cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Additional Phosphorylases in Developing Maize Seeds

Two additional phosphorylases (III and IV) have been detected in developing seeds of maize. Phosphorylase IV is found only in the embryo (with scutellum). It is also present in the embryo of the germinating seed where its activity is 90-fold greater than the activity in the developing embryo 22 days after pollination. Phosphorylase IV is eluted from a DEAE-cellulose column in the same fraction as phosphorylase I of the endosperm, and the 2 enzymes are similar in many respects. Phosphorylase IV is distinguished from phosphorylase I by electrophoretic mobility, by pH optimum, and because its properties are not affected by the shrunken-4 mutation. Phosphorylase III is found both in the endosperms and embryos of developing seeds. Activity for this enzyme is not detected in crude homogenates nor eluates from a DEAE-cellulose column apparently because it complexes with a non-dialyzable, heat-labile inhibitor. High activity is found after protamine sulfate fractionation. Phosphorylase III is bound to protamine sulfate and is then removed by washing with 0.3 m phosphate buffer. Phosphorylase III activity in the endosperm is not detectable 8 days after pollination but is present 12 days after pollination. Phosphorylase III differs from phosphorylases I, II, and IV in several respects-pH optimum, pH-independent ATP inhibition, time of appearance in the endosperm, and because purine and pyrimidine nucleotides are equally inhibitory. In common with phosphorylase II, phosphorylase III apparently does not require a primer to initiate the synthesis of an amylose-like polymer.
Effect of finite lower level lifetime on Q-switched lasers

Modeling of Q-switched laser operation for four-level lasers with finite lower-laser-level lifetime is presented. Extraction efficiency is reduced and pulse shape altered in comparison to the case of infinitely fast lower-level relaxation. This reduction in efficiency is dependent on the ratio of the lower state lifetime to the cavity lifetime, the number of times above threshold, and occupancy factors of the upper and lower laser manifolds. The model is applied to the case of a Nd:YAG laser operating at 1.064 mu m. At worst, the extraction efficiency is 68% of that expected for infinitely fast relaxation. >
Statistics of single-molecule measurements: applications in flow-cytometry sizing of DNA fragments.

Background The measurement of physical properties from single molecules has been demonstrated. However, the majority of single-molecule studies report values based on relatively large data sets (e.g., N > 50). While there are studies that report physical quantities based on small sample sets, there has not been a detailed statistical analysis relating sample size to the reliability of derived parameters. Methods Monte Carlo simulations and multinomial analysis, dependent on quantifiable experimental parameters, were used to determine the minimum number of single-molecule measurements required to produce an accurate estimate of a population mean. Simulation results were applied to the fluorescence-based sizing of DNA fragments by ultrasensitive flow cytometry (FCM). Results Our simulations show, for an analytical technique with a 10% CV, that the average of as few as five single-molecule measurements would provide a mean value within one SD of the population mean. Additional simulations determined the number of measurements required to obtain the desired number of replicates for each subpopulation within a mixture. Application of these results to flow cytometry data for λ/HindIII and S. aureus Mu50/SmaI DNA digests produced accurate DNA fingerprints from as few as 98 single-molecule measurements. Conclusions A surprisingly small number of single-molecule measurements are required to obtain a mean measurement descriptive of a normally-distributed parent population. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Metropolitan density, energy efficiency and carbon emissions: Multi-attribute tradeoffs and their policy implications

Abstract Of all the potential benefits of urban containment, compaction, and densification, just two are the central focus here: attainment of greater energy efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions. In cities these are largely associated with the transport and building sectors. This paper probes the form-efficiency relation in the transport sector across 57 census-defined urbanized areas in the United States in 2000. Thirty-six of the forty largest are included. Increase in core area population density is correlated with modest gain in energy efficiency in the urban transport sector and modest decrease in its carbon emissions. Densification's lagged effects related to travel rationalization and growth in transit receptivity may increase overall metro transport energy efficiency beyond the degree revealed here. These impacts are associated with two off-setting negative externalities: (1) diminished housing affordability, and (2) increased roadway congestion. Each may moderate over time. Such effects are non-additive, owing to a difference of metrics. Elevated CAFE standards provoking new transport technologies may reduce total energy consumption and associated emissions ceteris paribus, lessening densification's marginal efficiency payoff while magnifying the significance of densification's opportunity costs. Categories of policy interventions to promote metro-scale energy efficiencies and emissions reductions, with and without urban densification, conclude the paper.
Mmpi and Demographic Correlates and Predictors of Female Prison Escape

MMPI scores and demographic factors were examined for differences between female adult felons who had escaped (N = 71) from incarceration and those who had not escaped (N = 97). Escapees were significantly younger, were more often imprisoned as juveniles, had lower MMPI L scores, but scored significantly higher on MMPI scales F, Pd, Pt, Sc, and Ma than non-escapees. An MMPI predictor model comprised of L, D, and Sc scores maximally accounted for 19% of the escape variance and was stable on cross-validation. Demographic factors were less useful and less stable escape predictors than MMPI variables.
Cellular consequences of inositol depletion

The inositol-depletion hypothesis was suggested to explain the therapeutic mechanism of mood-stabilizing drugs. Focus was previously on the phosphatidylinositol signalling pathway and on the regulatory roles of Ins(3,4,5)P(3) and DAG (diacylglycerol). Recent findings indicate that inositol and inositol-containing molecules, including phosphoinositides and inositol phosphates, have signalling and regulatory roles in many cellular processes. This suggests that depleting inositol may lead to perturbation of a wide range of cellular functions, at least some of which may be associated with bipolar disorder.
A multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional approach to teaching ethical, social, health, safety, and environmental issues in nanotechnology

The paper reports on our work developing a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional approach to teaching Ethical, Social, Safety, Health, and Environmental Issues in Nanotechnology. Under a grant from NSF, we are developing, implementing, and assessing two modular courses that include societal, ethical, environmental, health, and safety issues related to nanotechnology for undergraduates in engineering and engineering technology. It is a collaborative project between Texas State University, a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and the University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler), whose student population is 60 percent women. The work is being conducted by a highly interdisciplinary team of faculty who bring to the project expertise from mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, industrial education and technology, physics, biology, philosophy, and ethics. Here we explain the origin of the project, explicate how we have developed the course modules, review the first two semesters (Summer and Fall 2013) teaching from these modules, and examine our initial results and evaluations.
MOTOR SEQUENCING WITH LEFT HEMISPHERE DAMAGE: ARE SOME COGNITIVE DEFICITS SPECIFIC TO LIMB APRAXIA?

Sixteen left-hemisphere stroke patients, who were apraxic or nonapraxic, and 17 control subjects performed sequences of hand postures that varied in the number of different postures (repetitive and heterogeneous) and sequence length (one to five). Performance of the left hand (ipsilateral to stroke) was compared with a control group using the left hand. All stroke patients had slower reaction times and were slower to execute single hand postures, but the apraxic group was not slower than the nonapraxic group. Both the apraxic and the nonapraxic groups had similar problems scheduling or timing motor programs for both sequence types such that inter-response times were more affected by sequence length than the control group. However, only the apraxic group showed abnormalities in preprogramming heterogeneous sequences. The apraxic group also made more errors and had longer movement times (MTs) than for the other groups, but only for heterogeneous sequences containing more than three hand postures. The nonapraxic group did not show slower MTs or greater errors, regardless of the type or the length of sequences. These results suggested deficits in encoding, generating single movements and in scheduling or timing a series of actions which generally attributable to left hemisphere damage. However, abnormalities in temporal organization processes prior to and during movement were specific to apraxia. The dissociation between the two stroke groups on some but not all aspects of sequencing has implications for different cognitive mechanisms supporting motor sequencing.
Radiosurgical Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia: Evaluating Quality of Life and Treatment Outcomes

Abstract Purpose To assess the safety, efficacy, and quality of life (QOL) associated with radiosurgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods and materials Between June 1996 and June 2001, 112 patients with TN refractory to medical or surgical management were treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) at the University of Maryland Medical Center. A median prescription dose of 75 Gy (range: 70–80 Gy) was delivered to the involved trigeminal nerve root entry zone. Treatment outcomes were assessed through patient self-reports of pain control and medication usage during follow-up visits. In addition, patients responded to a standard questionnaire containing the Barrow Neurologic Institute Pain Scale (BNI) and selected sections of the McGill Pain Scale. Treatment outcomes and objective quality of life measures were also addressed. Results Ninety-six patients (86%) completed questionnaires for a median follow-up of 30 months (range: 8–66 months). Seventy-four patients (77%) reported pain relief occurring after a median of 3 weeks (range: 0–24 weeks) after GKRS. A decrease in medication usage was noted in 66% of patients. Actuarial analysis demonstrated 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year recurrence rates of 23%, 33%, and 39%, respectively. Response to treatment was associated with lack of prior surgical treatment ( p = 0.03) and less than 50 months’ pain duration before GKRS ( p = 0.04). Patients who described their TN pain as more severe than their worst non-TN headache pain (McGill Pain Scale IV–V vs. I–III) were also more likely to respond to treatment ( p Conclusions GKRS provides significant pain relief and improves QOL in the majority of patients treated for TN, with few bothersome side effects. Patients with both temporary and sustained responses to treatment realized significant improvements in QOL after GKRS, and considered their treatment successful. Longer follow-up of these patients may reveal additional recurrences highlighting the importance of studies evaluating repeat GKRS and optimization of current treatment techniques and patient selection.
Application of AHP and Taguchi loss functions in supply chain

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a decision model to help decision makers with selection of the appropriate supplier., – Supplier selection is a multi‐criteria decision‐making process encompassing various tangible and intangible factors. Both risks and benefits of using a vendor in supply chain are identified for inclusion in the evaluation process. Since these factors can be objective and subjective, a hybrid approach that applies to both quantitative and qualitative factors is used in the development of the model. Taguchi loss functions are used to measure performance of each supplier candidate with respect to the risks and benefits. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used to determine the relative importance of these factors to the decision maker. The weighted loss scores are then calculated for each supplier by using the relative importance as the weights. The composite weighted loss scores are used for ranking of the suppliers. The supplier with the smallest loss score is recommended for selection., – Inclusion of both risk and benefit categories in the evaluation process provides a comprehensive decision tool., – The proposed model provides guidelines for supply chain managers to make an informed decision regarding supplier selection., – Combining Taguchi loss function and AHP provides a novel approach for ranking of potential suppliers for outsourcing purposes.
Microphysical approach to polarized radiative transfer: extension to the case of an external observation point

The self-consistent microphysical approach applied recently to the transfer of polarized radiation inside a volume of anisotropic discrete random medium is extended to the case of an external observation point. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the solution of the vector radiative transfer equation yields all quantities necessary to calculate the response of an external collimated detector of polarized radiation as a function of the detector orientation and position relative to the scattering volume.
Biological and biochemical characterization of Sowbane mosaic virus.

Abstract A semilatent virus in Chenopodium amaranticolor Coste and Reyn. was found to be a strain of Sowbane mosaic virus (SMV). The virus was isolated and purified by n -butanol treatment followed by differential centrifugation. Experimental infection of C. amaranticolor by SMV produced chlorotic local lesions on the inoculated leaves and chlorotic fleck- and star-shaped patterns in the systemically infected leaves. The virus failed by mechanical inoculation to infect some 85 species representing 18 families of plants. It appears to infect species only in the Chenopodiaceae and infection can be latent in naturally infected C. amaranticolor . Seeds from diseased C. amaranticolor produced seedlings of which 14% were infected. The virus did not cross-react serologically with 20 different isometric plant viruses. SMV has an average particle diameter of 26 mμ, its s 20,w 118 S and its pI is at pH 4.4. From phosphorus content, the virus was estimated to contain 20% RNA by weight, and the nucleotide composition in mole per cent was 28% Cp, 23% Ap, 26% Gp, and 23% Up. Protein isolated by formic acid treatment appeared to be homogeneous when examined by disc electrophoresis. End group analyses showed that the protein is a single polypeptide chain terminating with C-terminal lysine. No free N-terminus was detected. Amino acid and tryptic peptide analyses showed that the protein contains a total of 176 amino acid residues per subunit, and that the subunit has a molecular weight of about 19,200 based on its amino acid content.
The differential diagnosis of chronic daily headaches: an algorithm-based approach

Chronic daily headaches (CDHs) refers to primary headaches that happen on at least 15 days per month, for 4 or more hours per day, for at least three consecutive months. The differential diagnosis of CDHs is challenging and should proceed in an orderly fashion. The approach begins with a search for “red flags” that suggest the possibility of a secondary headache. If secondary headaches that mimic CDHs are excluded, either on clinical grounds or through investigation, the next step is to classify the headaches based on the duration of attacks. If the attacks last less than 4 hours per day, a trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC) is likely. TACs include episodic and chronic cluster headache, episodic and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, SUNCT, and hypnic headache. If the duration is ≥4 h, a CDH is likely and the differential diagnosis encompasses chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, new daily persistent headache and hemicrania continua. The clinical approach to diagnosing CDH is the scope of this review.
Trigeminal ganglion infection by thymidine kinase-negative mutants of herpes simplex virus

The incidence of trigeminal ganglion infection after corneal inoculation of guinea pigs with thymidine kinase-negative mutants of herpes simplex virus was markedly reduced compared to infection after inoculation of thymidine kinase-positive virus. Thymidine kinase-negative herpes simplex virus replicated well in ocular tissues in which dividing or potentially dividing cells were present, but not in trigeminal ganglion infection of nondividing neurons. Thymidine kinase-positive virus, however, replicated well in ocular tissues as well as in trigeminal ganglion. These results suggest that thymidine kinase expression of herpes simplex virus may be important in infections of sensory ganglia.
6. Descompresión de fosa posterior y evacuación directa como tratamiento de hematoma de IV ventrículo tras ruptura aneurismática

Introduccion La hemorragia intraventricular masiva secundaria a ruptura de un aneurisma cerebral va acompanada de un pronostico nefasto. Un hematoma intraventricular capaz de causar dilatacion del cuarto ventriculo podria producir compresion del tronco del encefalo similar a la que producen otras masas agudas de la fosa posterior tales como la hemorragia o el infarto cerebeloso. Ni el drenaje ventricular ni la infusion de fibrinoliticos ha sido eficaz en la eliminacion de hematomas de 4° ventriculo. La craniectomia descompresiva de fosa posterior y evacuacion directa del hematoma intraventricular podria tener un buen resultado en el alivio de la compresion tronco-encefalica producida por el hematoma. Presentacion del caso. Una mujer de 45 anos fue admitida en nuestra UCI al ser encontrada en coma. Al ingreso la enferma se encontraba en grado V segun la clasificacion de la WFNS, pero los reflejos de tronco estaban preservados. Se realizo una TAC craneal que mostro la existencia de una hemorragia intraventricular masiva, con dilatacion del 4° ventriculo debido a un hematoma intraventricular. Se colocaron drenajes ventriculares externos bilateralmente para aliviar la hipertension intracraneal. Se realizo seguidamente una arteriografla cerebral que mostro un aneurisma del top de la basilar de aproximadamente 1 cm., de diametro, que se embolizo con coils-GDC en el mismo procedimiento. Se realizo una craniectomia descompresiva y evacuacion del hematoma intraventricular inmediatamente despues de la embolizacion. La paciente experimento una clara mejoria de su nivel de conciencia tras la intervencion y ha conseguido un buen resultado neurologico en el seguimiento temprano. Conclusion La dilatacion del 4° ventriculo por un hematoma intraventricular es un signo de compresion tronco-encefalica que puede ser aliviada mediante la realizacion de una craniectomia descompresiva de fosa posterior y evacuacion directa del hematoma intraventricular.
Energy expenditure for free flight by the purple martin (Progne subis)

Abstract 1. 1. Carbon dioxide production during free flight averaged 23·7 mM/ hr for the purple martin (Progne subis) 2. 2. The energy equivalence is within the range 2·9 to 3·8 kcal/hr (0·057–0·075 kcal/g per hr) depending on the respiratory quotient at which it was produced. The most appropriate R.Q. for the conditions of the experiment appears to be 0·78 at which the flight cost equivalence is 3·5 kcal/hr (0·069 kcal/g per hr). 3. 3. The increase in heat production is between 4·6 and 6·1 times the predicted standard level of metabolism. 4. 4. This energy expenditure level is lower than values for non-passerines, but is within the range of values obtained for passerines in fat-depletion studies. A physiological difference in flight proficiency may exist between passerines and non-passerines.
Bortezomib Inhibits Osteoclast Activity in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Background The antimyeloma agent bortezomib functions as an inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)–κB. Although NF-κB inhibition is predicted to affect osteoclast function, preclinical and clinical studies have primarily reported an effect on osteoblasts. Patients and Methods We examined parameters of bone turnover prospectively in patients with multiple myeloma treated with bortezomib before and after autologous transplantation. Thirty-nine patients received 2 cycles of bortezomib on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 of a 21-day cycle. After high-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell transplantation, bortezomib 1.3 mg/m 2 on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of a 5-week cycle was administered as maintenance therapy. Results During posttransplantation bortezomib, decreases in the urinary excretion of collagen N-telopeptide indicated that bortezomib suppresses osteoclast function. Conclusion The effects on osteoclasts occurred in the absence of bisphosphonate treatment and independently of changes in monoclonal protein levels. Further studies exploring the role of bortezomib as a bone protective agent could be warranted.
A comparison of the sales management training practices of smaller and larger organizations

Recognizing the importance of the sales manager to the success of the organization, researchers are beginning to focus attention on the sales manager. Presents the results of an exploratory study designed to isolate differences in the training of sales managers in smaller and larger organizations. Specifically addresses training approaches, leaders, methods, environments, and content. Provides a discussion of the findings with managerial implications and future research direction.
The instability of T4 messenger RNA.

We have studied the stability of messenger RNA in T4-infected cells of Escherichia coli CR34 that had been sensitized to actinomycin by treatment with EDTA. T4 infection is shown to proceed normally in these EDTA-treated cells. Pulse-labeled messenger RNA both early and late in infection decays with a half-life of 3·5 minutes at 37°C. The rate of early and late protein synthesis in actinomycin-treated cells decays with this same half-life. We find no evidence for stable messenger RNA either early or late in infection.
Assessing the factor structure of well-being in older adults: findings from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Objectives: Well-being has been conceptualized as a two-dimensional construct that includes both hedonic and eudaimonic components. To date, existing measures of well-being may not adequately capture both of these components for older adults, and limited literature has explored whether the two constructs can be integrated into one factor to measure well-being in this population.Method: This study examined the factor structure of the 11 well-being items from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative panel study of Medicare recipients in the US. Using data from the 2011 wave, we divided the community-dwelling sample into two random subsamples, testing our theory in sample 1 (n = 3305) and examining the replicability of the solution in sample 2 (n = 3297).Results: We conducted confirmatory factor analyses using a correlated uniqueness approach to account for the frequency and negatively worded method effects. The findings from sample 1 indicated that the single factor st...
Improving the performance, availability, and security of data access for opportunistic mobile computing

An opportunistic model of mobile computing is presently emerging in which users can fully benefit from their personal computing environment wherever they are without having to carry "heavy-weight" mobile systems with them. The transition to this model can be seen as part of the pervasive computing vision, being catalyzed by the near ubiquity of powerful smart phones, the increasing availability of local PC hardware, and recent trends in virtualization and cloud computing. The fate of the opportunistic mobile computing model will be essentially decided by the performance, availability, and security of data access relative to alternative solutions. Mobile users require safe and efficient access to their data from whatever PC or device they are currently using, wherever they may be. These requirements expose several new challenges to the performance, availability, and security of user data access under opportunistic mobile computing conditions. In this dissertation, we identify challenges to user data access within the opportunistic mobile computing model, present novel approaches to address them, and demonstrate the effectiveness of these approaches through extensive experimentation. To improve the performance of data access for opportunistic mobile computing, we introduce the concept of safe borrowing of local storage, which we prototyped as the TransPart system. To improve the availability of data access for opportunistic mobile computing, we introduce the concept of a self-cleaning portable cache, which we prototyped as the Horatio system. To improve the security of remote data access for opportunistic mobile computing, we introduce the Working Set-Based Access Control (WSBAC) scheme, which applies the concept of the working set to distributed file system access control. The main conclusion of our research is that opportunistic mobile computing can be realized in a safe and efficient manner for mobile users. Given the ad-hoc nature of opportunistic mobile computing, it is likely that the challenges identified in this dissertation will continue to exist into the foreseeable future. Fortunately, as our research shows, they can be addressed using nascent technologies and applying our concepts without violating the basic tenet of opportunistic mobile computing, namely to minimize the burden of what hardware users must carry.
Influence of formulation and glyphosate salt on absorption and translocation in three annual weeds

Abstract Absorption and translocation of three commercial formulations of glyphosate, the isopropylamine salt formulated as Roundup Ultra™ (IPA1) and Roundup UltraMax™ (IPA2) and the diammonium salt formulated as Touchdown™ IQ (DA), were compared in three- to five-leaf velvetleaf, common waterhemp, and pitted morningglory. Absorption of 14C-glyphosate in velvetleaf was not significantly different among the three formulations up to 50 h after treatment (HAT). More absorption of 14C-glyphosate occurred in the IPA1 (26.0%) vs. the IPA2 (17.7%) formulation over 74 h. Of the total 14C-glyphosate absorbed, 20 to 35% was translocated from the treated leaf to the rest of the plant. Initial absorption of 14C-glyphosate was rapid in common waterhemp with the IPA1 (42.7%) and IPA2 (30.7%) formulations; both were higher compared with absorption of the DA formulation (11.5%) by 2 HAT. These differences continued up to 26 HAT, but no differences were evident by 74 HAT. Up to 65% of the 14C-glyphosate absorbed was trans...
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND LABOR INCOME RISK IN THE UNITED STATES

This paper studies empirically the links between international trade and labor income risk faced by workers in the United States. We use longitudinal data on workers to estimate time-varying individual income risk at the industry level. We then combine our estimates of persistent labor income risk with measures of exposure to international trade to analyze the relationship between trade and labor income risk. Importantly, by contrasting estimates from various sub-samples of workers, such as those who switched to a different industry (or sector) with those who remained in the same industry throughout the sample, we study the relative importance of the different channels through which international trade affects individual income risk. Finally, we use these estimates to conduct a welfare analysis evaluating the benefits or costs of trade through the income risk channel. We find import penetration to have a statistically significant association with labor income risk in the United States, with economically significant welfare effects.
Allosteric Inhibition of the Protein-Protein Interaction between the Leukemia-Associated Proteins Runx1 and CBFβ

Summary The two subunits of core binding factor (Runx1 and CBFβ) play critical roles in hematopoiesis and are frequent targets of chromosomal translocations found in leukemia. The binding of the CBFβ-smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC) fusion protein to Runx1 is essential for leukemogenesis, making this a viable target for treatment. We have developed inhibitors with low micromolar affinity which effectively block binding of Runx1 to CBFβ. NMR-based docking shows that these compounds bind to CBFβ at a site displaced from the binding interface for Runx1, that is, these compounds function as allosteric inhibitors of this protein-protein interaction, a potentially generalizable approach. Treatment of the human leukemia cell line ME-1 with these compounds shows decreased proliferation, indicating these are good candidates for further development.
Quick Review of Field Theories

This chapter describes the gauge-field theoretical approach to physical problems in general. The concept of symmetry in physics is reviewed. The discussion starts with geometrical symmetry and extends to symmetry in physical theory, the postulate that physical theories should not depend on the choice of coordinate-system. The local and global transformations are discussed in conjunction with symmetry. Here the local transformation is the case where the transformation matrix is coordinate dependent whereas the global transformation is the case when the transformation is coordinate independent. In general, a globally symmetric theories is not necessarily locally symmetric because of the additional term associated with differentiation of the transformation matrix. To recover local symmetry, it is necessary to replace the usual derivatives with covariant derivatives. The gauge term is introduced as part of the covariant derivatives. Once a gauge is found, the field equations can be derived with the use of Lagrangian formalism. The chapter concludes with showing electrodynamics as an example of a gauge theory where the electromagnetic field acts as a gauge field to make quantum dynamics locally symmetric.
Western Bean Cutworm Survival and the Development of Economic Injury Levels and Economic Thresholds in Field Corn

Western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a native pest of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and corn (Zea mays L.). Historically, the western bean cutworm was distributed in the western United States, but since 1999 eastward expansion has been observed. In corn, economic impact is caused by larval ear feeding. Information on western bean cutworm biology, ecology, and economic impact is relatively limited, and the development of economic injury levels (EILs) and economic thresholds (ETs) is required for more effective man- agement. Studies during 2008 Ð2011, across three ecoregions of Nebraska, sought to characterize western bean cutworm survival and development of EILs and ETs. Calculations of EILs and ETs incorporated the dynamics of corn price, management cost, and pest survival. The results from the current study demonstrated low larval survival of this species (1.51Ð12.82%). The mean yield loss from one western bean cutworm larva per plant was 945.52 kg/ha (15.08 bu/acre), based on 74,100 plants per ha. Economic thresholds are expressed as a percentage of plants with at least one egg mass. This study is the Þrst study that explicitly incorporates variable management costs and crop values into western bean cutworm EIL calculations, and larval survival into ET calculations.
'Tis in our nature: taking the human-cannabis relationship seriously in health science and public policy.

To find clearheaded scientific perspective on cannabis use through the prevailing thick smokescreen requires recognizing just what sort of smoke obscures our better understanding. In the United States, in large part, the smokescreen is made up of culture war-charged political rhetoric and obstructionism from those in positions of authority setting up a prejudicial ideological framing for cannabis use. National leaders throughout the twentieth century have taken opportunities afforded by high office or its pursuit to publicly opine on the dangers of cannabis, such as when then-Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan famously stated in 1980 that “leading medical researchers are coming to the conclusion that marijuana, pot, grass, whatever you want to call it, is probably the most dangerous drug in the United States and we haven't begun to find out all of the ill-effects. But they are permanent ill-effects. The loss of memory, for example Grass (1999).” Not only is such rhetoric overly simplistic, it also obscures and distorts pre-existing facts. In this particular case, Reagan's statement obscures the fact that the American Medical Association testified in 1937 on record to Congress that, after nearly 100 years of professional experience in Western medical practice with over 2000 prescribable marketed cannabis preparations (Antique Cannabis Museum, 2012), practitioners found that cannabis had an irreplaceable therapeutic role as an aid in the remembering of old and long-forgotten memories in psychotherapy patients (U.S. Congress, 1937). When in office, Reagan's first drug czar, Carlton Turner, blamed cannabis use for young people's involvement in “anti-military, anti-nuclear power, anti-big business, anti-authority demonstrations” (Schlosser, 1997), all dissenting positions toward government initiatives. Such clear scapegoating rhetoric has roots in the government's racialized Reefer Madness campaign of the 1930s which linked cannabis use in Blacks, Latinos, jazz musicians, and juvenile delinquents to racial miscegenation and homicidal mania (Helmer, 1975).
Effects of Surgical Repair or Reconstruction on Radiocarpal Mechanics From Wrists With Scapholunate Injury

Scapholunate dissociation (SL ligament disruption) due to trauma can cause changes in joint kinematics and contact patterns, which can lead to scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC wrist) with secondary radiocarpal osteoarthritis (OA) [1]. The relationship between consequent abnormal mechanics and the onset of OA is not clearly understood, however elevated joint contact pressure is believed to be an associated factor. Knowing how injuries affect joint physiology and mechanics and how well surgical repairs restore the mechanics may improve surgical efficacy and help predict OA risk. Recently a method was proposed to measure joint contact mechanics from in vivo imaging data during functional loading [2]. The objective of this study was to compare radiocarpal joint mechanics (contact forces, contact areas, peak and average contact pressures) of injured and post-operative wrists to contralateral controls using MRI-based contact modeling. We hypothesized that average contact pressures and peak contact pressures would be higher in the injured wrists, and that these measures would decrease post-operatively.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A Cultural Exchange Project for Foreign Language Classes.

Students of German at the University School of the University of Wyoming initiated an exchange project with German students of English in Lingen-Ems, West Germany. The purpose of the exchange was to explore the similarity of interests of German and American teenagers. The classes exchanged items of interest to teenagers, including posters, movie and hobby magazines, local newspapers, etc. The article also notes various ways in which student motivation was increased as a result of this project.
Substrate and Tool Use by Brown Capuchins in Suriname: Ecological Contexts and Cognitive Bases

Brown capuchins (Cebus apella) at Raleighvallen Nature Preserve in Suriname have recently been discovered to exhibit object manipulation abilities in foraging, specifically frequent substrate use and a remarkable episode of tool use. The food items being processed with these exceptional skills are numerous species of morphologically diverse, thickly husked fruits, with fruit walls impenetrable even to the powerful jaws of C. apella. These fruit taxa, many in the Lecythidaceae, the Brazil nut family, are rare in Western Amazonia and Central America, regions in which capuchins have been most often studied. Based on extensive qualitative observations, we provide a preliminary description of this phenomenon within a natural history perspective. The manipulative skills of brown capuchins in Suriname are poised to upheave current understandings of tool use and object manipulation in capuchins. Moreover, the implications of these findings for the cognitive evolution of human and nonhuman primates are significant. The capacity to use tools is considered one of the major achievements of our species and figures deeply in explanations for the origin of human intelligence and behavior. Many hold that tool and object manipulation, language, social skills, and morphology are linked in primate evolution. Given that unusually complex social and communication skills are not evident in capuchins, the proposed connection between the evolution of tool use, language, and social skills in human evolution is thereby weakened. Instead, our observations in Suriname support a paradigm premised on the concept of functionally and evolutionarily distinct brain modules, [tool use. evolution of intelligence, cognitive domain, chimpanzees, seedpredation]
Validation Study of the Accuracy of a Postoperative Nomogram for Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy for Localized Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE: A postoperative nomogram for prostate cancer was developed at Baylor College of Medicine. This nomogram uses readily available clinical and pathologic variables to predict 7-year freedom from recurrence after radical prostatectomy. We evaluated the predictive accuracy of the nomogram when applied to patients of four international institutions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical and pathologic data of 2,908 patients were supplied for validation, and 2,465 complete records were used. Nomogram-predicted probabilities of 7-year freedom from recurrence were compared with actual follow-up in two ways. First, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for all patients and stratified by the time period of surgery. Second, calibration of the nomogram was achieved by comparing the predicted freedom from recurrence with that of an ideal nomogram. For patients in whom the pathologic report does not distinguish between focal and established extracapsular extension (an input va...
Routing indices for peer-to-peer systems

Finding information in a peer-to-peer system currently requires either a costly and vulnerable central index, or flooding the network with queries. We introduce the concept of routing indices (RIs), which allow nodes to forward queries to neighbors that are more likely to have answers. If a node cannot answer a query, it forwards the query to a subset of its neighbors, based on its local RI, rather than by selecting neighbors at random or by flooding the network by forwarding the query to all neighbors. We present three RI schemes: the compound, the hop-count, and the exponential routing indices. We evaluate their performance via simulations, and find that RIs can improve performance by one or two orders of magnitude vs. a flooding-based system, and by up to 100% vs. a random forwarding system. We also discuss the tradeoffs between the different RI schemes and highlight the effects of key design variables on system performance.
Short-term functional and neuroregenerative response of the urethra to ovariectomy and vaginal distension in female rats.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and vaginal distension (VD) on leak point pressure (LPP) and pudendal nerve regenerative response in the female rat. Twenty rats underwent OVX 3 days prior to either VD or sham distension. Seventeen rats did not receive OVX but underwent either VD or sham distension. Four days after distension, LPP testing was performed. In situ hybridization for βII tubulin mRNA, an indicator of the neuroregenerative response, was performed on motoneurons of the pudendal nerve. In the non-OVX group, LPP was significantly decreased after VD. After OVX, the difference in LPP between VD and sham rats did not quite reach the level of statistical significance. There was a statistically significant interaction between the effects of OVX and VD on LPP. There was no significant difference in in situ hybridization results between any of the groups. No neuroregenerative response of motoneurons of the pudendal nerve was observed after either VD or OVX.
Delayed consent: will there be a shift in approach for US primary percutaneous coronary intervention trials?

These previous trials had shown overall superiority of bivalirudin to UFH with required use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in the heparin group. HEAT-PPCI enrolled 1800 patients during a 22-month period at one centre. The trial was an all-comers STEMI trial, in which every patient presenting with STEMI for primary PCI was enrolled. To accomplish this enrolment, the HEAT-PPCI trial leaders used a unique trial design involving a delayed consent approach. The patients were screened, enrolled, and randomly assigned to one of the two commercially available anticoagulation strategies without obtaining prospective consent of the individuals or their legally authorised representatives. Disclosure of the purpose and design of the study and agreement to use of the individuals’ data was provided after the fact during the post-procedure recovery period and reconfi rmed at 28 days. Data for patients who died before providing consent affi rmation were included in the trial fi ndings on the basis of agreement from their representatives. 1 Consequently, this study refl ects a real-world population enrolled in a remarkably expeditious time. The approach of a delayed consent procedure raised ethical concerns during its presentation and subsequently, although, as has been reported, it had received full ethics approval from three separate national bodies and appears consistent with international ethical norms. 6
The future of atrial fibrillation ablation: new technologies and indications: Atrial fibrillation

The curative catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has made some important advances during the last few years towards a reproducible and effective procedure. Besides the role of the electrical trigger to induce paroxysmal AF episodes by rapid bursts from within the pulmonary veins (PVs), invasive electrophysiology (EP) studies also demonstrate the importance of the atrial myocardium in sustaining the AF. To overcome some of the shortcomings of the conventionally used sequential “point-by-point” radiofrequency ablation, new energy sources such as laser, ultrasound, and cryothermia are currently under investigation. These apply “single shot” lesions via balloon mounted catheters positioned at the PV ostia. Other new tools, such as the magnetic navigation system, allow complete remote controlled mapping (and ablation) by combining both three dimensional (3D) steering and 3D mapping/imaging in a single system. All these devices and technologies still have to prove their effectiveness and their ability to meet high expectations. Finally, recent efforts have focused on reproducible ablation strategies for chronic long lasting AF, where elimination of the PV trigger might not be enough to maintain sinus rhythm (SR). The role of the PVs as the major sites of induction of AF was identified during the attempt to replicate the surgical approach of compartmentalisation by linear incisions (Cox’s maze operation).1 During these initial ablation procedures, repetitive initiating extrasystoles from within the PVs were demonstrated and subsequently eliminated by direct ablation. Although this observation had been made also by other investigators, the role of the PV as the dominant site of AF induction only then came to full recognition. These high frequency triggers can induce AF, and the activity of the trigger itself may explain the amount and duration of the induced AF episodes. But the remodelling processes soon change the properties of the atrial myocardium to sustain the once …
Clean Development Mechanism Potential and Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa lags far behind other regions in terms of the implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects due to several reasons. One of the reasons is a general perception that, since the region contributes very little to global GHG emissions, it also offers few opportunities to reduce these emissions. Using a bottom-up approach, this study investigates the technical potential of reducing GHG emissions from the energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa through the CDM. The study finds that sub-Saharan Africa could develop 3,227 CDM projects, including 361 programs of activities, which could reduce approximately 9.8 billion tons of GHG emissions during the CDM project cycles. The study also estimates that the realization of this CDM potential could significantly enhance sustainable development in the region as it would attract more than US$200 billion in investment and could generate US$98 billion of CDM revenue at a CER price of US$10/tCO2. Another notable finding of the study is that the realization of this CDM potential could supply clean electricity by doubling the current capacity and thereby providing access of electricity to millions of people in the region. However, realization of this CDM potential is severely constrained by a number of financial, technical, regulatory and institutional barriers.
Histamine Levels in Male Accessory Reproductive Organs of the Rat

Histamine levels in rat ventral prostate, seminal vesicle and ductus deferens were determined with a fluorometric procedure which involved chromatographic isolation of histamine. Determination of histamine by the butanol extraction-fluorometric procedure was not feasible because of interference by high levels of spermidine. Castration for 14 days increased the histamine concentration in the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles but had no effect on the total organ histamine content. Testosterone propionate treatment restored the' concentration of histamine to normal levels but also had no effect on total organ content of histamine. Neither castration nor testosterone treatment had any effect on histamine levels in the ductus deferens. The lack of change in the total organ content of histamine after castration or testosterone treatment suggests that the concentration changes resulted from regression or regrowth of cells which do not contain histamine. Intravenous injection of testosterone or estradiol had ...
Esophageal stent placement without fluoroscopy.

Background: Access to fluoroscopic equipment is limited in some regions where esophageal cancer is common. This report describes a simple method for placement of expandable esophageal stents without fluoroscopy. Methods: Patients with dysphagia due to unresectable esophageal cancer underwent esophageal stent placement under endoscopic control alone. A colored mark on the stent delivery catheter was used to properly position the undeployed stent with respect to the proximal end of the tumor. Results: Stent placement was attempted in 70 patients and was successful in every case. There were no immediate complications of stent placement. Mean dysphagia score decreased from 3.3 before stent placement to 0.5 at follow-up. There was a trend toward lower dysphagia scores in patients who received coated stents. Conclusion: Expandable esophageal stents can be accurately and safely placed under direct endoscopic control, without fluoroscopy.
Residential Distribution and Occupational Stratification in Paris and Chicago

(1969). Residential Distribution and Occupational Stratification in Paris and Chicago. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 106-112.