cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protection of guinea pigs from Lassa fever by vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the nucleoprotein or the envelope glycoproteins of Lassa virus.

Abstract A recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses the nucleoprotein gene of Lassa virus (Josiah strain) under the control of the P7.5 promoter was constructed using the lacZcoexpression transfer vector pSC11. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that recombination of the sequences inserted within the thymidine kinase gene of the transfer vector into the HindIII 1 fragment of vaccine virus genomic DNA occurred properly. A 63-kDa protein identical in electrophoretic mobility to authentic Lassa nucleoprotein was observed in recombinant virus-infected cell lysates. The reactivity of vaccinia-expressed Lassa proteins to a panel of monoclonal antibodies representing multiple epitopes on each of the N, G1, and G2 proteins was determined by indirect immunofluorescence. Lassa proteins expressed in recombinant vaccinia virus-infected cells reacted in a manner indistinguishable from that of the proteins expressed in Lassa virus-infected cells, indicating that there are no significant differences between authentic and recombinant virus-expressed proteins. Vaccine efficacy trials in guinea pigs indicated that both the nucleoprotein and the envelope glycoproteins are capable of eliciting a protective immune response against a lethal dose of Lassa virus. Ninety-four percent of the animals vaccinated with V-LSN, 79% vaccinated with V-LSGPC, and 58% vaccinated with both recombinant viruses survived a Lassa virus challenge in which only 14% of unvaccinated animals and 39% of animals vaccinated with the New York Board of Health (NYBH) strain of vaccinia virus survived. The protection resulting from vaccination with the recombinant virus vaccines did not correlate with the levels of prechallenge serum antibodies, suggesting that a cell-mediated immune response is a critical component of protective immunity to Lassa fever.
The relationship between instrumental and expressive traits, health behaviors, and perceived physical health

Relations between instrumental and expressive traits, health behaviors, and self-reported physical health were examined among young adults. Individuals (169 men, 167 women) completed two measures of instrumental and expressive traits, the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). Ethnic background of the sample included 72% European Americans, 13% Latin Americans, 6% Asian Americans, 5% African Americans, less than 1% Native American, and 4% did not specify a particular category. Expressive traits from the BSRI, and expressive and instrumental traits from the PAQ were associated with health behaviors, after controlling for neuroticism. Neuroticism explained 43% of the variance in perceived physical health. Separation of individuals into four groups on the basis of instrumental and expressive traits showed that androgynous individuals reported significantly better health practices than other individuals providing support for the androgyny model.
An X-ray fluorescence study on the segregation of Cs and I in an inverted organic solar cell

X-ray near-total-reflection fluorescence reveals that in multilayers of the inverted organic solar cell (ITO/CsI/P3HT:PCBM-based) Cs diffuses into the organic layer and iodide diffuses into the ITO. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry measurements, which integrate elemental concentration across the whole multilayer structure, indicate that the Cs:I ratio remains 1:1 confirming there is no loss of iodine from the sample. Iodide diffusion to the bulk ITO layer is also found in a similarly prepared ITO/NaI/P3HT:PCBM multilayer structure. Our results are consistent with recent XPS measurements which show that the Cs:I ratio at the ITO/CsI surface exceeds 8:1, and rationalize this observation.
Glia protect hippocampal neurons against excitatory amino acid-induced degeneration: involvement of fibroblast growth factor.

Low density cell cultures of embryonic rat hippocampus containing astrocyte-like glia and neurons were used to test the hypothesis that glia can alter ‘natural’ and excitatory amino acid (EAA)-induced neuronal death. Neurons contacting glia survived for longer time periods than did neurons not contacting glia. Neurons associated with glia were also protected against glutamate and kainate neurotoxicity. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-like immunoreactivity was associated with the glia. Addition to the cultures of an antiserum raised against an internal peptide fragment of FGF greatly reduced the protective effect of glia against both spontaneous and EAA-induced neurotoxicity. Contact with glia, or exposure to exogenous FGF, also protected the hippocampal neurons against Ca2+ ionophore-induced degeneration indicating that FGF enhanced the ability of neurons to handle a Ca2+ load. Taken together, these results suggest that glia surface-associated FGF may play important roles in hippocampal development, and in neurodegenerative conditions that involve EAAs.
ABSENCE and EMPLOYEE FEELINGS ABOUT FAIR TREATMENT1

Summary This study calls into question again a frequently made assumption that variations in employee absence rates may be accounted for solely by examining the direct rewards and punishments provided by the work situation. Absences among nonsupervisory men at an oil refinery were found to be related to feelings of fair treatment with regard to promotion, irrespective of how good employees see their actual chances for promotion to be. Attitudes concerning the fairness of pay also were found to affect absences. The results were interpreted as indicating the importance of feelings of loyalty and obligation among employees in accounting for behavior such as absences.
MUSCLE ULTRASTRUCTURE IN REYE'S SYNDROME (RS): EVIDENCE FOR A MYOPATHY

Biochemical studies have shown elevation of muscle creatine phosphokinase (Roe et al., Ped. 55:119, 1975) and excessive urinary nitrogen losses up to 0.64 g/kg/day (Snodgrass and DeLong, N. Eng. J. Med. 294:855, 1976) in RS, suggest ing skeletal muscle injury. We report electronmicroscopy of muscle biopsies obtained from 15 RS cases on the day of admission and at followup 4 days to 23 weeks later. A myopathy of variable severity was present in each case acutely. In severely affected specimens about 1/40 muscle cells were necrotic with dissolution of the sarcolemma,loss of striations and dispersion of myofilaments, producing a homogenous matrix which contained vesicular fragments of sarcoplasmic reticulum, autophagic vacuoles and spherical mitochondria with expanded matrix and frequently ruptured outer membranes. Surrounding muscle cells were abnormal, displaying glycogen loss, ribosome disorganization, dilation of sarcoplasmic reticulum and intramyo-fibrillar edema. There were 2 populations of mitochondria in muscle cells: Individual mitochondria demonstrated extreme matrix expansion suggestive of that seen in brain and liver in RS, but the majority of muscle cell mitochondria demonstrated only slight matrix expansion. Muscle cell triglyceride was increased and many cells contained myelin figures. Inflammation was absent but influenza virus was isolated from 3 of 5 biopsies in which cultivation was attempted. These studies confirm the existence of a myopathy in RS. The relationship between the myopathy of RS and post-influenzal myopathy of childhood should be investigated.
Metadata and provenance for spatial analysis: the case of spatial weights

Within a CyberGIS environment, the development of effective mechanisms to encode metadata for spatial analytical methods and to track the provenance of operations is a key requirement. Spatial weights are a fundamental element in a wide range of spatial analysis methods that deal with testing for and estimating models with spatial autocorrelation. They form the link between the data structure in a GIS and the spatial analysis methods. Over time, the number of formats for spatial weights implemented in software has proliferated, without any standard or easy interoperability. In this paper, we propose a flexible format that provides a way to ensure interoperability within a cyberinfrastructure environment. We illustrate the format with an application of a spatial weights web service, which is part of an evolving spatial analytical workbench. We describe an approach to embed provenance in spatial weights structures and illustrate the performance of the web service by means of a number of small experiments.
Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in Physical Activity.

This study examines racial, ethnic and gender (REG) differentials in physical activity (PA), a significant input into human capital investments. We construct detailed and all-inclusive PA measures from the American Time Use Surveys, which capture both the duration and the intensity of each activity. Estimates suggest significant REG differentials in work-related and various modes of nonwork PA, with 30–65 percent of these differentials attributed to differences in education, socioeconomic status, time constraints, and locational attributes. These conditional PA differentials are consistent with and may play a role in observed REG disparities in health outcomes.
The effects of opening an artificial tidal inlet on hydrography and estuarine macrofauna in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Packery Channel is part of a complex of storm washover channels which, before 1912, have opened intermittently, linking the Laguna Madre and Corpus Christi Bay, Texas with the Gulf of Mexico. On 21 July 2005, with the assistance of Hurricane Emily, Packery Channel was prematurely opened to the Gulf of Mexico, months before construction of a dredged channel was scheduled to be completed. A before-versus-after, control-versus-impact (BACI) design was used to assess the effects of reopening Packery Channel on water quality and estuarine macrofauna in Mollie Beattie Coastal Habitat Community (MBCHC), Corpus Christi Bay. Two deep (approximately 1 m below m.s.l.) and two shallow (approximately 0.2 m below m.s.l.) stations were sampled monthly for physical and biological characteristics at both control and impact sites between November 2003 and March 2009. The opening of Packery Channel created a unique situation where salinities decreased after the channel opening by ameliorating hypersalinity in Laguna Madre rather than increasing salinities as would occur in most estuaries worldwide. Salinity also fluctuated in a diurnal pattern after the opening of Packery Channel. Apart from salinity, Packery Channel has caused little hydrographic change in MBCHC since opening in July 2005. There was little effect on the macrofaunal community composition. There was a greater difference in community composition between deep and shallow stations than between either before and after or control and impact sites. There have been no significant changes in abundance, biomass, or N1 diversity caused by the opening of Packery Channel.
5-HTTLPR and Gender Moderate Changes in Negative Affect Responses to Tryptophan Infusion

Expression of the serotonin transporter is affected by the genotype of the 5-HTTLPR (short and long forms) as well as the genotype of the SNP rs25531 within this region. Based on the combined genotypes for these polymorphisms, we designated each allele as a high or low expressing allele according to established expression levels—resulting in HiHi, HiLo, & LoLo genotype groups for analysis. We evaluated effects of gender and the promoter genotype on induction of negative affect by intravenous infusion of l-tryptophan (TRP). The protocol consisted of a day-1 sham saline infusion and a day-2 active TRP infusion. Models assessed 5-HTTLPR composite genotype and gender as predictors of change in ratings of negative emotion during TRP infusion. During sham infusion there were no significant changes from baseline in mood ratings. During TRP infusion all negative affect ratings increased significantly from baseline (P’s < .02). The genotype × gender interaction was a significant predictor of depression-dejection (P = .013), and trended towards predicting anger−hostility (P = .084). Males in the HiHi group had greater increases in negative affect during infusion, compared to all groups except LoLo females, who also showed increased negative affect.
Indirect determination of nitric oxide in cats with cardiomyopathy and arterial thromboembolism

Objective: To determine nitric oxide concentration in cats with hypertrophic or intermediate forms of cardiomyopathy and arterial thromboembolism (ATE) compared to healthy controls and to determine the association between nitric oxide concentration and the presence of ATE, congestive heart failure (CHF), and echocardiographic measurements. Design: Case–control study. Setting: Veterinary teaching hospital. Animals: Client-owned cats with cardiomyopathy, cardiomyopathy and ATE, and normal cats. Interventions: None. Measurements: All cats underwent 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. Nitric oxide was assessed indirectly by measuring the concentration of plasma nitrite+nitrate (NN), end products of nitric oxide metabolism. Plasma arginine concentration and dietary arginine content were also assessed since arginine is a precursor for nitric oxide production. Main results: Twenty-six cats with cardiomyopathy, 26 cats with cardiomyopathy and ATE, and 29 nor-mal cats were enrolled. Compared with healthy controls, median NN concentration was significantly higher in cats with cardiomyopathy and cats with both cardiomyopathy and ATE. There was no difference between cats with cardiomyopathy alone and cats with cardiomyopathy and ATE. Nitrate+ nitrite concen-tration in cats with cardiac disease was unrelated to the presence of CHF, plasma arginine concentration, or dietary arginine content. In cats with cardiac disease, the left atrial diameter, left ven-tricular diameter in diastole, and age were negatively correlated with NN concentrations. Conclusions: Nitric oxide concentration is elevated in cats with cardiac disease, but the elevation appears to be independent of ATE and CHF.
NMDA receptor channels: labeling of MK-801 with iodine-125 and fluorine-18.

Abstract Methods for labeling the glutamate channel blocking agent MK-801 with iodine-125 (125I) and fluorine-18 (18F) are described. Radioiodine was incorporated in the 1- or 3-positions of the aromatic ring of (±)MK-801 by solid-state halogen exchange techniques. Attachment of the [18F]fluoromethyl group to the bridgehead methyl position was achieved by reaction of [18F]fluoride with the triflamide alcohol 8 or the novel cyclic sulfamate 9 recently reported by Merck chemists. Radiochemical yields of (±)13-[ 18 F ]- fluoromethyl - MK -801 were >72%, EOB; radiochemical purity >99%. In competitive binding studies using rat brain homogenates, (±)3-bromo-MK-801 showed greater affinity than (±)MK-801 for the glutamate-linked channel. The experimental log P (2.1 ± 0.1) of MK-801 is optimal for transit of the blood-brain barrier. These preliminary findings support further testing of 3-[123I]iodo-MK-801 and (±)13-[ 18 F ] fluoromethyl - MK -801 as possible agents for in vivo mapping of the glutamate receptor complex.
The respiratory manifestations of systemic Hemophilus influenzae infection

A study of the respiratory tract involvement of 45 patients from whose blood or spinal fluid Hemophilus influenzae, type b was isolated is presented. Respiratory tract inflammation including conjunctivitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis, otitis media, pneumonitis, and pleuritis appear to be frequent and integral elements of systemic infection with Hemophilus influenzae, type b.
Chemokine Receptors CCR6 and CXCR3 Are Necessary for CD4+ T Cell Mediated Ocular Surface Disease in Experimental Dry Eye Disease

CD4+ T cells are essential to pathogenesis of ocular surface disease in dry eye. Two subtypes of CD4+ T cells, Th1 and Th17 cells, function concurrently in dry eye to mediate disease. This occurs in spite of the cross-regulation of IFN-γ and IL-17A, the prototypical cytokines Th1 and Th17 cells, respectively. Essential to an effective immune response are chemokines that direct and summon lymphocytes to specific tissues. T cell trafficking has been extensively studied in other models, but this is the first study to examine the role of chemokine receptors in ocular immune responses. Here, we demonstrate that the chemokine receptors, CCR6 and CXCR3, which are expressed on Th17 and Th1 cells, respectively, are required for the pathogenesis of dry eye disease, as CCR6KO and CXCR3KO mice do not develop disease under desiccating stress. CD4+ T cells from CCR6KO and CXCR3KO mice exposed to desiccating stress (DS) do not migrate to the ocular surface, but remain in the superficial cervical lymph nodes. In agreement with this, CD4+ T cells from CCR6 and CXCR3 deficient donors exposed to DS, when adoptively transferred to T cell deficient recipients manifest minimal signs of dry eye disease, including significantly less T cell infiltration, goblet cell loss, and expression of inflammatory cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase expression compared to wild-type donors. These findings highlight the important interaction of chemokine receptors on T cells and chemokine ligand expression on epithelial cells of the cornea and conjunctiva in dry eye pathogenesis and reveal potential new therapeutic targets for dry eye disease.
An Examination of the Instructional Practices of Mathematics Teachers in Urban Schools.

Researchers have given increased attention to the teaching and learning of mathematics since the release of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)'s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM). Despite the clear and focused goals, recommendations, and standards set by the NCTM (2000), a majority of classrooms continue to fall short in implementation and direction, especially in urban high-poverty schools. Therefore, the authors investigated the pedagogical and instructional mathematics skills of 99 in-service teachers who taught in high-poverty elementary schools (Grades K-5). The results revealed that many pedagogical practices endorsed by NCTM's PSSM are being used by teachers to foster students' mathematics learning, some more frequently than others. If high-poverty schools are to achieve world-class status in mathematics, widespread efforts are needed to advance the implementation of pedagogical practices supported by PSSM.
Stereotaxic atlas of the hypothalamus of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

A stereotaxic atlas of the hypothalamic area of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is presented along with medical coordinates for all primary nuclei and the third ventricle.
SIRT3 Directs Carbon Traffic in Muscle to Promote Glucose Control

The escalating prevalence of the metabolic syndrome has coincided with the emergence of a lifestyle that replaces physical activity with overindulgence. In this setting, excess nutrients continuously bombard the major metabolic organs, leaving resident cells to cope with a steady influx of superfluous carbon fuel. The molecular consequences of energy surplus are far-reaching. Among these, growing evidence suggests carbon overload promotes lysine acetylation, a protein modification prominent in mitochondria and linked to detrimental effects on energy metabolism. Because this phenomenon of carbon stress is increasingly recognized as a key feature of aging and metabolic disease, scientists are now keenly interested in understanding the functional impacts of protein acetylation and the mechanisms that defend against them. The best-characterized countermeasures against protein hyperacetylation are mediated by a family of NAD+-dependent deacylases known as the sirtuins, which may have evolved as a stress response mechanism to offset spurious, nonenzymatic acetylation events that occur upon increasing carbon pressure (1). This family of proteins has a wide range of biological effects on disease processes associated with aging, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic syndrome. Sirtuins remove a variety of posttranslational acyl-modifications from proteins, including acetyl-lysine modifications (2), which accumulate during prolonged high-fat feeding (3,4). Interestingly, within 1 week of feeding mice a fat-rich diet, expression of the mitochondrial sirtuin, SIRT3, increases in the liver (3), possibly to protect against aberrant protein acetylation. Consistent with this prediction, hepatic protein acetylation remains low at this time point. However, after chronic high-fat feeding (13 weeks), SIRT3 expression …
Strategies for Professional Engineering Firms during Economic Recession

Professional engineering firms are exposed to unpredictable business cycles owing to fluctuations in the macroeconomic environment. The National Bureau of Economic Research NBER has monitored U.S. business cycles since 1929 by mapping changes in national economic activity using a complex set of macroeconomic variables. It has been observed that after every long expansion, there is an economic recession, usually lasting 11 to 12 months on average. Thus, every professional engineering practice firm operating in our market economy can expect recessionary conditions sometime during its existence. The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the NBER confirmed that the United States has indeed been in a recession since December 2007. There are clear indications that it will last much longer than the typical recessions of the past half century owing to structural shifts in the economy resulting from the increasing globalization of economic activities. As a consequence, professional engineering firms are likely to see adverse movement in output, employment, and company profits and, eventually, depressed stock prices for the listed companies. As most engineering firms are small businesses, even minor changes in their market niche and economic environment tend to have farreaching impact. A firm cannot meet the challenges of recession using yesterday’s strategy if it expects to be in business tomorrow, and its very survival may depend on the ability to adapt to changes in the external environment. Therefore, engineering practitioners and firm managers need to develop specific tailored strategies to succeed in the marketplace during the recessionary phase of the economic cycle. An economic recession is broadly defined as an overall slowing down of economic activity measured by peak-to-trough declines. One common and often-cited definition characterizes recession as “two consecutive quarters of declining gross national output.” An economic recession affects various stakeholders of a firm, including employees, managers, partners, customers, suppliers, company shareholders, and the community at large. However, a recessionary economy is similar in one way to a booming one: business still needs to create value for its customers and shareholders. The businesses that use economic recession as an opportunity to focus on strategic leadership and to establish competitive advantage usually create higher shareholder value. Building lasting value is both the greatest challenge and opportunity, requiring the leadership to focus on long-term plans, stick to core competency, become cost competitive and more rel-
Nanoscale investigation of surfaces exposed to a thermite spray

Abstract A thermite spray gun was recently developed as a means for discharging the reaction products and intermediates of the highly exothermic thermite reaction. The thermite spray gun was inspired by more widely used hydrocarbon spray guns with the modification that the reactants are in the solid phase. This device has been used in conjunction with a heat flux sensor to examine the energy transfer characteristics of the spray. The current study broadens the previous work of thermite sprays by examining the influence of reactant composition on heat flux characteristics as well as the penetration behavior of the ejected spray evaluated with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Specifically, the apparatus was loaded with a fuel lean (Φ = 0.61) and a fuel rich (Φ = 1.52) Al-Fe 2 O 3 thermite and both nanometric and micron-scale reactants were investigated. The gas generating, fuel rich nano-thermite exhibited slight ablation of the silicon substrate, exhibiting 7.5 times shorter exposure to the thermite spray, and an order of magnitude faster spray velocity as compared to the non-gas generating, fuel lean nano-thermite. The micron-thermite demonstrated comparatively more ablation of the silicon substrate such that it was determined particle size plays an important role in surface removal with micron-scale particles also producing higher heat fluxes and surface temperatures.
Antidotes in food animal practice.

1Because there is little economic incentive for pharmaceutical companies to pursue antidote approval for a limited market, it is unlikely that this situation will change in the near future. In most instances, practitioners seeking to treat food animals for toxicoses are compelled to either use products in an extralabel manner or to compound antidotes from bulk sources. There are relatively few data from which scientifically based withdrawal intervals (WDIs) may be developed for the protection of human health. This Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) Digest provides a summary of regulatory and scientific information regarding the most commonly recommended antidotes used in food animals. None of the drugs covered in this digest have been approved by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) as New Animal Drugs. The information on residues presented in this digest is for the antidotes, not for the toxicants. When an antidote must be used to treat a food animal for a toxicosis, a WDI to ensure depletion of the toxicant is also required, and it may be longer than the WDI for the antidote. FARAD can provide WDI recommendations for a wide range of toxicants; however, these recommendations must be made on a case-by-case basis because of differences in exposure route, dose, and duration. Unapproved Veterinary Antidotes Marketed with Veterinary Labels The FDA/CVM has applied regulatory discretion and does not prohibit the commercial manufacture and marketing of several veterinary antidotes. These products do not have New Animal Drug Approval (NADA) numbers and have not been formally approved by the FDA/CVM. These products are manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices, and their labels are reviewed and on file with the FDA/CVM. They may be used as antidotes in food animals, although higher dosages or more prolonged treatment than that indicated on the labels may be necessary. Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act requirements do not apply to these drugs because they are not approved drugs; however, veterinarians are strongly encouraged to follow AMDUCA requirements when using these drugs. 2
Nitric oxides mediates a shift from early necrosis to late apoptosis in cytokine-treated β-cells that is associated with irreversible DNA damage

For many cell types, including pancreatic β-cells, nitric oxide is a mediator of cell death; however, it is paradoxical that for a given cell type nitric oxide can induce both necrosis and apoptosis. This report tests the hypothesis that cell death mediated by nitric oxide shifts from an early necrotic to a late apoptotic event. Central to this transition is the ability of β-cells to respond and repair nitric oxide-mediated damage. β-Cells have the ability to repair DNA that is damaged following 24-h incubation with IL-1; however, cytokine-induced DNA damage becomes irreversible following 36-h incubation. This irreversible DNA damage following 36-h incubation with IL-1 correlates with the activation of caspase-3 (cleavage and activity). The increase in caspase activity correlates with reductions in endogenous nitric oxide production, as nitric oxide is an inhibitor of caspase activity. In contrast, caspase cleavage or activation is not observed under conditions in which β-cells are capable of repairing damaged DNA (24-h incubation with cytokines). These findings provide evidence that β-cell death in response to cytokines shifts from an early necrotic process to apoptosis and that this shift is associated with irreversible DNA damage and caspase-3 activation.
Risk-communication capability for public health emergencies varies by community diversity.

Background Public health emergencies heighten several challenges in risk-communication: providing trustworthy sources of information, reaching marginalized populations, and minimizing fear and public confusion. In emergencies, however, information may not diffuse equally among all social groups, and gaps in knowledge may increase. Such knowledge gaps vary by social structure and the size, socioeconomic status, and diversity of the population. This study explores the relationship between risk-communication capabilities, as perceived by public officials participating in emergency tabletop exercises, and community size and diversity.
Planning to Reach for an Object Changes How the Reacher Perceives It

Three experiments assessed the influence of the Ebbinghaus illusion on size judgments that preceded verbal, grasp, or touch responses. Prior studies have found reduced effects of the illusion for the grip-scaling component of grasping, and these findings are commonly interpreted as evidence that different visual systems are employed for perceptual judgment and visually guided action. In the current experiments, the magnitude of the illusion was reduced by comparable amounts for grasping and for judgments that preceded grasping (Experiment 1). A similar effect was obtained prior to reaching to touch the targets (Experiment 2). The effect on verbal responses was apparent even when participants were simply instructed that a target touch task would follow the verbal task. After participants had completed a grasping task, the reduction in the magnitude of the illusion remained for a subsequent verbal-response judgment task (Experiment 3). Overall, the studies demonstrate strong connections between action plann...
Production Risk, Acreage Decisions and Implications for Revenue Insurance Programs

In 1996, the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act ended over sixty years of direct government subsidies for seven program crops in the United States. Declining commodity prices since then and associated farm hardships in many rural areas refocused interest on farm income protection. In 1998, the U.S. Congress approved one-half billion dollars of funding to develop agricultural insurance. In addition, many farm organizations now offer their own revenue insurance programs for farm income protection, covering a variety of agricultural commodities ranging from Iowa corn to Idaho potatoes. With the increasing use of revenue insurance for farm income protection, questions have been raised about their economic and environmental implications. For example, will revenue insurance affect cropping patterns and input use? If so, what are the environmental implications of these insurance programs?
Baseband implementation of fast acquisition symbol synchronizer

Symbol synchronization in less than 10 symbol times has been achieved with a miss probability of >
PHARMACOKINETICS OF HIGH-DOSE IV ALIZAPRIDE IN PREVENTION OF CISPLATIN-INDUCED EMESIS

Alizapride is a new antidopaminergic-related benzamide with specific antiemetic properties. Pharmacokinetics at a high repetitive dose (16 mg/kg) shows a biexponential plasma decay with T1/2 alpha of 8.33 +/- 2.47 min and T1/2 beta 2.8 +/- 0.7 hr. Large Vdss and high total body clearance are apparent. We demonstrate an increase in drug exposure during the first 6 hr after CDDP infusion by shortening the interval between injections. We conclude that the rate of infusion of alizapride could be important in the efficacy of the drug.
Live-imaging fluorescent proteins in mouse embryos: multi-dimensional, multi-spectral perspectives

Microscopy has always been an obligate tool in the field of developmental biology, a goal of which is to elucidate the essential cellular and molecular interactions that coordinate the specification of different cell types and the establishment of body plans. The 2008 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded 'for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP' in recognition that the discovery of genetically encoded fluorescent proteins (FPs) has spearheaded a revolution in applications for imaging of live cells. With the development of more-sophisticated imaging technology and availability of FPs with different spectral characteristics, dynamic processes can now be live-imaged at high resolution in situ in embryos. Here, we review some recent advances in this rapidly evolving field as applied to live-imaging capabilities in the mouse, the most genetically tractable mammalian model organism for embryologists.
A Verification Scheme for Data Aggregation in Data Mining

To conduct data mining, we often need to collect data from various data owners. Privacy concerns may prevent the parties from directly sharing the data and some types of information about the data. To conduct data mining without compromising data privacy, we propose a verification scheme to ensure that the collected data follow the requirements of data miners, which is one of the important issues in privacy-preserving data mining systems.
Discounting of Delayed Rewards as an Endophenotype

The article by Anokhin et al. (1) in this issue of Biological Psychiatry provides strong evidence of the heritability of the neurobehavioral decision process referred to as the discounting of delayed rewards, or temporal discounting (i.e., the devaluation of a reward as a function of delay to its delivery) (2). Using a standard psychophysical titration procedure to assess discounting, Anokhin et al. tested twins (N 5 560) at both 16 years of age and 18 years of age. Use of more than one time point allows estimates of the stability and strength of genetic influence over time. Overall, Anokhin et al. estimated heritability of temporal discounting to be 57%, with strength of genetic influence increasing across time. This study extends a previous finding by these authors (3) in which evidence of similar heritability was observed using a less quantitative measure of discounting and younger twins (12 years old and 14 years old). The most crucial aspects of these results are revealed when they are considered as part of the extant evidence about temporal discounting, including how discounting relates to various maladaptive and psychopathologic behaviors. Excessive temporal discounting is evident across multiple disorders and has been appropriately identified as a transdisease/diagnostic process (4). Excessive discounting has been demonstrated in most forms of substance dependence disorders, including alcohol, nicotine, opioids, and stimulants. Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and adults with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, problem gambling, and obesity also discount delayed rewards more than control subjects (4). Additionally, high rates of temporal discounting have been associated with a variety of poor health behaviors, including failure to check blood pressure, obtain cholesterol testing, attend dental visits, exercise, receive flu shots, wear a seat belt, engage in safe sexual behavior, or be medically adherent (4–6). The discounting of delayed rewards also has been identified as a candidate behavioral marker for drug dependence (7); that is, evidence supports that discounting tracks disease progression and treatment outcomes, suggesting novel therapeutic approaches and identifying potential mechanisms underlying drug dependence. For example, excessive discounting is predictive of drug use initiation, is correlated with the amount of substance used, is predictive of therapeutic outcomes when the treatment is moderately efficacious, and improves after highly effective treatment. Estimates of discounting for individuals in recovery from drug dependence are near or within a normative range. Mechanistically, discounting is thought by most investigators to involve dual neurobehavioral processes, and those mechanisms have suggested novel interventions (8). Whether discounting can serve as a candidate marker for the diseases and disorders or behaviors listed in the preceding paragraph remains to be determined.
Stability in the cumulative incidence, severity and mortality of 101 cases of invasive mucormycosis in high-risk patients from 1995 to 2011: a comparison of eras immediately before and after the availability of voriconazole and echinocandin-amphotericin combination therapies.

Summary As invasive mucormycosis (IM) numbers rise, clinicians suspect prior voriconazole worsens IM incidence and severity, and believe combination anti-fungal therapy improves IM survival. To compare the cumulative incidence (CI), severity and mortality of IM in eras immediately before and after the commercial availability of voriconazole all IM cases from 1995 to 2011 were analysed across four risk-groups (hematologic/oncologic malignancy (H/O), stem cell transplantation (SCT), solid organ transplantation (SOT) and other), and two eras, E1 (1995–2003) and E2, (2004–2011). Of 101 IM cases, (79 proven, 22 probable): 30 were in E1 (3.3/year) and 71 in E2 (8.9/year). Between eras, the proportion with H/O or SCT rose from 47% to 73%, while ‘other’ dropped from 33% to 11% (P = 0.036). Between eras, the CI of IM did not significantly increase in SCT (P = 0.27) or SOT (P = 0.30), and patterns of anatomic location (P = 0.122) and surgical debridement (P = 0.200) were similar. Significantly more patients received amphotericin-echinocandin combination therapy in E2 (31% vs. 5%, P = 0.01); however, 90-day survival did not improve (54% vs. 59%, P = 0.67). Since 2003, the rise of IM reflects increasing numbers at risk, not prior use of voriconazole. Frequent combination of anti-fungal therapy has not improved survival.
A Tree-Based Framework for Difference Summarization

Understanding the differences between two datasets is a fundamental data mining question and is also ubiquitously important across many real world scientific applications. In this paper, we propose a tree-based framework to provide a parsimonious explanation of the difference between two distributions based on rigorous two-sample statistical test. We develop two efficient approaches. The first one is a dynamic programming approach that finds a minimal number of data subsets that describe the difference between two data sets. The second one is a greedy approach that approximates the dynamic programming approach. We employ the well-known Friedman's MST (minimal spanning tree) statistics for two-sample statistical tests in our summarization tree construction, and develop novel techniques to speedup its computational procedure. We performed a detailed experimental evaluation on both real and synthetic datasets and demonstrated the effectiveness of our tree-summarization approach.
Relaxed c-plane InGaN layers for the growth of strain-reduced InGaN quantum wells

A fully relaxed In0.1Ga0.9N layer was grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on c-plane GaN using a grading technique. The growth of the graded InGaN layer in the intermediate regime enabled a smooth surface without the accumulation of In droplets. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the relaxation occurs through the formation of a high density of threading dislocations (TDs). Despite the presence of these TDs, relaxed InGaN films were then successfully used as a pseudo-substrate for the growth of InGaN/GaN quantum wells which luminesced at room temperature.
The Impact of Tobacco-Free School Policies on Youth Smoking Rates in Florida Public School Districts.

BACKGROUND Developing and implementing policies to curb and prevent youth tobacco use is of the utmost importance. In Florida, public school districts were authorized to develop tobacco-free school policies through an amendment to the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act in 2011. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of tobacco-free school policies on smoking rates among youth in Florida. METHODS Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and a multiple regression analysis were used to determine whether the comprehensiveness and enforcement of tobacco-free school policies affect the youth smoking rates within Florida public school districts. The 2010 and 2014 youth smoking rates were calculated based on the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey results. RESULTS The 2010 youth smoking rate and the inclusion of the enforcement component with provision of cessation resources were statistically significant predictors of the 2014 youth smoking rate. However, the comprehensiveness level of a policy and the inclusion of an enforcement component were not statistically significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS The inclusion of an enforcement component with provision of cessation resources is important in efforts to reduce youth smoking rates. The content of the tobacco-free school policies seems to be less relevant to their effectiveness than the enforcement of the policies.
θ 13 and the flavor ring

We present the results of a numerical search for the Dirac Yukawa matrices of the Standard Model, consistent with the quark and lepton masses and their mixing angles. We assume a diagonal up-quark matrix, natural in ${\mathsc{Z}}_{\mathbf{7}}\ensuremath{\rtimes}{\mathsc{Z}}_{\mathbf{3}}$, bimaximal or tribimaximal seesaw mixing, and $SU(5)$ unification to relate the down-quark and charged lepton Dirac Yukawa matrices using Georgi-Jarlskog mechanisms. The measured value of ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ requires an asymmetric down-quark Yukawa matrix. Satisfying the measured values of both ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ and the electron mass restricts the number of solutions, underlying the importance of the recent measurement of the reactor angle.
Baseline assessment of campus-wide general health status and mental health: Opportunity for tailored suicide prevention and mental health awareness programming

ABSTRACTObjective: A campus-wide assessment examined the physical and mental health status of a midsize midwestern public university. Participants: Two thousand and forty-nine students, faculty, and staff on a single college campus were assessed in March–April 2013. Methods: Participants completed an online survey with sections devoted to demographics, physical and mental health status, and suicide knowledge and experiences. Results: This study captured broad physical and mental health indicators. Students, faculty, and staff in certain demographic groups were more likely to report significant problems associated with mental and physical health. Specifically, women, faculty and staff of color, and nonheterosexual persons reported worse health outcomes. Across 8 mental health indicators, students reported consistently worse mental health than their faculty/staff counterparts. Conclusions: This paper presents findings from a significant campus-wide physical and mental health surveillance initiative. Results...
Microbial Control of Lepidopterous Pests of Fall Lettuce in Arizona and Effects of Chemical and Microbial Pesticides on Parasitoids

After an initial application of chemical insecticides, all field plots of fall lettuce treated with nuclear polyhedrosis viruses isolated from Trichoplusia ni (Huibner) and Autographa californica Speyer, or with a commercial preparation of strain HD-l, Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (3A,3B) DeBarjac, demonstrated adequate control of lepidopterous larvae. However, damage by thrips was excessive and decreased the quality of the crop. Of T. ni larvae collected from untreated plots, 28% were parasitized; no more than 1.1% of the T. ni and Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) larvae collected from lettuce treated with chemical insecticides were parasitized; and 5.2–15.4% of those collected from plots treated with microbial insecticides were parasitized. Survival to pupation of larvae of both species was highest among those collected from the chemically-treated fields and from plots treated with HD-l and lowest among those collected from plots treated with the nuclear polyhedrosis viruses. The microbial insecticides therefore have a potential as control agents for lepidopterous pests, chemical pesticides have a severe effect on parasites, and the microbial insecticides have a deleterious effect on parasitism that may limit control by a combination of pathogens and parasites.
NONLINEAR MPC FOR RECOMBINANT ZYMOMONAS MOBILIS FED-BATCH ETHANOL FERMENTATION

Abstract This work presents the development of an unstructured kinetic model incorporating the differing degrees of product inhibition on the kinetic rates of recombinant Zymomonas mobilis fermentation. A mechanism for the inhibition of two competing substrates cellular uptake via membrane transport is proposed. The model was utilized in a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) algorithm to control product concentration during fed-batch fermentation. Using optimal feeding policy determined online by the NMPC controller, the volumetric productivity of ethanol was improved by 16.6% relative to the equivalent batch operation when the same final ethanol concentration was reached.
Postfracture pain in children can be adequately managed with ibuprofen

Commentary to: Poonai N, Bhullar G, Lin K, et al. Oral administration of morphine versus ibuprofen to manage postfracture pain in children: a randomized trial. CMAJ 2014;186:1358–63[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2]. Untreated or undertreated pain in children can have short-term and long-term problems.1 ,2 For fractures in children, it is widely accepted that the most severe pain occurs in the first 48 h postinjury. Following recent warnings from Health Canada on the safety of codeine,3 ,4 there has been an increased use of morphine and anti-inflammatory medication for postfracture pain. This study was carried out to compare the efficacy of the morphine with ibuprofen for fracture pain in children. This randomised controlled trial was conducted in the paediatric emergency department at the Children's Hospital in London, Ontario. Children aged between 5 and17 years of age with a radiographically evident extremity fracture sustained in the preceding 24 h were invited … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DCMAJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1503%252Fcmaj.140907%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F25349008%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=cmaj&resid=186/18/1358&atom=%2Febmed%2F20%2F3%2F105.atom
Influence of Processing Parameters on Morphology of Polymethoxyflavone in Emulsions

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) are groups of compounds isolated from citrus peels that have been documented with wide arrays of health-promoting bioactivities. Because of their hydrophobic structure an...
Immune complex stimulation of human neutrophils involves a novel Ca2+/H+ exchanger that participates in the regulation of cytoplasmic pH: flow cytometric analysis of Ca2+/pH responses by subpopulations.

The activation of human phagocytic leukocytes by immune complexes (IC) or opsonized microbes via their Fc and complement receptors has been well-described (for reviews, see refs. [1-3]). The mechanisms involved in this process are complex and depend on the receptors involved. The biochemical events that lead to the destruction of invading organisms in turn display varying degrees of interdependence, but the controlling elements that lead to the ultimate killing of ingested organisms within phagosomes by lysosomal enzymes and reactive oxygen intermediates are still not completely understood. We have addressed these mechanisms by following and correlating the kinetics of responses by individual cells, using multiparameter flow cytometry [3-4]. Using nonopsonized IC as stimuli, we document here the presence of a novel Ca 2 + /H + voltage-independent channel in human neutrophils, which helps to control their cytoplasmic pH.