cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decision behavior with changing signal strength

Abstract The Theory of Signal Detectability (TSD) has nearly replaced classical notions of the threshold because of its ability to separate sensory and decision processes in weak-signal detection and recognition paradigms. The primary emphasis of recent work has concentrated on the sensory rather than the decision aspects and almost all work has been exclusively at one signal strength. We propose a model to describe behavior at different signal strengths based on subjective rather than objective distributions. The model predicts performance at a constant likelihood ratio (LR) criterion (even though subjective distributions are the basis for determining cutoff criteria) unless the observer adopts a Subjective Neyman-Pearson (SNP) objective. Results from an experiment in visual discrimination suggest that some observers in fact operate at constant objective LR's as signal strength is varied randomly over a wide range. The objective LR's of the other subjects changed dramatically with signal strength, but this behavior is consistent with the use of a Subjective Neyman-Pearson (SNP) decision rule and the linear relation between subjective and objective log LR's found in the studies of subjective probability.
Comparing Large-Scale Hydrological Model Predictions with Observed Streamflow in the Pacific Northwest: Effects of Climate and Groundwater

Assessing uncertainties in hydrologic models can improve accuracy in predicting future streamflow. Here, simulated streamflows using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model at coarse ( 1 /168) and fine ( 1 /1208) spatial resolutions were evaluated against observed streamflows from 217 watersheds. In particular, the adequacy of VIC simulations in groundwater- versus runoff-dominated watersheds using a range of flow metrics relevant for water supply and aquatic habitat was examined. These flow metrics were 1) total annual streamflow; 2) total fall, winter, spring, and summer season streamflows; and 3) 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th flow percentiles. The effect of climate on model performance was also evaluated by comparing the observed and simulated streamflow sensitivities to temperature and precipitation. Model performance was evaluated using four quantitative statistics: nonparametric rank correlation r, normalized Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency NNSE, root-mean-square error RMSE, and percent bias PBIAS. The VIC model captured the sensitivity of streamflow for temperature better than for precipitation and was in poor agreement with the corresponding temperature and precipitation sensitivities derived from observed streamflow. The model was able to capture the hydrologic behavior of the study watersheds with reasonable accuracy. Both total streamflow and flow percentiles, however, are subject to strong systematic model bias. For example, summer streamflows were underpredicted (PBIAS 52 13%) in groundwater-dominated watersheds and overpredicted (PBIAS 5 48%) in runoff-dominated watersheds. Similarly, the 5th flow percentile was underpredicted (PBIAS 5 251%) in groundwater-dominated watersheds and overpredicted (PBIAS 5 19%) in runoff-dominated watersheds. These results provide a foundation for improving model parameterization and calibration in ungauged basins.
Morphants: A New Systematic Vertebrate Functional Genomics Approach

The vertebrate genome contains a predicted 50 000 100 000 genes, many of unknown function. The recent development of morpholino-based gene knock-down technology in zebrafish has opened the door to the genome-wide assignment of function based on sequence in a model vertebrate. This review describes technical aspects of morpholino use for functional genomics applications, including the potential for multigene targeting and known methodological limitations. The result of successful gene inactivation by this agent is proposed to yield embryos with a ‘morphant’ phenotypic designation. The establishment of a morphant database opens the door to true functional genomics using the vertebrate, Danio rerio.
Physical Fitness in Children Infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Associations with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and antiretroviral therapies may predispose HIV-infected children to poor physical fitness. Estimated peak oxygen consumption (VO(2) peak), maximal strength and endurance, and flexibility were measured in HIV-infected and uninfected children. Among HIV-infected children, anthropometric and HIV disease-specific factors were evaluated to determine their association with VO(2) peak. Forty-five HIV-infected children (mean age 16.1 years) and 36 uninfected children (mean age 13.5 years) participated in the study. In HIV-infected subjects, median viral load was 980 copies/ml (IQR 200-11,000 copies/ml), CD4% was 28% (IQR 15-35%), and 82% were on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Compared to uninfected children, after adjusting for age, sex, race, body fat, and siblingship, HIV-infected children had lower VO(2) peak (25.92 vs. 30.90 ml/kg/min, p<0.0001), flexibility (23.71% vs. 46.09%, p=0.0003), and lower-extremity strength-to-weight ratio (0.79 vs. 1.10 kg lifted/kg of body weight, p=0.002). Among the HIV-infected children, a multivariable analysis adjusting for age, sex, race, percent body fat, and viral load showed VO(2) peak was 0.30 ml/kg/min lower per unit increase in percent body fat (p<0.0001) and VO(2) peak (SE) decreased 29.45 (± 1 .62), 28.70 (± 1.87), and 24.09 (± 0.75) ml/kg/min across HAART exposure categories of no exposure, <60, and ≥ 60 months, respectively (p<0.0001). HIV-infected children had, in general, lower measures of fitness compared to uninfected children. Factors negatively associated with VO(2) peak in HIV-infected children include higher body fat and duration of HAART ≥ 60 months. Future studies that elucidate the understanding of these differences and mechanisms of decreased physical fitness should be pursued.
Real-world validation of three tipover algorithms for mobile robots

Mobile robot tipover is a concern as it can create dangerous situations for operators and bystanders, cause collateral damage to the surrounding environment, and result in an aborted mission. Algorithms have been developed by others to assess the stability of the robot, and many of these algorithms have been demonstrated using simulated data. In order to verify that these algorithms accurately match real-world behavior, we have collected data of a mobile robot tipping over and then compared this data to the stability measures provided by three algorithms: Zero-Moment Point (ZMP), Force-Angle stability measure (FA), and Moment-Height Stability measure (MHS). A small mobile robot platform based on the iRobot PackBot drove a course including ramps and obstacles; an IMU and GPS provided inertial and positional data for the algorithms, and the actual tipover event is determined from video footage of the tests. The average normalized measure at tipover event initiation was found to be 0.665 for ZMP, −0.094 for FA, and 0.023 for MHS, where a value of 1 corresponds to resting stability. Standard deviations were 0.38, 0.84, and 0.67, respectively. The measures show a significant amount of noise, which is likely due to the vibrations caused by movement of the tracks and could be reduced by employing additional filtering during data collection. The preliminary real-world data validates these tipover algorithms as able to assess robot stability, and they can be used as part of a tipover avoidance system.
Adenocarcinoma of the canine prostate

Spontaneous adenocarcinoma of the prostate occurs most often in two species: man and the dog. Cancer of the prostate in this country is the second most common cause of death from cancer in the human male.13 Adenocarcinoma of the canine prostate apparently is a less common condition than its human counterpart.8, 11, 12, 21, 25, 28–33 Twenty cases of adenocarcinoma of the canine prostate were studied, using clinical and autopsy material, in order to define this disease in the dog and to compare it with the disease in man. Similarities of this neoplasm to the one in man are demonstrated. These include morphologic similarities, a frequency of the tumor in older animals, skeletal metastases, histochemical demonstration of acid phosphatase and lipids in neoplastic cells, and routes of metastasis similar to those thought to exist in man. Other pertinent histologic and clinical findings characteristic of this disease in the dog are reported.
Exploring Patterns of Exotic Earthworm Distribution in a Temperate Hardwood Forest in South-Central New York, USA

Exotic earthworms invading forests in Canada and northeastern United States that were naturally devoid of large detritivores cause major changes in ecosystem function. To assess their long-term impacts, studies are needed to elucidate the factors that control the patterns of earthworm invasion at the landscape level. We analyzed the distribution patterns of exotic earthworms in a northern hardwood forest in south-central New York (USA), as explained by landscape variables thought to be important in determining earthworm distribution. Forest type, slope angle, elevation, and the distance to agricultural clearings and wet refugia were significant predictors of earthworm presence, whereas local wetness index and the distance to streams and roads were not. Forest type and distance to agricultural clearings were the two most significant predictors. Our data suggest that areas close to agricultural clearings, dominated by mixed hardwoods, and located towards valley bottoms or on gentle slopes are very likely to support communities of exotic earthworms. Steeper slopes, areas dominated by American beech or eastern hemlock, and locations in the core of extensive forest landscapes have lower probabilities of invasion by exotic earthworms. When applied to a nearby area, our statistical model correctly predicted earthworm presence for 67% of 377 sampling points. Most of the mistakes were incorrect predictions of earthworm absence, suggesting that our statistical model slightly underestimated earthworm presence, possibly because of the pervasive influence of active agricultural fields adjacent to the test site.
Characterization of Continuous and Discontinuous Precipitation Phases in Pd-Rich Precious Metal Alloys

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction, and electron probe microanalysis were applied to characterize continuous and discontinuous phase formation in precious metal alloys used in electrical contacts. The Pd-rich Paliney® (®Paliney is tradename of Deringer-Ney Inc., Bloomfield, CT) alloys contain Pd, Ag, Cu, Au, Pt (and Zn or Ni). With aging at 755 K (482 °C), nanometer-scale chemistry modulation was observed indicating spinodal decomposition. An ordered body-centered tetragonal (bct) structure was also observed with AC-STEM after the 755 K (482 °C) aging treatment and another phase, tentatively identified as β-Cu3Pd4Zn, was found by microscopy and XRD after prolonged holds at higher temperatures. During slow cooling or isothermal holds at high temperature [755 K to 973 K (482 °C to 700 °C)], a two-phase lamellar structure develops along grain boundaries by discontinuous precipitation. XRD and AC-STEM showed that the lamellar structure was comprised of Ag-rich and Cu-rich fcc phases (α 1 and α 2). The phases are discussed in relation to a pseudo-ternary diagram based on Ag-Cu-Pd, which provides a simplified representation of the discontinuous phase compositions in the multi-component alloy system.
Theory of Mind: A Neural Prediction Problem

Predictive coding posits that neural systems make forward-looking predictions about incoming information. Neural signals contain information not about the currently perceived stimulus, but about the difference between the observed and the predicted stimulus. We propose to extend the predictive coding framework from high-level sensory processing to the more abstract domain of theory of mind; that is, to inferences about others' goals, thoughts, and personalities. We review evidence that, across brain regions, neural responses to depictions of human behavior, from biological motion to trait descriptions, exhibit a key signature of predictive coding: reduced activity to predictable stimuli. We discuss how future experiments could distinguish predictive coding from alternative explanations of this response profile. This framework may provide an important new window on the neural computations underlying theory of mind.
"Her" Marriage after the Revolutions

Recent social changes have made husbands' emotional investments and wives' perceptions of equity in the division of housework crucial for women's marital happiness. But wives are also happiest in their marriages when they share a strong normative commitment to lifelong marriage with their husbands and when their husbands take the lead in breadwinning. Thus our research suggests that elements of the new and the old promote marital happiness among contemporary wives.
Stirred tank reactor studies: Part 1: Mixing parameters

Abstract Responses to a tracer dye have been measured in a laboratory scale stirred tank using fiber optics for water and aqueous polymer solutions. An empirica Short-circuiting becomes significant below a particular stirrer speed for a given system. The observable segregation decreases markedly as stirrer spee models are also evaluated and compared with those of the current study.
Outcomes and cost-effectiveness of ventilator support and aggressive care for patients with acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract PURPOSE: Many patients with acute respiratory failure die despite prolonged and costly treatment. Our objective was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of providing rather than withholding mechanical ventilation and intensive care for patients with acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 1,005 patients enrolled in a five-center study of seriously ill patients (the Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatments [SUPPORT]) with acute respiratory failure (pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome and an Acute Physiology Score ≥10) who required ventilator support. We estimated life expectancy based on long-term follow-up of SUPPORT patients. Utilities were estimated using time-tradeoff questions. Costs (in 1998 dollars) were based on hospital fiscal data and Medicare data. RESULTS: Of the 963 patients who received ventilator support, 48% survived for at least 6 months. At 6 months, survivors reported a median of 1 dependence in activities of daily living, and 72% rated their quality of life as good, very good, or excellent. Among the 42 patients in whom ventilator support was withheld, the median survival was 3 days. Among patients whose estimated probability of surviving at least 2 months from the time of ventilator support ("prognostic estimate") was 70% or more, the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) saved by providing rather than withholding ventilator support and aggressive care was $29,000. For medium-risk patients (prognostic estimate 51% to 70%), the incremental cost-effectiveness was $44,000 per QALY, and for high-risk patients (prognostic estimate ≤50%), it was $110,000 per QALY. When assumptions were varied from 50% to 200% of baseline estimates, the results ranged from $19,000 to $48,000 for low-risk patients, from $29,000 to $76,000 for medium-risk patients, and from $67,000 to $200,000 for high-risk patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ventilator support and intensive care for acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome are relatively cost-effective for patients with >50% probability of surviving 2 months. However, for patients with an expected 2-month survival ≤50%, the cost per QALY is more than threefold greater at >$100,000.
A partial deletion in non-structural protein 3A can attenuate foot-and-mouth disease virus in cattle

The role of non-structural protein 3A of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) on the virulence in cattle has received significant attention. Particularly, a characteristic 10-20 amino acid deletion has been implicated as responsible for virus attenuation in cattle: a 10 amino acid deletion in the naturally occurring, porcinophilic FMDV O1 Taiwanese strain, and an approximately 20 amino acid deletion found in egg-adapted derivatives of FMDV serotypes O1 and C3. Previous reports using chimeric viruses linked the presence of these deletions to an attenuated phenotype in cattle although results were not conclusive. We report here the construction of a FMDV O1Campos variant differing exclusively from the highly virulent parental virus in a 20 amino acid deletion between 3A residues 87-106, and its characterization in vitro and in vivo. We describe a direct link between a deletion in the FMDV 3A protein and disease attenuation in cattle.
G.O.26

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the most common, severe neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the DMD gene. We investigated an alternative to dystrophin replacement by overexpressing ITGA7 using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery. ITGA7 is a laminin receptor in skeletal muscle, that like the dystrophin–glycoprotein complex, links the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the internal actin cytoskeleton. ITGA7 is expressed in DMD patients and thus overexpression will not elicit an immune response to the transgene. We delivered rAAVrh.74.MCK.ITGA7 systemically to the more severe mouse model of DMD, the mdx/utrn−/− mouse deficient for both dystrophin and utrophin at 2–4days of age. We demonstrated widespread expression of ITGA7 at the sarcolemma to multiple muscle groups following gene transfer eight weeks post injection. The increased expression of ITGA7 significantly extended longevity and reduced kyphosis and joint contractures, common to the mdx/utrn−/− mouse. The additional α 7 expression significantly protected against loss of force following contraction-induced damage and increased specific force in the diaphragm and EDL muscles eight weeks post gene transfer. Taken together, these results show that this therapeutic approach continues to demonstrate promise as a viable treatment for DMD.
Environmental Sustainability and Participatory Approaches: the Case of Italy

A big challenge of the new millennium consists of activating a large mobilization of society toward concrete, efficient and efficacy actions which promote awareness of the problems and their solutions for a sustainable environment. In order to address the different environmental issues existing today in Italy, besides correct and transparent communication, it is also needed the involvement of local communities. The greater problem is how to inform the public. Starting from an analysis of different kinds of participatory approaches, the paper proposes a classification of methods and techniques in four different typologies: participation by feedback, participation by consultation, participation by negotiating and participation by online interaction. Moreover, in depth interviews have been carried out to interdisciplinary experts to evaluate which participatory approaches are the best to use in Italy in terms of participation and cost-effectiveness, to identify constraints that limit the implementation of the different approaches and to provide solutions to overcome them.
Fountainhead of Jihad: The Haqqani Nexus, 1973-2012

The Haqqani network has survived for nearly forty years in an extremely volatile region of the world, and it has done so primarily through a careful balancing act that has kept it at the center of ...
Volume Change Associated with Noncubic Defects in a Monatomic Lattice

The formalism of the method of lattice statics is applied to obtain an expression for the volume change associated with a noncubic point defect in a monatomic lattice, assuming that the defect exerts no shear stress. This expression is used to calculate the volume changes associated with the octahedral and tetrahedral carbon interstitials in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-iron.
Design and behavior of zipper-braced frames

This paper proposes a design methodology for zipper-braced frames aimed at achieving ductile behavior. Three zipper-braced models were designed on the basis of the proposed design procedure to carry the same masses as the 3-, 9-, 20-story SAC model buildings with moment-resisting frames designed for the Los Angeles area. Pushover analyses of the models were performed to estimate the overstrength, inelastic strength and deformation capacities for the entire structures, and assess the sequence of yielding and buckling in the members. The performance of the models was also evaluated using nonlinear dynamic analyses under an ensemble of 2%-in-50-year pulse-type near-fault ground motions. The analyses indicate that the design procedure produces safe designs, with the design becoming more conservative as the number of stories increases. The distribution of interstory drifts demonstrates the efficiency of the zipper struts in achieving uniform damage over the height of the structure, and generally satisfies allowable interstory drift ratio limits.
Complications of laparoscopic transgastric ERCP in patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Background The altered anatomy of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass presents a challenge when duodenal access is required for ERCP. One technique, laparoscopic transgastric ERCP, was first described in 2002. Since that time, a total of 77 laparoscopic or percutaneous transgastric ERCPs have been reported. The largest case series includes 26 ERCPs, and no reports specifically address complications. We reviewed our experience with 85 transgastric ERCPs and report the limitations and complications associated with access and ERCP.
Thermal Cost of Refuge Use Affects Refuge Entry and Hiding Time by Striped Plateau Lizards Sceloporus virgatus

Abstract Escaping prey decide whether to enter and how long to stay in refuges. According to refuge-use theory, hiding time increases as costs of emerging increase and costs of staying in refuge decrease. We studied effects of air temperature on probability of entering refuges and the effects of thermal cost on hiding time (duration in refuge). Few striped plateau lizards (Sceloporus virgatus) used refuges at intermediate air temperatures, but most readily entered cool refuges at the lowest air temperatures and relatively warm refuges at higher temperatures. Because running speed in lizards decreases as body temperature decreases, S. virgatus that are cool upon morning emergence presumably reduced their probability of being captured by entering refuges. As air and presumably body temperatures increase, refuges are initially cooler than outside, contributing to infrequent use. At higher, but not thermally stressful, temperatures, a greater probability of using refuges may reflect lower thermal costs in ref...
The Use of Screening in Policy Analysis

In most policy analysis studies there are a large number of alternative policies and a large number of impacts to be considered. Time and budget constraints make it impossible to calculate all the impacts for all of the alternatives. As a result, such studies include some process for reducing the number of alternatives to be examined in detail. The process is often implicit and nonscientific e.g., only the decisionmaker's three favorite alternatives are considered. This paper suggests that policy analysis studies explicitly include a screening step, in which the alternatives to be examined in detail and those to be excluded from further consideration are chosen in a scientific and systematic manner. The output from this step is a relatively small set of policy alternatives that are sufficiently attractive that they deserve a more thorough evaluation. Two general screening strategies are described. They are illustrated by describing the screening step in a study to help determine an overall water management policy for the Netherlands.
Factitious lithium toxicity secondary to lithium heparin-containing blood tubes.

Introduction Lithium concentrations analyzed from blood collected in inappropriate tubes may lead to misdiagnosis and lead to unnecessary hospitalization and intervention. We sought to assess the magnitude of falsely elevated lithium levels in green top lithium heparin-containing blood tubes.
The interrelationship of tropical disease and mental disorder: conceptual framework and literature review (part I — malaria)

Substantial interactions between tropical diseases and psychiatric illness have long been recognized, but the impact of biological factors in the field of cross-cultural psychiatry has been less well studied than psychosocial factors. In reviewing the literature at the intersection of tropical medicine and psychiatry in order to summarize the existing data base in this field, a generalized interactive model informed by the theoretical contributions of George Engel, the WHO Scientific Working Group on Social and Economic Research, Arthur Kleinman, P. M. Yap, Edward Sapir and others has been developed to serve as a conceptual framework for this analysis of the literature and to guide further research. The clinical literature of tropical medicine and psychiatry which recognizes the significance of concurrent tropical disease and mental disorders is reviewed along with the more specific literature on malaria and concomitant psychiatric illness. Many authors have focused on the role of organic mental disorders, especially in connection with cerebral malaria, but several have also addressed psychosocial parameters through which the interrelationship between malaria and a full range of mental disorders is also mediated. The effects of malaria may serve as biological, psychological or social stressors operating in a cultural context which precipitate or shape features of psychiatric symptomatology. Psychiatric illness may likewise precipitate an episode of malaria with typical symptoms in a patient with a previously subclinical infection. Implications of the literature and this generalized interactive model are considered as they apply to clinical practice, public health and the application of social science theory in medicine.[/p]
Dissociation of implicit memory in dementia: Neurological implications

Lexical and pictorial priming tasks as well as tests of motor skill learning and weight biasing were administered to patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Huntington’s Disease (HD) and to intact control subjects. Lexical priming was evaluated with a stem-completion and a paired-associate paradigm, and perceptual priming was measured with a task involving the identification of fragmented drawings of common objects. A pursuit-rotor task was used to assess motor skill learning. Although both patient groups were severely impaired on explicit memory tasks, they exhibited marked dissociations on the implicit tests. The AD patients showed little lexical and pictorial priming, but performed like the control subjects on the weight-biasing and pursuit-rotor tasks. In contrast, the HD patients were unable to acquire the pursuit-rotor skill and demonstrated little weight biasing while performing like the control subjects on the lexical and pictorial priming tasks. These findings indicate that different forms of implicit memory may depend upon distinct constellations of brain structures. The integrity of the association cortices affected in AD may be necessary for the maintenance of lexical and pictorial priming, whereas the basal ganglia damaged in HD may be critical for the development of the motor programs underlying skill learning and weight biasing.
An Analysis of Data Breach Notifications as Negative News

Forty-six states require organizations to notify users when personally identifiable information has been exposed or when the organization’s data security measures have been breached. This article d...
Mechanical Characterization of a Fast DNA Motor: SpoIIIE

DNA translocation is a fundamental process in biology, required for essential cellular processes including recombination, replication, and chromosome segregation. The SpoIIIE motor is a homo-hexameric dsDNA translocase, part of the ASCE [Additional Strand Conserved E (glutamate)] superfamily of oligomeric ring NTPases. SpoIIIE is found in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, its biological role is to actively translocate DNA to ensure the proper segregation of sister chromatids. SpoIIIE accomplishes this task by coupling the chemical energy provided by ATP to generate mechanical work, pumping the DNA across a cellular membrane at a rate of 4 kbp/s. While generating mechanical work is a common function of ring NTPases, the timing and order of individual power strokes applies this work in a nuanced manner to better suit particular biological tasks. Understanding the mechanical aspects of fast DNA translocation provides a unique insight into the diverse mechanical strategies employed by these large class of ring NTPases.Using single-molecule optical trapping techniques, we present real-time measurements of SpoIIIE DNA translocation. By challenging the motor with different lengths of modified DNA substrates, we have determined that SpoIIIE makes critical phosphate contacts with the DNA backbone during translocation and characterized the periodicity of motor-DNA interactions, suggesting a fundamental step size of 2 bp. Finally, velocity dependence on an applied external load and ATP analogues has given insight into an emerging mechanochemical model of DNA translocation, suggesting a unique partially coordinated mechanism of hydrolysis between the individual subunits of SpoIIIE.
Rare species advantage? Richness of damage types due to natural enemies increases with species abundance in a wet tropical forest

Summary 1.The Janzen–Connell hypothesis (JC) is one potential mechanism to explain the maintenance of high alpha diversity of tree species in tropical forests, operating through differential pressure by natural enemies. 2.We proposed that this differing pressure could arise from the richness of damage types due to natural enemies (RDNE). Following a community compensatory trend (CCT), we hypothesized greater RDNE on common species than on rare species. 3.We evaluated this novel interpretation of the JC by assessing damage patterns on leaves, as a proxy for natural enemy species in 44 tree species. We first evaluated which abiotic and biotic factors affect RDNE. Then, we tested whether increasing RDNE leads to an increasing amount of foliar damage. 4.We found that RDNE Was affected by biotic environments: RDNE increased with mean seedling species abundance. RDNE was higher on species occurring near more closely related neighbours. Was not impacted by abiotic factors. Yet, seedlings of shade-tolerant species hosted a higher RDNE than seedlings of shade-intolerant species. Was positively correlated with amount of foliar damage at the species level. 5.Finally, we tested whether RDNE increased seedling mortality risk. We found that Foliar damage, species abundance and RDNE2 increased mortality risk. Richness of damage types due to natural enemies linearly decreased mortality risk more strongly than RDNE2 increased it. Seedling age decreased mortality risk. 6.Synthesis. The richness of damage types due to natural enemies increased with abundance of the host species, suggesting an important role of enemy diversity in the maintenance of tree diversity. Supporting a novel interpretation of the Janzen–Connell hypothesis, we found a greater mortality risk with increasing RDNE2, but not with increasing RDNE. There was a stronger negative linear effect of RDNE on mortality risk. Rare species with low RDNE as well as species with very high RDNE suffered greater mortality than species hosting intermediate RDNE, reinforcing the complexity of the effect of multiple enemies on prey.
Significance of Glycine 478 in the Metabolism of N-Benzyl-1-aminobenzotriazole to Reactive Intermediates by Cytochrome P450 2B1†

The effect of mutating Gly 478 to Ala in rat cytochrome P450 2B1 on the metabolism of N-benzyl-1-aminobenzotriazole was investigated. The 7-ethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin O-deethylation activity of the wild-type enzyme was completely inactivated by incubating with 1 microM BBT. The G478A mutant, however, was not inactivated by incubating with up to 10 microM BBT. Whereas metabolism of BBT by the wild-type 2B1 resulted in the formation of benzaldehyde, benzotriazole, aminobenzotriazole, and a new metabolite, the G478A mutant generated only the later. This metabolite was found by NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry to be a dimeric product formed from the reaction of two BBT molecules. Two spectral binding constants, a high-affinity constant that was the same for both enzymes (30-39 microM) and a low-affinity constant that was 5-fold lower for the mutant enzyme (0.3 mM vs 1.4 mM), were observed with BBT. The apparent Km and kcat values for the G478A mutant with BBT were 0.3 mM and 12 nmol (nmol of P450)-1 min-1, respectively. Molecular modeling studies of BBT bound in the active site of P450 2B1 suggested that a mutation of Gly 478 to Ala would result in steric hindrance and suppress oxidation of BBT at the 1-amino nitrogen. When BBT was oriented in the 2B1 active site such that oxidation at the 7-benzyl carbon could occur, no steric overlap between Ala 478 and the substrate was observed. Thus, this orientation of BBT would be preferred by the mutant leading to oxidation at the 7-benzyl carbon and subsequent dimer formation. These findings indicate that a glycine 478 to alanine substitution in P450 2B1 altered the binding of BBT such that inactivating BBT metabolites were no longer generated.
Selective growth of polycrystalline diamond thin films on a variety of substrates using selective damaging by ultrasonic agitation

Polycrystalline diamond thin films have been selectively grown on silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, tantalum, molybdenum, alumina, and sapphire substrates using selective damaging by ultrasonic agitation. Processes were developed to selectively damage the substrates by ultrasonic agitation in methanol containing diamond particles of typical size 90 μm. Optical and scanning electron microscopy is used to study selectivity and morphology of as-grown diamond thin films.
The Mysteries of Streptococcal Pharyngitis.

Streptococcal pharyngitis is common in children between 5 and 15 years of age. While there is a “classic” presentation, few patients have all of the characteristic signs and symptoms. Therefore, for those children who present with a sore throat in the absence of other respiratory symptoms such as nasal congestion and cough, the best method of determining the etiology of the illness is to obtain a swab of the tonsils and posterior pharynx and to test it for the presence of Group A Streptococci (GAS). Performing this testing, allows the clinician to safely avoid the use of antibiotics in children who do not test positive for this pathogen. These children are more likely to have a viral cause for their illness. Conversely, those who test positive for GAS can be offered antibiotics, such as penicillin or amoxicillin for treatment. Administering antimicrobial therapy will lead to more rapid clinical improvement and will decrease person to person transmission. In addition, it will prevent suppurative and some non-suppurative complications such as rheumatic fever. Some patients will have multiple episodes of illness during one school year associated with a positive test for GAS. This either represents true recurrent GAS infections or recurrent viral illnesses in children who have become streptococcal carriers. There are strategies to assist with the clinical management of both of these groups of children.
New light on the Lysenko era

Previously unpublished material shows how Trofim Lysenko both deceived and won the support of Stalin, and destroyed genetics in the Soviet Union.
Three‐dimensional reconstruction of MR images in congenital heart disease

Commercially available software is now available for reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) images of hearts with congenital anomalies from standard two-dimensional (2D) tomographic slices. We have used these 3-D images for 8 years to enhance anatomic diagnosis and functional evaluation pre- and postoperatively in children with congenital cardiac and great vessel diseases. The advantages of 3-D imaging are reduced examination time, improved display of complex intracardiac relationships, better understanding of relationships between great vessels and adjacent major airways, and facilitated demonstration of cardiovascular anatomy for those unfamiliar with tomographic images.
The Reformulation of the Question as to the Existence of God

This essay attempts to indicate the current status, within one frame of reference, of the question as to the existence of God. It is undertaken because the current reformulation of this question seems quite neglected in philosophical discussion, yet would change radically the nature of the issues to be discussed. The central theme of the paper is that Professor Paul Tillich reformulated this problem so as to transform the entire discussion as to the existence of God. But more importantly, it is argued that his reformulation itself has been challeged so as to throw in doubt God’s existence in the only significant sense that Tillich would allow. It is the contention of the paper that this challenge establishes the most recent locus of the discussion between contemporary philosophical naturalism and modern theism, has received little elaboration, and poses a new set of problems to which philosophy of religion must speak to be relevant on the contemporary philosophic scene. Traditional philosophy of religion usually dealt with the problem of the existence of God by discussing the possibility of the existence of some Being which was not reducible to the finite subject or to the natural world. Arguments for and against such a reality were continually offered. This tradition in philosophy of religion continues even in recent analytic philosophy with discussions of verifiability and falsifiability.
A natural language interface for crime-related spatial queries

Web-based mapping applications such as Google Maps or Virtual Earth have become increasingly popular. However, current map search is still keyword-based and supports a limited number of spatial predicates. In this paper, we build towards a natural language query interface to spatial databases to answer crime-related spatial queries. The system has two main advantages compared with interfaces such as Google Maps: (1) It allows query conditions to be expressed in natural language, and (2) It supports a larger number of spatial predicates, such as “within 3 miles” and “close to”. The system is evaluated using a set of crime-related queries run against a dataset that contains many spatial layers in the Denton, Texas area. The results show that our approach significantly outperforms Google Maps when processing complicated spatial queries.
Cognitive effects of antipsychotic agents in persons with traumatic brain injury

Over 1 million survivors of traumatic brain injury receive maintenance pharmacotherapy, of which a substantial number receive antipsychotic agents for the treatment of psychoses, agitation and aggres sion, and other maladaptive behaviours. In spite of the common clinical uses of antipsychotics, the cognitive risks versus benefits are unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in cognitive functioning before, during, and after discontinuation of antipsychotic agents in inpatients undergoing rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychiatric tests Reys Auditory-Verbal Learning, Trail Making A B, Digit Span Forwards and Backwards evaluating cognitive skills of verbal ability, visuomotor speed, memory, learning, attention, and spatial ability were administered to each subject at baseline immediately prior to tapering or discontinuing antipsychotic, when taper reached 50 of baseline dose, 1 week after antipsychotic discontinuation, and 3 weeks after discontinuation. These data sugges...
Review Of Arithmetic Algorithms And Circuits For High Speed Digital Signal Processing

This paper is a review of arithmetic algorithms and circuitry used for VLSI implementation of digital signal processing systems. We also briefly review recent introductions of digital signal processor ICs and provide examples of system specific ICs as well. Performance of the ICs is compared where data is available.
Dry Matter Production and Cutting Interval for Perennial Grasses

Cutting interval (or harvest frequency) is an important management factor in production of perennial grasses. Short intervals (for example 2 wk) produce lower dry matter with higher protein content while longer intervals (for example 12 wk) produce higher dry matter with lower protein content. In this article data from the literature are used to quantify the relationship between harvest interval and dry matter production for Midland and Tifton 44 cultivars of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), a warm-season perennial. The results agree rather well with analysis of data for Coastal bermudagrass grown at Tifton, GA. The same functional relationship holds for bermudagrass, bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). #Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. R-08563.
Lymphedema in a cohort of breast carcinoma survivors 20 years after diagnosis.

BACKGROUND To the authors' knowledge, there are no long-term cohort studies of lymphedema, despite the substantial morbidity of arm swelling. The goal of this study was to identify prevalence of breast carcinoma–related lymphedema, time of onset, and associated predictive factors. METHODS A cohort of 923 women consecutively treated with mastectomy and complete axillary dissection at our center between 1976 and 1978 was observed intensively for 20 years. Two hundred sixty-three study subjects (28.5%) who were alive and recurrence free constituted the cohort for the current study. A subset of 52 women (20% of study population) with contralateral mastectomy was analyzed separately. Subjects reported circumferential arm measurements taken using a validated instrument. In addition to providing analysis of clinical and treatment variables, this study is the first to the authors' knowledge to analyze possible etiologic factors in the posttreatment years, such as occupation, general physical activity, and sports/leisure activities. Univariate and multivariate analytic methods were used. RESULTS At 20 years after treatment, 49% (128 of 263) reported the sensation of lymphedema. Arm swelling measurements were severe (≥ 2.0 in [5.08 cm]; patients reported measurement in inches) for 13% (33 of 263 women). Seventy-seven percent (98 of 128) noted onset within 3 years after the operation; the remaining percentage developed arm swelling at a rate of almost 1% per year. Of the 15 potential predictive factors analyzed, only 2 were statistically significantly associated with lymphedema: arm infection/injury and weight gain since operation (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This defined cohort, treated by axillary dissection 20 years ago, documents the high prevalence of lymphedema and its time course. Two significantly associated factors, both potentially controllable, are identified. The current study provides further support for treatments that limit lymph node dissection. The authors are prospectively evaluating patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy. Cancer 2001;92:1368–77. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Reply to Engelder: Potential for fluid migration from the Marcellus Formation remains possible

Engelder’s letter (1) argues that the sequestration of hydraulic fracturing fluids (HFFs) and brines by imbibition and capillary binding seals the Marcellus Formation and precludes the flow of fluids into overlying formations. This apparently conflicts with our study suggesting that natural connectivity exists between the Marcellus Formation and shallow aquifers in northeastern Pennsylvania (2).
Gene expression profiles in the Peyronie's disease plaque.

Abstract Objectives. To provide molecular insight into the pathophysiology of Peyronie’s disease (PD), a preliminary profile of differential gene expression between the PD plaque and control tunica albuginea was obtained with DNA microarrays. Methods. Seven PD plaques and five control tunica albugineas were studied. cDNA specimens were prepared from RNA isolated from one calcified PD plaque and one control tissue and hybridized with the Clontech Atlas 1.2 Array. Another set of plaque and control RNA samples was hybridized with the Affymetrix GeneChip. Relative changes of greater than 2.0 defined up-regulation and down-regulation, respectively. RNA from the remaining tissues was used to determine, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, the expression of selected individual genes. Results. Some of up-regulated genes in the PD plaque detected by the Clontech assay were pleiotrophin, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and early growth response protein, which are involved in osteoblast recruitment, inflammation, and fibroblast proliferation, respectively. Ubiquitin and Id-2, which are involved in tissue remodeling, were down-regulated. The Affymetrix DNA chips identified the up-regulation of elastase (involved in elastic fiber degradation) and the myofibroblast markers alpha and gamma-smooth muscle actin, desmin, and others, as well as the down-regulation of collagenase IV and transforming growth factor-beta modulators. Four of the five genes selected for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting confirmed the DNA microarray results. Conclusions. In the PD tissue, the genes involved in collagen synthesis, myofibroblast differentiation, tissue remodeling, inflammation, ossification, and proteolysis are up-regulated, and the genes that inhibit some of these processes and collagenase are down-regulated.
Preliminary results on a continuation approach to decentralized eigenstructure assignment

This paper presents a continuation method for decentralized eigenstructure assignment for interconnected systems. The set of allowable decentralized constant output feedbacks assigning a given spectrum is characterized by a solution manifold of a singular system of differential equations. By selecting appropriate trajectories along this manifold one can also assign "allowable" eigenvectors.
Dairy Facility Investments and Labor Economics

Abstract Investments in modern dairy housing systems range from $800 to $1,200 per cow, depending largely on type of housing selected; degree of mechanization built into the milking, feeding, and manure handling systems; and types and cost of material used. Next to feed, labor is the most costly input in producing milk, accounting for 15 to 30% of total costs. Cost of labor largely determines the profitability of investing in labor saving housing and equipment. With labor priced at $2 or less per hour, high mechanization does not pay off. When dairy farmers must pay $3 to $4 per hour, which is comparable to industrial wage rates, investments in moderately to highly mechanized milking, manure handling, and grain and silage feeding systems result in lowest per unit cost. Management will become especially important in the development of complete systems, resulting in efficient and profitable milk production.