cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diptychandra granadillo, a Notable and Geographically Disjunct New Species of Legume (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae) from the Colombian Andes

Abstract. Diptychandra granadillo C. Romero & Arbelaez (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, Caesalpinieae) is described, illustrated, and compared with its most closely related species D. aurantiaca Tul. Diptychandra granadillo constitutes a new endemic species from the eastern Antioquia Department in the Central Cordillera of Colombia and represents the second species described within the genus Diptychandra, which was previously known only fromthe seasonally dry forests and the Chaco of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Diptychandra granadillo differs fromD. aurantiaca by its larger habit, lack of canescent indumentum, larger leaflets, inflorescences in congested conical racemes, longer staminal filaments, and larger fruits and seeds.
Extrahippocampal high‐frequency oscillations during epileptogenesis

The current study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the intra-/extrahippocampal areas during epileptogenesis. Local field potentials were bilaterally recorded from hippocampus (CA1), thalamus, motor cortex, and prefrontal cortex in 13 rats before and after intrahippocampal kainic acid (KA) lesions. HFOs in the ripple (100-200 Hz) and fast ripple (250-500 Hz) ranges were detected and their rates were computed during different time periods (1-5 weeks) after KA-induced status epilepticus (SE). Recurrent spontaneous seizures were observed in 7 rats after SE, and the other 6 rats did not develop epilepsy. During the latent period, the rate of hippocampal HFOs increased at the ipsilateral site of the KA lesion in both groups, and the HFO rate was significantly higher in the animals that later developed epilepsy. Animals that later developed epilepsy also demonstrated widespread appearance of HFOs, in both the ripple and the fast ripple range, whereas animals that did not develop epilepsy only exhibited changes in the ipsilateral intrahippocampal HFO rate. This study demonstrates an association between an increased rate of widespread HFOs and the later development of epilepsy, suggesting the formation of large-scale distributed pathological networks during epileptogenesis.
Enforcing Human Subject Regulations using Blockchain and Smart Contracts

Recent changes to the Common Rule, which govern Institutional Review Boards (IRB), require implementing new policies to strengthen research protocols involving human subjects. A major challenge in implementing such policies is an inability to automatically and consistently meet these ethical rules while securing sensitive information collected during the study. In this paper, we propose a novel framework, based on blockchain technology, to enforce IRB regulations on data collection. We demonstrate how to design smart contracts and a ledger to meet the requirements of an IRB protocol, including subject recruitment, informed consent management, secondary data sharing, monitoring risks, and generating automated assessments for continuous review. Furthermore, we show how we can employ the immutable transaction log in the blockchain to embed security in research activities by detecting malicious activities and robustly tracking subject involvement. We evaluate our approach by assessing its ability to enforce IRB guidelines in different types of human subjects studies, including a genomic study, a drug trial, and a wearable sensor monitoring study. Keywords: Blockchain, Data Sharing, Data Exchange, EHR, electronic health record, Ethereum, interplanetary filesystem, IPFS
One RNA Aptamer Sequence, Two Structures: A Collaborating Pair that Inhibits AMPA Receptors

GluR2 is one of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunits of the glutamate ion channel family. Excessive activity of the GluR2 AMPA receptor has been implicated in a number of neurological diseases, and therefore aptamers as inhibitors may be useful as pharmacological agents. Using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), we identified an aptamer, named as AN58, which competitively inhibits the AMPA receptor with nanomolar affinity. Surprisingly, the in vitro transcription of the DNA sequence of AN58 produces two stable RNA structures, M1 and M2, both of which are required for competitive inhibition of GluR2 AMPA receptors in a 1:1 stoichiometry and with roughly an equal affinity. Sequencing of M1 and M2 using primer extension dideoxy chain termination reaction suggests that they share indeed the same sequence. However, M1 and M2 are formed only co-transcriptionally. Once formed, they are not interconvertible through unfolding, such as boiling in ∼50% formamide or NaOH treatment, and refolding. The results from reverse transcription reaction, in-line probing and chemical labeling experiment using N-methylisatoic anhydride (or SHAPE experiment) show that M1 and M2 have different structures. These findings indicate that the same DNA sequence can be transcribed into two RNA molecules that have the same sequence, but are structurally and functionally distinct. Thus, our results suggest more broadly that natural RNA molecules that show structural dissimilarities with different functions can nevertheless share a common ancestry and bear the same evolution memory.
Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury: Diagnosis, Exposures, and Long-term Outcomes

Neonatal acute kidney injury is an underappreciated condition among patients cared for in the NICU. It may have both short- and long-term implications in this population. Improved surveillance during the initial hospitalization and during the first 2 decades of life has the potential to improve outcomes.
To Go Forward, We Must Look Back: The Importance of Evolutionary Psychology for Understanding Modern Politics:

As new waves of populism arise and cause disruption around the globe, there is both great interest in attempting to explain the origin of this dynamic as well as a need to ameliorate its potentiall...
Measurements of Cirrus Cloud Optical Properties and Particle Size with the University of Wisconsin High Spectral Resolution Lidar

The University of Wisconsin High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) has been employed in a regular schedule of cirrus cloud observations. Optical depths, backscatter cross sections, backscatter phase functions, cloud altitudes and depolarizations have been measured in a large number of cirrus clouds. In addition, particle sizes have been derived from HSRL observations of multiply scattered photons.
The End of the Affair? Anti-Dueling Laws and Social Norms in Antebellum America

The story of anti-dueling laws has become a favorite tale for many social norms theorists. In their tellings, the spread of anti-dueling laws in the antebellum South and the subsequent end of dueling illustrates how properly drafted laws can change social norms and thus alter behavior. The actual history of these laws, however, teaches a different lesson. While the laws were carefully crafted to undermine the social norms promoting dueling, they failed. The very social norms that encouraged dueling prevented effective enforcement of laws passed to end the practice, and the affair of honor in the South was ended not by well-intentioned laws but by the social catastrophe of the Civil War. This account in turn suggests that there will be limits on modern-day attempts to alter social norms through legal sanctions.
Phonon-Induced Multi-Color Correlations in HBN Single-Photon Emitters

We explore electron-phonon dynamics in hBN defects and observe $\text{g}^{(2)}(0)=0.20$ in a phonon replica and $\text{g}^{(2)}(0)=0.18$ between a phonon replica and the zero-phonon line, and we examine Purcell enhancement of phonon replicas with phononic cavities.
Can Better Emotion Regulation Protect Against Interpersonal Violence in Homeless Youth Social Networks

Homeless youth experience all types of violence at higher rates than their housed counterparts. This is typically the result of many contributing factors including childhood experiences of trauma, ...
Where Infants Go: Real‐Time Dynamics of Locomotor Exploration in Crawling and Walking Infants

Where do infants go? A longstanding assumption is that infants primarily crawl or walk to reach destinations viewed while stationary. However, many bouts of spontaneous locomotion do not end at new people, places, or things. Study 1 showed that half of 10- and 13-month-old crawlers' (N = 29) bouts end at destinations-more than previously found with walkers. Study 2 confirmed that, although infants do not commonly go to destinations, 12-month-old crawlers go to proportionally more destinations than age-matched walkers (N = 16). Head-mounted eye tracking revealed that crawlers and walkers mostly take steps in place while fixating something within reach. When infants do go to a destination, they take straight, short paths to a target fixated while stationary.
Foreword: Special issue on Restarting the Transient Reactor Test Facility

This special issue of Nuclear Technology features discussion of the process of restarting the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility in support of the resumption of transient testing of nuclear fu...
Borderlands: the difficulty of the liminal in primary care.

Mary Douglas, in her anthropological work Purity and Danger ,1 analyses the difficulty that many societies have in coping with the liminal, the person in transition, or development. She describes the many strategies used to cope with this, the segregation of those going through life changes such as puberty, childbirth, or bereavement in order to protect them while they are at their most vulnerable, neither one thing nor the other. She also describes the fear attached to liminal items that we lose during status transition (such as the placenta), and the magical properties that they bring, for example, in some societies the placenta must be buried in the grounds of the family house in order to prevent danger to the child or mother. Disorder symbolises both danger and power. Understanding social role definitions even …
The Human Facial Skeleton: Influence on the Airway and Aesthetics? An Analysis of Cause/Effect Paradigms

The extent of protrusion of the facial bones has diminished over the course of hominid evolution and may be continuing to do so. This process may, through structural changes of the maxilla and mandible, be resulting in what we see as an aesthetic deformity of the receded chin. Beyond this simple aesthetic problem, the petite jaws may predispose individuals to mouth-breathing and extrusion externally of the nasal septum, resulting in nasal deformity and deviation. The structural problem may also relate to sleep disordered breathing.
Noninferiority Clinical Trials With Binary Outcome: Statistical Methods Used in Practice

The use of noninferiority (NI) clinical trials continues to increase. At the same time, this study design remains complex with numerous issues related to the planning, implementation, and analysis ...
Decreasing Unplanned Extubations in the Neonatal ICU

Unplanned extubations (UE) continue to be an undesirable yet common event in neonatal ICUs. Neonates are at a particularly increased risk for UE due to their small size, the use of uncuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs), and the infrequent use of continuous sedatives and muscle relaxants or paralytics
The effect of tumor location on overall survival for pT2-4 bladder and upper tract urothelial carcinoma following radical surgery.

Introduction: Historically, staging and treatment for upper tract urothelial carcinoma were extrapolated from bladder urothelial carcinoma literature. However, embryological, genetic, and anatomical differences exist between them. We sought to explore the relationship between location of urothelial cancer and overall survival (OS). Methods: Data was culled from the National Cancer Database from 2004–2015. Patients with pT2–pT4 treated with definitive surgery were included; those with metastatic disease or who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment were excluded. Patients were stratified by tumor location and pathological stage. The primary outcome was OS. Secondary outcomes were predictors of mortality in each pT stage stratum. Results: A total of 11 330 patients with bladder, 954 patients with ureteral, and 1943 patients with renal pelvis urothelial carcinoma were analyzed. Mean followup was 43.3, 39.4, and 41.4 months for bladder, ureteral, and renal pelvis, respectively. On univariable analysis, ureteral pT2 was associated with worse OS compared to both bladder (61.3 vs. 80.4 months, p=0.007) and renal pelvis (61.3 vs. 80.5 months, p=0.014). Renal pelvis pT3 was associated with improved OS compared to both bladder (42.5 vs. 28.6 months, p=0.003) and ureteral (42.5 vs. 25.7 months, p<0.001). Renal pelvis pT4 had decreased survival compared to bladder (11.4 vs. 17.7 months, p<0.001). On multivariable Cox regression, only renal pelvis pT3 was associated with a 20% decreased risk of mortality compared to bladder pT3 (hazard ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.72–0.88, p<0.001). Conclusions: Renal pelvis pT3 is associated with lower mortality. Mutational and embryological differences may play a role in this disparity.
Monogamy as a Barrier to Human Papillomavirus Catch-Up Vaccination

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. Although a vaccine to prevent HPV infection exists, only 53.7% of females 13–...
Elemental sulfur-molybdenum disulfide composites for high-performance cathodes for Li–S batteries: the impact of interfacial structures on electrocatalytic anchoring of polysulfides

Enhanced cathodes for Li–S batteries with sulfur-MoS2 composites demonstrated recently are capable to extend cycle lifetimes up to 1000 cycles with 0.07% capacity decay per cycle and deliver reversible capacity up to 500 mAh/g at 5C. To understand the origins of such remarkable performance, we investigated in-depth the cathode structures and their transformations during cycling at various scales down to the atomic level. We show that 3D interfacial structures involving mechanically activated defective 2H-MoS2 particulates and aggregated conducting nanocarbons play a critical role in enabling to maintain cathode integrity, electrocatalytically bind Li2Sx polysulfides, and effectively reduce charge transfer resistance.
Cryogenic Performance for Compute-in-Memory Based Deep Neural Network Accelerator

Compute-in-memory has received a lot of research interests recently to implement the data-intensive computation in deep neural networks. By performing the computing at the storage location, CIM avoids the excessive data transfer thus improving the energy efficiency. SRAM based CIM is one of the promising candidates for its mature technology availability at advanced technology node. To further speed up for CMOS circuits, cryogenic computing which operates at low temperatures has emerged as an attractive solution for highperformance computing at the data center. In this work, we modified NeuroSim, a device-to-system modelling framework with experimentally calibrated 28nm transistor parameters from room temperature to 4K Then we benchmark the performance of SRAM based CIM for ResNet-18 on ImagNet dataset. The energy-delay-product is compared across the temperature, revealing the performance and energy efficiency boost by cryogenic computing. When the cooling infrastructure cost is considered, the overall energy benefits are overshadowed though.
A Closed-form Solution for Source-term Emission of Xenon Isotopes from Underground Nuclear Explosions

Isotopic ratios of radioactive xenons sampled in the subsurface and atmosphere can be used to detect underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) and civilian nuclear reactors. Disparities in the half-lives of the radioactive decay chains are principally responsible for time-dependent concentrations of xenon isotopes. Contrasting timescales, combined with modern detection capabilities, make the xenon isotopic family a desirable surrogate for UNE detection. However, without including the physical details of post-detonation cavity changes that affect radioxenon evolution and subsurface transport, a UNE is treated as an idealized system that is both closed and well mixed for estimating xenon isotopic ratios and their correlations so that the spatially dependent behavior of xenon production, cavity leakage, and transport are overlooked. In this paper, we developed a multi-compartment model with radioactive decay and interactions between compartments. The model does not require the detailed domain geometry and parameterization that is normally needed by high-fidelity computer simulations, but can represent nuclide evolution within a compartment and migration among compartments under certain conditions. The closed-form solution to all nuclides in the series 131–136 is derived using analytical singular-value decomposition. The solution is further used to express xenon ratios as functions of time and compartment position.
The ironic syllogism: A rhetorical use of unmarked questions

Rhetorical questions are an important feature of Israelite rhetoric as exemplified in the Hebrew Bible. This paper builds on scholarship regarding rhetorical questions and irony to reevaluate one f...
Outcomes in Multivessel Coronary Disease Stratified by Society for Thoracic Surgery Risk.

Abstract Background Surgical risk stratified outcomes following contemporary revascularization strategies have not been well described. We report these outcomes in patients undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) for multivessel coronary disease. Methods 5836 patients with multivessel disease who underwent CABG (4420) or PCI (1416) were included in this retrospective observational analysis. Data was stratified based on Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score. Score Results In the CABG population, 3863 (87.3%) were low surgical risk and 557 (12.6%) were intermediate-high risk. The 5-year mortality for the low risk cohort was 10.9% (95% CI 9.83-12.05) and for the intermediate-high risk cohort, it was 40.1% (95% CI 35.76-44.54). Among those undergoing PCI, 1163 (82.1%) were low risk while 249 (17.6%) were intermediate-high risk. The 5-year mortality for the low risk cohort was 21.6% (95% CI 19.10-24.26) and for the intermediate-high risk cohort, it was 61.8% (95% CI 54.72-68.70). Conclusions This study reports outcomes stratified by surgical risk after PCI or CABG in patients with multivessel coronary disease. This data can help guide revascularization strategy choice for individual patients.
Shouldn't SIDS be recognized?

To the Editor: Dr. Wegman9s article “Annual Summary of Vital Statistics-1974” (Pediatrics 56:960, December 1975) provides some valuable and interesting information. There is, however, some disconcerting information in Table III,“ Infant Mortality Rates by Age and Selective Causes for the United States, 1964 and 1974.” There is no specific listing for the major cause of infant mortality between 1 and 12 months of age: sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As Dr. Wegman suggests, “To be
Total occurrence statistics on restricted permutations

We study the total number of occurrences of several vincular (also called generalized) patterns and other statistics, such as the major index and the Denert statistic, on permutations avoiding a pattern of length 3, extending results of Bona (2010, 2012) and Homberger (2012). In particular, for 2-3-1-avoiding permutations, we find the total number of occurrences of any vincular pattern of length 3. In some cases the answer is given by simple expressions involving binomial coefficients. The tools we use are bijections with Dyck paths, generating functions, and block decompositions of permutations.
Extending the EITC to noncustodial parents: Potential impacts and design considerations

This paper examines the noncustodial parent earned income tax credit (NCP EITC), a new type of credit recently enacted in New York and Washington, D.C. and proposed by Senator Bayh and then-Senator Obama in 2007. The NCP EITC offers an earned income tax credit to low-income noncustodial parents who work and pay their full child support. This paper describes the rationale for this policy and provides national estimates of the benefits and costs of an NCP EITC under three alternative policy scenarios. It also discusses several key design and implementation issues.
A physiological correlate of the 'spotlight' of visual attention

Here we identify a neural correlate of the ability to precisely direct visual attention to locations other than the center of gaze. Human subjects performed a task requiring shifts of visual attention (but not of gaze) from one location to the next within a dense array of targets and distracters while functional MRI was used to map corresponding displacements of neural activation within visual cortex. The cortical topography of the purely attention-driven activity precisely matched the topography of activity evoked by the cued targets when presented in isolation. Such retinotopic mapping of attention-related activation was found in primary visual cortex, as well as in dorsomedial and ventral occipital visual areas previously implicated in processing the attended target features. These results identify a physiological basis for the effects of spatially directed visual attention.
Follicular regulatory T cells impair follicular T helper cells in HIV and SIV infection

Human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV) exploit follicular lymphoid regions by establishing high levels of viral replication and dysregulating humoral immunity. Follicular regulatory T cells (TFR) are a recently characterized subset of lymphocytes that influence the germinal centre response through interactions with follicular helper T cells (TFH). Here, utilizing both human and rhesus macaque models, we show the impact of HIV and SIV infection on TFR number and function. We find that TFR proportionately and numerically expand during infection through mechanisms involving viral entry and replication, TGF-β signalling, low apoptosis rates and the presence of regulatory dendritic cells. Further, TFR exhibit elevated regulatory phenotypes and impair TFH functions during HIV infection. Thus, TFR contribute to inefficient germinal centre responses and inhibit HIV and SIV clearance.
On Goursat normal forms, prolongations, and control systems

In this paper, the method of exterior differential systems for analyzing nonlinear systems is presented. Conditions are given for converting Pfaffian systems into Goursat normal form, and for converting control systems into Brunovsky form. All of the existing results on feedback linearization for control systems can be restated in the language of Pfaffian systems, and in addition, new conditions for linearizing control systems using dynamic extension are given. >
Minimizing via coupled noise in high performance thermal conduction module design

In the design of thermal conduction modules, chips are interconnected through thin-film layers and glass-ceramic layers. The total amount of noise on the package consists of not only the crosstalk between adjacent signal lines in the X and Y directions, but also the coupled noise between adjacent pins and vias in the Z direction. While the crosstalk between adjacent wires can be minimized by reducing wire length and increasing wire spacing, the via noise problem has never been considered during layout design. This paper introduces the via noise constraints for physical design, and proposes a net ordering and layer assignment method to minimize the via coupled noise in thermal conduction module (TCM) design.
Special Education Student Teaching Practices

This article presents findings of our nationwide study of undergraduate special education student teaching practices. The authors were especially interested in grading systems, assignments, supervision practices, and unique challenges. Results indicated variability in grading systems, use of traditional assignments such as lesson plans, use of student reflection through portfolios or journals, and challenges associated with locating student teaching placements that reflect research-based practices and parallel the conceptual framework of the teacher preparation program.
Monocular visual SLAM for small UAVs in GPS-denied environments

This paper presents a monocular visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system for a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in GPS-denied environments. A single camera is used to measure the motion of the vehicle and detect features (landmarks) for the map building. The SLAM estimates the positions of the UAV and the features by an extended Kalman filter (EKF), which takes the velocity estimated by the fusion of the inertial and visual measurements as the input. An inverse depth method is adopted for the feature initialization. Both simulations and experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of this system.
Hengdeli: The Art of Coexistence

In October 2011, Zhang Yuping, founder and chairman of Hengdeli, the largest Swiss watch retailer in the world, wondered how to work more closely with its key suppliers-Swatch Group, Richemont Group, LVMH Group, and Rolex Group-to maintain strong growth in the Greater China region. Specifically, how could Hengdeli manage the relationship with these suppliers to ensure getting more supply in a market where demand outgrew supply? How could Hengdeli balance the needs of these competing suppliers without being overreliant on one or two suppliers? How could it continue to expand its retail network to enhance its value and position? How could Hengdeli rationalize the portfolio management to maximize the return in the long-term?Learning Objective:(1) Retailer-Supplier relationship management; (2) Avoiding channel conflict; (3) Retailing in China
Intepreting Consumer Mythology: A Structural Approach to Consumer Behavior:

Consumer behavior depth interviews are grouped with other kinds of story telling—fairy tales, novels, psychological test responses, and myths—as imaginative statements that can be qualitatively int...
A sequence of lower bound approximate solutions for the problem of secondary creep in pressure vessels

A previously derived [2] monotone non-increasing sequence of approximate solutions to the pressure vessel problem is modified to produce new sharper upper bounds. In addition, by means of a secant method, a monotone non-decreasing sequence of lower bound approximations is obtained. It is proved that this sequence is uniformly convergent and that it furnishes new lower bounds to the exact solution. These results are then used to obtain estimates for the time of initiation of brittle damage.
Necroptosis is a novel mechanism of radiation-induced cell death in anaplastic thyroid and adrenocortical cancers

Background Necroptosis is a recently described mechanism of programmed cellular death. We hypothesize that necroptosis plays an important role in radiation-induced cell death in endocrine cancers. Methods Thyroid and adrenocortical carcinoma cell lines were exposed to increasing doses of radiation in the presence of necroptosis inhibitor Nec-1 and/or apoptosis-inhibitor zVAD. H295R cells deficient in receptor interacting protein 1 (RIP1), an essential kinase for necroptosis, were used as controls. Survival curves were generated at increasing doses of radiation. Results Nec-1 and zVAD increased cellular survival with increasing doses of radiotherapy in 8505c, TPC-1, and SW13. Both inhibitors used together had an additive effect. At 6 Gy, 8505c, TPC-1, and SW13 cell survival was significantly increased compared to controls by 40%, 33%, and 31% with Nec-1 treatment, by 53%, 47%, and 44% with zVAD treatment, and by 80%, 70%, and 65% with both compounds, respectively (P Conclusion Necroptosis contributes to radiation-induced cell death. Future studies should investigate ways to promote the activation of necroptosis to improve radiosensitivity.
Use of Erythropoietin in Heart Failure Management

OBJECTIVETo review the use of erythropoietin for anemia in heart failure (HF).DATA SOURCESPeer-reviewed articles in MEDLINE (1966–June 2004) were identified and citations from available articles were reviewed using the search terms anemia, erythropoietin, and heart failure.DATA SYNTHESISAnemia worsens HF prognosis. Clinical studies in patients with New York Heart Association Class III/IV HF who had hemoglobin <12 mg/dL and were refractory to maximal medical management showed that erythropoietin improves symptoms. Larger scale studies with mortality endpoints are required to confirm the benefits.CONCLUSIONSIn selected patients with severe, chronic HF, erythropoietin may be considered for functional improvement. However, routine use of this treatment strategy is not recommended until more data are available.
Effects of surface treatments and application shanks on nematode, pathogen and weed control with 1,3-dichloropropene.

BACKGROUND: Preplant fumigation with methyl bromide (MeBr) has been used for control of soilborne pests in high-value annual, perennial and nursery crops, but is being phased out. In 2007 and 2008, research trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of surface treatments and two application shanks on pest control with 1,3-dicloropropene (1,3-D) in perennial crop nurseries. RESULTS: All 1,3-D treatments controlled nematodes similarly to MeBr. Application of 1,3-D with virtually impermeable film (VIF) reduced Fusarium oxysporum compared with unfumigated plots, but was not as effective as MeBr. Applications of 1,3-D with VIF or 1,3-D followed by metam sodium reduced Pythium spp., but 1,3-D followed by intermittent water seals was comparable with the untreated plots. When sealed with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) film or VIF, 1,3-D generally was as effective as MeBr for reducing weed density and total weed biomass, but weed control was reduced by intermittent water seals and in unsealed plots subsequently re-treated with additional 1,3-D or metam sodium. CONCLUSION: Applications of 1,3-D sealed with HDPE or VIF film or with intermittent water seals can control nematodes similarly to MeBr. However, additional management practices may be needed for effective pathogen and weed control if plastic film is not used. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
The specification and power of tests to detect abnormal changes in corporate investment

Abstract We evaluate methods used to measure abnormal changes in capital expenditures. We examine both statistical tests and models of expected capital expenditures. We find that commonly used research designs yield test statistics that are misspecified, even in random samples. In cases where sample firms share a common characteristic such as extremely low or high investment, size, leverage, return on assets or market-to-book ratio, it is very important to match sample firms to a control group that shares this pre-event characteristic. We also find that using control groups, rather than a single control firm, yields more powerful test statistics.
Comparative performance analyses of passive microwave systems for tropospheric sounding of temperature and water vapor profiles

Advances in receiver technology permit the use of microwave spectrometers at 100-500 GHz in combination with economically affordable antennas on geostationary meteorological satellites. Microwave systems operating at 118 GHz, 183 GHz, and 425 GHz have been compared. With an antenna of just over 2 meters in diameter, a system operating at 380 GHz and 425 GHz is capable of sounding temperature and water vapor profiles with 20-km horizontal resolution, and a system operating at 118 GHz and 183 GHz is capable of 70-km resolution. Analyses show that integration of such microwave spectrometers with a high performance infrared sounder would provide a nearly all-weather continuous-observation geostationary sounding system with accuracies approaching those of low-earth-orbit observatories.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Social Cohesion ( ‘Asabiyya ) and Justice in the Late Medieval Middle East

The historian Ibn Khaldun (d. 1405), in his Muqaddimah (Introduction to history), explained historical change and the succession of dynasties as a function of the interactions between nomadic culture and urban civilization. His major contribution is usually considered to be his analysis of the correlation between ‘asabiyya , social cohesion or group feeling, and political power. He argued that the strong group feeling of tribal peoples enabled them to conquer urbanized regions and build regimes and civilizations, but that these conquests were undone by the tribes' gradual loss of ‘asabiyya in the urban setting, leading to new conquests by tribal peoples still strong in desert cohesiveness. Although power was the basis of rulership and royal authority was established through military might, the glue that held societies together was ‘asabiyya , based on kinship and religion and stronger in tribal than in urban society. Conquerors with strong group feeling could create greater and longer-lasting empires because they fielded larger armies and retained their own cultural dynamism for a longer time, and thus were able to defeat their rivals. Conquerors whose social cohesion was weak were soon overcome by the civilization of the conquered and gave way to a new conquering group. Strong group cohesion would also allow royal authority to pass to a second branch of the ruling family if the first was weakened, perpetuating its dominion. The ruler and his army were supported by the wealth of conquest, and returned the people's taxes in the form of gifts and public works. They would be successful only so long as they remained just; as the rulers' level of luxury increased so did their level of exploitation, and injustice soon produced division and “the ruin of civilization.”
Cholesterol Pathways Affected by Small Molecules That Decrease Sterol Levels in Niemann-Pick Type C Mutant Cells

Background Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is a genetically inherited multi-lipid storage disorder with impaired efflux of cholesterol from lysosomal storage organelles. Methodology/Principal Findings The effect of screen-selected cholesterol lowering compounds on the major sterol pathways was studied in CT60 mutant CHO cells lacking NPC1 protein. Each of the selected chemicals decreases cholesterol in the lysosomal storage organelles of NPC1 mutant cells through one or more of the following mechanisms: increased cholesterol efflux from the cell, decreased uptake of low-density lipoproteins, and/or increased levels of cholesteryl esters. Several chemicals promote efflux of cholesterol to extracellular acceptors in both non-NPC and NPC1 mutant cells. The uptake of low-density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol is inhibited by some of the studied compounds. Conclusions/Significance Results herein provide the information for prioritized further studies in identifying molecular targets of the chemicals. This approach proved successful in the identification of seven chemicals as novel inhibitors of lysosomal acid lipase (Rosenbaum et al, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2009, 1791:1155–1165).
Low‐dose naltrexone for the treatment of fibromyalgia: Findings of a small, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, counterbalanced, crossover trial assessing daily pain levels

Objective To determine whether low dosages (4.5 mg/day) of naltrexone reduce fibromyalgia severity as compared with the nonspecific effects of placebo. In this replication and extension study of a previous clinical trial, we tested the impact of low-dose naltrexone on daily self-reported pain. Secondary outcomes included general satisfaction with life, positive mood, sleep quality, and fatigue. Methods Thirty-one women with fibromyalgia participated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, crossover study. During the active drug phase, participants received 4.5 mg of oral naltrexone daily. An intensive longitudinal design was used to measure daily levels of pain. Results When contrasting the condition end points, we observed a significantly greater reduction of baseline pain in those taking low-dose naltrexone than in those taking placebo (28.8% reduction versus 18.0% reduction; P = 0.016). Low-dose naltrexone was also associated with improved general satisfaction with life (P = 0.045) and with improved mood (P = 0.039), but not improved fatigue or sleep. Thirty-two percent of participants met the criteria for response (defined as a significant reduction in pain plus a significant reduction in either fatigue or sleep problems) during low-dose naltrexone therapy, as contrasted with an 11% response rate during placebo therapy (P = 0.05). Low-dose naltrexone was rated equally tolerable as placebo, and no serious side effects were reported. Conclusion The preliminary evidence continues to show that low-dose naltrexone has a specific and clinically beneficial impact on fibromyalgia pain. The medication is widely available, inexpensive, safe, and well-tolerated. Parallel-group randomized controlled trials are needed to fully determine the efficacy of the medication.
Prescription irrigation for center pivot systems: a new agricultural application of remote sensing

Center pivot (CP) irrigation systems account for more than half of all sprinkler irrigated lands in the U.S. In the Pacific Northwest, CP systems allow production of potatoes and other crops on sandy soils with variable topography. Prescription CP systems are being developed to reduce recharge to aquifers while maintaining or increasing crop yields. The hardware, software, and communication components for CP systems has been developed, installed and field tested. What is needed is the prescription for site specific applications of water, nitrogen, and pesticides. This paper discusses the role that remote sensing may have in providing some of the necessary spatial inputs to drive the irrigation models, and describes a CP prescription irrigation system that has been developed.
Foster Parents' Involvement in Authoritative Parenting and Interest in Future Parenting Training.

We surveyed 191 Southwest Ohio foster parents regarding their involvement in authoritative parenting and interest for additional parenting education. Our results showed that most respondents reported using an authoritative parenting style and were interested in receiving future training. Involvement in authoritative parenting differed significantly based on level of education and number of years as a foster parent. Foster parents with a college degree or higher were significantly more involved in authoritative parenting than foster parents with a high school diploma or less. Those who had been a foster parent for greater than five years were significantly more likely than those who been a foster parent for five years or less to use authoritative parenting and desire future training in authoritative parenting.
Synthesis of analogues of the antitumor antibiotic at-125 (acivicin)

Abstract Several haloisoxazoline analogues of α-amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic acid (1, AT-125) were prepared by means of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition methodology. The chemistry of these compounds is discussed, and a possible biological mode of action of AT-125 presented.
Digestive efficiency of the Hoatzin, Opisthocomus hoazin: a folivorous bird with foregut fermentation

The Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin is the only known bird with a well-developed foregut plant fermentation system; most fermentation takes place in the crop and caudal oesophagus. To test Hoatzin digestive efficiency, balance (total collection) trials with captive Hoatzins were made using two experimental diets of different composition and fibre content. Dry matter (DM) intakes were similar for the diets (mean = 62.8 g DM/kg body mass/ day). Average DM, organic matter and nitrogen digestibilities were not significantly different between diets, with average values of 72.9%, 75.0% and 78.3%, respectively. In vitro organic matter digestibilities by cow ruminal inoculum were very similar to organic matter digestibilities in live Hoatzins for both diets. Fibre digestibility was among the highest recorded for herbivorous birds. Cellulose and acid detergent fibre digestibilities were 58.8% and 52.7%, respectively. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility differed among diets—the higher the NDF content of the diet, the higher the NDF digestibility. The NDF digestibilities were 37.9% and 70.9% for the two diets with NDF concentrations of 32.4% and 37.3%, respectively. Differences in NDF digestibility can be attributed to the different concentrations of hemicellulose in the experimental diets. The high overall digestibility by captive Hoatzins is higher than values previously reported for other avian herbivores but similar to those of foregut-fermenting mammals on similar diets. The unique digestive strategy of the Hoatzin maximizes digestion of cell wall and cell contents. The high digestive efficiency in the Hoatzin is not predicted by allometric models of fibre digestion as a function of body mass. Other nutritional benefits, such as detoxification of plant secondary compounds and microbial synthesis of essential amino acids and vitamins, may explain the evolution of foregut fermentation in this avian folivore.
Attenuation of ethanol metabolism by supplementary carnitine in rats.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of supplementary D,L-carnitine on blood-ethanol levels and ascertain if the effect was a result of altered absorption or metabolism of ethanol. Mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed Purina Rat Chow as such or supplemented with various levels of D,L-carnitine. First it was established that supplementing carnitine at 1% (w/w) level produced steady state concentrations of carnitine in blood after 3 days of feeding. When a single dose of ethanol was given orally after 5 days of carnitine supplementation, the blood levels of ethanol remained significantly elevated for 2–8 hours in the carnitine supplemented animals. Time course of blood-ethanol concentrations revealed that carnitine did not affect the rates of ethanol absorption and therefore, the effect must be due to the attenuation of ethanol clearance from the blood.
Differentiation and characterization of autoantibodies and their antigens in Sjögren's syndrome.

Autoantibodies in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) were identified by their precipitin reactions with tissue antigens in immunodiffusion. The source of antigens was a sonicated extract of human lymphoid cells (WiI2) grown in tissue culture. Three distinct precipitin systems were identified and referred to as precipitins SS-A and SS-B, and rheumatoid arthritis precipitin. These studies show that precipitins SS-A and SS-B are present in high frequency in sera of patients with SS without associated rheuamtoid arthritis (RA) and are absent or present in low frequency in many other connective tissue diseases. On the other hand patients with SS who also had clinical features compatible with RA (SS-RA) did not have precipitins SS-A and SS-B but had rheumatoid arthritis precipitin (RAP). The latter precipitin was also present in RA patients in a similar order of frequency as in SS-RA. All three precipitin systems were shown to be reactions betweeen immunoglobulins and cellular antigens. The origin of SS-A and SS-B antigens was demonstrated by immunofluorescence to be primarily from the nucleus but the origin of RAP in the cell has not been established.
Male accessory gland size and the evolutionary transition from single to multiple mating in the fungus-gardening ants.

Abstract Polyandry in hymenopteran social insects is surprisingly rare, despite its likely colony-level fitness benefits. Ordinarily, a male's fitness will be at odds with that of a colony when the genetic representation within it is diluted by multiple mating by the queen. Consequently, males are expected to be under selection to limit female re-mating, for example via secretions of their accessory glands. I hypothesized that if accessory glands in some way regulate female mating frequency, an evolutionary transition from single to multiple mating would likely be accompanied with a change in the morphology of the accessory glands. The accessory gland morphology was examined in the fungus-gardening ants, which have made a single transition from single to multiple mating. The evolution of polyandry within this clade corresponds to the loss of male accessory glands, lending tentative support to the idea that they may be involved in regulating mating frequency. MAG Male accessory gland
Thermal gradient mass transfer of type 316L stainless steel and alloy 718 in flowing mercury

Abstract Thermal convection loops (TCLs) fabricated from 316L stainless steel (SS) and containing mercury and a variety of 316L coupons representing variable surface conditions and heat treatments have been operated continuously for periods up to 5000 h. In each case, the maximum TCL temperature was about 305°C, the minimum temperature about 240°C, and the Hg velocity was constant at either 1.2 m/min or 5 m/min, depending on the TCL cross-section diameter. Wetting of 316L by Hg was somewhat sporadic and inconsistent, and was generally encouraged by steam cleaning and/or gold-coating of specimens prior to testing as well as relatively high exposure temperatures. Interaction of 316L and Hg was observed to generate a porous surface layer substantially depleted of Ni and Cr which resulted in transformation to ferrite, but the maximum penetration detected for all of the test conditions corresponded to only about 60–70 μm/yr , with far less penetration for most exposures. In limited testing, alloy 718 was found more resistant to wetting/attack than 316L.
Polar auxin transport together with aintegumenta and revoluta coordinate early Arabidopsis gynoecium development.

Abstract In flowering plants the gynoecium is the female reproductive structure and the site of oogenesis, fertilization, and maturation of the embryo and the seed. Proper development of the gynoecium requires that the early gynoecial primordium be partitioned into distinct spatial domains with divergent fates. Regulated transport of the phytohormone auxin previously has been shown to play a role in the patterning of spatial domains along the apical–basal axis of the gynoecium. Here we establish a role for auxin transport in patterning along the medio-lateral axis of the gynoecial ovary. We demonstrate that auxin transport is required for the development of the medial ovary domain that contains the carpel margin meristem, a vital female reproductive structure. Disruptions in auxin transport enhance the medial domain defects observed in aintegumenta and revoluta mutant genotypes. AINTEGUMENTA and REVOLUTA are likely to function in parallel and partially overlapping pathways required for medial domain development. Our data indicate that different ovary domains are differentially sensitive to the reduction of polar auxin transport and the loss of AINTEGUMENTA and REVOLUTA activity. We suggest that an auxin-mediated positional cue is important for the differential specification of the medial and lateral ovary domains.