cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproductive Inhibition of Female Peromyscus leucopus: Female Competition and Behavioral Regulation

Maturational delay of young female mice as the result of exposure to grouped female odors and reproductive inhibition as the result of exposure to isolated adult females have both been observed (Drickamer, 1974; Skryja, 1978). Each has the potential to reduce the growth rate of populations. Reductions in a female's reproduction facilitated by social stimulation from other females, while effective in reducing population growth, may in the case, of maturational delay and reproductive inhibition be an epiphenomenon or exadaptation of selection for improved relative reproductive success in the females possessing these abilities. The ultimate outcome of these selective processes may be the buffering of population numbers, but the selective forces may operate to maximize a female's relative reproductive success. A females' relative reproductive success can be maximized by either increasing her own reproduction or decreasing the reproductive output of other females. A body of evidence exists to suggest that in Peromyscus mamculatus and Peromyscus leucopus , females are physiologically constrained and unable to increase their own reproduction. If the assumption of physiological restraint is correct, then the most effective way for females to maximize their relative reproductive success is to reduce the reproductive output of their competitors. In this paper, maturational delay and reproductive inhibition as they affect both the adult female and young females are discussed. Examination of these effects reveals that while they can be effective in population regulation, their main function and the selective process that produced them is at the level of individual reproduction.
The effect of temperature and solvent on the synthesis and properties of nylon 610 made from sebacyl bisketene

Polyamides were synthesized at −60°, −40°, −20°, and 0°C from sebacyl bisketene and 1,6-hexamethylenediamine in either acetone or methylene chloride. At the lower reaction temperatures oligomers predominated in solution but at 0°C the product was crosslinked. The polyamides were subjected to m-cresol extraction at elevated temperatures for up to 14 days. The m-cresol soluble and insoluble fractions were characterized by weight, infrared spectroscopy, dilute solution viscosity, and gel permeation chromatography. Infrared analysis of the soluble and insoluble portions showed the degree of branching of the polyamide, identified the branching point at the secondary amide proton position, and gave an indication of the degree of branching required before insoluble products resulted. Dilute solution viscosity and gel permeation chromatography were used to demonstrate the existence of low molecular weight (Mw) oligomer species in the soluble portion. Differential scanning calorimetry experiments revealed that polyamides synthesized below their glass transition temperature would not crystallize which resulted in abnormal thermal characteristics. Annealing at elevated temperatures allowed crystallization to occur and the expected thermal character to develop.
Deficiency of immunoreactive somatostatin in the median eminence of snell dwarf mice

Snell dwarf mice (dw/dw) are characterized by a genetically determined, congenital lack of pituitary GH, TSH and prolactin. Given that hypothalamic somatostatin is involved in the regulation of pituitary GH and TSH release, it was decided to investigate the content of immunoreactive somatostatin (IRS) in the median eminence of dw/dw and phenotypically normal mice of the same strain. The content of IRS in the pyloric antrum and pineal gland of these animals was also examined. The effects of ovariectomy and of hyperprolactinemia (induced by a pituitary graft under the kidney capsule) on the median eminence content of IRS were also studied in both normal and dwarf mice. Median eminence IRS content was significantly lower in the dw/dw (23.6 +/- 1.8 ng) than in normal mice (57.4 +/- 7.1 ng); no difference was found in the pyloric IRS content of dw/dw (16.9 +/- 1.6 ng/mg of protein) and normal animals (13.8 +/- 1.9 ng/mg of protein), nor in the pineal content of IRS (639.4 +/- 64.4 pg/gland in the dw/dw; 732 +/- 265 pg/gland in normals). Neither ovariectomy nor hyperprolactinemia were found to affect the IRS content in the tissues studied in normal or dwarf mice. Treatment of an additional group of 9 dwarf mice with L-thyroxine (L-T4 2 micrograms/48 h. s.c. for 2 weeks) significantly increased the animals weight (10.2 +/- 0.4 g versus 7.4 +/- 0.3 g) and produced maturation of facial features; however, it did not change the IRS content in any of the tissues studied. It is concluded that the content of IRS in the median eminence of mice with a congenital lack of GH, TSH and prolactin is significantly reduced and that this is unlikely to be related to the deficiency of thyroid hormones in these animals.
Intrapersonal and interpersonal determinants of smoking status among Asian American adolescents: Findings from a national sample

Introduction: Asian American youth are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. This present study examined intrapersonal and interpersonal determinants of smoking status among Asian American adolescents. Methods: Using data from the 2006 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 1,368 Asian American adolescents in Grades 6 through 12 were selected. Results: Findings revealed that one eighth (12%) experimented with cigarettes, 3% smoked occasionally, and 2% smoked regularly. High school students reported higher rates for experimental, occasional, and regular smoking than middle school students. More male than female youth reported the three types of smoking status. Multivariate analyses showed that, compared with nonsmoking, age, weekly income, family members' smoking, refusal of cigarettes from best friends predicted experimental smoking; and positive images of smoking, perception of safety of smoking for only 1 year, awareness of the harmful effects of secondhand smoking, refusal to smoke, and absence from school predicted occasional smoking. Age interacted with refusal to smoke in predicting occasional smoking. Male gender, awareness of the harmful effects of secondhand smoking, refusal to smoke, absence from school, and receptivity to tobacco marketing were determinants of regular smoking. Discussion: This study uniquely examined how the impacts of multiple intrapersonal and interpersonal predictors differed by various stages of smoking in a nationally representative sample of Asian American adolescents. Our findings underscore that smoking treatment and prevention programs should consider predictors of risk for different stages of adolescent smoking.
Acetaminophen-induced hepatic glycogen depletion and hyperglycemia in mice.

Two hours following administration of a hepatotoxic dose of acetaminophen (500 mg/kg, i.p.) to mice, liver sections stained with periodic acid Schiff reagent showed centrilobular hepatic glycogen depletion. A chemical assay revealed that following acetaminophen administration (500 mg/kg) hepatic glycogen was depleted by 65% at 1 hr and 80% at 2 hr, whereas glutathione was depleted by 65% at 0.5 hr and 80% at 1.5 hr. Maximal glycogen depletion (85% at 2.5 hr correlated with maximal hyperglycemia (267 mg/100 ml at 2.5 hr). At 4.0 hr following acetaminophen administration, blood glucose levels were not significantly different from saline-treated animals; however, glycogen levels were still maximally depleted. A comparison of the dose-response curves for hepatic glycogen depletion and glutathione depletion showed that acetaminophen (50-500 mg/kg at 2.5 hr) depleted both glycogen and glutathione by similar percentages at each dose. Since acetaminophen (100 mg/kg at 2.5 hr) depleted glutathione and glycogen by approximately 30%, evidence for hepatotoxicity was examined at this dose to determine the potential importance of hepatic necrosis in glycogen depletion. Twenty-four hours following administration of acetaminophen (100 mg/kg) to mice, histological evidence of hepatic necrosis was not detected and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) levels were not significantly different from saline-treated mice. The potential role of glycogen depletion in altering the acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity was examined subsequently. When mice were fasted overnight, hepatic glutathione and glycogen were decreased by 40 and 75%, respectively, and fasted animals showed a dramatic increase in susceptibility to acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity as measured by increased SGPT levels. Availability of glucose in the drinking water (5%) overnight resulted in glycogen levels similar to those in fed animals, whereas hepatic glutathione levels were not significantly different from those of fasted animals. Fasted animals and animals given glucose water overnight were equally susceptible to acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, as quantitated by increases in SGPT levels 24 hr after drug administration. The potential role of a reactive metabolite in glycogen depletion was investigated by treating mice with N-acetylcysteine to increase detoxification of the reactive metabolite. N-Acetylcysteine treatment of mice prevented acetaminophen-induced glycogen depletion.
The Photoelastic Stress Analysis of Elastomers for Use in Construction

Photoelasticity offers definite advantages in the analysis of complex shapes used in plastics in construction. It enables the analyst to see magnitude and direction of stresses, as well as lo cation. Applications include cast-in-place joint seals, highways, butt joints, and lap joints.
Circadian regulation of lodopsin gene expression in embryonic photoreceptors in retinal cell culture

A circadian clock regulates a number of diverse physiological functions in the vertebrate eye. In this study, we show that mRNA for the red-sensitive cone pigment, iodopsin, fluctuates with a circadian rhythm in chicken retina. Transcript levels increase in the late afternoon just prior to the time of cone disc shedding. Furthermore, iodopsin mRNA levels are regulated similarly by a circadian oscillator in primary cultures of dispersed embryonic chick retina. Nuclear run-on experiments show that the circadian regulation of iodopsin transcript abundance occurs at the level of gene transcription. Our results provide a demonstration of clock-regulated gene expression in a vertebrate preparation maintained in cell culture.
Chemical stability of laminated AlN/AlN:H films

Highly adherent and chemically stable coatings of aluminum nitride are produced by ion beam sputter deposition of graded concentration films of AlN:Hx, where x ranges to zero (AlN) at the outer surface of the film. These layered structures exhibit the good adhesion of AlN:H while maintaining the chemical stability of A1N. On the basis of scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, films deposited on room temperature substrates (metal or mica) form layers that are smooth (structures smaller than 6 nm) and that remain so for periods longer than one month. Fourier transform spectroscopy indicates that they are chemically unchanged by exposure to air for two months.
Kogia breviceps (Cetacea: Kogiidae)

Kogia breviceps (de Blainville, 1838) is a cetacean commonly called the pygmy sperm whale. A diminutive relative of the sperm whale and difficult to identify in the field, it is 1 of only 2 members of the genus Kogia. It is endemic to offshore waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans in temperate and tropical regions. It is considered solitary and deep-diving in pursuit of cephalopod prey. Abundance is poorly known, although it is protected under U.S. federal and international law. No specimens have ever been maintained permanently in captivity, and, temporary holding of stranded individuals has rarely been nonlethal.
Referral for cancer genetics consultation: a review and compilation of risk assessment criteria

Methods: The criteria were based on a comprehensive review of publications describing diagnostic criteria for hereditary cancer syndromes and risk to first degree relatives of cancer patients. Priority was given to diagnostic criteria from consensus statements (for example, those from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network). Expert opinion from study personnel was then used to adopt a single set of criteria from other publications whenever guidelines differed. Results: Based on family history, a set of criteria was developed to identify patients at risk for a hereditary cancer susceptibility syndrome, patients with moderate risk who might benefit from increased cancer surveillance, and patients who are at average risk. The criteria were applied to 4360 individuals who provided their cancer family history between July 1999 and April 2002, using a touch screen computer system in the lobby of a comprehensive cancer centre. They categorised an acceptable number of users into each risk level: 14.9% high risk, 13.7% moderate risk, and 59.6% average risk; 11.8% provided insufficient information for risk assessment. Conclusions: These criteria should improve ease of referral and promote consistency across centres when evaluating patients for referral to cancer genetics specialists.
Hedging Foreign Project Risk

We study the firm's hedging problem when there is uncertainty about whether its bid on a foreign project will be accepted. Most treatments of this problem suggest that foreign currency options are the preferred hedging instrument. However, we show that when the uncertainty pertaining to the realization of the foreign cash flow is unrelated to the exchange rate, which typically will be the case, futures dominate options as hedge vehicles. Conversely, options hedging will be appropriate when the viability of the foreign project depends also on an exchange-rate contingency, as would be the case when the bidding firm can withdraw its bid if the foreign currency depreciates sufficiently. In many cases, both futures and options will form part of the best hedge position. The general principle in forming the hedge is that futures will best offset exchange-rate exposure the existence of which is not exchange-rate contingent. Options will best hedge any costs or revenues that might occur in a foreign currency depending on the outcome of an exchange-rate contingency.
Characterization of Mechanical and Piezoelectric Properties of the AlN Thin Film in a Composite Resonator Stuctrue

Piezoelectric AlN thin film has been considered for fabricating the thin film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) for over years. Characterization of thin film material properties including density, elastic modulus, and piezoelectric coefficient are essential in processing study and for predicting the performance of the acoustic wave devices. In this paper, the authors present our results on the fabrication of highly c-axis oriented AlN thin films on Pt/Ti/Si (100) and Pt/Ti/sapphire (002) substrates by DC reactive magnetron sputtering method. The crystalline structure and the surface morphology of AlN films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effective piezoelectric coefficient d33eff of the AlN films on the sapphire substrate were measured by the laser interferometer method and the piezoelectric coefficient d33 was calculated. In addition, a more detailed characterization on the mechanical properties was performed by using a recently developed resonance spectrum method. Based on the impedance spectrum, the density and elastic constant of the piezoelectric AlN thin film in the four-layer composite resonator structure were evaluated. The calculated results reveal that the piezoelectric coefficient d33, density and velocity of the AlN thin film are 4.19pm/V, 3187.3kg/m3, and 10631m/s respectively
Asymmetric constriction of dividing Escherichia coli cells induced by expression of a fusion between two Min proteins

The Min system, consisting of MinC, MinD, and MinE, plays an important role in localizing the Escherichia coli cell division machinery to midcell by preventing FtsZ ring (Z ring) formation at cell poles. MinC has two domains, MinCn and MinCc, which both bind to FtsZ and act synergistically to inhibit FtsZ polymerization. Binary fission of E. coli usually proceeds symmetrically, with daughter cells at roughly 180° to each other. In contrast, we discovered that overproduction of an artificial MinCc-MinD fusion protein in the absence of other Min proteins induced frequent and dramatic jackknife-like bending of cells at division septa, with cell constriction predominantly on the outside of the bend. Mutations in the fusion known to disrupt MinCc-FtsZ, MinCc-MinD, or MinD-membrane interactions largely suppressed bending division. Imaging of FtsZ-green fluorescent protein (GFP) showed no obvious asymmetric localization of FtsZ during MinCc-MinD overproduction, suggesting that a downstream activity of the Z ring was inhibited asymmetrically. Consistent with this, MinCc-MinD fusions localized predominantly to segments of the Z ring at the inside of developing cell bends, while FtsA (but not ZipA) tended to localize to the outside. As FtsA is required for ring constriction, we propose that this asymmetric localization pattern blocks constriction of the inside of the septal ring while permitting continued constriction of the outside portion.
Damage to Douglas-Fir Cones by Choristoneura occidentalis

The budworm Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman was found to be a serious pest to Douglas-fir cones in Montana and Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. A total of 41,250 cones was examined or placed in rearing containers during the summers of 1967 and 1968. Of the cones collected in 1967, 36% were infested with budworm larvae. One budworm often feeds on more than one cone during its development. Most of the seed in budworm-infested cones is destroyed.
Caffeine is protective in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2012; 35: 76–82 Summary Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, is the most common cause of primary liver disease. Although recent studies have found that coffee drinking is protective against end stage chronic liver disease, there are scarce caffeine intake data in NAFLD specifically. Aim To investigate the effects of dietary behaviour in NAFLD patients, using four continuous cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 2001–2008). Methods Using data from four continuous cycles of NHANES, dietary intake questionnaires that list 62 nutrition components. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of NAFLD among nutrition components after adjustment for potential clinical confounders. All analyses were run using sas 9.1 and sudaan 10.0 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Results Of the 62 nutrient components used for the univariate analysis, 38% were significant (P-value <0.05) in NAFLD with caffeine consumption being higher in the control group (P-value <0.001). The multivariate analysis using demographics, clinical parameters and nutritional components found five factors independently associated with NAFLD [African American Race P-value <0.001); Male gender P-value <0.001); Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) P-value <0.001); Caffeine intake (mg) P-value <0.001) and total plain water consumption (g) P-value ≤0.02)]. Conclusions Our analysis shows that caffeine intake is independently associated with a lower risk for NAFLD suggesting a potential protective effect. These data necessitate further research to elucidate the mechanism by which caffeine can protect against NAFLD.
Breakthroughs in the search for dyslexia candidate genes

Four genes have recently been proposed as candidates for dyslexia: dyslexia susceptibility 1 candidate 1 ( DYX1C1 ), roundabout Drosophila homolog 1 ( ROBO1 ), doublecortin domain-containing protein 2 ( DCDC2 ) and KIAA0319 . Each gene is implicated in global brain-development processes such as neural migration and axonal guidance, with the exception of DYX1C1 , the function of which is still unknown. The most immediate clinical prospect of the discovery of these genes is the possibility of early identification of dyslexia via genetic screening. However, research efforts have yet to identify a functional mutation in any of these genes. When causal variants are identified, they will need to be considered within a multifactorial framework, which is likely to involve gene–gene and gene–environment interactions, to make accurate predictions of diagnostic status.
Innovations in teaching plant pathology.

■ Abstract The teaching environment for plant pathology is changing in both positive and negative ways. Teaching expectations are increasing and resources are decreasing, but recent educational research and instructional technology offer new approaches to meet these challenges. Plant pathologists are teaching courses that may attract new students to the discipline or at least improve agricultural awareness. The Internet offers rapid access to information and images for both students and instructors. Instructional technology provides new tools for classroom presentations, communication with students, reaching new audiences, and distance learning, but using these new tools to enhance learning requires skilled and creative instructors. In the past, many plant pathology instructors worked in relative isolation, but new communication technologies and publishing opportunities for teaching scholarship should improve the sharing of instructional resources and methods.
Development and Evaluation of a Measure of Concerns Related to Raising a Child with a Physical Disability

Developed a measure of perceived disability-related stress, the Parents of Children with Disabilities Inventory (PCD1). A content analysis of concerns expressed by mothers identified four primary domains: Medical and Legal Concerns, Concerns for the Child, Concerns for the Family, and Concerns for the Self. Item analysis performed on an initial item pool administered to 48 mothers recruited from area spina bifida and cerebral palsy clinics identified 40 items for further investigation. Psychometric evaluation of this final version was performed based on additional data collected from 63 mothers from the same clinics. The organization and reliability of the PCD! were confirmed through traditional measures of internal consistency and test-retest reliability over a 2-month interval. Preliminary support for the construct validity of the PCDl was provided through the confirmation of several hypothesized relationships. Scores on the PCD I were significantly related to maternal mental and physical health. Concerns for the Self scale made a significant unique contribution to these prediction models. Findings provide preliminary support for the PCDI being an appropriate and informative measure of perceived disability-related stress to be used with mothers of children with physical disabilities.
Shrub invasion of grassland : recruitment is continuous and not regulated by herbaceous biomass or density

Proliferation of woody plants in grasslands and savannas since the 1800s has been widely documented. In the southwestern United States, increased abundance of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosavar. glandulosa) has been attributed to heavy grazing by livestock. Here, we test the hypothesis that P. glandulosainvasion of grasslands requires, first, reductions in herbaceous biomass and density such as those that accompany livestock grazing and, second, episodes of high soil moisture availability. No combination of grass density (nonmanipulated or reduced 50%) or defoliation (none, moderate, heavy) significantly affectedP. glandulosaseedling emergence within a watering regime (natural and supplemented) at our field site in semiarid southern Texas. Seedling emergence on plots receiving only natural rainfall was high (42%), despite the fact that precipitation was substantially below normal. Supplemental watering, to generate moisture levels approximating years of unusually high annual rainfall, increased emergence to 59%. Seedling survival after 2 yr was high (62-77%) and statistically comparable across the density, defoliation, and watering treatments. Net photosynthesis ( An) of 1-yr-old seedlings was enhanced by supplemental watering, but reductions in grass density or biomass had little effect on seedling An or xylem water potential. Height, aboveground biomass, and leaf area were comparable among 1- and 2-yr-old seedings across all density, defoliation, and watering combinations. High seedling emergence and survival on unwatered plots, even during a ''drought year,'' suggests that Prosopis recruitment is not contingent upon unusual or episodic rainfall. Reductions in biomass and density of herbaceous vegetation had no influence on seedling emergence, growth, or survival, suggesting that Prosopis invasion is minimally influenced by grass competition. Historic grazing at this site appears to have altered herbaceous com- position and reduced above- and belowground biomass production below the threshold level required for competitive exclusion of woody vegetation. Such data suggest that rates and patterns of seed dispersal may be the primary determinants of P. glandulosa encroachment on present-day landscapes in semiarid regions. Minimizing livestock dispersal of seed (in the case of leguminous shrubs) and maintenance of an effective fire regime (through pro- duction of fine fuels) may be crucial for sustaining herbaceous composition and production in grazed systems prone to invasion by unpalatable woody plants.
On the medium access control problem in Ad hoc networks with smart antennas

In this paper, we address the problem of medium access control in ad-hoc networks with fully adaptive array antennas, which to the best of our knowledge is one of the first efforts of its kind. We show that, unlike in the case of directional and switched beam antennas, significant performance improvement can be leveraged with just a simple extension to CSMA/CA that we refer to as CSMA/CA (k). We than provide PHY layer based insights into why a MAC scheme that is smarter than CSMA/CA (k), and can achieve significantly better performance is possible in the target environment. Finally, we propose an idealized protocol called SMART-MAC that builds on the insights.
Reliability, validity, and classification accuracy of a measure of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the reliability, validity, and classification accuracy of the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling. METHOD: Participants in this study were drawn from two sources: 803 men and women from the general adult population of Minnesota and 259 men and women who were admitted to a gambling treatment program. A 19-item measure of the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling was administered, along with other validity measures. RESULTS: The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were found to be reliable and valid. With a standard cutoff score of 5, DSM-IV criteria yielded satisfactory classification accuracy results; however, a cutoff score of 4 made modest improvements in classification accuracy and, most important, reduced the rate of false negatives. CONCLUSIONS: The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling, when operationalized into questions, demonstrated satisfactory reliability, validity, and classification accuracy, and a cutof...
Filial Piety by Contract? The Emergence, Implementation, and Implications of the “Family Support Agreement” in China

China has the largest aging population in the world today. Despite the Chinese tradition of filial piety, economic, social, cultural, and familial changes have made it increasingly difficult for older Chinese to receive support from adult children. To ensure parental support, the Family Support Agreement (FSA) emerged from a local community in the mid-1980s. Since then, the FSA has been promoted and monitored by the government. By the end of 2005, FSAs had been signed by more than 13 million rural families across China and is now finding its way into cities. A voluntary contract between older parents and adult children concerning parental provisions, the FSA represents an innovation to help meet the challenge of providing elder support. Although the FSA's moral persuasion is based on filial piety, violations of the FSA are subject to penalties by law. As the first systematic and comprehensive exploratory study on the FSA, this article examines (a) the FSA's emergence, content, legal foundation, and implementation; (b) the role of the government and the legal system in promoting or monitoring FSAs; (c) the FSA's strengths, limitations, and challenges; (d) the FSA's implications in light of Chinese history, intergenerational contract, filial piety, and intergenerational relations; and (e) the future of the FSA as a social policy.
The Poverty of Theistic Morality

Throughout his career, Bobby Cohen has been a staunch, articulate advocate of secular humanism. Being a fellow champion of philosophical naturalism, I wish to honor him by defending here a view of the world that is dear to both of our hearts. This essay is thus a more philosophical tribute to him than my dedication to him of my 1993 book Validation in the Clinical Theory of Psychoanalysis (see Note 42).
Effects of intraspecific diversity on survivorship, growth, and recruitment of the eastern oyster across sites

Intraspecific diversity, particularly of foundation species, can significantly affect population, community, and ecosystem processes. Examining how genetic diversity relates to demographic traits provides a key mechanistic link from genotypic and phenotypic variation of taxa with complex life histories to their population dynamics. We conducted a field experiment to assess how two metrics of intraspecific diversity (cohort diversity, the number of independent juvenile cohorts created from different adult source populations, and genetic relatedness, genetic similarity among individuals within and across cohorts) affect the survivorship, growth, and recruitment of the foundation species Crassostrea virginica. To assess the effects of both cohort diversity and genetic relatedness on oyster demographic traits under different environmental conditions, we manipulated juvenile oyster diversity and predator exposure (presence/absence of a cage) at two sites differing in resource availability and predation intensity. Differences in predation pressure between sites overwhelmingly determined post-settlement survivorship of oysters. However, in the absence of predation (i.e., cage treatment), one or both metrics of intraspecific diversity, in addition to site, influenced long-term survivorship, growth, and recruitment. While both cohort diversity and genetic relatedness were negatively associated with long-term survivorship, genetic relatedness alone showed a positive association with growth and cohort diversity alone showed a positive association with recruitment. Thus, our results demonstrate that in the absence of predation, intraspecific diversity can affect multiple demographic traits of a foundation species, but the relative importance of these effects depends on the environmental context. Moreover, the magnitude and direction of these effects vary depending on the diversity metric, cohort diversity or genetic relatedness, suggesting that although they are inversely related in this system, each captures sufficiently different components of intraspecific diversity. Given the global loss of oyster reef habitat and rapid decline in oyster population size, our results are particularly relevant to management and restoration. In addition, aquaculture, which commonly excludes predators during early life history stages, may benefit from incorporation of oyster cohort diversity into standard practice.
Persistence of Heliothis Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus on Cotton Plant Parts

Persistence of Heliothis nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) on cotton foliage under field conditions has been reported (Bullock 1967, Ignoffo and Batzer 1971, Ignoffo et al. 1972, Young and Yearian 1974). These studies show that virus on the upper surface of mature leaves is rapidly degraded with little activity remaining after 24 h. Little is known, however, of persistence of this virus at other locations on cotton. Since solar irradiation has been shown to be the primary factor responsible for loss of viral activity under field conditions (Bullock 1967, Jacques 1968, David et al. 1968, Smirnoff 1972), virus persistence might be greater at more protected locations on the plant. This study reports on persistence of the Heliothis NPV at different locations on the cotton plant.
Oxidative Stress in Myocardial Infarction Disrupts Microtubule Trafficking, Reducing Transient Outward Current Density

Microtubules have many roles in non-differentiating cardiomyocytes, including structural stability, morphological integrity, and protein trafficking. However, these proteins had never been visualized. Using adeno-associated viral vectors expressing the microtubule-associated protein EB3 tagged with EGFP, we were able to perform live imaging and capture microtubule dynamics in cardiomyocytes in real time. We quantified growth rate and distance, shrink rate and distance, catastrophe rate, rescue rate, and directionality. We also quantified the temperature dependence of microtubule dynamics. The vast majority of microtubules move perpendicular to T-tubules, and the microtubules were more stable on the Z-lines. Hydrogen peroxide increased the rate of catastrophe among microtubules. Previous studies have shown that heart failure increases microtubule density; however, little work had been done examining microtubules immediately after myocardial infarction (MI). We quantified microtubule dynamics and found an increase in the catastrophe rate of microtubules three days after MI. Moreover, this increase in catastrophe was replicated by exposing myocytes to a concentration of hydrogen peroxide inducing levels of oxidative stress similar those seen in cardiomyocytes after MI. Transient outward current (Ito) density, which constitutes phase I of the action potential in cardiomyocytes, is reduced after MI, resulting in prolonged action potentials. The mechanism of this reduction in Ito current was unknown. Using electrophysiology, we recorded Ito currents and found a similar decrease among MI cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide, colchicine, or both. Lastly, we performed a surface biotinylation blot on these cells and found decreases in surface expression of Kv4.2 and 4.3 channels, the channels responsible for Ito, in these conditions compared to control cells. We conclude that oxidative stress after MI disrupts microtubule dynamics, leading to a decrease in trafficking Kv4.2 and 4.3 channels to the membrane, thus decreasing Ito.
Prevalence of intestinal nematodes among residents in Nantong city during 2003-2012

Objective To understand the intestinal nematodes infection among rural residents in Nantong city, so as to provide the scientific basis for the future development of prevention strategies and measures. Methods The rural residents in Nantong were examined by modified Kato-Kate thick smear method in 2003-2012,the preschool children and the students of 1-2 grades were examined by cellophane tape method. Results The intestinal nematodes infection rate in rural residents was 1.93%,among them, the hookworm infection rate was 0.97%,Ascaris was 0.72%,Trichuris trichiura was 0.24%. The Enterobius vermicularis infection rate in preschool children and the students of 1-2 grades was 1.87%. Conclusions Mass deworming medication is an important factor in reducing intestinal nematode infection rate in rural residents. The reduction of opportunities of people contacting feces at work is another factor leading the decrease of intestinal nematode infection in rural residents.
Determination of Bentazone and 2,4-D in Drinking Water by LC-ESI-MS/MS

Objective A LC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of bentazone and 2,4-D in drinking water.Methods After high speed centrifuging,the water samples were determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS and quantified with multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode.Results The calibration linear range of bentazone was from 0.25~8.0 μg/L,with a correlation of 0.9992.The calibration linear range of 2,4-D was from 1.0~30.0 μg/L,with a correlation of 0.9999.The limits of detection(LOD) were 0.02 μg/L and 0.04 μg/L for bentazone and 2,4-D,respectively.The limits of quantification(LOQ) were 0.054 μg/L and 0.12 μg/L for bentazone and 2,4-D,respectively.The recovery and RSD for these pesticides were 96.5%~103.5% and 0.5%~4.0%,respectively.Conclusions This method is convenient,rapid,high sensitive,and accurate.It meets the detection requirements in the determination of bentazone and 2,4-D in drinking water.
Clinical efficacy of montelukast combined with inhalation of corticosteroids on cough after infection in children

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of montelukast combined with inhalation of corticosteroids on cough after infection in children.Methods: A total of 178 children with cough after infection admitted from June 2009 to December 2010 were selected.They were divided into two groups according to their treatment.Patients in the observation group were treated by leukotriene receptor antagonists montelukast combined with inhalation of corticosteroids.While payients in the control group were treated by inhalation of corticosteroids.The efficacy 1 week and 2 weeks after treatment were observed and compared.Results: After treatment for 3 weeks,all 89 patients in the observation group were cured,and the cure rate was 100.00%.While the cure rate was 75.28% in the control group.There was significant difference between two groups(P0.05).The average healing time for the observation group was significantly shorter than the control group(P0.05).Conclusions: Montelukast combined with inhalation of corticosteroids is effective,and takes the action more rapidly.It is worthy clinical application.
Bound states of heavy Q 2 Q¯ 2 systems

The Born-Oppenheimer approximation for heavy quarks in the MIT bag is extended to the ${Q}^{2}$Q${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}^{2}$ system, where the glue plus volume energy becomes an operator in color space. Taking its lowest eigenvalue as the approximate potential energy, the four-body Schr\"odinger equation is solved variationally for the ground-state energy. With this approximation, it is found that heavy-quark systems such as ${c}^{2}$c${\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}^{2}$ are stable against breakup into two \ensuremath{\psi} (cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}) mesons. It is necessary to solve the coupled-channel (in color space) problem to confirm this result.
White balance under mixed illumination using flash photography

Real-world illumination is often a complex spatially-varying combination of multiple illuminants. In this work, we present a technique to white-balance images captured in such illumination by leveraging flash photography. Even though this problem is severely ill-posed, we show that using two images — captured with and without flash lighting — leads to a closed form solution for spatially-varying mixed illumination. Our solution is completely automatic and makes no assumptions about the number or nature of the illuminants. We also propose an extension of our scheme to handle practical challenges such as shadows, specularities, as well as the camera and scene motion. We evaluate our technique on datasets captured in both the laboratory and the real-world, and show that it significantly outperforms a number of previous white balance algorithms.
Activated GL7+ B cells are maintained within the inflamed CNS in the absence of follicle formation during viral encephalomyelitis.

Central nervous system (CNS) inflammation associated with viral infection and autoimmune disease results in the accumulation of B cells in various differentiation stages. However, the contribution between peripheral and CNS activation remains unclear. During gliatropic coronavirus induced encephalomyelitis, accumulation of protective antibody secreting cells is preceded by infiltration of B cells with a naive and early differentiation phenotype (Phares et al., 2014). Investigation of the temporal dynamics of B cell activation in draining cervical lymph nodes (CLN) and the CNS revealed that peak CNS infiltration of early activated, unswitched IgD+ and IgM+ B cells coincided with polyclonal activation in CLN. By contrast, isotype-switched IgG+ B cells did not accumulate until peripheral germinal center formation. In the CNS, unswitched B cells were confined to the perivascular space and meninges, with only rare B cell clusters, while isotype-switched B cells localized to parenchymal areas. Although ectopic follicle formation was not observed, more differentiated B cell subsets within the CNS expressed the germinal center marker GL7, albeit at lower levels than CLN counterparts. During chronic infection, CNS IgDint and IgD− B cell subsets further displayed sustained markers of proliferation and CD4 T cell help, which were only transiently expressed in the CLN. A contribution of local CD4 T cell help to sustain B cell activation was supported by occasional B cells adjacent to T cells. The results suggest that accumulation of differentiated B cell subsets within the CNS is largely dictated by peripheral activation, but that local events contribute to their sustained activation independent of ectopic follicle formation.
Non-infectious pulmonary disorders in HIV.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Since the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART), non-infectious pulmonary disorders have become common comorbidities in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive population. Clinicians caring for those with HIV disease should be aware of the prevalence of non-infectious pulmonary disorders. A comprehensive understanding is required to diagnosis and manage these syndromes appropriately.Areas covered: This review focuses on the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical feature and diagnosis, and treatment of HIV-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension.Expert Commentary: The prevalence of COPD in the HIV population is frequent and requires appropriate diagnosis and treatment. HIV-positive individuals with lung cancer carry a poorer prognosis and require early diagnosis and treatment. A complex condition exists with pulmonary hypertension in the HIV population and requires a high degree of clinical suspicion for early diag...
Privacy-preserving evaluation techniques and their application in genetic tests

Abstract We discuss several protocols that apply secure multiparty computation to privacy preserving genetic testing. We categorize methods into those using oblivious finite automata, additive homomorphic encryption, garbled circuits, and private set intersection. Through comparison of performance and security metrics, we aim to make recommendations for efficient and secure multiparty computation protocols for various genetic tests including edit distance, disease susceptibility, identity/paternity/common ancestry testing, medicine and treatment efficacy for personalized medicine, and genetic compatibility.
Abstract MIP-051: EFFICACY OF MTORC1/2 INHIBITION ON OVARIAN CANCER STEM CELLS

INTRODUCTION: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Initial treatment with platinum and taxane drugs are effective, however inevitably these patients will recur and become resistant to cytotoxic therapies. Thus, new alternatives for durable treatments need to be identified. One approach is to explore the heterogeneity of epithelial ovarian cancer and identify the subpopulation of cells that are resistant to treatment. It has been hypothesized, that cancer stem cells (CSCs) can survive chemotherapy and have enhanced tumor-initiating capabilities. The AKT-PI3K-mTOR pathway is well studied and has been shown to be critical for tumor cell survival. This pathway closely regulates both mTOR complexes (mTORC1 and mTORC2). mTORC1 regulates protein synthesis and autophagy whereas mTORC2 regulates cell motility. mTORC1 and 2 ultimately affect cell proliferation, survival and angiogenesis, all inherently important in tumorgenesis. OBJECTIVES: Rapalogs are specific and potent inhibitors of mTORC1 but have no effect of mTORC2. We investigate the efficacy of dual mTORC1/2 inhibitors and its effect on the CSC population. METHODS: Carboplatin resistant ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR3 were cultured and treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), carboplatin, or INK128, a potent dual inhibitor of mTORC1/2. Using cell surface markers CD133 and CD44, CSCs were quantified by flow cytometry. OVCAR3 spheroids were cultured as a surrogate for CSCs. Colony formation-survival assays were performed with spheroids treated with the above mentioned conditions. Analysis was performed using ArrayScan technology. Doxycyline inducible silencing cell lines derived from OVCAR3 were generated; Non-silenced (Nsi), Raptor (Sh-mTORC1) and Rictor (Sh-mTORC2). Colony formation assays using spheroids from silenced lineages were performed to evaluate growth and survival. Western blot analysis was performed to confirm silencing of targets, and to evaluate protein expression in CSCs. RESULTS: 4.87% of the untreated OVCAR3 population were CSCs. INK128 treatment of the cells confered a 2 fold increase of CD44+/CD133+ cells, presumably CSCs, P CONCLUSIONS: The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway appears to have a role in the biogenesis of platinum resistant ovarian cancer cells. The inhibition of mTORC1/2 delays growth of OVCAR3 cells, and may have a role in activating in stem like CSCs. However, it does not appear to selectively inhibit CD133+/CD44+ cells. These findings suggest that targeting CSCs may lead to advances in ovarian cancer treatment. Citation Format: Jing-Yi Chern MD, Melissa Frey MD, Fernanda Musa MD, Amandine Alard PhD, Stephanie V. Blank, MD, Robert Schneider, PhD. EFFICACY OF MTORC1/2 INHIBITION ON OVARIAN CANCER STEM CELLS [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 12-13, 2016; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr MIP-051.
Habitat restoration and native grass conservation: a case study of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been planted extensively for habitat restoration across the United States, such as with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). However, genetic profiles of these populations have never been studied nor compared with those of remnant prairies or cultivars. In this study, we sampled 16 CRP and 17 prairie populations across eastern Kansas. We assessed ploidy levels of all populations and compared genetic diversity and structure of 10 prairies, 10 CRP areas, and 5 standard cultivars, using nine simple sequence repeat (SSR) DNA markers. All CRP and prairie populations were octaploid (8x), except two prairies with both hexaploid (6x) and octaploid (8x) individuals. Based on the results of SSR analyses, there were no significant differences between CRP and prairie populations in genetic diversity, and 94% of total variation was partitioned within populations. Similarities among prairie and CRP populations were also observed in Bayesian clustering algorithms and principal coordinate analysis, suggesting that they had similar genetic compositions. In addition, positive spatial autocorrelations were detected up to 42 and 46 km among prairie and among CRP populations, respectively. To conclude, the CRP and prairie populations shared similar genetic profiles. However, remnant prairies still harbored unique genotypes and a high level of genetic diversity, highlighting the importance of seed sources for restoration efforts, that is using local wild seeds or cultivars from the same geographical region. A popular tetraploid (4x) cultivar known as “Kanlow” was genetically distinct from the prairie populations and therefore is not recommended for habitat restoration in this region.