process previously outlined by Surry, et al. Sevol Grade 165 PVA powder (Sekisui Specialty Chemicals America, Dallas, TX) was used to create 500 ml 10% PVA-C. Four freeze-thaw cycle were performed on the gel. Images were obtained with a 1.5 T scanner using T1 and T2-weighted images, along with quantitative T1 and T2 measurements. Results T1 and T2 relaxation times (mean ± SD) for the PVA-C were 1195 ± 36 ms and 189 ± 5 ms. Radiographic T1 and T2 images of the test phantom will be shown. Conclusion The standard deviations show acceptable ranges for homogeneity, and the T1 and T2 values are in an acceptable range for tissue. These initial steps provide the foundation for a human-scale vascular phantom that can be used for testing navigation in our MARC endovascular catheter.
Observations on epidermal exsorption in mice following injections of procion dyes and ethidium bromide and topically applied dimethyl sulfoxide.

Back skin of hairless mice and external ears of CD-1 white mice were used to study the details of epidermal exsorption. Ethidium bromide, a DNA ligand, and two dichlorotriazinyl (procion) dyes were injected, i.v. or i.p. Migration patterns from the skin vasculature into the epidermis were observed by fluorescence microscopy and microspectrofluorometry. Topically applied DMSO greatly enhanced the exsorption process and produced intensely labeled epidermis. Ethidium bromide reacted primarily with nuclear DNA of living cells while the procion dyes tended to migrate intercellularly to label the stratum corneum. External ears of white mice treated topically with DMSO showed a pattern of labeling which included intense fluorescence of the cartilage and perichondrium as well as the ear epidermis.
Replacing Venice in the Adriatic: tourism and Italian irredentism, 1880–1936

This article examines the role of tourism in re-imagining the Venetian heritage of Istria and Dalmatia to cast the eastern Adriatic coastlands as Italian. It explores the development of eastern Adriatic tourism from the 1880s to 1930s, in the Habsburg monarchy and then the Italian state, with attention to the cultural factors associated with the medieval Republic of Venice and ethno-nationalist politics that shaped claims to Adriatic territory. Under the western tourist's gaze, remnants of Venetian architecture and culture associated with the mythologized ‘Most Serene Republic’ and ‘Queen of the Adriatic’ became the basis for casting the coastal environment as a pleasing, civilized Italian environment in contrast to the rocky, wild, and primitive Slavic and Balkan inlands. The article argues that Italian irredentist, nationalist, and Fascist efforts to tie the Istrian and Dalmatian coasts to medieval Venice, cast as a stepping stone on the path of continuous Italian control from Ancient Rome to the modern...
Effect of antisense knock-down of α2a- and α2c-adrenoceptors on the antinociceptive action of clonidine on trigeminal nociception in the rat

Although activation of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors is known to play an important role in mediating antinociception, the contribution of various alpha(2)-adrenoceptor subtypes in modulating trigeminal nociception remains unknown since subtype specific agonists and antagonists are not available. The present study investigated the functional role of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor subtypes in modulating the N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced nociceptive behavior in the medullary dorsal horn by using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to selectively knock-down the receptor subtypes. Microinjection of N-methyl-D-aspartate (2 nmol in 10 microl) through a cannula implanted dorsal to the medullary dorsal horn produced a total of 164.9+/-8.8 scratches in the facial region (n=14), and the scratching behavior lasted for 77.8+/-5.2s (n=14). Microinjection of clonidine, an alpha(2)-agonist (7 microg in 5 microl), 15 min prior to administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate, produced a reduction of 71.6% (n=12) in the number of scratches and a reduction of 57.5% (n=12) in the duration. The inhibitory effect of clonidine was blocked by idazoxan (n=4) and yohimbine (n=4), alpha(2) antagonists. In rats pretreated with the antisense probe to the alpha(2A) adrenoceptor, clonidine only produced a reduction of 7.3% in the number of scratches (n=12) and a reduction of 9% in the duration (n=12). The antinociceptive effect of clonidine recovered completely 4 days after termination of the alpha(2A) antisense oligodeoxynucleotide treatment. In contrast to the alpha(2A) antisense-treated animals, clonidine reduced the number of scratches and the duration by 85.5% (n=9) and 82.1% (n=9), respectively, in rats pretreated with the sense probe to the alpha(2A) adrenoceptor. The effect of clonidine was not altered in rats pretreated with the antisense or the sense probes to the alpha(2C) adrenoceptor. In the alpha(2C) antisense pretreated rats, clonidine reduced the number of scratches and the duration by 60.8% (n=11) and 44.5 % (n=11), respectively. In the sense-pretreated rats, clonidine produced a reduction of 69.1% in the number of scratches (n=9) and a reduction of 55.1% in the duration (n=9). In order to assess the effectiveness of the antisense treatment, the receptor expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. Antisense treatment reduced alpha(2A) and alpha(2C) receptor immunoreactivity in the medullary dorsal horn compared to the sense and the vehicle-treated animals. Quantitative image analysis revealed a significant decrease in pixel intensity following the antisense treatment. These results indicate that activation of alpha(2A) adrenoceptor plays an important role in mediating the antinociceptive effect of clonidine in the medullary dorsal horn in the rat.
Contribution of emotion regulation difficulties to disordered eating and body dissatisfaction in college men.

Objective: Affect regulation models of disordered eating propose that disordered eating behaviors function as maladaptive efforts to modulate or escape from aversive emotional states. Prior studies have shown both negative affect and emotion regulation factors to be significantly associated with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction in women. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate whether emotion regulation difficulties contribute to disordered eating and body dissatisfaction in men. Method: Two hundred and ninety-six undergraduate men completed a series of questionnaires assessing negative affect, difficulties in emotion regulation, disordered eating, and body dissatisfaction. Results: A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that emotion regulation difficulties accounted for unique variance in both outcome measures after accounting for the variance associated with BMI and negative affect. Discussion: Results are discussed in terms of the role of emotion regulation difficulties in the etiology and maintenance of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in men.
Organo-soluble polyimides: synthesis and polymerization of 2,2′-disubstituted-4,4′,5,5′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydrides

Abstract The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of introducing pendant groups in the 2- and 2′-positions of 4,4′,5,5′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydrides on the properties of polyimides produced from the dianhydrides. Thus, the work was begun with the syntheses of 2,2′-dibromo-4,4′,5,5′-biphenyltetracarboxylic tetracarboxylic dianhydride (DBBPDA) and 2,2′-diphenyl-4,4′,5,5′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (DPBPDA). The two new dianhydrides were polymerized with several substituted 4,4′-diaminobiphenyls including 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4,4′-diaminobiphenyl (PFMB) in refluxing m -cresol containing isoquinoline to afford two new series of soluble polyimides. The polyimides had intrinsic viscosities that ranged from 1.80 to 5.58 dl g −1 ( N -methyl-2-pyrrolidinone or m -rmcresol at 30°C). Their glass transition temperatures ( T g s) ranged from 322 to 351°C (thermal mechanical analysis). Several of the polymers obtained from the new dianhydrides were soluble in acetone and tetrahydrofuran. The polymers formed water-white, tough films that were transparent above 350 nm. The films displayed negative birefringence, i.e. their in-plane refractive indices ( n ∥ ) were higher than their out-of-plane refractive indices ( n ⊥ ). For example, the DBBPDA/PFMB polymer, which was soluble in acetone and had a T g of 330°C, formed films with n ∥ = 1.637 and n ⊥ = 1.564. The films had coefficients of thermal expansion that ranged from 1.05 × 10 −5 to 2.12 × 10 −5 °C −1 . The films may be useful as retardation layers in liquid crystal displays.
Progression of a student teacher

(1959). Progression of a student teacher. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 36-38.
Antiapoptotic function of NF-κB in T lymphocytes is influenced by their differentiation status: roles of Fas, c-FLIP, and Bcl-xL

Inducible protection from apoptosis in vivo controls the size of cell populations. An important question in this respect is how differentiation affects mechanisms of apoptosis regulation. Among mature T lymphocytes, the NF-κB/Rel transcription factors are coupled to receptors that control cell population sizes by concurrently regulating survival and multiplication. In the present study, we used a transgenic inhibitor of NF-κB/Rel signaling to investigate the role of this pathway in proliferation and death of mature T cells in vivo. The results indicate that NF-κB integrates two critical yet distinct molecular pathways preventing apoptosis affected by the death receptor Fas, coordinately regulating levels of FLIP and Bcl-xL in primary T cells. Surprisingly, NF-κB blockade preferentially impacted naive as compared to memory T cells. The Fas/FasL pathway was linked to these findings by evidence that the abnormalities imposed by NF-κB inhibition were ameliorated by Fas deficiency, particularly for the CD4+ lineage. Moreover, levels of an inhibitor of Fas-mediated apoptosis, c-FLIP, were diminished in cells expressing the transgenic inhibitor. NF-κB was also linked to T cell survival in vivo by mediating induction of Bcl-xL: restoration of Bcl-xL levels reversed the preferential deficit of naive T cells, differentially impacting the CD4 and CD8 subsets. These results show that promoting survival and effective multiplication are central roles for NF-κB in T lymphoid homeostasis in vivo, but this effect and its underlying mechanisms are influenced by the developmental state of the lymphocyte.
Atypical manifestations of pulmonary atelectasis

Recognizing atelectasis has always been a challenge. Atypical patterns further our knowledge of this subject. The lung has two mechanisms to help keep the lobes inflated: collateral ventilation and trapped nitrogen both tend to inflate the lungs when the airways are obstructed. Peripheral upper-lobe atelectasis resembles apical pleural fluid. Instead of collapsing superomedially, the upper lobe collapses posterolaterally, marginated by either the middle lobe or the superior segment of the lower lobe. This pattern may also be produced by segmental atelectasis of the apical-posterior segments of the upper lobe. Combined right-upper- and middle-lobe atelectasis usually stems from malignancy and violates Felson's double lesion sign. Upper-lobe atelectasis may produce a localized pneumothorax (pneumothorax ex vacuo), analogous to the vacuum joint phenomenon. Conversely, a large pneumothorax may cause torsion of an upper-lobe bronchus, leading to atelectasis. It is important to distinguish between these two conditions in order to choose the appropriate treatment-bronchoscopy in the former and chest tube drainage in the latter. Round atelectasis is a form of peripheral atelectasis that is variable in size and is thought to occur either when the lung collapses around a cleft in the presence of a pleural effusion or when shrinkage of a pleural scar pinches the adjacent lung. Round atelectasis has many features of plate atelectasis and may represent a special form of this condition.
Simplifying data path processing in next-generation routers

Customizable packet processing is an important aspect of next-generation networks. Packet processing architectures using multi-core systems on a chip can be difficult to program. In our work, we propose a new packet processor design that simplifies packet processing by managing packet contexts in hardware. We show how such a design scales to large systems. Our results also show that the management of such a system is feasible with the proposed mapping algorithm.
Degradation of Fumigant Pesticides

Fumigant pesticides are frequently used in intensive agriculture to control nematodes, fungi, and weeds. Currently, four registered fumigants are available: 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), chloropicrin (CP), and methyl bromide (MeBr). The use of 1,3-D, MITC, and CP can be expected to increase after MeBr is completely phased out of production in the USA in 2005. In soil, the degradation of 1,3-D, MITC, CP, and MeBr occurs through both chemical and biological mechanisms. Repeated applications of the fumigants MITC and 1,3-D are known to enhance their biodegradation as a result of adapted microorganisms. Preliminary evidence suggests that the microorganisms responsible for enhanced degradation of MITC specifically target the isothiocyanate functional group. In the case of 1,3-D, a number of bacteria have been isolated that are capable of degrading 1,3-D and also using it as a sole C and energy source. Of the two isomers of 1,3-D, degradation of trans -1,3-D was found to be greater than that of cis -1,3-D in enhanced soil. Methyl bromide is mainly degraded chemically in soil by hydrolysis and methylation of nucleophilic sites on soil organic matter. Both degradation reactions occur via S2N nucleophilic substitution. Methanotrophic and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria can co-oxidize MeBr during the oxidation of methane and ammonia, respectively. The microbiological degradation of MeBr is apparently catalyzed by methane and ammonia monooxygenase. Chloropicrin can be dehalogenated by Pseudomonas spp., with the major metabolic pathway occurring through three successive reductive dehalogenations to nitromethane.
Reflections on Levinson's recursion (lattice filters)

Levinson's recursion allows for the parameterization of an all-zero or an all-pole filter in terms of a sequence of reflection coefficients. Such a parameterization leads to a simple stability test for filters and serves as the foundation for the lattice filter structure. The properties of the mapping from the reflection coefficient sequence to the system function are considered. It is shown that, in many cases, they parallel the properties of the mapping from the filter coefficients to the system function. >
Smoothing Parameter Selection for Power Optimality in Testing of Regression Curves

Abstract We consider selection of smoothing parameters to obtain optimal power in tests of regression curves. We examine three tests and propose empirical smoothing parameters to maximize the power in each test. We also show that the data-based smoothing parameters converge to the optimal smoothing parameters as sample sizes get larger. We conduct a simulation study for various classes of alternative showing the effectiveness of the proposed procedures.
Global patterns of specialization and coexistence in bird assemblages

Aim Increased specialization has been hypothesized to facilitate local coexistence and thus high species richness, but empirical evaluations of the richness–specialization relationships have been relatively scant. Here, we provide a first assessment of this relationship for terrestrial bird assemblages at global extent and from fine to coarse grains. Location World-wide. Methods We use two indices of specialization that describe species-level resource use: diet and habitat specialization. The relationship between richness and mean assemblage-level specialization was independently assessed at realm, biome-realm, 12,100 km2 equal-area grid cells and fine-grained scales. To identify assemblages that are diverse relative to environmental conditions we: (1) applied quantile regressions, (2) statistically accounted for other environmental variables which may constrain richness, and (3) parsed the data according to the residuals of a model relating species richness to the environmental variables. Results Assemblage species richness increases with both measures of specialization at all scales. Statistically, richness appears constrained by levels of specialization, with the highest richness values only found in specialized assemblages. Richness is positively associated with specialization even after accounting for gradients in resource availability. Net primary productivity and assemblage specialization have complementary statistical effects on assemblage species richness. Contrary to expectations based on niche partitioning of local resources, the relationship between specialization and richness is steep even at coarse scales. Main conclusions The results demonstrate that for an entire clade, totalling > 9000 species, specialization and species richness are related, at least for diverse assemblages. The strong patterns observed across scales suggest that this relationship does not solely originate from (1) limits on coexistence in present-day assemblages, or (2) increased specialization in richer assemblages imposed by species’ abilities to partition ecological space. Instead, regional-scale influences on the species pool may determine much of the observed relationship between richness and specialization. Although causal attribution is not straightforward, these findings support the idea that, for the scale of our analysis, specialization may be related to the past origination of high-diversity assemblages, rather than their contemporary assembly.
Technical Note: Effect of Sample Processing Procedures on Measurement of Starch in Corn Silage and Corn Grain

Methods for processing feedstuffs before analysis can affect analytical results. Effects of drying temperature (corn silage), preservation method (corn grain), and grinding method (corn silage and grain) on starch analysis values were evaluated. Corn silage samples dried at 55 or 105 degrees C and grain samples dried at 55 degrees C were ground to pass the 1-mm screen of an abrasion mill or cutting mill and analyzed for free glucose and starch corrected for free glucose. Starch analyses were performed in triplicate to assess the effect of treatment on precision of starch determination. Drying at 105 degrees C decreased free glucose and tended to decrease starch detected in silage. Decreased free glucose and starch values in silages dried at 105 degrees C may have been caused by the destruction of glucose and production of Maillard products through nonenzymatic browning. Maillard products with reducing activity could potentially interfere with the glucose oxidase-peroxidase glucose detection method used. Compared with the cutting mill, grinding samples through the abrasion mill increased the precision of starch measures in silage, likely due to the effect of the finer particle size produced by the abrasion mill allowing more accurate subsampling of a more homogeneous matrix. Starch values were greater for grain ground with an abrasion mill than with a cutting mill, with the difference greater for dry-rolled than for high-moisture corn. For starch analysis of corn silage and corn grain, drying at lower temperatures (55 degrees C) in forced-air ovens and grinding through the 1-mm screen of an abrasion mill or its equivalent is recommended.
Understanding The Impact Of Gender By Imagining The Self As The Other Gender: A Role-Play Writing Assignment

To encourage students to think about and understand the considerable role gender plays in their lives, a writing assignment early in a gender course asks them to consider the impact of permanently becoming the other gender. Students’ papers were examined for particular themes, which were used to illustrate course concepts and to spark class discussions. For example, some students wrote that they must learn how to be the other gender, which leads to a discussion about the sources of gender differences. Other themes as well as suggestions for expanding the assignment are discussed.
Morphology of Hydrocarbon Droplets During Migration: Visual Example from the Monterey Formation (Miocene), California

In this paper, we describe the various morphologies of hydrocarbon residue found in the Miocene Monterey Formation in California. Scanning electron microscope photomicrographs clearly show various shapes of hydrocarbon droplets in microchannels in the Monterey Formation and hence provide insight not only into the shape of hydrocarbon droplets during migration, but also about the migration pathways themselves. The small (5-10 µm) diameter droplets are observed to have various shapes that include spherical droplets, amalgamated droplets, sausage-shaped droplets, and elongate rod-shaped droplets. Observations suggest that hydrocarbon droplets move through the rock matrix into microchannels where they coalesce into larger droplets and then move into larger fractures. Dif erent morphologies are simply a result of amalgamation of simple droplets during migration.
REACTION-RATE, MIXTURE-FRACTION, AND TEMPERATURE IMAGING IN TURBULENT METHANE/AIR JET FLAMES

Instantaneous two-dimensional measurements of reaction rate, mixture fraction, and temperature are demonstrated in turbulent partially premixed methane/air jet flames. The forward reaction rate of the reaction CO OH ⇒ CO2 H is measured by simultaneous OH laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and two-photon CO LIF. The product of the two LIF signals is shown to be proportional to the reaction rate. Temperature and fuel concentration are measured using polarized and depolarized Rayleigh scattering. A three-scalar technique for determining mixture fraction is investigated using a combination of polarized Rayleigh scattering, fuel concentration, and CO LIF. Measurements of these three quantities are coupled with previous detailed multiscalar point measurements to obtain the most probable value of the mixture fraction at each point in the imaged plane. This technique offers improvements over two-scalar methods, which suffer from decreased sensitivity around the stoichiometric contour and biases in fuel-rich regions due to parent fuel loss. Simultaneous reaction-rate, mixture-fraction, and temperature imaging is demonstrated in laminar (Re 1100) and turbulent (Re 22,400) CH4/air (1/3 by volume) jet flames. The turbulent jet flame is the subject of multiple numerical modeling efforts. A primary objective for developing these imaging diagnostics is to provide measurements of fundamental quantities that are needed to accurately model interactions between turbulent flows and flames.
Scalable object detection accelerators on FPGAs using custom design space exploration

We discuss FPGA implementations of object (such as face) detectors in video streams using the accurate Haar-feature based algorithm. Rather than creating one implementation for one FPGA, we develop a method to generate a series of implementations that have different size and performance to target different FPGA devices. The automatic generation was enabled by custom design space exploration on a particular design problem relating to the communication architecture used to support different numbers of image classifiers. The exploration algorithm uses content information in each feature set to optimize and generate a scalable communication architecture. We generated fully-working implementations for Xilinx Virtex5 LX50T, LX110T, and LX155T FPGA devices, using various amounts of available device capacity, leading to speedups ranging from 0.6x to 25x compared to a 3.0 GHz Pentium 4 desktop machine. Automated generators that include custom design space exploration may become more necessary when creating hardware accelerators intended for use across a wide range of existing and future FPGA devices.
Thoracoscopic Lung Lobectomy for Primary Lung Tumors in 13 Dogs.

Objectives To report our experience with thoracoscopic lung lobectomy in dogs with primary lung tumors and compare the long-term outcome between dogs with primary lung tumors treated with lobectomy via thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. Study Design Retrospective case series; case–control study. Animals Thirteen dogs with primary lung tumors treated with thoracoscopic lung lobectomy; case-matched cohort of 9 dogs with primary lung tumors treated with lobectomy via thoracotomy. Methods Medical records from dogs that underwent thoracoscopic lung lobectomy at a single institution were reviewed. Only cases with primary lung tumors were included. Surgical complications and conversion rate were reported. Cases without conversion and with clean margins on histologic examination were matched on prognostic criteria to cases with primary lung tumors treated with lobectomy via thoracotomy. Survival was compared between thoracoscopy and thoracotomy. Results Thirteen dogs with primary lung tumors that measured 2.2–7 cm underwent thoracoscopic lung lobectomy. Nine dogs were diagnosed with carcinoma and 4 with histiocytic sarcoma. There were 3 conversions to open thoracotomy because of poor visualization. There were no differences in short-term outcome between dogs that had their procedures completed via thoracoscopy and those that were converted to thoracotomy. Nine dogs with clean margins were matched with 9 dogs treated via thoracotomy. Mean (standard deviation) followup was 367 (327) days for dogs undergoing thoracoscopy and 603 (612) days for dogs undergoing thoracotomy. The 2-year survival rate was 44% for thoracoscopy and 56% for thoracotomy (P = .942). Conclusion Selected primary lung tumors in dogs can be safely resected with thoracoscopy and not affect long-term outcome.
A direct approach to sparse discriminant analysis in ultra-high dimensions

SUMMARY Sparse discriminant methods based on independence rules, such as the nearest shrunken centroids classifier (Tibshirani et al., 2002) and features annealed independence rules (Fan & Fan, 2008), have been proposed as computationally attractive tools for feature selection and classification with high-dimensional data. A fundamental drawback of these rules is that they ignore correlations among features and thus could produce misleading feature selection and inferior classification. We propose a new procedure for sparse discriminant analysis, motivated by the least squares formulation of linear discriminant analysis. To demonstrate our proposal, we study the numerical and theoretical properties of discriminant analysis constructed via lasso penalized least squares. Our theory shows that the method proposed can consistently identify the subset of discriminative features contributing to the Bayes rule and at the same time consistently estimate the Bayes classification direction, even when the dimension can grow faster than any polynomial order of the sample size. The theory allows for general dependence among features. Simulated and real data examples show that lassoed discriminant analysis compares favourably with other popular sparse discriminant proposals.
Potential of Diet Therapy on Murine AIDS

Recently, a murine retrovirus (LpBMS MuLV),which induces immunodeficiency syndrome in mice, termed MAIDS, has been found to have several features similar to those seen in human acquired im munodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of 40% energy restriction (R) and/or ad libitum (AL) diets with veg etable (corn oil, (CO) (n-6)) or marine oil (menhaden fish oil (FO), (n-3)) as a source of dietary fats on the immune function and survival rate of C57BL/6 mice injected with the LpBMS MuLV virus. Weanling mice were fed, throughout the study, either a 5% CO-, 5% CO(R)-, 20% CO- or 20% FO-based diet and 8 wk later the mice were injected with the LpBMSMuLV(5 X IO5 plaque-forming units). The results revealed a signifi cantly prolonged postinjected survival rate in the mice fed 20% FO and 5% CO(R) diets (5% CO = 131 Â±7 d; 5% CO(R) = 161 Â±13 d; 20% CO = 125 Â±6 d; 20% FO = 164 Â±14 dj. Immunological studies con ducted 4 wk after injection revealed decline in both Âinterleukin-2 production and proliferative response to mitogens in spleen cells of mice in all four dietary groups. However, this decline was less apparent in mice fed 5% CO(R) and 20% FO diets. The levels of pros- taglandin E2(PGE<)were found to be significantly lower only in animals fed 20% FO diets, whereas the levels of arachidonic acid (20:4) were found to be significantly lower in the spleen cells of groups fed 5% CO(R) and 20% FO diets and were higher in mice fed 5% CO and 20% CO diets. In conclusion, these findings indicate that changes induced by dietary (n-3) lipids and/or moderate energy restriction on the composition of lym- phoid cell membranes can modulate the production or response of lymphokines, including Âimmunosuppres- sive PGE,. which appears to delay progression of the retroviral infection. J. Nutr. 122: 716-722, 1992.
Lizards as model organisms for linking phylogeographic and speciation studies

Lizards have been model organisms for ecological and evolutionary studies from individual to community levels at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Here we highlight lizards as models for phylogeographic studies, review the published population genetics ⁄phylogeography literature to summarize general patterns and trends and describe some studies that have contributed to conceptual advances. Our review includes 426 references and 452 case studies: this literature reflects a general trend of exponential growth associated with the theoretical and empirical expansions of the discipline. We describe recent lizard studies that have contributed to advances in understanding of several aspects of phylogeography, emphasize some linkages between phylogeography and speciation and suggest ways to expand phylogeographic studies to test alternative pattern-based modes of speciation. Allopatric speciation patterns can be tested by phylogeographic approaches if these are designed to discriminate among four alternatives based on the role of selection in driving divergence between populations, including: (i) passive divergence by genetic drift; (ii) adaptive divergence by natural selection (niche conservatism or ecological speciation); and (iii) socially-mediated speciation. Here we propose an expanded approach to compare patterns of variation in phylogeographic data sets that, when coupled with morphological and environmental data, can be used to discriminate among these alternative speciation patterns. [Correction made after online publication (28/07/2010): (minor deletion in the last line of the abstract)].
Associations between the SS variant of 5-HTTLPR and PTSD among adults with histories of childhood emotional abuse: results from two African American independent samples.

Background Prior studies have found that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) interacts with stressful life events to increase general risk for PTSD, but this association has not extended to African American samples. Further, little is known about the effects of this interaction on specific PTSD symptom clusters, despite indications that clusters may have different biological substrates. The current study examined the interaction between exposure to childhood emotional abuse and 5-HTTLPR genotype on risk for PTSD symptom severity and severity of specific PTSD symptom clusters in two African American samples.