cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4.1 – Organization of the Nervous System

The chapter begins with a description of the subjective experience of hearing: pitch, timbre, and loudness. Loudness is measured in decibels relative to a standard. The structure of the ear is reviewed: outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The impedance matching system of tympanic membrane, ossicles, oval window, and cochlear fluid is discussed. The structure of the cochlea and the organ of Corti is described. The multiple afferent innervation of the row of single inner hair cells is contrasted to the multiple efferent innervation of the row of triple outer hair cells. The tonotopic mapping of the cochlea and its preservation all along the pathway to the auditory cortex within the lateral fissure or Sylvian sulcus are discussed. The mechanism of sound transduction is also discussed, with the peculiar high [K+] composition and positive potential of the endolymph and the tip links linking the kinocilium to the other stereocilia. The pathway leading from the spiral ganglion cells to the primary auditory cortex is drawn.
Thioredoxin reductase 1 knockdown disrupts pigment synthesis in melanocytes

Our labs have shown that levels of the antioxidant enzyme thioredoxin reductase 1 (TR1) is increased in human malignant melanomas relative to benign nevi (moles), and that TR1 knockdown affects mitochondrial metabolism in human melanomas. Here we report our examination of the role(s) of TR1 in normal melanocytes, the cells from which melanomas arise. Cellular processes affected by the TR1/thioredoxin (Trx) system in melanocytes are not well characterized. We created an immortalized human melanocyte cell line that stably expresses an siRNA directed against the TR1 transcript. As has been reported in other cell types, TR1 knockdown resulted minor effects on cell growth, likely due to a reciprocal upregulation of the synthesis of reduced glutathione. However we also found that TR1 knock out resulted in a significant decrease in melanin levels as well as reduced activity of tyrosinase, the rate limiting enzyme involved in melanin synthesis. Chemical inhibition of Trx using a small molecule inhibitor had a similar phenotype. Knockdown of TR1 caused a delay in upregulation of the melanocyte master transcriptional regulator, Mitf, after elevation of cAMP levels by treatment with forskolin, a common method of promoting melanin synthesis. We examined the effects of forskolin treatment on the canonical targets of Mitf regulation, but only Tyrp1 was affected, suggesting TR1/Txn affects another transcriptional regulator specific to Tyrp1. Given the role of Tyrp1 in stabilizing tyrosinase, this likely explains the low tyrosinase activity in TR1 knockout cells. Our preliminary data from a mouse model where TR1 is knocked out specifically in melanocytes shows a phenotype that is consistent with our cell culture data. These studies provide new insight into the redox signaling that controls melanogenesis, and may lead to novel targets for the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases involving melanocytes such as melanoma and vitiligo.
Abstract WP430: Very Mild Stroke Patients Not Treated with Thrombolytic Have Good Functional Outcomes

Background: Studies have shown that mild AIS patients who are eligible for IV-tPA and not treated due to mild symptoms have worse functional outcomes compared to similar patients who are treated. O...
A Qualitative Investigation of Music Use among Amateur and Semi-Professional Golfers.

Music use in golf receives minimal attention from both applied and empirical perspectives. Golfers, coaches, and sport psychology practitioners alike may benefit from understanding and utilizing music within their work. Since music use in golf has become an increasingly common practice, the purpose of the current study was to investigate current music use among golfers using a qualitative approach. Researchers aimed to identify potential psychological and physiological effects derived from music use during golf practice and pre-performance, given the limited empirical research in this area to date. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten amateur and semi-professional golfers (five male, five female, Mage = 22.9 years, SD = 5.04 years). Consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology was used to analyze the interview data. Six domains emerged from the CQR analysis regarding participants' self-reported music use in golf: tempo, attention, physiological regulation, psychological regulation, effects of music on performance perceptions, and context (to use or not to use). Given the capacity of carefully selected music to elicit profound affective, neurophysiological, and behavioral responses, there is clear potential for mental performance consultants to utilize music in working with golfers in training contexts. Implications, caveats, and future research recommendations are provided.
Protoclones of Sorghum Bicolor with Unusually High Mitochondrial DNA Variation

We are analyzing genomic variations at the molecular level in tissue-cultured cells of corn and sorghum with the ultimate aim of characterizing the parts of the genome that are stable or unstable in the tissue culture environment. The main focus of our effort is on tissue-cultured cells rather than regenerated plants since regenerated plants are lacking in most of the random variation due to the inherent developmental selection pressure in the plant regeneration process. We have obtained cell suspension cultures from 3 cultivars of sorghum. Protoplasts from these cultures are readily obtained and give rise to callus that can be returned to cell suspensions (Chourey and Sharpe, manuscript in preparation) which are designated here as protoclones. The analysis of 6 such independently derived, randomly selected protoclones from the cultivar NK 300 is reported in this study. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is prepared, restriction digested, and electrophoresed according to a newly developed rapid method for mtDNA isolation (Wilson and Chourey, manuscript submitted). In addition to comparing the UV fluorescing bands from stained agarose gels, we have also compared those segments which share homology with 4 EcoRl fragments analyzable by membrane hybridization techniques. The following observations are noteworthy.
Feelings of Being Caught Between Families and Peers: Linking Cultural Incongruence and Peer Ethnic/Racial Discrimination to Adolescent Well-Being

“Caught between two worlds” is a common portrait of ethnic/racial minority youth living between their heritage cultures and the mainstream American culture. Coming from a different cultural background at home likely leads to prejudice and social exclusion in peer groups. The present study investigates how family-peer incongruence in ethnic/racial messages they convey produces feelings of being caught between the two settings among ethnic/racial minority adolescents, which in turn compromises their psychological and academic well-being. The study will also explore potential protective factors at individual (i.e., coping) and peer levels (i.e., peer support).
Strategies for Improving Solar Energy Conversion: Nanostructured Materials and Processing Techniques

Organic photovoltaics, the technology to convert sunlight into electricity by employing thin films of organic semiconductors, has received increased interest due to innovations in nanomaterials and processing methods. These technological improvements have the potential to advance a new generation of low-cost, solar-powered products with small form factors. Here, we review the photophysical and chemical concepts of organic photovoltaics and discuss some recent synthesis and fabrication results as well as future challenges.
First-principles study of antisite defects in perovskite stannates

The perovskite stannates BaSnO 3 and SrSnO 3 are being actively explored for applications as transparent conductors, in power or high-frequency electronics, and as channel materials in epitaxial integration with functional perovskites. Realizing these applications requires controlled n-type doping, i.e., avoiding the formation of compensating acceptor-type defects. Here, we use density-functional theory to examine the formation of cation antisite defects. Our results indicate that antisites are not a problem in BaSnO 3; however, in SrSnO 3, Sr Sn antisites may act as compensating centers.
Taking Back Our Voices - #HumanityIsOurLane.

Taking Back Our Voices — #HumanityIsOurLane How does racism affect our patients? What traumas do they face daily? And what can physicians do about it? In pondering these questions, a psychiatry res...
Patient-Doctor Telemedicine: Virtual Care in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond

Open in a separate window Steven Zweig, MD, MSPH, MSMA member since 2019, is Dean of the university of Missouri - Columbia School of Medicine. He practices family, geriatric, and hospice and palliative medicine.
Catalyst-free growth of millimeter-long topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ nanoribbons and the observation of the π-Berry phase.

We report the growth of single-crystalline Bi(2)Se(3) nanoribbons with lengths up to several millimeters via a catalyst-free physical vapor deposition method. Scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the nanoribbons grow along the (1120) direction. We obtain a detailed characterization of the electronic structure of the Bi(2)Se(3) nanoribbons from measurements of Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) quantum oscillations. Angular dependent magneto-transport measurements reveal a dominant two-dimensional contribution originating from surface states. The catalyst-free synthesis yields high-purity nanocrystals enabling the observation of a large number of SdH oscillation periods and allowing for an accurate determination of the π-Berry phase, one of the key features of Dirac fermions in topological insulators. The long-length nanoribbons open the possibility for fabricating multiple nanoelectronic devices on a single nanoribbon.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage: Cytology

Cell counts and the cytologic assessment of specific cell types are helpful in determining whether fluid obtained from a bronchoalveolar lavage procedure is an adequate representation of the alveolar spaces and whether it has a markedly abnormal distribution of inflammatory cells. Artifacts of the procedure may include abundant squamous cells, oral flora, or airway mucous. Markedly elevated levels of specific inflammatory cell types such as eosinophils or lymphocytes are abnormal but rarely specific for a given process since this procedure does not provide a specific localization within intact tissue. Prussian blue stain for iron may be performed to quantify hemosiderin-laden macrophages, present in any disorder resulting in blood in the alveolar spaces. Oil-red-O stain may be elevated in many pediatric patients with lung disease and does not distinguish between exogenous lipid and endogenous lipid. Gomori methenamine silver stain highlights fungal and bacterial organisms but does not distinguish between oral flora, colonization and true infection. Rarely other stains such as Periodic acid-Schiff may be performed to characterize extracellular material.
Understanding the factors that affect the appropriateness of rheumatology referrals.

Background Reducing inappropriate referrals to specialists is a challenge for the healthcare system as it seeks to transition from volume to value-based healthcare. Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Efforts to increase appropriate utilization through reductions in capacity may have the unintended consequence of reducing appropriate care as well. This highlights the challenges in increasing the appropriate use of high cost services as the health system transitions to value based care. The objective of this study was to analyze factors affecting appropriateness of rheumatology services. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of patients receiving Rheumatology services between November 2013 and October 2019. We used a proxy for "appropriateness": whether or not there was any follow-up care after the first appointment. Results from regression analysis and physicians' chart reviews were compared using an inter-rater reliability measure (kappa). Data was drawn from the EHR 2013-2019. Results We found that inappropriate referrals increased 14.3% when a new rheumatologist was hired, which increased to 14.8% after wash-out period of 6 months; 15.7% after 12 months; 15.5% after 18 months and 16.7% after 18 months. Other factors influencing appropriateness of referrals included severity of disease, gender and insurance type, but not specialty of referring provider. Conclusions Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. These findings may apply to other specialties as well. This study is relevant for health care systems that are implementing value-based payment models aimed at reducing inappropriate care.
Teleglaucoma Initiative at a Veterans Affairs Hospital: Pilot Safety Data and Early Experience.

Purpose To evaluate the safety, reliability, and efficacy of telemedicine in delivering tertiary subspecialty glaucoma care (herein referred to as teleglaucoma) to the veteran patient population. Design Prospective case series. Participants Twenty patients being referred for glaucoma subspecialist opinion participated in the pilot safety study. One hundred eighteen patients participated in the secondary study of the acceptability and service efficacy of teleglaucoma. Methods In the pilot study, safety was assessed by determining interobserver and intraobserver consistency (Krippendorff’s α). This compared an in-person assessment by a glaucoma subspecialist with the remote assessment of 2 other glaucoma subspecialists (electronic health record alone reviewed). In the secondary study, teleglaucoma was implemented whereby testing and eye examination were carried out remotely by an optometrist or comprehensive ophthalmologist, and the clinical decision was made by the glaucoma subspecialist on review of the electronic health record alone. Main Outcome Measures In the pilot study, interobserver and intraobserver consistency in making a diagnosis and treatment plan (acceptable, ≥ 0.80 Krippendorff’s α). In the secondary study, patient satisfaction measured by survey, wait time for teleglaucoma opinion versus wait time for in-person opinion, and time spent on teleglaucoma consultations. Results Interobserver and intraobserver consistency showed an α of 0.86 and 0.92, respectively, for diagnosis, and 0.86 and 0.85, respectively, for treatment plan. In the secondary study, patient satisfaction was 4.55 of 5.00 (5 = maximum satisfaction; range, 3.28–4.93). Improved consultation lead time was demonstrated, with the median time for a doctor to respond to an electronic consultation being 3 days, versus 43 days for an in-person visit. Teleglaucoma also demonstrated positive benefits to the health care system by reducing the time doctors spent reviewing each patient’s case (history, examination findings, imaging results, visual fields; 19 minutes for teleglaucoma consultation vs. 31 minutes for in-person evaluation). Conclusions Decisions regarding diagnoses and treatment plans between in-person consultation and the teleglaucoma program showed high reliability. Patient satisfaction was high. Additional benefits were observed in wait time for subspecialty glaucoma opinion, efficient allocation of the doctor’s time, and fiscal benefit to the health care system.
Egos deflating with the Great Recession: A cross-temporal meta-analysis and within-campus analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, 1982–2016

Abstract Scholars posit that economically prosperous times should produce higher individualism and narcissism, and economically challenging times lower individualism and narcissism. This creates the possibility that narcissism among U.S. college students, which increased between 1982 and 2009, may have declined after the Great Recession. Updating a cross-temporal meta-analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory to 2013 (k = 164, N = 35,095) and adding two within-campus analyses to 2015 (Study 2: UC Davis, N = 58,287) and 2016 (Study 3: U South Alabama, N = 14,319) revealed a non-monotonic pattern, with increases in NPI scores between 1982 and 2008 and declines thereafter. The decline in NPI scores during and after the recession took narcissism back to their original levels in the 1980s and 1990s. Implications for the interplay between economic conditions and personality traits are discussed.
Low complication rates of testosterone and estradiol implants for androgen and estrogen replacement therapy in over 1 million procedures.

Background:Testosterone (T) deficiency (TD) in men and women and estrogen (E) deficiency (ED) in women increasingly affects the overall health and quality of life of patients. T implants have seen ...
Central retinal vein occlusion after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in an 18-year-Old female.

Abstract Purpose To describe a case of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in a young adult found to have elevated homocysteine after bariatric surgery and to review risk factors for CRVO in younger patients. Observations An 18-year-old female presented with a CRVO and severe cystoid macular edema (CME). She was normotensive, not on medications, and without known heritable hypercoagulable disease. Her medical history was notable for bariatric surgery and subsequently she was found to have nutritional deficiency, anemia, and elevated homocysteine. Her elevated homocysteine may have induced a hypercoaguable state that predisposed her to developing a CRVO. Treatment with bevacizumab dramatically improved her macular edema and visual acuity. Nutritional supplementation was initiated. Conclusions Elevated homocysteine in the setting of nutritional deficiency from prior bariatric surgery may cause a hypercoaguable state and is a potential risk factor for CRVO. Importance With the increasing prevalence of obesity and bariatric surgery, it is important to consider associated nutrient deficiency as a potential cause of induced hypercoagulability and increased risk for CRVO. Identification of these at-risk patients is especially important given this condition is easily treatable and may be present in younger individuals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a CRVO with elevated homocysteine in the setting of nutrient deficiencies from laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating the Impact of Tranexamic Acid Administration in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests tranexamic acid (TXA) may improve outcomes in aesthetic surgery patients. OBJECTIVES This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of TXA use in aesthetic plastic surgery on bleeding and aesthetic outcomes. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies evaluating TXA use in aesthetic plastic surgery. The primary outcome of interest was perioperative bleeding, reported as total blood loss (TBL), ecchymosis, and hematoma formation. Meta-analyses analyzing TBL, and postoperative hematoma were performed. RESULTS Of 287 identified articles, 14 studies evaluating TXA use in rhinoplasty (6), rhytidectomy (3), liposuction (3), reduction mammaplasty (1), and blepharoplasty (1) were included for analysis. Of 820 total patients, 446 (54.4%) received TXA. Meta-analysis demonstrated TXA is associated with 26.3mL average blood loss reduction (95% CI: -40.0mL to -12.7mL, p < 0.001) and suggested a trend toward decreased odds of postoperative hematoma with TXA use (OR: 0.280, 95% CI: 0.076 - 1.029, p = 0.055). Heterogeneity among reporting of other outcomes precluded meta-analysis; however, 5 of 7 studies found significantly decreased postoperative ecchymosis levels within 7 days of surgery, three studies found statistically significant reductions in postoperative drain output, and one study reported significantly improved surgical site quality for patients who received TXA (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS TXA is associated with decreased blood loss and a trend toward decreased hematoma formation in aesthetic plastic surgery. Its use has the potential to increase patient satisfaction with postoperative recovery and decrease costs associated with complications, including hematoma evacuation.
Utilization of comorbidity indices to predict discharge destination and complications following total shoulder arthroplasty

BackgroundComorbidity indices can help identify patients at risk for postoperative complications. Purpose of this study was to compare different comorbidity indices to predict discharge destination...
A GENERAL CALCULATION OF THE STRUCTURAL LOADS ON A SHIP IN A SEAWAY

This paper presents a method for the approximate calculation of the loading imposed by a realistic seaway on a ship moving with arbitrary heading and speed. The loads are determined using what are felt to be the best presently available methods of ship hydrodynamics. The results are produced in a form which permits their direct introduction into finite-element analysis of the structure. The ultimate objective is the development of a coordinated program which combines the best techniques of load estimation with the most suitable methods of structural analysis in order to produce a realistic picture of the actual structural response of a ship at sea.
Property Tax Reforms in India: A Comparison of Delhi and Bangalore

The present paper attempts at a comparative evaluation of two Indian cities, Delhi and Bangalore, in the performance of implementing property tax reforms through unit area method of valuation and self-assessment schemes. Delhi is a city where the results of implementation of these reforms were not up to the mark whereas Bangalore could achieve considerable success. The main objective of the paper is to explain the differences in the extent of the success in achieving the desired outcomes in the two cities. There has been a decrease in number of assessed properties in Delhi and an increase in number of assessed properties in Bangalore. The property tax to GSDP ratio declined in case of Delhi and increased in case of Bangalore. The main findings suggest that it is a combination of policy and administrative factors which are responsible to create differences in performances of the two cities. Optimal progressivity in tax rates, better coverage and collection ratios, better service delivery, better living conditions and a more stable property market are the major factors contributing to a better performance in property tax collection in Bangalore.
Cdk5 at the junction

Acetylcholine receptor gene expression is induced locally at the developing neuromuscular junction. A new paper shows that this process requires cyclin-dependent kinase 5.
The effects of management on soil and plant carbon sequestration in slash pine plantations

Summary 1. Intensively managed pine plantations in the south-eastern United States can play an important role in global carbon sequestration both through accumulation of carbon in wood used in long-lasting products as well as through increased soil carbon storage. Fertilization and understorey-elimination are two commonly used intensive management practices in the south-eastern United States that have the potential to increase carbon storage in vegetation and affect soil carbon. 2. In this study, we assessed the effects of these practices on carbon accumulation in vegetation biomass and in the soil of 17-year-old slash pine Pinus elliottii plantations in the flatwoods of northern Florida, USA. 3. Three treatments, fertilization, understorey-elimination, and fertilization plus understorey-elimination, were evaluated and compared with an untreated control. 4. All three treatments increased above-ground biomass accumulation compared with the untreated control; understorey-elimination also increased biomass of the forest floor litter, with or without fertilization. 5. Although understorey-elimination increased above-ground production, as a result of reduced below-ground production total net primary production was decreased in plots from which the understorey was eliminated. 6. Soil carbon storage was lower in plots where the understorey was eliminated, with or without fertilization. This appeared to be the result of reduced fine root growth and mortality but also may have reflected reduced litterfall inputs early in the rotation. 7. Our results indicate that intensive management of pine plantations on sandy flatwoods soils can increase carbon sequestration, but these increases will be the result of increased carbon accumulation in biomass and its long-term uses rather than through increased soil carbon.
Latino Children Learning English: Steps in the Journey by Guadalupe Valdés, Sarah Capitelli, and Laura Alvarez

As is evident by its title, this book documents the process of English acquisition by newly arrived immigrant students. The authors use a longitudinal study of an after-school intervention program ...
Early-Stopping for RAKE Receivers

In this paper, a statistical method to reduce the computation in a spread-spectrum RAKE receiver is proposed. The fundamental idea is to stop the integration of the received signal during despreading earlier than in the conventional RAKE, when the intermediate integrated output is greater than a predefined threshold. With minimal changes in RAKE implementation, this technique can provide at least 40% savings in the number of chips to be integrated with BPSK transmission at 7 dB of SNR. We present the analysis on the performance of the proposed scheme for a single finger case, and extend the result to a multi-finger RAKE. The simulation results under Rayleigh multi-path fading channel show that there can be computation savings between 60% and 80% depending on the channel profile
Water and the martian landscape

Over the past 30 years, the water-generated landforms and landscapes of Mars have been revealed in increasing detail by a succession of spacecraft missions. Recent data from the Mars Global Surveyor mission confirm the view that brief episodes of water-related activity, including glaciation, punctuated the geological history of Mars. The most recent of these episodes seems to have occurred within the past 10 million years. These new results are anomalous in regard to the prevailing view that the martian surface has been continuously extremely cold and dry, much as it is today, for the past 3.9 billion years. Interpretations of the new data are controversial, but explaining the anomalies in a consistent manner leads to potentially fruitful hypotheses for understanding the evolution of Mars in relation to Earth.
Negative bias instability in 4H-SiC MOSFETS: Evidence for structural changes in the SiC

The negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) has been investigated for quite some time in Si based MOSFETs. In these MOSFETs, the response has been interpreted in several ways, primarily in terms of the reaction diffusion model and newer model based on the occupation of a near interface oxide hole trap triggering the generation of silicon dielectric interface traps. SiC based MOSFETs have enormous promise for high power and high temperature applications. Consequently, device performance at elevated temperatures of these devices is a topic of great current interest. We have begun a magnetic resonance based study of NBTI in 4H-SiC devices and find, among other things, that elevated temperature and negative gate bias generates structural changes (associated with electrically active defects) within the SiC. These observations strongly suggest that SiC NBTI is significantly different and likely more complex than the NBTI processes taking place in silicon based devices. However, other observations suggest that one aspect of NBTI, the occupation of near-interfacial oxide hole traps called E' centers, takes place in both systems.
Opportunities for other gainful activities in small and very small farms.

In general terms, development of other gainful activities at farm level may be defined as the utilization of farm resources for a non-agricultural objective, in order to obtain a certain marketable production. Diversification towards other gainful activity reflects a reduced dependence of the farmer on agriculture, as its sole income source. As well, diversification involves some type of entrepreneurship activity for the benefit of the farmer. One of the important conclusions of the study concerns the relationship between farm size and involvement in diversification. It appears that there is a consistent relationship between farm size and diversification activity. Thus, diversification is significantly more common in larger holdings, sized over 20 hectares, while holdings classified as "small and very small", sized less than 2 hectares, are part of the less diversified group. From the total number of farms engaged in other gainful activities, 84.1% are sized up to 5 hectares. The study confirms that larger farms are more likely to have the resources, flexibility and perhaps entrepreneurial management, enabling them to explore opportunities for diversification and that small and very small family farms are more oriented towards activities related to processing agricultural products, while the bigger farms towards contract work.
American Sign Language alphabet recognition using Microsoft Kinect

American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet recognition using marker-less vision sensors is a challenging task due to the complexity of ASL alphabet signs, self-occlusion of the hand, and limited resolution of the sensors. This paper describes a new method for ASL alphabet recognition using a low-cost depth camera, which is Microsoft's Kinect. A segmented hand configuration is first obtained by using a depth contrast feature based per-pixel classification algorithm. Then, a hierarchical mode-seeking method is developed and implemented to localize hand joint positions under kinematic constraints. Finally, a Random Forest (RF) classifier is built to recognize ASL signs using the joint angles. To validate the performance of this method, we used a publicly available dataset from Surrey University. The results have shown that our method can achieve above 90% accuracy in recognizing 24 static ASL alphabet signs, which is significantly higher in comparison to the previous benchmarks.
Anatomy and development of the fern sporophyte

Recent research on the developmental anatomy and morphology of the fern sporophyte is reviewed. Detailed histological and experimental studies of the organization of the fern shoot apical meristem have reconfirmed the recently controversial role of the shoot apical cell as the single apical initial of the meristem. The shoot apical meristem is nevertheless an anatomically and functionally complex structure with a strongly zoned cytohistological organization. Fern shoot apex organization can be compared with that of seed plants. The control of leaf initiation and phyllotaxy remains poorly understood. Studies differ as to whether leaf initiation in ferns involves one leaf mother cell or a multicellular region of the shoot apex. The concept of non-appendicular fronds is refuted for living ferns. The later developmental changes in the determinate leaf apical and marginal meristems of the leaf primordium form an area that is still largely unexplored but could be investigated by methods similar to those used to study shoot and root apices. Branching in ferns is morphologiclaly and developmentally diverse. There is apparently more than one developmental mode of dichotomous branching, and several modes of lateral bud formation have been described, including the phyllogenous initiation of branches at the base of leaf primordia. Developmental changes in bud meristems related to apical dominance, inhibition, and bud activation is another major area for continued study. The traditional concept of the role of the root apical cell has been reestablished by studies similar to those made of the shoot apex. Detailed ultrastructural investigations of the root ofAzolla have given a sophisticated new picture of developmental processes in that organ. Fern roots show remarkably precise patterns of histogenesis in relation to apical segmentation. The formation of secondary vascular tissue inBotrychium suggests that the Ophioglossales may be related to the seed plants. The causal relationship of leaf (and branch and root) formation and the initiation of vascular tissue in the shoot needs more study. Although still poorly understood, protoxylem systems in ferns are variable and may have morphological and systematic significance. Recent investigations of hydraulic conductance in fern stems have found possible correlations of conductance levels with growth forms. The anatomical diversity of ferns makes comparative functional anatomy a promising field for future study.
High-Throughput Characterization of Small and Large Molecules Using Only a Matrix and the Vacuum of a Mass Spectrometer

Matrix assisted ionization vacuum (MAIV) rapidly generates gas-phase analyte ions from subliming solid-phase matrix:analyte crystals for analysis by mass spectrometry (MS). Ionization from the solid-phase allows the use of a variety of surfaces for introducing matrix:analyte samples to the vacuum of a mass spectrometer, including common laboratory materials, such as disposable pipet tips, filter paper, tooth picks, and nylon mesh. MAIV is shown here to be capable of analyses as fast as 3 s per sample with achievable sensitivities in the low femtomole range. MAIV-MS coupled with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS)-MS and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is shown to be especially powerful for analysis and characterization of a wide range of molecules ranging from small molecules such as drugs and metabolites (∼300 Da) to intact proteins (25.6 kDa). Automated sample introduction is demonstrated on two different commercial mass spectrometers using a programmable XYZ stage. A MAIV high-throughput nontargeted MSE a...
Preclinical Rationale for Use of the Clinically Available Multitargeted Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Crizotinib in ROS1 -Translocated Lung Cancer

Introduction: Most clinically available small-molecule kinase inhibitors are multi-targeted and can inhibit multiple kinases. Our driving hypothesis was that one of these multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) would have antiproliferative activity against ROS1 translocated non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We selected NSCLC cell lines—A549 ( KRAS G12S), NCI-H3255 ( EGFR L858R), NCI-H3122 ( EML4 - ALK E13;A20), and HCC78 ( SLC34A2 - ROS1 )—to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of submicromolar concentrations of the multitargeted TKIs imatinib, sorafenib, erlotinib, and crizotinib. Results: Imatinib and sorafenib were unable to significantly inhibit proliferation of the aforementioned cell lines. Erlotinib only inhibited EGFR mutated NCI-H3255, as expected. Crizotinib displayed dose-dependent inhibition of anaplastic lymphoma kinase translocated NCI-H3122 and also ROS1 -translocated HCC78. The SLC34A2 - ROS1 translocated HCC78 cell line had phosphorylated levels of ROS1, AKT, and ERK inhibited by submicromolar doses of crizotinib, and subsequently underwent apoptosis. Conclusions: The ROS1 -translocated HCC78 cell line was sensitive to inhibition by the multitargeted ALK/MET/RON/ROS1 inhibitor crizotinib. Preclinical data supports the clinical development of crizotinib for ROS1 -translocated NSCLC.
Massive Brain Stem Necrosis in the Human Neonate: Presentation of Three Cases With Review of the Literature:

In neonates suffering hypotensive or asphyxial episodes, the brain stem is particularly vulnerable to selective neuronal necrosis. Typically, the pattern is one of generalized neuronal necrosis within well-defined brain stem cranial nerve nuclei, or random neuronal degeneration within the reticular formation. More recently, isolated cases of severe partial or total cystic necrosis of the brain stem reticular formation have been recorded. The pathogenesis is poorly understood at this time, but may be similar to the less severe (but more often recognized) nuclear or focal neuronal loss. Three infants are presented in which severe necrosis of the brain stem occurred. In each, the clinical setting was one of sudden and abrupt worsening of the patient's cardiovascular status.
THE JUST WAR IDEA: THE STATE OF THE QUESTION

This essay explores the idea of just war in two ways. Part I outlines the formation, early development, and substantive content of just war tradition in its classic form, sketches the subsequent development of this idea in the modern period, and examines three benchmarks in the recovery of just war thinking in American thought over the last four decades. Part II identifies and critiques several prominent themes in contemporary just war discourse, testing them against the context, purpose, and content of the just war idea in its classic form. My argument throughout is that the historical substance of just war tradition needs to be respected in contemporary just war discourse, both to discipline that discourse and to engage contemporary moral reflection with the values embodied in just war tradition.
Marital instability in an African society : Exploring the factors that influence divorce processes in Ghana

Abstract Much has been written about the sub-Saharan African family during the past the past three decades. For the most part, this literature deals with reproductive-related behavior and gender relations. Less explored is the issue of marital instability. Using national-level data, this study explores the factors influencing one indicator of instability, divorce in Ghana. The theoretical arguments draw on a number of institutional and noninstitutional factors that are believed to affect marital stability in sub-Saharan Africa. Our findings provide some empirical support for a structural determinist interpretation of divorce in Ghana. For instance, the incidence of divorce was higher among women from matrilineal (Akan) societies, and also among women who were urban residents. Regarding the respondents' background measures, we found that previous marital history, the duration of marriage, religion, and parity (children ever born) were strong predictors of divorce in Ghana. The implications of the study and...
Enhanced Calcium Buffering in F344 Rat Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Neurons Is Associated With Age-Related Cognitive Impairment

Alterations in neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis are important determinants of age-related cognitive impairment. We examined the Ca2+ influx, buffering, and electrophysiology of basal forebrain neurons in adult, middle-aged, and aged male F344 behaviorally assessed rats. Middle-aged and aged rats were characterized as cognitively impaired or unimpaired by water maze performance relative to young cohorts. Patch-clamp experiments were conducted on neurons acutely dissociated from medial septum/nucleus of the diagonal band with post hoc identification of phenotypic marker mRNA using single-cell RT-PCR. We measured whole cell calcium and barium currents and dissected these currents using pharmacological agents. We combined Ca2+ current recording with Ca2+-sensitive ratiometric microfluorimetry to measure Ca2+ buffering. Additionally, we sought changes in neuronal firing properties using current-clamp recording. There were no age- or cognition-related changes in the amplitudes or fractional compositions of the whole cell Ca2+ channel currents. However, Ca2+ buffering was significantly enhanced in cholinergic neurons from aged cognitively impaired rats. Moreover, increased Ca2+ buffering was present in middle-aged rats that were not cognitively impaired. Firing properties were largely unchanged with age or cognitive status, except for an increase in the slow afterhyperpolarization in aged cholinergic neurons, independent of cognitive status. Furthermore, acutely dissociated basal forebrain neurons in which choline acetyltransferase mRNA was detected had the electrophysiological profiles of identified cholinergic neurons. We conclude that enhanced Ca2+ buffering by cholinergic basal forebrain neurons may be important during aging.
FUCTIONAL RESPONSE AND PLANT PREFERENCE OF NEPHASPIS OCULATUS (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE), PREYING ON BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDM) IN THE LABORATORY

The predatory behavior and functional response of all larval stages and adults of Nephpis oculatus (Blatchley), a predacious coccinellid, on various egg densities of Bemisia argentgolii Bellows & Pemng, and prey preference of adult N. oculatus, were studied in the laboratory. Daily consumption of eggs of B. argentifolii by N. oculatus was evaluated at six different densities to obtain functional response curves for all active stages of the coccinellid. Bemisia argentifolii eggs were offered to N. oculatus on collard leaf disks in Petri dish arenas over a 24-h period at 26.7 ∀ 2°C: and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L: D) h. Linear relationship were observed between percentage prey consumed and prey density, with r2 values between 0.82–0.99 for all stages except for the fourth instar that had a smaller r2 value (0.64). Functional response curves of prey consumption by N. oculatus against density of B. argentifolii eggs fitted the type II model of Holling's disc equation for all larval stages and both the male and female adults. Adult females consumed more prey than adult males. The maximum theoretical number of prey consumed per day increased with larval development. The fourth instar was the most effective larval predator, followed by the third instar, the second instar, and finally, the first instar. Based on the functional response parameters, a maximum of 321, 312, 237, 229, 73, and 34 B. argentifolii eggs could be attacked by an adult female, a fourth instar, an adult male, a third instar, a second instar, and a first instar of N. oculatus, respectively. Nephaspis oculatus adults strongly preferred collard to tomato, soybean, eggplant or sweet-potato for oviposition and foraging. Nephaspis oculatus did not deposit any eggs on soybean and tomato.
A government Ill executed: The depletion of the federal service

The federal governments "quiet crisis" of the 1980s has become the "deafening crisis" of the early twenty first cen tury. Virtually every measure of the state of the public ser vice as envisioned by Alexander Hamilton has worsened over the past two decades. This lecture outlines Hamilton s seven characteristics of an energetic federal service and examines recent trends in its decline. Although the federal service still executes an enormous agenda of important missions, it is increasingly frustrated in its work.
Reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment from the Twelve Mile Creek arm of Lake Hartwell, South Carolina, USA.

Lake Hartwell is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir system located on the state line between South Carolina and Georgia, USA. The lake was contaminated with an estimated 200 metric tons of polychlorinated biphenyls ([PCBs]; mainly Aroclor 1016 and 1254), and the entire Twelve Mile Creek watershed and the Seneca River arm of Lake Hartwell were placed on the National Priorities List. Monitored natural attenuation was chosen as a remedy for the contaminated sediment. The relatively warm temperature of Lake Hartwell and lack of significant cocontaminants along with the PCBs distinguish this site from others that have been studied for microbially mediated reductive dechlorination. Microcosm studies were conducted with sediment from two locations in the Twelve Mile Creek arm and confirmed the presence of indigenous microorganisms capable of reductively dechlorinating Aroclor 1254, which contains predominantly tetra-, penta-, and hexachlorobiphenyl. The average number of total chlorines per biphenyl decreased from 4.8 to 4.9 to 2.9 to 3.0, following 250 to 260 d of incubation. The maximum observed dechlorination rates were 0.29 to 0.87 microg-atoms Cl- per gram sediment dry weight per week. The onset of dechlorination activity correlated strongly with maximum methanogenesis, which occurred without a lag in samples from the site that showed signs of in situ fermentation activity. Dechlorination occurred primarily at the meta and para positions (58-63% removal), with no apparent decrease in ortho chlorines. This most closely resembles pattern M, characterized by preferential removal of unflanked and flanked meta chlorines. The microcosm results are consistent with sediment cores analyzed from the same locations, which indicate accumulation with depth of the same ortho- and para-substituted congeners. It therefore appears that the success of monitored natural attenuation for Lake Hartwell will hinge on covering the recalcitrant PCBs with a sufficient amount of uncontaminated sediment to isolate them from the food chain.
Phloem-xylem water flow in developing cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica during sink-to-source transition

Phloem versus xylem water and carbon flow between a developing daughter cladode (flattened stem segment) and the underlying basal cladode of Opuntia ficus-indica was assessed using net CO 2 uptake, transpiration, phloem sap concentration, and water potential of both organs as well as phloem and apoplastic tracers. A 14-d-old daughter cladode was a sink organ with a negative daily net CO 2 uptake; its water potential was higher than that of the underlying basal cladode, implicating a non-xylem pathway for the water needed for growth. Indeed, the relatively dilute phloem sap (7.44% dry weight) of a basal cladode can supply all the water (7.1 g d -1 ) along with photosynthate needed for the growth of a 14-d-old daughter cladode; about 3% of the imported water flowed back to the basal cladode via the xylem. In contrast, a 28-d-old daughter cladode was a source organ whose water potential was lower than that of its basal cladode, so the xylem can supply the water needed (25.7 g d -1 ) for its growth; about 6% of the imported water flowed back to the basal cladode along with photosynthate via the phloem. The phloem tracer carboxyfluorescein occurred in the phloem of 14-d-old daughter cladodes after its precursor was applied to basal cladodes. When applied to basal cladodes, the apoplastic tracers sulphorhodamine G (SR) and trisodium 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrenetrisulphonate (PTS) failed to move into 14-d-old daughter cladodes within 5 h, but moved into 28-d-old daughter cladodes within 2 h. SR and PTS moved into basal cladodes within 2 h when applied to 14-d-old daughter cladodes, but not within 5-6 h when applied to 28-d-old daughter cladodes. The tracer experiments therefore confirmed the patterns of water flow determined using water and carbon budgets.
Quantum field theoretic properties of a model of Nelson: Domain and eigenvector stability for perturbed linear operators

Abstract The Yukawa-like interaction of a nonrelativistic “nucleon” field with a relativistic “meson” field is studied. E. Nelson defined a self-adjoint Hamiltonian for this model, using an approximate dressing transformation to transform the standard high-momentum cutoff Hamiltonian Hκ into an operator H0 + Aκ + Eκ, where Eκ is the divergent nucleon self-interaction part which is removed and Aκ is controled κ-uniformly as a sesquilinear form perturbation of H0; so Hren is defined to transform to H0 + A∞. In the present work it is proved that the model has some of the main properties that are familiar in the axiomatic approach to quantum fields. Vacuum expectation values are proved to exist and satisfy the axioms of Wightman, except for Lorentz covariance. In the case of a small coupling constant, “physical nucleon” one-particle states are constructed and the “one-body problem” of Haag is solved. These field theoretic properties are translated into domain and spectral stability properties for the perturbed operator H0 + A∞. Stability theory for perturbations by sesquilinear forms is presented in an Appendix, with a number of new techniques.