cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of microplastics in indoor and ambient air in northern New Jersey.

Abstract Airborne microplastics (MPs) could have negative impacts on human health and pollute water, soil, and sediment. This study explored the distributions, compositions, and morphology of airborne microplastics in the indoor and ambient air in New Jersey, United States. Microplastic fibers, films, and fragments of Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyethyelene (PE), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polypropylene (PP) were identified in office, hallway, classroom, and single-family house in this study. The deposition rates of synthetic fibers with length from 35 μm to 1000 μm were highest in the single-family house ((1.96 ± 1.09) × 104 fibers/m2/day) and lowest in the classroom ((6.20 ± 0.57) × 103 fibers/m2/day), suggesting that residential houses are a major source of microplastic fibers. However, for film-like plastics with surface areas ranging from 200 μm2 to 5000 μm2, a high deposition rate of (8.13 ± 2.17) × 103 films/m2/day was observed in the classroom, whereas the lowest deposition rate of (4.45 ± 0.27) × 103 films/m2/day was found in the hallway, probably because plastic films such as PE are intensively used in the classroom environments. The deposition rate of microplastics in the ambient air acquired on a building roof was only about 2–8% of the indoor deposition rates. The microplastics with similar textures but different sizes were identified in both total atmospheric deposition and particulate samples (PM2.5 and PM10), suggesting degradation from microplastics to nanoplastics. The main microplastics found in indoor air samples were PE fragments or fibers, different from those in the outdoor ambient air that were dominated by PVC fragments. These results unravel the properties of airborne microplastics in urban environments that are important to understanding their fate, transport, and potential health risks.
Constraining calcification habitat using oxygen isotope measurements in tropical planktonic foraminiferal tests from surface sediments

Abstract Geochemical signals from planktonic foraminiferal tests provide a wide array of tools to investigate past hydrographic changes, but these techniques are limited by our understanding of the habitat at which these organisms form their shell. Quantitative constraints on the variability of the calcification habitat of these organisms can thus lead to better interpretations of these signals and more quantitative constraints on indirect properties related to these signals. We compiled oxygen isotope data from the Tropics to investigate global trends in the apparent calcification depth (ACD) of commonly used planktonic foraminifera. Using Globigerinoides ruber albus, Trilobatus sacculifer, Globorotalia tumida, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, we find that our ACD estimates for the global tropics largely match regional ACD estimates from other studies. G. ruber and T. sacculifer seem to calcify in the surface mixed layer with a mean ACD and 95% confidence interval of 17 [0,86] m and 48 [0,128] m, respectively, and G. tumida, N. dutertrei, and P. obliquiloculata seem to calcify below the mixed layer with a mean ACD of 210 [123,385] m, 114 [42,173] m, and 94 [0,169] m, respectively. The global data set enables the determination of calcification depths across locations with a wide range of thermocline depths. We find that G. tumida exhibits a calcification depth that is more spatially invariant, while N. dutertrei and P. obliquiloculata seem to calcify deeper in the water column in regions where the thermocline is deeper, as has been previously suggested.
Interprofessional Team Reasoning Framework as a Tool for Case Study Analysis with Health Professions Students: A Randomized Study

Background: This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of the Interprofessional Team Reasoning Framework (IPTRF) to facilitate teaching and learning case studies with health professions students. Methods and Findings: Eighteen interprofessional students were randomized to teams of six and were videotaped while completing a case. Team 1 (control) received only the case; team 2 received the case plus framework; and team 3 received the case, framework, and was shown videotaped examples of interprofessional interactions. The primary endpoint was students’ perceptions of interprofessional skills as measured pre and post intervention using a modified Team Skills Scale. The secondary endpoint was student performance as assessed by blinded individuals using a standardized rubric. The results revealed that students’ perceptions of team skills were significantly improved in team 2 and team 3 but not team 1. Students’ performance of their case as assessed by blinded faculty was significantly better in team 3 compared with teams 1 and 2. Conclusions: In this study of six disciplines, the IPTRF, in combination with modeled examples of interprofessional communication, was an effective tool to teach skills necessary to workup a patient case, which included collaboration, communication, and values/ethics. As the landscape of interprofessional education evolves, tools like the IPTRF will facilitate incorporation of these skills into health professions education.
Managing the Human Side of Information Technology: Challenges and Solutions

As the field of information technology continues to grow and impact the personnel and management of organizations, changes have occurred in the way that such people contribute and participate in effective business operations. Managing the Human Side of Information Technology: Challenges and Solutions addresses how to effectively manage the ways in which information technology impacts both human and organizational behavior.
Temporal-compositional trends in intraplate basalt eruptions: Implications for mantle heterogeneity and melting processes

[1] Because primitive basaltic magmas travel from their mantle sources to the surface without significant cooling and crystallization en route, compositional variations within them provide direct information on the sources and processes of partial melting in the mantle. Most studies of basalt magmagenesis have focused on chemical variations in magmas erupted from multiple vents in regional complexes or on long timescale (105–106years) variations in magmas from single shield volcanoes; few studies have aimed to measure changes in melt chemistry with time in individual eruptions. Available observations of individual basaltic eruption sequences, however, show remarkably similar temporal-compositional trends in the form of decreasing incompatible elements and MgO, with increasing SiO2, as the eruption (or sequence of related, closely-spaced eruptions) continued. Both trace element and isotopic variations indicate that this does not reflect fractional crystallization nor can it be explained simply by varying extents of partial melting of a single source. Instead, these trends are consistent with systematically changing proportions of mixing between melts produced by different degrees of partial melting of two compositionally distinct but apparently common sources in the mantle. One potential explanation for this is that a relatively deep mantle source melts to large degrees, producing melts that ascend through and mix with small-degree melts of the lithosphere. The small-degree lithospheric melts are then progressively exhausted during melt migration and eruption, so that late-erupting melts contain the smallest proportion of the shallow, small-degree melt. This cannot explain Os isotopic correlations with melt composition and radiogenic Os isotope signatures of the late-erupting melts in several eruption sequences, however. An alternative scenario is that systematic changes in erupted melt chemistry with time reflect sequential eruption of melt from increasing depths in mantle melting regions that are compositionally zoned because of different solidii and melt productivities of distinct peridotite and pyroxenite lithologic domains. In either case, compositional variation in many eruptions of primitive, intraplate basalts is dominated by mixing of melts from distinct lithologies, and temporal-compositional changes in such eruptions reflect the distribution and composition of melt with depth in mantle melting and melt migration regions.
Batch pairing delegation

Pairing-based cryptography (PBC) has enabled the construction of many cryptographic protocols. However, there are scenarios when PBC is too heavyweight to use, such as when the computing devices are resource-constrained. Pairing delegation introduced in [19] provides a solution by offloading the computation to more powerful entities. In this paper, we introduce the concept of, and construct several protocols for, batch pairing delegation, which offers significantly improved efficiency over multiple runs of state-of-the-art (non-batch) delegation protocols. We prove the security of our proposed protocols in the model we formalized for batch pairing delegation. Also, we have implemented our protocols in software for experimentation. Moreover, we argue that the secure delegation of pairing computation, batched or not, requires different protocols depending on the semantic meaning of the pairings. We propose a taxonomy that classifies pairings into seven types to assist in choosing the right delegation protocol. Finally, we propose a novel application of pairing delegation in trusted computing -- we show how pairing delegation can be leveraged to build a secure coprocessor for pairing computation more cost-effectively.
Influence of recipient race on the outcome of simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation.

Racial differences on the outcome of simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) transplantation have not been well studied. We compared mortality and graft survival of African Americans (AA) recipients to other racial/ethnic groups (non-AA) using the national data. We studied a total of 6585 adult SPK transplants performed in the United States between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007. We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine risk factors associated with early graft failure and immune-mediated late graft loss. We used conditional Kaplan–Meier survival and multivariate Cox regression analyses to estimate late death-censored kidney and pancreas graft failure and death between the groups. Although there was no racial disparity in the first 90 days, AA patients had 38% and 47% higher risk for late death-censored kidney and pancreas graft failure, respectively (p = 0.006 and 0.001). AA patients were twice more likely to lose the kidney and pancreas graft due to rejection (OR 2.31 and 1.86, p = 0.002 and 0.008, respectively). Bladder pancreas drainage was associated with inferior patient survival (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.15, 1.75, p = 0.001). In the era of modern immunosuppresion, AA SPK transplant patients continue to have inferior graft outcome. Additional studies to explore the mechanisms of such racial disparity are warranted.
Characterizing the hydraulic interactions of hurricane storm surge and rainfall–runoff for the Houston–Galveston region

Abstract Planning of traditional coastal flood risk management strategies are largely predicated on storm surge protection against extreme hurricanes, i.e. storm surge. However, (1) hurricane storm surge and (2) hurricane rainfall–runoff are not mutually exclusive flood hazards. Little research has emphasized the need for quantifying and characterizing the joint hydraulic processes between hurricane storm surge and rainfall–runoff during real events for enhancing effective flood risk mitigation. In this regard, an improved hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling framework has been developed for the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) and Galveston Bay to serve as a quantitative testbed for evaluating coupled hurricane storm surge and rainfall–runoff. Modularity within the modeling framework allows for landfall shifting of historical hurricane tracks, wind fields, and corresponding rainfall patterns to serve as numerical model inputs, as well as providing an expanded dataset of storm events. Distributed hydrologic and unsteady hydraulic analyses of upstream rainfall–runoff and storm surge are conducted for hurricanes Katrina (2005), Ike (2008), and Isaac (2012) under three synthetically shifted landfall locations near the HSC and Galveston Bay regions. For the modeled scenarios, results show that peak flows from storm surge easily dominate those of rainfall–runoff, but that rainfall–runoff can constitute more than half of the total flood volume draining towards the HSC. Most modeled scenarios reveal less than 24 h of separation between peak surge and peak rainfall–runoff. In the same way that storm surge is sensitive to hurricane landfall location and angle of approach, so are spatial rainfall distributions and associated inland runoff processes, due to wide topological variations in coastal watershed boundaries. Analysis of coastal flood mitigation is extended with the dynamic modeling of a proposed storm surge barrier system at the HSC, with its performance quantified under the given hurricanes. The surge barrier system is demonstrated to be hydraulically feasible for all scenarios, with maximum water surface elevation reductions ranging between 0.63 m and 3.28 m. However, accurate storm surge and riverine flood forecasting methods will be critical for achieving optimal gate and barrier operations.
Oral Etoposide for Refractory and Relapsed Neuroblastoma

PURPOSE: To describe the efficacy of oral etoposide against resistant stage 4 neuroblastoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with refractory or recurrent stage 4 neuroblastoma were treated with etoposide 50 mg/m2 taken orally each day, in two or three divided doses, for 21 consecutive days. Treatment could be repeated after a 1-week period. Extent-of-disease studies included imaging with 131-iodine-metaiodobenzylguanidine and extensive bone marrow (BM) sampling. RESULTS: Oral etoposide was used in 20 children between the ages of 2 and 11 years (median, 6 years). Prior treatment included high doses of alkylating agents and a median of 4.5 cycles of etoposide-containing chemotherapy, with cumulative etoposide doses of 1,800 mg/m2 to 3,935 mg/m2 (median, 2,300 mg/m2). Oral etoposide produced antineuroblastoma effects in four of four children with disease refractory to intensive induction treatment; sampling variability could account for resolution (n = 3) or reduction (n = 1) of BM involvement, but improvemen...
Challenges in modeling of accelerated life testing

There exists a need to produce "real world" failures quickly for a product well before the product has been introduced into the field. This has lead to accelerated life testing (ALT), which details a procedure that attempts to mimic the product's behavior through a reduced number of tests, in a greatly reduced time period often in less than two weeks. The thermal performance is generally measured through many cycles of thermal shock or power variation in differing ambient environments. Capturing this behavior of entire ALT life through the use of simulation is combined with empirical relations to predict the life. In using simulation, the great concern is determining what level of detail needs to be included in the model to capture the relevant physics. With today's modern algorithms and vast computing power, simulations need not be simplistic models of the actual problem. However, one can see that this can lead to many challenges when looking at even the simplest packages. In addition, if the manufacturing variability (such as pad size and thickness, properties of the thin film/layers) need to be considered, the challenges are even greater. Since the material behavior varies as the temperature changes, additional modeling task are imposed.
Cognitive functions in the informed consent evaluation process: a pilot study

Assessment of capacity to give informed consent in the general hospital setting usually rests on a clinical judgment made of a patient's understanding and appreciation of his or her illness, a process limited by its subjective nature, interexaminer variability, and relative deficiency of quantitative instruments available to provide collateral information. Inasmuch as identification of associated variables could strengthen this process, this study examines the association of cognitive functions to the capacity to give informed consent. Over a one-year period, 65 patients were evaluated independent of medical or psychiatric diagnoses. The study population consisted of medical and neurology inpatients seen for neuropsychiatric evaluation. All evaluations included assessment of capacity to give informed consent as it related to the reason for the admission to the hospital, followed by administration of the Hopkins Competency Assessment Test, the Mini-Mental Status Examination, the Trail-Making Test, Parts A and B, and the Executive Interview. Of 65 patients, 34 were excluded based on preset criteria. The remaining patients were assigned to either a "competent" or "noncompetent" group based on clinical evaluation. Number of patients, gender, and handedness distributions between groups were similar. The groups did not differ significantly in terms of age or education. Significant between-group differences were found on an empirical measure of competency, a general mental state measure, and on measures of attentional and executive cognitive functions. An analysis of classification rates indicated that a measure of executive cognitive functioning (Executive Interview) had the best sensitivity and specificity in correctly classifying competent and noncompetent patients. The results of this study support the association between the capacity to give informed consent in the hospital setting and measures of cognitive functioning, suggesting that utilization of cognitive function measures may strengthen the competency assessment process.
Lymphokine regulation and the role of abnormal regulation in immunodeficiency.

Abstract T cell-derived lymphokines mediate or modulate various aspects of the immune response and immunodeficiency states related to abnormalities in lymphokine production or regulation are now being recognized. One example of this is seen in the fetus and neonate, in whom a physiologic immunodeficiency appears to reflect in part deficient production of certain lymphokines, including interferon-γ, IL-4, and IL-5. The deficiency in production of these lymphokines appears to reflect to a large extent the paucity of memory T cells during these periods of life. Diminished lymphokine production has also recently been implicated as the cause for three cases of primary severe combined immunodeficiency. In disorders associated with excess IgE production, including allergy, hyper IgE syndrome, and Omenn's syndrome, excess IL-4 production relative to the production of interferon-γ may play a contributory role. Regulation of the production of these and other T cell-derived lymphokines appears to be affected predominantly by control of lymphokine gene transcription, the basis for which is just now becoming understood at a molecular level. The elucidation of these regulatory mechanisms offers the promise for understanding the basis for disordered lymphokine production in immunodeficiency states.
Current clinical applications of heart rate variability

Heart rate variability (HRV) has become a popular method for the studies of physiologic mechanisms responsible for the control of heart rate fluctuations, in which the autonomic nervous system appears to play a primary role. Depression of HRV has been observed in many clinical scenarios, including autonomic neuropathy, heart transplantation, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction (MI), and other cardiac and noncardiac diseases. However, it is important to realize that clinical implication of HRV analysis has been clearly recognized in only two clinical conditions: (1) as a predictor of risk of arrhythmic events or sudden cardiac death after acute MI, and (2) as a clinical marker of evolving diabetic neuropathy. Recently, its role in evaluation and management of heart failure has also been recognized. It is pertinent to recognize the limitations of HRV as far as its clinical utility at present is concerned. The methodology of HRV had remained poorly standardized until the recent publication of the Special Report of the Task Force of ESC/NASPE, and thus has been presenting difficulty in comparing earlier existing data. Also, determination of the exact sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of HRV, as well as the normal values of standard measures in the general population, still require further investigation before better standards can be set for existing and future clinical applications. This article reviews the major concepts of HRV measurements, their clinical relevance, and the recent advances in this field.
Accuracy of step recording in free-living adults.

(2007). Accuracy of Step Recording in Free-Living Adults. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport: Vol. 78, No. 5, pp. 542-547.
Decreased lung carcinoma cell density on select polymer nanometer surface features for lung replacement therapies

PLGA (poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid) has been widely used as a biomaterial in regenerative medicine due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. The purpose of the present in vitro research was to prepare PLGA films with various nanometer surface features and determine whether lung cancer epithelial cells respond differently to such topographies. Different size polystyrene beads were used to cast poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) molds which were used as templates to create nano-featured PLGA films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and root mean square (RMS) roughness values indicated that the intended spherical surface nano-topographies on PLGA were formed. A solution evaporation method was also utilized to modify PLGA surface features by using 8 wt % and 4 % chloroform solutions. Most importantly, lung cancer epithelial cells adhered less on the PLGA surfaces with RMS values of 0.62, 2.23 and 5.42 nm after 4 hours of culture compared to any other PLGA surface created here. After 3 days, PLGA surfaces with an RMS value of 0.62 nm had much lower cell density than any other sample. In this manner, PLGA with specific nanometer surface features may inhibit lung cancer cell density, providing an important biomaterial for the treatment of lung cancer with wide range of applications.
Utilization of and adherence to the gastroenterology core curriculum on hepatology training during a gastrointestinal fellowship.

Background & Aims: The gastroenterology core curriculum (GCC) represents the knowledge/skills desired at the completion of fellowship training. The hepatology subset (H-GCC) is the focus of this research. The aims were to measure adherence of the H-GCC within gastrointestinal training programs, compare the perceptions of the H-GCC compliance by fellows and program directors, and provide comparative information to improve gastrointestinal training programs. Methods: A questionnaire was designed to assess the general and hepatology components of the GCC. Fellows and program directors were invited to participate by means of 3 sequential mailings. Pearson χ 2 and Fisher exact tests were used for statistics. Results: Of 971 potential respondents, the questionnaire was returned by 42% of program directors and 33% of fellows. There was 10% of fellows claimed deficiency in physiology, pregnancy issues, angiography, immunosuppressant use, and congenital disorders. Fellows in non–liver transplant institutions more often reported lack of training in fulminant disease, transplant patient selection, and diagnosis/management of rejection ( P Conclusions: (1) Fellow and program director assessments were highly concordant, with most H-GCC criteria being met. (2) Attention is required to provide adequate time for clinical training and prescribed procedures. (3) Improved instruction in several hepatology topics seems warranted. (4) A nonevaluative questionnaire is a practical means to measure compliance. Future studies measuring compliance with other components of the GCC by using this methodology seem feasible.
Effects of oxygenation and flow on the viability and function of rat hepatocytes cocultured in a microchannel flat-plate bioreactor

The goal of this study was to investigate the viability and synthetic function of rat hepatocytes cocultured with 3T3-J2 fibroblasts in a small-scale microchannel flat-plate bioreactor with and without an internal membrane oxygenator under flow. Bioreactor channel heights ranged between 85 and 500 microm and medium flow rates ranged between 0.06 and 4.18 mL/min. The results showed that the bioreactor without the oxygenator resulted in significantly decreased viability and function of hepatocytes, whereas hepatocytes in the bioreactor with internal membrane oxygenator were able to maintain their viability and function. The shear stress calculations showed that, at lower wall shear stresses (0.01 to 0.33 dyn/cm(2)), hepatocyte functions, measured as albumin and urea synthesis rates, were as much as 2.6- and 1.9-fold greater, respectively, than those at higher wall shear stresses (5 to 21 dyn/cm(2)). Stable albumin and urea synthesis rates for 10 days of perfusion were also demonstrated in the bioreactor with internal membrane oxygenator. These results are relevant in the design of hepatocyte bioreactors and the eventual scaling-up to clinical devices.
Distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizae in relation to microsites on primary successional substrates on Mount St. Helens

Arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) occur in most terrestrial ecosystems and are crucial to plant community structure and function. This study examined the distribution of AMF propagules, spores, an...
New Evidence on Gay and Lesbian Household Incomes

Using independent data from the Centers for Disease Control, the author tests a key assumption of previous research on gay and lesbian incomes: that same-sex unmarried partner households are, indeed, gay or lesbian. The author shows that this independent data suffers from less severe underreporting of same-sex unmarried partner households than the 1990 Decennial Census. Furthermore, individual level information on sexual behavior and family planning is used to show that these households exhibit sexual behavior that is systematically different from married and different-sex couples and that is consistent with a large body of public health and HIV literature on gay men and lesbians. Finally, the author replicates, confirms, and extends previously published Census-based results on the household income penalty faced by gay male couples, showing that these results are not an artifact of deficient data. He finds similar results for lesbian couples. (JEL J1, J3)
Experience With Sirolimus for Calcineurin Minimization/Elimination in Pancreas-After-Kidney Transplantation

Pancreas after kidney (PAK) transplantation, associated with a persistent elevation in serum creatinine (defined as a >25% increase from baseline), was seen in 7 of 11 (64%) cases maintained on immunosuppressive therapy consisting of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Patients were converted to sirolimus as a means of minimizing or eliminating exposure to tacrolimus, the presumed nephrotoxic agent. With the use of sirolimus-based immunosuppression, and with elimination or minimization of tacrolimus, renal function, as measured by serum creatinine, stabilized or improved in all cases.
Atrazine remediation in wetland microcosms

Laboratory wetland microcosms were used to study treatment of atrazine in irrigation runoff by a field-scale-constructed wetland under controlled conditions. Three experiments, in which 1 ppm atrazine was added to the water column of three wetland, one soil control, and one water control microcosm, were conducted. Atrazine dissipation from the water column and degradate formation (deethylatrazine [DEA]; deisopropylatrazine [DIA]; and hydroxyatrazine [HA]) were monitored. Atrazine dissipation from the water column of wetland microcosms was biphasic. Less than 12% of the atrazine applied to wetland microcosms remained in the water column on day 56. Atrazine degradates were observed in water and sediment, with HA the predominant degradate. Analysis of day 56 sediment samples indicated that a significant portion of the initial application was detected as the parent compound and HA. Most probable number (MPN) assays demonstrated that atrazine degrader populations were small in wetland sediment. Wetland microcosms were able to reduce atrazine concentration in the water column via sorption and degradation. Based on results from this study, it is hypothesized that plant uptake contributed to atrazine dissipation from the water column.
An Analytical Model for the Refractive Index Power Spectrum and Its Application to Optical Scintillations in the Atmosphere

Abstract A spectral model for refractive index fluctuations, showing the characteristic ‘bump’ at high wavenumbers, is proposed for theoretical studies involving optical propagation. Using this spectrum, analytical expressions are developed for the variance of log-amplitude that show good agreement with numerical results based on the Hill spectrum.
Extended Polyglutamine Tracts Cause Aggregation and Structural Perturbation of an Adjacent β Barrel Protein

Formation of fibrillar intranuclear inclusions and related neuropathologies of the CAG-repeat disorders are linked to the expansion of a polyglutamine tract. Despite considerable effort, the etiology of these devastating diseases remains unclear. Although polypeptides with glutamine tracts recapitulate many of the observed characteristics of the gene products with CAG repeats, such as in vitro and in vivo aggregation and toxicity in model organisms, extended polyglutamine segments have also been reported to structurally perturb proteins into which they are inserted. Additionally, the sequence context of a polyglutamine tract has recently been shown to modulate its propensity to aggregate. These findings raise the possibility that indirect influences of the repeat tract on adjacent protein domains are contributory to pathologies. Destabilization of an adjacent domain may lead to loss of function, as well as favoring non-native structures in the neighboring domain causing them to be prone to intermolecular association and consequent aggregation. To explore these phenomena, we have used chimeras of a well studied globular protein and exon 1 of huntingtin. We find that expansion of the polyglutamine segment beyond the pathological threshold (>35 glutamines) results in structural perturbation of the neighboring protein whether the huntingtin exon is N- or C-terminal. Elongation of the polyglutamine region also substantially increases the propensity of the chimera to aggregate, both in vitro and in vivo, and in vitro aggregation kinetics of a chimera with a 53-glutamine repeat follow a nucleation polymerization mechanism with a monomeric nucleus.
Maternal inheritance, epigenetics and the evolution of polyandry

Growing evidence indicates that females actively engage in polyandry either to avoid genetic incompatibility or to bias paternity in favor of genetically superior males. Despite empirical support for the intrinsic male quality hypothesis, the maintenance of variation in male fitness remains a conundrum for traditional “good genes” models of sexual selection. Here, we discuss two mechanisms of non-Mendelian inheritance, maternal inheritance of mitochondria and epigenetic regulation of gene expression, which may explain the persistence of variation in male fitness traits important in post-copulatory sexual selection. The inability of males to transmit mitochondria precludes any direct evolutionary response to selection on mitochondrial mutations that reduce or enhance male fitness. Consequently, mitochondrial-based variation in sperm traits is likely to persist, even in the face of intense sperm competition. Indeed, mitochondrial nucleotide substitutions, deletions and insertions are now known to be a primary cause of low sperm count and poor sperm motility in humans. Paradoxically, in the field of sexual selection, female-limited response to selection has been largely overlooked. Similarly, the contribution of epigenetics (e.g., DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs) to heritable variation in male fitness has received little attention from evolutionary theorists. Unlike DNA sequence based variation, epigenetic variation can be strongly influenced by environmental and stochastic effects experienced during the lifetime of an individual. Remarkably, in some cases, acquired epigenetic changes can be stably transmitted to offspring. A recent study indicates that sperm exhibit particularly high levels of epigenetic variation both within and between individuals. We suggest that such epigenetic variation may have important implications for post-copulatory sexual selection and may account for recent findings linking sperm competitive ability to offspring fitness.
Four polymorphs (polytypes) of 5,6-dimethylbenzofurazan 1-oxide

5,6-Dimethylbenzofurazan 1-oxide (Me2BF), C8H8N2O2, occurs in four polymorphic forms that are polytypes of each other. Each polymorph of Me2BF contains molecules disordered about pseudo-twofold axes and arranged head-to-tail in ribbons, with the ribbons forming approximately planar layers held together by weak C—H⋯N and C—H⋯O interactions. Adjacent layers interact in different ways in the different polymorphs. In addition to twinning in the individual polymorphs, four examples of allotwining, that is, oriented overgrowths between different polymorphs, were found.
The response of different varieties of potatoes to different amounts of copper in a modified spray program

Working with the Irish Cobbler, Rural Russet and Green Mountain varieties of potatoes at Pittsford, N. Y., it was found that all these varieties respond to copper treatments in the form of bordeaux mixture to approximately the same extent in final increases in yields. Using a Bordeaux mixture composed of the equivalent of half as much quick lime as copper sulfate, and applying most of the copper early in the season, there appeared to be no advantage in using more than a total of 60 pounds of copper sulfate per acre during the season. All copper-sprayed plants retained more tubers per plant than unsprayed plants of the same variety. All varieties showed evidence of a retardation in tuber development due to spraying. The retardation was less pronounced with the Cobblers and most pronounced with the Green Mountains. In the Green Mountains, the unsprayed plants yielded more than the sprayed until after September 21.
A WORKING MODEL FOR DEVELOPING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE LEARNING DISABLED

Meeting the unique educational needs of the learning disabled requires the availability of appropriate Instructional materials. The variance in the learning style and behavior of the learning disabled may necessitate the use of completely different materials from one student to the next. Those working with these youngsters often adapt existing materials or develop new materials in order to meet Individual differences. It is important that such efforts at developing materials for the learning disabled consider the factors that influence the degree to which an instructional material will be effective. Van Etten and VanEtten have developed a working model to provide guidelines for the development of instruc- tional materials. Four clusters of variables are seen as influencing the effec- tiveness of such materials: Learner/material interaction variables; content variables; teacher/material interaction variables; and affective variables. - D.D.D.
Lessons learned from a small native American community

The decision not to build Orme Dam was a great political victory for residents of the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation in central Arizona. This article examines the conditions that gave rise to what most considered an unlikely outcome, and the lessons it suggests for understanding the politics of large water projects. These lessons include the importance of understanding that rationality takes multiple forms; that how value is expressed can be as significant as what, and how much, something is valued; that identity politics which elaborates and celebrates cultural differences can be an effective means for challenging even powerful bureaucracies; and that law can be an important mediating structure in the politics of bureaucratic decision-making. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Repeated Acquisition in the Morris Swim Task: Effects of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, Methamphetamine, and Methylphenidate

Acute effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methamphetamine (MA), and methylphenidate (MPD) were studied using a within-subject, repeated acquisition/performance procedure adapted to the Morris swim task. To investigate place-learning, the acquisition component consisted of a hidden platform that varied in location across experimental sessions. As a control for drug effects not specific to acquisition, a performance component was included in which the hidden platform was in the same pool location in every experimental session. All three drugs increased escape latencies and swim distances in a dose-dependent fashion. However, impairment in the acquisition component was generally observed only at doses that also produced impairment in the performance component, suggesting that effects were not selective to place learning. None of the drugs produced enhancement of learning or performance at any dose. Taken together, the results suggest that acute exposure to these psychomotor stimulants produce global impairment of performance in the Morris task, rather than specific deficits in place-learning.
Certified real‐time solution of the parametrized steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations: rigorous reduced‐basis a posteriori error bounds

We present a technique for the evaluation of linear-functional outputs of parametrized elliptic partial differential equations in the context of deployed (in service) systems. Deployed systems require real-time and certified output prediction in support of immediate and safe (feasible) action. The two essential components of our approach are (i) rapidly, uniformly convergent reduced-basis approximations, and (ii) associated rigorous and sharp a posteriori error bounds; in both components we exploit affine parametric structure and oflline-online computational decompositions to provide real-time deployed response. In this paper we extend our methodology to the parametrized steady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. We invoke the Brezzi-Rappaz-Raviart theory for analysis of variational approximations of non-linear partial differential equations to construct rigorous, quantitative, sharp, inexpensive a posteriori error estimators
The use of an uncoupling agent to investigate the regulation of active sodium transport

Abstract 1. 1. In studies with toad bladders, the uncoupling agent 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) reversed the inhibition of CO2 production produced by direct inhibition of transport. 2. 2. In contrast, DNP did not reverse the inhibition of CO2 production brought about by metabolic inhibitors. 3. 3. Therefore, the response to DNP distinguished between inhibition of transport and metabolism; this approach may be useful for the investigation of factors that regulate active transport.
Impact of Motor Vehicle Injury in Taiwan Using Potential Productive Years of Life Lost

Motor vehicle injuries are a major harmful side effect of industrialization. We examine this relationship in a rapidly industrializing country, Taiwan, using Potential Productive Years of Life Lost (PPYLL) analysis, and suggest ways that the injury toll of industrialization might be mitigated. We also compare Taiwan to the US, Hungary, Korea, and Chile. Taiwan has a higher PPYLL per 100,000 population due to motor vehicle injury (530/100,000) than cardiac disease, cancer, or strokes. Twenty-five years ago, more PPYLL was due to cancer, strokes, cardiac disease, and tuberculosis than to motor vehicle injuries (106/100,000). Taiwan's PPYLL rate is much greater than three other industrializing countries--Chile, Korea, and Hungary--and twice that of the US. Explanations for the dramatic rise in motor vehicle injury deaths in Taiwan may be high use of motorcycles, lack of motorcycle helmets, increase in alcohol use, high care density, and road and vehicle safety design problems.
Multiple Structure Alignment with msTALI

Multiple structure alignments have received increasing attention in recent years as an alternative to multiple sequence alignments. Although multiple structure alignment algorithms can potentially be applied to a number of problems, they have primarily been used for protein core identification. A method that is capable of solving a variety of problems using structure comparison is still absent. Here we introduce a program msTALI for aligning multiple protein structures. Our algorithm uses several informative features to guide its alignments: torsion angles, backbone Cα atom positions, secondary structure, residue type, surface accessibility, and properties of nearby atoms. The algorithm allows the user to weight the types of information used to generate the alignment, which expands its utility to a wide variety of problems. msTALI exhibits competitive results on 824 families from the Homstrad and SABmark databases when compared to Matt and Mustang. We also demonstrate success at building a database of protein cores using 341 randomly selected CATH domains and highlight the contribution of msTALI compared to the CATH classifications. Finally, we present an example applying msTALI to the problem of detecting hinges in a protein undergoing rigid-body motion. msTALI is an effective algorithm for multiple structure alignment. In addition to its performance on standard comparison databases, it utilizes clear, informative features, allowing further customization for domain-specific applications. The C++ source code for msTALI is available for Linux on the web at http://ifestos.cse.sc.edu/mstali .
Multivariate Analysis of Community Structure Over Ten Years Following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

ABSTRACT A 1990/1991 shoreline ecology program to assess the fate and effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound was updated in 1998 and 1999. This update included a sediment sampling program for organisms at “worst case” sites and at randomly chosen reference sites. Correspondence analysis (CA), a statistical method that examines animal communities in terms of their similarity, was used to define community structure Statistical analysis of the degree of similarity between communities was used to assess effects of site-specific variables (sediment grain size, total organic carbon (TOC) and wave energy), interannual variation, and degree of oiling. Interannual variability had a significant effect on community structure, whereas site specific variables and degree of oiling did not. Differences in communities between 1998 and other years were particularly dramatic. The importance of interannual change demonstrates the importance of multi-year sampling and of appropriate study designs for s...
A fourth gradient to overcome slice dependent phase effects of voxel-sized coils in planar arrays

The signals from an array of densely spaced long and narrow receive coils for MRI are complicated when the voxel size is of comparable dimension to the coil size. The RF coil causes a phase gradient across each voxel, which is dependent on the distance from the coil, resulting in a slice dependent shift of k-space. A fourth gradient coil has been implemented and used with the system's gradient set to create a gradient field which varies with slice. The gradients are pulsed together to impart a slice dependent phase gradient to compensate for the slice dependent phase due to the RF coils. However the non-linearity in the fourth gradient which creates the desired slice dependency also results in a through-slice phase ramp, which disturbs normal slice refocusing and leads to additional signal cancelation and reduced field of view. This paper discusses the benefits and limitations of using a fourth gradient coil to compensate for the phase due to RF coils.
Observations on second degree atrioventricular block, including new criteria for the differential diagnosis between type I and type II block.

Abstract Since type I atrioventricular (A-V) block tends to be temporary and does not give rise to prolonged asystole, and type II A-V block tends to be progressive, ultimately leading to complete block and Adams-Stokes attacks, it is important to identify the type in each patient with acute or chronic second degree A-V block. The usual definition of these 2 types needs expansion. This new definition is given and new criteria are presented to permit differentiation of the 2 types of A-V block even in the presence of (1) incomplete A-V dissociation with single ventricular captures and (2) persistent 2:1 A-V block. The different roles and sites of concealed conduction in the 2 types of A-V block are defined. In type I, concealed conduction occurs within the region of block and depresses subsequent conduction, occasionally leading to blockage of consecutive atrial impulses. In type II, concealed conduction occurs down to the region of block, discharging subsidiary junctional pacemakers and thus preventing their escape. The frequent association of type II A-V block with bundle branch block and ventricular escapes with normal retrograde conduction (unidirectional block) is emphasized. Concealed retrograde conduction across the region of unidirectional block facilitates antegrade A-V transmission (early ventricular captures, supernormal phase of A-V conduction). The evidence is reviewed for placing the lesion causing type II A-V block below the A-V node; this is based on correlation of electrocardiographic findings, including His bundle recordings and anatomic data. Exceptions to the rule occur occasionally but should not lead to abandonment of the electrocardiographic classification of second degree A-V block into type I and type II because the distinction has proved of great value for clinical orientation.
The Neural Circuitry of Autism

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by deficits in social emotional, and language domains, as well as repetitive restrictive behaviors. The vast heterogeneity of the clinical and behavioral symptoms has made it rather difficult to delineate the neural circuitry affiliated with these domains of dysfunction. The current review aims at broadly outlining the latest research into the neurobiology and neural circuitry underlying the core domains of deficits in autism. We further discuss new avenues of research that can further our understanding of the dimensions of this complex disorder.