cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The introduction and establishment of Campsomeris dorsata (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae) in Florida.

Campsomeris dorsata is a hymenopteran scoliid that is endemic to South America, Central America, and parts of the West Indies. It has been used as a biological control agent in the past in Puerto Rico, Mauritius, and Florida to aid in reducing coleopteran pests in sugar cane agricultural systems. The status of C. dorsata’s establishment in Florida has been unknown since intentional introductions to sugarcane fields occurring during the 1930s. We surveyed primarily coastal sites throughout the state of Florida and captured 91 females ranging from Osceola County to Miami-Dade County (north vs south) and from Broward County to Collier County (east vs west). The results from this study show that C. dorsata is well established in these areas of Florida, and might still be an important biological control agent of white grubs in sugar cane as well as turf production and maintenance. SumarioCampsomeris dorsata es un scoliid himenoptero endemico de America del Sur, America Central y partes de las Indias Occidentales. Se ha utilizado en el pasado como un agente de control biologico en Puerto Rico, Mauricio y la Florida para ayudar a reducir las plagas de coleopteros en los sistemas agricolas de cana de azucar. Se desconoce el estado del establecimiento de C. dorsata en la Florida desde que se realizaron introducciones intencionales a los campos de cana de azucar durante la decada del 1930. Examinamos principalmente sitios costeros en todo el estado de Florida y capturamos 91 hembras, desde el condado de Osceola hasta el condado de Miami-Dade (norte versus sur) y desde el condado de Broward hasta el condado de Collier (este y oeste). Los resultados de este estudio muestran que C. dorsata esta bien establecida en estas areas de Florida, y aun podria ser un importante agente de control biologico de gusano blancos (Scarabaeidae) en la cana de azucar, asi como en la produccion y mantenimiento del cesped.View this article in BioOne
On the Evaluation of Android Malware Detectors: Evaluating Malware Detectors

Malware is an umbrella term used for viruses, worms, and Trojans. These days malware is becoming a great threat to the Android users. A malware detector which is commonly known as an antivirus or virus scanner avoids a malicious file to infiltrate into a system. With the increasing usage of smartphones, malware is also becoming powerful to penetrate the mobile devices. Traditional protection systems identify malware using signatures that can be manipulated by various techniques. In this research paper, it has been demonstrated that the most of the known commercial malware detectors cannot detect common code obfuscation techniques. Moreover, we have evaluated resource utilization (CPU, memory, and battery) consumed by several malware detectors.
Subglottic perioperative airway-tube inflation via randomized evaluation with variable syringe size (Spair-Tire) study

Introduction Risks of endotracheal tube cuff (ETTC) over inflation must be balanced with the need to achieve a minimum pressure of 20 cm H2 O. Methods have been developed to estimate adequate ETTC pressurization but do not provide accurate endotracheal tube cuff pressure (ETCP) measurements. Hence, different sized syringes may play a role in determining ETCP. Objectives Determine optimal syringe size for recommended ETCP. Methods Two hundred patients were randomized to use of either a 10-mL syringe (standard syringe) or a 5-mL syringe (study group) for ETTC inflation. Following the insertion of the endotracheal tube, the ETTC was inflated per the attending anesthesiologist. Within 10 minutes of intubation, ETCP was measured with a hospital-provided manometer. Results The percentage of in range cuff pressures for the 5-mL group was 10.53% and 6.78% for the 10-mL group. 84.21% (n = 64) of the study group and 91.53% (n = 54) of the control group had cuff pressures exceeding 30 cmH2 O. Although our study did not demonstrate that syringe size was predictive of ideal cuff pressure ranges, the average cuff pressure for the 5-mL group was 55.8 cm H2 O versus 68.8 cm H2 O in the 10-mL group. Conclusion Although both 5- and 10-mL syringes resulted in elevated cuff pressures after intubation, 5-mL syringes resulted in a lower degree of elevation. Use of a 5-mL syringe should be considered when inflating the endotracheal cuff to possibly reduce patient harm secondary to elevated cuff pressures. Further studies assessing smaller syringe sizes to reduce cuff pressures are warranted.
1 GHz charge pump with ultra-low power boost converter for increased output voltage

In this paper, a two-stage RF -DC charge pump is designed for impedance matching at 1 GHz and integrated with a commercially available ultra-low power boost converter with a turn-on voltage of 0.3V. This circuit was tested, up to a maximum range of 5.5 meters, using log periodic UHF transmit and receive antennas with 28 dBm output power from the transmitter. The boosted voltage of 4.2V at the converter's output can enable a wider range of wireless sensors for Internet-of- Things applications.
Antiviral drug discovery: norovirus proteases and development of inhibitors

Proteases are a major enzyme group playing important roles in a wide variety of biological processes in life forms ranging from viruses to mammalians. The aberrant activity of proteases can lead to various diseases; consequently, host proteases have been the focus of intense investigation as potential therapeutic targets. A wide range of viruses encode proteases which play an essential role in viral replication and, therefore, constitute attractive targets for the development of antiviral therapeutics. There are numerous examples of successful drug development targeting cellular and viral proteases, including antivirals against human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus. Most FDA-approved antiviral agents are peptidomimetics and macrocyclic compounds that interact with the active site of a targeted protease. Norovirus proteases are cysteine proteases that contain a chymotrypsin-like fold in their 3D structures. This review focuses on our group's efforts related to the development of norovirus protease inhibitors as potential anti-norovirus therapeutics. These protease inhibitors are rationally designed transition-state inhibitors encompassing dipeptidyl, tripeptidyl and macrocyclic compounds. Highly effective inhibitors validated in X-ray co-crystallization, enzyme and cell-based assays, as well as an animal model, were generated by launching an optimization campaign utilizing the initial hit compounds. A prodrug approach was also explored to improve the pharmacokinetics (PK) of the identified inhibitors.
LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY IN A COLLEGE ATHLETE: PHYSIOLOGICAL OR PATHOLOGICAL?

The differentiation of ‘athlete's heart’ from morphologically mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is important as an erroneous diagnosis can lead to the catastrophic event of sudden cardiac death. Conversely, an athlete with physiological adaptation may be unnecessarily restricted. A 20-year
Long-Lived Dynasties: Ming and Its Contemporaries

East Asia was finally united and usually peaceful for a very long time. The Little Ice Age kept the colder parts of the region in difficult straits. In China, the Ming Dynasty consolidated control, sent out huge exploring expeditions but abandoned them, and settled down to a dull rule. Korea, inspired by China, threw off the Mongol yoke and unified under the Yi Dynasty, which was to rule until the end of the nineteenth century. Japan suffered more violent times, with catastrophic civil war in the sixteenth century, resolved by unification under the powerful and efficient Tokugawa shogunate. Vietnam dealt with Ming invasion and brief conquest, then had to deal with uncertain and contested rule. Particularly cold and harsh conditions in the early seventeenth century did not stop the northern Manchu armies from conquering China in 1644. Japan and Vietnam, buffered by geography from the cold, consolidated and flourished.
Effect of Surgical Specialty on Management of Adnexal Masses in Children and Adolescents: An 8-Year Single-Center Review.

Abstract Study Objective Children with adnexal masses might be managed by pediatric surgeons, urologists or gynecologists, with the potential for different management strategies between specialties. In this study we compared ovarian conservation rates and surgical approach for adnexal masses in children and adolescents managed either by pediatric surgeons/urologists or gynecologists at a tertiary care institution. Design Retrospective cohort review. Setting Tertiary pediatric and adult university hospital. Participants Patients younger than 18 years of age with an adnexal mass managed surgically with removal of histologically confirmed ovarian or fallopian tube tissue from 2008 to 2015. Interventions Laparoscopic or open procedure for adnexal mass. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was rate of ovarian conservation relative to surgical specialty. The secondary outcome was surgical approach relative to surgical specialty. Results Forty-eight patients underwent surgery for adnexal masses; 26 (54%) under pediatric surgery/urology and 22 (46%) under gynecology care. Laparoscopy was performed in 5 (19%) pediatric and 19 (86%) gynecology cases (P = .000006). Of 24 patients older than 12 years of age with a benign tumor, 10 (42%) underwent procedures resulting in loss of an ovary with or without fallopian tube; 8 of these (80%) were under pediatric care. Of the remaining 14 (58%) who underwent ovarian conserving surgery, 12 (80%) were under gynecology care (P = .0027). Conclusion Patients with a benign tumor were significantly more likely to undergo ovary-preserving surgery under gynecology care than under pediatric surgery/urology care. A multidisciplinary team approach involving gynecology and pediatric surgical specialties would be valuable in assessing the merits of ablative or conservative surgery in each case.
Urine Microscopy: Seeing Red – Understanding Blood in the Urine

This chapter addresses the finding of blood in the urine (hematuria) on both a microscopic and gross level. Formulation of an appropriate differential diagnosis is reviewed, with consideration of the patient’s clinical history and microscopic appearance of red blood cells (RBC)s. Important guidelines regarding further diagnostic workup, including reasons for referral are also discussed.
The Distribution of Target Ownership and the Division of Gains in Successful Takeovers

This paper presents evidence that the distribution of target ownership is related to the division of the takeover gain between the target and the bidder for a sample of successful tender offers. In the whole sample, the target's gain is negatively related to bidder and institutional ownership. In the sample of multiple-bidder contests, the target's gain increases with managerial ownership and falls with institutional ownership.
Transvaginal Color Mapping Ultrasound in the First Trimester Predicts Placenta Accreta Spectrum: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives Ultrasound (US) prediction of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) in the first trimester may be aided by postprocessing mechanisms employing color pixel quantification near the bladder-uterine serosal interface. Our objective was to create a postprocessing algorithm of color images to identify findings associated with PAS and compare quantification to sonologist impression in prospectively obtained cine US images. Methods Transverse transvaginal (TV) US color cines obtained in the first trimester as part of a prospective study were reviewed. Investigators blinded to clinical outcomes reviewed anonymized cines that were archived and labeled the bladder-uterine serosal interface. Color pixels within 2 cm of the defined bladder-uterine serosal interface were ascertained using a Python-based plugin in the Horos open-source DICOM viewer. A sonologist classified the findings as suspicious for invasion, indeterminate, or normal. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Cochran-Armitage trend test, and calculation of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Fifty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Of those, six (11%) required hysterectomy with pathologic confirmation of PAS. Women requiring hysterectomy had a significantly higher color Doppler pixel area than those not requiring hysterectomy (P = .0205). A significant trend was identified in the sonologist impression of invasion (P = .0003). ROC's comparing sonologist impression to Doppler color imaging areas were comparable (P = .054). Conclusions Color Doppler mapping in the first trimester showed an increase in color pixel area near the bladder-uterine serosal interface in women requiring cesarean hysterectomy with histologically confirmed PAS at time of delivery, compared to women without hysterectomy or pathologic evidence of PAS.
Autothermal hybridization and controlled production of hydrogen-rich syngas in a molten salt solar gasifier

Abstract High efficiency solar steam gasification of biomass is carried out in a prototype molten salt reactor for solar-only and solar-autothermal hybrid operation. Previous demonstration of the prototype 3-kW solar gasifier for steam gasification of cellulose at stoichiometric conditions demonstrated thermal efficiency of 44% during continuous operation at 1200 K. The present work expands the range of operating conditions to consider two challenges. Hybridization between solar and autothermal modes of operation is accomplished by adding oxygen directly to the reactor. Control of the H2:CO ratio of the product gas is accomplished through in-situ steam shifting. Hybridization stabilized temperatures for variations in radiative input as large as a 30% reduction in power, corresponding to conditions where both sensible and chemical heat demands for the process were fully met by exothermic heat release with no significant challenges. Peak efficiencies and carbon conversion values observed are 45% and 99.5% respectively. The resulting product gas stream composition was shifted from a hydrogen and carbon monoxide ratio of 1:1 with stoichiometric steam delivery to a ratio of 1.7:1 with steam at nine times the stoichiometric amount, only slightly lower than equilibrium predictions. The results demonstrate very favorable attributes for the molten salt reactor in a continuous fuel production process.
Tobacco use severity in relation to opioid misuse and dependence among adult tobacco users with chronic pain: The moderating role of pain-related anxiety.

Abstract The opioid epidemic is a significant public health crisis that is often linked to chronic pain management. One ensuing consequence of long-term opioid use for chronic pain is a high potential for opioid misuse and dependence. Although tobacco is commonly used among individuals with chronic pain, it is associated with an increased risk for opioid-related problems. Given the deleterious outcomes of tobacco use in the context of chronic pain, identifying individual difference factors involved in tobacco-opioid relations is of public health importance. Pain-related anxiety, or a tendency to respond to pain sensations with anxiety and fear, maybe an especially important mechanistic factor associated with the relationship between tobacco use severity and opioid misuse. Therefore, the current study examined the moderating role of pain-related anxiety on the relationship between tobacco use severity and opioid misuse and dependence. Participants were 258 tobacco-using adults who endorsed moderate to severe chronic pain and current use of an opioid medication (72.1% female, Mage = 37.19 years, SD = 10.17). Two hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to test main and interactive effects of tobacco use severity and pain-related anxiety for current opioid misuse and severity of opioid dependence. Results indicated a significant moderation effect, such that the relationship between tobacco use severity and opioid misuse and dependence was stronger among individuals with higher (but not lower) pain-related anxiety. These findings build upon the extant literature by demonstrating an interactive effect of tobacco use severity and pain-related anxiety in terms of opioid-related outcomes and suggest that current tobacco users with elevated levels of pain-related anxiety may be at increased risk for opioid misuse and dependence.
Bacillus mucilaginosus: The Promising Diazotrophic Bacterium for a Sustainable Agriculture

The silicious bacterium Bacillus mucilaginosus was isolated for the first time by Prof. V. Alexandrov (Ukraine) in 1939, however, it was forgotten for an agriculture on some reasons (Alexandrov, 1953). Five new isolates derived from different soils have been examined on different characters. The isolates revealed some differences in morphology of both cells and spores, in growth characteristics, GC composition of DNA, a plasmid content. The only isolate revealed acetylenereductase activity (1.7 mMC2H4 x h-1 x A600–1). However, all isolates studied showed similar patterns of PCR-REP DNA fingerprints. All of them generated 4 major DNA fragments (600, 450, 230, 200) in standard PCR conditions, however, there was a difference between patterns in 1–2 large molecular weight PCR products (1200, 800), which could reflect the B. mucilasinosus intraspecies heterogenity.
Southern Pine Beetle Herbivory in the Southern United States: Moving from External Disturbance to Internal Process

The southern pine beetle (SPB) (Dendroctonus frontalis) is an important pest of southern U.S. pine forests. During most years, SPB populations occur at low densities and cause little or no damage. However, unpredictable regional outbreaks occur during which tree mortality is extensive and unevenly distributed across a forest landscape. Because the southern forest is a managed, productive ecosystem, SPB outbreaks can have a large impact on forest stakeholders. Although SPB pestilence has led to considerable research, the ecological processes that drive its population dynamics remain uncertain. In this chapter, we discuss how the related concepts of ecological disturbance and systems modeling could be used to address the SPB problem. We describe the importance, scale, and complexity of the system; define our concept of ecological disturbance; and discuss model types that could be applied to the SPB problem. We suggest that characteristics of the system may naturally influence and sometimes impede effective SPB modeling. Specifically, we argue that: (1) instead of conceptualizing SPB damage as an external disturbance, models should be developed that represent SPB as an endogenous property of the system; (2) because the structure and composition of forests are largely driven by human management, it may be useful to model SPB as a coupled social–ecological system; and (3) although the economic importance of SPB naturally drives the need for models that can be used as management and decision support tools, its complex ecology suggests that a broader range of model types is useful to organize, integrate, and communicate data and ideas among researchers.
Computer analysis of bacterial haloacid dehalogenases defines a large superfamily of hydrolases with diverse specificity. Application of an iterative approach to database search

Using an iterative approach to sequence database search that combines scanning with individual amino acid sequences and with alignment blocks, we show that bacterial haloacid dehalogenases (HADs) belong to a large superfamily of hydrolases with diverse substrate specificity. The superfamily also includes epoxide hydrolases, different types of phosphatases, and numerous uncharacterized proteins from eubacteria, eukaryotes, and Archaea. Nine putative proteins of the HAD superfamily with functions unknown, in addition to two known enzymes, were found in Escherichia coli alone, making it one of the largest groups of enzymes and indicating that a variety of hydrolytic enzyme activities remain to be described. Many of the proteins with known enzymatic activities in the HAD superfamily are involved in detoxification of xenobiotics or metabolic by-products. All the proteins in the superfamily contain three conserved sequence motifs. Along with the conservation of the predicted secondary structure, motifs I, II, and III include a conserved aspartic acid residue, a lysine, and a nucleophile, namely aspartic acid or serine, respectively. A specific role in the catalysis of the hydrolysis of carbon-halogen and other bonds is assigned to each of these residues.
Fine-needle aspiration cytology in the management of gynecologic cancer

The technique and application of fine-needle aspiration cytology in the management of gynecologic cancer are discussed. The authors report 90 cases that have been evaluated by means of fine-needle technique. The technique has been applied both for primary diagnosis and for follow-up evaluation. Among the 90 cases reported, there was two false negatives and one false positive and three cases in which the histologic findings were false negative.
Coefficient of Friction of Natural Rock Surfaces

Although coefficients of friction of rock on rock have been measured in the laboratory, the use of such values in rock slope analyses is limited because of uncertainties associated with attempting to account for the extrapolation from laboratory-size samples to dimensions of geologic interest. The coefficient of friction of natural rock surfaces can be determined by analyses of the orientation of surfaces along which gravity sliding takes place. When sliding occurs simultaneously along two planes, leaving a V-shaped notch, calculation of the coefficient of friction is facilitated by means of the stereographic projection. Measurements obtained from slopes where sliding has occurred yield the upper limit of the coefficient of friction. Unique values of the coefficient are obtained by monitoring the motion of blocks which experience quasi-stable or intermittent sliding and noting the orientation of the contacting surfaces.
Home parenteral nutrition for management of the severely malnourished adult patient.

Abstract Nineteen adult patients with severe malnutrition received cyclic nocturnal home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for a total duration of 485 patient-months. Malnutrition had resulted from severe short bowel syndrome (13 patients), extensive Crohn's disease (4 patients), amyloidosis with pseudoobstruction (1 patient), and a combination of celiac sprue and a Whipple procedure (1 patient). The length of small bowel remaining in the short bowel group ranged from 0 to 155 cm with an average of 80 cm. Nutritional indices before HPN included mean weight/ height of 72% of ideal; serum albumin, 2.6 g/dl; urinary creatinine/height index, 51 ± 22% of ideal; urinary nitrogen of only, 3.7 ± 1.6 g/day; and depressed serum measurements of electrolytes and macroelements. After the patients had received HPN for an average of 25.5 mo (3–90 mo), weight was usually normalized (mean of 95% ideal body weight) and nutritional indices—visceral protein (mean increase in albumin of 1.1 g/dl), skeletal muscle mass (increase in urinary creatinine/height index from 51% to 93% of ideal), and serum macroelements and electrolytes —confirmed improvement. Serial studies of body composition in 4 patients showed that distribution of weight gain was equally distributed between fat and lean body mass. Six of 7 patients who had residual Crohn's disease of the small bowel when HPN was begun required additional surgery for the disease. Twelve of 18 surviving patients have been socially rehabilitated; 6 patients are still disabled by combinations of their primary disease, narcotic dependence, and depression. Major complications included damage to the external segment of nine catheters, which were repaired on an outpatient basis, and four documented catheter-related infections—one infection per 10 patient-years of HPN. The benefit-to-risk ratio for HPN is high, and the method is now the treatment of choice for patients who have little hope of having adequate nutrition restored by oral means.
Responses Of Plants To Air Pollutant Oxidants

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the responses of plants to air pollutant oxidants. The oxidants ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate cause a variety of injury symptoms in plant tissues ranging from excessive water loss, impairment of photosynthetic activity, an imbalance of metabolites, a reduction in cell wall biosynthesis, and cellular collapse and visible necrosis. Visible injury always results in a reduction in growth and in the case of valuable crop plants, a reduction in yield and quality. The chapter presents a hypothesis that oxidants initially alter the selectivity of limiting cellular membranes such that solutes and salts leak from or into organelles and cells. The resulting imbalance of ionic potential and water balance is manifested first by leakage of potassium from the cells followed osmotically by water. This initial loss of membrane differential permeability produces other biochemical effects, which ultimately cause necrosis or cellular collapse and death of the tissue. The chapter discusses the effect of environment on the susceptibility of plants to oxidants and focusses on the role of stomata in regulating ozone uptake.
A Review of The Role of the Forensic Psychologist

This volume grew out of a symposium on forensic psychology at the 1976 Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. It presents a collection of theoretical and practical papers pertinent to the work of psychologists in the legal mental health field.
La naturaleza de una economía

La crisis financiera y la recesion que se derivo de ella han propiciado una reexaminacion del estado de la teoria macroeconomica. La imagen de una economia capitalista comoun sistema de equilibrio general estable un tanto obstaculizado en su funcionamiento por “fricciones” es, creo, una guia inadecuada para las realidades con las que tenemos que enfrentarnos. Este articulo enfatiza que tenemos que pensar a la economia como un “sistema abierto” en el sentido ontologico de Tony Lawson. Esto requerira que adaptemos nuestros metodos a la naturaleza de una economia –para cambiar la manera en la que hacemos economia. Se argumenta tambien que la economia no es globalmente estable sino que entrana inestabilidades. La crisis debio de habernos curado de la “presuncion de conocimiento” (Caballero, 2010) –de la ilusion de que entendiamos muy bien los problemas de la inestabilidad macroeconomica y de que los habiamos resuelto todos para la satisfaccion general. Una vez curados de esta presuncion –lo que equivale a decir, una vez conscientes de nuestra ignorancia– podemos ver que la macroeconomia plantea muchas preguntas importantes para las cuales mi generacion no proporciono buenas respuestas.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of arylated novobiocin analogs as Hsp90 inhibitors

Novobiocin analogs lacking labile glycosidic ether have been designed, synthesized and evaluated for Hsp90 inhibitory activity. Replacement of the synthetically complex noviose sugar with simple aromatic side chains produced analogs that maintain moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and SkBR3 breast cancer cell-lines. Rationale for the preparation of des-noviose novobiocin analogs in addition to their synthesis and biological evaluation are presented herein.
Histones: Species and Tissue Specificity

Within a given species (rat, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit) the histones of brain, liver, and kidney are indistinguishable on disc electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. However, characteristic species differences were observed. In the immature rat, the histones of brain and liver, while very similar to each other, differ from those of the adult. The histones of the thymus of the immature and adult rat exhibited a pattern corresponding to that of the immature brain and liver.
In Vivo Joint Kinematics in Normal and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injured Knees: Results of a Cine Phase Contrast Dynamic MRI Study

Cine phase contrast MRI, combined with a model-based rigid body tracking technique, was used to measure kinematics during a knee extension exercise in both knees of 16 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient surgical candidates and 16 uninjured subjects. A statistically significant increase in anterior tibial translation was observed in the ACL-deficient knees. Evidence of disruption to the screw-home mechanism was observed in the ACL-injured knees, although this was not a statistically significant result.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Neurotransmitter alterations in congenital hyperammonemia

Inborn errors of metabolism are associated with a significant risk of mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Only rarely, is the mechanism of the neural injury clearly understood. This is particularly true for those inborn errors of metabolism associated with hyperammonemia, principally urea cycle disorders and organic acidemias. Previously, it was assumed that elevated ammonia levels alone could account for the brain injury. However, in vitro studies suggest that ammonia is not particularly toxic to intact neurons. Furthermore, there does not appear to be a direct linkage between the peak blood ammonia level during hyperammonemic coma and subsequent neurodevelopmental outcome. There is, however, a correlation between duration of hyperammonemic coma and outcome, suggesting a secondary, time-influenced mechanism of neural injury. Recent research has focused on excitotoxicity as a possible inducer of neural injury in congenital hyperammonemia. In addition to developmental disabilities, affected children exhibit behavioral abnormalities. An alteration in serotonin metabolism has been proposed as an explanation for these aberrant behaviors during less severe episodes of hyperammonemia. This review focuses on the neurotransmitter abnormalities occuring in congenital hyperammonemia and on new approaches to protecting the brain during hyperammonemic crises. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The work of Leslie Valiant

On Saturday, May 30, one day before the start of the regular STOC 2009 program, a workshop was held in celebration of Leslie Valiant's 60th birthday. Talks were given by Jin-Yi Cai, Stephen Cook, Vitaly Feldman, Mark Jerrum, Michael Kearns, Mike Paterson, Michael Rabin, Rocco Servedio, Paul Valiant, Vijay Vazirani, and Avi Wigderson. The workshop was organized by Michael Kearns, Rocco Servedio, and Salil Vadhan, with support from the STOC local arrangements team and program committee. To accompany the workshop, here we briefly survey Valiant's many fundamental contributions to the theory of computing.
A Kinetic Alignment of Orthologous Inosine-5'-monophosphate Dehydrogenases †

IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH) catalyzes two very different chemical transformations, a dehydrogenase reaction and a hydrolysis reaction. The enzyme toggles between the open conformation required for the dehydrogenase reaction and the closed conformation of the hydrolase reaction by moving a mobile flap into the NAD site. Despite these multiple functional constraints, the residues of the flap and NAD site are highly diverged, and the equilibrium between open and closed conformations (Kc) varies widely. In order to understand how differences in the dynamic properties of the flap influence the catalytic cycle, we have delineated the kinetic mechanism of IMPDH from the pathogenic protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum (CpIMPDH), which was obtained from a bacterial source through horizontal gene transfer, and its host counterpart, human IMPDH type 2 (hIMPDH2). Interestingly, the intrinsic binding energy of NAD+ differentially distributes across the dinucleotide binding sites of these two enzymes as well as in t...
Residential Consumer Switching and Electricity Restructuring Policy: The Pennsylvania Power Market

Without significant price reduction, high consumer switching rates to competitive power suppliers have been criticized as a result of either the artificially high price to compare (PC) acting as the benchmark price that competitive generators must meet, or the critical mass effect from switching consumers. This paper builds a simple model to explore how the restructuring policy determines residential switching behavior. When the PC increases over time, whether it reflects the rising wholesale price adequately or not, a consistent price reduction policy will naturally induce an early-stage high switching rate. In contrast, a required switching rate policy that is associated with both an artificial price cut at the early stage and a longer period of stranded cost recovery can accelerate switching effectively. Two high-cost Pennsylvania utilities, which demonstrate opposite movements of residential switching rate under different restructuring policies, are examined to confirm that the high switching rate just results from the policy design, not from the subsidy in PC discussed in (Joskow, Paul L. “Why Do We Need Electricity Retailers? Or, Can You Get It Cheaper Wholesale?” Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, MIT, Revised discussion draft, 2000b), or the critical mass effect concluded in (Reitzes, James D., Lisa V. Wood, J. A. Quinn, and Kelli L. Sheran. “Designing Standard-Offer Service to Facilitate Electric Retail Restructuring.” The Electricity Journal 15, 9, 2003, pp. 34–51). Switching rates play no role in evaluating the success or failure of a restructuring.
Enzymic and non-enzymic hydrolysis of a polymeric prodrug : hydrocortisone esters of hyaluronic acid

Abstract The enzymic and non-enzymic hydrolysis of partial hydrocortisone esters of hyaluronic acid was investigated. Pseudo-first order hydrolysis was observed between pH 3.5 and 10.0 at 37°C and an ionic strength of 0.5 M. Between pH 5 and 10 hydroxide ion catalysis was observed. The apparent energy of activation at pH 7.4 was found to be 22.8 kcal/mol. Exposing the esters to porcine liver esterase for 500 h at pH 7.4 and 25°C did not increase the hydrolysis rate significantly, suggesting that the compound was not a good substrate for the enzyme. Exposure to bovine testicular hyaluronidase and to sequential hyaluronidase then esterase also produced no significant increase in hydrolysis rate. In human serum albumin and human plasma, the hydrolysis rate did not appear to be first-order, and was only slightly accelerated when compared to hydrolysis in an aqueous buffer solution. The implications of the results for use of these polymers in drug delivery are discussed.
The relationship of gender expression, sexual identity, distress, appearance, and clothing choices for queer women

The purpose of this research was to explore how queer women today negotiate gender expression and sexual identity through clothing and appearance and its relationship to negative stress or distress. Data related to 20 queer identifying women were collected via an initial in-depth interview, daily diary entries for two weeks, and a follow-up interview at the end of each diary week. In the diary, participants were asked to rate how distressed they were when getting dressed and when wearing their outfits in different spaces throughout their day. Data were coded and the authors looked for emergent themes and patterns. The authors found that identifying as queer influenced how the interviewees chose to dress and style themselves, and that performing queerness in their appearance for a number of women caused distress in both straight and queer spaces.
Extraretinal signals in MSTd neurons related to volitional smooth pursuit

Smooth pursuit (SP)-related neurons in the dorsal-medial part of medial superior temporal cortex (MSTd) carry extraretinal signals that may play a role in maintenance of SP once eye velocity matche...
Economic rebel in retrospect

Mark Blaug was a man for all seasons. His scholarship in the history of economics, economic methodology, the economics of education, and the economics of arts and culture brought new insights to th...
Accurate design of square bandpass interference filters

Equiripple bandpass interference filters are designed by the refinement of a few layers of standard QW multicavity designs, and some simple manipulations of the solutions. Ways to control the intermediate refractive indices of the running layers, and/or their non-QW optical thickness, are described. Some limitations of earlier approaches are avoided.
Milankovitch radiation variations: a quantitative evaluation.

Earth surface temperature change quantitative determination due to Milankovitch insolation variations
The efficiency and equity of marketable permits for CO2 emissions

This paper examines the efficiency and equity implications of alternative assignments of marketable permits for carbon dioxide. A non-linear programming model is used to estimate the net welfare changes of permit allocations based on Sovereignty and Rawlsian equity criteria for 8 countries/regions covering the spectrum of economic development levels. The net welfare gains associated with an overall 20% reduction in CO2 emissions are estimated to be nearly $20 billion, an increase of several billion dollars over a system of inflexible emission quotas requiring 20% abatement in each country. Also, although the welfare changes implied by alternative permit assignments may vary greatly between countries before trading, the trading process significantly reduces the disparities. This result stems from the Coase Theorem, which implies a uniquely efficient outcome. That is, individual country abatement levels and hence, costs, are the same under all permit assignments after trading, and net welfare for a given nation differs only by the amount of permit revenues/expenditures associated with the application of alternative equity criteria. Foremost among the paper's policy implications is that although equity criteria may differ significantly in principle, their welfare implications in practice may be very similar for various subsets of these criteria. This should reduce tensions at the bargaining table and facilitate the negotiation of greenhouse gas agreements.
The direct measurement of I131 uptake in the thyroid gland; further observations.

ALTHOUGH the usefulness of radioactive iodine (I131) in the study of thyroid gland function and in the treatment of hyperthyroidism is well established, many problems exist in the absence of a satisfactory method for accurate direct measurement of I131 in the thyroid gland in situ. Many previous studies (1–8) have utilized urinary I131 excretion. Although the urinary I131 content can be accurately measured, the urinary I131 excretion is, at best, an indirect indicator of thyroid gland function. In edematous and in uncooperative patients considerable error may be encountered. In other studies (9–16) direct measurements have been made by external counting over the thyroid gland with a single Geiger-Mueller tube. This method demands highly accurate positioning of the patient. Errors due to variation in gland size and location (geometry, absorption and scatter) are large and methods for their correction are not satisfactory (17, 18) for general clinical use. In addition, with the data gathered by the above me...
Opioid Receptors Undergo Axonal Flow

Previous studies have indicated the presence of opiate receptors on axons of the rat vagus nerve and on other small diameter fibers. In examinations of the effect of ligation on the distribution of receptors in the vagus nerve by in vitro labeling light microscopic autoradiography, a large buildup of receptors was found proximal to the ligature. This result indicates an axonal flow of receptors.
Mr. Gates's Summer Vacation: A Centennial Remembrance

In 1897, Frederick T.Gates, a Baptist minister and adviser to John D. Rockefeller Sr., read the entire second edition of The Principles and Practice of Medicine by William Osler while on a summer v...
Coordination chemistry of verdazyl radicals: group 12 metal (Zn, Cd, Hg) complexes of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2,4-dimethyl-6-(2 pyridiyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazin -3(2H)-one (pvdH3) and 1,5-dimethyl-3-(2 pyridil)-6-oxoverdazyl (pvd).

Ferricyanide oxidation of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2,4-dimethyl-6-(2‘-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazin-3(2H)-one (pvdH3) produces the stable chelating free radical 1,5-dimethyl-3-(2‘-pyridyl)-6-oxoverdazyl (pvd) as an orange solid. Combination of group 12 metal halides with the ligand pvdH3 in acetonitrile results in precipitation of metal complexes. The mercuric chloride complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with unit cell dimensions a = 8.5768(8) A, b = 19.1718(17) A, c = 8.5956(8) A, β = 90.405°, and V = 1413.4(2) A3. The mercuric ion is tricoordinate with a distorted trigonal planar geometry. Cadmium iodide and zinc chloride induce ring opening of the tetrazine resulting in pentacoordinate complexes of a hydrazone ligand. The cadmium iodide complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with cell dimensions a = 7.7184(8) A, b = 8.0240(9) A, c = 13.348(2) A, α = 97.876(4)°, β = 95.594(6)°, γ = 107.304(6)°, and V = 773.40(21) A3. Oxidation of all three metal complexes produces verdazyl radi...
Histone modifications in the yeast S. cerevisiae

The content of the acetylated histone species associated with the highly transcriptionally active chromatin of yeast was examined. We found yeast chromatin to contain very high levels of the acetylated species for histones H3, H4 and possibly the H2B variants, H2B-1 and H2B-2. Sixty-three percent of the histone H4 species was represented by the di-, tri- and tetra-acetylated forms. These results make yeast chromatin among the most highly acetylated of any chromatins reported thus far. In addition, the results are consistent with the idea that hyperacetylation of histones allows chromatin to be transcribed at an increased rate.
Parametric analysis of event-related potentials in semantic comprehension: evidence for parallel brain mechanisms.

In event-related potential (ERP) studies of cognitive processes, the electrophysiological responses are typically contrasted between experimental conditions that are taken to represent discrete categories (e.g. attended vs. unattended stimuli, or real vs. nonsense words). Because categorical variation is less powerful than continuous or parametric variation, a more effective method may be to relate continuous variation in the cognitive process with matching variation in the electrophysiological responses. We assessed continuous variation in the expectancy and meaningfulness of words in different sentence contexts by having subjects rate the words along these two dimensions. ERP averages were then created for each word by averaging the ERP across all subjects' responses to that word. A parametric principal components analysis was then conducted by multiplying the factor topographies from the temporal PCA by the parameter correlation maps for each rating parameter. This analysis showed that both expectancy and meaningfulness begin to influence lexical processing around 200 ms. Source localization of the expectancy N2 (recognition potential) pointed to a source in the left fusiform gyrus region (visual word form area). Source localization of the meaningfulness N2 (meaning recognition potential) suggested a right inferior posterior source, such as in the right cerebellum or right fusiform area. Further research with parametric analysis of dense array ERPs may clarify the multiple neural mechanisms of word recognition.
Evaluation of a type appraisal program in Holsteins

Abstract A total of 11,106 records collected by Midwest Breeders Cooperative from their Mating Appraisal for Profit (MAP) program in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin were used. Ratings were on 13 type traits. All type traits were scored from 1 to 5 with 1 most desirable. Dairy Herd Improvement records were acquired on 752 cows in Iowa and Nebraska. Significant differences in scoring existed among the five evaluators. They differed most in scoring body capacity, feet and legs, and mammary system. Least squares estimates were used to correct the data for evaluator differences. Total variation between herds of the type traits ranged from 5.0 to 10.6%. Heritability estimates by a paternal half-sister analysis of variance were .09 and .11 for the owner-evaluated traits of milking speed and disposition, about .25 for the udder traits, and .50 for basic form. Heritabilities for the other traits were between .25 and .40. Correlations within herds among type traits ranged from zero to .58. Correlations between milk production and type traits were between .06 and −.10, except one of −.14 between milk production and basic form.
Effects of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor α on regional brain neurotransmitters in mice

Alterations in regional brain concentration of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites were investigated in male BALB/c mice injected intraperitoneally with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 mg kg−1) or recombinant murine tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα, 0.1 mg kg−1) at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after the injection. At 2 h post-injection the LPS administration resulted in hypothermia, which was not apparent at later time points. No consistent effects were observed by either LPS or TNFα on peripheral leukocyte counts or plasma transaminase levels. Both LPS and TNFα slightly elevated NE metabolism in the striatum at 2–12 h. Concentrations of DA and its metabolites were significantly elevated only in the hypothalamus following TNFα at 24 h. Tumor necrosis factor α exerted pronounced effects on 5-HT metabolism in most brain regions at 2 h. Results suggest that the effect of LPS is more complex compared with TNFα because of the endogenous production of other cytokines including the TNFα. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Life history of Microstegium vimineum (Poaceae), an invasive grass in southern Illinois.

limited to one small area at the edge of the core population. At Dixon Springs, the germinable seed bank was estimated from soil samples collected in Fall 1999 before flowering, and in the subsequent spring. Seedlings emerged from soils placed in a greenhouse from samples collected in the spring. No seedlings emerged from samples collected in the fall. Germinable seed had a 10 times higher density in samples collected near the soil surface than from samples collected at 5-10 cm depth. Seed dispersal occurred within the main population only. Despite the lack of seed dispersal in 1999, seedlings emerged from six of seven subpopulations in spring 2000, with the highest densities where plants had flowered in 1999. These data indicate the presence of a persistent soil seed bank for M. vimineum. Even following summer drought and discounting spring seedling emergence, the size of the seed bank increased by -25% in 1999. Reestablishment of the Dixon Springs population following the 1999 drought was vigorous, but the location of the largest, most fecund plants in 2000 was not the same as in 1999. In 2000, end of season survivorship of M. vimineum among all populations was 40-50%, with 90% of surviving individuals flowering. Performance of M. vimineum varied significantly within and among populations and was related to soil texture and chemistry, and overhead canopy cover. The findings of our study reflect the invasive nature of this plant. A sufficiently large seed bank and a highly plastic morphological response to local microhabitat conditions likely ensures its persistence in invaded sites.
Cryosurgery of liver cancer

Cryosurgery, the in situ destruction of tissue using subzero temperatures, has been used to treat hepatic metastases. Because it is a focal treatment, cryosurgery can be used in patients with unresectable lesions due to location (next to major blood vessels) or multiplicity. In this study, 57 patients with unresectable hepatic metastases were treated with cryosurgery (with at least a 6-month follow-up). The number of lesions treated ranged from 1-16 with a mean of 4.6. Forty-three patients (73%) had bilobar disease, while 25 patients (42%) were treated with a combination of resection and cryosurgery. The disease-free survival rate (patients with normal computed tomography [CT] scans and carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] levels) was 27% with a mean follow-up of 21 months. This is comparable to other hepatic cryosurgery studies that have found survival rates of 25-37.5%. Although the results are still short-term, this study indicates that hepatic cryosurgery offers the hope of long-term survival in patients with unresectable hepatic metastases.