cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Hierarchical ANOVA of Regional Climate-Change Projections from NARCCAP Phase II

Abstract We consider current (1971–2000) and future (2041–2070) average seasonal surface temperature fields from two regional climate models (RCMs) driven by the same atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (GCM) in the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) Phase II experiment. We analyze the difference between future and current temperature fields for each RCM and include the factor of season, the factor of RCM, and their interaction in a two-way ANOVA model. Noticing that classical ANOVA approaches do not account for spatial dependence, we assume that the main effects and interactions are spatial processes that follow the Spatial Random Effects (SRE) model. This enables us to model the spatial variability through fixed spatial basis functions, and the computations associated with an ANOVA of high-resolution RCM outputs can be carried out without having to resort to approximations. We call the resulting model a spatial two-way ANOVA model. We implement it in a Bayesian framework, and we investigate the variability of climate-change projections over seasons, RCMs, and their interactions. We find that projected temperatures in North America are credibly higher, that the associated warming effects differ in spatial areas and in seasons, and that they are of much larger magnitude than the variability between RCMs.
Social Sides of Health Risks: Stigma and Collective Efficacy

Health threats may not occur in a vacuum; one may need others' support to address a given health condition. For example, in Namibia, parents dying from AIDS-related illnesses leave their orphaned children in need of adoption. If people do not feel threatened by HIV personally, social threats might motivate them to action. We extend the extended parallel process model (Witte, 1992) to include 2 social perceptions: (a) stigma and (b) collective efficacy. We found that Namibian respondents (n = 400) who did not feel threatened by HIV personally showed a relationship between these social perceptions and their willingness to support those living with HIV and their willingness to adopt AIDS orphans. These effects appeared for those who did not assess HIV as a health threat, suggesting that social threats, combined with efficacy, may motivate intentions to adopt recommended actions. Practical applications and intervention designs are discussed.
Synthesis and photophysical properties of fluorescent 2‐aryl‐1,3‐dialkylbenzimidazolium ions and a l‐alkyl‐2‐arylbenzimidazole with excited state intramolecular proton‐transfer

To improve the solubility, photostability and fluorescence quantum yi- eld (Φ) of 2-arylbenzimidazolium ions the N-1 hydrogen was replaced by an alkyl group before N-3 was quaternized; this substitution did not reduce Φ, proving the absence of steric inhibition to attainment of co- planarity in the excited state. A related symmetrical 2,2'-arylenebis- (1,3-dimethyldibenzimidazolium ion) had Φ=0.86. The related 2,5-bis(1- methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)phenol had Φ=0.38 at 22 o as well as a very large Stokes' shift due to proton-transfer. These findings supported a new insight into the electron distribution of the first excited singlet state of oligophenylenes. The compounds are of interest as laser dyes and scintillation fluors
Helminths of ten species of Litoria frogs (Anura: Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea

One hundred and ninety-one frogs collected in Papua New Guinea from 10 species of the genus Litoria, namely, L. angiana, L. arfakiana, L. caerulea, L. congenita, L. eurynastes, L. gasconi, L. infrafrenata, L. iris, L. kumae and L. modica, were examined for helminths. Eighteen species of helminths were found: one species of Monogenea, Parapolystoma bulliense; three species of Digenea, Diplodiscus amphichrus, Halipegus zweifeli and Mesocoelium monas; 13 species of Nematoda, gravid specimens of Aplectana macintoshii, Cosmocerca novaeguineae, Falcaustra papuensis, Maxvachonia adamsoni, Maxvachonia flindersi, Maxvachonia ingens, Meteterakis crombiei, Moaciria moraveci, Parathelandros mastigurus, Physalopteroides milnensis, Pseudorictularia dipsarilis, Seuratascaris numidica, and larvae (in cysts) of Abbreviata sp. and, one species of Acanthocephala, Pseudoacanthocephalus bufonis. Mean number of helminth species per host species was 3.0 ± 1.4 SD (range 1–5), mean number of helminth species per infected frog was...
External Effect of Combined Nitrogen on Nodulation.

The many theories advanced to explain the effect of combined nitrogen in nodule inhibition were reviewed by Allison and Ludwig (1) in 1934, and on the basis of their work and that of Maze (11) and Weber (27) they stated as follows: ". . . that decreased nodulation in the presence of soluble nitrogenous salts is due to inadequate carbohydrate supply in the roots. . . . When nitrogen is abundant, the carbohydrate synthesized is used for top growth, and little is available for growth of roots or nodules." This theory has been generally accepted. Nodulation of plants grown on low soil nitrogen was decreased by weekly spraying with 0.5 % or 1 % solutions of urea (2). The theory is physiologically sound (10, p 201). However, changes in nitrogen level or form can often provide results which are difficult to interpret (8, 12, 15) by using the carbohydrate: nitrogen ratio (C: N) theory (6). There is some evidence which supports a local or external effect of combined nitrogen. In experiments employing a divided root technique several investigators (5, 7) have shown that nitrate supplied to one part of the root had no influence on infection elsewhere. These observations appeared to be in disagreement with the C: N ratio theory, for if there was sufficient nitrate in the media to completely inhibit nodulation on one-half of -the root, there should have been too little carbohydr.ate avail-able for nodule growth on the other half. Raggio et al. (14), working with excised bean roots, found nitrate inhibited nodulation if supplied in the medium containing root and bacteria but not if supplied through the base of the excised root. They concluded that this questions the theory of an internal effect of nitrogen and suggests an external effect. Thornton (23) observed a great reduction in both root hair curling and infection threads within root hairs when combined nitrogen was in the medium. Nutman (13) has stated that, with few exceptions, only curled root hairs become infected. It has been suggested that IAA is involved in nodulation, but the mechanism of such an effect is not clear (9, 13, 16, 20, 21, 22). Although there is evidence for a local effect of combined nitrogen on nodulation, few attempts have been made to propose a mechanism. Virtanen (26) has suggested that nitrate inhibition occurs through the formation of nitrite which reacts to form a nitriteleghemoglobin complex. Thornton (23) considered that the carbohydrate level in the piliferous layer of the root was important but did not expand on this idea. Thornton and Nicol (24) suggested that the local effect is due to nitrate inhibition of the preliminary curling reaction of root hairs. However, this should be regarded as an observation rather than a mechanism, but merits further study. Cheniae and Evans (3) demonstrated that rhizobia from soybean nodules could produce nitrate reductase. Tonhazy and Pelczar (25) demonstrated that nitrite catalytically destroyed IAA.
Gold base lower dentures

Abstract Most lower dentures weigh less than half as much as the teeth and supporting tissues which have been lost. This reduction in weight might contribute to improper muscle function and a reduction in normal rest vertical dimension. It is considered to be an important factor in the adequate extension and retention in lower dentures, especially in certain types of residual ridges. These deficiencies can be overcome by using a cast gold lower denture base and adequate extension of the base. A gold base, while important to the successful treatment of some patient, should not be expected to compensate for deficiencies in other treatment procedures.
Area and the latitudinal diversity gradient for terrestrial birds

We tested the hypothesis that area represents the primary explanation for the latitudinal diversity gradient using breeding terrestrial birds of North America, the northern Palearctic, Australia and the Afrotropics as our focal group. We tested two propositions inherent to the area hypothesis: (1) tropical biomes are larger than extra-tropical biomes, and (2) there is a significant species-area relationship for birds at the biome scale of resolution. Using a more realistic definition of biomes which incorporates the effects of both energy and water, we find no support for either proposition, leading us to conclude that the area per se does not explain terrestrial latitudinal diversity gradients.
PHOTOSYNTHETIC ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN CELL‐FREE EXTRACTS OF DIVERSE PHYTOPLANKTON1,2

A simple and rapid procedure for preparing thylakoid membranes that are active in photosynthetic electron transport from diverse phytoplankton species is described. The method requires disruption of algal cells with glass beads, exposure to mild hypotonic stress, and subsequent enrichment of the thylakoid membranes by differential centrifugation. Isolated thylakoid membranes were assayed for photosynthetic electron transport activity by measuring rates of oxygen consumption and oxygen production, using a variety of electron donors and acceptors. In the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra Stein, a relatively broad pH optimum between 7.0 and 8.0 was determined for the whole chain electron transport from water to methyl viologen. The preparation maintained maximum activity for 45 min following the preparation. The assay for photosystem I activity in G. polyedra, determined as electron flow from ascorbate/2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol to methyl viologen, had a somewhat narrower pH optimum around 8.0. Rates of whole chain photosynthetic electron transport on a per cell and on a per chlorophyll a basis were shown to decrease dramatically with cell age in batch cultures of G. polyedra. Using the procedures optimized for G. polyedra, reproducible rates of electron transport on a per cell chlorophyll a basis were also measured in cultures of the dinoflagellate Glenodinium sp., the diatom Nitzschia closterium (Ehrenberg 1839) Wm. Smith 1853 and the chrysophyte Monochrysis lutheri Droop {= Pavlova lutheri (Droop) Green}. Other electron transport assays applied to G. polyedra, and that resulted in comparable rates to those found in other algal groups, include the photosystem II assay from water to diaminodurene/ferricyanide and the photosystem I assay from durohydroquinone to methyl viologen.
Two biological activities regulating cell proliferation found in cultures of peritoneal exudate cells

WE have found two distinct biological activities in cultures of peritoneal exudate cells rich in macrophages. One consists of an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, described previously, caused by a low molecular weight product1; the other is a stimulatory effect brought about by a non-dialysable material. Both activities were found in the same culture fluid; and different kinds of cells exhibited different sensitivities to them. Our results offer a possible explanation for the discrepancies in the literature concerning the different effects of macrophages or their products on cells1–7.
Response waveforms of vertebrate photoreceptors: What are the underlying mechanisms?

A class of models is investigated using computer simulation in which the inner and outer segments of the vertebrate photoreceptor are coupled through a pump. The outer segment membrane conductance is controlled by an internal transmitter, activated by photolysis of the photosensitive molecules in the cell. Several possibilities for the coupling dynamics are investigated. The analysis favors the conclusion that the hyperpolarizing transient at high intensity stimuli arises from the coupling dynamics, (unless there is an extracellular current shunt path). It predicts, moreover, that the transient shold be observed intracellularly, but not extracellularly to the outer segment, This is, in fact, the case. It also predicts that the trasient should become more marked, as the steady state ratio of inner to outer segment currents decreases. The computer simulations are concerned with the intracellularly recorded responses; the long term adaptation parallel to pigment bleaching and regeneration is not considered explicitly here. In conclusion, it is shown that the state conditions as well as the response waveforms can be related to physiologically significant variables.
Good Players Left on the Sidelines: Why Some Synaptic Vesicles Don't Get in the Game

A key question in synaptic physiology is what determines the release probability of a synaptic vesicle. In this issue of Neuron , Wadel et al. shed UV light on this problem, finding that hard-to-release vesicles are too far from Ca 2+ channels.
Protein Synthesis in Abscission: The Distinctiveness of the Abscission Zone and its Response to Gibberellic Acid and Indoleacetic Acid

Abscission zone tissue of citrus was shown to have a higher rate of protein synthesis than tissue distal or proximal to it, based on the incorporation of leucine-1-(14)C. The proximal tissue had the slowest rate of protein synthesis. As the tissue approached abscission, the rate of synthesis in the abscission zone decreased and the differences in rate of protein synthesis between the 3 zones almost disappeared. IAA, which delayed abscission, maintained the protein synthesis gradient between the abscission and proximal zones, but the distal zone tissue was as active in protein synthesis as the abscission zone. Differences in uptake of the leucine were also observed between different zones and treatments. Regardless of the tissue or the treatment, there was a sharp increase in uptake at the 24 hour point.Direct incubation of abscission zones in IAA and gibberellic acid (GA) indicated that the action of gibberellic acid on abscission is probably through a stimulation of protein synthesis, while IAA seems to act by maintaining the existing rate of protein synthesis in the cells of the abscission zone.
Mercuric chloride, but not methylmercury, inhibits glutamine synthetase activity in primary cultures of cortical astrocytes

Methylmercury (MeHg) is highly neurotoxic with an apparent dose-related latency period between time of exposure and the appearance of symptoms. Astrocytes are known targets for MeHg toxicity and a site of mercury localization within the central nervous system (CNS). Glutamine synthetase (GS) is an enzyme localized predominately within astrocytes. GS converts two potentially toxic molecules, glutamate and ammonia, to the relatively non-toxic amino acid, glutamine. During prolonged exposure to MeHg, inorganic mercury (I-Hg) accumulates within the brain, suggesting in situ demethylation of MeHg to I-Hg. To determine if speciation of mercurials would differentially alter GS activity and expression, neonatal rat primary astrocyte cultures were exposed to MeHg or mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for 1 or 6 h. MeHg produced no changes in GS activity, protein, or mRNA at any time or dose tested. In contrast, HgCl2 produced a dose dependent decrease in astrocytic GS activity at both 1 and 6 h. There were no changes in GS protein or mRNA levels following HgCl2 exposure. Additional studies were carried out to determine GS activity in cell lysates incubated with HgCl2 or MeHg. In cell lysates, HgCl2 was three-times more potent than MeHg in inhibiting GS activity. The inhibition of GS activity in cell lysates by HgCl2 was reversed by the addition of dithiothreitol (DTT), while DTT did not restore GS activity following MeHg. These data suggest that astrocytic GS activity is not inhibited by physiologically relevant concentrations of MeHg, but is inhibited by I-Hg, which is present in CNS following chronic MeHg exposure.
Stimulation of the synthesis of collagenase activator protein in cartilage by a factor present in synovial-conditioned medium

Abstract We have purified a low molecular weight protein from medium conditioned by calf synovium with physical and biological properties similar to the leukocyte cytokine interleukin 1 (IL-1). The factor is active in stimulating the synthesis (three- to fivefold) of collagenase activator protein (CAP) by the surface (1–2 mm) of articular cartilage while CAP synthesis in the deeper zones of articular cartilage is not affected. Recombinant mouse IL-1 and commercially available purified human IL-1 are also capable of stimulating cartilage to synthesize and secrete CAP. The synthesis of other proteins, including collagenase, appeared to be unaffected by either the synovial factors or the human and mouse IL-1.
Evidence from the Farmington pluton for early Devonian subduction-related magmatism in the Carolina zone of central North Carolina

Abstract The Concord plutonic suite consists of numerous gabbroic plutons scattered throughout the Carolina terrane with ages that cluster around 400 Ma. The Farmington pluton is located on the northeastern part of the Mocksville complex and consists mostly of gabbronorites and troctolites. Field, geochemical, and P-T studies of the Farmington gabbros suggest that the rocks are genetically related and formed by transitional to calc-alkaline differentiation of mafic magma. The pluton was formed in a moderate-pressure environment (∼6 kbar) and underwent limited differentiation after emplacement. The overall geological and geochemical features of the Farmington pluton are consistent with a transitional to arc origin. The Concord plutonic suite does not fit well in classical tectonothermal models suggested for the evolution of the Appalachian orogen. However, Field and geochemical data in this report and other data reported recently suggest that the origin of the Farmington pluton and possibly the Concord plutonic suite is that the suite represents a continuous to semi-continuous Taconian-Acadian magmatic event(s).
An automated virtual security testing platform for android mobile apps

This paper proposes an automated virtual security testing platform for Android mobile apps. The testing platform includes three key components: customizing Android OS to include mobile app trace information, creating a virtual testing platform using the customized OS, and developing static and dynamic analyzing techniques for mobile malware detection. The proposed testing platform is a server-side malware detection solution. It can utilize both static and dynamic analysis and is a good compensation to the client-side mobile security software.
Standards of medical care for nursing home residents in Europe

Abstract Objective Nursing home inhabitants represent the most vulnerable and frail group of older people. They have more complex medical backgrounds and more significant care requirements. With an ever-ageing European population, the number of people requiring nursing home care will only increase. It is important then that we optimise the medical care of older people living in nursing homes. Methods Formalized care standards are essential to optimal care but we feel that such guidelines are lacking. We decided to investigate this by means of a survey on nursing home care standards sent to the geriatric medicine societies around Europe. Results Only five of 25 (20%) health services have a requirement for specific training in geriatric medicine for doctors in nursing homes, while only three of 25 (12%) countries have written medical care standards applicable to nursing home care provided by professional organizations. Four of 25 (16%) had a nursing home doctor society and one of these, The Netherlands, provided written medical care standards for nursing homes which were also adopted by the relevant general practitioner society. Discussion The Europe-wide deficiency of documented care standards for nursing homes is alarming. It should be a prerequisite that physicians dealing with these complex patients have undertaken some level of specific training in geriatric medicine. It is important that geriatricians, old age psychiatrists and family doctors across European countries engage more formally on the development of appropriate models for both developing care standards and specifying appropriate training and support for doctors working in nursing homes.
A Blended Estimator for a Measure of Agreement With a Gold Standard

St. Laurent developed a measure of agreement for method comparison studies in which an approximate method of measurement was compared to a gold standard method of measurement. The measure of agreement proposed was shown to be related to a population intraclass correlation coefficient. In this paper, the authors develop a family of estimators for the measure of agreement based on pivotal quantities. A blend of two particular members of the family is suggested as an estimator itself. In general, the blended estimator outperforms the maximum likelihood estimator in terms of bias and mean-squared error.
Use of Optimal Controls to Mitigate Competing Performance Objectives in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell System

This paper describes a model predictive control (MPC) scheme as implemented on a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system. The goal of this work is to reduce parasitic power consumption of the system, improving net system efficiency. The MPC is capable of balancing this performance objective (reducing power loss) with the objective of maintaining oxygen excess ratio, a parameter identified as essential to reliable fuel cell operation. Two configurations of a MPC were implemented in SIMULINK and connected to a dynamic system model in EASY5 using the XML (extensible markup language) metadata interchange (XMI) interface. Substantial improvements were noted on one of the MPC configurations compared to the reference feedforward and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.
Changes in the use of radiation therapy for early classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adolescents and young adults: implications for survival and second malignancies.

Omission of radiation therapy (RT) in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with early classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) may affect survival and risk of second malignancies (SMN). Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database we found reduction in RT use from 60.8% among 2614 cases from 1995 to 2002 to 52.9% among 2542 cases from 2003 to 2010, p < 0.001. Survival at 5 years with and without RT was 95.1% vs. 93.3%, p = 0.013 for 1995–2002 and 97.7% vs. 96.4%, p = 0.021 for 2003–2010. Omission of RT was affected by 2003–2010 era, race-ethnicity, income and education and independently increased the risk of death (hazard ratio 1.34, p = 0.011). The cumulative risk of SMN at 150 months was 3.3% vs. 3.0% (p = 0.87) while the risk of death without SMN (competing risk) was 5.7% vs. 8.8% for RT and no-RT patients, respectively (p = 0.0009). Omission of RT for early cHL in AYA may increase mortality without reduction in SMN.
Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with flurbiprofen or phenylbutazone

Flurbiprofen (150–200 mg daily) and phenylbutazone (300–400 mg daily) were compared in the management of 27 patients with active ankylosing spondylitis. This was a parallel, double-blind, and randomized trial of 6 weeks duration. Both drugs were equally effective in the relief of pain and tenderness of the affected joints. Overall subjective improvement, assessed by the patient and the investigator at the end of the trial, favored phenylbutazone, but it did not reach a statistically significant level. The mean values of the endpoint parameters of spinal motion showed statistically significant improvement in both groups, except in the Schober test in the flurbiprofen group and chest expansion in the phenylbutazone group. Untoward effects characteristic of these drugs were found in a few patients.
Efficacy of Canakinumab vs. triamcinolone acetonide according to multiple gouty arthritis-related health outcomes measures.

Summary Aim Canakinumab (CAN), a selective, fully human, anti-IL-1β monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated long-term benefits in gouty arthritis (GA) patients, who have contraindications for, or are unresponsive or intolerant of, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or colchicine (two trials:β-RELIEVED [n = 228]; β-RELIEVED II [n = 226]). The trials collected different responses, including patient-reported outcomes (PRO). A composite response end-point (CRE) was used to interpret each patient's overall response to treatment. Methods Data from β-RELIEVED trials were pooled for this retrospective analysis. The CRE representing overall change in GA-related health outcomes, from baseline to 12 weeks, included clinical markers; PROs from the Gout Impact Scale (GIS); and the SF-36 bodily pain scale. Response to each variable (i.e. markedly important difference) was determined a priori. Variable values [1 (responder) or 0 (non-responder)] were summed to create a CRE score for each patient. Results For eight of 12 variables measured, the percentage of CAN responders was significantly greater than for TA (p < 0.05). On average, patients receiving CAN met a higher percentage of response criteria (65%) than patients receiving triamcinolone acetonide (TA) (49%), p < 0.001. Mean CRE scores were significantly higher for CAN vs. TA (mean [SD]; 4.7 [2.7] vs. 3.7 [2.4], p < 0.001). Treatment differences remained even after serially removing individual responder variables and domains from the composite end-point, indicating that the differences between CAN and TA were robust. Conclusion CAN was superior to TA across multiple health-outcome variables comprising clinical markers and PRO over 12 weeks in patients contraindicated, intolerant or unresponsive to NSAIDs and/or colchicine.
The Efficiency of New Orleans Sunshine in Preventing Leg Weakness and Promoting Growth in Chicks

Abstract THAT radiation, solar or artificial, will protect chicks against leg weakness is now common knowledge among physiologists and poultrymen. Many papers have appeared within the last nine years from various parts of the country indicating the length of exposure to sunshine, or to sunshine through various screens, which will prevent or cure leg weakness and promote adequate growth at different seasons of the year. Seasonal variation in the antirachitic effectiveness of sunshine depends primarily on latitude and on the altitude of the sun. Other factors, such as humidity, cloudiness, smoke and dust reduce the intensity and extent of the wave lengths below 313 mμ. The quality and intensity of the short ultra violet radiation in sunlight are the determining factors in the prevention of rickets, rather than the actual number of sunshine hours. A correlation of total number of sunshine hours with the incidence of rickets in a particular locality . . .
Proton-induced X-ray emission analysis of marine particulates

Abstract We report a methodology used to analyze suspended marine particulates by particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Water samples from an estuary in Brazil were filtered soon after collection onto pre-weighed Nuclepore filters, washed with deionized water, dried to constant weight and analyzed as thin targets. Because of the relatively high mass loadings (0.1–1.0 mg/cm 2 ) on the filters, proton bombardment times of a few minutes were adequate for maintaining good counting statistics. Precision and accuracy were determined by replicate analysis and intercomparison to geochemical standards. Suspensions of standards in deionized water were filtered, dried, weighed and analyzed in a similar fashion as our samples of marine particulates. Net X-ray intensities were related to mass by calibration against pure elemental standards. Initial experiments showed systematically low concentrations for all elements determined by PIXE relative to “known” values. Further experiments verified that this systematic error was due to an uneven distribution of mass on the surface of the filters. Improvements in the filtration technique have eliminated the topographic effect on our samples and the PIXE results were substantially improved. Variations in matrix and particle size of the samples analyzed did not cause any measurable analytical effect. PIXE thus seems well suited for providing rapid, multi-element data on samples of marine particulates if suitable precautions are made during the sample preparation process.
Maintenance Communication in Superior-Subordinate Work Relationships.

Cette recherche englobant deux etudes avait un triple objectif : (1) identifier les situations strategiques dans lesquelles superieurs et subordonnes ressentent le besoin de maintenir leurs relations ; (2) decrire les strategies et tactiques de communication que superieurs et subordonnes utilisent sciemment pour maintenir leurs relations ; et (3) examiner la maniere dont superieurs et subordonnes, au cours de differents types d'echanges relationnels, ont recours a des comportements et des activites de communication de maintien dans des situations strategiques de maintien. Les resultats indiquent que 50% environ des situations de maintien identifiees par les personnes interrogees concernaient des contextes interpersonnels en phase de deterioration, 25% concernaient des situations en phase evolutive et 25% des situations ordinaires. De plus, les resultats semblent indiquer que la maniere dont ils utilisent ces strategies est tout a fait unique selon la situation et la qualite des relations entre dirigeant et employes (telle qu'elle est percue par les subordonnes)
Toward a paradigm shift in Internet gambling research: From opinion and self-report to actual behavior

Internet gambling is one of the fastest growing gambling-related industries (Christian Capital Advisers 2006). As the Internet gambling industry expands, many stakeholders have created, or are in the process of creating, gambling-related policy. Policy makers promulgating these regulations rely on professional opinions and/or conventional wisdoms related to Internet gambling to guide them because of the lack of sufficient scientific research. There is an ongoing need for quality empirical research to guide the development of public policies that surround Internet gambling. This article summarizes the current state of scientific research about Internet gambling by identifying, describing, and critiquing the available peer-reviewed literature. To identify the peer-reviewed literature related to Internet gambling published between January 1, 1967 and March 7, 2008, we used the search term “Internet [AND] gambling” in the PubMed and PsychINFO search engines. Of the 111 articles identified by our systematic se...
Nosocomial Pneumonia and Oral Health

This article will critically review the evidence linking pneumonia to the aspiration of microbe-laden oropharyngeal secretions and tie that to the predisposition for these processes to affect dependent, medically compromised individuals. The goal of this review is to alert the reader to the role that oral disease and oral health play in fostering and preventing, respectively, widespread and potentially fatal pulmonary disease among high-risk individuals.
The Effect of Fatty Acids upon Tumor Cell Respiration and Transplantability

The kinetic effect of palmitate, stearate, oleate, linoleate, and linolenate upon in vitro endogenous respiration of rat chloromyeloid leukemic cells has been investigated. Inhibition of respiration has been correlated with the ability of fatty acids to cause decreased cell viability and cell count; in the bioassay of fatty acid-treated tumor inocula, the increase in animal life span is correlated to the degree of dilution of the inocula due to cell lysis. The degree of lysis is dependent upon the chemical structure of the fatty acid, concentration, and duration of contact; unsaturated fatty acids are more effective than saturated fatty acids. Tumor cells, when incubated at low concentrations of fatty acids, show stimulation of O2 uptake; however, in the bioassay these fatty acid-treated inocula showed no loss in tumor activity. The nature of the physiochemical interaction between fatty acids and tumor cells is discussed.
Potential benefit of hormonal therapy for non-uterine soft tissue sarcoma (STS) - a case report and literature review

The expression of hormone receptors (HR) is considered a good prognostic marker in uterine sarcoma. Hormonal therapy is widely employed in the therapy of HR positive breast and gynecologic cancers, however, there is little information concerning hormonal therapy in HR positive extrauterine sarcoma. A 55-60 year age group female presented with an estrogen receptor positive metastatic retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma (LMS). She was treated with four cycles of a combination of Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel. Her disease remained stable for 29 months when tamoxifen was initiated. The patient succumbed to an unrelated malignancy after a total of 44 months of treatment. Despite emerging reports about the potential benefit of hormonal therapy, selective estrogen and progesterone receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors, for uterine sarcoma, there is a paucity of information regarding the application of these therapies to sarcomas arising at other sites. Our patient survived significantly longer than expected with metastatic retroperitoneal sarcoma. In part this may be due to the survival benefit associated with HR positive tumors, but it may also indicate a role for hormonal therapy which has yet to be explored.
The predictive capability of failure mode concept-based strength criteria for multi-directional laminates—part B

Abstract This contribution is a post-runner to the ‘failure exercise’. It focuses on two aspects of the theoretical prediction of failure in composites [1–3]: the first is the derivation of failure conditions for a unidirectional (UD) lamina with the prediction of initial failure of the embedded lamina, and the second the treatment of non-linear, progressive failure of 3-dimensionally stressed laminates until final failure. The failure conditions are based on the so-called Failure Mode Concept (FMC) which takes into account the material-symmetries (by the application of invariants) of the UD-lamina homogenized to a ‘material’, and on a strict failure mode thinking. The results of the investigation are stress–strain curves for the various given GFRP-/CFRP-UD-laminae, biaxial failure stress envelopes for the UD-laminae, and initial as well as final biaxial failure envelopes for the laminates. In addition a brief comparison between Puck's and Cuntze's failure theory is presented by the authors themselves.
New Targets for the Development of PET Tracers for Imaging Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer Disease

The field of molecular imaging has experienced significant advances in the area of Alzheimer disease (AD), the most significant being the development of PET radiotracers for imaging β-amyloid burden in the brain of individuals at risk for or in the early stages of AD. More recent advances include the development of PET radiotracers for imaging aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles, a process that occurs late in the disease process. This article highlights advances in the neurobiology of AD and describes how PET can be used to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in AD.
Technical Note-Minimizing Average Flow Time with Parallel Machines

This note shows that the assignment and sequencing of single-operation jobs in a parallel-machine environment can be formulated as an assignment problem. Means for reducing the size and computational difficulty of this problem are identified.
Pathogenesis and sequelae of respiratory infections.

Bacterial pneumonia remains a major health threat, with particular risk for infants in developing countries. The effective design of strategies that minimize the morbidity and mortality from pneumonia requires an awareness of the host defense mechanisms that function to prevent respiratory infections. In this review the normal immune host defenses and the abnormalities in this process that promote the development of lower respiratory bacterial infections will be briefly reviewed. A brief discussion will focus on a complication of respiratory infections, asthma, which can follow viral illness and also be a significant problem for children
Geometric construction of pulse pairs with small cross-correlation for dual transmitter synthetic aperture imaging

We introduce a method for the synthesis of pulse pairs that satisfy simultaneously the time-bandwidth condition and the maximum cross-correlation condition for all lags. Pulse pairs with such properties are essential to synthetic aperture imaging - including both SAS and SAR - when multiple transmitters are employed. Formulating the problem in a finite dimensional Euclidean space setting, we identify the geometric properties of the feasible set that arises from the maximum cross-correlation condition. We then develop an iterative algorithm that modifies the feasible set such that additional unit energy constraints on the signal pair are also satisfied. We illustrate the effectiveness of the method with several examples, where the cross-correlation function shows significant improvements over both the PN sequences, and pulses obtained by a previously reported method.
Retinal arterial and venous occlusions in patients with ADPKD

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a systemic disease with renal and extra renal, cystic and non-cystic manifestations. The cystic disease involves kidney, liver, pancreas, seminal vesicles and meninges. Non-cystic manifestations include aneurysms and dolichoectasias (intracranial, thoracic aorta, coronary and other arteries), valvular heart disease, hernias and possibly intestinal diverticula [1]. Hypertension, arterial vasospasm, and extensive remodelling of small renal arteries and arterioles at early stages of cystic disease are also evident [2–5]. Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of death in ADPKD. Here, we report eight cases of retinal arterial and/or venous occlusions in patients with ADPKD and propose that these conditions may be part of the generalized vasculopathy associated with ADPKD.
Structural analysis and solution of systems of algebraic design equations

A new method for expressing the structure of a system of equations is developed using a type of occurrence matrix entitled the functionality matrix. The functionality matrix indicates not only the occurrence of variables in equations but also the functional form in which they occur. Since the difficulty of solving an equation for a variable is related to its functional form, analysis of the functionality matrix provides explicit information on the difficulty of solution of the solution of the equation. A methodology for the solution of design problems by digital computers is described. This methodology operates on the functionality matrix which describes the set of design equations. Algorithms using this methodology interact and guide the designer in an efficient selection of design variables and redundant equations. Once design variables and redundant equations are selected, a computational method is presented for ordering and solving the equations.
Competing subcommunities of mutualists

Abstract Persistence and convergence to equilibria are established for a general system of Kolmogorov-type modeling an ecosystem in which two subcommunities of mutualists interact competitively. The equations allow for time delays in interspecies interactions.
Riverine Spawning by Sockeye Salmon in the Taku River, Alaska and British Columbia

Abstract Radio telemetry was used to determine the distribution of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka returning to spawn in the glacial Taku River in 1984 and 1986, and to locate and characterize spawning areas used by this species. During the study, 253 sockeye salmon were tracked as they moved upriver; 204 of these were followed to spawning areas. Only 37% of the 204 fish traveled to areas associated with lakes; the remaining 63% returned to “riverine” areas – river areas without lakes (42% to the Taku River main stem, 17% to the Nakina River, and 4% to other rivers). Sockeye salmon spawning in riverine areas used a variety of habitat types, including main-river channels, side channels, tributary streams, and upland sloughs. Most (55%) of the radio-tagged fish that returned to the Taku River main stem were tracked to side-channel spawning areas. Half of the 471 adult sockeye salmon sampled in main-stem spawning areas had migrated to sea as juveniles before their first winter. This study showed that many ...
Volume changes of the molten globule transitions of horse heart ferricytochrome c: A thermodynamic cycle

Volume changes among the unfolded (U), native (N), and molten globule (MG) conformations of horse heart ferri- cytochrome c have been measured. U to N (pH 2 to pH 7) was determined in the absence of added salt to be - 136 k 5 mL/mol protein. IJ to MG (pH 2, no added salt to pH 2, 0.5 M KCI) yielded + 100 k 6 mL/mol. MG to N was broken into two steps, N to NCI, at pH 7 by addition of buffered KC1 to buffered protein lacking added salt (NClx = N interacting with an un- known number, X, of chloride ions), and MG to NCl, by jumping MG at pH 2 in 0.5 M KC1 to pH 7 at the same salt con- centration. The AV of N to NCI, was -30.9 k 1.4 mL/mol protein, whereas MG to NClx entailed a AVof -235 t- 6 mL/mol. Within experimental error, the results add up to zero for a com- plete thermodynamic cycle. We believe this to be the first volu- metric cycle to have been measured for the conformational transitions of a protein. The results are discussed in terms of hy- dration contributions from deprotonation of the protein, other hydration effects, and the formation and/or enlargement of packing defects in the protein's tertiary structure during the steps of folding. ~ ~~ ~~ ~" - - ~~~
&#928;-pulse propagation in the presence of host dispersion

A steady-state solution describing \Pi -pulse propagation in a homogeneously broadened laser amplifier embedded in a dispersive lossy host is found. For a given model of dispersion, the solution satisfies exactly the second-order wave equation together with the equations of motion for the density matrix of the two-level resonant system. The salient feature of the solution is that a small amount of dispersion in the host group velocity causes a large monotonic frequency sweep during the pulse. The effects of this chirp on the pulse properties are described in detail, and the relation of the theory to experiments is discussed.
Low Band Gap Donor‐Acceptor Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and their NIR‐mediated Thermal Ablation of Cancer Cells

Low band gap D-A conjugated PNs consisting of 2-ethylhexyl cyclopentadithiophene co-polymerized with 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (for nano-PCPDTBT) or 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole (for nano-PCPDTBSe) have been developed. The PNs are stable in aqueous media and showed no significant toxicity up to 1 mg · mL(-1) . Upon exposure to 808 nm light, the PNs generated temperatures above 50 °C. Photothermal ablation studies of the PNs with RKO and HCT116 colorectal cancer cells were performed. At concentrations above 100 µg · mL(-1) for nano-PCPDTBSe, cell viability was less than 20%, while at concentrations above 62 µg · mL(-1) for nano-PCPDTBT, cell viability was less than 10%. The results of this work demonstrate that low band gap D-A conjugated polymers 1) can be formed into nanoparticles that are stable in aqueous media; 2) are non-toxic until stimulated by IR light and 3) have a high photothermal efficiency.
The role of topography and soil characteristics in the relationship between species richness and primary productivity in a Kansas grassland

Abstract Environmental conditions influence patterns of local-scale plant productivity and species richness. We sampled soils and plant communities at a topographically-diverse, mid-successional old field site in Kansas to better understand the abiotic factors underlying a natural plant productivity gradient. We related soil texture, pH, percent nitrogen and carbon, and soil moisture to elevation, plant productivity, and species richness. Most soil qualities were significantly correlated with elevation. The four soil texture classes we identified — clay, silty clay, silty clay loam, and silt loam — were spatially clustered according to topography. The lowest elevation sites, characterized by high C and N, low pH, low light penetration, and soils containing more silt and sand which supported the most productive and least diverse plant communities. We suggest that topography drives spatial heterogeneity in soils at our site. We also suggest that although richness is influenced directly by the filtering effe...
The detection of red pigment-concentrating hormone (RPCH) in crustacean eyestalk tissues using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-Fourier transform mass spectrometry: [M + Na]+ ion formation in dried droplet tissue preparations

Red pigment-concentrating hormone (RPCH), an octapeptide found in crustaceans and insects with the sequence pGlu-Leu-Asn-Phe-Ser-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2, is an N- and C-terminally blocked uncharged peptide. These structural features are shared with many members of the larger adipokinetic hormone (AKH)/RPCH peptide family in insects. We have applied vacuum UV matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (FTMS) to the direct analysis of crustacean sinus gland tissues, using 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) as the MALDI matrix, and have found that RPCH is detected in the cationized, [M + Na]+, form under conditions where other peptides in the direct tissue spectra are protonated without accompanying [M + Na]+ or [M + K]+ satellite peaks. The [M + H]+ ion for RPCH is not detected in tissue samples or for an RPCH standard, even when care is taken to eliminate metal ions. This behavior is not unprecedented; however, both direct tissue spectra and SORI-CID spectra provide no clues to suggest that the ionizing agent is a metal cation. In this communication, we characterize the MALDI-FTMS ionization and SORI-CID mass spectra of the [M + Na]+ and [M + K]+ ions from RPCH, and report on the detection of this neuropeptide in sinus gland tissues from the lobster Homarus americanus and the kelp crab Pugettia producta. We describe two strategies, an on-probe extraction procedure and a salt-doping approach, that can be applied to previously analyzed MALDI tissue samples to enhance and unmask sodiated peptides that may otherwise be mistaken for novel neuropeptides.
Reciprocal Tests of Steric Opposition to Down-Disrotatory ThermalDecyclization of [3.2.1] Propellanes. The Cycloreversion Stereochemistry of the 6,7,8-Trimethyltricyclo[3.2.1.01,5] octanes

Abstract The syntheses and thermal decompositions of the isomeric title compounds are described. The cis, endo isomers undergo down-disrotatory cycloreversion to E,E -2-methyl-1,3-bis-(ethylidene)-cyclohexane with high stereospecificity, regardless of the stereochemistry of the C 8 -methyl group. Both 8- syn - and 8- anti - 6,7- trans -trimethyl isomers decyclize with low stereochemical preference,suggesting that the orbital overlap factors favoring the down-disrotatory path in the cis cases may be overcome easily by steric effects.