cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assembly of tau in transgenic animals expressing P301L tau: alteration of phosphorylation and solubility

Transgenic mice (JNPL3), which develop neurofibrillary degeneration and express four-repeat human tau with P301L missense mutation, were characterized biochemically to determine whether the development of aggregated tau from soluble tau involves an intermediate stage. Homogenates from mice of different ages were separated into buffer-soluble (S1), sarkosyl- and salt-extractable (S2) and sarkosyl-insoluble pellet (P3) fractions, and analyzed for human tau distribution, phosphorylation and filament formation. S1 and S2 fractions contained 50-60-kDa tau whereas the S2 fraction also had 64-kDa tau. The level of tau in the P3 fraction increased in an age-dependent manner and correlated positively with the soluble tau concentration. The P3 fraction from 2.5-6.5-month-old mice contained 64- and 50-60-kDa tau, whereas that from 8.5-month and older transgenic animals contained mostly 64-kDa and higher molecular weight tau. The S2 and P3 fractions contained comparable amounts of 64-kDa tau. The 64-kDa tau was predominantly human, and phosphorylated at multiple sites: Thr181, Ser202/Thr205, Thr212, Thr231, Ser262, Ser396/Ser404, Ser409 and Ser422. Most of these sites were phosphorylated to a lesser extent in S2 than in P3 fractions. Tau polymers were detected in P3 fractions from 3-month and older female JNPL3 mice, but not in non-transgenic controls. The results suggest that tau in S2 represents an intermediate from which insoluble tau is derived, and that phosphorylation may play a role in filament formation and/or stabilization.
A simple heuristic for maximizing service of carousel storage

Abstract We consider a system that stores cases of items. Items are removed from storage in groups. A group consists of a certain number of items of each type. The (integer maximization) problem is to determine how many cases of each type should be stored in order to maximize the number of groups of items that can be retrieved without re-loading. We give a simple heuristic that yields a feasible solution whose error can be bounded. Our method takes only linear time. Scope and purpose Performance of an automated storage and retrieval system such as a carousel depends greatly upon the way it is loaded. Commonly a carousel will be loaded with cases of items that will be retrieved in groups. A group is a certain number of items of each type. For example, a group might constitute the parts needed to manufacture one instance of a product. Typically the carousel operator wants to retrieve as many groups as possible without running out of items of any type. We present a simple heuristic that prescribes how many cases of each item type should be loaded. The number of groups supplied by our solution is close to optimal. The solution is given by explicit equations, and can be computed in time linear in the number of item types.
Efficient music note recognition based on a self-organizing map tree and linear vector quantization

Using classical signal processing and filtering techniques for music note recognition faces various kinds of difficulties. This paper proposes a new scheme based on neural networks for music note recognition. The proposed scheme uses three types of neural networks: time delay neural networks, self-organizing maps, and linear vector quantization. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves 100% recognition rate in moderate noise environments. The basic design of two potential applications of the proposed scheme is briefly demonstrated.
High-power picosecond blue pulses from a dye laser synchronously pumped by a Q-switched mode-locked Nd:YAG laser

High-power tunable blue pulses are produced from a dye laser synchronously pumped by mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. The pulses have a Fourier transform-limited linewidth of 1: 2 cm/sup -1/. (AIP)
CORRELATION OF OXIDATION AND PHOSPHORYLATION IN HEMOLYZED BLOOD IN PRESENCE OF METHYLENE BLUE AND PYOCYANINE

1. The system:hemolyzed blood + glucose never exhibits glycolysis or, in the air, oxidation of glucose. When glucose is replaced by hexosephosphate ester, addition of methylene blue causes oxidation in air. 2. When cozymase is added also, the oxidation is increased, and a synthesis of hexosephosphate esters takes place. 3. When pyocyanine is used instead of methylene blue, the rate of oxidation is the same as with methylene blue, but a synthesis of phosphate esters takes place without addition of cozymase. 4. There is never a phosphate ester synthesis without oxidation going on, but oxidation does not necessarily go hand in hand with phosphate synthesis. 5. In order to couple the oxidation process with phosphate synthesis, two methods are available: either to start oxidation by methylene blue and to add coenzyme from yeast cells; or to start oxidation by pyocyanine, in which case coenzyme is unnecessary, though it improves the effect. 6. Iodoacetate always suppresses synthesis, but only under certain conditions decreases oxidation. Cyanide has no effect upon either process.
Clinical correlates of high-intensity transient signals detected on transcranial Doppler sonography in patients with cerebrovascular disease.

High-intensity transient signals detected by transcranial Doppler sonography have been associated with particulate cerebral emboli. Their clinical correlates are poorly understood. This study was undertaken to assess their relation to cerebral ischemia and to determine whether the severity of cerebral arterial stenosis has an impact on their occurrence. We studied 96 arteries in 75 consecutive patients with extracranial or intracranial arterial lesions or potential cardiac sources of cerebral embolism. Sixty patients had histories of cerebral or retinal transient ischemic attacks or infarcts, and 15 were asymptomatic. The diagnosis of ischemia was based on the clinical presentation and was supported by extensive laboratory testing. A transcranial Doppler sonography unit equipped with special software for emboli detection was used. Signals were selected based on criteria established a priori. Signals were detected in the territories of 28.3% of symptomatic and 11.6% of asymptomatic arteries. The difference was significant (P = .045). When patients with suspected cardiac embolic sources were excluded, the difference between symptomatic (27.9%) and asymptomatic (2.9%) arteries remained significant (P = .003), and signals were more frequent distal to arteries with more than 50% area stenosis (23.5%) than arteries with stenoses equal to or less than 50% (3.7%) (P = .028). In patients with only extracranial internal carotid artery stenoses, the difference between these degrees of stenosis remained significant (P = .043). We conclude that high-intensity transient signals are significantly more common in the territories of symptomatic arteries and distal to lesions causing more than 50% stenosis. These findings may have diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
O3 Effects of training on experience and non‐experience sensory odor judges

In oral malodor research, sensory odor judging is considered the gold standard to evaluate and rate breath odor quality and intensity. Although training and calibration of sensory odor judges has been well documented in other scientific disciplines (foods/beverages, air/water quality, personal care products), little data have been published on training judges for bad breath assessment. Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the training process, with experienced and novice odor judges, for rating both pleasant and unpleasant odorants. Methods Six oral malodor sensory judges four with prior experience and two novices were given verbal information on the oral malodor intensity scale (0-5) and were given the opportunity to sniff a reference sample of n-butanol, that had been declared to have a level 3 intensity. Subjects then independently assessed 20 odorant samples for odor intensity (pretest). Four unpleasant and two pleasant odorants, in a variety of intensity levels, and a water samplewere included. Subjects then participated in a training program based on the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Investigators assigned each odorant sample a ‘true’ intensity score. Subjects’ intensity scores were then analyzed as the absolute difference from the ‘true’ intensity. This dependant variable was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results Training significantly (P = 0.02) reduced (improved) odor judge error levels, irrespective of previous experience. When comparing improvement between experienced and novice odor judges, there was no significant (P = 0.99) difference in the size of deviations from the ‘true’ scores (errors) between experienced (0.948) and novice (0.950) judges. There was also no difference (P = 0.94) in improvement in error levels from pre- to post-test for experienced (pre = 1.13 and post = 0.76) or novice (pre = 1.13 and post = 0.78) judges. There was consistent improvement from pre- to post-test for all odorants (P = 0.02; pre = 1.10; post = 0.75) except for dimethylsulfide, which became worse (P = 0.01; pre = 0.97; post = 1.58). When comparing the unpleasant vs pleasant odorants, there was a significant (P = 0.006) difference in error levels (unpleasant 1.09; pleasant 0.70). After removing the water blank scores from the pleasant odorant category the difference was no longer significant (P = 0.26). Conclusions A specific training program for odor judges improved subjects’ ability to assess odor intensity irrespective of previous experience. This type of training is recommended prior to conducting oral malodor-related clinical research trials.
Ethchlorvynol-lnduced Pulmonary Edema: A Chronically Instrumented, Awake Sheep Model Mimicking Human Disease

Ethchlorvynol injection in humans leads to a clinical picture consistent with increased permeability pulmonary edema, ie, the adult respiratory distress syndrome. There has been only one such case reported in which the pulmonary wedge pressure was measured. In an attempt to mimic the human disease, the authors established the awake, unanesthetized chronic sheep lung lymph fistula model and injected 15 mg/kg of ethchlorvynol intravenously after a baseline period. There were transient increases in pulmonary artery and systemic blood pressure with decreases in cardiac output. Lymph flow increased five-fold and remained elevated for 24 hr, returning to normal by 48 hr. All animals survived. Pulmonary morphologic changes consisted of alveolar and interstitial edema and some disruption of endothelial and epithelial cells. These findings resolved by 48 hr postinjection. The authors conclude that this model mimics the findings in humans who have injected ethchlorvynol intravenously.
Loading of red blood cells with an analyte-sensitive dye for development of a long-term monitoring technique

Measurement of blood analytes, such as pH and glucose, provide crucial information about a patient's health. Some such analytes, such as glucose in the case of diabetes, require long-term or near-continuous monitoring for proper disease management. However, current monitoring techniques are far from ideal: multiple-per-day finger stick tests are inconvenient and painful for the patient; implantable sensors have short functional life spans (i.e., 3-7 days). Red blood cells serve as an attractive alternative for carriers of analyte sensors. Once reintroduced to the blood stream, these carriers may continue to live for the remainder of their life span (120 days for humans). They are also biodegradable and biocompatible, thereby eliminating the immune system response common for many implanted devices. The proposed carrier system takes advantage of the ability of the red blood cells to swell in response to a decrease in the osmolarity of the extracellular solution. Just before the membranes lyse, they develop small pores on the scale of tens of nanometers. Analyte-sensitive dyes in the extracellular solution may then diffuse into the perforated red blood cells and become entrapped upon restoration of physiological temperature and osmolarity. Because the membranes contain various analyte transporters, intracellular analyte levels rapidly equilibrate to those of the extracellular solution. A fluorescent dye has been loaded inside of red blood cells using a preswelling technique. Alterations in preparation parameters have been shown to affect characteristics of the resulting dye-loaded red blood cells (e.g., intensity of fluorescence).
Encephalopathy caused by isoniazid in a patient with end stage renal disease with extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis infection is common in patients on maintenance hemodialysis, and the extrapulmonary presentations, which is usually asymptomatic, and only mild clinical presentation, are not uncommon....
Tuning the self-assembling of pyridinium cationic lipids for efficient gene delivery into neuronal cells.

We are reporting a new set of biocompatible, low-toxicity pyridinium cationic lipids based on a dopamine backbone on which hydrophobic alkyl tails are attached via an ether linkage. Due to their optimized hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface and packing parameter, the new lipids are able to strongly self-assemble either alone or when coformulated with colipids DOPE or cholesterol. The supra-molecular assemblies generated with the novel pyridinium amphiphiles were characterized in bulk and in solution via a combination of techniques including DSC, nanoDSC, SAXS, TOPM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential, and electrophoretic mobility measurements. These cationic bilayers can efficiently condense and deliver DNA to a large variety of cell lines, as proven by our self-assembling/physicochemical/biological correlation study. Using the luciferase reporter gene plasmid, we have also conducted a comprehensive structure–activity relationship study, which identified the best structural parameters and formulations for efficient a...
The Humpty Dumpty Falls Scale: A Case–Control Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess whether the Humpty Dumpty Falls Scale (HDFS) identifies hospitalized pediatric patients at high risk for falls. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study was a matched case-control design. A chart review of 153 pediatric cases who fell and 153 controls who did not fall were pair-matched by age, gender, and diagnosis. RESULTS: High-risk patients fell almost twice as often as low-risk patients (odds ratio 1.87, confidence interval = 1.01, 3.53, p = .03). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: A Falls Prevention Pediatric Program with the HDFS tool addresses the Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals, but further research is needed to examine HDFS sensitivity-specificity. Language: en
Kenosha County Falls Prevention Study: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intermediate‐Intensity, Community‐Based Multifactorial Falls Intervention

OBJECTIVES: To decrease the rate of falls in high-risk community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Community-based. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred forty-nine adults aged 65 and older with two falls in the previous year or one fall in the previous 2 years with injury or balance problems. INTERVENTION: Subjects received two in-home visits from a trained nurse or physical therapist who assessed falls risk factors using an algorithm. The intervention consisted of recommendations to the subject and their primary physician, referrals to physical therapy and other providers, 11 monthly telephone calls, and a balance exercise plan. Control subjects received a home safety assessment. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was rate of falls per year in the community. Secondary outcomes included all-cause hospitalizations and nursing home admissions per year. RESULTS: There was no difference in rate of falls between the intervention and control groups (rate ratio (RR)=0.81, P=.27). Nursing home days were fewer in the intervention group (10.3 vs 20.5 days, P=.04). Intervention subjects with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 27 or less had a lower rate of falls (RR=0.55; P=.05) and, if they lived with someone, had fewer hospitalizations (RR=0.44, P=.05), nursing home admissions (RR=0.15, P=.003), and nursing home days (7.5 vs 58.2, P=.008). CONCLUSION: This multifactorial intervention did not decrease falls in at-risk community-living adults but did decrease nursing home utilization. There was evidence of efficacy in the subgroup who had an MMSE score of 27 or less and lived with a caregiver, but validation is required. Language: en
Chronic epidural hematomas

Epidural hematomas generally become manifested within hours after trauma because of progressive obtundation and later transtentorial herniation. However, epidural hematomas located outside the temporal fossa may produce vague neurological symptoms of delayed onset. Emergency operation may not adequately expose those blood clots located in unexpected positions. Computed tomographic (CT) brain scans will reveal the full extent and location of these hematomas. Seven cases of chronic epidural hematoma in various extratemporal locations are reported to emphasize their misleading clinical courses, their demonstration by CT scanning, and the underlying pathophysiology.
Enhanced Electron-Photon Transport in MCNP6

Recently a variety of improved and enhanced methods for low-energy photon/electron transport have been developed for the Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNP6. Aspects of this development include a significant reworking of the MCNP coding to allow for consideration of much more detail in atomic relaxation processes, new algorithms for reading and processing the Evaluated-Nuclear-Data-File photon, electron, and relaxation data capable of supporting such detailed models, and extension of the electron/photon transport energy range below the traditional 1-kilovolt limit in MCNP, with the goal of performing transport of electrons and photons down to energies in the few-electron-volt range. In this paper we provide an overview of these developments.
Mean-Field Dynamics of the Spin–Magnetization Coupling in Ferromagnetic Materials: Application to Current-Driven Domain Wall Motions

In this paper, we present a mean-field model of the spin–magnetization coupling in ferromagnetic materials. The model includes non-isotropic diffusion for spin dynamics, which is crucial in capturing strong spin–magnetization coupling. The derivation is based on a moment closure of the quantum spinor dynamics coupled to magnetization dynamics via the Landau–Lifchitz–Gilbert equation and the spin-transfer torque. The method is general and systematic, and can be used to study spin–orbit coupling as well. The form of the non-isotropic diffusion is generic, i.e., independent of the closure assumptions. Fully 3-D numerical simulation is implemented and applied to predict current-driven domain wall motions. It shows a non-linear dependence of the wall speed on the current density, which agrees with the experiments.
The Severe 5%: A Latent Class Analysis of the Externalizing Behavior Spectrum in the United States.

Abstract Objective Criminological research consistently demonstrates that approximately 5% of study populations are comprised of pathological offenders who account for a preponderance of antisocial behavior and violent crime. Unfortunately, there have been no nationally representative epidemiological studies characterizing the severe 5% group. Materials and Methods Data from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample of 43,093 non-institutionalized U.S. residents aged 18 years and older were analyzed using latent class analysis to assess sociodemographic, psychiatric, and behavioral characteristics. Results Four-classes of respondents were identified vis-a-vis lifetime externalizing behaviors. A normative class (66.1% of respondents) demonstrated little involvement in antisocial conduct. A low substance use/high antisocial behavior class (20.7% of respondents) and high substance use/moderate antisocial behavior (8.0% of respondents) class evinced diverse externalizing and psychiatric symptoms. Finally, a severe class (5.3% of respondents) was characterized by pathological involvement in more varied and intensive forms of antisocial and externalizing behaviors and extensive psychiatric disturbance. Conclusions The current study is the first nationally representative epidemiological study of criminal careers/externalizing behavior spectrum in the United States and validates the existence of the 5% pathological group demonstrated by prior research.
High-resolution photofragment spectroscopy of the O2+ b4Σg− (v′ = 3, 4, 5) ← a4Πu (v′ = 3, 4, 5) First Negative system using coaxial dye-laser and velocity-tuned ion beams

Abstract A new photofragment spectrometer employing coaxial tunable single-mode laser and velocity-tuned fast-ion beams has been used to measure transition energies in the O 2 + b 4 Σ g − ← a 4 Π u First Negative system to an accuracy and precision that are an order of magnitude better than was previously possible in Doppler-limited emission spectroscopy. The technique consists of velocity-tuning a beam of metastable O 2 + a 4 Π u ions such that a set of First Negative rotational transitions can be sequentially brought into resonance with the laser wavelength. The subsequent absorption transitions promote the ions to predissociating levels of the b 4 Σ g − state and observation of the O + photofragments is the signal that denotes that each absorption transition has occurred. Repetition of the velocity tuning at different dye-laser frequencies provides a scan of the First Negative spectrum for predissociating upper-state vibrational levels, which are inaccessible to emission spectroscopy. The O + photofragment ions have a kinetic energy that depends on the height of the predissociating rotational level above the separatedatom limit. The present apparatus incorporates a photofragment energy analyzer that can often be used to separately record the wavenumbers of transitions to different upper-state rotational levels, but whose wavenumbers could not otherwise be resolved. A set of 359 wavenumbers involving the (4,4), (4,5), (5,5), and (3,3) bands were recorded with an estimated accuracy of ±0.0032 cm −1 and a precision of 0.0028 cm −1 , the latter being estimated precisely with a statistical technique. These data were fitted to 4 Σ and 4 Π Hamiltonians used in recent studies of the First Negative emission spectrum to determine molecular constants for the v ′ = 4, 5 and v ″ = 4, 5 levels. The former represent an extension of the b 4 Σ g − state to new levels and the latter represent substantial improvements over the constants that were available from previous moderate-resolution emission studies. These photofragment molecular constants were merged with those from the previous emission studies to yield a new consistent set of molecular constants and Dunham coefficients for the O 2 + b 4 Σ g − and a 4 Π u states. In the fit to the photofragment bands, it was found that the Hamiltonians, which were sufficient for the emission data, are inadequate to describe these states within the precision of the present measurements.
Solution of dynamic distributed parameter model of nondiabatic, fixed-bed reactor

Abstract Dynamic models of nondiabatic, fixed-bed reactors have several potential applications, many of which require these models to be both accurate and efficient to solve. In this paper, we present a new dynamic 1-D model, called the α-model, that is an excellent approximation to the dynamic 2-D model. This new model provides significant savings in computational time with minimal sacrifice of physical detail. Two different spatial discretization techniques (orthogonal collocation on finite elements and biased-upwind differencing) are used to approximate the convection term in this 1-D model and both are found to yield acceptable results.
Cooperation and punishment under repeated majority voting

In light of the extensive theoretical evidence suggesting absence of equilibrium in voting models, Tullock (1981) asks "Why So Much Stability?" Our results suggest the following answer: Political agents engaged in long-term relationships can sustain highly stable allocations if there are strongly held norms for punishment of defectors.1
Ischemic colitis diagnosed by early colonoscopy

The triad of sudden abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and associated "thumbprinting" changes on early barium enema examination are highly suggestive of ischemic injury to the colon. When these findings rapidly resolve in a patient over 40 years of age, the suspicion of ischemic colitis is heightened. However, in the absence of pain or radiographic abnormalities, colonic ischemia may go unrecognized. In this report we describe a patient in whom colonoscopy with biopsy established ischemic injury as the etiology for painless rectal hemorrhage.
1346 PREVENTION OF POST-EXTUBATION ATELECTASIS BY NASAL CPAP

Post extubation pulmonary atelectasis following mechanical ventilation is a frequent neonatal occurrence. To determine if a course of nasal prong CPAP (NCPAP) after extubation would prevent this, a prospective trial of 48 hrs of NCPAP following weaning from the respirator was begun in July 1980. 40 consecutive patients ventilated for varying periods of time from 1-21 days for respiratory failure were placed on 2 days of NCPAP (group A). This group was compared to 70 clinically similar patients who received mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure for 30 days before extubation, we could not demonstrate a significant reduction in the incidence of atelectasis following extubation to NCPAP. The complications consequent to NCPAP including pneumothorax, nasal erosion, or stenosis were not seen in any patient. We conclude that a period of NCPAP following weaning from the respirator can prevent post extubation atelectasis. A prospective randomized control study is in progress to further evaluate this hypothesis.
Multiscale Green's-function method for modeling point defects and extended defects in anisotropic solids: Application to a vacancy and free surface in copper

The elastic response of a vacancy in a semi-infinite fcc copper lattice containing a free surface is calculated by using a new multiscale Green's function method. The method treats the lattice distortion near the vacancy at the atomistic level and the free surface at the macroscopic continuum level in the same formalism. The lattice is modeled using the lattice statics Green's function that fully accounts for the discrete atomistic structure of the lattice and can model a large crystallite containing a million atoms without excessive CPU effort. The method is especially useful for modeling the elastic response of nanocrystals containing point defects in which surfaces and interfaces play important roles. The method bridges the length scales seamlessly by relating the microscopic lattice distortion near a point defect to measurable macroscopic parameters of the solid such as the strain and the displacement field at a free surface. Using the interatomic potential derived by Cleri and Rosato, the lattice distortion, relaxation energy, and relaxation volume due to a vacancy are calculated in an otherwise perfect copper lattice for a million-atom model containing a free (100) surface. The calculated value of the relaxation volume is in excellent agreement with the observed value. Numerical results are also presented for the strain and the displacement fields at the free surface due to a vacancy and the interaction energy between a vacancy and the free surface in anisotropic semi-infinite copper.
Energy Harvesting From Turbulence-Induced Vibration in Air Flow: Artificial Piezoelectric Grass Concept

Turbulence-induced vibration is generally considered undesirable, and is a phenomenon that if not properly anticipated can lead to catastrophic structural failure. From an energy harvesting perspective however, these types of vibrations have been found to be quite valuable. Turbulence can greatly diminish the performance of traditional fluid flow energy harvesting devices such as turbine, or propeller type designs. Even more recently developed nontraditional harvesters that take advantage of vortex shedding, flutter, or related phenomena in fluid dynamics become extremely inefficient, and in some cases, completely fail to generate useful power in turbulent flow. Motivation for this work comes from the fact that very little research has been done on methods for harvesting energy from turbulence. The primary objective of this research is to design and develop a deploy-and-forget energy harvesting device for use in low velocity (∼0.5 m/s) highly turbulent water flow environments i.e. small rivers and streams. The work presented here focuses on a novel, lightweight, highly robust, energy harvester design referred to as “piezoelectric grass”. This biologically inspired design consists of an array of cantilevers, each constructed with piezoelectric material. When exposed to proper turbulent flow conditions, these cantilevers vibrate vigorously due to rapidly varying pressure fields along their faces. Electrical power is generated directly from these vibrations via the piezoelectric effect. Small-scale wind tunnel tests were carried out to validate the concept. Included in this paper are the results of a direct comparative study performed on two types of harvesters in air. The generating elements or “blades of grass” of one design are made of PVDF cantilevers (type-1), and those of the other design are made with PZT QuickPacks™ mounted to the base of spring steel cantilevers (type-2). Results from these tests show very clearly that optimum harvesting conditions exist. The maximum power output per cantilever was ∼1μW for the type-1 harvester, and increased up to ∼ 1mW for the type-2 harvester which is among the highest found in literature for similar harvesting methods.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Impact of Water Management on Efficacy of Insecticide Seed Treatments Against Rice Water Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Mississippi Rice

Two experiments were conducted at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS, during 2011 and 2012 to determine the impact of water management practices on the efficacy of insecticidal seed treatments targeting rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel. Larval densities and yield were compared for plots treated with labeled rates of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin and an untreated control. In the first experiment, plots were subjected to flood initiated at 6 and 8 wk after planting. Seed treatments significantly reduced larval densities with the 8-wk flood timing, but not the 6-wk flood timing. Overall, the treated plots yielded higher than the control plots. In the second experiment, the impact of multiple flushes on the efficacy of insecticidal seed treatments was evaluated. Plots were subjected to zero, one, or two flushes with water. All seed treatments reduced larval densities compared with the untreated control. Significantly fewer larvae were observed in plots that received one or two flushes compared with plots that did not receive a flush. All seed treatments resulted in higher yields compared to the untreated control in the zero and one flush treatments. When two flushes were applied, yield from the thiamethoxam and clothianidin treated plots was not significantly different from those of the control plots, while the chlorantraniliprole treated plots yielded significantly higher than the control. These data suggest that time from planting to flood did not impact the efficacy of seed treatments, but multiple flushes reduced the efficacy of thiamethoxam and clothianidin.
Development of Motor Networks in Zebrafish Embryos

General mechanisms of motor network development have often been examined in the spinal cord because of its relative simplicity when compared to higher parts of the brain. Indeed, most of our current understanding of motor pattern generation comes from work in the lower vertebrate spinal cord. Nevertheless, very little is known about the initial stages of motor network formation and the interplay between genes and electrical activity. Recent research has led to the establishment of the zebrafish as a key model system to study the genetics of neural development. The spinal cord of zebrafish is amenable to optical and electrophysiological analysis of neuronal activity even at the earliest embryonic stages when the network is immature. The combination of physiology and genetics in the same animal model should lead to insights into the basic mechanisms of motor circuit formation. This paper reviews recent work on the development of zebrafish motor activity and discusses them in the context of the current knowl...
‘‘O Bottom, Thou Art Translated’’: Directing a Bilingual Dream in the Marshall Islands

A unique production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was staged in early 2004 by students of the Marshall Islands High School, Majuro, in the Central Pacific. The play’s director, Andrew Garrod, describes the rehearsal process and performance of the play, in which the school students were supported by undergraduates from the Education Department of Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, spending a term teaching in the island’s schools. The nature and worth of the learning experienced by the young actors, and their community, are considered in a context where Shakespeare and any kind of dramatic production are little known.
Spectral measurements of the third-order nonlinearity of bulk silicon in the near infrared region

We report the first detailed characterization, to the best of our knowledge, of wavelength dependence of two-photon absorption and the Kerr nonlinearity in silicon over a spectral range extending from 1.2 to 2.4 mum.
Interactions between Rain and Wind Waves

Abstract Effects of rain on surface waves have been investigated in a circulating wind-wave tank. Surface displacement and slope spectra under different wind velocities were measured near the upwind and downwind edges of a region with simulated rains. Spatially uniform rains of varied intensities with drop size of about 2.6 mm and spacing of 3 cm were used. Damping of surface waves by rain was observed in the frequency region of 2–5 Hz, and there was an increase in the damping rate with rain intensity. The effective eddy viscosity in the rain-induced mixed layer was found to be an order of magnitude greater than the molecular viscosity of water. As for rain-induced ripples, spectral densities of the surface slope in the frequency range of 10–100 Hz increased with the rain intensity. However, at the highest wind velocity (6.34 m s−1) of the present experiment, the ripple structure was influenced primarily by wind, with rain introducing no observable effects.
PtRu Nanoparticles Supported on Ozone-Treated Mesoporous Carbon Thin Film As Highly Active Anode Materials for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Ordered mesoporous thin-film carbon (TFC) material, of short channels vertical to the film, was synthesized by hard templating and deposited with PtRu nanocatalyst as an anodic material in a direct...
Studies on Host Selection and Host Specificity of the Aphid Hyperparasite Charips victrix (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). 5. Host Selection

Several aspects of host selection by Charips victrix (Westwood) were investigated. The following summarizes the experimental findings: (1) unparasitized aphids were probed but eggs were not deposited in them; (2) parasitized aphids were found readily among unparasitized aphids; (3) unparasitized pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), were probed more frequently by females than unparasitized spotted alfalfa aphids, Therioaphis trifolii (Monell); (4) more eggs were deposited in larvae of Aphidius smithi Sharma & Subba Rao through the pea aphid than in larvae of Trioxys complanatus Quilis through the spotted alfalfa aphid; and (5) C. victrix females could discriminate between suitable hosts (A. smithi) and unsuitable hosts (Aphelinus “L”) both through the pea aphid.
Toxicity and tissue distribution of 2,2',4,4'- and 3,3',4, 4'-tetrachlorobiphenyls in houseflies.

Abstract Insects selectively retain different polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which are then contributed to the food chain. To quantitate specific differences, adult female houseflies (Musca domestica L.) were topically dosed with 0.5 μg of two structurally distinct PCB congeners (14C-2,2′,4,4′-tetraCB or14C-3,3′,4,4′-tetraCB). Total radioactivity in the acetone rinse of intact flies, several tissues, and excrement was determined at 11 time points over a 48-h period. Ninety-seven percent of the applied 2,2′,4,4′-tetraCB disappeared from the surface following an initial rapid absorption of 79% within 3 h. The absorbed 2,2′,4,4′-tetraCB was immediately found within the thoracic cuticle, then spreading laterally to the abdominal cuticle and head, through the wax layers, or penetrating to the alimentary canal and ovaries. Penetration of 3,3′,4,4′-tetraCB was markedly slower; even though 87% of the applied dose was absorbed within 48 h, only 19% of the dose penetrated into the fly body within the first 3 h. This PCB very slowly distributed into the tissues. Toxicities of the sublethal doses were determined by monitoring changes in activity of houseflies following dosing with 0.5 μg of radioactive PCBs. Flies treated with 2,2′,5-triCB and 3,3′,4,4′-tetraCB remained very active, whereas 2,2′,4,4′-tetraCB-treated flies were less active, consistent with the previously reported toxicity of this congener.
Agonists cause endocytosis of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on cultured myotubes.

Regulated trafficking of neurotransmitter receptors in excitable cells may play an important role in synaptic plasticity. In addition, agonist-induced endocytosis of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in particular might be involved in nicotine tolerance and addiction. The existing evidence concerning regulated internalization of cell-surface nAChRs is indirect and equivocal, however. In the present study, radioligand binding and fluorescence microscopy were used to show that agonists cause substantial endocytosis of nAChRs on cultured myotubes. Exposure to carbachol or nicotine caused a decrease in the intensity of fluorescent labeling of clusters of cell-surface nAChRs that was blocked by low temperature. Overall, myotubes exposed to carbachol or nicotine bound 50–70% less [125I]-α-bungarotoxin on the cell surface than untreated cells. The effect of carbachol was significant within 5 min, increased progressively for at least 4 h, and had a sensitivity of 100 nM or less. Exposure to carbachol caused the appearance or dramatic expansion of an intracellular pool of nAChRs, which were localized to discrete, largely perinuclear structures. A pulse-chase labeling protocol allowed the selective labeling and localization of nAChRs that had been internalized from the cell surface. In untreated cells, very little internalization of nAChRs occurred over a period of 3 h, indicating that constitutive endocytosis of receptors over this period was minimal. Exposure to carbachol, however, caused a dramatic increase in the endocytosis of nAChRs. These results provide direct evidence that agonists, including the tobacco alkaloid nicotine, can cause substantial endocytosis of cell-surface nAChRs. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 49: 212–223, 2001
Surface plasmon immunoassay

The most sensitive existing assays used to determine antibody levels in blood serum samples require a tracer material, e.g., radioisotope, fluorofore, or enzyme, to identify the specific analyte. Surface plasmon spectroscopy has been applied recently as a no-label technique for the assay of specific antibody solutions with the antigen proteins immobilized on a metal surface. It is found that the metal surface configuration originally proposed for the surface plasmon immunoassay (SPI) is unstable and unsuitable for the assay of specific antibodies in a large mixture of proteins such as in a blood serum. Nevertheless, by properly designing the metal surface structure, the SPI can be made an extremely practical device. Preliminary results for the assay of dinitrophenyl (DNP) and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) antibodies in blood serum samples, indicate that the SPI, in addition to providing a simple and fast measurement, is comparable with existing approaches, such as radioimmunoassy or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay both in sensitivity and specificity.
Presbytis entellus: Birth in a free-ranging primate troop

During a 20-month study of two troops ofP. entellus in a village habitat in West Bengal one of seven births was observed. The female came down to the ground 21 minutes prior to parturition and returned to the trees 19 minutes later. She was accompanied by two adult females; there was no adult male present in the troop. The amount of time spent on the ground was significantly greater than expected for that time of year.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Properties of 3-Substituted 1,2-Benzisothiazole 1,1-Dioxides

Twenty aromatic alcohols and thiols were derivatized by reaction with 3-chloro-1,2-benzisothiazole 1,1-dioxide. The resulting 3-substituted 1,2-benzisothiazole 1,1-dioxides were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhosa, and Aspergillus niger, and their activities were compared with the activities of the precursors.
Optimal solution methods for the minimum-backtracking row layout problem

The problem of finding a reordering of the rows (and, simultaneously, the columns) of square matrices has important applications in the areas of combinatorial data analysis, economics and engineering. One such application is the Minimum-Backtracking Row Layout Problem (MBRLP), which involves the sequencing of workstations in an automated assembly line so as to minimize the total backtracking distance. Dynamic programming and integer programming have previously been proposed as optimal solution methods for the MBRLP; however, the latter method was limited to the case of equal distances between positions in the sequence. We demonstrate that the previously suggested integer programming approach for equidistant MBRLPs can produce infeasible solutions, and develop and test a plausible integer programming model for its replacement. We also present an optimal branch-and-bound procedure for MBRLP that requires far less memory storage than dynamic programming. Our experimental tests revealed that both dynamic prog...
The abundances, distribution and flux of nutrients and chlorophyll a in the New York Bight apex

Abstract Tidal, spatial and seasonal changes in salinity, temperature and the concentrations of ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, silicic acid, chlorophyll a and suspended matter in the waters between Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Rockaway Point, New York, were measured during five cruises which took place between November 1973 and June 1974. Over this period concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a were much greater than those found in the adjacent coastal waters. The main source of the ammonium, nitrite and phosphate is sewage effluent which is discharged into the waters surrounding the New York metropolitan region; nitrate comes mainly from the Hudson River and silicic acid is discharged in large amounts from river and sewage sources. The largest tidal variation in salinity and nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations occurs near Sandy Hook where the Hudson River discharge has the greatest influence. Near Rockaway Point, nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations are generally lower and salinities higher than those observed near Sandy Hook because of the inflow of Bight water by non-tidal currents. During the spring freshet nutrient concentrations, especially ammonium, are low along the transect due to (1) dilution by the spring freshet and (2) utilization by the abundant phytoplankton. Flux calculations for the June observations indicate that most of the nutrients and chlorophyll a are being transported from the lower Hudson Estuary into the New York Bight apex.
Abstract 4931: Cancer stem cells in solid tumors: Symmetric division, niche size, and invasive tumor morphology

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL In recent years cancer stem cells have been identified as a minor subpopulation in numerous solid tumors that drives tumor initiation, development and metastasis. Although cancer stem cells have yet to be reliably isolated, populations enriched for tumor-initiating cells give an indication of the order of magnitude of the stem cells niche within primary tumors. Here we develop and discuss the predictions of a simple theoretical model of cancer stem cells and tumor growth dynamics. We evaluate the impact of cancer stem cell symmetric/asymmetric division and progeny cancer cell proliferation capacity on tumor progression and morphology. The model predicts that the frequency of symmetric cancer stem cell division determines the resulting stem cell pool size, and that the symmetric division frequency and the stem cell fraction are both typically small, consistent with the cancer stem cell hypothesis. At the same time, we show that intrinsic competition for space and environmental confinement can lead to an increasing stem cell fraction over time despite a fixed, low symmetric division probability. These findings offer a novel explanation for the apparent differences in reported stem cell numbers for different tumors as well as tumors of the same organ, and thus challenging the hypothesis of a fixed stem cell ratio for different tumors. The pivotal role of stem cell division strategies and stem cell ratio on spatio-temporal morphology evolution and self-organizing tumor patterning is discussed. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4931. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4931
Synthesis and in vitro antitumor activity of new deaza analogues of the nonpolyglutamatable antifolate Nα-(4-amino-4-deoxypteroyl)-Nδ-hemiphthaloyl-l-ornithine (PT523)

Details are disclosed for the synthesis of Nα-[4-[2-(2,4-diaminoquinazolin-6-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]-Nδ-hemiphthaloyl-l-ornithine (2) and Nα-[4-[5-(2,4-diaminoteridin-6-yl)pent-1-yn-4-yl]benzoyl]-Nδ-hemi...
Noncovalent assembly of carbon nanotubes and single-stranded DNA: an effective sensing platform for probing biomolecular interactions.

In this paper, we report the assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and single-stranded DNA to develop a new class of fluorescent biosensors which are able to probe and recognize biomolecular interactions in a homogeneous format. This novel sensing platform consists of a structure formed by the interaction of SWNTs and dye-labeled DNA oligonucleotides such that the proximity of the nanotube to the dye effectively quenches the fluorescence in the absence of a target. Conversely, and very importantly, the competitive binding of a target DNA or protein with SWNTs for the oligonucleotide results in the restoration of fluorescence signal in increments relative to the fluorescence without a target. This signaling mechanism makes it possible to detect the target by fluorescence spectroscopy. In the present study, the schemes for such fluorescence changes were examined by fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence intensity measurements for DNA hybridization and aptamer−protein interaction studies.
Informal Student-Faculty Intraction: Its Relationship to Eductional Gains in Science and Mathematics Among Community College Students

The central purpose of this study was to examine the connection between informal student-faculty interaction, the perceived quality of effort asserted in science courses, and perceived educational ...