cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen relations in winter wheat cultivars differing in grain protein percentage and stature

Abstract Accumulation of reduced nitrogen and its partitioning between vegetative tissue and grain are two important aspects of the nitrogen economy of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the range of nitrogen harvest index (NHI) among four hard red winter wheat cultivars differing in grain protein percent (GPP) and the influence of NHI on grain protein percent, and 2) to contrast the partitioning of nitrogen and dry matter to the component parts of the plant throughout growth and development. Plants were grown in a nutrient solution and nitrogen salts were withheld from the solution when the wheat reached anthesis. High nitrogen percentage of plant parts tended to correlate positively with grain protein percentage at first node and anthesis stages, but correlated negatively at latter stages. Dry weight was important in the accumulation of nitrogen; however, neither dry weight nor total plant nitrogen was correlated with GPP. Nitrogen harvest index was correlate...
Linkage analysis with sequential imputation.

Multilocus calculations, using all available information on all pedigree members, are important for linkage analysis. Exact calculation methods in linkage analysis are limited in either the number of loci or the number of pedigree members they can handle. In this article, we propose a Monte Carlo method for linkage analysis based on sequential imputation. Unlike exact methods, sequential imputation can handle large pedigrees with a moderate number of loci in its current implementation. This Monte Carlo method is an application of importance sampling, in which we sequentially impute ordered genotypes locus by locus, and then impute inheritance vectors conditioned on these genotypes. The resulting inheritance vectors, together with the importance sampling weights, are used to derive a consistent estimator of any linkage statistic of interest. The linkage statistic can be parametric or nonparametric; we focus on nonparametric linkage statistics. We demonstrate that accurate estimates can be achieved within a reasonable computing time. A simulation study illustrates the potential gain in power using our method for multilocus linkage analysis with large pedigrees. We simulated data at six markers under three models. We analyzed them using both sequential imputation and GENEHUNTER. GENEHUNTER had to drop between 38-54% of pedigree members, whereas our method was able to use all pedigree members. The power gains of using all pedigree members were substantial under 2 of the 3 models. We implemented sequential imputation for multilocus linkage analysis in a user-friendly software package called SIMPLE.
Molecular assembling for dye-sensitized photonic devices: opportunities for nanotechnology in energy harvesting

Dye sensitization effect of semiconductors has been investigated to increase the spectral response of photonic devices and photo-electrochemical cells. Numerous techniques, materials and device architecture have been proposed for this class of devices. Some improvements are necessary to enhance the efficiency and stability at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface of dye-based photonic devices. Though physiochemical phenomena have been well understood, use of novel techniques will lead to further development of practical devices. This paper reviews the current understanding of dye sensitization effect at the semiconductor electrolyte interfaces. Possibility to improve the performance of such devices by integration of nanotechnology is also discussed.
The Prediction of Sexual Aggression by Alcohol Use, Athletic Participation, and Fraternity Affiliation

Alcohol, athletics, and fraternities have been targeted in the popular media as primary causes of sexual aggression on campus. Except in the case of alcohol, the empirical data supporting these associations is weak. The present study assessed the joint contribution of these three variables to the prediction of sexual aggression among a sample of 530 undergraduate men including 140 athletes representing all varsity sports. Approximately 11% of the variance in the level of sexual aggression was accounted for by four variables including self-reported intensity of alcohol use and degree of athletic participation, but not fraternity affiliation. The alcohol and athletic variables also discriminated those men who reported participating in gang rapes ( N = 17) from those not involved. Although significant prediction was achieved, the results must be viewed cautiously as the power of the effects was small. The article concludes with the implications of the findings for rape prevention education.
The 1988 anesthesia survey of the Southern California Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

The results of the fourth anesthesia morbidity and mortality survey of the members of the Southern California Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is presented. A questionnaire was mailed to 203 active members in February 1988. All responded or were contacted by Society staff and a response obtained. Results were compared with the three previous studies and revealed trends in training, length of time in practice, modes of practice, equipment used, medications used, numbers of anesthetic procedures performed, and specific instances of morbidity and mortality. Over the 20-year period from 1968 through 1987, seven deaths occurred in more than 4,700,000 anesthetics given, a rate of one death in each 673,000 anesthetics administered.
Use of Autobiographies to Teach Concepts in Addiction: A Narrative Approach to Instruction

Understanding the process of substance abuse is often difficult for counselors-in-training who have no personal knowledge of the trajectory of addiction. This article outlines a beginning addiction course class activity that is based on narrative teaching pedagogy and is entitled Book Club: Client Assessment Profile. Details of the class assignment are provided, along with student feedback regarding the usefulness of the activity in understanding addiction. Implications for the use of nonfiction to teach addiction concepts in counselor education are discussed.
Purification and Cloning of PZR, a Binding Protein and Putative Physiological Substrate of Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-2

Overexpression of a catalytically inactive mutant of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 in 293 cells resulted in hyperphosphorylation of a glycoprotein specifically associated with the enzyme. The protein has been purified to near homogeneity. Based on the amino acid sequences of peptides obtained from the protein, a full-length cDNA was isolated. The cDNA encodes a protein with a single transmembrane segment and a signal sequence. The extracellular portion of the protein contains a single immunoglobulin-like domain displaying 46% sequence identity to that of myelin P0, a major structural protein of peripheral myelin. The intracellular segment of the protein shows no significant sequence identity to any known protein except for two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs. We name the protein PZR for protein zero related. Transfection of the PZR cDNA in Jurkat cells gave rise to a protein of expected molecular size. Stimulation of cells with pervanadate resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of PZR and a near-stoichiometric association of PZR with SHP-2. Northern blotting analyses revealed that PZR is widely expressed in human tissues and is particularly abundant in heart, placenta, kidney, and pancreas. As a binding protein and a putative substrate of SHP-2, PZR protein may have an important role in cell signaling.
Effects of grit size on abrasion with coated abrasives

Abstract This paper is concerned with identifying the causes of grit size effects in the initial performance of fresh coated abrasives and the deterioration of coated abrasive performance with continued use. Abrasion tests were performed on an instrumented pin-on-cylinder apparatus which had removable segments for observing the coated abrasive surface in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). This allowed for a direct correlation between measurements of coated abrasive performance and SEM observations of coated abrasive morphology. With coated abrasives containing finer grit sizes, numerous adhesive wear particles were found on the coated abrasive surface; this supports the theory that the smaller initial abrasion rate with finer grits is due to abrasive grains making “elastic” contact with the metal specimen at loads insufficient for cutting. With continued use, the rapid deterioration in performance with finer grits was accompanied by a buildup of metal caused by capping of the abrasive grain tips with metal chips and by clogging due to metal chips and adhesive wear particles becoming stuck between the grains. With coarser grits, which were found to experience extensive grain fracture followed by some grain capping and flattening but virtually no clogging, the deterioration in coated abrasive performance was very much less.
Political science and conservation biology: a dialog of the deaf.

Political scientists have largely ignored conservation biology and its central concern, biodiversity. Consider two indicators and an anecdote. The indicators concern publication trends and faculty hiring in political science. In the past 20 years, the top five political science journals, as measured by their impact factor scores, have published one article focusing on biodiversity conservation (out of more than 2000 published papers). And in the top five political science departments in the United States (arguably, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, and Chicago), not a single faculty member considers biodiversity conservation to be among his or her research interests. The anecdote concerns reflections on the discipline by 12 recent past presidents of the American Political Science Association. In remarking on the blind spots, research accomplishments, and needed directions for the discipline, biodiversity was entirely absent; indeed, even the environment was. These facts should rightly generate pessimism about the past and future of conversations between political science and conservation biology. Political scientists and their discipline value work on biodiversity at best only to a limited extent. To the extent that political scientists consider conservation biology and biodiversity, they must do so by working against the disciplinary incentive structures that reward research and teaching. The reasons political scientists neglect conservation biology and biodiversity may lie even deeper than incentives related to publication and hiring. They may have more to do with what political scientists view as the most important issues and the appropriate scale at which to study them. Electoral systems and practices, democracy, political institutions, international regimes, public opinion, state-society relations, conflict, war, violence, race and ethnicity, policy making, strategic behavior, and policy outcomes are properly the province of their discipline
Towards Real-World Face De-Identification

A wide range of technological advances have helped to make extensive image and video acquisition close to effortless. As a consequence many applications which capture image data of people for either immediate inspection or storage and subsequent sharing have become possible. Along with these improved recording capabilities, however, come concerns about the privacy of people visible in the scene. While algorithms have been proposed to de-identify images, currently available methods are still lacking. In this paper we propose a general framework for the de-identification of images which subsumes a number of previously introduced approaches. Unlike the ad-hoc methods currently used in the field our algorithms aim at providing privacy guarantees. In experiments on illumination-and expression-variant face datasets we show that the proposed algorithms achieve the desired privacy protection while minimally distorting the data.
The interplay of environmental toxicology and chemistry in the development of sediment quality criteria

Abstract The search for rational methods to develop criteria for various media-water, sediment, and tissue-and various receptors-aquatic, terrestrial, and human-has been a consistent and continuous enterprise from the beginning of environmental toxicology. Many of the 100 most frequently cited papers in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry directly or indirectly address topics relevant to criteria. Subsets of these papers are concerned with the interaction between environmental toxicology and environmental chemistry. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. © 2012 SETAC.
Nonlinear Rhizosphere Dynamics Yields Synchronized Oscillations of Microbial Populations, Carbon and Oxygen Concentrations, Induced by Root Exudation

Abstract Numerical modeling of a system of 4 ordinary differential equations [1] demonstrated synchronized patterns of temporal oscillations of competing microbial populations along with carbon and oxygen concentrations in the rhizosphere, as affected by exudation dynamics and the model kinetic parameters. Using methods of nonlinear dynamics and chaos, we show that the exudation dynamics serve as a driving force for microbial and biogeochemical excitation phenomena, and lead to the development of the emerging phase space structures/attractors and synchronized oscillations of microbial populations and carbon and oxygen concentrations.
A localized IP-address auto-configuration protocol for wireless ad-hoc networks

We present a localized IP auto-con.guration protocol for wireless ad-hoc networks, called OASIS. OASIS introduces the idea of position-dependent IP-addresses using a cellular structure of the underlying network. Within a cell, nodes try to obtain a con.ict-free IP-address using a distributed mutual exclusion style algorithm. We show the correctness, and present an asymptotic analysis of the overhead of OASIS. Further, we present extensions to OASIS protocol to cope with message losses and node mobility. OASIS avoids problems due to network partitions and mergers, supports concurrent node joins/leaves, incurs localized control overhead per IP-address acquisition (independent of the number of nodes in the network), and hence it is scalable.
Selective mitochondrial KATP channel opening controls human myocardial preconditioning: too much of a good thing?

Abstract Background: Paradoxically, patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus experience a higher cardiovascular mortality rate than patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. We have shown that KATP channel inhibition, with oral sulfonylureas, prevents myocardial preconditioning and may explain the paradox of cardiovascular death in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Cardiac preconditioning is an attractive protective strategy against any elective ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The relationship between the KATP channels and human myocardial preconditioning has not previously been elucidated. Methods: Human atrial trabeculae were harvested, placed in organ baths, and paced (1 Hz). Developed force was recorded during simulated 37°C I/R (30/45 or 45/60 minutes). Before I/R, trabeculae were treated transiently with a selective mitochondrial KATP channel opener for 5 minutes, followed by a 10-minute washout, or were exposed to the channel opener throughout ischemia. Recovery of function is expressed as percentage of baseline developed force. Conserved creatine kinase activity (units per gram of wet tissue) was measured at the end of reperfusion as an indicator of cellular protection. Results: Transient mitochondrial KATP channel opening provided protection from both I/R insults. Surprisingly, there was no protection afforded by continuous mitochondrial KATP channel opening. Conclusions: Transient selective mitochondrial KATP channel opening protects both viability and function of human myocardium against I/R injury, although prolonged opening of the mitochondrial KATP channel does not. These results reinforce the concept of preconditioning as a transient event that must be completed before the onset of ischemia. (Surgery 2000;128:368-73.)
Immune stimulation induces Fos expression in brainstem amygdala afferents.

Abstract Adaptation to infectious diseases or models of infectious diseases such as immune stimulation with exogenous administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cytokines involve complex autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral responses mediated by the central nervous system. The purpose of this study is to determine the neural pathways from the brainstem activating the central nucleus of the amygdala after LPS injections in rats. Fos immunohistochemistry was performed as a marker of neuronal activation in rats prepared with injections of the retrograde tracing agents Fluorogold or cholera toxin B subunit directed at the central nucleus of the amygdala, and subsequently treated with intravenous LPS. The dose of LPS was titrated to achieve behavioral suppression (“sickness behavior”) and fever, while avoiding hypotension and shock. Low-dose LPS induced Fos in central amygdala afferent neurons in the periaqueductal gray, lateral parabrachial nucleus, and solitary nucleus, as indicated by neurons containing both Fos and retrograde tracing agent. The lateral parabrachial nucleus had approximately 10-fold higher numbers of double-labeled cells than the solitary nucleus and periaqueductal gray; 95% of the double-labeled neurons in the lateral parabrachial nucleus were located in the outer zone of the external lateral subnucleus. These results suggest that a prominent source of limbic activation from the brainstem after LPS involves a restricted subdivision of the lateral parabrachial nucleus.
Material symmetry and the evolution of anisotropies in a simple material-I. Change of reference configuration

Abstract Noll's rule is used to determine the structure of a material symmetry group written with respect to one reference configuration when the representation of the symmetry with respect to another configuration is the traditional material symmetry group associated with isotropy, transverse isotropy or orthotropy, and for an arbitrary deformation gradient relating the two configurations. It is shown that the former symmetry group can contain an orthogonal subgroup. It is determined whether this subgroup is that for isotropic, transversely isotropic, orthotropic, monoclinic, or triclinic response, and the preferred directions of the symmetry are determined.
Synthetic studies towards carzinophilin: Synthesis and ammonium hydroxide-induced rearrangement of the epoxi-acid fragment

Abstract An efficient synthesis of the epoxide-containing fragment 4 of carzinophilin has been completed. Intramolecular acyl transfer of a related epoxide afforded amide 16 . Comparison by 1 H NMR of 4 and 16 with authentic natural product provides further evidence for structural revision of carzinophilin.
Bilingual Education in the United States: Historical Development and Current Issues

Abstract Bilingual education in the United States has been contested and reformulated within varying historical, political, social, and economic contexts. Guided by three interrelated research questions on ideology, policy, and politics, this article examines the various interpretations of the historical forces that have determined language policy in the United States by first briefly discussing the permissive, restrictive, opportunist, and dismissive periods and then focusing on the current challenges to bilingual education. The author argues that changing political, social, and economic forces, rather than any consistent ideology, have shaped the nation's responses to language diversity. He concludes that language ideology in the United States has shifted according to changing historical events, and the absence of a consistent U.S. language ideology has enhanced the role of symbolic politics—the resentment of special treatment for minority groups.
The use of space by white-crowned sparrows: Juvenile and adult ranging patterns and home range versus body size comparisons in an avian granivore community

1. Ranging behavior in a nonmigratory population of white-crowned sparrows Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli residing in the coastal scrub habitat of central California was studied by trapping and recapture. Over 12,000 captures of more than 1,700 individuals were analyzed. In their first breeding season, young Z. l. nuttalli produced from early broods bred near their own hatching site, but those from later broods bred farther away (Fig. 3). 2. As adults, females had more restricted movements in summer than did males. In winter, females expanded their ranging movements more than males. We hypothesized that higher vagility of females in winter is related to their being socially subordinate to males in flocks. This causes them to wander among different flocks or to live a solitary existence. 3. Employing a bivariate statistical model we found the most satisfactory description of home range size to be given by a 50% equal frequency ellipse. By this method, the average Z. l. nuttali home range was estimated to be 6–7 ha (Fig. 6). 4. The home range of four other passerines in the same trap system has been estimated previously. We compared our results on Z. l. nuttalli with reported results on the four other passerines to examine the relationship between home range size and body size among granivores. The best-fit line has the equation: home range (ha)=0.044 W(g)1.31 (Fig. 7). The slope of this line is much steeper than that published for the relationship of mammalian home range and body size and is slightly steeper than indicated by previous work on birds. Our slope is also steeper than that of the relationship between standard metabolic rate and body size for passerines but is similar to a theoretically derived regression coefficient describing the power required for flight in relation to body size. We hypothesized that in birds the energetic demands of flight have influenced the evolution of home range size.
Plant accumulation and plant/soil concentration ratios of 210Pb and 210Po at various sites within a uranium mining and milling operation

Abstract The primary objectives of this study were to determine 210 Pb and 210 Po concentrations in soil and native plants and to estimate plant/soil concentration ratios from various sites around a uranium mining and milling operation that is typical of most in the Western U.S. Soil and vegetation samples were collected at exposed, weathered tailings; near the edge of a tailings pond; downwind from a tailings impoundment; from a reclamation area and at several background locations. The mean concentrations of 210 Pb and 210 Po in background soil and vegetation were within the reported range for the U.S. Concentrations in soil and vegetation varied significantly among sites and were generally elevated above the background in the disturbed areas near tailings. Both radionuclides occurred at near-radioactive equilibrium in natural soil and tailings and are accumulated by native plants to a similar degree. No demonstrable differences among plant groups were found. A wide range of concentration ratios ( CR ) was observed for both radionuclides, and CR values appeared to be related to differences between collection sites. Comparatively high values were estimated for plants growing at the tailings pond edge relative to all other locations. We speculate that acidity and the diminished soil-binding capacity caused by the saturated pond edge are responsible for the enhanced plant uptake at this location. 210 Po CR values for plants growing on exposed tailings were higher than previously reported from soil contaminated with polonium oxide. The sulfuric acid leaching process of uranium ore may create a more soluble form of polonium in tailings material. Comparatively low CR values were observed for plants downwind from the tailings source. Evidence is presented for both radionuclides that plant accumulation is a non-linear function of substrate concentration. Thus, the usefulness of a single CR value may be severely limited due to the lack of linear relationship between plant and soil activities.
The rotational spectrum and heavy-atom-planar structure of propargyl benzene (3-phenyl-1-propyne)

Abstract The microwave rotational spectrum of propargyl benzene has been studied and its stable conformation has coplanar carbon atoms. This planar structure is confirmed independently by the value of its P cc second moment consistent with only a pair of H atoms out of the plane, by its rotational spectrum obeying a- and b-type and not c-type selection rules, by its display of spectra of nine rather than six distinguishable monosubstituted 13 C isotopomers, by the absence of tunneling splittings, and by the insensitivity of P cc to 13 C isotopic substitution. This conformation is also observed in its isoelectronic analogue, benzyl cyanide. The structure is stabilized by an effective hydrogen bond between an ortho C–H and the π electrons of the triple bond.
Counter machines and counter languages

The languages recognizable by time- and space-restricted multiple-counter machines are compared to the languages recognizable by similarly restricted multipletape Turing machines. Special emphasis is placed on languages definable by machines which operate in “real time”. Time and space requirements for counter machines and Turing machines are analyzed. A number of questions which remain open for time-restricted Turing machines are settled for their counter machine counterparts.
Relationship between modulation of the cerebellorubrospinal system in the in vitro turtle brain and changes in motor behavior in rats: effects of novel sigma ligands.

Abstract Saturation and competition binding studies showed that the turtle brain contains σ sites labeled by both [3H]di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) and [3H](+)-pentazocine. There was a significant correlation between the IC50 values of σ ligands for [3H]DTG sites in the turtle vs. rat brain, suggesting that the sites are comparable in the two species. In contrast, [3H](+)-pentazocine, which primarily labels σ1 sites in the rodent brain, labels a heterogeneity of sites in the turtle brain. In extracellular recordings from the in vitro turtle brainstem, some σ ligands enhanced the burst responses of red nucleus (RN) neurons (DTG, haloperidol, BD1031, BD1052, BD1069) while other σ ligands decreased the burst responses (BD1047, BD1063). Control compounds (turtle Ringer vehicle control, opiate antagonist naloxone, atypical neuroleptic sulpiride) had no significant effects on the RN burst responses recorded from the in vitro turtle brain. The ED50s of the ligands for altering the burst responses in RN neurons from the turtle brain were correlated with their IC50s for turtle brain sites labeled with [3H]DTG, but not [3H](+)-pentazocine; this pattern is identical to that previously reported in rats, where there is a correlation between the potencies of σ ligands for producing dystonic postures after microinjection into the rat RN and their binding to rat brain sites labeled with [3H]DTG, but not [3H](+)-pentazocine. When the novel σ ligands were microinjected into the rat RN, dystonic postures were produced by ligands that increased the burst duration of RN neurons in the turtle brain. Novel σ ligands that reduced the burst responses in the in vitro turtle brain have previously been reported to have no effects on their own when microinjected into the rat RN, but to block the dystonic postures produced by other σ ligands. Taken together, the data suggest that the opposite effects of the novel ligands in the turtle electrophysiological studies represent the actions of agonists vs. antagonists, and that the directionality of the effects has predictive value for the expected motor effects of the drugs.
Detection of H2-b and Thy-1.2 Surface Antigens on the Differentiating Murine Otocyst Using Nomarski Optics*

The 12th postcoital day otocyst appears as a hollow cellular ball of pseudostratified columnar epithelium that has entered into its initial stages of differentiation and organogenesis. H-2b antigen was demonstrated on the ectodermally derived epithelial cells of the otocysts and on the mesodermally derived cells of the surrounding mesenchyme. Thy-1.2 antigen was detected on the mesenchymal cells, but not on the epithelial cells of the otocyst. The use of Nomarski optics as a new method for detecting cell surface staining that would otherwise be undetected by bright field optics was demonstrated.
Reduction of linewidth variation over reflective topography

As device dimensions have shrunk well below the one micron level, linewidth control particularly over reflective topography has become a major problem in optical lithography. Other than reflective notching caused by light reflected into unwanted areas, thin-film interference is the major contributor to linewidth variations. Small changes in film thickness over steps cause significant changes in the amount of energy deposited into photoresist films. Various methods used to solve this problem are investigated to measure their relative effectiveness. Conventional photoresist, dyed-resist, bottom layer ARCs (antireflcctivc coatings; both inorganic and organic), TAR (top-antircflcctivc layer) and CEL (contrast enhancement layer) as a special case of TAR arc compared for their relative effectiveness as well as their advantages and disadvantages for use in manufacturing. Simulations and functional evaluation of film thickness effects on exposure requirement and on linewidths as well as imaging over topography are used as a means of comparison. The use of TAR is a relatively new approach to solving this problem in a simple, effective manner. Material choice depends on film refractive index and ease of processing. Several TAR materials have been investigated and will be discussed.
When is a Limit Function Continuous

(1998). When is a Limit Function Continuous? Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 71, No. 4, pp. 306-308.
Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculation of the 2 S 1 3 → 1 S 0 1 transition rates for the He isoelectronic sequence

A new calculation of the $M1$ decay rates of the metastable $2^{3}S_{1}$ states of two-electron ions is presented. The calculation is based on the Furry bound-interaction representation of quantum electrodynamics and expansion in powers of $\ensuremath{\alpha}Z$ is avoided. The basic one-electron states are constructed from solutions to the Dirac equation including the ground-state Dirac-Hartree-Fock potential. Correlation and transverse-photon-exchange effects, both of relative order ${Z}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, are included in the calculation by the perturbation expansion of the $S$ matrix in powers of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. Decay rates calculated to lowest order in powers of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ are smaller than previously reported rates. When correlation and transverse-photon-exchange corrections are included in the calculation the resulting rates agree well with previous calculations. We estimate that the present values are more accurate than the older results for $Zg12$, while for smaller $Z$ the older results are expected to be better. The close agreement between the present calculations and previous theoretical results confirms the smallness of both higher-order relativistic effects and of higher-order correlation corrections in calculations of this type.
Infestation of Citrus by Anastrepha spp. and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in High Coastal Plains of Guatemala

Five species of citrus, including 52 cultivars, were sampled, and field infestations by Anastrepha spp. and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were ranked. Fruit factors including sugar content, pH, thickness and mechanical resistance of the peel, and oil-gland density and volume were measured and compared with infestation levels. A. ludens made up 98%, other Anastrepha spp. 1%, and C. capitata , which infested only seven cultivars, 1% of the total infestation. Grapefruits were infested primarily by Anastrepha spp., and tangerines primarily by C. capitata . Significantly more fruit flies emerged from mature than green or half-green fruits. Mechanical resistance, thickness, and estimated oil volume of the peel together were negatively correlated with infestation. For mature fruits, no correlation with infestation, was found between the thickness of the rind or the mechanical resistance of the peel. However, when the data from green and half-ripe fruit also were pooled, there was an inverse correlation between these parameters and infestation levels. The oil volume of the flavedo was inversely correlated with the infestation.
Markor: A Measure of Market Orientation:

In recent years, academic and practitioner interest has focused on market orientation and factors that engender this orientation in organizations. However, much less attention has been devoted to d...
Attribute–Task Compatibility as a Determinant of Consumer Preference Reversals:

The authors propose that consumers’ preferences are systematically affected by whether they make direct comparisons between brands (e.g., a choice task) or evaluate brands individually (e.g., purch...
Nutraceuticals and Nutraceutical Supplementation Criteria in Cancer: A Literature Survey

Nutraceuticals are natural and bioactive products with food value to keep energy balance in the body and promise substantial therapeutic value in several diseases. Major nutraceuticals are now part of nutrition supplements at nonprescription counters and their self-prescription is increased at large scale. The current literature suggests the nutraceutical use in most of cancer prevention and management. The biochemical mechanism of nutraceuticals is poorly reported and most of the literature indicates the success of nutaceuticals in experimental animals. Broadly nutraceuticals are antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. Most of the nutraceuticals are derived from plants and animal origin and act as biochemical metabolites either by direct intermediary metabolism or regulating immunity.
New-onset ascites as a manifestation of virologic relapse in patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis

Background: Chronic hepatitis C is the most common cause of cirrhosis in industrialized countries. Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis has significant benefits, including improvements in inflammation, fibrosis, and portal hypertension, with prevention of esophageal varices and clinical decompensation. Case: In this report, we present two patients with well-compensated hepatitis C cirrhosis who achieved an end-of-treatment response on a direct-acting antiviral therapy-based triple regimen for hepatitis C virus, but subsequently presented with new-onset ascites associated with virologic relapse. Conclusion: We propose that the development of ascites in this setting is due to the adverse impact of inflammation of the virologic relapse on portal hypertension. Our observation that ascites formation can be a manifestation of virologic relapse has potentially important clinical implications, as it highlights not only the importance of close monitoring of cirrhotic patients after achieving end-of-treatment response but also the impact of active inflammation on the severity of portal hypertension.
The differential geometry of asymptotically efficient subspace estimation

Subspace estimation is often a prelude to parameter estimation. The underlying parameterization constrains the set of subspaces of interest and the singular value decomposition, which is the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator when rank is the only limitation, is not the ML subspace estimator for the parameter constrained problem. Using the Stiefel manifold formulation of the standard problem we establish intrinsic Cramer-Rao bounds for the constrained subspace estimation problem. In addition we establish an asymptotic ML formulation for the constrained problem which has a closed-form solution for the important special case of damped exponential signals on uniformly spaced sensor arrays.
Synthesis of aminoglycoside–DNA conjugates

Development of aminoglycoside-nucleic acid conjugates is presented. Synthesis of a DNA dimer covalently linked to kanamycin and neomycin isothiocyanates has been carried out. The development of such conjugates will help couple the sequence specificity of nucleic acids to the electrostatic/shape complementarity of aminoglycoside antibiotics in binding nucleic acid targets.
Investigations on high energy lithium-ion batteries with aqueous binder

Abstract An aqueous binder, fluorine acrylic hybrid latex (TRD 202A), is utilized as the binder to fabricate a cathode electrode using a lithium manganese rich composite (LMR-NMC) as the active material. The derived Li/LMR-NMC half cells have advantages of more than 240 mAh/g specific capacity and low impedance of less than 50 Ω cm2. Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) results indicate that the electrode with aqueous binder shows improved thermal stability compared with polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). Furthermore, the cathode electrode with aqueous binder is tested against the graphite electrodes with another aqueous binder, Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR). The evaluation results of graphite/LMR-NMC full cells show that full cells with aqueous binders in both anodes and cathodes inherit almost all advantages of Li/LMR-NMC half cells, except the long cycle life.
1142 PHARMACOKINETICS AND DOSAGE REGIMEN OF TOBRAMYCIN IN NEWBORN INFANTS BELOW ONE KILOGRAM BIRTH WEIGHT

Current dosing recommendation of tobramycin 2 mg/kg/12 hr, in newborn infants does not consider birth weight as a variable. Because of limited data, we studied tobramycin kinetics in eight infants (gestational age 24-30 wk; postnatal age 3-6 d; birth weight 600-970 g) receiving tobramycin, 2.5 mg/kg IV every 18-24 hr for presumed or proven sepsis or meningitis. After 2-4 days of therapy, the blood samples were collected at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hr and analyzed by EMIT. Tobramycin peak and trough serum concentration ranged from 6.0 to 8.4 and 1.3 to 2.4 μg/ml, respectively. Trough serum concentration exceeded 2 μg/ml in 75% at 12 hr and 20% patients at 18 hr. Total body clearance ranged from 0.55 to 0.81 (0.69±0.11) ml/min/kg; apparent volume of distribution ranged from 0.44 to 0.71 (0.56±0.12) L/kg; and elimination half-life ranged from 7.7 to 11.7 (9.5±1.4) hr. These data suggest that tobramycin, 2.5 mg/kg every 18-24 hr may be adquate to achieve effective and potentially safe serum concentration in low birth weight infants.
Cellular Construction of a Circadian Clock: Period Determination in the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei

The circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei is composed of multiple, single-cell circadian oscillators (clock cells). We now test the hypothesis that the circadian period in behavior is determined by the mean period that arises from the coupling of clock cells with diverse circadian periods. For these studies, we monitored firing rate rhythms of individual suprachiasmatic nuclei neurons on fixed multielectrode plates and exploited the altered circadian periods expressed by heterozygous and homozygous tau mutant hamsters. The results show that circadian period in the whole animal is determined by averaging widely dispersed periods of individual clock cells. The data also demonstrate that the tau mutation affects circadian function in a cell-autonomous manner.
Revision Gore-Tex Medialization Laryngoplasty:

Abstract Objective To evaluate the indications, results, and safety of revision Gore-Tex medialization laryngoplasty (GML). Methods A retrospective chart review of 156 patients that underwent GML procedures between the years 1998-2002. Study population consisted of those patients who required revision surgery for any reason. Results Sixteen patients required 22 revision procedures. Indications for revision were divided into 2 groups, complications and glottal closure problems. Complications included extruded or displaced implants (n = 4). The most common glottal closure problem was undercorrection (n = 9). Others included anterior overcorrection (n = 1) and persistent posterior glottal gap (n = 2). Revision procedures included GML (n = 9), injection augmentation (n = 9), endoscopic implant removal (n = 2), and arytenoid adduction (n = 2). In patients with glottal closure problems, the GCI improved in all 10 and the voice rating scale improved in 9. Conclusion Reasons for revision of GML are variable, the most common being undercorrection. A variety of safe, effective revision techniques are available with a high success rate.
Erythropoietic differentiation of a human embryonic stem cell line harbouring the sickle cell anaemia mutation

Herein is reported efficient erythropoietic differentiation of a human embryonic stem cell (ESC) line derived from a preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)-screened embryo that harbours the homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD) haemoglobinopathy mutation. This human ESC line possesses typical pluripotency characteristics and forms multilineage teratomas in vivo. SCD-human ESC efficiently differentiated to the haematopoietic lineage under serum-free and stromal co-culture conditions and gave rise to robust primitive and definitive erythrocytes. Expression of embryonic, fetal and adult sickle globin genes in SCD PGD-derived human ESC-derived erythrocytes was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR, intracytoplasmic fluorescence-activated cell sorting and in-situ immunostaining of PGD-derived human ESC teratoma sections. These data introduce important methodologies and paradigms for using patient-specific human ESC to generate normal and haemoglobinopathic erythroid progenitors for biomedical research.
Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Ratios in Martian Carbon Dioxide: Measurements and Implications for Atmospheric Evolution

Abstract Our measurements of high-resolution spectra of Mars at 3.7 and 8 μm revealed 200 lines of 16 O 12 C 17 O, 16 O 12 C 18 O, and 16 O 13 C 18 O isotopes. Among them are 38 lines which are absent in spectroscopic databases. Eighty lines of the three isotopes with closely equivalent widths were chosen to determine the oxygen and carbon isotope ratios in CO 2 . A radiation transfer code which coupled the reflected solar and thermal radiation was developed. This code divided the atmosphere into 30 layers and the Voigt profile of each line in each layer into 60 intervals. This results in a determination of the atmospheric pressure p 0 = 7.4 ± 0.4 mbar and the isotope ratios 18 O/ 17 O = 0.914 ± 0.04 and 13 C/ 12 C = 0.94 ± 0.15 scaled to CO 2 in the Earth's atmosphere. Scaling to SMOW gives 18 O/ 17 O = 0.93 ± 0.04; assuming the same initial isotope ratio on Mars and Earth, we find that 18 O/ 16 O = 0.87 ± 0.08 in CO 2 on Mars. Oxygen and carbon isotope fractionation factors of 0.774 and 0.891 in the escape processes were calculated using individual heights of homopauses for different species. Oxygen and carbon isotope ratios are determined by the present water amount, the regolith–atmosphere–cap reservoir of CO 2 , the carbonate abundance, the initial abundance of CO 2 , and losses of H 2 O and CO 2 by escape processes. Two processes affect the carbon isotope ratio in the atmosphere: formation of carbonates and sputtering of CO 2 . This ratio was calculated as a function of the CO 2 sputtering after the end of impact erosion of the atmosphere at 0.8 byr. A weighted-mean value of 13 C/ 12 C = 0.97 ± 0.05 (scaled to PDB) for three measurements in the martian atmosphere and determinations of the carbon isotope ratio in carbonates of the SNC meteorites require CO 2 escape by sputtering to be smaller than 10 mbar. The oxygen isotope ratio could be depleted in water early in the history of Mars by water–silicate equilibrium; this does not contradict the isotopic composition of the SNC meteorites. Fractionation with CO 2 and loss of CO 2 by impact erosion depleted heavy oxygen in water as well. We calculated δ 18 O ≈ −70‰ in water vapor for preferred values of the initial CO 2 of 7.5 bars, water escape of 30 m, and the present water ice reservoir of 500 m. Taking into account uncertainities of these values by a factor of 2–3, the expected minimum value of δ 18 O in water vapor is close to −110‰ and does not agree with some recent determinations. Heavy oxygen in CO 2 should either be equal to that in water vapor (in the case of photochemical mixing) or exceed that in water vapor by 90‰ (in the case of thermodynamic equilibrium). Currently the calculated values of δ 18 O may serve as a guide to measured values which show large scatter and uncertainties.
Dependency of optical scintillation frequency on wind speed

An analysis of normalized power spectra of optical scintillation for horizontal paths near the ground showed that the frequency of maximum power increased linearly with wind speed component normal to an optical path. Corroborative results were obtained from separate experiments with different optical path lengths and heights.
Management of anemia in patients with cancer

Anemia is extremely common in patients with cancer. Low hemoglobin levels are associated with diminished quality of life and possibly decreased overall survival. Successful treatment of anemia has undeniable benefits for patients, often yielding dramatic symptomatic improvement that can be very satisfying for clinicians to observe. This review focuses on evolving issues in the management of anemia in patients suffering from cancer. Topics addressed include new evidence-based guidelines concerning the use of epoetin alfa, the evolving role of darbepoetin alfa in cancer-associated anemia, the potential for concomitant iron supplementation to maximize response to erythropoietic agents, the unresolved question of whether erythropoietin use affects survival in cancer patients, new concerns about the risk of thromboembolism in cancer patients with higher hemoglobin levels who are receiving epoetin, and possible immunosuppressive effects of blood product transfusions that may have relevance to neoplasia progression.
Ethics, ideology and nutrition

Abstract What drives nutritionists in their daily work? Why do they choose nutrition and not another field? Presumably it is the appeal of working, either locally or globally, to alleviate the suffering caused by malnutrition. This article explores the political awareness of nutritionists, the political implications of their daily activities and suggests an enhanced role for nutritionists in the battle against malnutrition. The starting point for this article is the motivating principles behind individual nutritionists.
Concurrent photolytic degradation of aqueous methylmercury and dissolved organic matter

article i nfo Monomethyl mercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that threatens ecosystem viability and human health. In aquatic systems, the photolytic degradation of MeHg (photodemethylation) is an important component of the MeHg cycle. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is also affected by exposure to solar radiation (light expo- sure) leading to changes in DOM composition that can affect its role in overall mercury (Hg) cycling. This study investigated changes in MeHg concentration, DOM concentration, and the optical signature of DOM caused by light exposure in a controlled field-based experiment using water samples collected from wetlands and rice fields. Filtered water from all sites showed a marked loss in MeHg concentration after light exposure. The rate of photodemethylation was 7.5 × 10 �3 m