cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Ion‐Pair High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method for the Determination of Aspartame and its Decomposition Products

The retention behavior of aspartame and six decomposition products were evaluated as a function of added sulfonic acid ion-pair mobile phase modifiers by HPLC. The separation of aspartame decomposition products was optimized utilizing an isocratic mobile phase of acetonitrile, monosodium phosphate buffer, and I-heptane sulfonatc at pH 3 with UV detection at 214 nm. The effects of ion-pair chain length and mobile phase pH on the separation and quantitation of six aspartame decomposition products were compared to traditional reversed-phase methods. The advantage of the described method is a rapid analysis with minimal peak tailing, which is easily manipulated to maintain the desired resolution as chromatographic conditions change.
Nine families with the SCA3/Machado-Joseph disease type of inherited ataxia

Higgins et al. [1] recently described seven American families with autosomal dominant ataxia having CAG trinucleotide repeat expansions in the coding region of the Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) gene. Two families were of German and Dutch-African origin. The authors suggested that American families with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) differ from those with MJD by their ethnic origin, predominant spinopontine atrophy at autopsy, lack of dystonic features, and larger CAG repeat expansions. In addition, Silveira et al. [2] identified the MJD repeat mutation in 41% of 92 unrelated patients with …
Separation of HT, noble gases and HTO vapor with semipermeable membranes

Abstract A new technique for measuring the airborne concentration of tritium-oxide vapor in the presence of molecular tritium gas and radioactive noble gases is presented. The radioactive species are separated using semipermeable membranes.
Minimum cross-entropy spectral analysis of time-varying biological signals

The application of minimum cross-entropy (MCE) spectral analysis to successive blocks of biological time series is considered. Examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the MCE procedure for the analysis of cardiovascular ultrasound return and low-frequency electroencephalograph (EEG) signals. >
The symbiotic nest association of yellowfin shiners, Notropis lutipinnis, and bluehead chubs, Nocomis leptocephalus

Yellowfin shiners spawn in nests constructed by male bluehead chubs. To determine whether yellowfin shiners are obligatory symbionts of bluehead chubs, different densities of shiners were isolated from chubs and presented with artificial nests in stream enclosures. Yellowfin shiners failed to reproduce in the absence of bluehead chubs, indicating that the symbiosis is obligatory for the shiners. Bluehead chubs tended nests by moving stones, which kept the nests free of silt. Nest tending lasted for the same amount of time that embryos and larvae of both species were found in the nests. Yellowfin shiners benefit from a protective nest and parental care given by the chub. Eggs, embryos and larvae of both species may benefit from reduced predation due to a dilution effect. These observations suggest that this nest association is an obligatory, mutualistic symbiosis.
Stigma and Ageism: Compounding Influences in Making an Accurate Mental Health Assessment

Stigma and ageism are two phenomena that greatly affect the accurate assessment of mentally ill elderly and, ultimately, their health care. Healthcare providers, doctors, nurses and others, including mental-healthcare providers, would benefit from awareness of stigma and ageism and their impact on psychiatric care for the elderly, many of whom also have physical problems. Understanding these influences may assist providers to make more accurate diagnoses and a more appropriate plan of care. This paper defines stigma and ageism and their potential and actual influences on assessment and interventions for the mentally ill elderly. Strategies for overcoming the impact of stigma and ageism are presented to assist healthcare providers to advocate for geropsychiatric clients.
A SOCS-1 peptide mimetic inhibits both constitutive and IL-6 induced activation of STAT3 in prostate cancer cells

A SOCS-1 peptide mimetic inhibits both constitutive and IL-6 induced activation of STAT3 in prostate cancer cells
Quartz-garnet isotope thermometry in the southern Adirondack Highlands (Grenville Province, New York)

Quartz-garnet oxygen isotope thermometry of quartz-rich metasedimentary rocks from the southern Adirondack Highlands (Grenville Province, New York) yields metamorphic temperatures of 700- 800 � C, consistent with granulite facies mineral assemblages. Samples from the Irving Pond quartzite record D 18 O(Qtz-Grt) ¼ 2.68 ± 0.21& (1 S.D., n ¼ 15), corresponding to peak metamorphic conditions of 734 ± 38 � C. This agrees well with the estimates from garnet-biotite exchange thermometry. Similar temperature estimates are obtained from Swede Pond (682 ± 47 � C, n ¼ 3) and King's Station (c. 700 � C). The Whitehall area records higher temperatures (798 ± 25 � C, n ¼ 3). All of these temperatures are higher than previous regional temperature estimates. The c. 800 � C temperatures near Whitehall are consistent with preservation of pre-granulite contact temperatures adjacent to anorthosite. The preservation of peak metamorphic temperatures in garnet of all sizes is consistent with slow oxygen diffusion in garnet, and closure temperatures of at least 730 � C. Peak metamorphic fractionations are preserved in rocks with varying quartz:feldspar ratios, indicating that the modal percentage of feldspar does not affect retrograde oxygen exchange in these rocks. The lack of this correlation suggests slow rates of oxygen diffusion in quartz and feldspar, consistent with the results of anhydrous oxygen diffusion experiments.
Exploratory investigation of student attitudes toward technology based on Wi-Fi usage

The purpose of this study was to investigate how college students use Wi-Fi technology and to address relative benefits and barriers of Wi-Fi in student mobile learning. This research combined qualitative and quantitative research methods and the participants were college students. Preliminary findings indicated students who used the Wi-Fi in class held significantly more positive attitudes toward this technology compared to students who had not yet used it. No significant differences were found between graduate students and undergraduate students. The study also found that Wi-Fi technology can promote student-centred learning in five areas: mobility, learning environment, flexibility, collaboration, and communication.
Conserved gene structure and genomic linkage for D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) and MIF

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) are small proteins, which are related both by sequence and by in vitro enzyme activity. Here we show that the gene for DDT in human and mouse is identical in exon structure to MIF. Both genes have two introns that are located at equivalent positions, relative to a twofold repeat in protein structure. Although in similar positions, the introns are in different phases relative to the open reading frame. Other members of this superfamily exist in nematodes and a plant, and a related gene in C. elegans shares an intron position with MIF and DDT. In addition to similarities in structure, the genes for DDT and MIF are closely linked on human Chromosome (Chr) 22 and mouse Chr 10.
Modeling to link regional myocardial work, metabolism and blood flows

Given the mono-functional, highly coordinated processes of cardiac excitation and contraction, the observations that regional myocardial blood flows, rMBF, are broadly heterogeneous has provoked much attention, but a clear explanation has not emerged. In isolated and in vivo heart studies the total coronary flow is found to be proportional to the rate-pressure product (systolic mean blood pressure times heart rate), a measure of external cardiac work. The same relationship might be expected on a local basis: more work requires more flow. The validity of this expectation has never been demonstrated experimentally. In this article we review the concepts linking cellular excitation and contractile work to cellular energetics and ATP demand, substrate utilization, oxygen demand, vasoregulation, and local blood flow. Mathematical models of these processes are now rather well developed. We propose that the construction of an integrated model encompassing the biophysics, biochemistry and physiology of cardiomyocyte contraction, then combined with a detailed three-dimensional structuring of the fiber bundle and sheet arrangements of the heart as a whole will frame an hypothesis that can be quantitatively evaluated to settle the prime issue: Does local work drive local flow in a predictable fashion that explains the heterogeneity? While in one sense one can feel content that work drives flow is irrefutable, the are no cardiac contractile models that demonstrate the required heterogeneity in local strain–stress-work; quite the contrary, cardiac contraction models have tended toward trying to show that work should be uniform. The object of this review is to argue that uniformity of work does not occur, and is impossible in any case, and that further experimentation and analysis are necessary to test the hypothesis.
"The Silk Worms of the East Must Be Pillaged": The Cultural Foundations of Mass Fashion

Eighteenth century Scottish data provide rare documentation of the origins of a mass fashion system from the perspective of those who experienced it. This analysis focuses on the conceptual distinction between dress and mass fashion as a category ofdress, and it uses culture theory to propose a cultural-contextual explanation of the shift from dress to mass fashion in dress. It explains why dress becomes mass fashion only in the context of an emerging industrialized nation state with the necessary understructure to support a mass fashion system, a system with very different cultural requirements from dress and from aristocratic fashion. An analysis of Roach and Musa's (1980) definition of fashion makes it clear that the distinctions between these terms are far from trivial, for each implies different levels of socio-cultural complexity. Parallels between the mass fashion system that developed in late 18th-century Scotland and those of developing nations today are suggested.
Calcification of the liver in a patient on renal replacement therapy diagnosed with systemic calciphylaxis

Calciphylaxis is an entity that manifests in patients with end-stage renal disease. Also known as calcific uraemic arteriolopathy, it is associated with calcium deposits and the appearance of necrotic lesions in the skin and blood vessels. Of unclear pathogenesis, it can present with hypercalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Vascular calcification is its histological footprint on biopsy. We report an unusual case of liver calcification in a patient with calciphylaxis. The patient is a 48-year-old African American male with a history of end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis for 6 years secondary to hypertension. He came to the emergency room complaining of increased abdominal girth for the last month associated with increased penile oedema and pain. He had never travelled outside the United States. Physical exam revealed a blood pressure 110/80 mmHg, pulse 81 and respiratory rate 18; temperature 97 F, hepatomegaly and a penile ulcer of 1 cm diameter were present (necrotic centre). The biopsy of the penile ulcer was compatible with calciphylaxis (calcifications of small blood vessels, no findings suggestive of vasculitis). The patient had signs of liver failure with low albumin, increased PT and increased bilirubin. CT scan of the abdomen showed calcification of some areas of the liver and other intraabdominal organs (Figures ​(Figures11 and ​and2).2). The patient died 1 week later from septic shock. Autopsy was not authorized by the family. Fig. 1 CT of the Abdomen with PO Contrast. Arrow shows Liver calcifications. Fig. 2 CT of the Abdomen with PO Contrast. Arrows show Liver and kidney calcifications. Calcium deposits in the kidneys, stomach, heart and lungs have been described previously in this entity. Patients can present with systemic involvement to the lung and acute respiratory failure also described in the literature as ‘pulmonary calciphylaxis’. Our patient presented with liver failure and was found to have extensive calcification of the liver. This is the first reported case of liver calcification ‘liver calciphylaxis’ in a patient with calciphylaxis complicated by hepatic insufficiency. We suggest that vascular calcifications are just one part of the spectrum of calciphylaxis, and that any organ of the anatomy can be affected. Despite the treatment, the mortality is very high. Conflict of interest statement. None declared.
An infrared study of isomerization of acetylenes over zinc oxide

Abstract Absorbed acetylenes on zinc oxide are more strongly bound than the corresponding olefins, and, in contrast to olefins, the acetylenes are only partially desorbed, as such, even after degassing at 300 °C. Addition of small amounts of acetylene gives rise to the immediate appearance of a band at 3550 cm−1, a region characteristic of an OH bond, which suggests that dissociative adsorption occurs. Details of the spectrum of adsorbed acetylene and perdeuteroacetylene are consistent with this view. When a small amount of methyl acetylene is adsorbed, dissociative adsorption again occurs as indicated by the appearance of a band at 3515 cm−1. Studies with labeled methyl acetylene, however, reveal that the initial dissociation occurs via removal of the methyl hydrogen to form a propargyl species. The propargyl species, also formed from allene, appears to function as an intermediate in allene-methyl acetylene isomerization.
Superconducting Proximity Effect of Nb

Previous investigators have studied the proximity effect of a number of nontransition-metal superconductors. In this investigation the proximity effect of Nb (a transition-metal superconductor) has been studied using the Nb-Cu and Nb-Ni systems. The films were sputtered sequentially without breaking vacuum. The sandwiches were maintained at temperatures below 200\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K until after ${T}_{c}$ had been measured, to preclude chemical or metallurgical interactions. Sandwich ${T}_{c}$ has been obtained as a function of Nb film thickness for thick overlayer films. The Nb-Cu data are in agreement with the de Gennes-Werthamer theory. The Nb-Ni data follow the form of the adjustable-parameter ($\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\equiv}\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}}{2\ensuremath{\pi}{k}_{B}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{s}}$) theory proposed by Werthamer. However, Ni is found to have less effect on Nb than was reported for Pb: a value of $\ensuremath{\beta}=7$ is obtained for Nb compared to $\ensuremath{\beta}=43$ for Pb. Possible explanations of the observed behavior are discussed.
Online versus phone surveys: comparison of results for a bicycling survey

Researchers in the transportation field rely heavily on traditional random-digit-dialing phone surveys and increasingly on online surveys. Many studies have looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the two methods, but few have examined differences in the inferences that can be drawn from the data generated by the two survey methods. In this paper, we compare both descriptive and inferential results from online and phone surveys with identical questions conducted in Davis, California. Results show that although bicycling behavior does not differ across the two survey samples, many socio-demographic characteristics do. The models developed from each sample have several statistically indistinguishable coefficients but also notable differences in key explanatory factors. The results suggest that online and phone survey methods have the potential to produce significantly different results, both descriptively and inferentially.
Safety and Efficacy of Sub-Antimicrobial-Dose Doxycycline Therapy in Patients with Adult Periodontitis:

The objectives of the studies presented here were to assess the safety and efficacy of the adjunctive administration of sub-antimicrobial-dose doxycycline (SDD) for the treatment of adult periodontitis and to confirm the optimal dosing regimen. The studies summarized included four double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials, conducted over a period of 9 to 12 months. Analysis of efficacy data demonstrated that adjunctive SDD treatment resulted in: (1) increases in clinical attachment levels; (2) decreases in probing pocket depths; and (3) reductions in bleeding on probing in patients with adult periodontitis. There were no significant adverse events or unwanted long-term antimicrobial effects associated with orally administered SDD. The results of these clinical trials indicate that the adjunctive use of SDD 20 mg BID is an effective and well-tolerated regimen which can significantly improve several indices of periodontal health.
Hevin, an Antiadhesive Extracellular Matrix Protein, Is Down-Regulated in Metastatic Prostate Adenocarcinoma

Hevin, a gene closely related to the extracellular matrix protein SPARC, is an acidic cysteine-rich glycoprotein shown to be important for the adhesion and trafficking of cells through the endothelium. Through the use of differential display and differential EST analysis, we identified Hevin as a gene whose transcription is down-regulated in transformed prostate epithelial cell lines and metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma. These results were confirmed by comparing expression levels between normal and neoplastic human prostate tissues using Northern analysis. In situ hybridization with an 35S-labeled antisense riboprobe demonstrated the loss of Hevin expression in metastatic prostate carcinoma. The expression pattern of Hevin in transformed and metastatic epithelium may provide further insights into the complex cell adhesion events involved in the metastatic progression of prostate carcinoma.
Grünbaums Kritik an der Freudschen Argumentationslogik: Eine Rekonstruktion und ein Nachtrag

Fur seine meisterhafte, umfassende Behandlung der Frage, welche wissenschaftliche Stellung die Freudsche Psychoanalyse einnimmt, verdient Grunbaum nur Lob. Wenn es einen Schwachpunkt in seiner Arbeit gibt, dann liegt er im stilistischen Bereich. Seine Prosa ist von einer solchen Dichte und seine Argumente sind so komplex, das ich furchte, man sieht oft den Wald vor lauter Baumen nicht. Zur besseren Erlauterung mochte ich daher den folgenden „Plan“zu Grunbaums Diskussion der erkenntnistheoretischen Probleme erstellen, die sich daraus ergeben, das Freud klinische Daten verwendet, um seine Theorien zu bestatigen. (Eine ausfuhrlichere Besprechung der Argumente Grunbaums findet sich in v. Eckardt 1985 [Ubersetzung in Teil B dieses Buches]). Der „Plan“hebt hervor, das die Beweis-Hypothesen-Hierarchie in 4 kritische epistemische Ebenen unterteilt ist und nicht in 2 (namlich in klinische „Daten“einerseits und Theorien anderseits); aus diesem Plan last sich nicht nur ersehen, wie grudlich Grundaum dieses Problem behandelt, sondern auch, wo vielleicht kleine Lucken oder Versaumnisse bestehen.
Pharmacological and rAAV Gene Therapy Rescue of Visual Functions in a Blind Mouse Model of Leber Congenital Amaurosis

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020333
Applications of high temperature superconductors to direct current electric power transmission and distribution

For several reasons, the application of superconductors to both the transmission and distribution of electric power is a desire that is best accomplished by using direct current. The inherent low loss, high current capability of dc superconducting cables allows the replacement of ultra-high voltage apparatus and the associated high cost and inversion-rectification difficulties with a compact potentially lower cost, low profile, high current, cable system. This paper discusses the history of dc transmission and distribution applications and the reasons that high temperature superconductors, modern cryogenic systems, and cryogenic power electronics are the potential enabling technologies. The economic and performance enhancements that follow from the integration of these high current, superconducting dc systems into the electric grid are presented together with the expected potential operational benefits. Possible cable and rectifier-inverter configurations are summarized along with the technical and economic challenges that must be overcome to achieve a significant penetration of dc cable technology on both the transmission and distribution grids. Finally, the steps needed to achieve large-scale applications of high-current dc transmission and dc distribution in the future electric grid are summarized.
Exact formula for the minimum squared Euclidean distance of CPFSK

The exact expression for the minimum-squared Euclidean distance of continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK) with modulation index h >
A test of the social cohesion hypothesis: interactive female marmots remain at home

Individuals frequently leave home before reaching reproductive age, but the proximate causes of natal dispersal remain relatively unknown. The social cohesion hypothesis predicts that individuals who engage in more (affiliative) interactions are less likely to disperse. Despite the intuitive nature of this hypothesis, support is both limited and equivocal. We used formal social network analyses to quantify precisely both direct and indirect measures of social cohesion in yellow-bellied marmots. Because approximately 50 per cent of female yearlings disperse, we expected that social relationships and network measures of cohesion would predict dispersal. By contrast, because most male yearlings disperse, we expected that social relationships and cohesion would play a less important role. We found that female yearlings that interacted with more individuals, and those that were more socially embedded in their groups, were less likely to disperse. For males, social interactions were relatively unimportant determinants of dispersal. This is the first strong support for the social cohesion hypothesis and suggests that the specific nature of social relationships, not simply the number of affiliative relationships, may influence the propensity to disperse.
The Ontogeny of Drug Disposition: Focus on Drug Absorption, Distribution, and Excretion*:

Pharmacokinetics is the scientific discipline which attempts to quantitate the important, dynamic processes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. In essence, pharmacokinetics focuses on describing, in very specijic detail, the sojourn a drug takes once it enters the body. Unfortunately, reseamhers’ understanding of the influence of age on the disposition characteristics of drug effect is very limited. These database limitations continue to compromise one’s ability to design optimal dose regimens for the care of sick infants and children. Nevertheless, it is only with a clear understanding of the various influences age has on drug disposition that these very important, compromising limitations will be resolved. This overview will focus on the ontogenic basis of the pharmacokinetics of drug absorption, distribution, and excretion. The important aspects relevant to drug metabolism will be addressed in a companion paper of this workshop. Key Woh: Ontogeny; Drug disposition; Absorption; Distribution; Excretion
Reduced Agulhas Leakage during the Last Glacial Maximum inferred from an integrated provenance and flux study

Surface and intermediate waters from the Indian Ocean enter the Cape Basin in the southeast Atlantic by the “Agulhas Leakage”, which adds heat and salt to the Atlantic Ocean, and may act as a positive feedback for the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). In order to assess the role of the Agulhas Leakage in past climate change, it is important to constrain whether there was change in its flux in association with warmer and colder global climate intervals. This study uses the radiogenic isotope compositions of strontium and neodymium and the rubidium, strontium, samarium and neodymium concentrations of the terrigenous fraction of sediments from the oceans surrounding South Africa as tracers of sediment provenance, and the initial excess Thorium-230 of the bulk sediments as a constant flux proxy. The purpose is to assess the relationship between sediment sources around southern Africa and Agulhas Current flow for the Holocene and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Results point to the Agulhas Current as a major source of sediment to the southern Cape Basin during the Holocene, and show that the surface currents have an important control on the distribution of sediments in the South Atlantic. The Cape Basin data can be explained with three end-member mixing of particulates carried by (1) the Agulhas Current, (2) the South Atlantic or Antarctic Circumpolar Current (SAC or ACC) and (3) locally derived sediments from southern Africa. The composition of each end-member does not change significantly between the LGM and the Holocene. Comparison of the two time-slices show that a smaller fraction of sediment deposited in the Cape Basin is derived from the Agulhas Current during the LGM. The ACC and SAC were more sediment laden during the LGM and western sources were major contributors to the Cape Basin sediments. The data also indicate a much reduced Agulhas contribution to sediments deposited south and southeast of Africa beneath the present-day Agulhas Current flow, indicating a reduced transport of the Agulhas Current and reduced Agulhas Leakage during the LGM.
Innovative use of quality-of-life data: correlating physiologic parameters with patient-centered symptoms-- the example of anemia on the vitality of surgical oncology patients.

Background: It has been difficult to correlate quality of life with physiologic parameters. This may be because of the multitude of factors that lead to a symptom. An example of a cause of fatigue, lassitude, and lack of vitality is anemia. This study explores whether a generic quality-of-life instrument's measure of vitality is correlated with anemia. Methods: Surgical oncology patients were asked to complete the SF-36. One of the domains is vitality (VT), which is a measure of fatigue (best possible score 100, worst possible score 0). Hemoglobin (Hb, gm/dL) and hematocrit (Hct, %) levels from the same period were recorded. Results: A total of 319 patients were assessed, 114 postoperative patients with no evidence of disease (NED) and 205 patients with active disease. There were no differences in Hb or Hct levels, but VT was slightly higher in NED patients. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that for overall VT, VT in patients with active malignant disease, and VT in NED patients the regression slop...
Dynamics of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in the cycling ewe: a radioimmunoassay study.

SummaryThree out of four cycling ewes followed for two full cycles showed a marked increase in radioimmunoassayable circulating LH levels shortly after the onset of estrus; although samples were ta...
An in Vitro Method to Investigate Food Effects on Drug Release from Film-Coated Beads

ABSTRACTThe influence of simulated high-fat meals on drug release from beads coated with modified-release ethylcellulose coating formulations was investigated as a function of plasticizer type and concentration, and coating level. Ethylcellulose-coated beads were soaked in peanut oil prior to testing to simulate the influence of concomitant administration of the dosage form with ingestion of fatty meals. The USP apparatus 3 dissolution procedure was employed to study the drug release properties of the beads. It was found that the ethylcellulose-coated beads plasticized with either triethyl citrate (TEC) or dibutyl sebacate (DBS) had faster drug release rates after the peanut oil treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the peanut oil soak caused the polymeric films to detach from the surface of the bead, producing a series of uneven ridges and cracks in the coating. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated that the glass transition temperature was increased for DBS...
Multiresolutional multiple-model target tracking

A multiresolutional multiple-model target tracking algorithm is developed which uses the wavelet transform as a means for mapping data between different resolution levels. The algorithm is effective for tracking maneuvering targets given measurements with a low S/N ratio. >
Preliminary Assessment of the Los Angeles, Vienna and Melbourne Cochlear Implants

We tested four patients using the single-channel cochlear implant from Los Angeles, three patients using the single-channel cochlear implant from Vienna, and two patients using the multichannel cochlear implant from Melbourne. Tests from the MAC battery and the Iowa Cochlear Implant Battery were used. Most patients were able to identify some environmental sounds. Three of the patients had difficulty distinguishing between male and female voices, and three could not distinguish between a noise and a voice. All patients had difficulty discriminating between unknown speakers of the same sex. A four-choice spondee test in noise showed that all patients suffered drastically from background noise. In all cases there was an improvement in lipreading ability with the implant. On a sentence test with a contextual cue seven patients got some words with sound alone. Results obtained with the multichannel inplant are superior on several tasks, but we have tested too few patients to allow us any firm conclusions.
Foraging Cues Used by Insular Florida Cottonmouths, Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti

Abstract Previous studies have shown that snakes can use groundborne vibrations for localizing prey, and some have proposed that such vibrations provide important cues for cottonmouth snakes while foraging on fish that fall from island bird rookeries. The latter hypothesis was tested by using fish and fish models to study the behavioral response of insular Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti to groundborne vibrations and olfactory cues. Diving and wading birds that nest on Seahorse Key, a small island adjacent to the northern Florida peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico, regularly drop fish in the vicinity of resident A. piscivorus during the colonial nesting period. Here we report that presentation of an equivalent groundborne vibration, without associated chemosensory or visual stimuli, failed to induce overt foraging behavior in these snakes. However, presentation of a fish-based olfactory stimulus, without associated groundborne vibration or motion, triggered a foraging response in A. piscivorus. Snakes from tw...
Explicit Time‐Dependent Multi‐Hazard Cost Analysis Based on Parameterized Demand Models for the Optimum Design of Bridge Structures

An explicit cost analysis framework for two locations in the New Madrid and San Francisco Bay Area seismic zones were presented in this article. The framework was built upon the unified reliability method that introduced time-dependent variables and multiple hazards. As opposed to traditional structural limit states in structural reliability methods, reliability-based design of deteriorating structures that are subjected to natural hazards were performed using a cost limit state function. Furthermore, the framework has included deterioration models that are functions of time as well as recently developed parameterized structural capacity and demand models for various hazards. The flexibility of cost-based limit state functions addressed the criticism of focusing on minimization of the total expected cost typically used in some life-cycle cost analysis methods. The application of the proposed framework is illustrated in a bridge design optimization problem where the column reinforcement bar diameter and concrete cover are considered to be design parameters.
A Nonlinear Differential Semblance Strategy for Waveform Inversion: Experiments in Layered Media

SUMMARY This paper proposes an alternative approach to the output leastsquares (OLS) seismic inversion for layered-media. The latter cannot guarantee a reliable solution for either synthetic or field data, because of the existence of many spurious local minima of the objective function for typical data, which lack low-frequency energy. To recover the low-frequency lacuna of typical data, we formulate waveform inversion as a differential semblance optimization (DSO) problem with artificial low-frequency data as control variables. This version of differential semblance with nonlinear modeling properly accounts for nonlinear effects of wave propagation, such as multiple reflections. Numerical experiments with synthetic data indicate the smoothness and convexity of the proposed objective function. These results suggest that gradient-related algorithms may successfully approximate a global minimizer from a crude initial guess for typical band-limited data.
Loss quantification for microstrip reflectarray: Issue of high fields and currents

This paper characterizes the dielectric loss and conductor loss phenomenon which occurs in printed reflectarray elements performing HFSS simulations and waveguide measurements. The variable size patches reflectarray design was chosen to investigate the loss phenomenon. It was seen that the dielectric loss which occurs due to the strong E-fields in the substrate region and the copper loss which occurs due to the high currents on the top surface of the patch is significant for thin substrates close to resonance but these losses are negligible away from resonance. These losses were also dependent on the thickness of the substrate and decreased by increasing the substrate thickness. Waveguide measurements were conducted to measure the return loss and reflection phase for the different substrate thicknesses and showed good agreement with the simulation model.
Sticky trap and stem-tap sampling protocols for the Asian citrus psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae).

ABSTRACT Sampling statistics were obtained to develop a sampling protocol for estimating numbers of adult Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in citrus by using two different sampling methods: yellow sticky traps and stem—tap samples, A 4.0-ha block of mature orange trees was stratified into 10 0.4-ha strata and sampled using each method seven times over a 7-mo period. One sticky trap was deployed per tree on each of 16 trees randomly selected in each stratum, and numbers of adults on the traps were counted 1 wk later. One stem—tap sample in which the number of adults falling into a pan after three rapid taps to a branch was taken per tree on each of 16 trees randomly selected in each stratum. A sampling protocol of one yellow sticky trap on each of 20 trees, or of one stem—tap sample on each of 30 trees, distributed uniformly across an area up to 4.0 ha (excluding block edges) was projected to provide an average sampling precision rate of ≤25% (SEM/mean × 100) at means of one or more adults ...
Tranylcypromine Concentrations and Monoamine Oxidase Activity in Tissues from a Fatal Poisoning

The case of a 55-year-old woman who died following the Ingestion of 300 mg of tranylcypromine and several other drugs is presented. High concentrations of tranylcypromine were found in blood, brain, liver, and urine by gas-liquid chromatography. Monoamine oxidase activity in liver was markedly diminished from that of the control case, although the cerebral cortical activity of this enzyme did not differ significantly from the control. Pathological findings were limited to pulmonary edema and congestion of the liver, spleen, and kidneys.
Leptin inhibits gonadotrophin-stimulated granulosa cell progesterone production by antagonizing insulin action

Recent evidence has demonstrated that expression of leptin and leptin receptors is expected in the human ovary, and that leptin alters ovarian steroidogenesis in animal models. This study was designed to determine whether leptin modulates basal, gonadotrophin-, and insulin-stimulated progesterone production by human luteinized granulosa cells (GC). GC were recovered from follicular aspirates obtained during transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval for in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, and cultured in defined medium with various combinations of chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG; 0 or 100 ng/ml), insulin (0-30 microg/ml), and leptin (0-100 ng/ml). Progesterone concentrations in media were determined at various time points (2 h to 6 days). Leptin time- and dose-dependently inhibited (P < 0.05) HCG-stimulated progesterone production by human luteinized GC, but did not alter basal steroidogenesis. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of leptin on gonadotrophin-stimulated progesterone production was only manifested in the presence of insulin. Leptin suppression of insulin-supported steroidogenesis was also time- and dose-dependent. We conclude that leptin inhibits gonadotrophin-stimulated GC progesterone production apparently by antagonizing insulin action. Leptin suppression of progesterone production by human luteinized GC is consistent with recent data from animal models, and supports the possible role of leptin as a regulator of human ovarian function.
The Effects of Occupational Licensing on Complaints Against Real Estate Agents

Does licensing increase the quality of services? This is a major unresolved question in the economic analysis of occupational licensing. This paper provides the first empirical evidence on the simu...
Postgraduate Cancer Education and Training in Lithuania: Harmonization According to the EU Rules

The purpose of this article is to discuss Lithuanian postgraduate cancer education according to the data of 2013. In Lithuania, a specialization in an area called clinical oncology is absent; as independent specialities in oncology, there are both medical oncologists and radiation oncologists. These types of oncologists complete rigorous residency training in the clinics. Separate courses are provided in different residency programmes. Currently, there are two medical oncology and radiation oncology programmes for 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-year residents, one at the National Cancer Institute and another at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Kaunas Clinics. Today, there are only 45 radiation oncologists and 56 medical oncologists licensed in Lithuania. This means that each radiation oncologist and medical oncologist is providing for 397 and 319 new cancer cases per year, respectively, or there are 0.3 practising in the major specialties of oncology per 10,000 population. Most other medical residency programmes expose their trainees to oncology for only 1 month either in the 1st or the 2nd year of residency. Due to the growing number of new cancer cases worldwide, these programmes have to be extended, especially for family and internal medicine residents. Lithuanian postgraduate cancer education and training is in the process of harmonization according to the EU rules. All the Lithuanian residency programmes are certificated by an independent public agency and are recognized by a number of countries, including all the countries of the EU.
Assessment and Treatment of Alcohol- and Substance-Use Disorders in Patients with HIV Infection

Throughout the world, alcohol and substance use can be described as vectors of HIV infection. Transmission of HIV related to alcohol and substance use may be direct or indirect. Direct transmission of HIV comes through the sharing of needles or other “works” among injection drug users (IDUs), or through exposure to blood by other means, such as sharing a contaminated straw used for intranasal inhalation of cocaine. Indirect transmission occurs when substance users, often while under the influence of the substance, become vulnerable to unsafe practices, such as trading sex for drugs or money to get drugs, failure to use condoms or safer sex practices, or failure to maintain stable relationships, thus increasing the number of sexual partners, about whom they may know very little.
The Hot Celloidin Technic for Animal Tissues

The writer's modifications of the Jeffrey celloidin technic, as adapted to animal histology, are given in detail. No claim is made that the methods are new; but because animal tissues will withstand treatment which would ruin those of plants, the writer has been able to introduce many short-cuts into the original hot celloidin method. It is felt that these modifications deserve serious consideration even from those zoologists to whom time and trouble are important factors in the preparation of histologic material. It is also pointed out that the celloidin method has several advantages over the paraffin technic that are seldom realized.
Extension of the Host Range of Nosema locustae in Orthoptera

During the past several years I have made laboratory and field studies of Nosema locustae Canning (Microspidia: Nosematidae), a pathogen of the fat bodies, pericardial tissues, and neural tissues of grasshoppers. From these studies, along with prior studies by other workers, infections by N. locustae have been observed in 58 species of Orthoptera. In England, Canning (1953, 1962a) reported infections by N. locustae in Locusta migratoria migratorioides (Reiche & Fairmaire), Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal), Melanoplus bivittatus, M. sanguinipes (F.) [= M. mexicanus (Saussure)], M. dazvsoni, Camnula pellucida, and Dissosteira Carolina. Goodwin (1950, 1952) reported a Plistophora in L. m. migratorioides in Africa which, according to Canning (1962a), may have been N. locustae. Steinhaus (1951) reported infections by an undescribed species of Nosema in M. bivittatus and M. sanguinipes that had been sent to him by workers in Montana. In personal correspondence, G. E. Bucher of the Canadian Department of Agriculture at Belleville, Ontario, mentioned studies made of N. locustae in M. bivittatus and M. sanguinipes. Records at this laboratory show that G. T. York, in 1952, found N. locustae in M. bivittatus, and in 1956 R. C. Newton found N. locustae in M. bivittatus and M. sanguinipes. Also in a private communication, R. E. Pfadt of the University of Wyoming, at Laramie, provided information about infections by a microsporidian resembling N. locustae in Aulocara elliotti and Cordillacris occipitalis (Thomas). Other reports of the biology and/or differentiation of N. locustae were presented by Dissanaike and Canning (1957), Weiser (1961), Canning (1962b), and Henry (1967).
From an Iron Curtain to a Paper Curtain: Grounding Transitologists or Students of Postcommunism?

Valerie Bunce, in her rejoinder' to an article we published in this review,2 seems to disagree with us in three regards: First, she claims that we pit area studies against comparative analyses and negatively stereotype the former in the process. Second, she contends that differences between regime transitions in the "South" and the "East" are so great that they prevent the making of meaningful comparisons, negating the value of such a cross-area enterprise. In a subsequent article, she writes: ". . . the most logical comparison to be made is the comparison of the post communist countries with one another." 3 Third, she argues that we misrepresent both the costs and the benefits of adding eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to comparative studies of democratization. We shall concentrate on (re)examining and responding to each of these disagreements.
Analysis of the Hammering Mechanism of a Special Percussive System for Planetary Exploration

Special percussive mechanisms, e.g. Auto Gopher and Ultra Sonic/Sonic Driller/Corer (USDC) have been developed by Honeybee Robotics Spacecraft Mechanisms Corporation and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to explore the Lunar, Martian, and other planetary bodies subsurface and extract soil (regolith)/rock samples for further study. This paper presents the analysis of the interaction between the hammer (free mass) and the drill bit of this percussive mechanism. The impact between the free mass and the drill bit is analyzed using solid body collision analysis. The impulse and the energy transferred to the drill bit by the free mass are obtained using impulse momentum principle and determining the change in kinetic energy due to impact, respectively. Finally the contact force and duration of impact is determined by an energy balance method (Cox method). The contact force is seen to increase gradually with a sinusoidal shape, reaching a maximum value at the maximum deflection of the rod and decreasing until it becomes equal to zero at the end of impact. The duration of contact is compared to that obtained by wave propagation analysis and is observed to be in close agreement considering the difference in the assumptions of each method.
Oligonucleotides and Polyribonucleotides: A Review of Antiviral Activity:

Current antiviral therapies are insufficient for treating emerging, re-emerging and established viral diseases. In an effort to find new therapeutics, oligo- and polyribonucleotides are being studied for their antiviral capabilities. Studies have shown that uniquely modified single- and double-stranded nucleic acid constructs are effective in inhibiting viral proliferation by various mechanisms. This review gives a brief history and highlights the development of oligo- and polyribonucleotides as antiviral agents primarily in the fields of interferon induction, mRNA complementation and reverse transcriptase inhibition.
Clinical investagation of ganciclovir's effects on children with acute viral encephalitis

Objectives: To observe the clinical curative effects of ganciclovir on children with acute viral encephalitis. Methods: 60 cases with acute viral encephalitis were divided into treatment group with ganciclovir (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). 10 mg/(kg·d) ganciclovir were given intravenously in the treatment group and 20 mg/(kg·d) ribavirin were given in the way of ultrasonic oxygen driving in the control group. Results: The clinical symptoms, cell levels in CSF, and EEC were improved faster in the treatment group than those in the control one ( P 0. 01). Conclusions: The clinical effects of ganciclovir on children with acute viral encephalitis are better than those of ribovirin.
Big Data Science Needs Big Data Middleware.

There has been a “Cambrian explosion” of big data systems proposed and evaluated in the last eight years, but relatively little understanding of how these systems or the ideas they represent compare and complement one another. In enterprise and science situations, “one size is unlikely to fit all”: we see analytics teams running multiple systems simultaneously. However, the highest level of abstraction for interoperability achieved in practice is basically at the file system; for example, HDFS. At the same time, there has been some convergence around higher-level data models (relations, arrays, graphs) and higher-level computational models (relational algebra, parallel data-flow, iteration, linear algebra). As a result, the design space seems narrower than the implementation space, suggesting an opportunity to build a common “complexity hiding” interface to all these seemingly disparate systems to make them easier to compare, easier to use together, and perhaps to improve overall performance by affording cross-platform, federated optimization. We are exploring a common programming model for big data systems, subscribing to three design principles: