cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Foreign Affairs Prosecutions

Contemporary global crime and cross-border law enforcement cooperation have multiplied “foreign affairs prosecutions,” cases that encompass foreign apprehension, evidence gathering, and criminal conduct, as well as cases that implicate foreign nations’ criminal justice interests. Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, the fugitive Edward Snowden, and the cross-border crimes of FIFA and El Chapo all exemplify such foreign affairs prosecutions. This Article argues that foreign affairs prosecutions represent a consequential shift in U.S. criminal law, offering the promise of closing global impunity gaps. At the same time, however, such cases risk defendant interests at home and U.S. foreign policy abroad. This Article calls for greater congressional engagement and judicial oversight to minimize such risks while still promoting accountability for cross-border, cyber, and international crime.
Effects of PM2.5 and PM10 on congenital hypothyroidism in Qingdao, China, 2014–2017: a quantitative analysis:

Background:We aimed to quantify the impact of PM2.5 and PM10 pollution on congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Qingdao in the period 2014–2017.Methods:A generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) with ti...
Soil Moisture and Permittivity Estimation

The soil moisture and permittivity estimation is vital for the success of the variable rate approaches in the field of the decision agriculture. In this chapter, the development of a novel permittivity estimation and soil moisture sensing approach is presented. The empirical setup and experimental methodology for the power delay measurements used in model are introduced. Moreover, the performance analysis is explained that includes the model validation and error analysis. The transfer functions are reported as well for soil moisture and permittivity estimation. Furthermore, the potential applications of the developed approach in different disciplines are also examined.
High-Resolution Neurovascular Imaging at 7T: Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion, 4-Dimensional MR Angiography, and Black Blood MR Imaging

Ultrahigh field offers increased resolution and contrast for neurovascular imaging. Arterial spin labeling methods benefit from an increased intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio of MR imaging signal and a prolonged tracer half-life at ultrahigh field, allowing the visualization of layer-dependent microvascular perfusion. Arterial spin labeling-based time-resolved 4-dimensional MR angiography at 7T provides a detailed depiction of the vascular architecture and dynamic blood flow pattern with high spatial and temporal resolutions. High-resolution black blood MR imaging at 7T allows detailed characterization of small perforating arteries such as lenticulostriate arteries. All techniques benefit from advances in parallel radiofrequency transmission technologies at ultrahigh field.
Monochromatic Random Waves for General Riemannian Manifolds

This is a survey article on some of the recent developments on monochromatic random waves defined for general Riemannian manifolds. We discuss the conditions needed for the waves to have a universal scaling limit, we review statistics for the size of their zero set and the number of their critical points, and we discuss the structure of their zero set as described by the diffeomorphism types and the nesting configurations of its components.
Differences in Long-term Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using Single vs Multiple Arterial Grafts and the Association With Sex.

Importance Sex-related differences in the outcome of using multiple arterial grafts during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remain uncertain. Objective To compare the outcomes of the use of multiple arterial grafts vs a single arterial graft during CABG for women and men. Design, Setting, and Participants This statewide cohort study used data from New York’s Cardiac Surgery Reporting System and New York’s Vital Statistics file on 63 402 patients undergoing CABG from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2014. Statistical analysis was performed from January 10 to August 20, 2020. Exposures Multiple arterial grafting or single arterial grafting. Main Outcomes and Measures Mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, repeated revascularization, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (composite of mortality, AMI, and stroke), and major adverse cardiac event (composite of mortality, AMI, or repeated revascularization) were compared among propensity-matched patients and stratified by the risk of long-term mortality. Results Of the 63 402 patients (48 155 men [76.0%]; mean [SD] age, 69.9 [10.5] years) in the study, women had worse baseline characteristics than men for most of the explored variables. Propensity matching yielded a total of 9512 male pairs and 1860 female pairs. At 7 years of follow-up, mortality was lower among men who underwent multiple arterial grafting (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.73-0.87) but not women who underwent multiple arterial grafting (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.84-1.15). When stratified by the estimated risk of death, the use of multiple arterial grafts was associated with better survival and a lower rate of a major adverse cardiac event among low-risk, but not high-risk, patients of both sexes, and the risk cutoff was different for men and women. Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests that women have a worse preoperative risk profile than men. Multiple arterial grafting is associated with better outcomes among low-risk, but not high-risk, patients, and the risk cutoffs differ between sexes. These data highlight the need for new studies on the outcome of multiple arterial grafts in women.
Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Attenuates Cystathionine-β Synthase mRNA and Protein Abundance in the Ovaries of Female Sprague Dawley Rats.

BACKGROUND Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects 10% of reproductive-aged women and leads to hyperandrogenism, anovulation, and infertility. PCOS has been associated with elevated serum homocysteine as well as altered methylation status; however, characterization of one-carbon metabolism (OCM) in PCOS remains incomplete. OBJECTIVES The aim of our research was to assess OCM in a letrozole-induced Sprague Dawley rat model of PCOS. METHODS Five-week-old female rats (n = 36) were randomly assigned to letrozole [0.9 mg/kg body weight (BW)] treatment or vehicle (carboxymethylcellulose) control that was administered via subcutaneously implanted slow-release pellets every 30 d. For both treatment groups, 12 rats were randomly assigned to be euthanized during proestrus at one of the following time points: 8, 16, or 24 wk of age. Daily BW was measured and estrous cyclicity was monitored during the last 30 d of the experimental period. Ovaries were collected to assess mRNA and protein abundance of OCM enzymes. RESULTS Letrozole-induced rats exhibited 1.9-fold higher cumulative BW gain compared with control rats across all age groups (P < 0.0001). Letrozole reduced the time spent at proestrus (P = 0.0001) and increased time in metestrus (P < 0.0001) of the estrous cycle. Cystathionine β-synthase (Cbs) mRNA abundance was reduced in the letrozole-induced rats at 16 (59%; P < 0.05) and 24 (77%; P < 0.01) wk of age. In addition, CBS protein abundance was 32% lower in 8-wk-old letrozole-induced rats (P = 0.02). Interestingly, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase mRNA abundance increased as a function of age in letrozole-induced rats (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION These data demonstrate that letrozole-induced PCOS Sprague Dawley rats temporally decrease the ovarian abundance of Cbs mRNA and protein in the early stages of PCOS.
Meta-analyses and effect sizes in applied behavior analysis: A review and discussion

For more than four decades, researchers have used meta-analyses to synthesize data from multiple experimental studies often to draw conclusions that are not supported by individual studies. More recently, single-case experimental design (SCED) researchers have adopted meta-analysis techniques to answer research questions with data gleaned from SCED experiments. Meta-analyses enable researchers to answer questions regarding intervention efficacy, generality, and condition boundaries. Here we discuss meta-analysis techniques, the rationale for their adaptation with SCED studies, and current indices used to quantify the effect of SCED data in applied behavior analysis.
Identification and characterization of Bacillus coagulans strains for probiotic activity and safety

Abstract Four Bacillus coagulans strains were isolated from plant-based sources and screened for heat resistance, in vitro probiotic properties and toxicological characteristics and compared with B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086. These strains survived high temperatures and low pH, were resistant to bile and lysozyme, were able to produce biofilm, had antimicrobial activity, and were antibiotic-sensitive. All strains had the properties of adhesion, auto- and co-aggregation, although the level of each varied and with incubation time. The safety of these strains was confirmed as no enterotoxin genes (bceT, ces, entFM and cytK) were present and enterotoxins (Hbl, and nhe) were not detected. Hemolytic activity and lecithinase production did not occur. These results indicate that isolated B. coagulans strains have potential probiotic characteristics and could be used as candidate probiotics in heat-treated vegan probiotic food products.
Mathematical modeling of diffuse flow in seafloor hydrothermal systems: The potential extent of the subsurface biosphere at mid-ocean ridges

Abstract We describe a variety of one- and two-dimensional mathematical modeling approaches to characterizing diffuse flow circulation at mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. The goal is to estimate the potential extent of the sub-seafloor microbial biosphere based on subsurface contours of the 120 °C isotherm as determined from the various models. The models suggest that the sub-seafloor depth for microbial life may range from less than 1 m in some places to the thickness of crustal layer 2A of ∼ 500 m in others. This depth depends primarily on how diffuse flow is driven. The 120 °C isotherm tends to be much deeper if diffuse flow is induced as boundary layer flow near high-temperature plumes, than if it results from conductive cooling or mixing near the seafloor. Because the heat flow alone may not allow identification of the flow regime in the subsurface, we highlight the use of chemical tracers as an additional constraint that sheds light into the flow and reaction patterns associated with vents. We use thermodynamic modeling, which connects the temperature of the diffuse fluid to its chemical composition. As the temperature-composition relationships differ for mixing versus conductive heating and cooling, the fluid geochemistry can shed light on subsurface transport. Using methane as an example, the geochemical models indicate subsurface microbial methane production and consumption in different regions of the vent field near EPR 9 ° 50 ′ N .
The Physical System

Long before the oil price shocks of the past decade engineers recognized a need for improved methods of exploiting petroleum resources. Conventional production practices including waterflooding are so inefficient that, of all the oil discovered in the United States as of 1980, less than 35 percent is identified as either having been recovered or remaining as proved reserves (Doscher, 1980). By this count, about two thirds of the nation’s known original petroleum resources cannot be produced using standard primary and secondary methods. Miscible gas flooding, especially with CO2 as the injected fluid, is one of the more promising technologies for enhancing oil recovery and thus for shrinking the gap between discovered resources and crude reserves (Holm, 1982). Engineers designing miscible gas floods rely on mathematical models to compare possible operating strategies and to estimate the amount and timing of additional production. We shall examine new techniques applicable to the numerical simulation of miscible gas floods and similar compositional flows in porous media.
Idiopathic Hypercalciuria and Nephrolithiasis

Publisher Summary Idiopathic hypercalciuria is characterized by normocalcemia in the absence of known systemic causes of hypercalciuria. Intestinal calcium (Ca) absorption is almost always increased, and serum 1,25(OH)2D levels are elevated in some but not all patients. Idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH) affects 5 to 7% of adults and children and is the single most common cause of Ca oxalate kidney stone formation and also causes low bone mass. All of the metabolic features of IH can be reproduced by the administration of calcitriol to normal adults. There is also evidence of 1,25(OH)2D3 overproduction in some IH subjects. Excess 1,25(OH)2D3 action appears responsible for the intestinal Ca hyperabsorption, increased bone resorption, and decreased renal tubule Ca reabsorption. Serum 1,25(OH)2D3 is elevated in about 60% of patients. Patients with normal serum 1,25(OH)2D3 levels have comparable elevations in intestinal Ca absorption, and the possibility of elevated tissue vitamin D receptor found in GHS rats is suggested by one study in IH subjects which found elevated peripheral blood monocyte levels. Further, GHS rats and IH patients share changes in Ca transport in intestine, bone, and kidney. The GHS model of human IH permits studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of hypercalciuria found in humans. In this model, increased levels of VDR protein in duodenum, kidney, and bone may explain the hyperabsorption of Ca, increased bone resorption, and decreased renal tubule Ca reabsorption even in the presence of normal circulating concentrations of 1,25D.
Discussion by Pranab K. Sen

I am grateful for the opportunity to comment on this interesting and enjoyable paper by Newman, Haynes, and Terzian (NHT). They have precisely described the main statistical issues underlying “Power Spectrum Analysis” in astrophysics, and with this setup, the ball is now in the statisticians’ court. While I generally endorse the views expressed by NHT, I do have some dissenting comments to make, and I shall mainly concentrate on them in this discussion.
A Rude Awakening: What to Do with the Sleepwalking Defense?

Some sleepwalkers commit acts of violence, or even murder, in their sleep. Courts must decide what to do with criminal defendants who raise a defense of sleepwalking. A brief review of common law reveals that courts apply the defense inconsistently under various doctrines of justification and excuse. Sleepwalking is a unique medical phenomenon, and courts are poorly equipped to evaluate claims of sleepwalking under existing common law defenses. This Note proposes a single sleepwalking defense based on a balancing test that integrates the medical understanding of sleepwalking.
Mechanisms of Apoptosis During Reovirus Infection

Reovirus infection has proven to be an excellent experimental system for studying mechanisms of virus-induced pathogenesis. Reoviruses induce apoptosis in a wide variety of cultured cells in vitro and in target tissues in vivo, including the heart and central nervous system. In vivo, viral infection, tissue injury, and apoptosis colocalize, suggesting that apoptosis is a critical mechanism by which disease is triggered in the host. This review examines the mechanisms of reovirus-induced apoptosis and investigates the possibility that inhibition of apoptosis may provide a novel strategy for limiting virus-induced tissue damage following infection.
Comment: Evolutionary Theories of Common Law Efficiency: Reasons for (Cognitive) Skepticism

This comment critically examines evolutionary models of the common law in the light of behavioral theory. To the extent that the common law assumes the characteristics that judges strive to impart upon it, their efforts are doomed to succeed imperfectly, as a consequence of judges' bounded rationality. On the other hand, several different but related models of common law dynamics posit that judge-made law tends ineluctably in the direction of economic efficiency as a consequence of blind, evolutionary mechanisms operating independently of judges' predilections. Hence, evolutionary models suggest the possibility that over time, the process of lawmaking can transcend the bounded rationality of lawmakers and achieve a degree of efficiency that advertent efforts of design could not. Nevertheless, this comment concludes that evolutionary models of common law dynamics offer no escape from the bottleneck of bounded rationality. Although the states of minds of judges are irrelevant to those models, they depend instead upon the assumption that other participants in the judicial process - litigants and their attorneys - are rational decision-makers. When we assume instead that litigants and attorneys are susceptible to the same cognitive frailties that human beings generally share, the models break down, or at least become adulterated by noise that weakens the evolutionary pressures that they hypothesize. The difficulties with those models do not disappear even when we relax the assumption that the common-law system within which rules are formulated is fixed in its present structure. A historical alternative to the current structure that one scholar has hypothesized to have been particularly productive of efficient rules is in fact degraded by the same cognitive frailties. Nor can we predict that meta-evolutionary processes of competition between legal systems will lead the principles of jurisprudence in the direction of a system most likely to generate efficient rules.
Soliciting unsolicited export orders

Traditionally, researchers have relied on the “rational choice” paradigm in studying organizational buying behaviour. Shows that such reliance is inappropriate in the international setting. By integrating insights from four theoretical perspectives that break out of the rational choice model, ventures 14 propositions of importer behaviour that shed useful light on the complex and messy process of overseas vendor search. Also discusses managerial implications and directions for further research.
SURVEY EVIDENCE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FUEL AVAILABILITY TO THE CHOICE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND VEHICLES

The effect of limited fuel availability on the demand for alternative fuels (AFs) and vehicles is a critical factor in the transition to AFs. Because petroleum fuels have been so dominant for so long, the relationship between fuel availability and fuel demand has received little attention. This paper briefly reviews previous studies, then presents new results from a survey of U.S. households. The new data addresses: 1) the choice of fuel for a fuel-flexible vehicle, and 2) the choice of dedicated alternative fuel engine for a vehicle. Fuel availability is described in terms of the percent of refueling stations offering the new fuel.
Filamentous bacterial viruses. XVI. Inherent temperature sensitivity of gene 5 protein and its involvement in abortive infection.

Abstract Initiation of the lethal process usually associated with abortive infection by filamentous virus requires two components: continued replication of viral duplex DNA and an unidentified temperature-sensitive component. We present evidence here that the temperature-sensitive component in the lethal process is viral gene 5 protein, and suggest that the size of the gene 5 protein pool influences duplex DNA replication in some critical way that determines whether or not an abortively infected cell will die.
School Policy in Science Education

The premise of this volume is that the next generation of Americans—dubbed Generation R (for Responsibility)—will face personal, environmental, and social challenges different from any we have faced before. Citizens of responsibility will be more attuned to personal health, environmental sustainability, and community building through collaborative action, and the science education they receive will be holistic, integrated, and attuned to the relationship between humans and the physical world. Measures of school effectiveness will need to capture this holistic spirit. Finally, schools must start now to get ready for this next generation of learners. In this chapter I review the extent to which past and current policies in science education are preparing us for this transformation to an integrated, holistic, and humanistic approach to science education and the creation of indicators of school achievement to match that focus.
Microbial decontamination of nuts and spices

Abstract: The social and economic impacts of outbreaks of foodborne illness and food recalls have become important food safety concerns. These outbreaks are usually due to the consumption of microbiologically contaminated foods, including nuts and spices. Regulatory and public health agencies, industry and research organizations have undertaken initiatives targeting the microbial safety of these food commodities. In order to ensure that these commodities are safe, the responsibility for implementing scientifically validated risk-reduction practices must be shared among all individuals involved in the farm-to-fork continuum. This chapter focuses on the aspects related to microorganisms of concern, routes of microbial contamination, risks of foodborne illness, and available decontamination technologies for nuts and spices. Emerging decontamination technologies, strategic issues for achieving microbiological safety, and research and development priorities related to nuts and spices are also discussed.
Peripheral blood (PB) monocytes from subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and fluctuating behavioral symptoms following immune insults reveal similar innate immune responses to those observed in pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric disorders (PANS). (HUM1P.325)

ASD is a behaviorally defined syndrome and encompasses markedly heterogeneous subjects. Some ASD subjects reveal markedly fluctuating behavioral symptoms following immune insults and persistent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms; categorized as the ASD-inflammatory subtype (ASD-IS) (N=20) in this study. Cyotkine production by purified PB monocytes from ASD-IS subjects in response to TLR2/6, TLR4, TLR7/8, and Dectin 1 agonists were assessed in comparison with cells from control ASD subjects with and without non-IgE mediated food allergy (NFA) (ASD/NFA N=16, ASD/non-NFA children; N=18), non-ASD controls (non-ASD/NFA; N=13, normal controls; N=12, non-ASD/PANS N=18). ASD-IS subjects had no siblings diagnosed with ASD and ASD-IS children are noted to have a higher frequency of recurrent sinopulmonary infection than ASD/non-ASD controls; 8/20 ASD-IS children were diagnosed with antibody deficiency syndrome (ADS). ASD-IS PB monocytes produced higher levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12 with or without stimuli. In addition, decrease in production of IL-10 and sTNFRII with TLR2/6 and TLR7/8 agonists was more striking than normal control monocytes. Monocytes from ASD/NFA, ASD/non-NFA, or non-ASD/NFA subjects did not reveal such tendencies. However, cytokine production by PANS monocytes revealed similar tendencies. Aberrant innate immune responses detected in PB monocytes may be associated with markedly fluctuating neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in ASD-IS and PANS subjects.
Subtractive Rapid Prototyping: Creating a Completely Automated Process for Rapid Machining

This chapter presents a description of how CNC milling can be used as a rapid prototyping process. The methodology uses a layer-based approach for machining (like traditional rapid prototyping) for the rapid, automatic machining of common manufactured part geometries in a variety of materials. Parts are machined using a plurality of 21/2-D toolpaths from orientations about a rotary axis. Process parameters such as the number of orientations, tool containment boundaries and tool geometry are derived from CAD slice data. In addition, automated fixturing is accomplished through the use of sacrificial support structures added to the CAD geometry. The chapter begins by describing the machining methodology, and then presents a number of critical issues that affect making the process automatic and efficient. The CNC-RP process is compared and contrasted to existing RP processes. In particular, we consider the differences in an additive versus subtractive process with respect to accuracy and material choices. The strengths and limitations of rapid machining are illustrated, along with a discussion on the economics of using rapid machining versus additive RP and/or traditional machining processes to create single or small batches of parts.
On parsing the neural code in the prefrontal cortex of primates using principal dynamic modes

Nonlinear modeling of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) neuronal systems using Principal Dynamic Modes (PDMs) provides a novel method for analyzing the functional connectivity between neuronal groups. This paper presents the PDM-based modeling methodology and initial results from actual multi-unit recordings in the prefrontal cortex of non-human primates. We used the PDMs to analyze the dynamic transformations of spike train activity from Layer 2 (input) to Layer 5 (output) of the prefrontal cortex in primates performing a Delayed-Match-to-Sample task. The PDM-based models reduce the complexity of representing large-scale neural MIMO systems that involve large numbers of neurons, and also offer the prospect of improved biological/physiological interpretation of the obtained models. PDM analysis of neuronal connectivity in this system revealed "input---output channels of communication" corresponding to specific bands of neural rhythms that quantify the relative importance of these frequency-specific PDMs across a variety of different tasks. We found that behavioral performance during the Delayed-Match-to-Sample task (correct vs. incorrect outcome) was associated with differential activation of frequency-specific PDMs in the prefrontal cortex.
Impaired recruitment and differentiation of osteoclast progenitors by osteocalcin-deplete bone implants

This is a report of an experimental system to study differentiation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and demonstrates that osteocalcin, an extracellular bone-specific component, is necessary for the recruitment of osteoclast progenitor cells. The subcutaneous implantation of devitalized bone particles (BPs) elicits the recruitment and differentiation of osteoclasts that resorb the BPs. In a previous study, we showed by histomorphometric analysis that BPs that were deficient in osteocalcin were resorbed only 60% as well as normal BPs. In this study, the mechanism of this difference was investigated by measurements of recruitment, differentiation and activity of bone resorbing cells by normal and osteocalcin-deficient BP. Mononuclear cells were attracted to control BPs soon after implantation. In dramatic contrast, cellularity was depressed around osteocalcin-deficient BPs with very few mononuclear cells within the implant on day 5 (35% of control cellularity). In implants of normal BPs, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells were evident by day 5; very few appeared in implants of osteocalcin-deplete BPs even by day 12. The amount of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity in homogenates of the osteocalcin-deficient bone particle specimens not only lagged behind controls but never reached the maximum activity of control BP specimens. These data support the hypothesis that osteocalcin may function as a matrix signal in the recruitment and/or activation of cells for bone resorption.
A Conditional Generalized Least Squares Method for Estimating the Size of a Closed Population

In the corrected Leslie–DeLury catch-per-unit-effort method, estimation of the corrected cumulative catches causes the underlying model to be an errors-in-covariates structural model with a nondiagonal dispersion matrix. This violates the assumptions of regression and causes the corrected Leslie–DeLury method to give biased estimates of the population size and its variance. We use generalized least squares and a controlled variables design to resolve these difficulties, obtain the minimum-variance unbiased linear estimator, and compute unbiased variance estimates. We apply our method to sockeye salmon fingerlings (Oncorhynchus nerka) netted in a hatchery pond. For these data, arranged according to the controlled variables design, the corrected Leslie–DeLury method underestimates the standard error of the population size by 41%.
Neuritic guidance by polyornithine-attached materials of ganglionic origin

Abstract Dissociated ciliary ganglionic neurons do not survive in culture unless supplied with an appropriate source of ciliary neuronotrophic factors (CNTF). Moreover, previous work from this and other laboratories has shown that polyornithine (PORN) substrata per se do not allow neuritic development from such CNTF-supported neurons. Neuritic formation, however, would take place if the PORN substratum is coated with a neurite-promoting factor (NPF) from heart conditioned medium. Undissociated chick embryo ciliary ganglia explanted on PORN substrata will also produce a lavish radial neuritic outgrowth only if they are CNTF supported and the substratum is coated with NPF. In the absence of exogenous NPF neurites grow radially but only to a limited extent. At a distance of approximately 120 μm from the explant, neurites switch from a radial to a circular or tangential growth pattern, thus giving rise to a neuritic ring almost concentric with respect to the explant. Time-lapse studies show that the neuritic ring is generated through a combination of several behaviors that neurites display upon reaching the radial-to-circular “transition zone,” including branching and turning either clock- or counterclockwise. Contributions are also made by interneuritic bridges arising from fusion of tangential filopodia from adjacent growth cones. The overall behavior of neuritic outgrowth suggests that the explanted ciliary ganglia are able to produce materials endowed with neurite-promoting properties, which coat the PORN substratum in the immediate vicinity of the ganglia. Autoradiographic experiments using ganglia prelabeled with either [ 3 H]glucosamine or [ 14 C]leucine demonstrated the existence of these materials. A periganglionic territory of PORN-attached materials (PAMs) of ganglionic origin can be recognized a few hours after explantation, before the onset of neuritic emergence from the ganglion. This PAM territory grossly corresponds to the area that a few hours later will be occupied by the neuritic ring. If two ganglia are explanted at a distance approximately equal to twice the distance normally covered by a dense periganglionic PAM halo, a continuity between the PAM territories of both ganglia is established before the onset of neuritic outgrowth. This overlapping generates an “avenue of preferential terrain” that provides guidance to neurites between the neighboring ganglia. The possibility is considered that a similar mechanism of neuritic guidance could also occur in vivo .
A pre-Columbian fisheries baseline from the Caribbean

Abstract A pre-Columbian (ca. AD 500–1500) fishery baseline is established for Anguilla, British West Indies from analyses of the remains of captured fishes from five archaeological sites. The zooarchaeological fishery baseline shows pre-Columbian communities captured diverse fishes, many of which are vulnerable to overexploitation. Composition of the captured fish community varies by site underscoring the potential importance of including samples from sites located adjacent to different marine habitats. Analyses of abundance–biomass relationships, community trophic structure, fish size and taxonomic composition indicate the Anguillian pre-Columbian fishery and coral reef ecosystem was healthy and sustainable. By providing a thorough baseline of Amerindian use of fishes on Anguilla, we provide a foundation that aids researchers asking questions about long-term change in Caribbean coral reef fisheries.
How to Be a Graduate Advisee

Successful graduate training benefits from committed mentors and motivated students. Because scientific research involves investigating unexplored territory, however, each student's experience will necessarily be unique, making it rarely possible to conform to an idealized training sequence. To approach this inherently uncontrolled situation constructively, students are encouraged, first, to become aware of their own learning patterns and to apply this knowledge to selecting a thesis laboratory, and second, to cultivate an educational philosophy that helps them adapt to many circumstances.
Plant-associated bacteria degrade defense chemicals and reduce their adverse effects on an insect defoliator

Phytophagous insects must contend with numerous secondary defense compounds that can adversely affect their growth and development. The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a polyphagous herbivore that encounters an extensive range of hosts and chemicals. We used this folivore and a primary component of aspen chemical defenses, namely, phenolic glycosides, to investigate if bacteria detoxify phytochemicals and benefit larvae. We conducted insect bioassays using bacteria enriched from environmental samples, analyses of the microbial community in the midguts of bioassay larvae, and in vitro phenolic glycoside metabolism assays. Inoculation with bacteria enhanced larval growth in the presence, but not absence, of phenolic glycosides in the artificial diet. This effect of bacteria on growth was observed only in larvae administered bacteria from aspen foliage. The resulting midgut community composition varied among the bacterial treatments. When phenolic glycosides were included in diet, the composition of midguts in larvae fed aspen bacteria was significantly altered. Phenolic glycosides increased population responses by bacteria that we found able to metabolize these compounds in liquid growth cultures. Several aspects of these results suggest that vectoring or pairwise symbiosis models are inadequate for understanding microbial mediation of plant–herbivore interactions in some systems. First, bacteria that most benefitted larvae were initially foliar residents, suggesting that toxin-degrading abilities of phyllosphere inhabitants indirectly benefit herbivores upon ingestion. Second, assays with single bacteria did not confer the benefits to larvae obtained with consortia, suggesting multi- and inter-microbial interactions are also involved. Our results show that bacteria mediate insect interactions with plant defenses but that these interactions are community specific and highly complex.
Production of cutinase by Thermomonospora fusca ATCC 27730

W.F. FETT, C. WIJEY, R.A. MOREAU AND S.F. OSMAN. 1999.Ten strains belonging to various Thermomonospora species were tested for their ability to hydrolyse the insoluble plant polyester cutin. One strain, the thermophile T. fusca ATCC 27730, was found to produce a highly inducible cutinase when grown in broth medium containing purified apple cv. Golden Delicious cutin. Apple pomace, tomato peel, potato suberin and commercial cork were also shown to induce cutinase production. Addition of glucose to the culture medium either at the beginning of fermentation or after 2 days of incubation in the presence of apple cutin led to repression of cutinase production. The cutinase was active against a wide range of cutins, including those isolated from other apple cultivars as well as tomato, cucumber, grapefruit, and green pepper. Cutinase activity in the induced culture supernatant fluids exhibited a half-life of over 60 min at 70 °C and a pH optimum of 11·0. Some potential applications for cutinases are discussed.
InP DHBT IC Technology with Implanted Collector Pedestal and Electroplated Device Contacts

The authors report an InP DHBT IC technology that incorporates an ion implanted N+ collector-pedestal for collector-base capacitance (C cb) reduction. The technology utilizes electroplating processes and sidewall spacers to form a high yield self-aligned base-emitter junction. Devices with 0.4 mum emitter junction widths demonstrate peak ft and fmax values of over 370 GHz. The devices demonstrate a ~35% reduction in Ccb versus HBTs with the same device footprint fabricated without a collector pedestal. A current mode logic (CML) divide-by-two circuit demonstrated a maximum operating frequency of 128 GHz, a -20% improvement versus the same design realized in a non-collector-pedestal process
Seasonal changes in metabolic capacity and norepinephrine thermogenesis in the alaskan red-backed vole: Environmental cues and annual differences

Abstract 1. 1. Wild red-backed voles (Clethrionomys rutilus) were tested for maximum metabolic rate (Mmax) and for metabolic response to norepinephrine (MNE) in September, November and January. During the same period, voles born and raised in the laboratory were acclimated (for 3.5 months) in the following groups: (1) +20 C and 24 hr light daily (LD 24:0): (2) +20 C and LD 4:20: (3) gradual change from + 5 C and LD 14:10 to −5 C and LD 4:20; (4) gradual change from +5 C to −5 C and continuous LD 4:20, and tested for Mmax. 2. 2. During acclimatization of wild voles from September to January Mmax increased 42% to 23.05 ± 1.19ml O2·g−1 · hr−1 and MNE increased 59% to 14.12 ± 0.86 ml O2·g−1·hr−1. Peak winter Mmax and MNE in these wild voles were lower than found in a previous winter. 3. 3. In voles acclimated to +20 C and either long or short daily light period Mmax remained unchanged. In voles acclimated to increasing cold and decreasing or short light period Mmax increased 39% to 20.0 ml O2·g−1·hr−1. 4. 4. The results indicate that the magnitude of seasonal change of Mmax and MNE may vary from year to year and suggest that cold is essential to stimulate these seasonal changes in red-backed voles.
TESTICULAR BIOPSY DURING ORCHIOPEXY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VARIABLE IN PREDICTING PERTILITY OF CRYPTORCHID PATIENTS

26, previously cryptorchid, adult patients were divided into two groups according to their spermiograms. Group A (n = 15) had patients with good or moderate spermiograms, while group B (n = 11) had only azoospermia or severely oligozoospermic patients. Following variables were analyzed by Alloc 80 discriminant analysis package (multigroup discriminant analysis based on non-parametric density estimation) : age, height, weight, education, age at surgery, year of surgery, testicular position at surgery, recent testicular volume and penis size, hormonal treatment prior to surgery, LH, FSH, T, E2, as well as number 01 germ cells at surgery and puberty rating.
Occurrence of acute leukemia in females in a genetically isolated population

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was found in six young females in a genetically isolated Syrian Jewish Community in Brooklyn, N.Y. over a 15-year period. This represents a frequency 30 times greater than the expected rate. In this community the frequency of first cousin marriages is estimated to be seven percent. Three cases were related on their maternal side, the parents of a fourth case were themselves related as were both sets of grandparents of a fifth case. In two families a history of infertility was present. On average, fathers of the cases were 5.5 years older at birth of the cases than a matched sample of community controls and 7.2 years older than a matched sample of non-community controls. The high frequency of consanguinity and the older age of the fathers may increase risk to acute leukemia for young girls in this community.
Synthesis of folate-functionalized RAFT polymers for targeted siRNA delivery

Receptor-mediated, cell-specific delivery of siRNA enables silencing of target genes in specific tissues, opening the door to powerful therapeutic options for a multitude of diseases. However, the development of delivery systems capable of targeted and effective siRNA delivery typically requires multiple steps and the use of sophisticated, orthogonal chemistries. Previously, we developed diblock copolymers consisting of dimethaminoethyl methacrylate-b-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate-co-propylacrylic acid as potent siRNA delivery systems that protect siRNA from enzymatic degradation and enable its cytosolic delivery through pH-responsive, endosomolytic behavior. (1, 2) These architectures were polymerized using a living radical polymerization method, specifically reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, which employs a chain transfer agent (CTA) to modulate the rate of reaction, resulting in polymers with low polydispersity and telechelic chain ends reflecting the chemistry of the CTA. Here we describe the straightforward, facile synthesis of a folate receptor-targeted diblock copolymer siRNA delivery system because the folate receptor is an attractive target for tumor-selective therapies as a result of its overexpression in a number of cancers. Specifically, we detail the de novo synthesis of a folate-functionalized CTA, use the folate-CTA for controlled polymerizations of diblock copolymers, and demonstrate efficient, specific cellular folate receptor interaction and in vitro gene knockdown using the folate-functionalized polymer.
Factors Influencing Germination of a Functionally Important Grassland Plant, Iris tenax

Grassland prairies of western Oregon and Washington are among the most endangered ecosystems in the United States. Active management and restoration are needed to promote biodiversity in the region. To support plant production for use in habitat restoration, we developed germination protocols for greenhouse propagation of Iris tenax (Oregon iris). Dormancy was most effectively overcome (63% germination) by four weeks of warm stratification at 20/30°C followed by 6–12 weeks of cold stratification at 5°C suggesting that I. tenax may have morphophysiological dormancy. This result was consistent across multiple source populations.
Cretaceous Scolebythidae and Phylogeny of the Family (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea)

The genera of Cretaceous Scolebythidae are reviewed, with three new genera and species described from New Jersey (Turonian) and Lebanese (Barremian) amber. The new taxa are Boreobythus turonius, new genus and species, in New Jersey amber, and Zapenesia libanica, new genus and species, and Uliobythus terpsichore, new genus and species, in Lebanese amber. A cladistic analysis of living and fossil species of Scolebythidae is undertaken and a revised classification of the family proposed. Boreobythus is the oldest scolebythid in the New World, documenting the presence of the family during the Late Cretaceous in North America. The Eocene genus Eobythus is perhaps best considered a junior synonym of Pristapenesia but is tentatively retained herein. The historical biogeography of the family is briefly discussed. A key to the living and fossil genera of Scolebythidae is provided.
Time Resolved Thermodynamic Studies of Ligand Binding/release to Sol-Gel Encapsulated Horse Heart Myoglobin

The successful confinement of proteins in solid state materials allows for a multitude of applications in the study of protein dynamics, as well as, advances in biotechnologies. The importance of bulk solvent and restricted space on the conformational dynamics of proteins can be identified by encapsulating the biomolecules (peptides, proteins, enzymezes, etc) in environments where both can be regulated. In addition, the affect of encapsulation on ligand binding and preservation of reactivity once encapsulated are of equal importance. With the use of Photoacoustic calorimetry (PAC) and Photothermal beam deflection (PBD) methods along with picosecond-millisecond transient absorption and fluorescence techniques we are investigating enthalpy, molar volume changes, and kinetics associated with with CO dissociation and rebinding to horse heart myoglobin encapsulated in sol-gels. Preliminary PAC data suggest that the dissociation of CO from HHMb results in four kinetic phases: <7ns, ∼125ns, ∼260ns, and ∼600ns. We will discuss the differences in molar volume and enthalpy changes associated with the conformational dynamics of these events in sol-gels relative to native protein in aqueous solution.
Consumer image retrieval by estimating relation tree from family photo collections

In this paper, we propose an approach to automatically estimate relationship among people in a family image collection based on results from face analyses technologies including automated face recognition and clustering, demographic assessment, and face similarity measurement, as well as contextual information such as people co-appearance, people's relative positions in photos and image timestamps. As the result, a relation tree can be estimated which provides important semantic information regarding people involved in a photo collection and has numerous applications in photo sharing and browsing, social networking, etc. The methods for deriving and integrating information from photos and the process for estimating a relation tree are described. Experimental results on two typical consumer photo collections and examples of using these results in consumer image retrieval are presented.
Effect of gas diffusion layer compression on PEM fuel cell performance

The gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays a very important role in the performance of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The amount of compression on the GDL affects the contact resistance, the GDL porosity, and the fraction of the pores occupied by liquid water, which, in turn, affect the performance of a PEM fuel cell. In order to study the effects of GDL compression on fuel cell performance a unique fuel cell test fixture was designed and created such that, without disassembling the fuel cell, varying the compression of the GDL can be achieved both precisely and uniformly. Besides, the compression can be precisely measured and easily read out. Using this special fuel cell fixture, the effects of GDL compression on PEM fuel cell performance under various anode and cathode flow rates were studied. Two different GDL materials, carbon cloth double-sided ELAT and TORAY™ carbon fiber paper were used in these studies. The experimental results show that generally the fuel cell performance decreases with the increase in compression and over-compression probably exists in most fuel cells. In the low current density region, generally there exists an optimal compression ratio.
On homeomorphisms of (I, f) having topological entropy zero

Abstract Let f : I → I be a continuous function where I is the unit interval. Let ( I , f) be the inverse limit space obtained from the inverse sequence all of whose maps are f and all of whose spaces are I . This paper addresses the question of when ( I , f) has the property that every homeomorphism of ( I , f) has zero topological entropy. An obvious necessary condition for this is that f itself has zero topological entropy. In this paper it is proved that if f is piecewise monotone and has only finitely many periods, then every homeomorphism of ( I , f) has zero entropy.
Effect of MCH and baited Lindgren traps on Douglas‐fir beetle attacks on felled trees

The attack density of the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae, was reduced to 3–7% of that on untreated Douglas-fir trees, Pseudotsuga menziesii, when the trees were treated with bubble cap release devices releasing MCH at 3 mg/24 h stapled to the tree trunk at 3 m intervals. Density dependence of brood development suggests that brood emergence was not as dramatically affected by the MCH. Lindgren funnel traps baited with aggregation pheromones did not significantly affect attack density. Zusammenfassung Zur Wirkung von MCH und Lindgren-Pheromonfallen auf den Befall gefallter Douglas-Tannen durch Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Die Befallsdichte von D. pseudotsugae bei gefallten Douglas-Tannen (Pseudotsuga menziesii) wurde auf 3–7% der Dichte-Werte an unbehandelten Stammen reduziert, wenn die gefallten Stamme mit MCH abgebenden (3 mg/24 h) Gummibechern in 3-m-Abstanden bestuckt wurden. Die Borkenkaferbrut wurde durch die MCH-Freisetzung nicht wesentlich beeinflust. Lindgren-Trichterfallen, die mit Aggregations-Pheromonen bekodert waren, zeigten keinen signifikanten Einflus auf die Befallsdichte der Kafer.