cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence links the myxospore stage of Henneguya mississippiensis n. sp. from channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus to an actinospore released by the benthic oligochaete Dero digitata.

There are more than 200 species of Henneguya described from fish. Of these, only three life cycles have been determined, identifying the actinospore and myxospore stages from their respective hosts. Two of these life cycles involve the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and the freshwater oligochaete Dero digitata. Herein, we molecularly confirm the life cycle of a previously undescribed Henneguya sp. by matching 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence of the myxospore stage from channel catfish with the previously described actinospore stage (Aurantiactinomyxon mississippiensis) from D. digitata. Gill tissue from naturally infected channel catfish contained pseudocysts restricted to the apical end of the primary lamellae. Myxospores were morphologically consistent with Henneguya spp. from ictalurid fishes in North America. The spores measured 48.8 ± 4.8 μm (range = 40.7–61.6 μm) in total spore length. The lanceolate spore body was 17.1 ± 1.0 μm (14.4–19.3 μm) in length and 5.0 ± 0.3 μm (4.5–5.5 μm) in width. The two polar capsules were 6.2 ± 0.4 μm (5.8–7.0 μm) long and 5.0 ± 0.3 μm (4.5–5.5 μm) wide. The polar capsule contained eight to nine coils in the polar filament. The two caudal processes were of equal length, measuring 31.0 ± 4.1 μm (22.9–40.6 μm). The 1980-bp 18S rRNA gene sequence obtained from two excised cysts shared 99.4 % similarity (100 % coverage) to the published sequence of A. mississippiensis, an actinospore previously described from D. digitata. The sequence similarity between the myxospore from channel catfish and actinospore from D. digitata suggests that they are conspecific, representing alternate life stages of Henneguya mississippiensis n. sp.
Metabolic activation of specific postsynaptic elements in superior cervical ganglion by antidromic stimulation of external carotid nerve

Using the rat superior cervical ganglion in vivo as a model of the central nervous system, we have sought to determine whether postsynaptic elements as well as terminal processes are metabolically activated during impulse activity. The rate of glucose utilization in the ganglion was found to be stimulated by antidromic stimulation of the external carotid nerve. This stimulation was frequency-dependent and was confined only to the region in the caudal portion of the ganglion corresponding to the location of the cell bodies of origin of the external carotid nerve.
Stochastic wave models for stationary and homogeneous seismic ground motion

Abstract A fundamental theory of stationary, homogeneous stochastic waves is developed and a technique for digitally generating samples of such waves is introduced as a further extension of the spectral representation method. This is done primarily for the purpose of developing an analytical model for propagating seismic waves that can account for their stochastic characteristics in the time and space domain. From this model, the corresponding sample seismic waves can be digitally generated with great computational efficiency. The efficacy of this technique is demonstrated with the aid of a numerical example in which a sample of a stationary, homogeneous, two-dimensional, dispersive Rayleigh wave consistent, in its analytical form of spatial variability, with Lotung, Taiwan dense-array data is digitally generated. Although the stochastic wave model considered in this work is stationary and homogeneous, it is a straightforward task to extend the methodology introduced to nonstationary and / or non-homogeneous stochastic waves characterized by an evolutionary power spectrum.
Blood platelet uptake of serotonin in episodic aggression.

Blood platelet uptake of 3H-serotonin (5HT uptake), a potential marker of serotonergic function, was determined in male outpatients with episodic aggression (n= 15) and in age- and sex-matched nonaggressive controls (n= 15). Correlations with rating scales of “impulsivity” (Barratt Impulsivity Scale, 10th revision) and “anger” (Spielberger Anger Expression Scale) were performed. Mean 5HT uptake was 18% lower in patients with episodic aggression. A significant negative correlation between % difference in platelet 5HT uptake and impulsivity score was observed, but the correlation between 5HT uptake and anger was not significant. These results support the hypothesis of disturbed serotonergic function in aggression and suggest that the primary relationship is in the “control” of aggression. The blood platelet may be useful in identifying impulsive subtypes.
An in Vitro Method for Determining the Availability of Soybean Oil in Unextracted Soybean Products for the Chick

Abstract SOYBEAN oil is an excellent source of energy for chicks and also will stimulate growth rate when included in certain types of chick diets (Dam et al., 1959; Carew, 1961). Therefore it is desirable to study various means by which soybean oils may be easily incorporated into diets for chicks. Since soybean protein is the most widely used source of amino acids for poultry rations, unextracted soybeans, which contain approximately 20% soybean oil, offer a simple means of supplying most of the amino acids as well as the beneficial properties of soybean oil to chick diets in the form of a single feed ingredient. Previous reports from this laboratory have shown that finely ground, heat-treated soybeans do not serve as an efficient source of soybean oil for the chick because the soybean oil present in the soybean is poorly digested (Renner and Hill, 1960; Carew et al., 1961). Whereas extracted …
Development of the pollen wall in Tsuga canadensis (Pinaceae)

In discussions of exine structural types, Tsuga is often mentioned as an exception, since no infratectal layer is present in the ektexine. The present investigation documents the formation of this pollen wall type at the ultrastructural level in T. canadensis. All layers of the exine are formed during the tetrad period, when the microspores are surrounded by a callose wall. The outer layer (ektexine) is elaborated on a fibrillar microspore surface coat, while the inner layer (endexine) is elaborated on lamellated structures. The deposition of the pretectum is followed by the appearance of endexine lamellae. In the initial stages, the two layers—pretectum and endexine—appear to be separated from each other only by a dense microspore surface coat. As additional wall materials are deposited, the tectal elements become convoluted and come to rest, in places, on the now recognizable footlayer. Upon release from the tetrad, intine formation begins and continuous accumulation of sporopollenin leads to an increase in ektexine thickness. The mature pollen wall of Tsuga canadensis, with a convoluted tectum resting directly on the footlayer, is characteristic of the genus.
Renal biopsy diagnosis in children presenting with haematuria

We reviewed the clinical and renal biopsy findings in 322 children presenting during the years 1975–1996 with recurrent macro- or continuous microscopic haematuria persisting for ≥6 months, in whom non-glomerular causes were excluded. Family involvement was documented for first-degree relatives. All biopsies were examined by light microscopy, 317 by electron microscopy and 315 by immunofluorescence. Biopsies were classified as IgA nephropathy (78), Alport nephropathy (86), thin basement membrane nephropathy (TMN) (50), miscellaneous glomerulonephritis (32), hilar vasculopathy (28) and normal glomeruli (48). Although microscopic haematuria alone was more frequent in Alport nephropathy and TMN, the pattern of haematuria in individual patients did not predict histology. Of patients with familial haematuria, 79% of biopsies showed either Alport nephropathy or TMN. Hilar vasculopathy was observed both in isolation and in all abnormal histological categories.
Localized requirements for gene activity in segmentation of Drosophila embryos: analysis of armadillo, fused, giant and unpaired mutations in mosaic embryos.

In order to investigate the localized requirements for the activity of genes that are required in a Drosophila embryo for segmentation, we have analyzed the patterns in genetic mosaics. In this paper, we describe our results with four different X-chromosome linked segmentation loci: armadillo, fused, giant and unpaired. For each locus, we first describe in detail the cuticle phenotype of mutant embryos. We then describe the segmentation patterns in embryos mosaic for these mutations, in each case utilizing the shavenbaby (svb) larval cuticle marker mutation to identify the regions of pattern made by genetically mutant cells. For all four loci, we can identify embryos containing large regions of both mutant and wildtype pattern. In these mosaics the regions of mutant pattern are marked with svb and the genetically wildtype (svb +) cells make wildtype pattern. The interpretations of the patterns in embryos mosaic for fused and unpaired are complicated by the variability of the phenotypes. However, after taking these complications into account, our principal conclusion is that the requirement for embryonic gene activity seems to be primarily cell autonomous. Based on the descriptions of the mutant phenotypes of these four loci and the analysis of the mosaics, we speculate on the possible roles these genes play in the process of segmentation.
Furculanurida langdoni n. sp. (Collembola: Neanuridae), a Nearctic member of a Gondwanan genus

ABSTRACT Furculanurida langdoni n. sp. is described from specimens collected in deciduous forest in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee-North Carolina, U.S.A. It is distinguished from other Furculanurida species by the presence of five ocelli in each eyepatch, elliptical postantennal organ with 20–22 lobes, six mandibular teeth, and numerous sensillum-like setae on the fourth antennal segment All other known members of this genus have Caribbean, South American, African, or Himalayan distributions.
Two diagnostic pitfalls mimicking a prolactin-secreting microadenoma.

A 25-yr-old woman was admitted to the Neurosurgery Department with the diagnosis of a medically resistant prolactin (PRL)-secreting microadenoma. Serum PRL levels ranging between 30 and 90 ng/ml had been discovered 2 yr before in a routine gynecological assessment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed an image compatible with a pituitary microadenoma (Fig. 1). The patient underwent medical treatment with cabergoline (upto0.5mg/d),withoutsignificantvariationsofbothserum PRL and neuroimaging at 1 yr. Hence, medical therapy was withdrawn. When she came to our attention, she denied any history of irregular menses and galactorrhea as well as drugs or other possible causes of hyperprolactinemia. She had had a normal pregnancy 3 yr before. Pituitary hormonal assessment documented normal values with the exception of PRL that was 54 ng/ml (normal values, 3.5–15.5 ng/ml). Testing for macroprolactin yielded positive results showing a 35% recovery, in line with the expected presence of macroprolactin. A review of the patient’s MRIs showed that the signal alteration corresponded to the insertion of a sphenoid septum and was stable also in dynamic sequences. The patient was discharged home. Macroprolactin should be suspected when a patient’s clinical history or radiological findings are inconsistent with the PRL values (1–3). A focal artifact on sellar MRI, closely related to the junction between sellar floor and sphenoidal septum, may mimic or obscure a microadenoma (4, 5). In this case, we had the association of a biochemical and a neuroradiological pitfall. The clue for a correct diagnosis was given by the patient’s history and clinical status. Acknowledgments
Effects of variation in emotional tone of voice on speech perception.

The effects of variation from stimulus to stimulus in emotional tone of voice on speech perception were examined through a series of perceptual experiments. Stimuli were recorded from human speakers who produced utterances in tones of voice designed to convey affective information. Then, stimuli varying in talker voice and emotional tone were presented to listeners for perceptual matching and classification. The results showed that both intertalker variation in talker voice and intratalker variation in emotional tone had a negative effect on perceptual performance. The results suggest that sources of variation in the speech signal that affect the spectral/temporal properties of speech (i.e., talker voice, speech rate, emotional tone) may be treated differently than sources of variation that do not affect these properties (i.e., vocal amplitude).
Vascular permeability factor (vascular endothelial growth factor) is strongly expressed in the normal male genital tract and is present in substantial quantities in semen.

AbstractPurpose: Vascular permeability factor (VPF) is a potent inducer of microvascular hyperpermeability and stimulates endothelial cell growth and angiogenesis. This study examines expression of VPF in the male genital tract.Materials and Methods: Vascular permeability factor in seminal plasma was quantified by immunoassay. Vascular permeability factor mRNA and protein expression in tissue were studied by situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.Results: All seminal plasmas studied contained high levels of VPF. Prostatic and seminal vesicle epithelium labeled strongly for VPF mRNA and protein.Conclusions: The strong expression of VPF in prostate and seminal vesicle and the high concentration of VPF in semen suggest an important role for this cytokine in male fertility.
Development of Neuronal Activity in Neocortex of the Kitten

MAMMALIAN cerebral cortex undergoes rapid structural changes during the postnatal period. Dendritic connexions increase in number and complexity, the volume of neurone somata increases, and myelination occurs in subcortical and cortical fibres1. Little is known about the functioning state of cerebral neurones during this period of rapid development. In kittens, spontaneous and evoked activity has been recorded from the cortical surface during the ‘new-born’ period, but such records have been difficult to interpret2,3. For example, it is not possible to be certain whether the activity recorded from surface originates in cortex itself, or is transmitted from sub-cortical structures. In the present investigations, recordings were obtained from single cortical neurones and from subcortical fibres in unanaesthetized, unrestrained kittens. The results indicate that large parts of neocortex in the kitten are electrically silent at birth, but that neuronal activity rapidly develops in the postnatal period. The early patterns of neuronal discharge show striking differences from those seen in adult animals.
A sensitive colorimetric method for formaldehyde

Abstract Formaldehyde reacts with tryptophan in the presence of sulfuric acid and iron, nickel, or cobalt and gives a violet color with absorption maximum at 575 nm. Nanomoles of formaldehyde can be estimated spectrophotometrically by using this reaction which is also very specific. Other aminoacids, sugars and related compounds, higher aldehydes, and heavy metals do not react. 3-Substituted indoles give similar colors of less intensity. The tryptophan reaction can be used to measure formaldehyde formed from biochemical reactions using fractions of liver and other tissues.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ribbon-Helix-Helix DNA-Binding Protein AlgZ (AmrZ) Controls Twitching Motility and Biogenesis of Type IV Pili

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that is commonly found in water and soil. In order to colonize surfaces with low water content, P. aeruginosa utilizes a flagellum-independent form of locomotion called twitching motility, which is dependent upon the extension and retraction of type IV pili. This study demonstrates that AlgZ, previously identified as a DNA-binding protein absolutely required for transcription of the alginate biosynthetic operon, is required for twitching motility. AlgZ may be required for the biogenesis or function of type IV pili in twitching motility. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of an algZ deletion in nonmucoid PAO1 failed to detect surface pili. To examine expression and localization of PilA (the major pilin subunit), whole-cell extracts and cell surface pilin preparations were analyzed by Western blotting. While the PilA levels present in whole-cell extracts were similar for wild-type P. aeruginosa and P. aeruginosa with the algZ deletion, the amount of PilA on the surface of the cells was drastically reduced in the algZ mutant. Analysis of algZ and algD mutants indicates that the DNA-binding activity of AlgZ is essential for the regulation of twitching motility and that this is independent of the role of AlgZ in alginate expression. These data show that AlgZ DNA-binding activity is required for twitching motility independently of its role in alginate production and that this involves the surface localization of type IV pili. Given this new role in twitching motility, we propose that algZ (PA3385) be designated amrZ (alginate and motility regulator Z).
Providing School-Based Speech-Language Therapy Services by Telepractice: A Brief Tutorial

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are increasingly turning to technologies such as the Internet and videoconferencing for service provision (Dudding & Justice, 2004). Many school-based SLPs are r...
Deposits from Wave-Influenced Turbidity Currents: Pennsylvanian Minturn Formation, Colorado, U.S.A.

Turbidity currents generated nearshore have been suggested to be the source of some sandy marine event beds, but in most cases the evidence is circumstantial. Such flows must commonly travel through a field of oscillatory flow caused by wind-generated waves; little is known, however, about the interactions between waves and turbidity currents. We explore these interactions through detailed process-oriented sedimentological analysis of sandstone event beds from the Pennsylvanian Minturn Formation in north-central Colorado, U.S.A. The Minturn Formation exhibits a complex stratigraphic architecture of fan-delta deposits that developed in association with high topographic relief in a tectonically active setting. An ~20–35-m-thick, unconformity-bounded unit of prodelta deposits consists of dark green shale and turbidite-like sandstone beds with tool marks produced by abundant plant debris. Some of the sandstone event beds, most abundant at distal localities, contain reverse-to-normal grading and sequences of sedimentary structures that indicate deposition from waxing to waning flows. In contrast, proximal deposits, in some cases less than a kilometer away, contain abundant beds with evidence for deposition by wave-dominated combined flows, including large-scale hummocky cross-stratification. We interpret the majority of these event beds as a record of deposition from hyperpycnal flows, i.e., turbidity currents generated directly from highly concentrated river plumes, which accelerated and decelerated in response to a rising and falling flood discharge. Additional support for this interpretation includes the following: (1) a variety of sole marks including flute and gutter casts, as well as tool marks made by relatively large (up to tens of centimeters across) woody debris (i.e., groove, prod, and chevron marks); (2) consistent unimodal orientation of sole marks and abundant ripple cross-stratification, which indicate strong downslope-directed flow; (3) a well documented sedimentological framework for the formation of fan-delta deposits adjacent to nearby highlands; and (4) plant fossils typical of middle- to high-elevation habitats that are abundant in the turbidite beds but absent in underlying and overlying shoreline and marginal marine deposits, which have a separate floral assemblage. Differences in grain sizes, vertical stratification sequences, and bed thicknesses between outcrops are interpreted to result from the spatial distribution of wave effects, the time history of hyperpycnal flows, and the interaction of these processes. The latter varied both spatially and temporally and produced a wide range of bed types, which are incorporated into a new conceptual model for storm-influenced hyperpycnal flows.
Effects of monophasic and biphasic shocks on action potentials during ventricular fibrillation in dogs.

This study determined the response of action potentials during ventricular fibrillation (VF) to timed monophasic and biphasic shocks. A floating glass microelectrode was used to record intracellularly from the anterior right ventricle in 10 open-chest dogs. After 10 seconds of electrically induced VF, 5-millisecond monophasic and 2.5/2.5-millisecond biphasic shocks or 16-millisecond monophasic and 8/8-millisecond biphasic shocks were given via mesh electrodes on either side of the microelectrode. Monophasic and biphasic truncated exponential shocks of 5 V/cm were given with coupling intervals timed from the beginning of a VF action potential to the shock ranging from 50 to 70 milliseconds in 5-millisecond increments. Each coupling interval for each waveform was tested during a different VF episode. The interval between successive activations during VF was 86 +/- 15 milliseconds (mean +/- SD). The refractory period during VF was 61 +/- 5 milliseconds for 5-millisecond monophasic shocks and 66 +/- 6 milliseconds for 2.5/2.5-millisecond biphasic shocks (P < .05). At each coupling interval, action potential duration at 50% repolarization (APD50) was significantly prolonged by the shocks compared with the mean preshock APD50 (P < .05). ADP50 duration increased significantly with increases in the coupling interval (P < .05) for both monophasic and biphasic waveforms. For all coupling intervals together, APD50 prolongation as a percent of the mean preshock APD50 was 170 +/- 55%, 192 +/- 45%, 151 +/- 44%, and 175 +/- 45% for 5- and 16-millisecond monophasic and 2.5/2.5- and 8/8-millisecond biphasic waveforms, respectively. This APD50 prolongation was greater for monophasic than biphasic shocks and was greater for longer than shorter waveforms (P < .05). Thus, during VF, (1) the refractory period for 5-V/cm truncated exponential waveforms lasting 5 milliseconds is approximately 75% of the VF activation interval; (2) the refractory period is shorter for monophasic than for comparable biphasic waveforms; (3) both monophasic and biphasic 5-V/cm shock fields cause prolongation of action potential duration; (4) prolongation of action potential duration increases as the coupling interval increases; and (5) prolongation of action potential duration is greater for monophasic shocks and for longer shock waveforms.
Everyday Violence and the Persistence of Grief: Wandering and Loss Among Honduran Youths

RESUMEN Este articulo examina el proceso en cual los jovenes hondurenos de la clase popular manejan la pena individual y colectiva. Las muertes comunes de sus pares debido a la violencia con armas y de las maras se suman al sentimiento de descontento de los jovenes por sus posibilidades economicas y sociales. Como los jovenes luchan contra la violencia que los rodea, tambien ellos reconocen que sus propias oportunidades se ven disminuidas, agravadas por las muertes de sus amigos y por la incapacidad de tener un futuro productivo en Honduras. Para ellos, la migracion es la unica opcion para escapar tanto, de la muerte fisica como de la muerte social. Por la apropiacion y consumo del tiempo y del espacio, los jovenes ofrecen su pena no resuelta como una demanda moral a los fracasos de la nacion. This paper examines how young working class men in a Honduran colonia manage collective and individual grief. The commonplace deaths of their peers due to gun and gang violence parallels young men's own deep-rooted dissatisfaction with economic and social possibilities. As young men struggle with the randomness of the violence around them, they are also acutely aware of their own diminished opportunities, linking together the murders of their friends with the inability to have a productive future in Honduras. For them, migration is the only viable option to escape both physical and social death. Through the appropriation and consumption of time and space, young men offer their unresolved grief as a moral claim to the failures of the nation.
Chemical modification and formulation approaches to elevated drug transport across cell membranes

Drug delivery across cellular barriers, such as intestinal, nasal, buccal, alveolar, vaginal, ocular and blood–brain, is a challenging task. Multiple physiological mechanisms, such as cellular organisation, efflux, and chemical and enzymatic degradation, as well as physicochemical properties of the drug molecule itself, determine the penetration of xenobiotics across epithelial cell layers. Limited intestinal absorption of many novel and highly potent lead compounds has stimulated an intense search for strategies that can effectively enhance permeation across these biological barriers. This review discusses some of the approaches that have been, and are currently being, investigated for transepithelial drug delivery. Transdermal drug delivery requires a separate discussion on its own and is thus outside the scope of this review article.
Problems for moral/natural supervenience

'Everyone agrees that the moral features of things supervene on their natural features' (Smith ( 1994 ), 22 ). Everyone is wrong, or so I will argue. In the first section, I explain the version of moral supervenience that Smith and others argue everyone should accept. In the second section, I argue that the mere conceptual possibility of a divine command theory of morality (DCT) is sufficient to refute the version of moral supervenience under consideration. Lastly, I consider and respond to two objections, showing, among other things, that while DCT is sufficient to refute this version of moral supervenience it is not necessary.
Novel approaches to bacterial infection therapy by interfering with cell-to-cell signaling

The identification of cell-to-cell signaling inhibitors among bacteria is a novel mechanism used to control the virulence of pathogens. Signaling inhibitors have a significant potential to be used as therapeutics in that they will exert less biological pressure to develop resistance than classic antibiotics, which attempt to eradicate or significantly inhibit bacterial growth. Decreasing the virulence of pathogens by inhibiting signaling provides a mechanism by which the bacteria will be “misled” into not activating virulence factors. If virulence factors are not activated, these pathogens will either pass through the host without incidence or be controlled by the host's immune system. In this unit, we discuss the general principles for the design and implementation of a high-throughput screen to identify inhibitors of bacterial cell-to-cell communication. We also provide a detailed protocol using a specific example of signaling inhibitor identification using enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli as a model system. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 12:17.3.1-17.3.11. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: cell-to-cell signaling; autoinducer; virulence; inhibitor; Escherichia coli
The Star Connected Cycles: A Fixed-Degree Network For Parallel Processing

This paper introduces a new interconnec tion network for massively parallel systems referred to as star connected cycles (SCC) graph. The SCC presents a fixed degree structure that results in several advantages over variable degree graphs like the star graph and the n-cube. The description of the SCC graph given in this paper in cludes issues such as labeling of nodes, degree, diameter, symmetry, fault tolerance and Cayley graph representation. The paper also presents an optimal routing algorithm for the SCC and a comparison with other interconnection net works. Our results indicate that for even n, an n-SCC and a CCC of similar sizes have about the same diameter.
Performance Analysis of Coded MC-CDMA in Powerline Communication Channel with Implusive Noise

Broadband communications for indoor power-line networks with impulsive noise using multicarrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) is considered. From earlier investigations, it is known that this channel suffers from multipath fading and frequency selectivity along with man-made impulsive bursty noise. Nevertheless, the calculated channel capacity limit promises very high data rates over this channel. Enhancement techniques, such as coding can help a multicarrier system to tackle impulsive noise burst. In this paper the bit error rate (BER) performance of the MC-CDMA system under impulsive noise and frequency fading is theoretically analyzed and closed form expression for this performance is derived. Furthermore, a theoretical upper bound for performance of coded MC-CDMA system is derived, given perfect interleaving and effect of interleaver length on coding performance is also studied. Simulations show that the upper bound is quite tight for the case of employing a longer interleaver
Risk of Cigarette Smoking Initiation During Adolescence Among US-Born and Non–US-Born Hispanics/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Objectives. We assessed risk of cigarette smoking initiation among Hispanics/Latinos during adolescence by migration status and gender.Methods. The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) surveyed persons aged 18 to 74 years in 2008 to 2011. Our cohort analysis (n = 2801 US-born, 13 200 non–US-born) reconstructed participants’ adolescence from 10 to 18 years of age. We assessed the association between migration status and length of US residence and risk of cigarette smoking initiation during adolescence, along with effects of gender and Hispanic/Latino background.Results. Among individuals who migrated by 18 years of age, median age and year of arrival were 13 years and 1980, respectively. Among women, but not men, risk of smoking initiation during adolescence was higher among the US-born (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.73, 2.57; P < .001), and those who had resided in the United States for 2 or more years (HR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.96; P = .01) than among...
Three Versions of Constructionism and their Reliance on Social Conditions in Social Problems Research

This article argues that the three most popular versions of constructionism in social problems research fail to eliminate social conditions as causal variables. Strict constructionism fails to empirically ground its analyses without reference to social conditions. Contextual constructionism ‘ontologically gerrymanders’ out social conditions as causal variables of social problems. Finally, debunking constructionism depends on the assumption that objectivism is true and then uses a negative theory of objectivism as constructionism in order to conduct investigations. That being so, the study of social problems should again investigate the way social conditions, as contextual to claims-making processes, create social problems. The ways in which opportunity structures affect the timing of the prominence and form of social problems is presented as a fruitful alternative.
Allopurinol and mortality in hyperuricaemic patients

Objectives. While studies have suggested that gout and hyperuricaemia are associated with the risk of premature death, none has investigated the role of urate-lowering therapy on this critical outcome. We examined the impact of allopurinol, the most commonly used urate-lowering drug, on the risk of mortality in hyperuricaemic patients. Methods. From a population of hyperuricaemic veterans of [serum urate level >416 μmol/l (7.0 mg/dl)] at least 40 years of age, we compared the risk of death between incident allopurinol users (n = 2483) and non-users (n = 7441). We estimated the multivariate mortality hazard ratio (HR) of allopurinol use with Cox proportional hazards models. Results. Of the 9924 veterans (males, 98% and mean age 62.7 years), 1021 died during the follow-up. Patients who began treatment with allopurinol had worse prognostic factors for mortality, including higher BMI and comorbidities. After adjusting for baseline urate levels, allopurinol treatment was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.67, 0.91). Further adjustment with other prognostic factors did not appreciably alter this estimate (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.65, 0.91). The mean change from baseline in serum urate within the allopurinol group was −111 μmol/l (−1.86 mg/dl). Adjusting for baseline urate level, allopurinol users had a 40 μmol/l (0.68 mg/dl) lower follow-up serum urate value than controls (95% CI −0.55, −0.81). Conclusion. Our findings indicate that allopurinol treatment may provide a survival benefit among patients with hyperuricaemia.
Sexual asphyxia: A neglected area of study

Sexual asphyxia, a solitary autoerotic activity practiced almost exclusively by males, is examined in this paper. The self‐induced asphyxia may be either chemical or mechanical, and its purpose it to heighten the sexual pleasure. The practice of sexual asphyxia can result in death; however, many such deaths may erroneously be viewed as suicides or homicides as a result of the lack of knowledge of the practice. Sixteen sexual asphyxiai deaths, reported in Dade County (Miami), Florida, are examined in detail. These data confirm that practitioners are overwhelmingly young, white, middle‐class, unmarried males. When the practice is fatal among older practitioners, the data show that some complicating factor, such as the use of alcohol or other drugs, may have contributed to the accident. The most frequent method of inducing the asphyxia was simple hanging by rope and in most cases there was no indication nor suspicion of suicidal intent
Division of labour and 'foraging for work': simulating reality versus the reality of simulations

[Extract] Division of labour by worker age is one of the most prominent and widespread features of colony organization in the social insects. Tofts & Franks (1992) and Tofts (1993) proposed through simulations that a simple algorithm ('foraging for work') serves as a general model for understanding task allocation in eusocial animals ranging from ants and bees to naked mole-rats. They claimed that a correlation between worker age and tasks can arise from a set of simple behavioural rules in combination with a spatial organization of tasks within the nest, without any mechanism that causally links worker age and behaviour. Temporal polyethism emerges as a by-product of individual rules; ultimately they question whether age polyethism is itself 'a myth' (Franks 1994, page 238).
Anomalous phosphorylated neurofilament aggregations in central and peripheral axons of hens treated with tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP).

Previous biochemical studies demonstrated a dramatic increase in phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins that occurs early in organophosphorus ester-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). In this report we present immunohistochemical evidence that there is anomalous aggregation of phosphorylated neurofilaments within central and peripheral axons following organophosphate exposure. The morphology, location, and time of appearance of these aggregations are consistent with the hypothesis that the aberrant phosphorylation of cytoskeletal elements is an antecedent to the focal axonal swelling and degeneration characteristic of OPIDN. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Secondary and Postsecondary German Textbooks.

This article combines quantitative and qualitative analysis of the depiction of ethnic and racial diversity in recent editions of secondary and postsecondary German textbooks published in the US. The purpose is threefold: (1) to determine the frequency and types of representations of diversity; (2) to examine more closely several representative depictions that illustrate the two predominant trends of emphasizing difference and depicting diversity as a given; and (3) to offer some thoughts about the evaluation and selection of textbooks with the promotion of inclusion and intercultural competence in mind.
Recent advances in visual and infrared face recognition: a review

Face recognition is a rapidly growing research area due to increasing demands for security in commercial and law enforcement applications. This paper provides an up-to-date review of research efforts in face recognition techniques based on two-dimensional (2D) images in the visual and infrared (IR) spectra. Face recognition systems based on visual images have reached a significant level of maturity with some practical success. However, the performance of visual face recognition may degrade under poor illumination conditions or for subjects of various skin colors. IR imagery represents a viable alternative to visible imaging in the search for a robust and practical identification system. While visual face recognition systems perform relatively reliably under controlled illumination conditions, thermal IR face recognition systems are advantageous when there is no control over illumination or for detecting disguised faces. Face recognition using 3D images is another active area of face recognition, which provides robust face recognition with changes in pose. Recent research has also demonstrated that the fusion of different imaging modalities and spectral components can improve the overall performance of face recognition.
Virology in the 21st century: finding function with functional genomics

When functional genomics first appeared on the scene, the ability to perform global gene expression and protein profiling was hailed as a revolutionary new way to study biologic systems, likely to result in dramatic new discoveries. As time has passed, DNA microarrays and mass spectrometry have been used to generate huge amounts of data, and databases are overflowing with information. But how well is functional genomics living up to its promises, and has all this data resulted in an improved understanding of biologic processes? This article puts forward a perspective on what is required to ensure that data generated by microarrays and mass spectrometry provide real insights into how genes and proteins function and how this relates to the host response to infection.
Molecular phylogeny of Persicaria (Persicarieae, Polygonaceae)

Relationships within the Polygonaceae have been recently examined using rbcL sequences, with an emphasis on Polygonum and its segregates. Here we test these results with respect to Polygonum (sensu lato) with an expanded dataset, including additional species and gene regions. Specifically, we focus on inferring the relationships of Eupersicaria (Polygonum sect. Persicaria in many prior treatments), using the chloroplast genes rbcL, trnL-F, trnK intron-matK, and psbA-trnH IGS, and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences. We conclude that Eupersicaria is monophyletic and most closely related to Tovara and Echinocaulon. In turn, this clade is most closely related to Cephalophilon. The sister group of this entire Persicaria clade contains Bistorta and a clade including Aconogonon and Koenigia, which supports the monophyly of the Persicarieae. Within Eupersicaria there appears to be a deep split between P. amphibia and the remaining species, and there is strong conflict regarding the placement of P. punctata. These results set the stage for a more detailed phylogenetic analysis of Eupersicaria.
The Contribution of Microarthropods to Aboveground Food Webs: A Review and Model of Belowground Transfer in a Coniferous Forest

Abstract Although belowground food webs have received much attention, studies concerning microarthropods in nondetrital food webs are scarce. Because adult oribatid mites often number between 250,000–500,000/m2 in coniferous forests, microarthropods are a potential food resource for macroarthropod and vertebrate predators of the forest floor. Although the contribution of microarthropods to aboveground food webs has received little attention, sufficient data concerning macroarthropods and vertebrate predators were available at the Savannah River Site (SRS, Aiken, South Carolina) to construct a food web model of the various trophic interactions. To supplement this analysis, literature of microarthropod predation by arthropods and vertebrates was reviewed. This information was incorporated with the existing data to produce a model for taxa occurring in coniferous forests at the SRS. Because of the diversity and natural history of microarthropod predators, both vertebrate and invertebrate, the resulting web i...
Hypertensive Urgencies and Emergencies in the Hospital Setting

The prevalence of hypertension in the general population has steadily climbed over the past several decades and hypertension is a primary or secondary diagnosis in nearly a fourth of hospitalized adults. Hospitalization is often a time of pertubation in a patient's usual blood pressure control, with pain, anxiety and missed medications all risk factors for severe hypertension. Hospitalists are often faced with severe hypertension in a patient not previously known to them and this presents a challenge of how best to assess the clinical importance of blood pressure elevation. An additional challenge is the lack of literature to guide the optimal management of hypertension in inpatients. This review aims to describe the scope of the problem, to describe the near and long-term risks of overzealous blood pressure management, and to identify areas for future study.
Intra-abdominal tuberculosis presenting with acute pancreatitis: diagnosis by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a common disease worldwide. In 2002, there were more than 8.7 million new cases, with an estimated 2 million deaths as a result of TB (1). Intra-abdominal tuberculosis is an entity that requires a high index of suspicion to diagnose. TB can occur in any organ of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and can mimic other intra-abdominal processes. The clinical presentation and radiological findings of intra-abdominal TB are nonspecific, further complicating the diagnosis (2). In the past, different methods including exploratory laparotomy (3), computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) (4), and ultrasound (US)-guided FNA (5) have been utilized to obtain tissue for pathologic examination and culture. We present a case of intra-abdominal tuberculosis that was diagnosed by a novel means: endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).
Are AMBER Force Fields and Implicit Solvation Models Additive? A Folding Study with a Balanced Peptide Test Set

Implicit solvation models have long been sought as routes to significantly increase the speed and capabilities of biomolecular simulations. However, it has not always been clear that force fields developed independently of solvation models can together accurately predict secondary structure and folding, and whether the separate influences of the solvation and force field models can be described as independent and additive (versus synergistic). Here, we test two implicit solvation models with several recently developed protein force fields, within the AMBER simulation package. We create a representative set of five helical and five hairpin peptides, 11–20 amino acid residues in length, and calculate folded structures using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations for all force field/solvent/peptide combinations, each with two instances using distinct starting configurations. In general, we find that no force field/solvent combination successfully folds all peptides and that the hairpin peptides are ...
Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful algae of fresh and brackish inland waters mainly include planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria; certain filamentous, coenobic and tissue-forming chlorophytes; the haptophyte Prymnesium parvum; the benthic mat-forming diatom Didymosphenia geminata in stream habitats; and an array of problematic ‘taste-and-odor’ taxa including planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, and ochrophytes. Their detrimental ecological and socioeconomic effects can include production of potent toxins and other bioactive substances; attack of beneficial aquatic life as predators or parasites; habitat degradation leading to fish kills; increased fouling of pumps, filters, and intake pipes; compromised potable water supplies; increased costs of water treatment; and depressed waterfront property values, reduced recreational uses of waterways, and other economic loss. Although their impacts are often reported as substantial, they are poorly quantified except for isolated or local situations. Many harmful algae are broadly distributed in inland waters across geographic regions, and strongly stimulated by nutrient overenrichment. Physical, chemical (herbicide), and biological techniques used in attempts to control these organisms are limited, and have not substantially improved over the past several decades. Although often economically and politically difficult to achieve, reductions of both Ni and P (N and P comanagement) remain the most effective long term approach.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder surveillance using the Washington state workers’ compensation system: Recent declines and patterns by industry, 1999-2013

Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common and place large economic and social burdens on workers and their communities. We describe recent WMSD trends and patterns of WMSD incidence among the Washington worker population by industry. Methods We used Washington State's workers' compensation compensable claims from 1999 to 2013 to describe incidence and cost of WMSD claims by body part and diagnosis, and to identify high-risk industries. Results WMSD claim rates declined by an estimated annual 5.4% (95% CI: 5.0-5.9%) in Washington State from 1999 to 2013, but WMSDs continue to account for over 40% of all compensable claims. High risk industries identified were Construction; Transportation and Warehousing; Health Care and Social Assistance; and Manufacturing. Conclusions As documented in other North American contexts, this study describes an important decline in the incidence of WMSDs. The Washington State workers' compensation system provides a rich data source for the surveillance of WMSDs.
METHODS FOR RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS.

A detailed review of the literature reveals that there is currently no universally accepted definition or measure of reliability for water distribution networks. The purpose of this paper is to present a brief review of various techniques for reliability analysis that could be applicable to the design and analysis of water distribution networks. Also, a discussion is given of the much needed research to develop new methodologies for the optimal-reliability based design of water distribution networks.