cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A potential link among biogenic amines-based pesticides, learning and memory, and colony collapse disorder: a unique hypothesis.

Pesticides are substances that have been widely used throughout the world to kill, repel, or control organisms such as certain forms of plants or animals considered as pests. Depending on their type, dose, and persistence in the environment, they can have impact even on non-target species such as beneficial insects (honeybees) in different ways, including reduction in their survival rate and interference with their reproduction process. Honeybee Apis mellifera is a major pollinator and has substantial economical and ecological values. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a mysterious phenomenon in which adult honeybee workers suddenly abandon from their hives, leaving behind food, brood, and queen. It is lately drawing a lot of attention due to pollination crisis as well as global agriculture and medical demands. If the problem of CCD is not resolved soon enough, this could have a major impact on food industry affecting world’s economy a big time. Causes of CCD are not known. In this overview, I discuss CCD, biogenic amines-based-pesticides (neonicotinoids and formamidines), and their disruptive effects on biogenic amine signaling causing olfactory dysfunction in honeybees. According to my hypothesis, chronic exposure of biogenic amines-based-pesticides to honeybee foragers in hives and agricultural fields can disrupt neural cholinergic and octopaminergic signaling. Abnormality in biogenic amines-mediated neuronal signaling impairs their olfactory learning and memory, therefore foragers do not return to their hive – a possible cause of CCD. This overview is an attempt to discuss a hypothetical link among biogenic amines-based pesticides, olfactory learning and memory, and CCD.
QCD vs. the Centrifugal Barrier: a New QCD Effect

We propose an extended schematic model for hadrons in which quarks and diquarks alike serve as building blocks. The outcome is a reclassification of the hadron spectrum in which there are no radially excited hadrons: all mesons and baryons pre- viously believed to be radial excitations are orbitally excited states involving diquarks. Also, there are no exotic hadrons: all hadrons previously believed to be exotic are states involving diquarks and are an integral part of the model. We discuss the implications of this result for a new understanding of confinement and its relation to asymptotic freedom, as well as its implications for a novel relation between the size and energy of hadrons, whereby an orbitally excited hadron shrinks.
Enoyl Coenzyme A Hydratase Domain–Containing 2, a Potential Novel Regulator of Myocardial Ischemia Injury

Background-—We reported previously that Brown Norway (BN) rats are more resistant to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury than are Dahl S (SS) rats. To identify the unique genes differentially expressed in the hearts of these rats, we used DNA microarray analysis and observed that enoyl coenzyme A hydratase–containing domain 2 (ECHDC2) is highly expressed (18-fold) in the SS hearts compared with the BN hearts. Methods and Results-—RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analyses verified that ECHDC2 was highly expressed in SS hearts compared with the BN hearts. ECHDC2 gene locates at chromosome 5 of rat and is expressed in mitochondria of the heart, mainly in cardiomyocytes but not in cardiofibroblasts. Overexpression of ECHDC2 in cells increased susceptibility to I/R injury while knockdown of ECHDC2 enhanced resistance to I/R injury. Furthermore, we observed that left anterior descending coronary artery ligation–induced myocardial infarction was more severe in the SS hearts than in the BN hearts or SSBN5 hearts, which was built on SS rats but had the substitution of chromosome 5 from BN rats. We also demonstrated that ECHDC2 did not alter mitochondrial O2 consumption, metabolic intermediates and ATP production. By gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we found that ECHDC2 overexpression increased the levels of the cellular branched chain amino acids leucine and valine. Conclusion-—ECHDC2, a mitochondrial protein, may be involved in regulating cell death and myocardial injury. Its deficiency in BN rats contributes to their increased resistance to myocardial I/R compared with SS rats. ECHDC2 increases branched chain amino acid metabolism and appears to be a novel regulator linking cell metabolism with cardiovascular disease. (J Am Heart Assoc. 2013;2:e000233 doi: 10.1161/JAHA.113.000233)
Modeling Bird Flight Formations Using Diffusion Adaptation

Flocks of birds self-organize into V-formations when they need to travel long distances. It has been shown that this formation allows the birds to save energy, by taking advantage of the upwash generated by the neighboring birds. In this work we use a model for the upwash generated by a flying bird, and show that a flock of birds can self-organize into a V-formation if every bird were to process spatial and network information through an adaptive diffusive process. The diffusion algorithm requires the birds to obtain measurements of the upwash, and also to use information from neighboring birds. The result has interesting implications. First, a simple diffusion algorithm can account for self-organization in birds. The algorithm is fully distributed and runs in real time. Second, according to the model, that birds can self-organize based on the upwash generated by the other birds. Third, that some form of information sharing among birds is necessary to achieve flight formation. We also propose a modification to the algorithm that allows birds to organize into a U-formation, starting from a V-formation. We show that this type of formation leads to an equalization effect, where every bird in the flock observes approximately the same upwash.
Aircraft Operations Based Mission Requirements

The mission capabilities of aircraft in the current commercial fleet are a combined result of many factors. The launch customer for each aircraft has a voice in determining the requirements. The manufacturer desires to best position the aircraft in the market considering their own aircraft and their competitors aircraft it will replace and compete with. Consequently, anyone considering the development of an aircraft to compete with or replace an aircraft in-service must do more than simply choose to meet the capabilities of that aircraft. This is especially true when unconventional systems are considered; the fundamental tradeoffs for these systems may dramatically alter the cost/benefit for a given capability set. Data representing current operational practice for two aircraft in the commercial fleet are presented with an intent of establishing requirements for future aircraft.
Origins, distribution, and local co-occurrence of polyploid cytotypes in Solidago altissima (Asteraceae)

There is growing realization that intraspecific polyploidy in plants has important implications for the evolution of plant diversity and for plant and plant-herbivore community dynamics. Nonetheless, the rate at which polyploid cytotypes arise and their fate in local mixed-cytotype populations are not well understood. Although within- and especially among-population cytotype variation has been documented in many plants, particularly at the largest (continental) spatial scales, local and regional distributions of cy totypes have been well characterized only for a handful of species. Furthermore, few if any studies have addressed both local and regional patterns in the same plant species with sufficient power to detect cytotype variation on both scales. We assessed the co occurrence and frequency distributions of diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid cytotypes of Solidago altissima (Asteraceae) at local and regional spatial scales, sampling across a zone of presumed ploidy-form overlap in the midwestern United States. Determining ploidy by flow cytometry, we found many local populations containing two or three cytotypes, with the relative frequencies of cytotypes varying dramatically even among neighboring populations. AFLP marker data suggest that polyploid cytotypes of S. altissima likely have multiple origins from different diploid lineages. Our results are consistent with recent perspectives on polyploidization as an evolutionarily dynamic phenomenon with frequent multiple origins of higher-ploidy cytotypes.
Potential for Sugar Sprays and Flowering Plants to Increase Parasitism of White Grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) by Tiphiid Wasps (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae)

Abstract We examined the effects of supplemental food sources on parasitism of turf-infesting white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) by tiphiid wasps (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). Survival of spring active Tiphia vernalis Rohwer and late summer active Tiphia pygidialis Allen, parasitoids of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, and masked chafer, Cyclocephala spp., grubs, respectively, was significantly increased when wasps were provided with 10% sugar water in the laboratory. Presence of a grub for host feeding did not affect wasp longevity. Sugar sprays applied directly to turf were examined as a method for increasing grub parasitism rates. Large numbers of T. pygidialis visited turf sprayed with sugar water to feed. Parasitism of Cyclocephala spp. grubs by T. pygidialis was reduced in sugar-sprayed turf, but higher in turf plots located near sugar-sprayed turf. T. vernalis, which feeds on homopteran honeydew secretions, was never observed feeding on sugar-sprayed turf, nor did such treatments affect i...
Spin dynamics of SrCu2O3 and the Heisenberg ladder.

The $S=\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet in the ladder geometry is studied as a model for the spin degrees of freedom of Sr${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The susceptibility and the spin-echo decay rate are calculated using a quantum Monte Carlo technique, and the spin-lattice relaxation rate is obtained by maximum-entropy analytic continuation of imaginary-time correlation functions. All calculated quantities are in reasonable agreement with experimental results for Sr${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ if the exchange coupling $J\ensuremath{\approx}850$ K. However, for the susceptibility fit an anomalously low factor is required.
Are We Role Models?: A Multinomial Mixed Logit Model of Major Choice in an Undergraduate Institution

Implicit in discussions of affirmative action policies in university hiring practices is the assumption that the faculty gender and minority composition of an academic department exerts a positive effect on the likelihood of like gender and minority undergraduates to major in that academic department. This paper uses individual-level data from student records, transcript records, and faculty records from the Colgate University classes of 1988-1995 in a model of undergraduate major choice. Information regarding the gender and race of each faculty member that each student encounters allows for an empirical investigation of major choice in which the characteristics of the student and the characteristics of the faculty are allowed to influence the choice of major. We find that, ceteris paribus, the gender and minority composition of an academic department's faculty affects undergraduates' choice of major, a result which lends support to the notion that faculty members can exert a role model effect on undergraduates.
Phragmidium Species of North America: Differential Teliospore and Aecial Characters

Differential teliospore characters of the nineteen species of Phragmidium in North America are used herein as a basis for arranging the species occurring on the three host tribes, Potentilleae, Rubeae and Roseae, under the two sections of the genus Phragmidium, Earlea, characterized by firm non-hygroscopic teliospore pedicels, and Euphragmidium, characterized by hygroscopic teliospore pedicels. Aecial characters and teliospore char? acters are used as bases for keys to the species on each of the three host tribes. For host range and geographic distribution of each species the reader is referred to the North American Flora (3). Measurements are included where they are useful and when pertaining to teliospores do not include the pedicels. The first comprehensive study of the rust genus Phragmidium was published by Dietel (4) in 1904. In this paper he recognized seventeen species in North America and of this number thirteen are accepted as valid today. Arthur (1), in 1906, erected the genus Earlea to provide for those species which lacked uredinia in the life-cycle and in 1912 followed the same arrangement in the North American Flora (3). In subsequent works by Sydow (6) and Dietel (5) this separation into two genera was not accepted.
Phase transfer Pd(0) catalyzed polymerization reactions

1,4-Bis[2-(4′,4″-diheptyloxyphenyl)ethynyl]benzene and 1,4-bis[2-(3′,3″-dimethyl-4′,4″-diheptyloxyphenyl)ethynyl]benzene were synthesized by a one pot phase transfer Pd(O)/Cu(I) catalyzed three step coupling of 1,4-diiodobenzene with 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol and the appropriate aryl halide. Both compounds display mesomorphic behavior similar to that of the analogous 1,2-(4,4′-dialkoxyaryl)acetylenes, except that the temperature window of each phase is stabilized, such that an enantiotropic mesophase is even observed in the derivative containing a methyl branch in the mesogen. Both compounds form mesomorphic EDA complexes with p-chloranil as electron acceptor, and display a depression of the nematic-isotropic transition temperature.
Effects of Eye Color on Set Shots in Basketball Pig Contests

Light-eyed individuals generally perform better at self-paced activities while dark-eyed individuals perform better at reactive activities. Multiple regression indicated the 27 dark-eyed students i...
Action of cocaine on pupil compared with action on other structures containing smooth muscle.

The mydriatic effect of cocaine is regarded by some to be due to a stimulation of the peripheral sympathetic nervous mechanism supplying the radial muscle of the iris. By others it is regarded as the result of a direct weakening of the circular muscle of the iris.The first group of experiments here reported were performed in an attempt to demonstrate by actual measurements such a weakening of the circular muscle by cocaine. Accurate pupillary measurements were obtained by measuring the image of the pupil on a scale in the eye-piece of a measuring telescope. Series of measurements made in this way were employed for the plotting of curves showing the development of drug effects.Albino rabbits were the animals employed. In the study of cocaine, two drops of a four per cent solution were placed in one eye only. After five to ten minutes there was placed in each eye a definite amount of solution of physostigmine sulphate. Frequent measurements were made of both pupils, and curves were plotted to show the effec...
On the development of science and technology and the revolution of human thinking ways

Science and technology come from the process of man's knowing and reforming the world.It can not onlybe transfered into material wealth in its application,but also canbe transformed into social wit in the same process,thus,it can prompt man's way of thinking,ideology to change and develop,and promote social moral construction.In the history of scientific development,man's change of way of thinking is closely related to the development of science and technology.'The triumph of this way of thinking over obsolete ideology of religious theology is undoubtedly the big leap forward in social moral history of mankind'.
Fubles -- The Birth of a Social Sport Sharing Platform

This case study considers early progress and strategic issues faced in the design of Fubles.com, as it grows and expands across geographies.
Effect of adenosine A1 analogue on tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism

To evaluate further the role of adenosine in the transmission of tubuloglomerular feedback signals, we studied the effects of an adenosine receptor antagonist and an adenosine A1-receptor agonist on feedback-mediated changes in stop-flow pressure (SFP). In orthograde perfusion experiments conducted in anesthetized rats, systemic administration of the adenosine receptor blocker 1,3-dipropyl-8-sulfophenylxanthine (PSPX) did not inhibit feedback responses. Control SFP feedback responses averaged 9.7 +/- 0.65 before and 8.6 +/- 0.55 mmHg during systemic infusion of the receptor blocker. In retrograde perfusion experiments, intratubular administration of the A1 agonist (360 nM) N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA), added to a hypotonic solution, markedly enhanced feedback responses. This effect was completely prevented by coinfusion of PSPX. Addition of 10 mM of the antagonist to the CPA-containing solution attenuated SFP feedback responses to less than 1 mmHg (delta = 0.44 +/- 0.50). Furthermore, PSPX also inhibited feedback responses obtained with an isotonic solution alone. Furosemide, which has been shown to block normal SFP responses obtained with isotonic solutions, failed to block CPA-induced decreases in SFP. These data demonstrate that intraluminal administration of an adenosine A1 analogue causes feedback-mediated decreases in SFP and therefore support a role for adenosine receptors in the signal transmission pathway.
Saltpeter: The Mother of Gunpowder. By David Cressy. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013. Pp. xii, 237. $29.95.)

This attractive and intriguing little book represents something of a departure for the author, who here turns his considerable expertise in Tudor and Stuart English history to the problems of maint...
The Competitive Adsorption of HF And SO2 on Smelter Grade Alumina

Smelter grade alumina (SGA) is the preferred agent for recovering HF from aluminum smelter ventilation gas streams since the alumina also serves as feed to the electrolysis cells, thereby allowing return of the recovered fluoride to the process. This alumina-based recovery loop includes sulfur, since SO2 evolved from cells is in fact adsorbed on the SGA. This paper explores the competitive adsorption/reaction behavior of SO2 and HF and on smelter grade alumina as well as the impact of increasing HF exposure on the surface area and porosimetry of SGA.
AACC Student Poster Contest: Excellence in Laboratory Medicine and an Introduction to the Next Generation of Laboratorians.

The AACC student poster contest has been part of the Annual Meeting since the early 1990s and serves as a way to showcase AACC's fine young scientists. The competition evolved more than 10 years before the Society for Young Clinical Laboratorians (SYCL) initiative and in the early years was managed by the AACC Education Committee. Over time, responsibility for the contest has changed, but the basic structure remains the same. Bob Dufour, …
The area of the sphere

I had the previous class only for an hour, and so was able to do only the length of the circle with them. But Stephane Brette (14 years old) was visiting from another school, and so we were able to do the area of the sphere together right after the class, by the same method.
Norrin treatment improves ganglion cell survival in an oxygen-induced retinopathy model of retinal ischemia

Abstract Treatment of a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) with recombinant human Norrin (Norrie Disease Protein, gene: NDP) accelerates regrowth of the microvasculature into central ischemic regions of the neural retina, which are generated after treatment with 75% oxygen. While this reduces the average duration and severity of ischemia overall, we do not know if this accelerated recovery of the microvasculature results in any significant survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The purpose of this study was to investigate ganglion cell survival with and without the intravitreal injection of Norrin in the murine model of oxygen induced retinopathy (OIR), using two strains of mice: C57BL/6J and Thy1-YFP mice. Intravitreal injections of Norrin or vehicle were done after five days of exposure to 75% oxygen from ages P7 to P12. The C57BL/J mice were followed by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT), and the average nerve fiber layer (NFL) and inner-plexiform layer (IPL) thicknesses were measured at twenty-four locations per retina at P42. Additionally, some C57BL/J retinas were flat mounted and immunostained for the RGC marker, Brn3a, to compare the population density of surviving retinal ganglion cells. Using homozygous Thy1-YFP mice, single intrinsically fluorescent RGCs were imaged in live animals with a Micron-III imaging system at ages P21, 28 and P42. The relative percentage of YFP-fluorescent RGCs with dendritic arbors were compared. At age P42, the NFL was thicker in Norrin-injected OIR eyes, 14.4 μm, compared to Vehicle-injected OIR eyes, 13.3 μm (p = 0.01). In the superior retina, the average thickness of the IPL was greater in Norrin-injected OIR eyes, 37.7 μm, compared to Vehicle-injected OIR eyes, 34.6 μm (p = 0.04). Retinas from Norrin injected OIR mice had significantly more surviving RGCs (p = 0.03) than vehicle-injected mice. Based upon NFL thickness and counts of RGCs, we conclude that Norrin treatment, early in the ischemic phase, increased the relative population density of surviving RGCs in the central retinas of OIR mice.
Using Meta‐analytic Structural Equation Modeling to Study Developmental Change in Relations Between Language and Literacy

The purpose of this review was to introduce readers of Child Development to the meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) technique. Provided are a background to the MASEM approach, a discussion of its utility in the study of child development, and an application of this technique in the study of reading comprehension (RC) development. MASEM uses a two-stage approach: first, it provides a composite correlation matrix across included variables, and second, it fits hypothesized a priori models. The provided MASEM application used a large sample (N = 1,205,581) of students (ages 3.5-46.225) from 155 studies to investigate the factor structure and relations among components of RC. The practical implications of using this technique to study development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
2.43 – Cognition, Memory, and Education

Based on findings in basic memory and comprehension research, we note implications for enhancing acquisition of factual information. For each implication, we identify techniques that could be implemented to assist students’ acquisition of material in fact-laden courses. We evaluate the potential effectiveness of those techniques for education practice by reviewing translational research that uses educationally relevant materials and test tasks. Specifically, extending basic memory research, we discuss implications from findings on rote repetition (rereading text), elaboration (elaborative interrogation, advanced organizers, and imagery mnemonics), and desirable difficulty (creating interference, spacing, and generation). We suggest a contextualistic framework for understanding when difficulty is and is not desirable, including considerations of transfer-appropriate processing, material-appropriate processing, and individual learner differences. Building on basic research in comprehensive, we identify study methods that are sensitive to individual differences, techniques to improve successful inferencing, and principled text revisions to enhance comprehension. The final section touches on the mnemonic benefits of retrieval and discusses recent research demonstrating the value of using repeated testing to enhance learning (i.e., to improve performance on final criterial tests). The research discussed in this chapter supports the efforts to apply basic findings in memory and cognition to enhance educational practice.
Receptor Cross-Linkage Stimulates B Cell Activation

The clonal selection theory of the immune response elegantly solves the problem of how it is possible for an individual to make antibodies to virtually any foreign antigen. It does this by postulating that each lymphocyte can only produce antibodies of a single specificity and that a very large number of distinct lymphocytes exist. That may be restated to say that the universe of foreign antigens is matched by an internal universe of lymphocytes. The penalty exacted by this strategy for achieving antibody diversity is that lymphocytes specific for any particular antigenic determinant exist at very low frequency in an unimmunized animal. Since immune responses must be both prompt and of considerable magnitude if they are to protect against pathogenic microorganisms or against newly emerging tumor cells, it is clear that the rare cells specific for any particular antigen must expand in number rapidly. Thus, growth regulation of lymphocytes is a matter of central importance in the physiology of the immune system.
The effects of mobile phone use on academic performance: A meta-analysis

Abstract Purpose Although the mobile phone has been conspicuously proliferated in the past decades, little is known about its influence; especially its effect on student learning and academic performance. Although there is a growing interest in mobile devices and their correlates and consequences for children, effects vary across related studies and the magnitude of the overall effect remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to further examine any relationships that may exist between mobile phone use and educational achievement. Research design A meta-analysis of research conducted on the relationship between mobile phone use and student educational outcomes over a 10-year period (2008–2017) was conducted. The operational definition of cell phone use to guide the implementation of this study is: any measure of mobile phone use, whether considered normative or problematic, that quantifies the extent to which a person uses a phone, feels an emotional or other dependence on a phone, or categorizes the types of uses and situations in which use occurs. Studies examining use for the express purpose of educational improvement are not included, as the aim of this study is to ascertain the effects of normal smartphone use. The operational definition of academic achievement to guide the implementation of this study is: any measure that quantifies the extent to which a student or group of students is performing or feels he or she is performing to a satisfactory level, including but not limited to letter grades and test scores, knowledge and skill acquisition, and self-reported measures of academic ability or difficulty. Findings The overall meta-analysis indicated that the average effect of mobile phone usage on student outcomes was r = −0.162 with a 95% confident interval of −0.196 to −0.128. The effect sizes of moderator variables (education level, region, study type, and whether the effect size was derived from a Beta coefficient, and mobile phone use construct) were analyzed. The results of this study and their implications for both research and practice are discussed.
Regulatory Perspectives on 3D Printing in Pharmaceuticals

The genomic revolution and the age of personalized medicine has exponentially increased in interest and understanding since its introduction in the last decade. Embracing innovation, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first three-dimensional (3D) printed drug product and thus, has set the benchmark for an industrial revolution in pharmaceutical manufacture. Regulatory standards, however, require each product of each batch to be within specifications with respect to purity, impurities and quality. The regulatory environment of individual countries, however, differ in terms of manufacturing, distribution and compounding of drug products and thus, need to be fundamentally considered for on-demand and industrial pharmaceutical 3D printing. In the past, it would have seemed like science fiction to design and produce our medicines with 3D printing technology, but it is now certainly becoming reality that will only grow further. This chapter aims to discuss the current regulatory environment for 3D printing mass production and the regulatory gaps and challenges that need to be acknowledged to advance the modern manufacture of medicines.
Regional Differences in Airway Epithelial Cells Reveal Tradeoff between Defense against Oxidative Stress and Defense against Rhinovirus.

Rhinovirus is a leading cause of acute respiratory infections and asthma attacks, but infections are also frequently cleared from the nasal mucosa without causing symptoms. We sought to better understand host defense against rhinovirus by investigating antiviral defense in primary human nasal and bronchial airway epithelial cells cultured ex vivo. Surprisingly, upon rhinovirus infection or RIG-I stimulation, nasal-derived epithelial cells exhibited much more robust antiviral responses than bronchial-derived cells. Conversely, RIG-I stimulation triggered more robust activation of the NRF2-dependent oxidative stress response in bronchial cells compared to nasal cells. NRF2 activation dampened epithelial antiviral responses, whereas NRF2 knockdown enhanced antiviral responses and was protective during rhinovirus infection. These findings demonstrate a tradeoff in epithelial defense against distinct types of airway damage, namely, viral versus oxidative, and reveal differential calibration of defense responses in cells derived from different airway microenvironments.
Influence of Incubation Time on Phosphorus Leaching from a Container Medium

Columns (4 × 15 cm; 1.5 × 6 in) of a pine bark: moss peat: sand (2:1:1 by vol) medium amended with 32P-superphosphate (8.7% P) and incubated for 0, 15, or 30 days, were leached daily with 16 ml (0....
Role of Phospholipids in the Activation of Factor X by Tissue Factor/VIIa.

The activation of coagulation factors IX and X by tissue factor(TF)/VIIa is the key step in initiating coagulation. The mechanisms by which FX binds to phospholipid and interacts with TF/VIIa remains disputed; and the reported dissociation constants between FX and FXa to well-defined phospholipid vary by orders of magnitude. In accord with other investigators we have found that at low lipid to TF ratios, adding additional lipid vesicles lacking TF, can accelerate the activation of FX. This acceleration has previously been attributed to the physically unrealistic notion that bound FX, regardless of whether it be bound to vesicles containing TF or naked vesicles lacking TF, is the preferred substrate for TF/VIIa. We have explored an alternative approach, namely that this acceleration is due to relief of Xa-mediated inhibition. Whereas it is well known that FXa can bind to TF/VIIa thus inhibiting further activation of FX, the presence of additional lipid appears to segregate FXa away from the enzymatic complex and localize it to lipid far from the reactive site. Using classical initial velocity measurements of product formation (typically 30 pM TF), we found that as we increased the lipid to TF ratio from 1.1 to 15 to 110 (x10 3 ), the level of inhibition achieved by 40 nM Phe-Phe-Arg-chloromethylketone-inactivated Xa (Xai), dropped from 67% to 40% to 10%. This concept is supported further by our new observation, evaluated by ellipsometry, that at saturation 30% PS/PC surfaces (phosphotidylserine/phosphatidylcholine) bind exactly twice as much FXa as FX; The measured dissociation constants (Kd) for FX and FXa binding to our lipid were 34.5 ± 2.9 nM and 53.9 ± 2.7 nM respectively and have been verified using independent techniques. We also consider herein the likely possibility that lipid-bound FXa exists on the surface as an opposing dimer. At very high lipid to TF ratios (>2x10 6 ) we observed reaction velocities decreasing with increasing lipid concentration. This decrease in velocity was associated with an increase in the apparent Km, which we show is due to loss of available substrate to phospholipid surfaces far from the reactive site. The interactions between TF/VIIa, FX, FXa and phospholipid surfaces, although extensively studied, have not been well understood nor well-agreed upon. The true parameters describing these interactions are needed to correctly interpret typical TF/VIIa experimental results as well as to model and understand the roles of these proteins in coagulation. Results of a computational kinetic model addressing the interplay of these reaction components will be presented.
Four New Species of Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Carpophilinae) from the New World

Four new species of Carpophilus Stephens, 1829 in the subgenus Ecnomorphus Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) were discovered in material from the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions. Descriptions and detailed diagnoses are provided for Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) alexandrae Powell, new species, Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) mellarius Powell, new species, Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) taylori Powell, new species, and Carpophilus (Ecnomorphus) arizonicus Powell, new species.
Factors associated with enrollment into a clinical trial of caregiver-implemented intervention for infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder.

Early intervention has been established as efficacious in addressing developmental delays in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Evidence that caregiver-implemented interventions are feas...
Examining the Death Penalty Insider Perspective: Capital Bench & Bar Interviews

This study conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 death penalty insiders (9 capital judges, 9 prosecutors and 9 defense attorneys) across three states. Prior research examined whether knowledge of capital punishment correlates with death penalty support (the Marshall Hypothesis). While prior research focused on opinions of laypeople, this study interviewed those with direct, hands-on experience to explore the knowledge-based, insider perspective. The majority (80%) of interviewee-respondents did not believe the death penalty is necessary in light of Life without the Possibility of Parole as an available sentencing option, and 62% did not support capital punishment. Qualitative data analysis reveals a wealth of insider information that advances death penalty knowledge and informs policy.
Tasteful: A Cooking App Designed for Visually Impaired Users

Nowadays, more and more visually impaired people want to live independently and cook for themselves. However, cooking independently may bring lots of challenges. This paper provides a better solution by helping visually impaired users locate ingredients quickly and find more ways to cook flexibly. The design is a comprehensive process. After the stage of problem identification, brainstorming, concept development and prototyping, we finally designed an application, Tasteful, that helps visually impaired users better solve the problems encountered in the cooking process.
With, Not for, Money: Ranch Management Trajectories of the Super-Rich in Greater Yellowstone

Despite the increasing concentration of wealth among high net worth (HNW) individuals and their rising influence as proprietors of natural resources worldwide, the discipline of geography has only ...
State Responsibility or Societal Participation? The Future of Authoritarian Social Policies

The concluding chapter summarizes the findings of previous chapters. Although China’s social policy reform somewhat resembles the “hybridization” patterns in post-communist countries, the processes of internalization of existing foreign models, as well as their reinventions through local experiments are distinctive in a decentralized authoritarian system. It is more appropriate to characterize the domestic policy processes as a multi-level game rather than prioritizing one set of actors or level over others. The authoritarian political institutions still define the boundaries of local agency. Local welfare mix models are most coherent and more compatible with growth models when there are less political institutional constraints. Furthermore, there are a few inherent tensions in the new model, especially between decentralization and recentralization, state dominance and pluralization, as well as political authoritarianism and participation or accountability. The future of social policy reform therefore remains highly uncertain given increasing political centralization under Xi Jinping.
Notice of Removal: Islanding detection in microgrids

The idea of reshaping existing centralized electricity networks to decentralized small scale local power networks namely micro-grids, operating whether autonomous or interconnected to main distribution grid, became an important discussion. Islanding of a generator inside the micro-grid can cause problems in operation and management of the network; therefore proper islanding detection is crucial. This paper presents the design and simulation of a micro-grid network to observe islanding detection and behavior of the system. One active method, rate of change of frequency (Rocof) and one passive method reactive power export error (Rpeed) are studied for detecting islanding. Study cases were modeled in software based system and results verified experimentally on the small scaled power system available at Smart Grid Test Bed at Florida International University.
Mutans Streptococci and Lactobacilli: Colonization Patterns and Genotypic Characterization of Cariogenic Bacterial Species in American Indian Children

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Lactobacillus species in an American Indian population displaying a high incidence of severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and to explore the genotypic diversity and fidelity of transmission of S. sobrinus in this population. Methods: We report here on the microbial profiles of 71 children compiled from birth to 36 months of age and initial exploration of genotypic diversity in a subset of 40 mother/child dyads. Whole mouth plaque samples were collected from mother/child dyads in a Northern Plains American Indian cohort. Mutans streptococci (MS) and Lactobacillus counts were recorded and presence/absence of S. mutans, S. sobrinus, and Lactobacillus was noted for each child. S. sobrinus was isolated and genotyped via arbitrarily primed-polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR). Results: Subjects were divided into caries active (CA) and caries free (CF). S. mutans, S. sobrinus, and Lactobacillus species were detected more frequently in CA children. Distribution of MS and Lactobacillus counts was also significantly different between the two groups, as was the distribution of three species colonization profiles. Twelve S. sobrinus genotypes were detected in the subset of mother/child dyads. Individual subjects displayed a range of 0-3 distinct genotypes while mother/child pairs displayed a range of 1-5 genotypes. Eighty-three percent of children shared at least 1 genotype with his/her mother. Conclusion: Caries active children in this population display different microbial profiles than the caries free children in this cohort. A small number of S. sobrinus genotypes appear to be very common in this population. A high rate of vertical transmission of S. sobrinus from mother to child is seen in these mother/child dyads.
Two-Dimensional Full-Fluid Moment Model for Hall-Effect Thruster

A two-dimensional full fluid moment (FFM) model is developed to simulate the cross-field plasma discharge of a Hall effect thruster (HET) in an axial-azimuthal configuration. The fully non-neutral model solves the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy for ions and electrons, self-consistently evaluating the electric field by solving the Poisson equation. The model is an expansion of the previously developed one-dimensional FFM1, which was compared to drift-diffusion models. The 2D model seeks to study the multidimensional effects on anomalous electron transport in HETs, studying the coupling between transport in the axial direction and the ExB direction.
Philip II of Macedonia

Alexander the Great is probably the most famous ruler of antiquity, and his spectacular conquests are recounted often in books and films. But what of his father, Philip II, who united Macedonia, created the best army in the world at the time, and conquered and annexed Greece? This landmark biography is the first to bring Philip to life, exploring the details of his life and legacy and demonstrating that his achievements were so remarkable that it can be argued they outshone those of his more famous son. Without Philip, Greek history would have been entirely different.Taking into account recent archaeological discoveries and reinterpreting ancient literary records, Ian Worthington brings to light Philip's political, economic, military, social, and cultural accomplishments. He reveals the full repertoire of the king's tactics, including several polygamous diplomatic marriages, deceit, bribery, military force, and a knack for playing off enemies against one another. The author also inquires into the king's influences, motives, and aims, and in particular his turbulent, unraveling relationship with Alexander, which may have ended in murder. Philip became in many ways the first modern regent of the ancient world, and this book places him where he properly belongs: firmly at the centrestage of Greek history.
Digital Computer Controlled Threshold Stress Intensity Factor Fatigue Testing

The integrity of many structures depends on their resistance to fatigue crack propagation which is a function of the stress intensity factor. Furthermore, there appears to be a threshold level of the stress intensity factor range, ΔK t h , below which crack growth is greatly inhibited. This paper describes a test method used to determine crack growth rate data in the region of this threshold value. The technique utilizes crack opening displacement as the controlled variable. Control is provided by programming a digital minicomputer to supply the command signal to the closed-loop servocontrolled test system. Use of the computer allows continuous operation and automatic data acquisition and reduction with a minimum of operator surveillance.
Utility of hand-held devices in diagnosis and triage of cardiovascular emergencies. Observations during implementation of a PACS-based system in an acute aortic syndrome (AAS) network

Abstract Background Prompt diagnosis and early referral to specialized centers is critical for patients presenting with cardiovascular emergencies, including acute aortic syndromes (AAS). Prior data has suggested that mobile access to imaging studies with hand-held devices can accelerate diagnosis and management. Objective We conducted a study to determine the diagnostic accuracy of a hand-held device compared to conventional dedicated work-stations for diagnosing a spectrum of cardiovascular emergencies, predominantly acute aortic pathology. Methods This study included 104 cases who underwent computed tomography (CT)-scan during "on-call'' hours between January, 2013 and August, 2014 for suspected AAS. Assessment was performed on a hand-held device independently by two readers using an iPhone5 connected via secure connection to web-based PACS servers. The subsequent interpretation from a dedicated workstation coupled with the diagnosis at the time of discharge was used as the reference standard for determining the presence or absence of an acute abnormality. Sensitivity and Specificity were calculated on a per patient basis. Results Readers' sensitivity and specificity using the hand-held device to diagnose acute chest pathology were calculated. Hand-held device evaluation was determined to have a sensitivity of 85.2% and a specificity of 98.6% by reader A and a sensitivity of 96.3% and specificity of 100% by reader B. Of 103 cases interpreted by both readers, the readers agreed about the diagnosis in 98 cases (95.1%). Conclusion This study demonstrates that hand-held devices can be a potential useful tool to assist in diagnosis and triage of patients presenting with cardiovascular emergencies. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of screen size and resolution.
Cloning and sequence analysis of a cDNA for 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase. Evidence for its evolutionary relationship to other pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenases.

Abstract A 1.7-kilobase pair cDNA clone encoding 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase has been isolated by screening a rat liver lambda gt11 library with a 17-base oligonucleotide probe which corresponds to a portion of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of rabbit liver 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase. The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1038 base pairs which includes an amino acid sequence that matches the N-terminal 35 amino acid sequence of rabbit 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase at 33 residues. The cDNA predicts a 300-amino acid mature protein with an amino acid composition and molecular weight very similar to that of rabbit liver 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase. Northern blot analysis of total RNA from several rat tissues shows an mRNA of approximately 2.0 kilobase pairs in each tissue. Relative mRNA levels were: kidney greater than liver = heart greater than muscle. The amino acid sequence of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase shows similarity to several other pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenases. The resemblance to malate and lactate dehydrogenases suggests that the nucleotide-binding domain is located in the N-terminal region of the protein.
Plasma prothrombin during pregnancy and the puerperium

Abstract In 54 women the plasma prothrombin was studied from as early as the fifth week of pregnancy to the tenth week following delivery. Forty-four, or 81 per cent, at some time during pregnancy had a prothrombin of 110 per cent or above. In general, the levels were slightly lower in the first trimester, tended to rise during the last six months, and fell slightly in the last week before delivery. There was a tendency to rise during the first week of the puerperium and to fall gradually toward normal during the following five weeks.
Study of a transparent and reconfigurable metropolitan area network

The transport performance of an optically transparent metro-size ring network of 280 km circumference, at 2.5 Gbps, based on optimized optical layer components and fiber is demonstrated. Nodes based on a variety of technological approaches are used. This size was chosen based on recent studies that have shown that this is the typical maximum connection length in metro networks. The Q-factor of the received signal, for the worst case path, was higher than 10 dB for all the channels. In particular, we show that the dynamic add/drop functionality in the network does not affect the system performance when gain controlled amplifiers are used.
Application of the measured equation of invariance to radiation and scattering by flat surfaces

Because on flat surfaces the electric currents are confined to two dimensions, a simple vector potential formulation can be used. The problem of radiation and scattering by rectangular strip dipoles is solved, including the transversal variation of the current across the dipole width. Also of interest are the currents induced on antennas with step variations in width, and with bends and T-junctions. >
Study skills in anatomy and physiology: What’s the difference? (336.3)

Many factors influence the way individual students learn and study, including but not limited to: pre-existing knowledge (Bransford et al., 1999), metacognition (Gurung & Schwarz, 2009), learning a...
X-ray spectra of galactic X-ray sources

With the exception of a few supernova remnants, we presently believe that all the X-ray sources in the galaxy with Lx ≳ L⊙ arise in binary systems, one member of which is a degenerate dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. The energy source for the X-radiation in such a system is the gravitational energy liberated when mass is transferred to the surface of the degenerate star, i.e. $$\text{L}_\text{X} = \eta \text{G}\frac{{\mathop \text{M}\limits^\cdot _\text{X} \text{M}_\text{X} }}{{\text{R}_\text{X} }}$$ (1.1) where Rx and Mx are the radius and mass of the compact X-ray star, Ṁx is the rate at which mass is accreting onto the object, and η is the efficiency with which this gravitational potential energy may be converted to X-rays (a typical value might be ∿ 0.1).