cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of temperature in affecting carry-over effects and larval competition in the globally invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus

Ectotherms, like mosquitoes, have evolved specific responses to variation in environmental conditions like temperature, and these responses could confer a fitness benefit or cost when carried-over to different life stages. However, effects of temperature on animals with complex life-cycles often only focus on part of their life-cycle, or only consider how single aspects of life-history may carry over to new stages. Herein we investigated how temperature affects intraspecific larval competition and carry-over effects from larval to adult stages in the widespread invasive Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus. For larval competition, larvae were reared at three densities (10, 20, and 40 individuals) across three source temperatures (21 °C, 27 °C and 34 °C). To test carry-over effects, adult survival was measured for individuals crossed with adult temperatures of 21 °C, 27 °C and 34 °C from the larval density of 20 individuals at each source temperature. Fecundity data also were obtained from mated females. For competition, there was a significant interaction between larval density and temperature, with the smallest females, who took the longest to develop, produced in the highest temperatures; density generally accentuated this effect. Regarding carry-over effects, adults exposed to higher temperatures lead to greater differences in fecundity and survival of adult populations. Temperature appears to affect life-history of developing larvae under competitive interactions and can also alter adult fitness as the disparity between larval rearing and adult habitat temperatures increases. This has importance for our understanding for how different life-history stages of Ae. albopictus and other vectors of disease may respond to changing climates.
Spontaneous clay Pickering emulsification

Abstract Clay-rich sandstone formations contain vast deposits of petroleum resources. Low salinity waterflooding presents a low-energy, low-environmental impact method to improve oil recovery from these systems. Fundamental mechanisms dictating improved oil recovery at low salinity conditions are not well-understood currently. This study investigates low salinity waterflooding at the pore-level to delineate fundamental mechanisms underlying oil recovery. Clay-functionalized, two-dimensional micromodels are used to provide direct visual observations of crude oil, brine, and clay particle interactions within the pore-space. Using this microvisual approach, establishment of initial reservoir conditions shows wettability evolution of the initially water-wet system towards a mixed-wet condition due to clay-particle interactions with the reservoir fluids, i.e., crude oil and brine. Pore-scale behavior during low salinity waterflooding shows spontaneous emulsification of the crude oil and brine. Specifically, the emulsions generated are Pickering type stabilized by the clay particles that were mobilized at salinities below the critical salt concentration (CSC). Spontaneous generation of the stable Pickering emulsions reduces mobility through preferential flow paths, thereby resulting in flow diversion of subsequent injection fluids to mobilize oil-filled pores. Leveraging the stability of the Pickering emulsions, a sequential salinity cycling method is developed to improve overall oil recovery by an additional 8% of the original oil in place. Flow diversion due to spontaneous Pickering emulsification in preferential flow paths observed here provides fundamental insight to the design and application of low energy-input, low environmental-impacts techniques in the field.
Kenneth Breisch, American Libraries 1730–1950

There was a time when architectural history was predominantly about the buildings of the establishment and the powerful, from cathedrals and castles to parliaments and palaces. In recent decades, h...
Opioid Inhibition of Luteinizing Hormone Secretion during the Postpartum Period in Suckled Beef Cows

Recent studies have shown that naloxone (N), an opioid antagonist, increases concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the postpartum anestrous beef cow. However, the LH response to N was influenced by the postpartum interval. For example, a significant LH response to 200 mg of N occurred on d 42 but not on d 14 or 28 postpartum. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of different doses of N on LH secretion during the postpartum period of beef cows. Twelve cows were given 200, 400 or 800 mg of N on d 14, 28 and 42 postpartum in a Latin square design with repeat measures within cells. On d 14, serum concentrations of LH increased (P less than .01) from .5 +/- .1 ng/ml (mean +/- SE) before N to a peak of 2.0 +/- .5 and 1.4 +/- .5 ng/ml for cows given 400 and 800 mg of N, respectively. In contrast, 200 mg of N had no effect on serum concentrations of LH. On d 28 and 42 all three doses of N elevated (P less than .01) serum concentrations of LH. Therefore, a larger dose of N was required to increase serum concentrations of LH on d 14 postpartum compared with d 28 and 42. Based on these data we suggest that endogenous opioids participate in the regulation of LH secretion in the early postpartum period. The differential response to naloxone may be due to changes in endogenous opioid inhibition of LH secretion during the postpartum period.
Does State Unemployment Insurance Modernization Explain the Trajectories of Economic Security Among Working Households? Longitudinal Evidence from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation

Although research has paid substantial attention to the impact of the Great Recession on the economic well-being of working households and the uneven economic recovery among different sociodemographic groups, limited research is available on the association between state-level unemployment insurance (UI) protection and household-level economic recovery during the postrecessionary years. Using nationally representative panel data from the 2008 survey of income and program participation, this study examined the relationship between state UI modernization and the growth trajectory of economic security among American working households. After controlling for state-level and household-level covariates, the results of the multilevel growth modeling showed that, on average, the state enactment of UI modernization provisions was associated with a faster improvement rate of household economic security over a five-and-a-half-year period. The findings have implications for future studies concerning UI provisions and household economic security.
Noise can speed backpropagation learning and deep bidirectional pretraining.

Abstract We show that the backpropagation algorithm is a special case of the generalized Expectation–Maximization (EM) algorithm for iterative maximum likelihood estimation. We then apply the recent result that carefully chosen noise can speed the average convergence of the EM algorithm as it climbs a hill of probability or log-likelihood. Then injecting such noise can speed the average convergence of the backpropagation algorithm for both the training and pretraining of multilayer neural networks. The beneficial noise adds to the hidden and visible neurons and related parameters. The noise also applies to regularized regression networks. This beneficial noise is just that noise that makes the current signal more probable. We show that such noise also tends to improve classification accuracy. The geometry of the noise-benefit region depends on the probability structure of the neurons in a given layer. The noise-benefit region in noise space lies above the noisy-EM (NEM) hyperplane for classification and involves a hypersphere for regression. Simulations demonstrate these noise benefits using MNIST digit classification. The NEM noise benefits substantially exceed those of simply adding blind noise to the neural network. We further prove that the noise speed-up applies to the deep bidirectional pretraining of neural-network bidirectional associative memories (BAMs) or their functionally equivalent restricted Boltzmann machines. We then show that learning with basic contrastive divergence also reduces to generalized EM for an energy-based network probability. The optimal noise adds to the input visible neurons of a BAM in stacked layers of trained BAMs. Global stability of generalized BAMs guarantees rapid convergence in pretraining where neural signals feed back between contiguous layers. Bipolar coding of inputs further improves pretraining performance.
Locoregional control, failure patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancers treated with chemoradiation and durvalumab.

e21058Background: Definitive concurrent chemoradiation (cCRT) and durvalumab is a standard therapy for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Data is limited on o...
Interaction of supernovae with a circumstellar medium

Optical light curve models for type II supernovae, which have successfully reproduced observations, are consistent with the progenitor stars being massive red supergiant stars in the final phases of evolution. Recent observations of type II supernovae over the wavelength range from radio to X-rays, however, are not accounted for by the standard light curve models. The importance of interaction with a circumstellar medium is discussed. There are indications that this interaction can be observed for an extended period at radio wavelengths, and that a number of extragalactic radio sources can be identified with the explosion of massive stars. 68 references.
Risks and benefits of concurrent treatment with antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy in post‐op bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement patients

Background and aim Among patients receiving surgical bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (bAVR), there is an elevated risk of thromboembolic events postoperatively. However, the risks and benefits of varying anticoagulation strategies remain controversial. The aim of this study is to compare the risks and benefits of aspirin monotherapy to aspirin plus warfarin ("concurrent therapy") in patients receiving bAVR. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using patients' data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, including those who underwent bAVR with or without coronary artery bypass grafting between 2009 and 2018. Patients were identified as having been discharged with aspirin only or concurrent therapy. The outcomes were mortality, thromboembolic events, and clinically relevant bleeding during a 6-month follow-up. The event rates were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable survival analysis, incorporating propensity scores, was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for each outcome. Results The cohort consisted of 3047 patients. Approximately 58% of patients received aspirin only and 42% received concurrent therapy. Patients who received concurrent therapy were more likely to be older, have hypertension, previous stroke, and longer hospital stays. After adjustment using multivariable analysis, concurrent therapy was associated with a higher risk of clinically relevant bleeding (aHR, 2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-3.25). There was no significant difference in the risk of thromboembolic events or mortality between the two groups. Conclusion Patients who underwent bAVR and were discharged on concurrent therapy compared to aspirin only had a significantly increased risk of bleeding without a significant difference in thromboembolic events.
A structured methodology review showed analyses of functional outcomes are frequently limited to "survivors only" in trials enrolling patients at high risk of death.

Abstract Objective This structured methodology review evaluated statistical approaches used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling patients at high risk of death and makes recommendations for reporting future RCTs. Study design and setting Using PubMed, we searched for RCTs published in five general medicine journals from January 2014 to August 2019 wherein mortality was ≥10% in at least one randomized group. We abstracted primary and secondary outcomes, statistical analysis methods, and patient samples evaluated (all randomized patients vs. “survivors only”). Results Of 1947 RCTs identified, 434 met eligibility criteria. Of the eligible RCTs, 91 (21%) and 351 (81%) had a primary or secondary functional outcome, respectively, of which 36 (40%) and 263 (75%) evaluated treatment effects among “survivors only”. In RCTs that analyzed all randomized patients, the most common methods included use of ordinal outcomes (e.g., modified Rankin Scale) or creating composite outcomes (primary: 41 of 91 [45%]; secondary: 57 of 351 [16%]). Conclusion In RCTs enrolling patients at high risk of death, statistical analyses of functional outcomes are frequently conducted among “survivors only,” for which conclusions might be misleading. Given the growing number of RCTs conducted among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and other critical illnesses, standards for reporting should be created.
The balance of muscle oxygen supply and demand reveals critical metabolic rate and predicts time to exhaustion.

Dynamic muscle O2 saturation discriminates boundaries between exercise intensity domains, exposes a critical metabolic rate as the highest rate of steady state O2 supply and demand, describes time ...
AI Goes to School: Implications for School District Liability

School districts increasingly and controversially require students to use school-provided technology that tracks every sentence students write and every website students visit, whether from school or at home. Because of the vast information now at school administrators’ fingertips, schools have turned to technology companies to install software -- termed safety management platforms (SMPs) -- to alert school districts to risks of suicide or bullying. The software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to comb a student’s word usage and online navigation to notify school administrators of concerns warranting intervention. Although it is too early to tell, SMPs hold great promise in preventing bullying and facilitating early intervention in case of suicidal tendencies. Lost in the shuffle has been the potential impact on school liability if a tragedy ensues. Traditionally, immunity doctrines under state law (and restrictive Section 1983 jurisprudence under federal law) have protected school districts from liability in all but the most shocking cases of harm within the school’s grounds. This paper argues that utilization of SMPs will continue to protect school districts when they adhere to the warnings indicated by the SMP, but that if the school district ignores the SMP’s alert, then the school district opens itself to liability because a failure to act on concrete alerts will be considered ministerial. Moreover, use of a SMP likely will expand a school’s duty to protect outside of the school’s premises because courts likely will not let schools ignore concrete information of imminent harm no matter where it may arise. In addition, courts may broaden school districts’ liability because use of an SMP likely will be considered an affirmative act to protect students, which may lull students and their parents into complacency if school authorities then act negligently. And, as SMPs become the norm, a failure to use an SMP may itself fall beneath a standard of reasonable care. Finally, we conclude that, for the most part, schools will escape liability for failing to supervise sufficiently the technology company utilizing the SMP. In sum, SMPs protect students and, to some extent, schools, but schools need take care lest their adoption of an SMP leads parents and courts to conclude that, in walking down that path, schools have become the insurer of student safety.
Hybrid Approach for Digital Twins in the Built Environment

In recent years, several countries have created policies to enforce Zero Energy Building (ZEB) standards for new building construction. Achieving this for new buildings is feasible, but it may be difficult to transform existing buildings to ZEBs. Digital twins provide a promising approach to monitor existing buildings and further increase their energy efficiency. A digital twin (DT) is a virtual representation of a physical entity. It has several applications in product design, product cycle, and fault detection. This paper presents a hybrid approach that combines physics-based and machine learning methods to create a DT for the built environment. A case study for a digital twin of a single room is also discussed. The initial comparison of cooling energy between the physical testbed and the DT model shows promising results for future development. The limitations, challenges, and future development of the approach are also addressed in the paper.
Mother-Toddler Shared Reading with Electronic versus Print Books: Mothers’ Language Use and Perspectives

Research Findings: Reading e-books is becoming common even among toddlers, but we have limited understanding of how parents-toddlers reading e-books together compares to print books. To address the...
A CD8+/CD103high T Cell Subset Regulates TNF-mediated Chronic Murine Ileitis

Recruitment of lymphocytes to sites of inflammation requires the sequential engagement of adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors. Of these, the lectin-like molecule CD44 has been particularly implicated in inflammatory trafficking. Using a TNF-driven model of chronic ileitis (i.e., B6.129P-Tnf(Delta)(ARE) mice) that recapitulates many features of Crohn's disease, we demonstrate dynamic changes in the expression and functional state of CD44 on CD8+ T cells. These cells coexpress CD44 and L-selectin, giving them a surface phenotype similar to that of central memory T cells. Yet functionally they exhibit the phenotype of effector T cells, because they produce IFN-gamma. Unexpectedly, depletion of the CD8+ population had no effect on the severity of ileitis. Further analyses showed a second CD8+ population that lacked CD44, but expressed CD103, produced TGF-beta, inhibited the proliferation of CD4+ in vitro, and attenuated adoptively transferred ileitis in vivo, most likely counteracting the proinflammatory role of the CD44(high) subset. Collectively, these data suggest that the presence or absence of CD44 and CD103 on the CD8+ lymphocyte surface defines functionally distinct subsets of CD8+ T cells in vivo. These inflammation-driven populations exert distinct roles during the development of chronic ileitis, and influence the balance of effector and regulatory functions in the chronically inflamed small intestine.
Steroid-induced conformational changes of rat glucocorticoid receptor cause altered trypsin cleavage of the putative helix 6 in the ligand binding domain

Abstract Steroid-induced changes in receptor protein conformation constitute a logical means of translating the variations in steroid structures into the observed array of whole cell biological activities. One conformational change in the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) can be readily discerned by following the ability of trypsin digestion to afford a 16-kDa fragment. This fragment is seen after proteolysis of steroid-free receptors but disappears in digests of either glucocorticoid- or antiglucocorticoid-bound receptors. The location of this cleavage site has now been located unambiguously as R651, in helix 6 of the ligand binding domain, by a combination of point mutagenesis, arginine specific protease digestion, and radiochemical sequencing. This 16-kDa species, corresponding to amino acids 652–795, was non-covalently associated with another, ∼17-kDa species that was determined to be amino acids 518–651 after a comparison of co-immunoprecipitated fragments from wild type and two chimeric receptors. These assignments revise our earlier report of amino acids 537–673 being the 16-kDa fragment and suggest that sequences of the entire ligand binding domain are required for high affinity and specificity binding. This was supported by the observation that trypsin digestion of the steroid-free R651A mutant GR gave rise to the 30-kDa meroreceptor (amino acids 518–795), which displayed wild type affinity. This 30-kDa species is thus the smallest non-associated fragment of GR possessing wild type steroid binding affinity. This suggests that other GR regions do not influence steroid binding affinity. The above results are reminiscent of those observed for the estrogen receptor. However, unlike the estrogen receptor or the more closely related progesterone receptor, the precise proteolytic cleavage points of both the steroid-free and -bound GR fall within regions that are predicted, on the basis of X-ray crystal structures of related receptors, to be α-helical and resistant to proteolysis. Thus, the tertiary structure of the GR ligand binding domain may be distinctly different from that of estrogen and progesterone receptors.
Tackling Large Verification Problems with the Swarm Tool

The range of verification problems that can be solved with logic model checking tools has increased significantly in the last few decades. This increase in capability is based on algorithmic advances, but in no small measure it is also made possible by increases in processing speed and main memory sizes on standard desktop systems. For the time being, though, the increase in CPU speeds has mostly ended as chip-makers are redirecting their efforts to the development of multi-core systems. In the coming years we can expect systems with very large memory sizes, and increasing numbers of CPU cores, but with each core running at a relatively low speed. We will discuss the implications of this important trend, and describe how we can leverage these developments with new tools.
Recent Work on Reinhold Niebuhr

Since September 11th, there has been a renaissance of interest in Reinhold Niebuhr and Christian Realism. Niebuhr’s name has been invoked to support several, often conflicting projects in theology and politics. He has been called ‘Obama’s Theologian’ and has been invoked to support Bush administration interventions around the world. This article surveys recent treatments of Niebuhr in order to provide a context in which one can locate and begin to assess the various readings of Niebuhr available today. The article explores Niebuhr’s place in contemporary theology, debates about Niebuhr, American empire, and American foreign policy, the use of Niebuhr’s work in thinking about globalization and global society, and the development of ‘hopeful realism’ in Niebuhr studies.
Acute Phase Proteins in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Dogs with Naturally-Occurring Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects thousands of people each year and there are no treatments that dramatically improve clinical outcome. Canine intervertebral disc herniation is a naturally-occurring SCI that has similarities to human injury and can be used as a translational model for evaluating therapeutic interventions. Here, we characterized cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acute phase proteins (APPs) that have altered expression across a spectrum of neurological disorders, using this canine model system. The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), alpha-1-glycoprotein, and serum amyloid A were determined in the CSF of 42 acutely injured dogs, compared with 21 healthy control dogs. Concentrations of APPs also were examined with respect to initial injury severity and motor outcome 42 d post-injury. Hp concentration was significantly higher (p<0.0001) in the CSF of affected dogs, compared with healthy control dogs. Additionally, the concentrations of CRP and Hp were significantly (...
THE U.S. TREASURY'S CAPITAL PURCHASE PROGRAM: TREASURY'S SELECTIVITY AND MARKET RETURNS ACROSS WEAK AND HEALTHY BANKS

We evaluate firms that voluntarily participated in the Treasury's Capital Purchase Plan (CPP), focusing on the market impact of their decision to participate. For healthy firms, abnormal stock returns are negative. For weak firms, CPP was a cheap source of funding, as demonstrated by their significant positive returns. Despite gains for weak firms, not all were permitted to participate. The Treasury made funding available to institutions with low levels of capital only if they also had better performing loan portfolios. Providing further evidence of the Treasury's selectivity, weak firms not participating in the CPP had significantly lower long-term returns than did weak firms that participated.
Crystallization and preliminary X‐ray studies of Pseudomonas putida histidine ammonium‐lyase

Histidine ammonium-lyase from P. putida was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and crystallized by the vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 3350 as the precipitant. The crystals, which diffract to at least 2.5 A ˚ resolution, exhibit the symmetry of space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 89.7, b = 138.2 and c = 164.8 A ˚ .T he asymmetric unit contains a tetramer, and the crystals have a Vm value of 2.41 A ˚ 3 Da ˇ1 .
Incongruent counterparts and modal relationism

Abstract Kant's argument from incongruent counterparts for substantival space is examined; it is concluded that the argument has no force against a relationist. The argument does suggest that a relationist cannot give an account of enantiomorphism, incongruent counterparts and orientability. The prospects for a relationist account of these notions are assessed, and it is found that they are good provided the relationist is some kind of modal relationist. An illustration and interpretation of these modal commitments is given.
Mechanism of dye-enhanced enamel ablation by Alexandrite laser radiation

Insufficient light absorption in hard dental tissues makes laser ablation in near UV, visible or near IR spectral ranges very inefficient to be employed for tooth cavity preparations. We used deposition of a liquid absorber, indocyanine green (ICG) dye, to overcome this problem. Experiments employed Alexandrite laser anticipating that future near IR diode laser technology will replace existing medical lasers. Ablation kinetics and mechanisms for both free-running and Q-switched modes of Alexandrite laser were studied with the aim to determine optimal parameters of laser irradiation and optimal volume of the dye. Four experimental parameters were monitored during each ablation event: (1) incident laser fluence, (2) temporal profile of the laser pulse, (3) temporal profile and magnitude of laser-induced stress transients, (4) temporal profile and spectrum of plasma emission. We also examined kinetics of plume by probing ablation products with CW He-Ne laser beam. Results depicted ablation process as a complex multistage phenomenon. Two distinct stages associated with the tooth ablation are revealed in the free-running mode: (1) ablation of a dye droplet from a tooth surface by the first laser micropulse of a 250-microsecond(s) macropulse, (2) plasma mediated ablation of a melted layer of enamel produced by thermal explosion of the dye. Plasma jet formation was delayed 10-100 microsecond(s) against the beginning of free-running pulse. Ablation stages and their efficiency are defined by laser irradiation parameters, dye concentration and its total volume. In contrast, Q-switched (nanosecond) laser ablation occurs as a one stage process, and, therefore, less efficient. In addition, Q-switched mode irradiation induces shock waves amplitudes that are about an order of magnitude higher compared with that induced by the free-running irradiation. Experimental comparison of Q-switched and free-running modes of irradiation is evident in favor of free-running mode that produces a nice smooth crater without noticeable thermomechanical damage to surrounding tissues.
Non-weight-bearing neural control of a powered transfemoral prosthesis

Lower limb prostheses have traditionally been mechanically passive devices without electronic control systems. Microprocessor-controlled passive and powered devices have recently received much interest from the clinical and research communities. The control systems for these devices typically use finite-state controllers to interpret data measured from mechanical sensors embedded within the prosthesis. In this paper we investigated a control system that relied on information extracted from myoelectric signals to control a lower limb prosthesis while amputee patients were seated. Sagittal plane motions of the knee and ankle can be accurately (>90%) recognized and controlled in both a virtual environment and on an actuated transfemoral prosthesis using only myoelectric signals measured from nine residual thigh muscles. Patients also demonstrated accurate (~90%) control of both the femoral and tibial rotation degrees of freedom within the virtual environment. A channel subset investigation was completed and the results showed that only five residual thigh muscles are required to achieve accurate control. This research is the first step in our long-term goal of implementing myoelectric control of lower limb prostheses during both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing activities for individuals with transfemoral amputation.
Portable autonomous vertical profiler for estuarine applications

The design and implementation of a portable autonomous vertical profiler are documented and example data sets from a mesotidal estuary and a microtidal, wind-driven estuary are presented. The profiler sampling range dynamically adjusts to changes in water column depth, and a typical vertical sampling resolution of 4 cm is attained. Example data show the onset and vertical and temporal extent of stratification in the water column. The profiler is ideal for water quality monitoring programs in shallow estuaries that require frequent profiles of hydrographic, chemical, and biological parameters that can be measured in situ.
Ripple correlation control applied to electric vehicle regenerative braking

This paper introduces output power maximization of a regenerative braking system using ripple correlation control (RCC). The proposed RCC application thus leads to a reduction in the size of the battery pack in an electric vehicle. Results show that the proposed optimization can increase regenerated power by up to 20% compared to conventional regenerative braking systems. Time and frequency domain simulations in MATLAB/Simulink verify the feasibility of such an application and show promising results in energy savings.
Identifying and quantifying the android device users' security risk exposure

ABSTRACT The Android operating system has been designed to afford secure but unrestricted use of smartphones for the users. The crux of this solution is that the burden of system administration has been, possibly unknowingly, placed upon each individual user. As a result, an understanding of user behavior in terms of what security settings they typically use, what applications they download and what permissions they grant to these applications is critical to evaluate the security risk exposure of Android users. This paper presents an analysis of security-related user behavior data collected from over 375 distinct users over a period of four months. Based on this collected data, the paper identifies the significant threats Android users are faced with and recommends possible solutions. Combined with additional literary and product research, the paper identifies multiple shortcomings in the existing Android security landscape.
DNA methylation in eukaryotes

Recent advances have expanded our understanding of the processes underlying the establishment, maintenance, and elaboration of DNA methylation patterns in eukaryotes. The functional significance of DNA methylation is sought in a comparison of results on a variety of epigenetic phenomena in different eukaryotes. The recent development of DNA methylation mutants in mice, Neurospora, and Arabadopsis will allow traditional genetic dissection to be applied to long-standing problems regarding the function and regulation of eukaryotic DNA methylation. Although methylation appears to be important for maintenance of different epigenetic states, the mechanism that establishes these states is likely to involve additional processes.
The language of children in the "inner city".

(1968). The Language of Children in the “Inner City”. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 68, No. 2, pp. 215-221.
A normal vibrational analysis of isotactic polystyrene

The regularity bands of isotactic polystyrene are determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to digitally substract the spectrum of a quenched sample from that of an annealed sample. Crystallization-sensitive bands in the Raman spectrum are identified by comparison of the spectra of annealed and quenched samples. The normal modes of isotactic polystyrene are calculated using force fields determined for saturated hydrocarbons and alkyl benzenes. A good fit between observed and calculated frequencies is obtained. It is evident from this study that the complex behavior of certain bands in the spectrum is due to a mixing of phenyl and skeletal vibrations.
An examination of leader political skill and its effect on ratings of leader effectiveness

Abstract We examine the multidimensionality and level of analysis issues of the leader skill political construct and test its effect on leader effectiveness ratings using administrative personnel from a public school district. Using a target report measure, our results show that a subordinate's perceptions of leader political skill exhibit two dimensions and that it exists primarily as a within-group phenomena. Perceptions of leader political skill also significantly predicted leader effectiveness ratings after controlling for leader demographic and social skill variables. The implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed.
Wilfred Owen and the Sublimity of Warfare

Writing home to his mother about hearing gunfire on a battlefield for the first time, Wilfred Owen describes it as “a sound not without a certain sublimity” (Collected Letters 423). It is a strange...
Adsorption in AgX and AgY zeolites by carbon monoxide and other simple molecules

Carbon monoxide was strongly adsorbed in AgX and AgY zeolites to the extent of four molecules per supercage at 25 °C. An intense infrared absorption band was observed at 2195 cm−1, which was only slightly affected by preadsorbed ammonia. The isosteric heats of adsorption were 19.2 kcal/mole for AgX and 15.1 kcal/mole for AgY at very low coverages. More nitrogen was adsorbed in AgX than in AgY with heat of adsorption as high as 8.2 kcal/mole at a coverage of 0.1 mmole/g. In the AgY sample, the heat was only 4.6 kcal/mole. The specific adsorption was due to higher silver content in the AgX zeolite, which also had higher heats for the adsorption of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The adsorption of oxygen at 25 °C in both zeolites was negligibly small. In addition to the initial reversible adsorption, a small amount of nitric oxide was slowly adsorbed in AgY. No migration of silver ions, when ammonia was adsorbed, could be inferred from adsorption measurement. No specific adsorption of carbon monoxide in AgX and AgY and of nitrogen in AgX was observed when the samples had been treated with carbon monoxide at 350 °C. Silver ions were probably reduced after this treatment.
A mechanism for the formation of the mineralized Mn deposits at Merehead Quarry, Cranmore, Somerset, England

Mississippi Valley type galena deposits emplaced into Carboniferous limestones throughout the Mendip Hills during the late Permian or Triassic period were locally exposed to the action of seawater during the Jurassic period following regional uplift and erosion of the intervening strata. Oxidation of galena initiated the deposition of manganate minerals from the seawater, and these adsorbed heavy metals from both the seawater and local environment. A subsequent hydrothermal event heated the lead-manganate deposits causing decomposition of the galena and creating the conditions which led to the formation of the suite of unusual secondary minerals – including a number of rare oxychlorides – now found at Merehead. Heating of the manganate phases converted them to Mn oxides and released the entrained heavy metals which were then incorporated into unusual mineral phases. The impervious Mn oxide coating which enclosed the cooling Pb-rich areas isolated them chemically, leading to closed-system behaviour. The high-T phases at Merehead are similar to those found in the Pb-bearing silicic skarns at Langban, whilst the suite of secondary minerals which evolved in the closed-system environments bears striking similarities to the ‘anomalous sequence’ of minerals found at the Mammoth-St. Antony Mine. The complexity of these formation processes probably explains the rarity of Mendip-type Pb-Mn deposits. The collective importance of the disconformity, the hydrothermal event, and subsequent sealing of the deposits are recognized for the first time, and the temperature of the hydrothermal event is shown to have been much greater than has heretofore been realized. Silurian volcanic strata underlying the Carboniferous limestones which have previously been assumed to be the source of heavy metals are shown to have been uninvolved in the process.
Effects of prey density on the growth and mortality of weakfish Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider) larvae: Experiments in field enclosures

Abstract Weakfish larvae ( Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider)) were reared in large enclosures (1.4 m 3 ) deployed near adult spawning grounds in Delaware Bay, USA. Larvae were fed wild zooplankton, and experimental prey levels encompassed naturally occurring densities (10, 100 and 1000 prey items 1 −1 ). Separate experiments were conducted for early-stage and late-stage larvae in 1990, and the late-stage experiment was repeated in 1994 using an improved statistical design. In 1990, there was a trend toward elevated growth rates with increasing prey levels. For early-stage larvae, larval notochord lengths ( NL ) varied with prey density and ranged from 3.65 to 4.30 mm. Larval dry weight ( W ) also varied with prey density and ranged from 39.5 to 61.3 μg. Calculated growth rates varied accordingly. Growth among late-stage larvae followed a similar trend, and NL ranged from 4.65 to 5.25 mm, while W ranged from 73.7 to 139.7 μg. In the repeated late-stage experiment (1994), a nested ANOVA showed significant effects of prey level on growth. Notochord length (4.33 mm) and dry weight (72.3 μg) were significantly depressed at the lowest prey density. Rates of instantaneous mortality were variable among individual enclosures and were not related to prey density in either year. Our results differ from previous field enclosure studies, which have shown little effect of prey density on the growth of larval fish. By contrast, our data indicate that low food levels may result in depressed growth rates among weakfish larvae in nursery areas like Delaware Bay. These lower growth rates may lead to an increased duration of larval development, potentially culminating in high mortality from increased exposure to predation or from advection from suitable juvenile habitats.
Preservation injury and acute rejection of rat intestinal grafts: protection afforded by pyruvate

Pyruvate has been shown to prevent intestinal mucosal injury after ischemia-reperfusion. The aim of the present study was to determine whether pyruvate can (1) prevent postreperfusion mucosal injury occurring after intestinal preservation and subsequent transplantation and (2) exert a protective effect on the intestinal graft mucosa during acute rejection. Preservation mucosal injury was evaluated, after 2 hours of reperfusion, by comparing grafts transplanted in a rat syngeneic combination (ACI to ACI) after 2 hours of cold preservation using pyruvate (n = 6) or placebo (n = 6). Mucosal parameters obtained during acute rejection (allogeneic combination: ACI to Lewis) were compared between placebo-treated (n =6) and pyruvate-treated (n = 6) animals. Tissue injury was evaluated by histopathologic examination, oxygen free radical production by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence, and degree of neutrophil infiltration by myeloperoxidase staining. After reperfusion of the preserved grafts and during acute rejection, mucosal oxygen free radical levels and the number of infiltrating neutrophils were significantly (P <0.05) increased in the untreated grafts, whereas there was a statistically significant inhibition of these parameters in those treated with pyruvate. Mucosal injury, seen after reperfusion of the preserved grafts, was prevented by pyruvate. The histopathologic abnormalities observed in the untreated grafts during rejection were also significantly reduced by pyruvate. Treatment with pyruvate before cold preservation of intestinal grafts, in this rat model, reduced reperfusion mucosal injury, neutrophil infiltration, and oxygen free radical production. Oxygen free radicals were produced in the mucosa of the graft during acute rejection and their production was reduced by pyruvate, which exerted a protective effect on the rejecting allograft mucosa.
Centers for Random Walks on Trees

We consider two distinct centers which arise in measuring how quickly a random walk on a tree mixes. Lovasz and Winkler [Efficient stopping rules for Markov chains, in Proceedings of the 27th ACM Symposium on the Theory of Computing, 1995, pp. 76-82] point out that stopping rules which “look where they are going” (rather than simply walking a fixed number of steps) can achieve a desired distribution exactly and efficiently. Considering an optimal stopping rule that reflects some aspect of mixing, we can use the expected length of this rule as a mixing measure. On trees, a number of these mixing measures identify particular nodes with central properties. In this context, we study a variety of natural notions of centrality. Each of these criteria identifies the barycenter of the tree as the “average” center and the newly defined focus as the “extremal” center.
Bloodstream- versus tick-associated variants of a relapsing fever bacterium

The relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia hermsii, alternates infections between a mammal and a tick vector. Whether the spirochete changes phenotypically in the different hosts was examined by allowing the tick vector Ornithodoros hermsi to feed on mice infected with serotype 7 or serotype 8 of B. hermsii. Upon infection of ticks, the spirochetal serotype-specific variable major proteins (Vmps) 7 and 8 became undetectable and were replaced by Vmp33. This switch from a bloodstream- to tick-associated phenotype could be induced in culture by a decrease in temperature. After tick-bite transmission back to mice, the process was reversed and the spirochetes resumed expression of the same Vmp present in the previous infectious blood meal.
Regional Coronary Anatomy in Rest Angina: Comparison of Patients with Rest and Exertional Angina using Quantitative Coronary Angiography

To determine if patients with rest angina have more severe regional ischemia than patients with exertional angina, we compared the severity of left coronary artery (LCA) stenosis in 29 patients with transient anterior ischemic ST-T changes at rest, and 30 patients with anterior ST changes only during exertion. The percentage diameter stenosis was measured with Vernier calipers as (2 × lesion diameter × 100 percent)/(pre-stenotic + poststenotic diameter). There was no difference between the two groups in the mean diameter stenosis of unoccluded LCA vessels either when all vessels were compared (rest: 69 ± 12 percent; exertional: 70 ± 13 percent [p=NSD or when only the maximal stenosis in each patient was compared (rest: 74 ± 10 percent; exertional: 75 ± 12 percent [p=NS]). Total occlusion of at least one major vessel of the LCA also occurred with similar frequency in patients with rest (6/29) and exertional (12/30) angina (p=NS). However, collateral development distal to 76-100 percent LCA lesions was significantly less frequent in rest angina (4/21 vessels [19 percent]) than in exertional angina (21/30 vessels [70 percent]), (p
Lingua Latina: A College Companion based on Hans Ørberg's by NEUMANN, JEANNE MARIE

The article reviews the book "Lingua Latina: A College Companion based on Hans Orberg's Latine Disco, with Vocabulary and Grammar," by Jeanne Marie Neumann, an accompaniment to part 1 of Hans Orberg's book "Lingua Latina" entitled "Familia Romana."
REPRESENTATIONAL VALIDITY OF LANDSCAPE VISUALIZATIONS: THE EFFECTS OF GRAPHICAL REALISM ON PERCEIVED SCENIC BEAUTY OF FOREST VISTAS

Abstract Photographs have long been used to represent environmental conditions in the context of landscape quality assessments and environmental perception research. Representational options have been significantly expanded by applications of computer modeling and computer graphic technologies that can provide precise visualizations based on inventoried or model-projected biophysical data. Final graphic displays from computer visualization systems can range from very abstract ‘wire-frame’ models to high resolution, photorealistic video images. An important assumption underlying the use of both photographic and computer rendered visualizations is that human viewers' responses to these representations provide valid indications of perceptions and judgments made in response to direct experience with the landscape conditions nominally represented. In this study the same set of forest landscape scenes was represented by visualizations rendered at four different levels of realism–abstraction. Each representation was shown to separate groups of observers who rated the perceived scenic beauty of the common set of forest landscape scenes. Correlations between the ratings of the same scenes in the different visualization conditions were very low, raising important questions about the representational validity of computer-generated landscape visualizations.
Measurement of volatile organic compounds in bottled and tap waters by purge and trap GC–MS: Are drinking water types different?

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including major trihalomethanes (THMs) in bottled and tap waters from Central Missouri were quantified and compared with drinking water guidelines. Tap (n = 34), spring (3 brands, n = 25), purified (8 brands, n = 58), distilled (3 brands, n = 12) and flavored waters (5 brands, n = 34) along with Missouri River water (n = 30), were analyzed by purge and trap gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) using USEPA method 524.2. The mean recoveries of the internal and surrogates standards were fluorobenzene: 100%, benzene d5-, chloro: 100% and 1,4-dichlorobenzene d4: 96%. Approximately 97% of all drinking water types were found to be safe for human consumption. However, two tap water samples recorded bromodichloromethane concentrations above the 60 μg/L World Health Organization (WHO) limit. Moreover, six tap water samples exceeded both the 80 μg/L USEPA Stage I limit and the 100 μg/L European Community (EC) maximum contaminant concentration (MAC) for total THMs (TTHMs) in drinking water. TTHMs in the water types ranged from 0–322 μg/L (tap), 0.1–0.3 μg/L (spring), 0–7.6 μg/L (purified), 0.1–18.1 μg/L (distilled), and 0–5.7 μg/L (flavored). Kruskal–Wallis Chi square approximation showed significant differences (P
Venous Sinus Thrombosis and Consumptive Coagulopathy: A Role for Heparin?

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a relatively rare but serious condition, more commonly affecting children and pregnant women. It can be precipitated by dehydration. Despite the frequent coexistence of hemorrhage in venous infarcts of patients, clinical trials in adults recommended the use of anticoagulation. No randomized, clinical trials exist in the pediatric age group. Rarely, consumptive coagulopathy is reported to coexist with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. We report on a child with venous sinus thrombosis and consumptive coagulopathy developing after routine tonsillectomy and its successful management with anticoagulation.