cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the chemistry and diversity of endophytes isolated from wild-harvested and greenhouse-cultivated yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

With this study, we explored the identity and chemistry of fungal endophytes from the roots of yerba mansa [Anemopsis californica (Nutt.) Hook. & Arn. (Saururaceae)], a botanical traditionally used to treat infection. We compared the diversity of fungal endophytes isolated from a wild-harvested A. californica population, and those from plants cultivated for one year in a greenhouse environment. The wild-harvested population yielded thirteen fungal strains (eleven unique genotypes). Of the extracts prepared from these fungi, four inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus by >25% at 20 µg/mL, and three inhibited growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by =20% at 200 µg/mL. By comparison, A. californica roots after one year of cultivation in the greenhouse produced only two unique genotypes, neither of which displayed significant antimicrobial activity. The fungus Chaetomium cupreum isolated from wild-harvested A. californica yielded a new antimicrobial spirolactone, chaetocuprum (1). An additional 14 known compounds were identified using LC–MS dereplication of the various fungal endophytes. This study provides new insights into the identity and chemistry of A. californica fungal endophytes, and demonstrates the importance of considering growing conditions when pursuing natural product drug discovery from endophytic fungi.
Branched Endograft for Aortoiliac Artery Aneurysms

Iliac aneurysms can occur concomitantly in 15 to 20% of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The common iliac arteries serve as the distal landing zones for the iliac limbs of abdominal aortic stent grafts, and for most currently available devices, the maximum treatable iliac size is 20 mm. When the iliac artery diameter exceeds this, alternative landing zones or adjunctive techniques are required to achieve an adequate distal seal and fixation, which typically involves occlusion of the hypogastric artery origin and extension to the external iliac artery. The clinical sequelae of acute hypogastric occlusion mostly involve symptoms of hip and buttock ischemia (claudication), which can occur in up to 40% of cases. In this article, a novel method of endovascular management of common iliac artery aneurysms in the setting of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair is described using an investigational (United States only) iliac branch device that preserves antegrade perfusion to the hypogastric artery to decrease the potential risks of pelvic ischemia.
Substance abuse treatment outcomes in women with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Grant, T., Novick Brown, N., Graham, J., & Ernst, C. (2014). Substance abuse treatment outcomes in women with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(1), 43-49 . doi:10.7895/ijadr.v3i1.112 Aims: There is little literature describing substance use treatment participation or completion rates for adults with neurocognitive impairments, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). This paper examines inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment outcomes among women with diagnosed or suspected FASD compared to women without prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Design: Three-group observational study. Setting: A three-year case management intervention program in Washington State for high-risk women who abuse alcohol and/or drugs during pregnancy. Participants: Group 1: No PAE ( N = 463); Group 2: Diagnosed with FASD (FAS, ARND, fetal alcohol effects, or static encephalopathy) by a qualified physician ( N = 25; 14 included in hypothesis testing); Group 3: Suspected FASD (all reported PAE and displayed behaviors consistent with a clinical diagnosis of FASD) ( N = 61). Measures: Addiction Severity Index and biannual assessment of substance abuse treatment received and alcohol and drug use. Findings: Women with diagnosed/suspected FASD were less likely than those without PAE to attend and complete inpatient and outpatient treatment. Women with diagnosed/suspected FASD who completed treatment were twice as likely to do so within a structured residential setting compared to a less structured outpatient setting. Conclusions: Program structure in substance abuse treatment is important for people with FASD because of brain-based impairments. Outpatient treatment participation requires intact executive function skills (e.g., planning, organizing, sequencing), while structured inpatient treatment is not as challenging because it requires less independent decision-making. We suggest routine intake screening, referral protocols for follow-up diagnostic assessment, maximizing program structure to the extent possible, and modified therapeutic approaches to accommodate disabilities.
Cloning and characterization of a new intestinal inflammation-associated colonic epithelial Ste20-related protein kinase isoform.

Intestinal epithelial cells respond to inflammatory extracellular stimuli by activating mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, which mediates numerous pathophysiological effects, including intestinal inflammation. Here, we show that a novel isoform of SPS1-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK/STE20) is involved in this inflammatory signaling cascade. We cloned and characterized a SPAK isoform from inflamed colon tissue, and found that this SPAK isoform lacked the characteristic PAPA box and alphaF loop found in SPAK. Based on genomic sequence analysis the lack of PAPA box and alphaF loop in colonic SPAK isoform was the result of specific splicing that affect exon 1 and exon 7 of the SPAK gene. The SPAK isoform was found in inflamed and non-inflamed colon tissues as well as Caco2-BBE cells, but not in other tissues, such as liver, spleen, brain, prostate and kidney. In vitro analyses demonstrated that the SPAK isoform possessed serine/threonine kinase activity, which could be abolished by a substitution of isoleucine for the lysine at position 34 in the ATP-binding site of the catalytic domain. Treatment of Caco2-BBE cells with the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interferon γ, induced expression of the SPAK isoform. Over-expression of the SPAK isoform in Caco2-BBE cells led to nuclear translocation of an N-terminal fragment of the SPAK isoform, as well as activation of p38 MAP kinase signaling cascades and increased intestinal barrier permeability. These findings collectively suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling may induce expression of this novel SPAK isoform in intestinal epithelia, triggering the signaling cascades that govern intestinal inflammation.
Non-Reactive Measurement of Orientation toward the Natural Environment

(1978). Non-Reactive Measurement of Orientation toward the Natural Environment. The Journal of Environmental Education: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 41-43.
Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Plus Eptifibatide Versus Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Alone in Acute Ischemic Stroke Propensity Score-Matched Post Hoc Analysis

Background and Purpose—The Combined Approach to Lysis Utilizing Eptifibatide and rt-PA in Acute Ischemic Stroke-Enhanced Regimen (CLEAR-ER) trial demonstrated safety of recombinant tissue-type plas...
Brief The periodic optimality of LQ controllers satisfying strong stabilization

An LQ strong stabilization problem is proposed. To determine when a controller with periodic gains is locally superior to a linear time invariant compensator for this problem, a @P test is presented. For systems with strictly proper transfer functions, it is proven that the frequency range where stable periodic controllers based on weak variations about the LTI case can give better performance than stable LTI compensators is finite. In the development, a means to evaluate the second partials of functions with respect to matrix-valued parameters is introduced. For those systems where periodic control is warranted, techniques for designing optimal periodic strongly stabilizing controllers are presented. Two examples detailing the application of the @P test are provided, as well as an optimal periodic controller design example.
Electrodiagnosis of Myotonic Disorders

Clinical and electrical myotonia is caused by a small group of neuromuscular disorders. This article reviews myotonia and its differential diagnosis. The use of electrodiagnostic testing to evaluate the primary myotonic disorders (myotonic dystrophy and the nondystrophic myotonias) is also discussed.
Blood Flow in the Right Coronary Artery of the Dog

Phasic and mean blood flow in the right coronary artery of either the anesthetized open-chest or the conscious dog is qualitatively similar to that in the left coronary artery. Systolic flow accounts for an appreciable proportion of total flow. Both diastolic and systolic flow are increased following short periods of right coronary artery occlusion. Local injections of adrenaline and noradrenaline resulted in an increase in mean flow despite a reduction or reversal of flow in the isovolumetric phase of systole.
THE ACTION OF ENZYMES ON RHODOPSIN

The effects have been examined of chymotrypsin, pepsin, trypsin, and pancreatic lipase on cattle rhodopsin in digitonin solution. The digestion of rhodopsin by chymotrypsin was measured by the hydrolysis of peptide bonds (formol titration), changes in pH, and bleaching. The digestion proceeds in two stages: an initial rapid hydrolysis which exposes about 30 amino groups per molecule, without bleaching; superimposed on a slower hydrolysis which exposes about 50 additional amino groups, with proportionate bleaching. The chymotryptic action begins at pH about 6.0 and increases logarithmically in rate to pH 9.2. Trypsin and pepsin also bleach rhodopsin in solution. A preparation of pancreatic lipase bleached it slightly, but no more than could be explained by contamination with proteases. In digitonin solution each rhodopsin molecule is associated in a micelle with about 200 molecules of digitonin; yet the latter do not appear to hinder enzyme action. It is suggested that the digitonin sheath is sufficiently fluid to be penetrated on collision with an enzyme molecule; and that once together the enzyme and substrate are held together by intermolecular attractive forces, and by the "cage effect" of bombardment by surrounding solvent molecules. The two stages of chymotryptic digestion of rhodopsin may correspond to an initial rapid fragmentation, such as has been observed with many proteinases and substrates; superimposed upon a slower digestion of the fragments. Since the first phase involves no bleaching, this may mean that rhodopsin can be broken into considerably smaller fragments without loss of optical properties.
Staircase-like and bistable frequency response of self-pulsating laser diodes with optoelectronic feedback

The dynamics of self-pulsating laser diodes with optoelectronic feedback have been experimentally studied. The frequency of the intensity oscillations exhibit staircase-like dependence on the bias current at low feedback levels and bistable dependence at high feedback levels.
Differential effects of systemic versus intracranial injection of opiates on central, orofacial and lower body nociception: somatotypy in bulbar analgesia systems

1 microgram morphine sulfate or 30 microgram [D-Ala2]-met-enkephalin microcannulated into the bulbar nuclei reticularis gigantocellularis and paragigantocellularis produced profound analgesia for orofacial thermal nociception, while having a smaller analgesic effect on tail-flick latency, and no effect on aversive stimulation thresholds in midbrain and in the spinal trigeminal nucleus (subnucleus caudalis). Systemic morphine (10 mg/kg) producing equivalently profound orofacial analgesia, profoundly affected tail-flick latency and trigeminal nuclear stimulation thresholds, while still failing to affect aversive midbrain stimulation threshold.
Structural and magnetic properties of random mixture graphite intercalation compounds

The structural and magnetic properties of the stage 2 CocNi1−cCl2- and COcFe1−cCl2-graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) for 0 ≤ c ≤ 1 have been studied by x-ray scattering and dc magnetic susceptibility. The stage 2 CocNi1−cCl2-GICs approximate two-dimensional randomly-mixed ferromagnets with XY spin symmetry. The average effective magnetic moment Peff, the Curie-Weiss temperature θ, and the paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic phase transition temperature Tc have been determined as continuously varying functions of Co concentration c. They indicate that the Co2+ and Ni2+ spins are randomly distributed on the triangular lattice sites of each intercalate layer. They also show that the intraplanar exchange interaction J(Co–Ni) between the Co2+ and Ni2+ spins is enhanced and is larger than the interaction J(Co–Co) between two Co2+ spins and J(Ni–Ni) between two Ni2+ spins. This enhanced interaction, J(Co–Ni), can be expressed as J(Co–Ni) = 1.28 [J(Co–Co) · J(Ni–Ni)]1/2. The stage 2 CocFc1−cCl2-GICs approximate two-dimensional randomly mixed ferromagnets with competing spin anisotropy. The dc magnetic susceptibility results suggest that Co2+, Fe3+ rather than Fe2+ are distributed in the intercalate layer. The repeat distance along the c-axis (d-spacing) versus Co concentration deviates from Vegard’s law which states that the d-spacing is proportional to Co concentration. The broad peak of d-spacing observed at c = 0.75 is discussed in terms of the double layer model developed by Jin and Mahanti.
A High Speed Self-Routing WDM-ATM Network for Wireless Personal Communication Services

Recently, wireless personal communication systems has been investigated for various mobile and cordless systems1. The capacity demand on such sustems is increasing, leading wireless network design to smaller cell size. Moreover, for the coming global communication, vast wireless personal communication local area networks require integration. Therefore, fast switching and routing network is necessary for the next generation personal communication services (PCS) which may include multimedia. For the develping broadband-integrated services digital network(B-ISDN) scheme, asynchronous transfer mode(ATM) has been adopted by CCITT to realize the future fast switching networks2. On the other way, many wavelength division multiplexing(WDM) methods for ATM network have been proposed to interconnect a large number of nodes3,4.
Influence of Neonatal Hypothyroidism and of Thyroxine on the Acetylcholinesterase and Cholinesterase Activities in the Developing Central Nervous System of the Rat

The activities of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cholinesterase (ChE) were determined in the brain of weanling female rats following a hypothyroid condition induced by radiodestruction of the thyroid gland at 1 day of age and after thyroid hormone therapy initiated from the 6th day of age. Enzyme activities were expressed as mean rates in μmoles substrate hydrolyzed per unit wet tissue and per unit deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) concentration. Neonatal hypothyroidism resulted in a significant reduction in AChE and ChE in the cerebral cortex and AChE in the hypothalamus compared with controls. The administration of physiological levels of thyroxine (10 μg/100 g body weight) restored brain growth and enzyme activity to normal. The present results show that thyroid hormone deficiency alters enzyme activity in the developing brain of the rat. These alterations may be related to the structural and neurophysiological changes which occur under the same experimental conditions. (Endocrinology 80: 1069, ...
Linkage Between Pre-and Post-Conflict: Exploiting Information Integration a System Dynamics

In its Preface, The 9/11 commission report states: "We learned that the institutions charted with protecting...national security did not understand how grave this threat can be, and did not adjust their policies, plans, and practices to deter or defeat it" (2004: xvi). Given current realities and uncertainties "better preparedness" can be achieved by identifying, controlling and managing the elusive linkages & situational factors that fuel hostilities. This paper focuses on new opportunities and capabilities provided by anticipatory technologies that help understand, measure and model the complex dynamics shaping and precipitating conflict in specific settings worldwide. We introduce a research initiative focusing on linking pre- and post-conflict by drawing upon the power of system dynamics, augmented by new technologies for integrated information analysis, in conjunction with the development of conceptual and computational ontologies capturing the diversity, intensity, and dynamics of the conflict domain
Toward a Framework for Global Communication: Durkheim, Phenomenology, Postmodernism, and the “Construction” of Place and Space

ion is not by definition diminishing; it is rather enriching; this is one of the main lessons of semiotics. Information technologies are defined by their abilities to perform different types of abstraction. Rather than looking upon them as fundamentally distortive and disruptive, which seems to be infected with a kind of longing for immediacy, we should resolutely hold fast to the ineluctable universality of mediation, fateful as it is (Op. Cit.: 5–6). “ . . . To be sure, inasmuch as all technologies, and technological artifacts, are perceived, they have an expressive or physiognomic dimension or qualitative ‘feel’; the expressive function is the one experientially and affectively linking sign and object . . .” (Op. Cit.: 6). Information Technologies Produce New Forms of Intelligibility and Partially Form the Information User Information technology also . . . inscribes, a pattern of intelligibility upon the world, giving rise to “stamped forms” of every sort: from chipped stone to the “automatic” processes of modern computing systems (p. 2). This is what Levinson calls “process extending” informational technologies. . . . This is one of the main lessons of semiotics. Information technologies are defined by their abilities to perform different types of abstraction. . . . Modern “digital” technologies, which may be used primarily for ‘aesthetic’ purposes, are themselves made possible by notation systems that belong to the stratum of 340 Frontiers of Globalization Research
A Tree for All Seasons

The performance of in-memory databases is significantly affected by the number of data blocks fetched from memory into the processor-resident cache. In recent years, various tree-based indexes have been proposed for main memory databases. A common assumption in the analysis of these indexes is that there is no data in the cache that can be reused between key lookups, i.e. the system has a cold cache for each lookup. In practice, though, the ?temperature? of the cache is strongly dependent on the application. For example, a warm cache is typical for OLTP applications that query the same index over and over with little computation in between lookups. In this paper, we present a comparative study of the cache behavior of various B+-tree-based indexes which shows that none of them performs best in all cases. Also, we propose a lightweight technique for improving the cache behavior of any B+-tree based index that performs best in all settings.
PhillyCarShare : First-year social and mobility impacts of carsharing in philadelphia, pennsylvania

One year into a carsharing program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, compelling evidence of reduced vehicle ownership, reduced vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and social change was uncovered through member surveys and detailed usage data. Each PhillyCarShare vehicle replaced an average of 23 private vehicles. Members giving up cars overwhelmingly reported driving less and replacing automobile trips with a variety of modes (transit, walking, taxi, and to a lesser extent biking). However, members who simply gained access to cars used PhillyCar-Share primarily to substitute for modes that most resemble driving (taxis, borrowing or renting, and to a lesser extent transit). The average monthly VMT increase of members gaining access to a car was limited to 29.9 mi, whereas the monthly VMT decrease of members who gave up a car appeared to be several hundred miles but not greater than 522 mi. After joining, PhillyCarShare members made travel decisions more judiciously, expressed greater awareness of transportation cos...
Cutting edge: Altered pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation in mice deficient for clara cell secretory 10-kDa protein

Clara cell secretory protein (CC10) is a steroid-inducible protein, and its in vivo function is currently unclear. The role of CC10 in modulation of pulmonary allergic inflammation was examined in mice deficient for the CC10 gene. Wild-type and homozygous CC10-deficient mice were sensitized with an Ag, OVA, and challenged with either OVA or saline. When compared with that seen in wild-type mice, a significantly higher level of pulmonary eosinophilia was found in Ag-sensitized and challenged CC10-deficient mice. Significantly increased levels of Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13 were also found in CC10-deficient mice. In addition, an increased level of eotaxin, but not RANTES, was also seen in CC10-deficient mice. No significant difference was observed in the level of a Th1 cytokine, IFN-γ, between different groups of mice. These results provided the first in vivo evidence that CC10 plays a role in the modulation of pulmonary allergic inflammation.
Sarah Bernhardt and the Refining of American Vaudeville

None of Sarah Barnhardt's many biographers has treated her American vaudeville tours as anything more than a footnote to a career remarkable in so many other ways. Examined more closely, Bernhardt's encounter with vaudeville suggests a not always tranquil marriage between high art and popular culture, and it serves as an index to the evolution of a distinctively American form.
Beliefs and engagement structures: Behind the affective dimension of mathematical learning

Beliefs influencing students’ mathematical learning and problem solving are structured and intertwined with larger affective and cognitive structures. This theoretical article explores a psychological concept we term an engagement structure, with which beliefs are intertwined. Engagement structures are idealized, hypothetical constructs, analogous in many ways to cognitive structures. They describe complex “in the moment” affective and social interactions as students work on conceptually challenging mathematics. We present engagement structures in a self-contained way, paying special attention to their theoretical justification and relation to other constructs. We suggest how beliefs are characteristically woven into their fabric and influence their activation. The research is based on continuing studies of middle school students in inner-city classrooms in the USA.
Calmodulin and Excitation-Contraction Coupling

Excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac and skeletal muscle involves the transverse-tubule voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel. Both of these ion c...
DOI-Induced Activation of the Cortex: Dependence on 5-HT2A Heteroceptors on Thalamocortical Glutamatergic Neurons

Administration of the hallucinogenic 5-HT2A/2C agonist 1-[2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl]-2-aminopropane (DOI) induces expression of Fos protein in the cerebral cortex. To understand the mechanisms subserving this action of DOI, we examined the consequences of pharmacological and surgical manipulations on DOI-elicited Fos expression in the somatosensory cortex of the rat. DOI dose-dependently increased cortical Fos expression. Pretreatment with the selective 5-HT2A antagonist MDL 100,907 completely blocked DOI-elicited Fos expression, but pretreatment with the 5-HT2C antagonist SB 206,553 did not modify DOI-elicited Fos expression. These data suggest that DOI acts through 5-HT2A receptors to increase cortical Fos expression. However, we found that DOI did not induce Fos in cortical 5-HT2A immunoreactive neurons but did increase expression in a band of neurons spanning superficial layer V to deep III, within the apical dendritic fields of layer V 5-HT2A-immunoreactive cells. This band of Fos immunoreactive neurons was in register with anterogradely labeled axons from the ventrobasal thalamus, which have previously been shown to be glutamatergic and express the 5-HT2A transcript. The effects of DOI were markedly reduced in animals pretreated with the AMPA/KA antagonist GYKI 52466, and lesions of the ventrobasal thalamus attenuated DOI-elicited Fos expression in the cortex. These data suggest that DOI activates 5-HT2A receptors on thalamocortical neurons and thereby increases glutamate release, which in turn drives Fos expression in cortical neurons through an AMPA receptor-dependent mechanism. These data cast new light on the mechanisms of action of hallucinogens.
Radionuclide bone imaging: an illustrative review

Bone scintigraphy with technetium-99m-labeled diphosphonates is one of the most frequently performed of all radionuclide procedures. Radionuclide bone imaging is not specific, but its excellent sensitivity makes it useful in screening for many pathologic conditions. Moreover, some conditions that are not clearly depicted on anatomic images can be diagnosed with bone scintigraphy. Bone metastases usually appear as multiple foci of increased activity, although they occasionally manifest as areas of decreased uptake. Traumatic processes can often be detected, even when radiographic findings are negative. Most fractures are scintigraphically detectable within 24 hours, although in elderly patients with osteopenia, further imaging at a later time is sometimes indicated. Athletic individuals are prone to musculoskeletal trauma, and radionuclide bone imaging is useful for identifying pathologic conditions such as plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, "shin splints," and spondylolysis, for which radiographs may be nondiagnostic. A combination of focal hyperperfusion, focal hyperemia, and focally increased bone uptake is virtually diagnostic for osteomyelitis in patients with nonviolated bone. Bone scintigraphy is also useful for evaluating disease extent in Paget disease and for localizing avascular necrosis in patients with negative radiographs. Radionuclide bone imaging will likely remain a popular and important imaging modality for years to come.
Gravitropism and lateral root emergence are dependent on the trans-Golgi network protein TNO1

The trans-Golgi network (TGN) is a dynamic organelle that functions as a relay station for receiving endocytosed cargo, directing secretory cargo, and trafficking to the vacuole. TGN-localized SYP41-interacting protein (TNO1) is a large, TGN-localized, coiled-coil protein that associates with the membrane fusion protein SYP41, a target SNARE, and is required for efficient protein trafficking to the vacuole. Here, we show that a tno1 mutant has auxin transport-related defects. Mutant roots have delayed lateral root emergence, decreased gravitropic bending of plant organs and increased sensitivity to the auxin analog 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and the natural auxin 3-indoleacetic acid. Auxin asymmetry at the tips of elongating stage II lateral roots was reduced in the tno1 mutant, suggesting a role for TNO1 in cellular auxin transport during lateral root emergence. During gravistimulation, tno1 roots exhibited delayed auxin transport from the columella to the basal epidermal cells. Endocytosis to the TGN was unaffected in the mutant, indicating that bulk endocytic defects are not responsible for the observed phenotypes. Together these studies demonstrate a role for TNO1 in mediating auxin responses during root development and gravistimulation, potentially through trafficking of auxin transport proteins.
Sleep Mode Analysis and Optimization With Minimal-Sized Power Gating Switch for Ultra-Low ${V}_{\rm dd}$ Operation

This paper investigates the optimization of sleep mode energy consumption for ultra-low Vdd CMOS circuits, which is motivated by our findings that minimization of sleep mode energy holds great potential for reducing total energy consumption. We propose a unique approach of using a power gating switch (PGS) in ultra-low Vdd regimes. Unlike the conventional manner of using PGSs, our optimization suggests using minimal-sized PGSs with a slightly higher Vdd to compensate for voltage drop across the PGS. In SPICE simulations, this reduces total energy consumption by ~125× compared to conventional approaches. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization is also confirmed by measurements taken from an ultra-low power microprocessor. Additionally, the feasibility of using minimal PGSs in ultra-low Vdd regimes is investigated using SPICE simulations and silicon measurements.
Can we increase our confidence about the locations of biodiversity ‘hotspots' by using multiple diversity indices?

Some have suggested that targeting conservation efforts on biodiversity hotspots—areas of exceptionally high diversity—is the most efficient way to use limited resources to protect the most or rarest species. Moreover, the preservation of biodiversity is a focus for resource management and conservation because of the links between biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, there are many ways to define biodiversity and a plethora of diversity indices. Do these indices agree on where biodiversity hotspots are, and by extension, where conservation should take place? Here we use a habitat modeling approach to map spatial and temporal patterns in five community metrics of the demersal fish community in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem: species density, species evenness, taxonomic distinctness, functional divergence and total biomass. Depth, bottom temperature, sediment grain size, and distance to hard substratum were included as covariates in the model. All indices showed strong spatial patterns and relationships with depth. Spatial patterns for functional divergence and total biomass varied among years, but other indices did not show temporal variation. We identified hotspots as cells where at least one index was in the top 5% or 10% of its range. There was minimal spatial overlap among 10% hotspots for the five indices. Over 40% of the study area was classified as a biodiversity hotspot by at least one metric. However, no area was identified as a hotspot by all five metrics, and only slightly more than one percent of the coast was identified as within a hotspot for three or more metrics. Since different indices represent various aspects of diversity, our results caution against the uninformed use of these indices in the identification of biodiversity hotspots. Instead, we must define our objectives and then choose the relevant metrics for the problem.
Recent Trends in Wage Earnings of Agricultural Labourers State Level Analysis for Different Social Groups

The study based on the data emanating from Rural Labour Enquiry Reports, shows that daily real wage earnings of male and female agricultural labour belonging to differed social groups (all groups taken together, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe) registered an increase of varying degrees in agricultural and non-agricultural occupations both in pre-reform (1983 to 1993-94) and post-reform (1993-94 to 1999-00) periods. More important, however, the per cent per annum increase in the real wags earnings of all categories of labour decelerated during the post-reform period compared to pre-reform period in a majority of the states.
Critical Period for Controlling the Sugarcane Borer in Sugarcane in Louisiana

Endrin granules were applied to sugarcane in small field plots to control natural infestations of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Different numbers and combinations of insecticide applications were made at various times under different conditions of infestation and plant development. The sugarcane crop, under Louisiana conditions, normally is not susceptible to important losses from borer infestation until visible internodes have begun to form. This condition usually coincides with the beginning of the second borer generation during the latter half of June or early July. After this time crop susceptibility to borer losses gradually decreases until insecticide application normally cannot be justified after August.
Incompetent relationship between coxsackievirus A6 ribonucleic acid and mouse cells.

SummaryThe paradoxical insusceptibility of mouse cells in vitro to mouse-lethal coxsackievirus A6 was investigated further by infection of mouse fetal cells and newborn mice with RNA extracted from coxsackievirus A6 and mengovirus. Mengovirus RNA induced viral replication in vitro and lethality in vivo, while coxsackie A6 RNA failed to do either. Intact coxsackievirus A6 was also incapable of multiplication in non-trypsinized suspensions of mouse fetal tissue. These studies suggest that loss of viral receptor sites on mouse fetal cells, subsequent to dispersion by trypsin and cultivation, does not explain the insusceptibility of mouse cells in vitro to coxsackievirus A6. The insusceptibility of mouse cells in vitro may represent either disruption of the virus-synthesizing potential of cultivated cells, rather specific in nature, or the biologic integrity of the viral genome.The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Leroy C. McLaren for advice concerning the initial scope of this wor...
OBSERVATIONS ON THE EARLY CAMBRIAN HELICOPLACOID ECHINODERMS

The Early Cambrian helicoplacoid echinoderms occur in the Cordilleran Geosyncline of western North America in strata correlated with the Atdabanian Stage of Siberia. Several higher taxa are recognized on the basis of inferred differences in the water vascular system, test organization, and external morphology. These are subclass Polyplacida Durham, with genus Polyplacus Durham; subclass Helicoplacida Durham and Caster, with n. family Helicoplacidae, type genus Helicoplacus Durham and Caster (with tubefeet emerging between two contemporaneous ambulacral plates); n. family Westgardellidae, with type n. genus Westgardella, type species H. curtisi (Durham and Caster) (with tubefeet emerging between two sequential ambulacral plates). The genus Waucobella Durham is also referred to Westgardellidae. Helicoplacus gilberti Durham and Caster, H. everndeni Durham, H. casteri n. sp., H. guthi n. sp., H. sp. a, and H. sp. b are assigned to Helicoplacidae. The genus Westgardella includes H. firbyi Durham, 1967, and W. blancoensis n. sp., in addition to the type species. No evidence of flooring plates separating the radial water vessel from the interior of the test is recognized. The mouth is at the top of the test in the interpretation adopted herein and not lateral as inferred by others; therefore, the ambulacral system is not triradiate. Illustration identified as Helicoplacus curtisi by Paul and Smith includes misidentified plates and should not be referred to this species.
Red cell electrophoretic mobility test for early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

We have confirmed the red cell electrophoretic mobility-unsaturated fatty acid test for multiple sclerosis, which involves measuring the change in electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes in Medium 199 upon the addition of linoleic acid. Using defibrinated blood samples, the average decrease in the mobility of red cells upon the addition of linoleic acid of 57 multiple sclerosis patients was 6.7 +/- 2.1% and that of 23 normal control subjects was .09 +/- 1.2% (p less than 0.001). In addition, blood anticoagulated with trisodium citrate was found to give similar test results, and such preparations were found to be simpler and quicker to use.
RN927C, a Site-Specific Trop-2 Antibody–Drug Conjugate (ADC) with Enhanced Stability, Is Highly Efficacious in Preclinical Solid Tumor Models

Trop-2, also known as TACSTD2, EGP-1, GA733-1 and M1S1, is frequently expressed on a variety of human carcinomas and its expression is often associated with poor prognosis of the diseases. However, it is also present on the epithelium of several normal tissues. A comprehensively designed Trop-2-targeting ADC, balancing both efficacy and toxicity, is therefore necessary to achieve clinical utility. To this end, we developed a cleavable Trop-2-ADC (RN927C) using a site-specific transglutaminase-mediated conjugation method and a proprietary MTI (microtubule inhibitor) linker-payload, PF-06380101. Robust in vitro cytotoxicity of RN927C was observed on a panel of Trop-2 expressing tumor cell lines, with IC50 generally in the subnanomolar range. As expected for an MTI-containing ADC, RN927C readily induced mitotic arrest of treated cells in vitro and in vivo, followed by subsequent cell death. The in vivo efficacy of RN927C was tested in multiple cell line and patient-derived xenograft tumor models including pancreatic, lung, ovarian and triple negative breast tumor types. Single dose administration of RN927C at 0.75 - 3 mg/kg was generally sufficient to induce sustained regression of Trop-2 expressing tumors and showed superior efficacy over standard treatment with paclitaxel or gemcitabine. Administration of RN927C in non-human primate toxicity studies resulted in target mediated effects in skin and oral mucosa, consistent with Trop-2 expression in these epithelial tissues with minimal, non-dose limiting off-target toxicities. Based on the combined efficacy and safety results, RN927C is postulated to have a favorable therapeutic index for treatment of solid tumors.
Anorexia of aging and its role for frailty

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to examine the concept of anorexia of aging, including its complex pathophysiology and the multifaceted interventions required to prevent adverse health consequences from this geriatric syndrome.Recent findingsAnorexia of aging is extremely common, occu
Cortical-amygdala volumetric ratios predict onset of symptoms of psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Dysfunction of cortical circuitry involving prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus and mesial temporal lobe has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychotic symptoms. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurogenetic disorder that comports a 25-fold increased risk of developing psychosis. Morphological changes in the neuroanatomy of this syndrome may represent a biological risk factor for the development of psychosis. The present study explored ratios between cortical volumes and the amygdala. We also explored relationships between these ratios and the eventual development of psychosis in youth with 22q11DS. A group of 73 individuals with 22q11DS, 32 community controls, and 27 unaffected siblings were followed every three years, at four timepoints. We analyzed baseline ratios between 34 bilateral FreeSurfer-generated cortical volumes and amygdala, and examined whether baseline cortical ratios predicted positive symptoms of psychosis 12 years later, at the 4th timepoint. Youth with 22q11DS demonstrated significantly smaller cortical volume-to-amygdala ratios in left anterior cingulate, occipital and parietal cortices. An increased risk of developing psychotic episodes in individuals with 22q11DS was associated with a lower cortical volume- to-amygdala ratio, suggesting that cortico-limbic circuitry may play an important role in emotional modulation and may underlie the pathophysiology of positive symptoms of psychosis.
Review of Maurizio Isabella and Konstantina Zanou, eds, Mediterranean Diasporas: Politics and Ideas in the Long 19th Century

Maurizio Isabella and Konstantina Zanou, eds. Mediterranean Diasporas: Politics and Ideas in the Long 19th Century . London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016. xiii + 217 pages
Normal Bone Marrow

The remarkably constant preservation of numerical levels of blood cells in normal individuals is the result of a balance between cell formation and destruction. The production of blood cells, hematopoiesis, is the main function of the human bone marrow (BM), which originates during intrauterine life at a crownrump length of 95 mm (Chen and Weiss 1975).
Feminist activists protest tax on sanitary pads: attempts to normalize conversations about menstruation in India using hashtag activism

In April this year, SheSays, a women’s rights non-profit organization in India, introduced the hashtag #LahukaLagaan on Twitter to protest the government’s decision to impose the Goods and Services...
The conception of the ABCD study: From substance use to a broad NIH collaboration

Adolescence is a time of dramatic changes in brain structure and function, and the adolescent brain is highly susceptible to being altered by experiences like substance use. However, there is much we have yet to learn about how these experiences influence brain development, how they promote or interfere with later health outcomes, or even what healthy brain development looks like. A large longitudinal study beginning in early adolescence could help us understand the normal variability in adolescent brain and cognitive development and tease apart the many factors that influence it. Recent advances in neuroimaging, informatics, and genetics technologies have made it feasible to conduct a study of sufficient size and scope to answer many outstanding questions. At the same time, several Institutes across the NIH recognized the value of collaborating in such a project because of its ability to address the role of biological, environmental, and behavioral factors like gender, pubertal hormones, sports participation, and social/economic disparities on brain development as well as their association with the emergence and progression of substance use and mental illness including suicide risk. Thus, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study was created to answer the most pressing public health questions of our day.
The Extraction of Single-Void Characteristics from Ultrasonic Backscatter from Void Clusters

Using ultrasonic backscatter from a specimen containing a cluster of cavities, the size of a single cavity in the cluster has been extracted. A time-domain response obtained by the extraction procedure compares favorably with the analytically calculated response for a single cavity. The procedure removes distortions of the measured response caused by the measuring system, by the specimen, and by other cavities in the cluster. This method should be useful for obtaining similar results from different types of flaw clusters in various types of materials.
Sepsis Screening: Current Evidence and Available Tools.

Abstract Background: Early recognition of sepsis is challenging, especially in the surgical patient. Because of the non-specific nature of the initial signs and symptoms, delays in recognition are ...
Who supported separatism in Donbas? Ethnicity and popular opinion at the start of the Ukraine crisis

AbstractDonetsk and Luhansk are often labeled pro-Russian regions as a result of the founding of Peoples’ Republics there in spring 2014. This article investigates popular opinion in Donbas before armed conflict began, to determine whether the high concentration of ethnic Russians there drove support for separatism. Analysis of a KIIS opinion poll shows that, on the one hand, ethnic Russian respondents were divided on most separatist issues, with a minority backing separatist positions. On the other hand, they supported separatist issues in larger numbers than both ethnic Ukrainians and respondents with hybrid identities. Thus, while ethnic identity does not produce polarized preferences, it is relevant in shaping political attitudes. Also, analysis of an original database of statements made by Donbas residents indicate that they were motivated to support separatism by local concerns exacerbated by a sense of abandonment by Kyiv rather than by Russian language and pro-Russian foreign policy issues.
Crayfish Self-Administer Amphetamine in a Spatially Contingent Task

Natural reward is an essential element of any organism's ability to adapt to environmental variation. Its underlying circuits and mechanisms guide the learning process as they help associate an event, or cue, with the perception of an outcome's value. More generally, natural reward serves as the fundamental generator of all motivated behavior. Addictive plant alkaloids are able to activate this circuitry in taxa ranging from planaria to humans. With modularly organized nervous systems and confirmed vulnerabilities to human drugs of abuse, crayfish have recently emerged as a compelling model for the study of the addiction cycle, including psychostimulant effects, sensitization, withdrawal, reinstatement, and drug reward in conditioned place preference paradigms. Here we extend this work with the demonstration of a spatially contingent, operant drug self-administration paradigm for amphetamine. When the animal enters a quadrant of the arena with a particular textured substrate, a computer-based control system delivers amphetamine through an indwelling fine-bore cannula. Resulting reward strength, dose-response, and the time course of operant conditioning were assessed. Individuals experiencing the drug contingent on their behavior, displayed enhanced rates of operant responses compared to that of their yoked (non-contingent) counterparts. Application of amphetamine near the supra-esophageal ganglion elicited stronger and more robust increases in operant responding than did systemic infusions. This work demonstrates automated implementation of a spatially contingent self-administration paradigm in crayfish, which provides a powerful tool to explore comparative perspectives in drug-sensitive reward, the mechanisms of learning underlying the addictive cycle, and phylogenetically conserved vulnerabilities to psychostimulant compounds.
Immigration Through the Lens of Systemic Racism

Immigration has been a hot button concern that has fueled national discord since the 1800s, and the scaffolding that sustains racism in American society has played an integral part in the lives of many immigrants, particularly immigrants of color. This chapter defines immigration and describes the context of systemic racism in the establishment of immigration policies. It reviews the history of immigration in the USA and discusses significant laws that have impacted immigration, with emphasis on those directed at people of color. A discussion of the context of immigration examines the push and pull dynamic and the influence of transnationalism. The chapter also traces the operation of systematic racism as it is manifest in the experience of new immigrants who are confronted with the uniquely American construction of race when they enter the USA and who, consequently, are considered to be members of one of the four core groups: First Nation Peoples, Mexicans, African, and Chinese. This chapter ends by examining US immigration trends in terms of race.
Presidential Memories: Lincoln's Relationship with the Jews - Remembered on President's Day

This article examines the relationship President Abraham Lincoln had with members of the Jewish faith. Ever since George Washington, U.S. presidents have made inclusive gestures toward Jewish-American citizens and soldiers, but only Abraham Lincoln, whose 291st birthday we celebrated last week, ever officially intervened on their behalf. He did it twice within the span of two years. During his political career Lincoln had many Jewish associates, advisers and supporters. During the Civil War General Grant issued General Order No. 11, which is also discussed. This order was a result of Grant’s perception that Jews were participating in a black market in Southern cotton, and the order required the expulsion of Jews from his “departments” of operation.
Cell-based Models of Blood Clotting

The formation of platelet aggregates during blood clotting is modeled on two scales. The microscopic scale models track individual platelets, their mechanical interactions with one another and the surrounding fluid, their detection of and response to chemical activators, and the formation of cohesive and adhesive ‘links’ between platelets and between platelets and the vascular wall. These models allow inclusion of detailed mechanisms of binding-unbinding, platelet stimulus-response, and chemistry on the platelets’ surfaces. The macroscopic scale models treat the same interactions in terms of concentrations of platelets and distributions of cohesive and adhesive links, and can be used to study platelet aggregation in vessels of clinical interest including the coronary and cerebral arteries.