cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Between groups and total income inequality indices; U.S. 1960∗☆

Abstract The study contains a theoretical analysis on the behavior of a between groups Lorenz Index. The variables affecting this index are utilized to construct between groups indices for white-non-white; rural-urban; above 65 yr old-younger; population groups by state for 1960. The constructed indices were then used as explanatory variables for the state total Lorenz Index. It was found that they explained over 80 per cent of the variance. Adding other socio-economic variables enabled us to explain over 90 per cent of the variance of state Lorenz indices.
Congenital Homonymous Hemianopia

We reviewed eight cases of congenital homonymous hemianopia to emphasize the features that may help the clinician to diagnose a congenital disease. The patients were usually unaware of the visual field defect. The hemianopia was usually congruous when incomplete and the opticokinetic nystagmus had a normal pattern. Associated congenital ocular and neurologic abnormalities were common. Clinically recognizable atrophy or hypoplasia of the optic disk was found in all but one of the patients. There was often a history of neonatal or gestational difficulties followed by emotional, behavioral, and learning problems without mental retardation.
Igualitarismo, internacionalização e cidadania

O artigo busca argumentar que a internacionalizacao nao vai contra o igualitarismo como projeto politico, mas que este so podera sobreviver a ela se se despir de sua forma social-democrata tradicional. Apos apresentar um breve quadro politico geral de uma forma alternativa de igualitarismo, descreve algumas politicas promotoras de igualdade que podem ser desenvolvidas num mundo internacionalizado e, finalmente, apresenta algumas implicacoes deste conjunto de questoes para a cidadania. Segundo o autor, o novo igualitarismo requer a existencia de uma nova esfera publica, com maior envolvimento direto dos cidadaos na solucao de problemas coletivos, o que aponta para a construcao de uma democracia mais direta e mais deliberativa, com a transferencia de certas responsabilidades consideradas caracteristicamente como atribuicoes do Estado para redes de arenas deliberativas, tornando menos rigidas as fronteiras entre publico e privado. Os argumentos sao apresentados de forma abstrata mas o ponto de referencia principal (as vezes implicito) do autor sao os EUA.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF LIPOFUSCIN AGE PIGMENT IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF AGED MICE

An examination of the topographic distribution of lipofuscin pigment granules with the light and electron microscope revealed either smaller and randomly "dispersed" or larger and more complex "clustered" pigment configurations in the cytoplasm of neurons in the dorsal ganglia and ventral spinal cord of 24-month old male mice. Qualitative comparisons revealed no major differences in shape, size, complexity, density, orientation, and cytologic distribution of the pigment bodies in motor and sensory neurons. In general, when the pigment granules were quite numerous within the 2 types of cells, they were smaller in size (∼lµ), had a dense homogeneous matrix with few bands or lamellae, and were uniformly distributed throughout the cytoplasm. In contrast, when the pigment configurations were less in number, they were usually larger in size (∼3µ), had a more complex internal banded structure, and appeared more localized within the cell. Examination of the bands revealed a repeating pattern of ∼70 A. The bands appeared to fuse, forming hexagonal arrays of linear densities intersecting at an angle of approximately 120° in some regions of the pigment bodies. Structural similarities suggested that the striated membranous bands may be composed of phospholipids.
Reduction of the human detective quantum efficiency due to lateral neural interactions

We present a simple representation of the lateral neural interactions of summation and subtraction in a situation involving quantum limited luminance increment detection. Lateral subtractive interactions would be expected to lower the measured quantum efficiency by up to a log unit. Lateral neural interactions can explain both the type and amount of decrease of human foveal quantum efficiency with target area reported by Cohn as well as the increase reported by Clark-Jones.
Ethical, legal and social issues surrounding research on genetic contributions to anti-social behavior

Scientific study of genetic contributions to chronic antisocial behavior has stemmed from many lines of research in recent years. Genetic research involving twin, family, and adoption studies has traditionally been used to compare the health and behavior outcomes of individuals who share the same environment or hereditary lineage; several of these studies have concluded that heredity plays some role in the formation of chronic antisocial behavior, including various forms of aggression and chronic norm-defiance. However, the ethical, social, and legal environment surrounding research on the biological contributions to antisocial behavior in the United States is contentious. Although there has been some discussion in the last few decades regarding the ethical, social, and legal concerns around this type of research within academic and policy circles, analysis and discussion of these concerns rarely appear together. This paper explores the main themes that interact to form the basis of much of the resistance to positing biological contributions to antisocial behavior.
Modeling and Simulating Wind Variation between Flights for Continuous Descent Arrival Implementation

*† Variation in wind fields is a major contributing factor to aircraft trajectory variations. As part of the effort to develop tools assisting the widespread implementation of environmental and fuel efficient arrival procedures such as Continuous Descent Arrival, aircraft trajectory variations must be analyzed and simulated. A method has been developed to model and simulate wind variation between consecutive flights. This research utilized Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System metrological reports as the data source. Winds experienced by flights were assumed a nominal wind profile plus a wind variation profile that signifies the difference between consecutive flight pairs. Wind variation profiles were obtained from wind data reported by consecutive arrival flight pairs following similar ground tracks and vertical profiles. For simplicity, such obtained wind variation profiles were treated as random processes of altitude. It was observed that wind variation profiles were not stationary processes. To cope with the issue of non-stationary, a unique mode decomposition approach was developed to separate each wind variation profile into a zero mean higher frequency signal, a zero mean lower frequency signal, and a static signal. Each separated signal was then viewed as a stationary process; and the two components, East wind variation and North wind variation were viewed as independent. The decomposed wind components were then approximated as autoregressive signals. The final wind variation model was built on the averages of estimated covariances for data samples of the corresponding component. Details of the mode-decomposition/autoregressive approach are described in this paper, as well as the application of this modeling technique in modeling and simulating aircraft trajectory variations.
Has Molecular and Cellular Imaging Enhanced Drug Discovery and Drug Development

A great many efforts have been made to accelerate the drug discovery and development process, which is extremely time and money consuming. Recently developed molecular imaging has many significant advantages over conventional methods for examining molecular pathways and obtaining pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and mechanistic information. This review briefly summarizes various molecular and cellular imaging techniques and discusses several important applications of molecular and cellular imaging in drug discovery and development, which include: (i) measurement of pharmacodynamic endpoints by imaging metabolism and proliferation, imaging angiogenic parameters, and imaging a particular pathway or downstream target; (ii) evaluation of pharmacokinetics; and (iii) imaging therapeutic gene expression with relevance to gene therapy. Molecular imaging is becoming more widely used as a non-invasive tool for drug discovery and drug screening. Further refinements in imaging techniques, optimization of imaging probes and collaborative efforts will be needed to fully realise the vast potential of molecular imaging techniques in discovering and developing new drugs.
Identification of Members of the Dimocarpus Longan Flowering Locus T Gene Family with Divergent Functions in Flowering

Dimocarpus longan is a subtropical fruit crop whose year-round production relies on the application of KClO3 to induce flowering; however, the mechanism by which this chemical causes flowering is yet unknown. To further characterize floral signaling in this species, we have isolated three longan FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes and studied their activities by heterologous expression in Arabidopsis. Expression of two of these genes (DlFT2 and DlFT3) accelerates flowering, whereas expression of the third gene (DlFT1) causes delayed flowering and produced floral morphology defects. This anti-florigenic protein may be a member of a class of FT-like family involved in flowering time control in biennial and perennial species. Surprisingly, KClO3 treatment also suppressed the expression of both DlFT2 and DlFT3 in a field trial.
Diffusion Imaging of the Congenitally Thickened Corpus Callosum

SUMMARY: This report presents 4 subjects with congenital segmental callosal thickening, an uncommon malformation studied with MR imaging and DTI. Medical records were reviewed for genetic testing and neurodevelopmental status. Three subjects had profound developmental delay; 3 had seizures. MR imaging showed segmental thickening of the rostral and/or midcallosal body. Associated anomalies included polymicrogyria in 1 patient and optic hypoplasia in 1. DTI showed that the segmental thickening was due to anomalous longitudinal supracallosal fibers visually separable from the paired cingulum in 3 patients; in 1 patient, the cingulum was poorly formed. Genetic testing was negative for Fragile X syndrome. Microarray DNA analysis showed 3 copy losses (2q27.3, 3p21.31, 7q21.11) and 1 copy gain (8p11.23) in 1 patient, while testing in the other subject was negative for losses or gains. Potential explanations for the anomalous fibers include heterotopic cingulum, an enlarged indusium griseum, and aberrant callosal fibers.
Linear controller for robust tracking of uncertain time-delay systems

We consider a class of linear time-delay dynamic systems containing uncertain elements. The plant and input matrices of the system are uncertain and the plant states have retarded arguments. The only information available about the uncertain parameters is the bounding sets in which they lie. A linear controller is developed to force the output of the uncertain time-delay system to track the output of a non-delay reference model. The tracking error does not asymptotically decrease to zero; instead the error is bounded. This bound can be made arbitrarily small. Examples are provided to illustrate the application of the theory.
The Egyptian Uprising and the Global Capitalist System

This article situates Egypt in the global capitalist system to understand better the causes of the uprising beyond the one that has been put forth primarily in the Western media, viz. the authoritarian, undemocratic Mubarak regime was the main source. While democracy is a critical instrument that gives people more say in the process of governance, the uprising was primarily caused by the failure of the Mubarak regime to bring economic prosperity. Indeed, poverty had increased and political repression was used to squelch any opposition to Mubarak’s economic policies. This article argues that the continuing uprising is part of a global resistance to a US-led global capitalist system.
Effect of some irritants on human epidermal mitosis

Studies on how irritant materials might induce epidermal hyperplasia were initiated by investigating their influence on epidermal mitosis. 5 % hydrochloric acid, neat dimethyl acetamide and 1 % benzalkonium chloride had no effect. 5 % benzalkonium chloride, however, produced a 10-fold increase in mitotic activity, while a dose response curve was seen with sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) peaking at 1 %, 1 % SLS produced a remarkably uniform response for this type of assay and it is suggested that it might provide a useful model for situations of increased epidermal cell turnover such as psoriasis. It is also noted that there was apparently no direct relationship between gross inflammation and the mitotic response.
Splice, Bus and High Current HTS Lead Tests for the Mu2e Solenoid System

The Muon-to-Electron conversion experiment, under development at Fermilab, utilizes a complex superconducting solenoid magnet system. Usage of high temperature superconductor (HTS) power leads and reliable superconducting bus system and splice joints are essential to the assuring safe, continuous and cost effective operation of the magnets. Left over HTS power leads from the Tevatron era combined with superconducting bus (made from aluminum-clad NbTi Rutherford cable) and three different types of splices were successfully tested in a single dewar test configuration up to 10150 A. In this paper we summarize the test results.
“Verbal Ping Pong” as Culturally Congruent Communication: Maximizing African American Students' Access and Engagement as Socially Just Teaching

African American youth have been disciplined and dismissed from classrooms for engaging in culturally-based communication practices that teachers misinterpret and perceive as disruptive. Teachers have significant power in how they communicate with their students. White teachers should be especially aware of this power because misunderstandings around communication often stem from cultural differences. This study illustrates the promising practice of a white teacher who integrated African American students' culturally-based literacy practice of “verbal ping pong” into English subject matter instruction. Ethnographic methods that foreground the perspectives of student participants illuminated the significance of this highly interactive discourse, while discourse analysis showed how it functioned as culturally congruent communication to promote students' access to classroom discourse and engagement in subject matter learning. By showing how culturally congruent communication can provide equitable access to l...
Cholinomimetic compound distinct from caffeine contained in coffee. II: Muscarinic actions

Abstract An extract with cholinergic activities was isolated from instant regular and decaffeinated coffees and purified. Intravenous injection of this cholinomimetic extract of coffee produced an abrupt depression in blood pressure and heart rate, changes that were distinct from those of known components of coffee, including caffeine, trigonelline, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. Pretreatment of the animals with naloxone, propranolol, isobutylmethylxanthine, hexamethonium bromide, and hemicholinium‐3 chloride or bilateral vagotomy did not affect the cardiodepressive effects of the extract, whereas atropine completely abolished them. Direct injection of the cholinomimetic extract of coffee (20–100 μg) into the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain did not produce any cardiovascular effect. However, the extract of coffee did cause relaxation of isolated rat and rabbit aortic ring preparations that were contracted under norepinephrine. The cholinomimetic extract did not inhibit purified acetyicholinesterase. This pharmacologic profile indicates that the cholinomimetic extract of coffee acts as a direct muscarinic agonist.
Equation of motion of a diffusing vortex sheet

Moore's (1978) equation for following the evolution of a thin layer of uniform vorticity in two dimensions is extended to the case of a non-uniform, instantaneously known, vorticity distribution, using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. In general, the vorticity distribution satisfies a boundary-layer equation. This has a similarity solution in the case of a vortex layer of small thickness in a viscous fluid. Using this solution, an equation of motion of a diffusing vortex sheet is obtained. The equation retains the simplicity of Birkhoff's integro-differential equation for a vortex sheet, while incorporating the effect of viscous diffusion approximately. The equation is used to study the growth of long waves on a Rayleigh layer.
Improving Active Compression-Decompression Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation With an Inspiratory Impedance Valve

Background Active compression-decompression (ACD) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has recently been demonstrated to provide significantly more blood flow to vital organs during cardiac arrest. To further enhance the effectiveness of this technique, we tested the hypothesis that intermittent impedance to inspiratory gas exchange during the decompression phase of ACD CPR enhances vital organ blood flow. Methods and Results ACD CPR was performed with a pneumatically driven automated compression-decompression device in a porcine model of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Nine pigs were randomized to receive ACD CPR alone, while 8 pigs received ACD CPR plus intermittent impedance to inspiratory gas exchange with a threshold valve set to 40 cm H2O. Results comparing 2 minutes of ACD CPR alone versus ACD CPR with the inspiratory impedance threshold valve (ITV) revealed significantly higher mean (±SEM) coronary perfusion pressures (diastolic aortic minus diastolic right atrial pressures) in the ITV (31.0±2.3 mm ...
Model-driven performance estimation, deployment, and resource management for cloud-hosted services

There is a growing trend towards migrating applications and services to the cloud. This trend has led to the emergence of different cloud service providers (CSPs), in turn leading to different cost models offered by these CSPs to lease their resources, variabilities in the granularity and specification of resources provided, and heterogeneous APIs offered by the CSPs to the users to program resource requests and deployment for their cloud-hosted services. These challenges make it hard for customers of the cloud to seamlessly transition their services to the cloud or migrate between different CSPs. To address these challenges, this paper presents a solution based on model-driven engineering (MDE). Specifically, we describe the design of the domain-specific modeling languages in our MDE framework and the associated generative mechanisms that address the challenges related to estimating performance and cost to host the services in the cloud, automated deployment and resource management.
Influences of calcium availability and tree species on Ca isotope fractionation in soil and vegetation

The calcium (Ca) isotope system is potentially of great use for understanding biogeochemical processes at multiple scales in forest ecosystems, yet remains largely unexplored for this purpose. In order to further our understanding of Ca behavior in forests, we examined two nearly adjacent hardwood-dominated catchments with differing soil Ca concentrations, developed from crystalline bedrock, to determine the variability of 44Ca/40Ca ratios (expressed as δ44Ca) within soil and vegetation pools. For both sugar maple and American beech, the Ca isotope compositions of the measured roots and calculated bulk trees were considerably lighter than those of soil pools at these sites, suggesting that the trees were able to preferentially take up light Ca at the root–soil interface. The Ca isotope compositions of three of four root samples were among the lightest values yet reported for terrestrial materials (δ44Ca ≤−3.95‰). Our results further indicate that Ca isotopes were fractionated along the transpiration streams of both tree species with roots having the least δ44Ca values and leaf litter the greatest. An approximately 2‰ difference in δ44Ca values between roots and leaf litter of both tree species suggests a persistent fractionation mechanism along the transpiration stream, likely related to Ca binding in wood tissue coupled with internal ion exchange. Finally, our data indicate that differing tree species demand for Ca and soil Ca concentrations together may influence Ca isotope distribution within the trees. Inter-catchment differences in Ca isotope distributions in soils and trees were minor, indicating that the results of our study may have broad transferability to studies of forest ecosystems in catchments developed on crystalline substrates elsewhere.
The Overlap and Distinction of Self-Reported Symptoms between Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome and Overactive Bladder: A Questionnaire Based Analysis

Purpose: We compared symptoms between interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and overactive bladder based on patient self-reported symptoms on validated questionnaires.Materials and Methods: We prospectively recruited 26 patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, 53 diagnosed with overactive bladder and 30 healthy controls to participate in a questionnaire based study that inquired about lower urinary tract symptoms. The questionnaires used were GUPI, ICSI, ICPI, ICIQ-OAB, ICIQ-UI, IUSS, numerical rating scales of the severity of bladder pain, pressure or discomfort, and numerical rating scale of the severity of urgency and frequency symptoms.Results: On univariate analysis patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome reported significantly more severe pain symptoms than those with overactive bladder. Patients with overactive bladder reported significantly more severe urinary incontinence symptoms than those with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Ther...
Simultaneous heat and mass transfer from multicomponent condensing vapor-gas systems

Multicomponent vapor condensation in the presence of noncondensing gas has been analyzed using numerical solutions to a set of linearized rate equations that describe the simultaneous heat and mass transfer to the condensate film. For specific examples of methanol and water and ethanol and toluene condensing from turbulent air streams in vertical tube and on horizontal tube condensers, it is shown that the alcohol concentrations in both the liquid and gas phases increase as condensation from initially superheated, alcohol-rich gas phases progresses; the liquid phases also become richer in alcohol. The mass fluxes of the vapors vary with their respective mass transfer coefficients and local concentration driving forces. In the vertical tube condensers, the flux of the alcohols go through maximums. Gas phase saturation is approached as the mixtures cool and the final traces of vapor become more difficult to condense. Interface properties are computed from limited VL equilibrium data, heat of solution data, and a predictive equation. The techniques of solution and analysis have general application to the design of cooler-condensers in either vertical or horizontal configurations.
Just-In-Time (JIT)

Just-In-Time systems have been implemented in companies throughout the world. Much of the early publicity in the 1980s was regarding Japanese systems and their successes. Since that time, many companies in other industrialized nations, such as the United States and European countries, have implemented these systems. The motivating impetus for these companies can be defined by one word—competition.
Large-Eddy Simulation of a Stratus-Topped Boundary Layer. Part II: Implications for Mixed-Layer Modeling

Abstract Two sets of large-eddy simulation data were used to study some of the assumptions about the cloud-topped boundary layer (CTBL) structure which are used in mixed-layer models. The roles of buoyant production and cloud-top radiative cooling in turbulent kinetic energy generation were examined. The buoyant production in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budgets was partitioned into production and consumption components by grouping the warm-rising and cold-sinking parcels and the warm-sinking and cold-rising parcels, separately. The results indicate that the ratio of the consumption part of the buoyant production to the sum of the shear production and the production part of the buoyant production is 0.15 for the clear convective mixed layer, and 0.22 for the CTBL. Almost all mixed-layer models use the experimentally (from either direct measurement or tank experiment) obtained ratio of the buoyancy flux at the top of the clear convective boundary layer to the flux at the surface for their entrainment...
Photoproduction and decay of light mesons in CLAS

We present preliminary experimental results on photoproduction and decay of light mesons measured with CLAS setup at JLAB . This include Dalitz decay of pseudoscalar and vector mesons, radiative decay of pseudoscalar mesons as well hadronic decays of pseudoscalar and vector mesons. The collected high statistics in some of decay channels exceeds the world data by an order of magnitude and some other decay modes are observed for the first time. It is shown how the CLAS data will improve the world data on transition form factors of light mesons, Dalitz plot analyses, branching ratios of rare decay modes and other fundamental properties potentially accessible through the light meson decays.
A survey of biases in the measurement of plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in 32 lipid clinics in the UK.

Plasma lipid and lipoprotein assays have become an integral part of national strategies to detect and treat cardiovascular disease.' High plasma concentrations of total and low density lipoproteins (LDL) increase risk, whereas those of high density lipoproteins (HDL) protect. The atherogenic potential of triglycerides is controversial, but this lipid is often used to estimate LDL cholesterol concentrations. The accuracy and precision of these assays are critical as clinical decisions are often made using nationally-defined cut-offs which do not allow for methodological error. In the case of total cholesterol these cut-offs have been lowered so that they now lie well within the normal distribution in the general population and thus their usefulness will be compromised by analytical inaccuracy. For example, a positive bias of 5OJo in a total cholesterol assay would cause misclassification of approximately 40% of patients with high or borderline-high values.? Acknowledgement of widespread inaccuracy in the measurement of total cholesterol led to the UK National Initiative on Cholesterol Accuracy, Methods and Standardization (NICAMS),3 which makes available human sera of known total cholesterol content. The accuracy of triglyceride and HDL cholesterol assays has not been systematically investigated in the UK. We have attempted to estimate the extent of analytical biases for these analytes using data derived from a large UK multicentre study of a lipid-lowering drug."
The Bacteriology of Ulcer of the Stomach and Duodenum in Man

It is recognized that hemorrhage of the stomach with or without visible ulceration occurs rather commonly during the late stages of severe streptococcal infections in man and animals. The cause of the gastric lesions in these cases usually is thought to be the profound toxemia, in spite of the fact that many observers have demonstrated the presence of streptococci or diplococci in the lesions in the mucous membrane. The cause of the usual ulcer of the stomach in man, which tends to persist and which occurs commonly in otherwise healthy individuals, the usual symptoms or other evidences of infection being slight or wholly absent, is not clearly established. The presence of pyorrhea, as noted by Bolton1 and others, of blind abscesses about the roots of teeth, of chronically infected tonsils and sinuses about the head; the occurrence of acute attacks of such infections, especially streptococcal, often a week or ten days previous to acute ulceration and previous to exacerbation of symptoms in chronic ulcer; the aggravation of symptoms in chronic duodenal ulcer during the months when throat and other streptococcal infections are particularly prevalent, as emphasized by Moynihan2; the improvement in symptoms following eradication of foci of infection, as noted especially by Billings;3 and the fact that streptococci when of a certain grade of virulence, quite irrespective of their original source, are prone to localize in the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum of animals following intravenous injection, producing ulcers which resemble those in man, as shown by Rosenow4 ?all suggest strongly that a localized streptococcal infection may be an important factor in the original production of the ulceration.
Immediate and Delayed Disposal of Acacia Injected Intravenously in the Dog

The intravenous injection of acacia is followed by a decrease in the concentration of the serum proteins including fibrinogen, a diminution in the total circulating protein,12345 and alterations in the colloidal osmotic pressure.7 The acacia is stored largely in the liver.26 These results have been attributed to an interference with the proteogenic function of the liver.2Our experience has shown that diets containing 50 cc of codliver oil, 150 cc tomato juice, 200 g of meat, and 200 g of prepared dog food are adequate8 and maintain blood proteins at a high level over a period of a year's time.When acacia solutions (12% acacia in 0.85% sodium chloride) approximating the plasma volume are injected, there is an immediate increase in blood volume (22 to 30%), a decrease in serum proteins (both albumin and globulin) and an increase in the acacia. The values for serum acacia plus protein equal the original value for serum protein. One and one-half hours after the injection the blood vessels of the viscera are e...
A Study of Local and Extended Migration of H and Defects in a-Si by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

We report on extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on a-Si:H for up to 5 Ps using the ab initio code of Sankey and Drabold. The supercells contain about 70 atoms and only one defect in order to minimize defect-defect interaction. Simulations on supercell samples that originally contain one bond centered (BC) H in an otherwise defect free sample exhibit BC to BC diffusion as in c-Si. However, we also observe localized motion of defects and H atoms on a very fast time scale that probably has been observed in several experiments.
Value of Neonicotinoid Insecticide Seed Treatments in Mid-South Soybean ( Glycine max ) Production Systems.

Early-season insect management is complex in the Mid-South region of the United States. A complex of multiple pest species generally occurs simultaneously at subthreshold levels in most fields. Neonicotinoids are the only insecticide seed treatment widely used in soybean, Glycine max L., production. An analysis was performed on 170 trials conducted in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee from 2005 to 2014 to determine the impact of neonicotinoid seed treatments in soybean. The analysis compared soybean seed treated with a neonicotinoid insecticide and a fungicide with soybean seed only treated with the same fungicide. When analyzed by state, soybean yields were significantly greater in all states when neonicotinoid seed treatments were used compared with fungicide-only treatments. Soybean treated with neonicotinoid treatments yielded 112.0 kg ha−1, 203.0 kg ha−1, 165.0 kg ha−1, and 70.0 kg ha−1, higher than fungicide-only treatments for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, respectively. Across all states, neonicotinoid seed treatments yielded 132.0 kg ha−1 more than with fungicide-only treated seed. Net returns from neonicotinoid seed treatment usage were US$1,203 per ha−1 compared with US$1,172 per ha−1 for fungicide-only treated seed across the Mid-South. However, economic returns for neonicotinoid seed treatments were significantly greater than fungicide-only treated seed in 4 out of the 10 yr. When analyzed by state economic returns the neonicotinoid seed treatments were significantly greater than fungicide-only treated seed in Louisiana and Mississippi. These data show that in some areas and years, neonicotinoid seed treatments provide significant economic benefits in Mid-South soybean.
Effect of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Use on Sedative Requirements in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To compare sedative dose requirements during the 6-hour period when they are greatest in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as well as the time from severe ARDS onset to reach this maximum sedation exposure, between patients with severe ARDS who were managed either with or without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Also, to explore factors other than ECMO use that may influence sedation requirements during this period of maximum sedation. DESIGN Retrospective comparative cohort analysis. DATA SOURCES Two academic centers, one with an adult ECMO program and one without. PATIENTS Consecutive adults with severe ARDS who were receiving continuous-infusion sedative therapy for at least 48 hours from the time of severe ARDS diagnosis and who were managed with ECMO (34 patients) or without ECMO (60 patients) between 2009 and 2013. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Among patients managed with ECMO, the maximum median (interquartile range [IQR]) 6-hr sedative exposure (in midazolam equivalents) was nearly twice as high (118 [IQR 48-225] mg vs 60 [37-99] mg, p=0.004) and was reached, on average, 3 days later (4 [IQR 1-8] vs 1 [IQR 0.5-6] days, p=0.003) than patients not managed with ECMO. Patients managed with ECMO were younger, had a higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and, in the 24 hours prior to the period of maximum sedative exposure, had a higher ratio of partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to fraction of inspired oxygen and were more likely to receive renal replacement and high-dose fentanyl (2000 μg or more/24 hrs) therapy. An adjusted multivariable linear regression model using the natural logarithmic value of the maximum sedative exposure in a 6-hour period revealed that patient age (p=0.04) and administration of high-dose fentanyl in the 24 hours prior to the 6-hour period of maximum sedative use (p<0.0001) were each independently associated with the maximum 6-hour sedative requirement reached, but the use of ECMO was not (p=0.52). CONCLUSION Although the application of ECMO during severe ARDS resulted in a period of maximum sedation exposure that was both greater and took longer to reach, factors other than ECMO, particularly high-dose opioid administration, appeared more likely to account for this maximum sedation use. Further research surrounding sedative requirements, clearance, and patient response during ECMO is required.
Identifying cases of heroin toxicity where 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM) is not detected by toxicological analyses

Heroin has a half-life of 2–6 min and is metabolized too quickly to be detected in autopsy samples. The presence of 6-acetylmophine (6-AM) in urine, blood, or other samples is convincing evidence of heroin use by a decedent, but 6-AM itself has a half-life of 6–25 min before it is hydrolyzed to morphine, so 6-AM may not be present in sufficient concentration to detect in postmortem samples. Codeine is often present in heroin preparations as an impurity and is not a metabolite of heroin. Studies report that a ratio of morphine to codeine greater than one indicates heroin use. We hypothesize that the ratio of morphine to codeine in our decedents abusing drugs intravenously will be no different in individuals with 6-AM present than in individuals where no 6-AM is detected, and we report our study of this hypothesis. All accidental deaths investigated by the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office from 2010 to 2013 with morphine detected in blood samples collected at autopsy were reviewed. Five deaths where trauma caused or contributed to death were excluded from the review. The presence or absence of 6-AM and the concentrations of morphine and codeine were recorded for each case. The ratio of morphine to codeine was calculated for all decedents. Any individual in whom no morphine or codeine was detected in a postmortem sample was excluded from further study. Absence or presence of drug paraphernalia or evidence of intravascular (IV) drug use was documented in each case to identify IV drug users. The proportion of the IV drug users with and without 6-AM present in a postmortem sample was compared to the M/C ratio for the individuals. Of the 230 deaths included in the analysis, 103 IV drug users with quantifiable morphine and codeine in a postmortem sample were identified allowing for calculation of an M/C ratio. In these IV drug users, the M/C ratio was greater than 1 in 98 % of decedents. When controlling for the absence or presence of 6-AM there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of IV drug users when compared to non IV drug users with an M/C ratio of greater than 1 (p = 1.000). The M/C ratio in IV drug users, if greater than 1, is seen in deaths due to heroin toxicity where 6-AM is detected in a postmortem sample. This study provides evidence that a M/C ratio greater than one in an IV drug user is evidence of a death due to heroin toxicity even if 6-AM is not detected in the blood. Using the M/C ratio, in addition to scene and autopsy findings, provides sufficient evidence to show heroin is the source of the morphine and codeine. Listing heroin as a cause or contributing factor in deaths with evidence of IV drug abuse and where the M/C ratio exceeds 1 will improve identification of heroin fatalities, which will allow better allocation of resources for public health initiatives.
“Student prize paper”: The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the gas accumulation following a single spark discharge in a liquid dielectric

Immediately following the breakdown of a liquid dielectric a variety of dynamic events appear. Initially, a highly luminescent, thin, plasma column is formed followed by a radially expanding mechanical shock wave. In the process, a gaseous bubble composed of vaporized dielectric is created. The study described here is concerned with this bubble. Specifically, investigations were made into the effects of hydrostatic pressure upon the dynamics of the gas bubble.
Inhibition of Ca2+-dependent Cl- secretion in T84 cells : membrane target(s) of inhibition is agonist specific

Previous studies have indicated that Ca2+-dependent Cl− secretion across monolayers of T84 epithelial cells is subject to a variety of negative influences that serve to limit the overall extent of ...
The Resurgence of the Locavore: The Growth of Local Food Markets in the United States

Sociological studies of markets have recognized that markets are embedded in various types of economic exchange institutions. Although a growing number of these studies have examined moral markets,...
Exercise training alters Ca release from coronary smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

We examined intracellular free calcium (Cai) buffering by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMC) and the effects of chronic exercise training (ET) on this phenomenon. Cai was measured with fura-2. Depolarization of single SMC via high extracellular K induced the entry of Ca, a fraction of which was sequestered (buffered) by the SR. Endurance ET of Yucatan minipigs for 16-20 wk increased exercise tolerance, heart-to-body weight ratios, and skeletal muscle oxidative capacity. Caffeine-induced Ca release from the SR after a short (2 min) recovery time from depolarization to caffeine exposure was equal in SMC from both ET and sedentary pigs. With a longer (11 min) recovery period after depolarization, caffeine-induced Ca release from the SR of sedentary pigs was equal to that after the short recovery time. However, after the long recovery, caffeine-induced Ca release in SMC of ET pigs was 60% less (P less than 0.05) than in the other protocols. These results indicate that chronic ET increased Cai buffering in SMC of the coronary artery by increasing the rate of spontaneous Ca extrusion from the SR.
Mechanism Design with Incomplete Information

A mechanism is the procedure through which actions of various individuals result in an outcome. Mechanism design theory studies the relationship between alternative procedures and the outcomes that result. This chapter describes some of the theoretical progress that has been made in the study of mechanism design when there is incomplete information about the preferences of the individuals. It is expository in nature and is not intended to be a survey.1
Osteoporosis as a Geriatric Syndrome

An osteoporotic fracture in an older adult can be a devastating event that sets off a cascade of consequences resulting in functional decline, impaired quality of life, and sometimes death. Identifying interventions to prevent osteoporotic fractures or disrupt the negative cascade that follows them has therefore been a priority for clinicians, researchers, patients and families. Many of the advances in the field over the last decade have resulted from viewing osteoporosis as a disease state characterized by abnormal bone mass, architecture, and strength; understanding the pathogenesis of this disease has led to new targets for pharmacologic therapy that improve bone properties and reduce fracture rates.
Utility of Washington Early Recognition Center Self-Report Screening Questionnaires in the Assessment of Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.

Early identification and treatment are associated with improved outcomes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Screening for the presence of these disorders usually involves time-intensive interviews that may not be practical in settings where mental health providers are limited. Thus, individuals at earlier stages of illness are often not identified. The Washington Early Recognition Center Affectivity and Psychosis (WERCAP) Screen is a self-report questionnaire originally developed to identify clinical risk for developing bipolar or psychotic disorders. The goal of the current study was to investigate the utility of the WERCAP Screen and two complementary questionnaires, the WERC Stress Screen and the WERC Substance Screen, in identifying individuals with established schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Participants consisted of 35 bipolar disorder (BPD) and 34 schizophrenia (SCZ) patients, as well as 32 controls (CON), aged 18-30 years. Univariate analyses were used to test for score differences between groups. Logistic regression and ROC curves were used to identify diagnostic predictors. Significant group differences were found for the psychosis section of the WERCAP (pWERCAP; p 20 (AUC: 0.87; sensitivity: 0.91; specificity: 1.0); while that for the pWERCAP to identify schizophrenia was a score of >13 (AUC: 0.89; sensitivity: 0.88; specificity: 0.88). These results indicate that the WERCAP Screen may be useful in screening individuals for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and that identifying stress and substance use severity can be rapidly done using self-report questionnaires. Larger studies in undiagnosed individuals will be needed to test the WERCAP Screen’s ability to identify mania or psychosis in the community.
VIBRIO PARAHAEMOLYTICUS: INFECTION OR TOXICOSIS?1

The facultative halophile Vibrio parahaemolyticus, since its first isolation, has been shown to be toxic for mice and has produced experimental infection when fed to animals and humans. Pathogenicity has been shown to be associated with the presence of a heat-stable hemolysin-the Kanagawa-hemolysin. Previously, investigators reported that most strains of V. parahaemolyticus, regardless of virulence, could produce dilatation in the ligated rabbit gut. We have shown however, that ileal loop reactivity is strongly associated with Kanagawa-hemolysin and, thus, with virulence. Reactivity is obtained with live cell suspensions and the reaction time is dose dependent. Other investigators have reported that preparations of heated cells, cell lysates, culture filtrates, and purified Kanagawa-hemolysin will not produce dilatation in rabbit ileum nor edema in the mouse foot pad. In our studies, cell-free culture filtrates were without effect in the ligated ileal loop, suggesting absence of enterotoxin. Cell wall and...
Seaweed as chemoprevention: From breast cancer epidemiology to breast cancer cell culture.

B172 Seaweeds are commonly eaten in Japan and Korea, where rates of hormonally sensitive cancers of the breast and prostate are significantly lower than in other developed nations. Japanese women who do develop breast cancer live longer. GI tract cancers are higher in these countries, leading to the hypothesis that dietary seaweed might enhance some cancers but inhibit others. However, epidemiological investigations in Japan have reported that for all GI tract cancers except rectal cancer, there is a significant protective association between increased consumption of seaweeds and lower risk. In the ongoing study of Japan Nurses9 Health Study, breast cancer rates among women who consumed miso soup six or more times a week had half the risk of breast cancer compared to women who ate miso soup infrequently. As miso soup is a hot water extract of seaweed, miso, and vegetables, this finding adds support to the many in vitro and in vivo studies of seaweed-induced cancer inhibition. An average of 5-7 grams (dry weight) of seaweed are eaten daily in Japan, and this is even higher for nursing mothers. Although seemingly a small amount, when seaweeds are refreshed in water, they expand to about 10 times their dry weight volume, and hence become a significant part of the diet. METHODS: In this study, we compared water extracts of a range of common dietary seaweeds in three cell lines (estrogen sensitive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, estrogen insensitive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and hormone insensitive HCT-15 colon cancer cells). Cell proliferation was assessed by MTS, and inhibition of DNA synthesis was confirmed by BrdU assays. Further studies of cell cycle dynamics were done using flow cytometry. To visually study cell proliferation inhibition, we used DAPI confocal imaging. Apoptotic pathways were investigated using caspase 3/7 stimulation assays. RESULTS: Hormone insensitive cancer cells (HCT-15 and MDA-MB-231) showed the greatest cancer cell inhibition when exposed to seaweed extracts. DNA synthesis was inhibited, and for MDA-MB-231 cells, a clear cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase was seen. Confocal microscopy revealed patterns of DNA fragmentation. There was a range in the ability of different seaweeds to inhibit cell proliferation and only a few of the seaweeds significantly stimulated caspase 3/7. CONCLUSIONS: In seaweed research, specific unique components of brown seaweeds (fucoidan, fucoxanthin, alginic acid, laminarin) have each demonstrated cancer cell inhibition. However, we found that red seaweeds, which lack these components, also showed similar inhibition, suggesting that other water soluble chemicals derived from seaweeds my be important in understanding the anticarcinogenic properties of dietary seaweeds. Culinary seaweeds may help explain lower cancer rates observed among people in Japan.