cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biocontrol Potential of Oxyopes chittrae Tikader (Araneae: Oxyopidae) on Three Lepidopteran Pests of Cotton

Biocontrol potential of Oxyopes chittrae Tikader (Araneae: Oxyopidae) on three lepidopteran pests of cotton was studied in the laboratory during the years 1999-2001. Early instars of insect pests were only taken to assess the feeding potential. The rate of predation was found "'arying among the life stages and sexes. Adult females consumed more prey than any other stage. It consumed an average of 19.08±11.01, 4.61±1.03 and 4.08±O.9 numbers of bollworms, borers, and loopers_ The different life stages of Oxyopes chittrae showed a high degree of variation in feeding potential and maximum variation was with bollworm and minilllunl with looper. The prey preference was in the order bollworm> borer> looper.
Developments in Requirements Engineering

This issue's column reports on papers from the 23rd International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality. Topics include how to support natural-language requirements, collaboration on requirements, feature-relevant information extraction, detecting ambiguity, and detecting requirements defects.
3D Printing — The Basins of Tristability in the Lorenz System

The famous Lorenz system is studied and analyzed for a particular set of parameters originally proposed by Lorenz. With those parameters, the system has a single globally attracting strange attractor, meaning that almost all initial conditions in its 3D state space approach the attractor as time advances. However, with a slight change in one of the parameters, the chaotic attractor coexists with a symmetric pair of stable equilibrium points, and the resulting tri-stable system has three intertwined basins of attraction. The advent of 3D printers now makes it possible to visualize the topology of such basins of attraction as the results presented here illustrate.
Transitions into young adulthood: Extent to which alcohol use, perceived drinking norms, and consequences vary by education and work statuses among 18–20 year olds

Abstract Introduction With many young adults pursuing post-secondary education and many working, understanding the importance of education and work roles on alcohol use are of developmental and clinical importance. Utilizing a sample of 18–20 year-olds transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood, the current study examined how social role statuses in education (i.e., not in school, 2-year students, 4-year students) and work status (i.e., unemployed, employed part-time, employed full-time) were associated with alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, and perceived drinking norms. Method Participants were 18–20 year old young adults (54% female) participating in a one-time online survey about alcohol use and sexual behavior. Regression models were conducted to examine associations between school status and work status with alcohol related outcomes. Results Individuals who were unemployed had a significantly lower likelihood of any heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the past month, consumed fewer drinks per week, and experienced fewer alcohol-related consequences compared to individuals who worked full-time. Individuals who worked part-time consumed fewer drinks per week and had lower perceived drinking norms compared to individuals who worked full-time. No significant associations were found for alcohol use and consequences by education status. Discussion Working full-time is a risk factor for HED, greater weekly drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences when compared to young adults who are unemployed, and to a lesser extent with young adults working part-time. Workplace interventions may be one approach to reach heavy drinking young adults.
THE ROLE OF PLAQUE MORPHOLOGY IN DISCRIMINATING EARLY VERSUS LATE OCCURRING ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: THE ICONIC TRIAL

Studies investigating the temporal relationship of coronary plaque characteristics with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are lacking. The aim of this study was to identify differences in plaque characteristics on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) between patients with early, intermediate
Attentional and Reaction Time Analysis of Performance: Implications For Research With Mentally Handicapped Individuals

Howard Zelaznik is affiliated with the Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University. Susan Aufderheide was supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Grant 84.128. Please address all correspondence to H. N. Zelaznik, Motor Behavior Laboratory, Purdue University, Lambert 119, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907.
Roof Insulation in Laying-hen Houses to Ease Summer Heat

Use of roof insulation in laying-hen houses to reduce heat transfer through the roof in summertime in Iowa was assessed through modeling and field measurement. The results indicate that roof insulation is effective to reducing heat transfer through the roof, thus may help to relieve hen heat stress. One inch-thick polystyrene board (R5) is sufficient to prevent majority of the roof heat transfer
Melanoma and Leptin

Epidemiological studies suggest that obesity increases the risk of developing several cancers, including melanoma. Obesity increases the expression of angiogenic factors, such as leptin, that may contribute to tumor growth. However, a direct cause and effect relationship between obesity and tumor growth has not been clearly established and the role of leptin in accelerating tumor growth is unclear. The role of diet in melanoma has been explored in several studies but the findings have been inconsistent. Specifically, high intake of specific agents, such as antioxidants and retinoid-rich food, has been linked to a protective effect against melanoma development. Similar associations have been found with higher blood levels of a-tocopherol, b-carotene, and retinol, as well as with greater dietary intakes of vitamin E and b-carotene in several case–control studies [1–3]. Anthropometrical measures, such as height, weight, and body mass index, have been associated with an increased risk of several malignancies, including melanoma [4–6]. Leptin, a hormone secreted by adipose tissue, controls food intake and energy balance by providing signals to the hypothalamus [7]. Serum levels of leptin are positively related with body composition and insulin levels, female sex, and alcohol consumption and inversely related to cigarette smoking [8–10].
Tactile Pressure Sensors to Measure Ground Pressure from Tractor Tire Loads

This article provides an assessment of tactile sensors used to measure ground pressures in soil from full-size tractor tires. To capture the tire’s soil pressure four 5400N tactile pressure sensors from Tekscan (Boston, MA) were utilized with a full-size agricultural tire in a laboratory setting. A servo-hydraulic loading system, capable of both load and displacement control, was used to apply known tire loads to the soil with the sensor placed at a depth of 45 cm in a soil bin. Two full-size tractor tires were tested; a traditional tractor tire, W800/70R38, and a recently developed low-aspect-ratio tire, IF800/55R46. The sensors were conditioned and equilibrated before placement at the bottom of the soil bin in the laboratory, while a two-point calibration scheme was used to calibrate the sensors, resulting in a confidence level of 99 %. The sensors were successfully utilized in measuring the tire pressure in soil, which included the contact area, average ground pressure, and peak ground pressure on loose sand. As expected, the experiments show the contact area, and average and peak ground pressure increase with increasing the tire load and inflation pressure. Comparing the two tires tested at different loads and inflation pressures showed only minor differences in the recorded contact area, average ground pressure, and peak ground pressure.
Responses to Semantically Neutral Words in Varying Emotional Intonations

Purpose Recent research on perception of emotionally charged material has found both an “emotionality effect” in which participants respond differently to emotionally charged stimuli relative to ne...
Holocene temperature history of northwest Greenland – With new ice cap constraints and chironomid assemblages from Deltasø

Abstract Arctic temperature shifts drive changes in carbon cycling, sea ice extent and Greenland Ice Sheet mass balance, all of which have global ramifications. Paleoclimate data from past warm periods provide a unique means for assessing the sensitivity of these systems to warming climate, but the magnitude and timing of past temperature changes in many parts of the Arctic are poorly known. Here we assess orbital-scale Holocene temperature change in northwest Greenland near the margin of the ice sheet using subfossil insect assemblages from lake Deltaso. Based upon sedimentation history in this currently proglacial lake, we also place constraints on Holocene extents of the adjacent North Ice Cap, a large independent ice cap. Reconstructed summer temperatures were warmer than present at the onset of lacustrine sedimentation following regional deglaciation by the Greenland Ice Sheet, sometime between 10.8 and 10.1 ka BP. Deltaso experienced the warmest summer temperatures of the Holocene between ∼10 and 6.2 ka BP, followed by progressive cooling that continued through the late Holocene as summer insolation declined, culminating in the lowest temperatures during the pre-industrial last millennium. Deltaso chironomids indicate peak early Holocene summer temperatures at least 2.5–3 °C warmer than modern and at least 3.5–4 °C warmer than the pre-industrial last millennium. We infer based upon lake sediment organic and biogenic content that in response to declining temperatures, North Ice Cap reached its present-day size ∼1850 AD, having been smaller than present through most of the preceding Holocene. Our synthesis of paleoclimate evidence from northwest Greenland, Ellesmere Island and northern Baffin Bay supports the timing of temperature trends inferred at Deltaso, and suggests that quantitative temperature reconstructions from Deltaso may represent a minimum bound on regional early Holocene warming. Collectively, records from the region indicate >4 °C summer cooling through the Holocene. Intense early Holocene warmth around northwest Greenland argues against delayed onset of warmer-than-present conditions due to the influence of the nearby waning Laurentide Ice Sheet, and has implications for understanding the Greenland Ice Sheet's sensitivity to climate change.
Education Versus Athletics: What Will Division I Football and Basketball Players Choose?

For many years the desire for money and winning in Division I athletics, particularly in the sports of football (Football Bowl Subdivision) and men’s basketball, have encouraged colleges and universities to provide special admission for athletes with exceptional athletic ability, who in turn, often are less prepared to succeed academically. This has resulted in the widespread occurrence of unethical academic support practices (e.g., taking classes and writing papers for students and providing answers to exams) in order to maintain athletes’ eligibility and increase graduation rates to appease the public and to present the case that intercollegiate athletic are about education first. As one means of curbing academic misconduct, the authors recommend providing Division I football and basketball the option of playing their sport only without any academic eligibility requirement. Athletes who are struggling academically or lack academic commitment would no longer need to be bolstered by illegitimate academic support or less than accurate metrics. The present exploratory study sought to determine how many Division I football and basketball players would choose the option of playing their sport only versus playing and pursuing their degree under current National Collegiate Athletic Association Guidelines (NCAA) guidelines. The results showed that the majority would still choose to play and pursue their degree. Overall, the belief that one can play professionally did not diminish athletes’ desire to play and earn their degree. However, there were also a percentage of athletes that believed they can play professionally and also desired to play their sport only.
Endogenous Tradability, International Relative Prices, and the International Transmission of Business Cycles

This paper propose a two-country, dynamic, stochastic, general equilibrium (DSGE) model with endogenous tradability, product differentiation, variously determined physical capital, and an elastic labor supply to explore the propagation of business cycles across countries. The model successfully addresses international relative price dynamics (its appreciation with positive home productivity shock, called the ‘Harrod-Balassa-Samuelson Effect’) through the entry of producers and their cut-off productivities of exporting. The use of endogenous physical capital in the model induces a more realistic framework since the simulated model is compared to the U.S. investment data that covers spending on capital equipment, structures and inventories for producers’ entry and exit dynamics. Building the model with endogenous capital and elastic labor supply weakens the volatility of investment compared to conventional international real business cycle (IRBC) models. The model also accounts for several features of the data, such as the volatility of aggregate variables and their correlations with GDP.
Multilocus phylogeny of Gryllus field crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae) utilizing anchored hybrid enrichment

We present the first comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Gryllus field cricket species found in the United States and Canada, select additional named Gryllus species found in Mexico and the Bahamas, plus the European field cricket G. campestris Linnaeus and the Afro-Eurasian cricket G. bimaculatus De Geer. Acheta, Teleogryllus, and Nigrogryllus were used as outgroups. Anchored hybrid enrichment was used to generate 492,531 base pairs of DNA sequence from 563 loci. RAxML analysis of concatenated sequence data and Astral analysis of gene trees gave broadly congruent results, especially for older branches and overall tree structure. The North American Gryllus are monophyletic with respect to the two Old World taxa; certain sub-groups show rapid recent divergence. This is the first Anchored Hybrid Enrichment study of an insect group done for closely related species within a single genus, and the results illustrate the challenges of reconstructing the evolutionary history of young rapidly diverged taxa when both incomplete lineage sorting and probable hybridization are at play. Because Gryllus field crickets have been used extensively as a model system in evolutionary ecology, behavior, neuro-physiology, speciation, and life-history and life-cycle evolution, these results will help inform, interpret, and guide future research in these areas.
Application effects of water and salt intake nursing intervention based on transtheoretical model in children with peritoneal dialysis

Objective To explore the application effects of water and salt intake nursing intervention based on transtheoretical model in children with peritoneal dialysis. Methods Totally 96 pediatric patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis admitted in Zhengzhou Children's Hospital from March 2016 to March 2018 were selected and stratified into intervention (n=48) and control (n=48) groups. Patients in the control group received conventional nursing care, while patients in the intervention group received water and salt intake nursing derived from the transtheoretical model. The volume indicators, volume management behaviors and satisfaction of children in both groups were observed 3 months before and after nursing care in which volume management behaviors were evaluated with the volume management behavior scale and satisfaction was evaluated with our self-designed questionnaire. Results The systolic pressure and ultrafiltration volume of the intervention group were lower than those of the control group, and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups (P 0.05) . The degree of ameliorated edema of the intervention group was better than that of the control group after nursing, and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05) . There was statistically significant difference between different items of the volume management behavior scale within the intervention group after nursing (P<0.05) . The patient's and family's satisfaction with nursing care in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group after nursing, and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05) . Conclusions Water and salt intake nursing intervention based on transtheoretical model can improve their ability of volume management, volume status and quality of life. Key words: Peritoneal dialysis; Child; Water and salt intake nursing; Transtheoretical model; Intervention
Referred Abdominal Pain

1. Yonit Lax, MD*,† 2. Arunjot Singh, MD, MPH‡ 1. *Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 2. †State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 3. ‡Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA Abdominal pain is one of the most common and distressing presentations that pediatricians encounter. Up to 25% of school-age children report pain severe enough to interfere with their daily activity, requiring many to seek the assistance of their pediatrician. In approaching pain, the location, duration, onset, radiation, alleviating/exacerbating factors, and associated symptoms should all be considered. Abdominal pain is generally classified as visceral, somatoparietal, or referred. Pain may originate from intra-abdominal organs, surrounding structures, or areas outside the abdomen. Visceral pain receptors are located in the muscles and mucosa of organs and, therefore, sense an acute stretching of the structure’s wall experienced as a diffuse aching or cramping. Somatoparietal pain receptors are located in the peritoneum, muscle, and skin of the parietal region and are experienced as a sharp well-localized pain that may be alleviated in a position that relaxes the peritoneum or muscle. Referred abdominal pain occurs when the brain is unable to localize the source of discomfort due to nociceptive dorsal horn neurons receiving convergent inputs from different tissues. It is usually located in the cutaneous dermatome, sharing the same spinal cord level as the visceral inputs. This poses a diagnostic challenge because pain due to a gastrointestinal etiology may be experienced at a distant location; conversely, pain originating from a location outside the abdominal viscera may be experienced as abdominal pain. This In Brief reviews important concepts and etiologies of referred abdominal pain. Four common diagnoses that each highlight a type of referred abdominal pain are explored further: abdominal migraine, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The Table provides a summary …
At the Margins of Globalization: Indigenous Peoples and International Economic Law

Despite the tremendous progress in the development of scientific knowledge, the understanding of the causes of poverty and inequality, and the role of politics and governance in addressing modern challenges, issues such as social inclusion, poverty, marginalization and despair continue to be a reality across the world - and most often impact Indigenous Peoples. At the Margins of Globalization explores how Indigenous Peoples are affected by globalization, and the culture of individual choice without responsibility that it promotes, while addressing what can be done about it. Though international trade and investment agreements are unlikely to go away, the inclusion of Indigenous rights provisions has made a positive difference. This book explains how these provisions operate and how to build from their limited success.
Intra-population seed survival during burial on a mass basis

Abstract Survival during burial is dependent upon a seed's ability to resist pathogen pressure and physiological aging. Several studies support a positive interspecific relationship between seed survival in soil and seed coat thickness. Our research attempted to understand if a similar intraspecific relationship occurs in Rudbeckia mollis (Asteraceae) seeds of different mass. Seeds were collected in August 2016 and separated into light (383 ± 7 µg), intermediate (409 ± 8 µg), and heavy (447 ± 10 µg) mass classes. Pericarp thickness was measured on fresh sections of seeds from each class. Seeds were buried 25 cm deep in a non-irrigated wildflower plot and monitored for viability with a standard germination test over 24 months. Final germination percentage varied from 0 to 98% with an overall mean of 82 ± 30% among all mass classes. Germination percentage and germination rate correlated positively with soil temperature suggesting dormancy cycling that is consistent with non-deep physiological dormancy. There was no consistent relationship between the likelihood of germination and seed mass but heavy class seeds were more likely to be recovered intact following burial. Pericarp thickness ranged from 24.7–41.4 µm and there was a weak positive relationship with mass. This research suggests no short-term relationship between intra-population seed mass and viability loss during burial. However, thicker seed coats in higher mass seeds may confer greater resistance to pathogen pressure. This research is supportive of a positive intra-population relationship between survival in soil and seed coat thickness.
Incidence, Risk-Factors and Associated Mortality of Complications in Orthogeriatric Co-Managed Inpatients:

Introduction:Pneumonia, thromboembolic and ischemic events, urinary tract infections (UTI), delirium and acute kidney injury (AKI) are common complications during the treatment of fragility fractur...
A Comprehensive Review on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-induced Colitis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are monoclonal antibodies that target down-regulators of the anti-cancer immune response: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed cell death protein-1, and its ligand programmed death-ligand 1. IMC is one of the most common adverse effects associated with checkpoint inhibitors. The immune system has an important role in recognizing and eliminating tumors. ICIs also transformed the treatment of a wide range of cancers. However, several immune-related adverse effects have been recorded, most of which occur when the immune system becomes less inhibited and affect various organs, including the gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhoea and colitis. The incidence of immune-mediated colitis (IMC) ranges from 1%-25% depending on the type of ICI and if used in combination. Endoscopically and histologically there is a significant overlap between IMC and inflammatory bowel disease, however more neutrophilic inflammation without chronic inflammation is usually present in IMC. Corticosteroids are recommended for grade 2 or more severe colitis while holding the immunotherapy. Infliximab helps between one-third to two-thirds of patients who are steroid refractory. Vedolizumab has recently been shown to be effective in steroid and infliximab-resistant situations. If immunotherapy is permanently stopped in grade 4 colitis, the decision in grade 3 colitis is debatable.
The Influence of Polysaccharides-Based Material on Macrophage Phenotypes

Macrophage polarization is a key factor in determining the success of implanted tissue engineering scaffolds. Polysaccharides (derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms) are known to modulate macrophage phenotypes by recognizing cell membrane receptors. Numerous studies have developed polysaccharide-based materials into functional biomaterial substrates for tissue regeneration and pharmaceutical application due to their immunostimulatory activities and anti-inflammatory response. They are used as hydrogel substrates, surface coatings, and drug delivery carriers. In addition to their innate immunological functions, the newly endowed physical and chemical properties, including substrate modulus, pore size/porosity, surface binding chemistry, and the mole ratio of polysaccharides in hybrid materials may regulate macrophage phenotypes more precisely. Growing evidence indicates that the sulfation pattern of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans expressed on polarized macrophages leads to the changes in protein binding, which may alter macrophage phenotype and influence the immune response. A comprehensive understanding of how different types of polysaccharide-based materials alter macrophage phenotypic changes can be beneficial to predict transplantation/implantation outcomes. This review focuses on recent advances in promoting wound healing and balancing macrophage phenotypes using polysaccharide-based substrates/coatings and new directions to address the limitations in the current understanding of macrophage responses to polysaccharides.
Association of Medicaid Expansion with Pancreatic Cancer Treatment and Outcomes: Evidence from the National Cancer Database.

Socioeconomic- and demographic-based disparities exist in the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Medicaid expansion (ME) may have an impact on these disparities. Analyses of patients with PDAC from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) were performed to examine the impact of ME on access to treatment and outcomes. Patients with non-metastatic PDAC diagnosed between 2006 and 2016 were identified. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate factors associated with curative-intent surgical resection, multimodal therapy, treatment at a high-volume facility (HVF), and survival. The study identified 41,876 patients who met the criteria. Medicaid expansion was independently associated with curative-intent resection (odds ratio [OR] 1.54; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.43–1.67; p < 0.001). In a multivariable analysis, ME was independently associated with multimodal therapy (OR 1.60; 95 % CI 1.44–1.76; p < 0.001) and treatment at an HVF (OR 1.57; 95 % CI 1.42–1.74; p < 0.001). Medicaid expansion was independently associated with improved 30-day mortality (OR 0.49; 95 % CI 0.34–0.79) and 90-day mortality (OR 0.48 95 % CI 0.35–0.59). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that after adjustment for other variables, ME status was associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 95 % CI 0.73–0.90; p < 0.001). Medicaid expansion is associated with increased use of care processes that improve outcomes in PDAC, operative outcomes, and overall survival. The study data suggest that ME has helped to improve disparities in PDAC in ME states.
A social history of racial disparities in breastfeeding in the United States

Over the past five decades in the United States, White women have breastfed at higher rates than Black women. While a small but growing body of social historical research has examined racial disparities in breastfeeding over time, empirical research, particularly quantitative research, has focused on single historical snapshots, unintentionally treating the persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding as a static phenomenon, rather than one with distinct social mechanisms at different points in time. Further, few studies on racial disparities in health deconstruct difference both within and across racial groups. But what if we thought about persistent racial disparities instead as discrete trends with distinct social mechanisms at different points in time? In a binary logistic regression of breastfeeding initiation rates from 1973 to 2015 using the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), I found that the persistent racial disparities were actually comprised of three distinct types of changing racial disparities: (1) increases in racial disparities that derive from improvements for Whites not captured by Blacks (1973-1982); (2) decreases in racial disparities that stem from improvements for Whites captured even more strongly by Blacks (1995-2006); and, (3) leveling off of racial disparities (2006-2015). Placing results of this quantitative analysis within the context of public policy and social movement history, I identify three distinct mechanisms that drive the different trends in racial disparities in breastfeeding. This paper contributes to the literature on motherhood, race, and health a more nuanced understanding of the social historical mechanisms that pattern breastfeeding, and more broadly, racial disparities in health.
Regional flood probabilities

[1] The T-year annual maximum flood at a site is defined to be that streamflow, that has probability 1/T of being exceeded in any given year, and for a group of sites the corresponding regional flood probability (RFP) is the probability that at least one site will experience a T-year flood in any given year. The RFP depends on the number of sites of interest and on the spatial correlation of flows among the sites. We present a Monte Carlo method for obtaining the RFP and demonstrate that spatial correlation estimates used in this method may be obtained with rank transformed data and therefore that knowledge of the at-site peak flow distribution is not necessary. We examine the extent to which the estimates depend on specification of a parametric form for the spatial correlation function, which is known to be nonstationary for peak flows. It is shown in a simulation study that use of a stationary correlation function to compute RFPs yields satisfactory estimates for certain nonstationary processes. Application of asymptotic extreme value theory is examined, and a methodology for separating channel network and rainfall effects on RFPs is suggested. A case study is presented using peak flow data from the state of Washington. For 193 sites in the Puget Sound region it is estimated that a 100-year flood will occur on the average every 4.5 years.
THE STATUS OF THE HUBBLE DIAGRAM IN 1986

We present visual and near-infrared Hubble diagrams for first- ranked cluster galaxies, and moderate-flux and high-flux radio galaxies. The photometric improvements and the extension of the diagrams to large redshifts (up to z ≃ 1.8) for both 3CR and “1 Jy” class radio galaxies are highlighted. The absolute luminosities of these three types of “standard candles”, where their redshifts overlap, agree adequately. The near-IR (2μm) Hubble diagrams may be used to determine the global deceleration parameter, qO, and the current data favor qO ~ +0.2 to +0.3. The sensitivity to evolutionary changes in the giant galaxies is quite modest at these long wavelengths. On the other hand, the visual regime (BV R) shows a dramatic dependence on differential evolution effects, which dominate over the cosmological model differences. Most radio galaxies apparently have had active star formation, with a continually declining rate, but a few are quite faint and red; they may have had a relatively passive evolution.
Therapeutic potential of RhoA/Rho kinase inhibitors in pulmonary hypertension.

A burgeoning body of evidence suggests that RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) signalling plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various experimental models of pulmonary hypertension (PH), including chronic hypoxia-, monocrotaline-, bleomycin-, shunt- and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibition plus chronic hypoxia-induced PH. ROCK has been incriminated in pathophysiologic events ranging from mediation of sustained abnormal vasoconstriction to promotion of vascular inflammation and remodelling. In addition, the 3-hydoxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase inhibitors, statins, which inhibit activation of RhoA by preventing post-translational isoprenylation of the protein and its translocation to the plasma membrane ameliorate PH in several different rat models, and may also be effective in PH patients. Also, phosphorylation of RhoA and prevention of its translocation to the plasma membrane are involved in the protective effect of the type 5-PDE inhibitor, sildenafil, against hypoxia- and bleomycin-induced PH. Collectively, these and other observations indicate that independent of the cause of PH, activation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway serves as a point of convergence of various signalling cascades in the pathogenesis of the disease. We propose that ROCK inhibitors and other drugs that inhibit this pathway might be useful in the treatment of various forms of PH.
Determining amino acid propensity for propagation of the prion Sup35 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (754.2)

Proteins are built based on a DNA sequence template and fold into distinctive shapes or conformations. Amyloids are beta sheet-rich proteins that can fold into two stable states, a normal form and an abnormal form. Prions, the infectious amyloids, are present in many eukaryotes including humans, cows, sheep, and the baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and can cause the conversion of native protein structure into amyloid form. Unusually, yeast prion proteins have been shown to form amyloid structure on the basis of amino acid composition, independent of each protein’s primary structure. The most well-studied prion protein in yeast, Sup35, consists of a prion-forming domain, a middle domain, and a functional domain. Within the prion-forming domain there is a glutamine/asparagine-rich (Q/N-rich) tract and a region of 5 ½ degenerate oligopeptide repeats (the oligopeptide repeat domain or ORD). The Q/N tract has been previously implicated in prion nucleation and the ORD was shown to be necessary for prion ...
Effects of sperm-reactive monoclonal antibodies on the cervical mucus penetrating ability of human spermatozoa.

: A group of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) was tested by immunobead binding and indirect immunofluorescence to determine its reactivity with antigenic moieties present either on the surface of motile human spermatozoa or internally. Those Mabs reactive with the surface of motile spermatozoa impaired their ability to penetrate cervical mucus in vitro, while Mabs solely reactive with freeze-thawed, nonmotile sperm (presumptive subsurface epitopes) were without effect on sperm function.
Neonatal Circumcision: A Ten-Year Overview: With Comparison of the Gomco Clamp and the Plastibell Device

The records of 5,882 live male births were reviewed to ascertain the incidence and nature of complications following neonatal circumcision. Approximately one half of the patients were circumcised with the Gomco and half with the Plastibell. The incidence of complications was 0.2%; most frequent were hemmorrhage, infection, and trauma, there were no deaths; and no transfusions were given.
Fundamental Studies of Collision-Induced Dissociation of Ions

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) [also called collision-activated dissociation (CAD), tandem mass spectrometry, or MS/MS] of ions in a mass spectrometer plays an increasingly significant role in ion structure determination and analysis of complex mixtures.(1,2) Improvement in MS/MS techniques has been a significant driving force in mass spectrometric instrumental development. The CID has attained even greater importance with the advent of fast atom bombardment,(3) laser desorption,(4) and electrospray(5) techniques for generating ions from large, nonvolatile molecules. These techniques usually produce (quasi-and multi-charged) molecular ions with very little fragmentation. Collisional activation of these “molecular” ions and subsequent dissociation to various fragment ions provides structural information about these “molecular ion moities” required for identification and characterization. A few closely related methods, such as angle-resolved(6) and energy-resolved(7) mass spectrometry, surface-induced,(8) and photon-inducedt(9) dissociations have also been developed and succesfully applied in the past decade. Although it is a well-established method with many important applications to chemical analysis, CID remains an active research area in mass spectrometry with many nuances being actively explored.
Synthesis and transformations of 5-chloro-2,2'-dipyrrins and their boron complexes, 8-chloro-BODIPYs.

Symmetric dipyrrylketones 1 a,b were synthesized in two steps from the corresponding α-free pyrroles, by reaction with thiophosgene followed by oxidative hydrolysis under basic conditions. The dipyrrylketones produced the corresponding 5-chloro-dipyrrinium salts or 5-ethoxy-dipyrrins on reaction with phosgene or Meerwein's salt, respectively. Boron complexation of the dipyrrins afforded the corresponding 8-functionalized BODIPYs (borondipyrromethenes) in high yields. The 5-chloro-dipyrrinium salts reacted with methoxide or ethoxide ions to produce monopyrrole esters, presumably via a 5,5-dialkoxy-dipyrromethane intermediate. In contrast, 8-chloro-BODIPYs underwent a variety of nucleophilic substitutions of the chloro group in the presence of alkoxide ions, Grignard reagents, and thiols. In the presence of excess alkoxide or Grignard reagent, at room temperature or above, substitution at the boron center also occurred. The 8-chloro-BODIPY was a particularly useful reagent for the preparation of 8-aryl-, 8-alkyl-, and 8-vinyl-substituted BODIPYs in very high yields, using Pd(0) -catalyzed Stille cross-coupling reactions. The X-ray structures of eleven BODIPYs and two pyrroles are presented, and the spectroscopic properties of the synthesized BODIPYs are discussed.
Variability in the likelihood of automatic attitude activation: data reanalysis and commentary on Bargh, Chaiken, Govender, and Pratto (1992)

This commentary addresses J. A. Bargh, S. Chaiken, R. Govender, and F. Pratto's (1992) conclusion that automatic attitude activation depends not on the idiosyncratic strength of the association in memory between an attitude object and an individual's evaluation of the object but on normative considerations constant across individuals. A variety of difficulties with the bases for this conclusion are discussed. Moreover, additional analyses of the J.A. Bargh et al. data reveal the superiority of an idiosyncratic measure of associative strength (a given individual's latency of response to an attitudinal inquiry) in predicting automatic attitude activation over the various normative measures (latency, extremity, ambivalence, polarization, and consensus or consistency) that were examined. These results support the theoretical premise that attitude activation varies as a function of position along an idiosyncratically defined attitude-nonattitude continuum.
Impact of phosphorus availability on modelling phytoplankton dynamics

Regulation of phosphorus loading is considered to be the primary method of eutrophication control for many lake systems. It is therefore necessary to have accurate estimates of the forms and bioavailability of all phosphorus sources in order to develop the most cost effective load control measures. Research at Clarkson University, aimed at improving the accuracy of estimates of the form and reactivity of phosphorus loadings to Lake Erie, has revealed a significant difference between the algal-availability of allochthonous and autochthonous particulate phosphorus. This paper presents the results of modifying an existing multi-nutrient phytoplankton model by separating allochthonous phosphorus into three forms: soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) — immediately available for algal uptake; external ultimately-available phosphorus—not immediately available but converted to an available form at a specific rate; an external refractory phosphorus (ERP)—not available while in the water column. Comparisons between the original and modified models showed that the modified phosphorus dynamics proved to be a viable alternative to the concept of invoking an unexplained soluble phosphorus water column loss term, employed in the original model. The work also demonstrates that the distinction is significant for lakes receiving a significant portion of their external phosphorus load in a particulate (not immediately available) form and having a morphometry and hydrology such that this particulate phosphorus remains in the water column for longer than about two weeks.
Embryonic retinal ablation and post-metamorphic optic nerve crush : effects upon the pattern of regenerated retinotectal connections

We examined relationships between healing observed during embryonic Xenopus retinal and optic nerve regeneration and resultant visuotectal pattern formation. Dorsal (D) and nasoventral (NV) 1/3 sized eye fragments were surgically created in stage 32 Xenopus laevis embryos. Gross anatomical healing modes of these fragments were examined 2 days post-surgery (stage 43). Healing was categorized according to the degree of cell movements observed. Animals were reared through metamorphosis and electrophysiologic mapping techniques were employed on those animals whose eyes regenerated. All D 1/3 fragments showed normal (non-duplicated) projections to the tectum; most (80%) of the healing observed showed little cell movements (the remaining 20% showed substantial cell movements, yet failed to show duplicated projections). Most NV 1/3 fragments (73%) formed two mirror image projections to the contralateral midbrain optic tectum (pattern duplication). Most (88%) of the healing observed among these animals showed massive cell movements in the ventral retinal region (the remaining 12% showed moderate cell movements). The remaining NV 1/3 fragments (27%) showed moderate cell displacement and failed to show duplicated projections). These data are compatible with a cell-movement:intercalary cell division hypothesis in which duplication is dependent upon specific positional confrontation and subsequent cell division. In additional studies, in adult animals, the optic nerves of eyes with duplicated projections were crushed and allowed to regenerate for 1 year. Duplicated projections were restored, indicating that developmental and maturational factors are probably not responsible for duplicative pattern formation; rather, information intrinsic to the eye, possibly created during healing interactions and/or fiber ingrowth to the tectum, underlies duplicate innervation of the tectum.
DON, CONV and DONV—I. Inhibition of l-Asparagine synthetase in vitro

The inhibition in vitro of l-asparagine synthetase (l-glutamine hydrolyzing, EC 6.3.5.4) from leukemia 5178Y rendered resistant to l-asparaginase (L5178Y/AR), and from mouse pancreas by the ketoamino acids DON (l-DON; 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine), CONV (l-CONV; 2-amino-5-chlorolevulinic acid; 5-chloro-4-oxo-l-norvaline) and DONV (l-DONV; 5-diazo-4-oxo-l-norvaline) was investigated using both l-glutamine and ammonium chloride as substrates. At a concentration of 1 mM, DON and CONV almost completely inhibited the utilization in vitro of l-glutamine by l-asparagine synthetase of L5178Y/AR and of mouse pancreas, whereas DONV inhibited both enzymes only by 50 per cent. DON, CONV and DONV did not affect the utilization in vitro of ammonium chloride by l-asparagine synthetase of L5178Y/AR, while DON and CONV modestly inhibited the utilization of ammonium chloride by the pancreatic enzyme. The inhibition produce by DONV was fully and rapidly reversed by dialysis, whereas that produced by DON and CONV was essentially irreversible. The utilization in vitro of l-glutamine by eight fetal rat liver amidotransferases was strongly inhibited by DON and CONV, while DONV exerted modest inhibition on only two of these enzymes. In a survey of other enzymes which use l-asparagine and l-glutamine as substrates, DONV was shown to be the best inhibitor of l-asparagine-utilizing enzymes, DON was the best inhibitor of enzymes utilizing l-glutamine, and CONV affected both groups of enzymes to a variable degree. DON irreversibly inhibited l-asparaginase from Erwinia carotovora (EC 3.5.1.1). This enzyme also was found to catalyze the decomposition of DON. From these findings and also from kinetic studies, it is clear that all three ketoamino acids are capable of behaving as antagonists of l-glutamine in vitro. DON is the most universally active antagonist of this amino acid, followed by CONV, and last by DONV. Similarly, all three agents can function as l-asparagine antagonists under appropriate conditions.
Islet transplants in diabetic Lewis rats prevent and reverse diabetes-induced increases in vascular permeability and prevent but do not reverse collagen solubility changes.

The effects of islet transplantation on diabetes-induced increases in vascular permeability and collagen solubility were examined in new granulation tissue vessels and collagen formed after induction of streptozotocin diabetes in male Lewis rats. Albumin permeation was increased by 50% (p<0.001) and collagen solubility was decreased by 50% (p<0.001) in granulation tissue from untreated diabetic animals as compared with controls. The islet transplants reversed diabetes-induced vascular permeability increases in tissues formed prior to islet transplantation (tissue to blood isotope ratio =2.1±0.1 - SD for controls, 3.2±0.2 for diabetic rats and 2.0±0.2 for diabetic rats given islets) and prevented permeability increases in new tissues formed following transplantation (tissue to blood isotope ratio =2.1±0.1 for controls, 3.3±0.8 for diabetic rats and 1.9±0.2 for diabetic rats given islets). In contrast, while islet transplants prevented diabetes-induced decreased collagen solubility in tissues formed after transplantation (controls = 24%, diabetic rats =12%, and diabetic rats given islets =24%), collagen solubility in tissues formed prior to islet transplantation was virtually unaffected. These findings indicate that collagen changes induced by the diabetic milieu are not nearly as readily reversed by normalization of the diabetic milieu as (diabetes-induced) alterations in vascular functional integrity.
Ties that Unwind: Dynamism in Integrative Social Contracts Theory1

Social contract theory offers a powerful method and metaphor for the study of organizational ethics. This paper considers the variant of the social contract that has arguably gained the most attention among business ethicists: integrative social contracts theory or ISCT [Donaldson and Dunfee: 1999, Ties That Bind (Harvard Business School Press, Boston)]. A core precept of ISCT – that consent to membership in an organization entails obligations to follow the norms of that organization, subject to the moral minimums of basic human rights – is a reasonable and appealing notion. One potential challenge for those attempting to apply this idea, however, lies in the dynamic nature of social norms. Organizational norms evolve, often through the conscious efforts of community members and leaders. As currently formulated, ISCT offers a framework that under-appreciates the evolving nature of moral norms. In this paper, we extend ISCT by considering the circumstances under which the terms of and parties to social contracts change. We also consider a number of principles that should be considered as the terms and parties to organizational social contracts change.
A causal model of the antecedents of organizational commitment among professionals and nonprofessionals.

Abstract A causal model of organizational commitment was developed from previous theory and research. The model included variables from each of the four categories of antecedents identified in previous research (i.e., personal needs, job characteristics, role states, and work experiences), as well as employees' job satisfaction and mental health. It was tested using survey responses from a sample of nonprofessional employees and a sample of professionals. Using path-analysis, support was found for many of the hypothesized paths in both groups, yet areas of misspecification were found. Model revisions were performed separately for both groups and differences were highlighted. In particular, the influence of individual variables on the variables included in the hypothesized model differed markedly across the two groups. Implications of these findings, as well as substantive and methodological directions for future research, were discussed.