cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential performance of reciprocal hybrids in multiple environments

Summary 1. Closely related taxa may be maintained as distinct species by a variety of reproductive isolating mechanisms. These include: inability to produce hybrid offspring, endogenous selection against hybrids in the form of genomic incompatibilities, and exogenous selection observable in genotypeby-environment interactions. To understand the relative importance of these three isolating mechanisms, we performed hand-pollination and reciprocal transplant experiments in a natural plant hybrid zone. 2. We measured reproductive isolation by making crosses between two parent species of Penstemon and naturally occurring hybrids. Inclusion of reciprocal hybrid crosses allowed us to determine whether fitness components differed depending on the identity of the mother. 3. Hybrid performance was evaluated in the greenhouse and in a reciprocal transplant experiment in the field. We measured fruit set, seed set, seed weight, time required for fruits to mature and seedling growth for potted plants. To test for exogenous isolation, we planted pure parents, reciprocal F 1 hybrids and later generation hybrids in a reciprocal transplant experiment, and measured survival. 4. On average, interspecific crosses produced as many seeds as conspecific crosses. Hybrid performance was also equal to or greater than parents in all environments, including the greenhouse and all field gardens, indicating a lack of endogenous isolation. Parent species and reciprocal F 1 hybrids differed in many traits measured. In each field garden, the hybrid with the native cytoplasm had a higher survival rate, suggesting local adaptation to different elevations. 5. Synthesis . Exogenous factors that differ along elevational gradients can be more important than intrinsic genetic incompatibilities in determining the fitness of plant hybrids. Our results illustrate the importance of studying hybrid performance in multiple environments and in generating reciprocal hybrids to test for isolating mechanisms in natural hybrid zones.
Apogamic induction of haploid plasmodia in a myxomycete, Didymium iridis

Abstract Interisolate crosses between haploid (mean DNA = 0.32) CR 5-5 ( A 2 ) myxamoebae and polyploid (mean DNA = 1.80) CR 2–25 ( A 5 ) myxamoebae of the myxomycete Didymium iridis result in plasmodia that have the haploid (mean DNA = 0.32) DNA content rather than the predicted polyploid value. F 1 clones possess the mating type allele of the CR 5-5 clone only, and they also have the same mean DNA content as CR 5-5 myxamoebae. Crosses between these F 1 clones and CR 2–25 myxamoebae again resulted in the production of haploid plasmodia. Hence, the polyploid CR 2–25 clone appears to induce the CR 5-5 clone to produce plasmodia without involving itself in nuclear fusion.
Resources limit the fecundity of three woodland herbs

Effects of supplemental hand pollination on fruit set, seed number, and seed weight were examined for 3 perennial, woodland herbs, Uvularia sessilifolia, Geranium maculatum, and Maianthemum canadense. We found no evidence for pollen limitation of any measure of fecundity. Low light probably limited fecundity in Geranium, while soil nitrogen limited the number of sseds/fruit in Maianthemum. For Geranium and Maianthemum the relationship between the number of flowers and fecundity varied in differeent years. Maianthemum ramets with greater than average flower numbers had a decreased chance of reproductive failure than did ramets with few flowers.
Broadcast feedback control of cell populations using stochastic Lyapunov functions with application to angiogenesis regulation

This paper introduces a broadcast feedback approach to controlling the aggregate behavior of a population of cells. Control of the angiogenesis process, which is known to exhibit stochastic behavior, is the target application. A simple model is considered that assumes a cloud of independent cells that need to be controlled to a specific location or along a trajectory. Each cell makes a random decision to move to the right, to the left, or remain in its current location at each time step. Additionally, each cell has a unit time refractory period after a movement during which it cannot move again. Because the cells live in a "wet" environment, it is not feasible to control their behavior independently. Instead, the system output is the centroid of the cloud, and the controller uses the error between the output and the reference to broadcast a single probability of transitioning to the ensemble of cells. Conditions for stability in the output are obtained using a stochastic Lyapunov function. An analysis of the dispersion of the cloud of cells is given. Additional intercellular regulatory behavior is added to better represent a real system and leads to a method of variance control under some additional assumptions. Simulation verifies the theoretical results and affirms that aggregate output can be stably controlled to a reference or along a trajectory.
Signal averaged electrocardiograms-a comparative study of two recording devices

Signal averaged electrocardiograms (SAECGs) were studied with the Corazonix Predictor and the Marquette MAC 12/15 in a group of 27 patients. The two devices agreed on the interpretation of the SAECG in 81.5% of the patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value for these devices in predicting sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia are fairly good and comparable with values in the literature. Different methodologies and different criteria for an abnormal SAECG account in large part for the great range of predictive values reported in the literature. >
An algorithm for modular exponentiation

The best known algorithm for modular exponentiation Me mod t for arbitrary M, e and t is of O(n3) where n is the number of bits in the largest of M, e and t. This paper presents an O(n2) algorithm for the problem where Me mod t is required for many values of M and e with constant t some preprocessing is done on t, and the results are applied repeatedly to different values of M and e. The main algorithm involves on-line arithmetic in a redundant. number system. An immediate application is in encoding/decoding of messages in an RSA-based public-key cryptosystem.
A State-Level Analysis of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the United States

As climate change and the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions play an increasingly important role in the global policy debate, careful consideration of the local determinants driving emissions must be considered. The importance of local determinants in the transmission of carbon dioxide matters especially for a country that differs from coast to coast in energy use and industry makeup like the United States. To add to the policy debate this paper estimates two models that account for the dynamic nature of emissions of carbon dioxide emissions at the state-level from 1980-2010 while taking account of scale, technique, and composition effects. When stochastic trends are taken account of, an environmental Kuznets curve relationship with a feasible turning point is found for carbon dioxide emissions.
Electrorotation of Blood Cells: Medical Applications

The use of dielectric measurements as a tool for studying cellular parameters even for diagnostic reasons is a well established technique of continuing importance. Usually the passive electrical properties of tissues and cell suspensions are measured by the electrical impedance method (l0). Recently electrorotation was introduced as a method which allows the measurement of these properties in single cells (1,2,7,8). In contrast to cell electrophoresis, which allows the determination of surface charges of cells by the measurement of cell movement in a constant DC-field, in case of electrorotation the spin of cells in a rotating high frequency field is measured in dependence of the rotation frequency on the applied field.
India’s Cities Rising: The Challenges in Higher Education

In recent decades, urban population growth, combined with the impact of globalization, has influenced higher education in India. In this chapter the authors examine the growth of higher education since Independence; in particular, evaluating the changing role of government, the changing dynamics of access to education leading to the development, and the demand for higher education in more recent times. The authors argue that under the impact of globalization not only has the structure of higher education changed but with the introduction of distance and online education, and information and communication technology (ICT) as well as cross-border higher education, the dynamics of higher education has also changed. The resultant impact is growth of privatization in higher education, with the use of ICT, which has added an extra dimension to the delivery and reception of education in India. All this not only has consequences for the contextualization of higher education in twenty-first century India but it also calls for reconsideration of existing policy geography.
Desorption Electrospray Ionization: Methodology and Applications

Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) is a widely used ionization technique for determining the chemical nature of surfaces by mass spectrometry. The ability to perform experiments in air with minimal to no sample preparation makes DESI an attractive technique in academic, industrial, and medical laboratories. A wide range of compounds can be analyzed directly from surfaces, from hydrocarbons to proteins. The fundamental principles and applications of DESI, both mature and developing, are discussed in this article along with a detailed explanation of the experimental design.
Structural Analysis of a Prokaryotic Ribosome Using a Novel Amidinating Cross-Linker and Mass Spectrometry

The structure of the Escherichia coli ribosome, a 2.5 MDa ribonucleoprotein complex containing more than 50 proteins, was probed using the novel amidinating cross-linker diethyl suberthioimidate (DEST) and mass spectrometry. Peptide cross-links derived from this complex structure were identified at high confidence (FDR 0.8%) from precursor mass measurements and collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation spectra. The acquired cross-linking data were found to be in excellent agreement with the crystal structure of the E. coli ribosome. DEST cross-links are particularly amenable to strong cation exchange (SCX) chromatography, facilitating a large-scale analysis. SCX enrichment and fractionation were shown to increase the number of cross-link spectra matches in our analysis 10-fold. Evidence is presented that these techniques can be used to study complex interactomes.
Breeding of Rattus assimilis in Captivity

Rattus assimilis of Australia, described by John Gould in 1858, has received very little scientific attention, although it is still fairly common in certain parts of that country. The present authors spent a year live-trapping the species in its native habitat in the Hawkesbury River area of New South Wales. At the end of this period, in August of 1955, 31 Rattus assimilis (14 ♀ ♀, 17 ♂ ♂) were trapped and flown to the United States. The animals arrived in apparently good condition, but eight died within the first two weeks. The remainder …
Criminalization as a Policy Response to a Public Health Crisis

Without doubt, issues surrounding HIV disease require thoughtful, direct intervention by federal, state, and local governments. These issues, however, are enormously complex. In order for our policy-makers to construct and implement an effective policy response, they must first commit themselves to that goal. When faced with the politically risky and intellectually challenging tasks of developing responses to our nation's crises, our policy-makers often opt for politically safe and intellectually easy approaches that result in over-reliance on criminal law. In an effort to combat HIV/AIDS, for example, policy-makers have increased arrests and prosecutions under existing laws, have created new crimes, and, where the activity is already criminalized, have increased the sentences. Nearly half the states have adopted statutes, some of them very broadly worded, making it a felony to knowingly engage in activity that might expose another to HIV. In a number of states without such specific statutes, prosecutors have employed traditional criminal laws to prosecute those with HIV/AIDS. For example, in one Texas case, an HIV-positive man who spit on a prison guard was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison. Focusing on the use of criminal law as a weapon against HIV/AIDS, this Article addresses the question whether the use of criminal sanctions is an effective or appropriate way to combat HIV/AIDS.
Aspects of biosocial screening and health maintenance in adolescents.

The screening process, including medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests, is tailored to fit the adolescent. Significant for early detection of disease or defect in the adolescent, this process can also form a basis of trust for an enduring doctor-patient relationship.
Separation of Variables in Spherical Coordinates

The laws of physics are almost exclusively written in the form of differential equations (DEs). In (point) particle mechanics there is only one independent variable, leading to ordinary differential equations (ODEs). In other areas of physics in which extended objects such as fields are studied, variations with respect to position are also important. Partial derivatives with respect to coordinate variables show up in the differential equations, which are therefore called partial differential equations (PDEs). We list the most common PDEs of mathematical physics in the following.
Case one: Patient interests and medical paternalism.

1. Michael J Mulnix, PhD[⇑][1] 1. is assistant professor, Dean College, Department of Philosophy, Franklin MA 1. Address for correspondence: Michael J Mulnix PhD, assistant professor, Dean College, Department of Philosophy, 99 Main Street, Franklin MA 02038. (508) 541-1755. mmulnix{at}dean.edu. A 16-year-old Hodgkin lymphoma patient refuses to have his blood specimen drawn, thus canceling his scheduled oncologic treatment. As a 16-year-old, he has no legal standing as an adult. His parents are split over his decision. One supports his right to choose; the other wishes the specimen to be drawn and the chemotherapy reinstated. The physicians at the hospital are seeking legal redress to have the court order the blood specimens to be taken. The most fundamental question presented by this case is, “Who is in position to judge what is in the patient's best interest?” To many, the answer seems clear. Respect for the autonomy of the patient requires that he have the power to make decisions regarding his medical treatment. That is, there is a presumptive case in favor of allowing patients the right to determine for themselves the course their lives will take, and this includes the course their medical treatment or non-treatment will take. This rests on the assumption that patients are capable of exercising autonomy. But, what is required for a person to be in a position to exercise genuine autonomy? In order to make autonomous decisions two conditions must be satisfied. First, the agent must be minimally rationally capable. In other words, a patient must be capable of recognizing and weighing differences between diverse treatment options, and then be able to reach a reasoned conclusion. In this case, the issue is complicated by the fact that the patient is a minor. Nevertheless, that we… [1]: #corresp-1
Abstract A58: Comorbid conditions among African American breast cancer survivors

Background: There is compelling evidence that ethnicity is a significant independent risk factor for breast cancer disparity among some racial groups in various geographical locations. In California, African American women carry a disproportionate burden of this disease with a higher mortality rate, when compared to other women. Although the etiology of the burden may be due to multiple factors such as an aggressive phenotype, treatment modalities, etc.., there is growing evidence that the existence and possible interplay of co-morbid conditions may have a negative effect on cancer survivorship outcomes. The aim of our study was to investigate the co-morbid conditions among a cohort of African American breast cancer survivors. Methods: Via recruitment flyers, support groups, and word-of-mouth, we recruited and screened 169 women from breast cancer support groups and community-dwellers in Southern and Northern California. One hundred and sixty women were eligible and n =155 participated. The inclusion criteria were women who self-identified as African/Black American, age 25 years or older, diagnosed with breast cancer and at least 1 year post-active treatment. As part of a larger study, the breast cancer survivors completed a self-report demographic data questionnaire including, height and weight, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, breast cancer stage, treatment and the presence of co-morbid conditions. Results: Our study revealed that over 79% of the survivors reported 1 or more co-morbid conditions inclusive of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism. Hypertension was the most prominent (24.5 %) co-morbid condition and 20.6% reported that they did not have any co-morbid conditions. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the importance of assessing for co-morbid conditions among African American breast cancer survivors as we might have a better understanding of risk and facilitate the need for a collaborative care approach and intervention to manage these co-morbid conditions and thus improve survivorship outcomes. Citation Format: Claudia M. Davis, Hector F. Myers. Comorbid conditions among African American breast cancer survivors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A58.
Farm Production Inputs: Future Changes

Ability for continued access to production inputs raises many concerns about the future. Can the U.S. sustain a high quality of production and processing input? Will it be allowed to use the inputs? And what role will energy play in all facets of the system?
Neurophysiology of Musculoskeletal Pain

Musculoskeletal pain presentation is distinct from cutaneous and visceral pain, which is typified by pricking, burning, or cutting sensations which are easily localized to their point of origin. In contrast, musculoskeletal pain presents as cramping and aching sensations which are not easily localized and sometimes referred to other parts of the body. This chapter reviews our current clinical understanding of the origins and physical manifestation of musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, we address the cellular and molecular triggers of musculoskeletal pain and the neurological pathways of muscular pain conduction. Musculoskeletal pain arising from mechanical overload or overuse is classified as either acute or chronic. Acute forms of musculoskeletal pain include type I muscle strain and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). These forms of acute musculoskeletal pain differ in the timing of onset (immediate vs. up to 24 h) and duration (hours vs. weeks), but are both generally easily localizable and relatively transient. In contrast, chronic musculoskeletal pain, which is often accompanied by hyperalgesia, is often referred to a location other than the muscle of origin and often arises from repeated muscle damage. This chapter describes two common disorders with chronic musculoskeletal components—myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and fibromyalgia. MPS is typified by the formation of chronically contracted taut bands, or trigger points, in the affected muscle following recurrent muscle strain. MPS progression leads to hypersensitivity and referred pain. In contrast, musculoskeletal pain associated with fibromyalgia arises from groups of muscles with distinct tender points, but without the taut bands associated with MPS.
Marktforschung als Grundlage für das Marketing-Controlling

Marketing-Controlling ist beim Ausuben seiner Funktion auf Marktforschung angewiesen, und zugleich Kontrollinstanz dieser. Denn zum einen versorgt die Marktforschung das Marketing-Controlling mit den notwendigen, externen Informationen. Sie muss dabei gewahrleisten, dass die gelieferten Erkenntnisse den notwendigen Qualitatsanforderungen entsprechen, um fehlerhafte Empfehlungen oder Entscheidungsvorlagen zu vermeiden. Das stetig wachsende Angebot an Marktforschungs-Techniken und -Produkten fuhrt dabei zu einer Erweiterung der Moglichkeiten des Marketing-Controllings. Zum anderen muss das Marketing-Controlling sicherstellen, dass Marktforschung ein gutes Kosten-Nutzen-Verhaltnis aufweist, auch in Bezug auf die Informationen fur das Marketing-Controlling selbst. Marktforschung und Marketing-Controlling befinden sich somit in einer engen und intensiven wechselseitigen Beziehung.
Dental Blogs, Podcasts, and Associated Social Media: Descriptive Mapping and Analysis.

Background: Studies of social media in both medicine and dentistry have largely focused on the value of social media for marketing to and communicating with patients and for clinical education. There is limited evidence of how dental clinicians contribute to and use social media to disseminate and access information relevant to clinical care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to inventory and assess the entry, growth, sources, and content of clinically relevant social media in dentistry. Methods: We developed an inventory of blogs, podcasts, videos, and associated social media disseminating clinical information to dentists. We assessed hosts’ media activity in terms of their combinations of modalities, entry and exit dates, frequency of posting, types of content posted, and size of audience. Results: Our study showed that clinically relevant information is posted by dentists and hygienists on social media. Clinically relevant information was provided in 89 blogs and podcasts, and topic analysis showed motives for blogging by host type: 55% (49 hosts) were practicing dentists or hygienists, followed by consultants (27 hosts, 30%), media including publishers and discussion board hosts (8 hosts, 9%), and professional organizations and corporations. Conclusions: We demonstrated the participation of and potential for practicing dentists and hygienists to use social media to share clinical and other information with practicing colleagues. There is a clear audience for these social media sites, suggesting a changing mode of information diffusion in dentistry. This study was a first effort to fill the gap in understanding the nature and potential role of social media in clinical dentistry.
The effects of autonomy support on student engagement in peer assessment

Although peer assessment is widely implemented in higher education, not all students are highly engaged in it. To enhance student engagement in peer assessment, we designed and developed a web-based tool, autonomy-supportive peer assessment (ASPA), to support students’ need for autonomy when they conducted peer assessment. Students’ sense of autonomy, and their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in peer assessment were examined via interviews and surveys. We also examined students’ academic performances, including their improvement from initial to revised essays and the quality of feedback they provided. Survey results indicated that the ASPA group (1) experienced a slightly higher sense of autonomy than the non-ASPA group, and (2) spent much more time on each evaluation criterion than the non-ASPA group. Interviews suggested that both the ASPA and non-ASPA groups were engaged in peer assessment. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in behavioral, emotional, cognitive engagement, and academic performances.
Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells operated in direct-flame configuration

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFC) with infiltrated catalysts on both anode and cathode side are operated in direct-flame configuration, with a propane flame impinging on the anode. Placing thermal insulation on the cathode dramatically increases cell temperature and performance. The optimum burner-to-cell gap height is a strong function of flame conditions. Cell performance at the optimum gap is determined within the region of stable non-coking conditions, with equivalence ratio from 1 to 1.9 and flow velocity from 100 to 300 cm s−1. In this region, performance is most strongly correlated to flow velocity and open circuit voltage. The highest peak power density achieved is 633 mW cm−2 at 833 °C, for equivalence ratio of 1.8 and flow velocity of 300 cm s−1. The cell starts to produce power within 10 s of being placed in the flame, and displays stable performance over 10 extremely rapid thermal cycles. The cell provides stable performance for >20 h of semi-continuous operation.
Large-Scale Analysis of Determinants, Stability, and Heritability of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Efflux Capacity

An online visual overview is available for this article. The online-only Data Supplement is available with this article at http://atvb.ahajournals.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.117.309201/-/DC1.
Thrombophilias: An overview

Abstract Thrombophilias are defined as conditions that increase one’s risk of developing thromboembolic phenomena. Most patients with these conditions are asymptomatic, except when in the presence of a secondary trigger, namely a high-risk situation (both physiologic and otherwise). Over the past years, the importance of recognizing these conditions, and the effects of early intervention, have been emphasized. In particular, in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, thrombophilias play a major role. As will be described, there are several well-defined conditions in pregnancy that have been found to be associated with these conditions. Appropriate early intervention may have a significant impact on pregnancy outcome. It is the responsibility of the physician to be familiar with these syndromes, their detection, and appropriate management. The theory behind these syndromes, a brief review of the coagulation cascade, a review of the individual syndromes, and special circumstances will be described below in an attempt to assist the primary care physician in becoming familiar with these conditions.
Biosynthesis of Nucleoside Diphosphoramidates in Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is a pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium and a leading cause of food-borne gastroenteritis. C. jejuni produces a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) that contains a unique O-methyl phosphoramidate modification (MeOPN). Recently, the first step in the biosynthetic pathway for the assembly of the MeOPN modification to the CPS was elucidated. It was shown that the enzyme Cj1418 catalyzes the phosphorylation of the amide nitrogen of l-glutamine to form l-glutamine phosphate. In this investigation, the metabolic fate of l-glutamine phosphate was determined. The enzyme Cj1416 catalyzes the displacement of pyrophosphate from MgCTP by l-glutamine phosphate to form CDP-l-glutamine. The enzyme Cj1417 subsequently catalyzes the hydrolysis of CDP-l-glutamine to generate cytidine diphosphoramidate and l-glutamate. The structures of the two novel intermediates, CDP-l-glutamine and cytidine diphosphoramidate, were confirmed by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. It is propose...
Aus allen Weltteilen: Ägypten mit Sudan und Libyen. By Imre Josef Demhardt

This historical geography of nineteenth-century Egypt, the Sudan and Libya is an anthology of 151 extracts from eighteen German and Austrian geographical journals of the period. The selections are ...
Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Methylates Elongin A to Regulate Transcription.

Summary Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2-EZH2) methylates histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27) and is required to maintain gene repression during development. Misregulation of PRC2 is linked to a range of neoplastic malignancies, which is believed to involve methylation of H3K27. However, the full spectrum of non-histone substrates of PRC2 that might also contribute to PRC2 function is not known. We characterized the target recognition specificity of the PRC2 active site and used the resultant data to screen for uncharacterized potential targets. The RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription elongation factor, Elongin A (EloA), is methylated by PRC2 in vivo . Mutation of the methylated EloA residue decreased repression of a subset of PRC2 target genes as measured by both steady-state and nascent RNA levels and perturbed embryonic stem cell differentiation. We propose that PRC2 modulates transcription of a subset of low expression target genes in part via methylation of EloA.
W. Michael Reed: At the Beginnings Using Computers in Education for Higher-Order Learning

Dr. William Michael “Mike” Reed was an accomplished, dedicated, and recognized educator in instructional technology. Strongly rooted in the classroom, Mike was driven in the early 1980 s and 1990 s to explore the uses of computers in education beyond computer literacy itself. His work evolved from the possible connections between computer literacy and problem solving (computer programming and use as a means to increase problem-solving ability), to the use of computers in the creative writing process (computers as a tool in a higher-order process), to hypermedia and multimedia, to structure to-be-learned material (computers as a design extension). In the process he was at the forefront of the movement from computing in education as a means unto itself to computing as a learner, and designer, tool.
Do Mushrooms Have Religion, Too?

I argue in the paper that Donovan Schaefer’s inclusion of animality in the realm of religion via affect rests on the exclusion of non-animal bodies. This exclusion, moreover, is wrapped up in the type of affect theory that Schaefer deploys, specifically phenomenological and psychological approaches over-against Deleuzian and Spinozistic models. Drawing on the latter, among others, and recent studies concerning plants and various fungi, I argue for the inclusion of non-animal life within the discussion of the relationship between affect and religion. I also suggest that such an inclusion may be grasped through investigation into the use and effects of hallucinogenic substances, or “ecodelics,” as Richard Doyle refers to them.
Oxidative stress in hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is an important neurological complication of severe liver disease which occurs in acute and chronic forms. The chronic form is characterized by neurobehavioral abnormalities, whereas brain edema and increased intracranial pressure are the principal clinical complications of acute HE. The molecular basis for the neurological disorder in liver failure remains incompletely understood. Elevated brain ammonia level is known to be a major etiological factor in this disorder, and astrocytes represent the principal target of ammonia neurotoxicity. While a number of factors and pathways appear to be critically involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder, recent evidence strongly suggests an important role of oxidative/nitrative stress (ONS) in both acute and chronic forms of HE. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which ammonia contributes to a number of pathogenetic events, including the elevation of intracellular calcium, induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, and nuclear factor-kappa B, all of which result in the production of free radicals. Such free radical formation can be further exacerbated by inflammation and manganism that are commonly found in HE. ONS represents a favorable target of therapy for individuals affected by HE.
Single Channel RF Signal Recovery for Nyquist Folding Receiver

This paper presents a method for exploiting wideband spectral information of real-valued radio frequency (RF) signals using the Nyquist Folding Receiver architecture. A new system model based on a symmetric modulation matrix is introduced so that the frequency band of the real input signals can be estimated without in-phase and quadrature reception and processing. To recover the original frequency of the input RF signal, we use the parameter-free sparse learning via iterative minimization (SLIM) method. Finally, the proposed model and the success of the recovery algorithm are demonstrated with data collected from an experimental testbed.
The Palomar Transient Factory Data Archive

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a multi-epoch robotic survey of the northern sky for the scientific study of transient astronomical phenomena. The camera and telescope provide for wide-field imaging in two optical bands. The system has been in operation since December 2008. The image data are sent to the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) for processing and archiving. The archived science products are astrometrically and photometrically calibrated images, extracted source catalogs, and coadded reference images. Relational databases track these products in operations and the data archive. The fully automated system has benefited by lessons learned from past IPAC projects and comprises advantageous features that are potentially incorporable into other ground-based observatories. Both off-the-shelf and in-house software have been utilized for economy and rapid development. The PTF data archive is curated by the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). A state-of-the-art custom web interface has been deployed for downloading the raw images, processed images, and source catalogs from IRSA. A public release of this science-rich archive is planned.
Pronunciation Instruction Can Improve L2 Learners’ Bottom‐Up Processing for Listening

Listening is widely regarded as an important skill that is difficult and necessary to teach in L2 classrooms. Listening requires both top‐down and bottom‐up processing, yet pedagogical techniques for the latter are often lacking. This study explores the efficacy of pronunciation instruction (PI) for improving learners' bottom‐up processing. The study recruited 116 relatively novice learners of Spanish as a foreign language and provided the experimental groups with brief lessons in PI emphasizing segmental or suprasegmental features followed by production‐focused or perception‐focused practice. Learners' bottom‐up processing skill was assessed with a sentence‐level dictation task. Learners given PI on suprasegmental features followed by perception‐focused practice found target language speech to be more intelligible than controls, indicating that they had improved their bottom‐up processing. However, learners given PI on segmental features followed by production‐focused practice found target language speech to be more comprehensible. The results indicate that PI is a worthwhile intervention for reasons that go beyond pronunciation, even when instructional time is limited, and that a range of features and practice types should be included in PI to improve listening skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Looking for answers in all the wrong places: How testing facilitates learning of misinformation

Abstract Research has consistently demonstrated that taking a test prior to receiving misleading information increases eyewitness suggestibility (Chan, Thomas, & Bulevich, 2009). Retrieval Enhanced Suggestibility (RES) is characterized by two typical findings: (1) reduced access to the originally witnessed event, which has been contextualized within a reconsolidation framework (e.g., Chan & LaPaglia, 2013), and (2) increased production of misleading post-test narrative details, which has been discussed as an example of test-potentiated learning (Gordon & Thomas, 2014). The present study focused on this latter finding, and examined attention as a potential factor moderating the relationship between initial testing and narrative detail production. We hypothesized that initial testing would influence endogenous attention allocation to details in the post-event narrative, thereby impacting narrative learning. We found that compared to participants who did not take an initial test, participants who took an initial test focused efforts on processing narrative details that were directly relevant to initial test questions, and this differential attention allocation was directly related to final test misinformation production. These experiments provide support for the view that testing enhances susceptibility to misinformation by potentiating learning of post-event information. In addition, the present findings support the conclusion that initial test questions and answers function as endogenous cues to direct attention during post-test learning.
Technology Characterization Model and Scaling for Energy Management

We present a low-cost methodology to find the highest energy efficiency operating conditions (voltage and frequency) for a processor with given performance requirements. Taking a black box approach, we start with processor specifications: nominal voltage, clock frequency, thermal design power (TDP), maximum frequency and maximum power, and a knowledge of the device technology. To determine the behavior of the processor, we use a small model circuit that can be economically but accurately simulated in Spice to learn the delay and energy characteristics of the technology. We simulate the model with random vectors to determine power consumption profiles and critical path delays at several voltages. Comparisons between the model data and processor specifications provide scale factors for area, voltage, nominal frequency and maximum frequency. We then optimize the operating modes of the processor for highest cycle efficiency (clock cycles per unit energy). An illustration considers a processor with 3.3 GHz clock, 1.2 V nominal voltage, and 95 W thermal design power. Several optimization scenarios are possible. Observing that the clock is power constrained, we reduce the voltage to 0.92 V, keeping the clock at 3.3 GHz, which now becomes structure-constrained. This gives a 127% higher cycle efficiency over the nominal operation. For highest performance, we set the voltage to 1.1 V and increase the clock to 4.5 GHz while holding power unchanged at 95 W. This gives 38% higher cycle efficiency than the nominal operation. The highest cycle efficiency, ten times greater than the nominal, occurs for subthreshold voltage operation at 0.35 V and 36 MHz.
Control Balance Theory of Deviance

Developed in 1995 and refined in 2004, control balance theory seeks to explain and predict the cause of deviant acts. Integrating components of existing theories with novel sociological thought, the theory proposes deviance as one response to acute awareness of control imbalance. More specifically, the theory hypothesizes that perceived control ratio imbalances may produce feelings of disrespect or humiliation thus promoting contemplations of how to extend control of people, events, and circumstances without stimulating counter control. Certain desirable acts, including acts of deviance, are enacted in an attempt to relieve the negative emotions associated with control imbalance while also minimizing the potential for retaliation or other forms of resistance. In this chapter, we review the basic theory of control balance. Following, we answer ten inquiries frequently asked about the theory, including questions about control ratios and control balance desirability, self-control’s relation to control ratios, the subjectivity of provocations, the process of control balancing, beliefs about human rationality and desire for control, the reciprocal nature of control, the role of revenge, and the empirical standing of the theory.
Eating, sleeping and sexual function disorders in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Purpose We aim to evaluate the association of PCOS with eating, sleeping and sexual function disorders. Methods A comprehensive search including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus through 01 August 2018 was conducted for studies reporting the prevalence of any eating, sleep or sexual function disorders in patients with PCOS. Independent reviewers selected studies and extracted data. A random-effects model was utilized to generate pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for binary outcomes, and mean difference (MD) and 95% CI for continuous outcomes. Results We included 36 studies reporting on 349,529 patients. Compared to women without PCOS, women with PCOS were more likely to have bulimia nervosa (OR 1.37; %CI, 1.17 to 1.60), binge eating (OR 2.95; 95%CI, 1.61 to 5.42), or any eating disorder (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.18 to 3.24); but not anorexia nervosa (OR 0.92; 95%CI, 0.78 to 1.10). Women with PCOS were more likely to have sleep disorders like hypersomnia (OR 4.39; %CI, 1.07 to 18.07) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OR 10.81; %CI, 2.39 to 48.83). Women with PCOS had lower sexual satisfaction as measured on a visual analogue scale (MD -29.67; 95% CI, -36.97 to -22.37), but no difference in Total Female Sexual Function Index (MD -0.06; 95% CI, -0.51 to 0.38). Conclusion PCOS can be associated with an increased risk of eating and sleeping disorders as well as decreased sexual satisfaction. Screening for these disorders in women with PCOS may allow early intervention and improve quality of life.
Flavoenzyme structure and function. Approaches using flavin analogues.

Flavoenzymes are redox proteins that catalyze a wide diversity of biological reactions ranging from O2 activation, to aromatic hydroxylations, dehydrogenations, and reactions in which they can accept or donate one or two electrons. In addition, they can fulfill structural and regulatory roles. This diversity is due to the fine tuning of the reactivity of the isoalloxazine ring of the flavin coenzyme by specific interactions with the protein moiety on the particular enzyme it complexes with. Methods to provide specific information on these interactions have relied on three approaches:
Can liberal integrity handle disagreement? Perhaps not

Can liberal integrity handle disagreement? I suggest that it cannot. Shmuel Nili’ s The People’s Duty outlines a pedagogical approach to collective, liberal integrity – Nili claims that individuals...
5 – Integral calculus

Publisher Summary The chapter first discusses the antiderivative, a function that possesses a given derivative. Integration as the limit of a summation process is defined and the process of constructing a finite increment in a function from knowledge of its derivative is described in the chapter. The chapter then discusses the role of the antiderivative as an indefinite integral and the use of tables of indefinite and definite integrals. Several methods of working out integrals without the use of a table are detailed in a section of the chapter. Finally, the use of integration to find mean values with a probability distribution is discussed. The antiderivative of a function is first described in the chapter. The process of integration is detailed. Indefinite integrals including tables of integrals are reviewed in another segment of the chapter. Also discussed in the chapter are improper integrals, methods of integration, numerical integration, probability distributions, and mean values. Integration is one of the two fundamental processes of calculus. It is essentially the reverse of differentiation, the other important process. There are several techniques for manipulating integrals into a recognizable form or that can be looked up in a table. Some integrals cannot be worked out mathematically, but must be approximated numerically. Some elementary techniques for carrying out this approximation are also discussed, including Simpson's rule, the most commonly used technique.
First Report of Rhizoctonia solani AG 11 Causing Stem Rot of Phaseolus vulgaris in Idaho

In July 2018, bean plants (cv. Viva pink) at one location in south central Idaho were observed to have reduced growth with approximately 20% of the plants affected over 1 ha. Visual assessment showed that the below-ground parts of stems consistently displayed brown lesions up to 2 cm in length, which sometimes girdled the entire plant. To determine the causal agent, affected material (approximately 5 mm³) was surface disinfested in sodium hypochlorite (2%) for 30 s, rinsed twice in sterile water, and plated onto water agar medium amended with penicillin G (0.2 g/liter) and streptomycin sulfate (0.8 g/liter). After 3 days, colonies of Rhizoctonia solani were identified based on the presence of relatively broad (8 to 12 μm), septate hyphae with right-angle branching. Hyphal tips of R. solani colonies were transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA) and grown for 2 weeks at 21°C. DNA was then extracted from hyphae taken from a single representative isolate (DB23). Anastomosis group (AG) was identified by ribosomal DNA ITS sequencing of isolate DB23. DNA was extracted and sequenced as previously described (Woodhall et al. 2013). The resulting sequence (GenBank no. MT256181) was over 99% identical with isolates previously identified as R. solani AG 11 (LC215403). To confirm pathogenicity, 2-week-old pinto bean plants (cv. Windbreaker) were each inoculated by placing a fully colonized 10-mm² plug taken from a 2-week-old PDA culture of isolate DB23 next to the stem 10 mm below the soil surface. Sterile PDA plugs were placed next to the stems of control plants. Each treatment was replicated five times. Plants were grown in a greenhouse at 21°C in potting compost (Scotts, Marysville, OH) under light for 16 h a day. After 5 weeks, each plant was assessed for disease using a previously described stem disease severity scale (Carling and Leiner 1990). No symptoms were present in the control plants. Plants inoculated with isolate DB23 had an average stem disease severity score of 2.6 (from a maximum of 4), and R. solani was consistently reisolated, thereby confirming Koch’s postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. solani AG 11 in Idaho on any host. Previously, R. solani AG 11 has been reported on Phaseolus vulgaris in Turkey (Eken and Demirci 2004) and on lily in Japan (Misawa et al. 2017). AG 11 has also been associated with soybeans in Arkansas (Ajayi-Oyetunde and Bradley 2017; Carling et al. 1994) and Illinois (Ajayi-Oyetunde and Bradley 2017). AG 11 has also been reported on rice in Arkansas (Carling et al. 1994; Spurlock et al. 2016) and sweet corn in New York (Ohkura et al. 2009). In western Australia, it was found on wheat and lupin, and these isolates were pathogenic to potatoes in controlled environment studies (Carling et al. 1994). Idaho is a major producer of wheat, potatoes, and dry beans; the presence of soilborne R. solani AG 11 also needs to be considered when diagnosing and managing Rhizoctonia diseases of these crops.