cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo imaging of brain incorporation of fatty acids and of 2-deoxy-d-glucose demonstrates functional and structural neuroplastic effects of chronic unilateral visual deprivation in rats

Abstract Regional cerebral ‘incorporation coefficients’k* of each of 3 labeled long-chain fatty acids — [9,10-3H]palmitate ([3H]PA), [1-14C]arachidonate ([14C]AA) and [1-14C]docosahexaenoate ([14C]DHA) — were measured using quantitative autoradiography in 11 bilateral brain visual areas of 3.5-month-old awake, hooded, Long-Evans rats, and were compared with regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (rCMRglc). The rats, which had undergone unilateral orbital enucleation at 15 days of age, were studied either in the dark with eyelids of the intact eye sutured, or when stimulated in a light ☐ with the intact eye open. rCMRglc did not differ between homologous contralateral and ipsilateral visual areas in the dark or during stimulation, but was elevated bilaterally by 25% or more in many visual areas during stimulation compared with dark. Contralateral compared with ipsilateralk* was lower for each fatty acid tracer in superficial gray of the superior colliculus (in dark and during stimulation) and dorsal nucleus of lateral geniculate body (during stimulation). In the dark,k* for [3H]PA was correlated significantly with rCMRglc for the 22 visual areas studied, whereas during stimulationk* for [14C]AA was correlated with rCMRglc. These results suggest that central neuroplastic changes following chronic unilateral enucleation are accompanied by reduced incorporation of [3H]PA, [14C]AA and [14C]DHA into contralateral brain areas that normally receive crossed retinofugal fibers, and by symmetry of rCMRglc in the dark but increased bilateral symmetrical responsiveness of rCMRglc to visual stimulation of the intact eye.
Anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 therapy in CCI neuropathy decreases thermal hyperalgesia, macrophage recruitment, and endoneurial TNF-α expression

The chronic constriction injury model of mononeuropathy is a direct, partial nerve injury yielding thermal hyperalgesia. The inflammation that results from this injury is believed to contribute importantly to both the neuropathological and behavioral sequelae. This study involved administering a single dose (250 ng) of interleukin-10 (IL-10), an endogenous anti-inflammatory peptide, at the site and time of a chronic constriction injury (CCI) lesion to determine if IL-10 administration could attenuate the inflammatory response of the nerve to CCI and resulting thermal hyperalgesia. In IL-10-treated animals, thermal hyperalgesia was significantly reduced following CCI (days 3, 5 and 9). Histological sections from the peripheral nerve injury site of those animals had decreased cell profiles immunoreactive for ED-1, a marker of recruited macrophages, at both times studied (2 and 5 days post-CCI). IL-10 treatment also decreased cell profiles immunoreactive for the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) at day 2, but not day 5. Qualitative light microscopic assessment of neuropathology at the lesion site did not suggest substantial differences between IL-10 and vehicle-treated sections. The authors propose that initial production of TNF-alpha and perhaps other proinflammatory cytokines at the peripheral nerve lesion site importantly influences the long-term behavioral outcome of nerve injury, and that IL-10 therapy may accomplish this by downregulating the inflammatory response of the nerve to injury.
Fossil forms of Amentiferae

Review of the procedures used in determining fossil plant organs indicates that the many Cretaceous records of extant genera of “Amentiferae” based on leaves should be rejected as theoretically unreliable. Palynological data, in combination with some valid megafossil data, indicate that most recognizable members of “Amentiferae” are no older than the later part of the Late Cretaceous. Juglandales appear to be derivatives of the ancient Normapolles complex and unrelated to other “Amentiferae.” A preliminary account of some of the comparative foliar morphology of extant “Amentiferae” indicates that some—particularly Betulaceae and Fagaceae—are closely related to Hamamelidales but that other families—notably Rhoipteleaceae, Juglandaceae, Didymelaceae, and Leitneriaceae—are unrelated to this order.
Experimental Study of the Mechanics of Motion of Flapping Insect Flight Under Weight Loading

The results of this study are an evaluation of the mechanics of motion of a weight loaded Manduca sexta Hawkmoth during flight using accelerations recorded with an onboard sensory system. Findings indicate that these ‘normal’ flapping insects maintain relatively fixed body frequencies in both free and weight loaded flight, which correspond with the driving frequency, or wing beat frequency. Within the analysis, a presence of a harmonic body frequency at twice the wing beat frequency was also discovered. The conclusions from this study indicate an average excess muscle power of over 40mW available in free, unloaded flight. Stability robustness of these flapping insects in flight using the results of a large payload disturbance, 856mg or nearly half to one-third the mass of insect, is demonstrated, and their usefulness as platform for cyborg MAV (CMAV) development is presented.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Resistive N-ports with K negative element—Part I: A canonical transformerless network☆

Abstract A canonical transformerless t terminal resistive network with k negative resistors is established. Specifically, let N be an arbitrary network with positive resistors and k negative resistors for which any t nodes are specified as the accessible terminals. Then there exists a network N ∗ which is equivalent to N at the t specified nodes and for which: i) the passive and active parts of the network are separated; ii) the passive part consists of the t specified nodes of N ∗ between which only positive resistors appear; and iii) the active part consists of k or fewer separated negative resistors, each coupled by pairs of equal valued positive resistors which terminate at pairs of the t nodes in (ii). The canonical network N ∗ is proposed as a theoretical tool for investigating the port or terminal characteristics of resistive networks with k negative resistors. The subject will be discussed in Part II of this paper, to appear in the following issue of this Journal.
Kinetic model for the decomposition of DMMP in a hydrogen/oxygen flame

Abstract A kinetic model of the combustion chemistry of a hydrogen/oxygen base flame, doped with dimethyl methylphosphonate, a useful simulant for chemical warfare agents (CWAs), has been developed to assist in the controlled thermal destruction of CWA stockpiles. Laser-ionization mass spectrometry is employed to record concentration profiles of radical intermediates in a low-pressure premixed laminar flame. These measurements, combined with ab initio estimates of thermochemical properties of organophosphorus compounds, lead to a kinetic model incorporating several key reaction intermediates, which include methyl metaphosphate CH 3 OPO 2 , methyl dioxophosphorane CH 3 PO 2 , and monomethyl methylphosphonate PO(OH)(CH 3 )(OCH 3 ).
The American medical liability system: An alliance between legal and medical professionals can promote patient safety and be cost effective

Objective: The aim of this paper is to evaluate a hypothesis premised on the idea that if medical leaders in the United States support an unfettered access for patients injured by medical error to the American civil justice system, that approach would improve patient safety and be cost effective. Method: An analysis of the relevant legal and medical literature. Results: Medical liability in the American civil justice system derived from traditional tort law is based on accountability. Reforms applied to medical liability cases urged by healthcare providers limit and in some cases eliminate legal rights of patients injured by healthcare error which rights exist for all others in non-medical cases. Yet medical liability cases have promoted a culture of safety. Information learned from medical liability cases has been used to make care safer with a reduced incidence of adverse outcomes and lower costs. A just culture of safety can limit provider emotional stress. Using the external pressures to reduce the incidence of law suits and promoting ethical mandates to be safer and disclose the truth can promote provider satisfaction. Conclusions: An alliance between legal and medical professionals on the common ground of respect for the due process legal rights of patients in the American system of justice and the need for accountability can make care safer and can be cost effective.
Covariant analysis of quark commutators and electromagnetic couplings

Abstract Using commutators of integrated quark currents, dominance of matrix elements of divergences by one meson poles, and saturation of the sum rules by low-lying particles and resonances we relate electromagnetic meson decays to properties of the nucleon.
Lysophosphatidylcholine and 1-O-Octadecyl-2-O-Methyl-rac- Glycero-3-Phosphocholine Inhibit the CDP-Choline Pathway of Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis at the CTP:Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase Step

The regulation of the CDP-choline pathway of phosphatidylcholine synthesis at the CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) step by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and the nonhydrolyzable LPC analog, 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine (ET-18-OCH3), was investigated in a colony-stimulating factor 1-dependent murine macrophage cell line. LPC inhibited phosphatidylcholine synthesis in vivo and led to the accumulation of choline and phosphocholine coupled to the disappearance of CDP-choline pointing to CT as the intracellular target. LPC neither inhibited cell growth nor decreased the cellular content of CT or altered the distribution of CT between soluble and particulate subcellular fractions. The inhibition of phosphatidylcholine synthesis was specific for LPC since lysophospholipids lacking the choline headgroup were not inhibitors. ET-18-OCH3 was a more potent inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine synthesis than LPC and caused the translocation of CT from the soluble compartment to the particulate compartment. Both LPC and ET-18-OCH3 were inhibitors of CT activity in vitro and kinetic analysis showed competitive inhibition with respect to the lipid activator. These data point to LPC as a negative regulator of de novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis that acts at the CT step and establish the mechanism for the inhibition of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by antineoplastic phospholipids.
The role of the Golgi complex in the formation of secretion in the test cells of the follicle of the tunicate, Ciona

Electron microscope studies were made on the test cells which comprise a part of the follicular envelope in the ovary of the tunicate Ciona. During development the cells become filled with secretory granules. The Golgi complex is well developed and usually centrally located in the cells. The morphological variations shown and described strongly suggest that the Golgi complex is mainly concerned with the origin of the secretion in these cells.
Molecular cloning and expression of Ena/Vasp-like (Evl) during Xenopus development

Ena/VASP proteins are actin-binding proteins implicated in the regulation of axon guidance, platelet aggregation, cell motility, and cell adhesion. The vertebrate Ena/VASP family is comprised of three genes: Ena (Enabled), VASP (Vasodilator Stimulated Phosphoprotein), and Evl (Ena/VASP-Like). We have cloned and characterized cDNAs encoding three alternatively spliced isoforms of Xenopus laevis Evl, designated Xevl, Xevl-I and Xevl-H. Analysis of the temporal expression of Xevl, Xevl-I and Xevl-H demonstrates that transcripts for each isoform are first detectable at low levels at stage 18, show increased abundance by stage 23, and persist throughout the remainder of embryogenesis. In situ hybridization analyses using a probe that detects all three Xevl isoforms or a probe that specifically detects the Xevl-H isoform revealed expression in the cement gland, brain, neural tube, myotome, and neural placodes, including the otic, lateral line, and olfactory placodes. These results suggest roles for Xevl in regulating actin dynamics and cell adhesion in neural and mesodermal tissues during later stages of Xenopus development.
A synthesis of the prevailing patterns of the bronchopulmonary segments in the light of their variations.

During the last four years the writer and his associates have been analyzing and mapping the arrangement and distribution of bronchial and vascular trees within the lungs, lobe by lobe. At least fifty specimens of each lobe (and in some cases a hundred or more) have been carefully dissected and sketched. These, in turn, have been supplemented by fresh specimens injected with colored gelatins. Hitherto, published figures have been faithful replicas of original specimens,but now for purposes of instructionit has seemed desirableto createa hypotheticalpairof lungsthatwould com bine the prevailing patterns of all the segmentsâ€”assembly draw ings, as it were, to illustrate not only the arrangement of structures at the hilum, but also the projections onto the surface of the principal bronchi. Probably such â€œidealâ€ specimens are only occasionally encoun tered, for a variation in even one zone necessarily modifies the development of adjacent segments; and the lungs are the most plastic of all organs. Hence the greater need for an empirically established pattern by which deviations may be judged. Accord ingly these plates are presented in the hope that when the simpler plan has been mastered the reader will turn to the studies listed in the bibliography for a more detailed record of the struggle for space that has been waged by the embryonic bronchial buds. Figure 1 shows an orthodox plan of the bronchial tree with ten major (i.e. segmental) bronchi on the right and nine on the left. The reduction in number of segments in the left lung is due to the union of apical and posterior bronchi (B' plus3). As will be pointed out later, this change involves much more than possession of a common stem, namely an â€œelisionâ€ of these bronchi. Many authors also consider that the medial basal and anterior basal bronchi of the left lung (B7 and B8) aerate a single segment. But in a study of sixty left lower lobes' it has been shown that these two bronchi maintain their identity and do not form a composite stem as so often happens in the case of B' plus
Electrochemical detection of a single cytomegalovirus at an ultramicroelectrode and its antibody anchoring

We report observations of stochastic collisions of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) on ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs), extending the observation of discrete collision events on UMEs to biologically relevant analytes. Adsorption of an antibody specific for a virion surface glycoprotein allowed differentiation of MCMV from MCMV bound by antibody from the collision frequency decrease and current magnitudes in the electrochemical collision experiments, which shows the efficacy of the method to size viral samples. To add selectivity to the technique, interactions between MCMV, a glycoprotein-specific primary antibody to MCMV, and polystyrene bead “anchors,” which were functionalized with a secondary antibody specific to the Fc region of the primary antibody, were used to affect virus mobility. Bead aggregation was observed, and the extent of aggregation was measured using the electrochemical collision technique. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy further supported aggregate shape and extent of aggregation with and without MCMV. This work extends the field of collisions to biologically relevant antigens and provides a novel foundation upon which qualitative sensor technology might be built for selective detection of viruses and other biologically relevant analytes.
Matched/Mismatched Interactions in Chiral Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed Glycosylation Reactions with 2-Deoxy-Sugar Trichloroacetimidate Donors

The stereochemical outcome of glycosylation reactions of 2-deoxy-sugar trichloroacetimidates promoted by chiral Bronsted acids is shown to be dependent on both the chirality of the catalyst and the configuration of the leaving group. High levels of selectivity (1:16 α:β) can be obtained with (S)-catalysts and an α-trichloroacetimidate donor. Conversely, (R)-catalysts require longer reaction times and provide the product in much lower selectivity (6.6:1 α:β). These observations demonstrate that stereochemical “match” and “mismatch” between donor and acceptor are important factors in chiral Bronsted acid-promoted glycosylations.
Inhaled hydrogen sulfide prevents neurodegeneration and movement disorder in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Abstract Parkinson's disease is one of the major neurodegenerative disorders. Neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) can cause Parkinson's disease–like symptoms and biochemical changes in humans and animals. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to protect neurons. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of inhaled H2S in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease induced by MPTP. Male C57BL/6J mice received MPTP at 80 mg/kg and breathed air with or without 40 ppm H2S for 8 h/day for 7 days. Administration of MPTP induced movement disorder and decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-containing neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum in mice that breathed air. Inhalation of H2S prevented the MPTP-induced movement disorder and the degeneration of TH-containing neurons. Inhaled H2S also prevented apoptosis of the TH-containing neurons and gliosis in nigrostriatal region after administration of MPTP. The neuroprotective effect of inhaled H2S after MPTP administration was associate...
Anaplastic carcinoma arising from median ectopic thyroid (Thyroglossal duct remnant)

The first case of anaplastic carcinoma arising in median ectopic thyroid (thyroglossal duct remnants) in an 84-year-old woman is presented. This expands the spectrum of histologic types of thyroid malignancies reported in this location and supports the theory that these carcinomas arise from thyroid rests associated with thyroglossal ducts. The presence of a histologically benign follicular neoplasm adjacent to the carcinoma suggests the possibility that the anaplastic carcinoma resulted from the transformation of an underlying well-differentiated tumor. Some unusual features of this case are discussed as well as the criteria for establishing the diagnosis of carcinoma arising in a thyroglossal duct remnant.
To Prosecute or Not to Prosecute: Civil War Mediation and International Criminal Justice

The International Criminal Court (icc) came into force in July 2002 with the potential to drastically alter both the war fighting and peacemaking behavior of states. The icc is designed to try and subsequently punish those found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Supporters of the icc have argued that its establishment will erode the norm of impunity that state and military leaders have historically enjoyed. Yet, another logic suggests that the initiation of an icc investigation or the issuance of an arrest warrant for individuals embroiled in an ongoing dispute may make matters worse. Such individuals may see little reason to stop fighting and reach a settlement if conflict resolution results in their detention in The Hague. Indeed, suspected war criminals and their patrons may wish to escalate their violence in order to avoid showing any sign of weakness or possibility of capitulation lest their enemies press the fight or their rivals seek to undermine their authority. In this article, we explore the potential impact of the icc on the likelihood of peace by examining the impact of actions by the icc – the initiation of investigations into conflict situations and the issuance of arrest warrants for those suspected of committing violations of international law – on the likelihood of mediation. Our findings suggest that while icc arrest warrants can encourage mediation, the initiation of investigations by the icc can actually undermine the occurrence of mediation.
MHD intermediate shocks in coronal mass ejections

A simplified model of coronal mass ejections is considered in which at least a portion of the interaction with the background corona involves a shock wave, and the allowable shock solutions and their compressive signatures are examined. The MHD shock-jump equations have a maximum of three possible types of solutions with an entropy rise for fixed values of the physical variables (slow, intermediate, and fast shocks). However, one of the three solution classes (the intermediate shock) is widely believed to not occur in nature and is regarded as nonevolutionary or extraneous. Without the intermediate shock, there is no multiplicity of solutions in that only one shock (or none) can occur for given physical values. All three potential shock types are considered, and it is shown solely on the basis of the shock-jump equations, that intermediate shocks must exist along some segment of the shock front for certain parametric regimes and for conditions that probably occur in some coronal mass ejections.
Cryptic mutagens and carcinogenicity

CASE, the Computer Automated Structure Evaluation method, predicts that a fraction of the chemicals identified as 'non-genotoxic' carcinogens, i.e. rodent carcinogens which are not mutagenic in Salmonella, are, in fact, potential Salmonella mutagens. These chemicals are termed 'cryptic mutagens', i.e. agents that possess structural determinants which endow them with potential mutagenicity. Even though this potential is not expressed in Salmonella, it may be expressed in other systems such as in the mutagenic activation of oncogenes.
An extension of implicit Monte Carlo diffusion: Multigroup and the difference formulation

Implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) and Implicit Monte Carlo Diffusion (IMD) are approaches to the numerical solution of the equations of radiative transfer. IMD was previously derived and numerically tested on grey, or frequency-integrated problems [1]. In this research, we extend Implicit Monte Carlo Diffusion (IMD) to account for frequency dependence, and we implement the difference formulation[2] as a source manipulation variance reduction technique. We derive the relevant probability distributions and present the frequency dependent IMD algorithm, with and without the difference formulation. The IMD code with and without the difference formulation was tested using both grey and frequency dependent benchmark problems. The Su and Olson semi-analytic Marshak wave benchmark was used to demonstrate the validity of the code for grey problems [3]. The Su and Olson semi-analytic picket fence benchmark was used for the frequency dependent problems [4]. The frequency dependent IMD algorithm reproduces the results of both Su and Olson benchmark problems. Frequency group refinement studies indicate that the computational cost of refining the group structure is likely less than that of group refinement in deterministic solutions of the radiation diffusion methods. Our results show that applying the difference formulation to the IMD algorithm can result in an overall increase in the figure of merit for frequency dependent problems. However, the creation of negatively weighted particles from the difference formulation can cause significant numerical instabilities in regions of the problem with sharp spatial gradients in the solution. An adaptive implementation of the difference formulation may be necessary to focus its use in regions that are at or near thermal equilibrium.
A Little Help from Our Friends: Intra-operative Endoscopy for the Extraction of an Ingested Foreign Body

A 39-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a chief complaint of progressively worsening abdominal pain over a 3-week period, characterized by a sharp midepigastric stabbing sensation radiating to his back. On admission, he was afebrile and hemodynamically stable. His abdominal examination elicited tenderness to palpation in the mid-epigastrium with localized guarding, but there were no diffuse peritoneal signs. His past medical history was significant for an open appendectomy for perforated appendicitis 3 years prior to this presentation. His medical history was otherwise unremarkable. His WBC count, lipase, and amylase were all normal. A plain abdominal X-ray revealed a radio-opaque object measuring approximately 3 cm in length. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan indicated a radio-opaque body extending from the fourth portion of the duodenum into the pancreas, with surrounding inflammatory changes (Fig. 1). Extraction of the foreign body was first attempted by endoscopy, during which a standard endoscope was advanced to the fourth portion of the duodenum. However, the foreign body could not be seen; a second attempt with a pediatric endoscope was also unyielding. Since the patient continued to experience progressively worsening epigastric pain, an operation was performed using a standard upper midline incision. At the fourth portion of the duodenum, a large phlegmon with peripancreatic inflammation was appreciated, just superior to the ligament of Treitz. Because of the degree of inflammation, the foreign body could not be palpated. The use of intra-operative ultrasound confirmed the location of the foreign body immediately adjacent to the superior mesenteric artery, but extensive inflammation in that region made safe dissection prohibitive. Therefore, an intra-operative endoscopy was performed while extra-luminal guidance and stabilization of the scope was provided from the surgical field in order to facilitate adequate visualization. With this approach, we were able to establish that a small portion of the foreign body was still located within the lumen of the duodenum (Fig. 2). Because our attempts at snaring this foreign body endoscopically were unsuccessful, an enterotomy was then made just distal to the ligament of Treitz and the foreign body was visualized and then extracted. It appeared as a moderately stiff but pliable metal piece approximately 3 cm long (Fig. 3), consistent with a commercial fishing hook or a heavy-duty twist-tie. The enterotomy was closed primarily and there were no complications. The patient was discharged by post-operative day 5 with only mild incisional pain and tolerating a regular diet.
Reservoir oil bubblepoint pressures revisited; solution gas-oil ratios and surface gas specific gravities

Abstract A large number of recently published bubblepoint pressure correlations have been checked against a large, diverse set of service company fluid property data with worldwide origins. The accuracy of the correlations is dependent on the precision with which the data are measured. In this work a bubblepoint pressure correlation is proposed which is as accurate as the data permit. Certain correlations, for bubblepoint pressure and other fluid properties, require use of stock-tank gas rate and specific gravity. Since these data are seldom measured in the field, additional correlations are presented in this work, requiring only data usually available in field operations. These correlations could also have usefulness in estimating stock-tank vent gas rate and quality for compliance purposes.
Before the Bombs There Were the Mobs: American Experiences with Terror 1

Terrorist studies rarely discuss activities before the invention of dynamite, which made modern terror possible. One important, interesting, and forgotten form is the mob terror campaign. Two significant successful American examples are examined and compared, “The Sons of Liberty” which ignited the American Revolution, and the Ku Klux Klan, which “won the peace” the South wanted after it lost the Civil War. The study concludes by briefly comparing modern with mob terror.
Revenue diversification among non-profits

Although the non-profit literature has grown substantially, the issue of how revenue diversification affects non-profits has not been fully explored. This paper presents several disciplinary perspectives regarding the financing of non-profits, what determines their ability to diversify, and the consequent effects on their behaviour. It first develops an index for measuring revenue diversification and applies it to a national sample of charitable non-profits. The results indicate that, while the perception that most non-profits rely on a single revenue source is exaggerated, the institutions in our sample have somewhat concentrated revenue. Our findings also suggest that the activity of a non-profit and the proportion of its expenditures that it devotes to fund-raising affect its ability to diversify its revenues concentration. While a number of anomalies exist, the weight of our evidence suggests that diversified revenue sources are more likely to be associated with a strong financial position than are concentrated revenue sources. Researchers interested in studying the life-cycle of non-profits, the factors that give rise to stability and growth, and the constraints on non-profit behaviour would do well to consider the diversification index presented in this paper.
Reducing Moral Hazard Associated with Implied Warranties of Animal Health

Shogren provides a hypothesis that buyers will have sufficient incentive to purchase optimal selfprotection despite the existence of implied warranties of animal health. This hypothesis is based on three points (assumptions) adopted from previous literature. We take issue with one of these assumptions and show that Shogren's additional theoretical development supports our contention that moral hazard is associated with implied warranties. The assumption at issue is whether the "blurred" distinction between probability and severity of losses, as reported by Ehrlich and Becker, and Hiebert, may be applied to an analysis of moral hazard in livestock marketing. This assumption is for theoretical convenience and generally does not hold. In particular, for the livestock market a major buyer self-protection device is quarantine, the physical separation of purchased diseased animals. Quarantine can affect the severity of losses by preventing the infection of healthy animals, but it does not affect the probability of loss. The importance of quarantine in reducing severity of losses from disease in the livestock market indicates that buyers do discriminate between probability and severity of loss. Thus, the theoretical assumption adopted by Shogren is too restrictive. The legislative history associated with the warranty legislation discloses that the abrogation of implied warranties was based largely on the severity of the loss, liability in an amount several times more than the sales price (Eftink; Foster, p. 645). Such losses were possible because warrantors were liable for consequential damages, which included losses associated with the infection of healthy animals by a diseased animal purchased under warranty. We demonstrate that the legislative responses to excessive consequential damages is not remedied by shifting moral hazard from livestock buyers to sellers (Centner and Wetzstein). Confusion surrounding Shogren's assumption and the interpretation of the theoretical results of our article may be attributed to the relationships among b1, b2, and q. Variable q was defined as the amount of loss resulting from contamination after disease has occurred thereby denoting consequential damages generally available under warranty law. The difference between b_ and b1 is buyer benefits reflected solely in the value of healthy animals as opposed to diseased animals. An implied warranty made by sellers covers both of these losses and not just q. Implied by Shogren is an alternative formulation which aggregates the two losses into a single loss
Reprogramming the genome to totipotency in mouse embryos

Despite investigative interest, the artificial derivation of pluripotent stem cells remains inefficient and incomplete reprogramming hinders its potential as a reliable tool in regenerative medicine. By contrast, fusion of terminally differentiated gametes at fertilization activates efficient epigenetic reprogramming to ensure totipotency of early embryos. Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms required for the transition from the fertilized egg to the embryo can improve efforts to reprogram differentiated cells to pluripotent/totipotent cells for therapeutic use. We review recent discoveries that are providing insight into the molecular mechanisms required for epigenetic reprogramming to totipotency in vivo.
A 25 nm virion is the likely cause of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) such as endemic sheep scrapie, sporadic human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and epidemic bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) may all be caused by a unique class of "slow" viruses. This concept remains the most parsimonious explanation of the evidence to date, and correctly predicted the spread of the BSE agent to vastly divergent species. With the popularization of the prion (infectious protein) hypothesis, substantial data pointing to a TSE virus have been largely ignored. Yet no form of prion protein (PrP) fulfills Koch's postulates for infection. Pathologic PrP is not proportional to, or necessary for infection, and recombinant and "amplified" prions have failed to produce significant infectivity. Moreover, the "wealth of data" claimed to support the existence of infectious PrP are increasingly contradicted by experimental observations, and cumbersome speculative notions, such as spontaneous PrP mutations and invisible strain-specific forms of "infectious PrP" are proposed to explain the incompatible data. The ability of many "slow" viruses to survive harsh environmental conditions and enzymatic assaults, their stealth invasion through protective host-immune defenses, and their ability to hide in the host and persist for many years, all fit nicely with the characteristics of TSE agents. Highly infectious preparations with negligible PrP contain nucleic acids of 1-5 kb, even after exhaustive nuclease digestion. Sedimentation as well as electron microscopic data also reveal spherical infectious particles of 25-35 nm in diameter. This particle size can accommodate a viral genome of 1-4 kb, sufficient to encode a protective nucleocapsid and/or an enzyme required for its replication. Host PrP acts as a cellular facilitator for infectious particles, and ultimately accrues pathological amyloid features. A most significant advance has been the development of tissue culture models that support the replication of many different strains of agent and can produce high levels of infectivity. These models provide new ways to rapidly identify intrinsic viral and strain-specific molecules so important for diagnosis, prevention, and fundamental understanding.
Polysynthetic feldspar twin-width distributions: Models for inversion twinning

The lamella-width distribution of the transformation polysynthetic twins produced in volcanic anorthoclases during cooling reflects certain aspects of twin nucleation and growth kinetics. An analysis of simple hypothetical statistical models for the kinetics of the transformation process outlines the range and type of twin-width distributions possible. The general characteristics of these distributions, particularly at small twin widths, are sensitive to whether twin boundaries or twin centers nucleate. The rates of twin nucleation and growth during transformation also influence the general form, particularly the skewness, of the final twin-width distribution. The generally exponential nature of the upper tails to the distributions studied is apparently quite insensitive to kinetic details.
Historical analysis of siderail use in American hospitals.

Purpose: To explore the social, economic, and legal influences on siderail use in 20th century American hospitals and how use of siderails became embedded in nursing practice. Design: Social historical research. Methods: Numerous primary and secondary sources were collected and interpreted to illustrate the pattern of siderail use, the value attached to siderails, and attitudes about using siderails. Findings: The persistent use of siderails in American hospitals indicates a gradual consensus between law and medicine rather than an empirically driven nursing intervention. Use of siderails became embedded in nursing practice as nurses assumed increasing responsibility for their actions as institutional employees. Conclusions: New federal guidelines, based on reports of adverse consequences associated with siderails, are limiting siderail use in hospitals and nursing homes across the United States. Lowering siderails and using alternatives will depend on new norms among health care providers, hospital administrators, bed manufacturers, insurers, attorneys, regulators, and patients and their families.
From netflix to heart attacks: collaborative filtering in medical datasets

Recommender systems are widely used to provide users with personalized suggestions for products or services. These systems typically rely on collaborative filtering (CF) to make automated predictions about the interests of a user, by collecting preference information from many users. CF techniques require no domain knowledge and can be used on very sparse datasets. Moreover, they rely directly on user behavior and are able to potentially discover complex and unexpected patterns that are difficult or impossible to profile using known data attributes. In this paper, we explore the use of a CF framework for clinical risk stratification. Our work assesses patient risk both by matching new cases to historical records, and by matching patient demographics to adverse outcomes. When evaluated on data from over 4,500 patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome, our CF-based approach achieved a higher predictive accuracy for both sudden cardiac death and recurrent myocardial infraction than popular classification approaches such as logistic regression and support vector machines.
ON THE UBIQUITY OF 1/f NOISE

A generic mechanism for the ubiquitous phenomenon of 1/f noise is reviewed. This mechanism arises in random processes expressible as a product of several random variables. Under mild conditions this product form leads to the log-normal distribution which we show straightforwardly generates 1/f noise. Thus, 1/f noise is tied directly to a probability limit distribution. A second mechanism involving scaling is introduced to provide a natural crossover from log-normal to inverse power-law behavior and generates 1/fα noise instead of pure 1/f noise. Examples of these distributions and the transitions between them are drawn from such diverse areas as economics, scientific productivity, bronchial structure and cardiac activity.
Global Diversity and Phylogeny of the Asteroidea (Echinodermata)

Members of the Asteroidea (phylum Echinodermata), popularly known as starfish or sea stars, are ecologically important and diverse members of marine ecosystems in all of the world's oceans. We present a comprehensive overview of diversity and phylogeny as they have figured into the evolution of the Asteroidea from Paleozoic to the living fauna. Living post-Paleozoic asteroids, the Neoasteroidea, are morphologically separate from those in the Paleozoic. Early Paleozoic asteroid faunas were diverse and displayed morphology that foreshadowed later living taxa. Preservation presents significant difficulties, but fossil occurrence and current accounts suggests a diverse Paleozoic fauna, which underwent extinction around the Permian-Triassic interval was followed by re-diversification of at least one surviving lineage. Ongoing phylogenetic classification debates include the status of the Paxillosida and the Concentricycloidea. Fossil and molecular evidence has been and continues to be part of the ongoing evolution of asteroid phylogenetic research. The modern lineages of asteroids include the Valvatacea, the Forcipulatacea, the Spinlosida, and the Velatida. We present an overview of diversity in these taxa, as well as brief notes on broader significance, ecology, and functional morphology of each. Although much asteroid taxonomy is stable, many new taxa remain to be discovered with many new species currently awaiting description. The Goniasteridae is currently one of the most diverse families within the Asteroidea. New data from molecular phylogenetics and the advent of global biodiversity databases, such as the World Asteroidea Database (http://www.marinespecies.org/Asteroidea/) present important new springboards for understanding the global biodiversity and evolution of asteroids.
Attraction of the egg parasitoid, Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) to synthetic formulation of a (E)-β-ocimene and (E,E)-α-farnesene mixture☆

Abstract Glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), is a vector of the xylem-inhabitant bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al., which causes Pierce’s disease of grapevines. Current GWSS control strategies in California, USA include area-wide insecticide applications and mass release of mymarid egg parasitoids, including Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to identify ( E )-β-ocimene and ( E , E )-α-farnesene as volatiles emitted from grapevines on which GWSS had previously fed and oviposited. Attractiveness of female G. ashmeadi to sugar-based formulations containing either ( E )-β-ocimene, ( E , E )-α-farnesene, or a mixture of both was evaluated using Y-tube olfactometry. When exposed to synthetic formulation containing a mixture of ( E )-β-ocimene and ( E , E )-α-farnesene vs. blank control, 61% of G. ashmeadi females initially chose the synthetic formulation. After the initial choice for a Y-tube arm, females visited the Y-tube arm connected to the source of formulation more often than it did to the arm connected to a blank control. There was no difference in the female’s time spent in the arm connected to the formulation. When testing formulations containing either ( E )-β-ocimene or ( E , E )-α-farnesene alone, there was a 1:1 ratio between the proportion of parasitoid’s first choice, visits, and residence time. Results suggest that synthetic formulations containing mixtures of certain plant volatiles may be used to localize GWSS egg parasitoids in vineyard systems. Results are discussed in the context of potential applications in GWSS biological control programs.
Aspergillus Mural Vegetation Identified by Transesophageal Echocardiography

We report a case of Aspergillus sp. mural or nonvalvular endocarditis, which was diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a vegetation attached to the anterolateral papillary muscle of the left ventricle. Mural endocarditis is often missed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as was the case with this patient. TEE easily identified the vegetation.
A preliminary assessment of nitrogen-based fresh water acidification in southeastern Canada

Sulphate deposition is the primary cause of acidification in northeastern North America, and new SO2 emission control is being implemented. However, continuation of existing levels of N deposition may undermine the environmental benefits derived from SO2 control. This likelihood has been assessed for Canadian lakes. Maximum N deposition (∼13 kg N ha−1 yr−1) occurs in south-central Ontario and southwestern Quebec. Regional median NO 3 − levels are generally low (<5 μeq L−1) suggesting that on average, N-based acidification is minor compared to the S-based component. However, examination of the seasonal NO 3 − pattern at 5 intensively monitored basins reveals that 2 of them (in Ontario and Quebec) have incipient N saturation. A regional status for nitrogen-based acidification was qualitatively assessed by classifying survey data to identify cases of NO 3 − leaching. Many lakes throughout southeastern Canada exhibit some leaching, particularly those in south-central Ontario and southwestern Quebec. While the evidence for a deposition-acidification link appears strong, sources of N other than the atmosphere should be considered for certain anomalous cases.
Changes in response properties of rostral ventromedial medulla neurons during prolonged inflammation: Modulation by neurokinin-1 receptors

Abstract Activation of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) can facilitate pain transmission in conditions such as inflammation, and thereby contribute to hyperalgesia. Since blockade of NK-1 receptors in the RVM can attenuate hyperalgesia produced by prolonged inflammation, we examined the role of NK-1 receptors in changes of response properties of RVM neurons following four days of hind paw inflammation with complete Freund’s adjuvant. Recordings were made from functionally identified ON, OFF and NEUTRAL cells in the RVM. Spontaneous activity and responses evoked by a series of mechanical (10, 15, 26, 60, 100, and 180 g) and heat (34–50 °C) stimuli applied to the inflamed and non-inflamed hind paws were determined before and at 15 and 60 min after injection of the NK-1-antagonist L-733,060 or vehicle into the RVM. Prolonged inflammation did not alter the proportions of functionally-identified ON, OFF and NEUTRAL cells. ON cells exhibited enhanced responses to mechanical (60–100 g) and heat (48–50 °C) stimuli applied to the inflamed paw, which were attenuated by L-733,060 but not by vehicle. Inhibitory responses of OFF cells evoked by mechanical stimuli applied to the inflamed paw were also inhibited by L-733,060, but responses evoked by stimulation of the contralateral paw were increased. Heat-evoked responses of OFF cells were not altered by L-733,060. Also, neither L-733,060 nor vehicle altered spontaneous ongoing discharge rate of RVM neurons. These data indicate that NK-1 receptors modulate excitability of ON cells which contribute to both mechanical and heat hyperalgesia, whereas NK-1 modulation of OFF cells contributes to mechanical hyperalgesia during prolonged inflammation.
Dutch book against some 'objective' priors

`Dutch book' and `strong inconsistency' are generally equivalent: there is a system of bets that makes money for the gambler, whatever the state of nature may be. As de Finetti showed, an odds-maker who is not a Bayesian is subject to a Dutch book, under certain highly stylized rules of play - a fact often used as an argument against frequentists. However, so-called `objective' or `uninformative' priors may also be subject to a Dutch book. This note explains, in a relatively simple and self-contained way, how to make Dutch book against a frequently recommended uninformative prior for covariance matrices.
Using Psychiatric Symptomatology to Assess Risk for HIV Infection in Individuals with Severe Mental Illness

In this study, we use the Colorado Symptom Index, a measure of psychiatric symptomatology, to identify vulnerable subgroups within the severely mentally ill population at elevated risk for HIV infection. Baseline data on 228 HIV positive and 281 HIV negative participants from two clinical trials were used. With years to HIV diagnosis as our primary endpoint, Kaplan–Meier estimates were calculated to find a CSI cut-off score, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to obtain relative risks of infection for the two CSI categories created by the cut point. We found that a CSI score ≥ 30 was associated with a 47% increased risk for HIV infection (P < 0.01). While this study establishes the foundation for using CSI scores to identify a vulnerable subgroup within the SMI community, further studies should develop effective approaches to mitigate psychiatric symptomatology in order to examine the impact on HIV transmission risky behaviors.
Filling in the gaps

The Hidden Universe. ByRoger J. Tayler. ElliS Norwood: 1991. Pp. 213. £30 (hbk), £15.99 (pbk).