cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Economic disequilibrium by mathematical programming

This paper outlines the general principles of constructing mathematical programming models of the market formation for one or several goods in the presence of rigid prices. For the purpose of exposition, it is assumed that each good may be traded internationally and that the domestic price of the good is bounded from above by its import price and from below by its export price. In principle, however, any other institutional factor causing prices to be rigid can be dealt with in a similar manner.
Comparisons between topside and ground-based soundings

Past observations, indicating that electron density profiles derived from topside ionograms have a tendency to be slightly too low, are reviewed and discussed. This problem is then examined in the light of more recent and better controlled experiments in which vertical electron density profiles were obtained essentially simultaneously by topside and ground-based soundings. These new measurements confirmed past observations and indicated that the error had a tendency to increase with satellite altitude. From a study of the ground echoes, which are often seen on topside ionograms, it is shown that the above discrepancies can be partially attributed to systematic errors (0 to +30 km) in the topside ionogram height markers. Horizontal electron density gradients can also contribute to this discrepancy. The errors found in the N(h) profile (although systematic) are usually too small to detract significantly from the general usefulness of topside ionograms. Also, the portion of the error due to incorrect height markers can often he calculated from a ground trace analysis and the ionogram data can be corrected accordingly.
Safety review of the purified chick embryo cell rabies vaccine: Data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1997–2005

On October 20, 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed Purified Chick Embryo Cell (PCEC, RabAvert®) vaccine against rabies in humans following clinical trials demonstrating safety and efficacy. From October 1997 through December 2005, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 336 reports of adverse events (AEs) following vaccination with PCEC vaccine in the U.S.; there were no death reports. Serious events, including 20 hospitalizations and 13 neurological events, were described in 24 (7%) reports. There was no pattern among the 13 neurological AEs suggesting a plausible relationship to vaccination. A total of 20 AEs, 3 serious, were classified as possible anaphylaxis. There were 312 non-serious AEs (93%). Nineteen reports (6%) described that the vaccination series was discontinued because of non-serious AEs. Most reported AEs are non-serious and consistent with pre-licensure safety data. The rabies risk must be carefully considered before vaccine discontinuation.
Engaging with quality improvement in anticoagulation management

Anticoagulants are highly effective at preventing thrombosis across a variety of clinical indications. However, their use can also lead to devastating effects, including major bleeding and death. Anticoagulation providers strive to balance the benefits of anticoagulant therapy with the risks of major bleeding. A measure of quality care can be used to assess the strengths and potential weaknesses in any system of coordinated care delivery. Quality measures in anticoagulation include patient-centered outcomes (e.g. major bleeding, time in the therapeutic range) and provider- or process-focused outcomes (e.g. compliance with guideline recommendations and response times to out-of-range laboratory values). Engaging in quality improvement activities allows anticoagulation providers to assess their own performance and identify areas for targeted interventions. This review summarizes the justification for engaging in quality improvement for anticoagulation management and describes a number of example programs. Interventions benefiting the management of both warfarin and the direct oral anticoagulants are included. The review also details potential quality measures and resources for any anticoagulation provider looking to begin a quality improvement process.
Design and characterization of a microchannel optical interconnect for optical backplanes

The design, modeling, and experimental characterization of a microchannel-based free-space optical interconnect is described. The microchannel interconnect was used to implement a representative portion of an optical backplane that was based on field-effect transistor, self-electro-optic device smartpixel transceivers. Telecentric relays were used to form the optical interconnect, and two modes based on two different optical window clusterings were implemented. The optical system design, including the optical geometry for different degrees of clustering of windows supported by a lenslet relay and the image mapping associated with a free-space optical system, is described. A comparison of the optical beam properties at the device planes, including the spot size and power uniformity of the spot array, as well as the effects of clipping and misalignment for the different operating modes, is presented. In addition, the effects of beam clipping and misalignment for the different operating modes is presented. We show that microchannel free-space optical interconnects based on a window-clustering scheme significantly increase the connection density. A connection density of 2222 connectionsycm 2 was achieved for this
Chronic Effects of Cadmium and Zinc Mixtures on Flagfish (Jordanella floridae)

Abstract Flagfish were exposed to cadmium and zinc as individual metals and as mixtures (4.3-8.5 μg Cd/liter and 73.4-139 μg Zn/liter) through one complete life cycle in Lake Superior water (45 mg/liter total hardness). Cadmium and zinc did not act additively at sublethal concentrations when combined as mixtures; however, a joint action of the toxicants was indicated. Effects on survival showed that the toxicity of cadmium and zinc mixtures was little if any greater than the toxicity of zinc alone. Mechanisms of zinc toxicity in this test were similar to those in previous chronic tests of individual metals, indicating that the presence of cadmium did not influence the mode of action of zinc. Comparisons between metal residues in fish exposed to each individual metal or to the metal mixtures showed that the uptake of one metal was not influenced by the presence of the other.
Auxiliary functions of the PsbO, PsbP and PsbQ proteins of higher plant Photosystem II: A critical analysis

Numerous studies over the last 25 years have established that the extrinsic PsbO, PsbP and PsbQ proteins of Photosystem II play critically important roles in maintaining optimal manganese, calcium and chloride concentrations at the active site of Photosystem II. Chemical or genetic removal of these components induces multiple and profound defects in Photosystem II function and oxygen-evolving complex stability. Recently, a number of studies have indicated possible additional roles for these proteins within the photosystem. These include putative enzymatic activities, regulation of reaction center protein turnover, modulation of thylakoid membrane architecture, the mediation of PS II assembly/stability, and effects on the reducing side of the photosystem. In this review we will critically examine the findings which support these auxiliary functions and suggest additional lines of investigations which could clarify the nature of the functional interactions of these proteins with the photosystem.
The frequency of illegitimate V(D)J recombinase-mediated mutations in children treated with etoposide-containing antileukemic therapy.

Etoposide is among the most widely used anti-cancer drugs. Its use, however, has been associated with increased risk of secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) which is characterized by chromosomal translocations suggesting involvement of recombination-associated motifs at the breakpoints. A PCR-based assay was developed to quantitate the frequency of two illegitimate V(D)J recombinase-mediated genomic rearrangements-a 20-kb deletion in the hprt gene and the bcl2/IgH translocation (t(14;18)) found in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We examined both lymphocyte and non-lymphocyte blood cell DNA of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for changes in the frequencies of these biomarkers during etoposide therapy to determine the level of illegitimate V(D)J recombination changes during therapy. A low level of t(14;18) was found in the lymphocytes before etoposide treatment, which was significantly reduced during etoposide therapy. In before-etoposide samples, no t(14;18) were found among 7.72x107 non-lymphocytes; during treatment none were found among 1.87x108 non-lymphocytes. Deletions were not found before etoposide treatment in either the lymphocytes (6.67x107) or non-lymphocytes (5.43x107) and were non-significantly elevated during etoposide therapy (1 in 1.4x108 lymphocytes and 1 in 1.39x108 non-lymphocytes). It is interesting to note the one patient with an hprt deletion mutation in non-lymphocytes; V(D)J recombination is not normally found in this cell type, but is the cell type from which AML derives. Several patients had clones of t(14;18)-bearing cells as determined by DNA sequence analysis. These results suggest that this etoposide-based chemotherapy was ineffective in producing genomic rearrangements mediated by illegitimate V(D)J recombination in these patients.
Value of postvoid residual urine determination in evaluation of prostatism.

Abstract Forty-nine patients with prostatism selected for transurethral resection of the prostate underwent repetitive postvoid residual urine volume determination as part of their comprehensive evaluation. The wide variation of residual urine determinations in individual patients and the lack of correlation between residual urine and cystoscopic, urodynamic, and symptomatic parameters are discussed.
Making a “Successful” Course: Faculty and Student Perspectives

Faculty and students agree on the value of communication skills, but they differ on the value of intellectual and practical outcomes.
Evolution: a treasure trove of motors.

The myosins are a superfamily of protein motors. Analysis of their sequences in a wide range of organisms reveals an unexpected variety of domains, and provides insights into the nature of the earliest eukaryotes.
Can NKT cells extinguish smoldering myeloma

One of the greatest challenges in all of medicine is to improve on the life of an asymptomatic patient; however, in this issue of Blood , Richter and colleagues share provocative new data taking steps toward accomplishing this goal.[1][1] In this study, α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer)–loaded
High Density Lipoproteins for the Systemic Delivery of short interfering RNA

Introduction: RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful mechanism for gene silencing with the potential to greatly impact the development of new therapies for many human diseases. Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) may be the ideal molecules for therapeutic RNAi. However, therapeutic siRNAs face significant challenges that must be overcome prior to widespread clinical use. Many efforts have been made to overcome the hurdles associated with systemic administration of siRNA; however, current approaches are still limited. As such, there is an urgent need to develop new strategies for siRNA delivery that have the potential to impact a broad spectrum of systemic diseases. Areas covered: This review focuses on the promise of siRNA therapies and highlights current siRNA delivery methods. With an eye toward new strategies, this review first introduces high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and describes its natural biological functions, and then transitions into how HDLs may provide significant opportunities as next-generation ...
Function-Dependent Development in a Colonial Animal

How does the way an organism functions af- fect its subsequent development? Bryozoans are colonial animals that capture suspended food particles from water currents they generate using crowns of ciliated tentacles (lophophores). In many encrusting bryozoans the water passes through and then under the lophophores until it exits the colony at "chimneys" where the lophophores spread apart to form an opening. To determine whether these water currents can induce the formation of new chimneys, I aug- mented the excurrent flow by injecting seawater into the colony. New chimneys began to develop near the site of seawater injection within as little as one to two days. New chimneys rarely began to develop within this time interval at control sites where I did not inject seawater. This shows that fluid flow controls development in an external fluid transport system lacking pipe-like conduits, as has been found in the vertebrate circulatory system, an internal fluid transport system with pipe-like conduits. These fluid trans- port systems show feedback between the way they function and their own development. This kind of "function-depen- dent development" should be differentiated from pheno- typic plasticity, since the developing system, not the envi- ronment, produces the signals that induce morphological change.
Dichloroacetate (DCA) sensitizes both wild-type and over expressing Bcl-2 prostate cancer cells in vitro to radiation.

Background Bcl-2 protects cells from apoptosis and provides a survival advantage to cells over-expressing this oncogene. In addition, over expression of Bcl-2 renders cell resistant to radiation therapy. Recently, dichloroacetate (DCA) was proven to potentiate the apoptotic machinery by interacting with Bcl-2. In this study, we investigated whether treating human prostate cancer cells with DCA could modulate Bcl-2 expression and if the modulation in Bcl-2 expression could render the Bcl-2 over expressing cells more susceptible to cytotoxicity effects of radiation. Methods PC-3-Bcl-2 and PC-3-Neo human prostate cancer cells treated with DCA in addition to irradiation were analyzed in vitro for changes in proliferation, clonogenic survival, apoptosis, cell cycle phase distribution, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bax, or Bak proteins. Results DCA alone produced significant cytotoxic effects and was associated with G1 cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, DCA was associated with an increased rate of apoptosis. The combination of DCA with irradiation sensitized both cell lines to radiation's killing effects. Treatment of PC-3-Bcl-2 or PC-3-Neo with DCA and irradiation resulted in marked changes in various members of the Bcl-2 family. In addition, DCA therapy resulted in a significant change in mitochondria membrane potential, thus supporting the notion that DCAs effect is on the mitochondria. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate DCA can effectively sensitize wild-type and over expressing Bcl-2 human prostate cancer cells to radiation by modulating the expression of key members of the Bcl-2 family. Together, these findings warrant further evaluation of the combination of DCA and irradiation. Prostate 68: 1223–1231, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bounding self-induced oscillations via invariant level sets of piecewise quadratic Lyapunov functions

A Lyapunov approach is developed in this paper for estimation of the magnitude of self-induced oscillations for systems with piecewise linear elements. The oscillatory trajectories are bounded by invariant level sets of a piecewise quadratic Lyapunov function. An optimization problem with bilinear-matrix-inequality constraints is formulated to minimize the invariant level set and to obtain tight bound for oscillatory trajectories. Several examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method on analysis of self-induced oscillations.
Quantitative Seismic Geomorphology of Pliocene and Miocene Fluvial Systems in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract Quantitative seismic geomorphology (QSG) is a new direction in the analysis of seismic data that will create a step-change in our knowledge, characterization, and understanding of older clastic environments. QSG is defined as a quantitative analysis of landforms, imaged in 3-D seismic data, for the purposes of understanding the history, processes, and fill architecture of a basin. Built upon a foundation of seismic stratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy, QSG uses 3-D seismic data integrated with core and logs to investigate the nature and architecture of reservoirs through quantitative data collection on the morphometrics, and through analyses of the spatial and temporal variability of reservoirs. In the northern Gulf of Mexico (Vermillion Island and South Marsh Island) shelf study area, 902 km2 of 3D seismic and 156 well-logging suites were analyzed to examine environments that included fluvial, deltaic, and shallow marine, as well as deeper-water shelf-edge, slope, and fan systems. Parameters measured include element sinuosity, meander wavelength and arc height, channel, and valley width:thickness, meander-belt width, and rates and directions of meander migration. Lithologic data from well logs and core, as well as relationships derived through experimental and modern-systems study of similar deposits, have been used not only to ascertain relationships between morphic and petrophysical character but also to predict spatial distribution of reservoir elements. Three specific fluvial-incision classes—aggradational fluvial systems (Class 1), bypass fluvial systems (Class 2), and creeks and distributaries (Class 3)—were examined through QSG methods and were found to show their own unique sinuosity, channel widths, meander lengths and meander-belt widths. Volume of shale calculated from well data shows Classes 1 and 2 to each be unique in their fill type and show the width:depth ratios to have some correspondence to net sand. These results suggest an ability to utilize seismic facies morphometrics to identify fill type within fluvial incisions, similar to techniques employed in the classification modern fluvial systems.
Identification of Multipotent Progenitors that Emerge Prior to Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Embryonic Development

Hematopoiesis in the embryo proceeds in a series of waves, with primitive erythroid-biased waves succeeded by definitive waves, within which the properties of hematopoietic stem cells (multilineage potential, self-renewal, and engraftability) gradually arise. Whereas self-renewal and engraftability have previously been examined in the embryo, multipotency has not been thoroughly addressed, especially at the single-cell level or within well-defined populations. To identify when and where clonal multilineage potential arises during embryogenesis, we developed a single-cell multipotency assay. We find that, during the initiation of definitive hematopoiesis in the embryo, a defined population of multipotent, engraftable progenitors emerges that is much more abundant within the yolk sac (YS) than the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) or fetal liver. These experiments indicate that multipotent cells appear in concert within both the YS and AGM and strongly implicate YS-derived progenitors as contributors to definitive hematopoiesis.
A CMOS voltage-to-frequency linearizing preprocessor for parallel plate RF MEMS varactors

A generalized parallel plate radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) varactor is presented and studied. Its application in an RF oscillator is described and the nonlinear relationship between tuning voltage and realized output frequency is derived. A low power CMOS integrated circuit is proposed to linearize the response. The circuit consumes at most 100 /spl mu/W of power while linearizing the voltage-to-frequency response to a correlation coefficient (R/sup 2/) of 0.9988. The described circuit and theory can be employed in any application where the nonlinear response associated with parallel plate RF MEMS varactors must be compensated.
Covalent incorporation of selenium into oligonucleotides for X-ray crystal structure determination via MAD: proof of principle

Selenium was incorporated into an oligodeoxynucleotide in the form of 2'-methylseleno-uridine (U(Se)). The X-ray crystal structure of the duplex left open bracket d(GCGTA)U(Se)d(ACGC) right open bracket (2) was determined by the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) technique and refined to a resolution of 1.3 A, demonstrating that selenium can selectively substitute oxygen in DNA and that the resulting compounds are chemically stable. Since derivatization at the 2'-alpha-position with selenium does not affect the preference of the sugar for the C3'-endo conformation, this strategy is suitable for incorporating selenium into RNA. The availability of selenium-containing nucleic acids for crystallographic phasing offers an attractive alternative to the commonly used halogenated pyrimidines.
Photodesorption from interstellar dust grains

An experiment to measure the photodesorption of physisorbed gases from a cold fused quartz substrate by near UV photons is described. The observed yield (mol photon-1) is as large as 10-5, a higher yield is likely in the vacuum UV. Included is a discussion of the photodesorption process and some applications to the interstellar medium. The observed yield is enough to maintain molecular abundances in moderate density interstellar clouds in equilibrium.
Regulation of APP Processing by Intra‐ and Intercellular Signalsa

APP processing appears to be under complex regulation. This regulation is apparently important under both normal and pathological conditions. Of direct clinical interest is the observation that A beta formation can be regulated by various means. This raises the possibility that altered APP processing may cause an increase in A beta formation in AD, and suggests that it may be possible to regulate the production of A beta as a therapeutic approach in AD. As an example of the utility of the latter approach, consider a patient carrying the Swedish APP mutation. If it is true that the cause of AD in such a patient is due to increased A beta production, then decreasing A beta production should delay the onset of the disease. Even in individuals where increased A beta formation is not the cause of AD but there is some other causes, such as the presence of an allele of apolipoprotein E which causes A beta accumulation and hence synaptic loss, decreasing A beta formation may be beneficial. It is of course a very long way from in vitro experiments to therapy. The current emphasis on studying APP processing in vivo represents the next step towards this goal.
Effect of shoot-bending on productivity and economic value estimation of cut-flower roses grown in Coir and UC Mix

Shoot-bending, a common cultural practice in cut-flower rose production, results in a canopy consisting of horizontally bent shoots in addition to upright shoots. Production of this bent canopy was compared with hedgerow canopy for two rose cultivars, ‘Kardinal’ and ‘Fire N Ice’. In conjunction with the two canopy styles, two soil-less horticultural systems with different growing media (Coir versus UC Mix) were tested in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. We investigated the number and length of all harvested flowering shoots as indicators of productivity and quality, respectively, from September 1997 to August 1999. While bent canopy produced longer stems and higher biomass of individual flowering shoots in both cultivars, this also resulted in significantly fewer harvestable flowering shoots. The comparison between Coir versus UC Mix was not as conclusive. ‘Fire N Ice’ plants grown in Coir produced more harvestable flowering shoots than plants grown in UC Mix, while ‘Kardinal’ did not. Neither cultivar showed differences in stem length and biomass production of the flowering shoots between Coir and UC Mix. Calculation of market value using a linearly increasing value index with stem length showed that with ‘Fire N Ice’ the improvement in stem length achieved by bent canopy did not offset the economic loss due to the reduction in the number of shoots per square meter. For ‘Kardinal’ the increased quality as a result of shoot-bending did offset the reduced production. In neither case did the combination of bent canopy and Coir generate significant improvements in value. Bent canopy became economically feasible when both short-stem discount and long-stem bonus were applied together. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Redox-dependent and redox-independent subcomponents of protein degradation in perfused myocardium.

The integration of proteolytic pathways with metabolism was investigated in perfused rat myocardium. After a 10-min incorporation period, the minute-to-minute release of [3H]leucine from myocardial proteins was measured in nonrecirculating effluent perfusate. The nontoxic pro-oxidant probe diamide (100 μM) or a supraphysiological concentration of the endogenous oxidative metabolite dehydroascorbic acid (200 μM) reversibly inhibited 75% of myocardial proteolysis consisting of several known subcomponents (redox dependent); however, 25% of proteolysis was diamide insensitive (redox independent). Decrease in extracellular glucose concentration from 10 to 0.1 mM strongly increased the potencies of minimally effective concentrations of diamide (10 μM) or dehydroascorbic acid (15 μM) by ∼10-fold to the respective potencies maximally inhibiting proteolysis. The reversal of diamide action was also strongly dependent on the perfusate glucose concentration observed at 0.1, 0.2, 1.0 and 10 mM glucose. Proteolytic inh...
Self-Monitoring, Rehearsal, and Deceptive Communication

This study examined the effects of self-monitoring and rehearsal on the ability of observers to detect deception and on the behavioral correlates of deception. It was hypothesized that observers would be more accurate at detecting deception perpetrated by low self-monitors than by high self-monitors, with the difference particularly pronounced when messages were rehearsed. In addition, low self-monitors communicating spontaneously were expected to display greater rates of verbal and nonverbal responding than high self-monitors who planned their communications. Sixteen high and low self-monitors both lied and told the truth (either spontaneously or after 20-minute rehearsals) regarding their feelings while viewing slides of pleasant landscapes and of disfigured burn victims. Analysis of the responses of the 151 observers who made veracity judgments supported the hypothesis concerning accuracy of deception detection. Coding of 10 verbal and nonverbal behaviors revealed that unrehearsed low self-monitors displayed significantly greater pause and nonfluency rates than rehearsed high self-monitors. Additional findings are reported regarding the effects of self-monitoring, rehearsal, and truthful versus deceptive communication on the behavioral correlates of deception.
Pathophysiology of Swine Dysentery: Colonic Transport and Permeability Studies

Net transport of electrolytes and water, unidirectional Na÷ and Cl- fluxes, and mucosal permeability were examined in isolated colonic loops of control pigs and pigs infected with Treponema hyodysenteriae. Results indicated that all net ion and water absorption from the colon was abolished in infected pigs. This abolition of net absorption was almost exclusively the result of a decrease in the lumen-to-blood fluxes of Na÷ and C1-; the blood-to-lumen fluxes and mucosal permeability were essentially unaffected. The results indicated that the diarrhea observed in these pigs was a consequence of colonic absorptive failure alone. Neither an active nor a passive secretory process could explain the fluid losses under the conditions of these experiments. Swine dysentery is a mucohemorrhagic diarrheal disease caused by a mixed infection involving Treponema hyodysenteriae and other anaerobes [1, 2]. The first sign of the disease is excretion of watery or semisolid feces, followed by diarrheal feces containing large amounts of mucus and variable amounts of blood [2-4]. Systemically, the disease is characterized by dehydration, acidosis, and hyperkalemia, followed by death in severe cases.' Significant pathologic changes are confined to the large intestine [2, 4, 5]. A superficial coagulative necrosis of the mucosa can be observed by microscopic examination. The epithelium may be separated from the lamina propria or completely eroded away in some areas. Edema of the mucosa and submucosa is present, and congested vessels near the lumen contain numerous neutrophils. The submucosa contains zones of hyperemia and hemorrhage, with leukocytic infiltration [2, 5, 6]. The occurrence of these lesions suggests that the diarrheal fluids result primarily from passive filtration secretion into the colonic lumen because of increased mucosal permeability and elevated hydrostatic pressures in tissue [7]. Therefore, in the present study, the role of these factors as possible mechanisms responsible for fluid and electrolyte losses in swine dysentery was examined.
The US Lung Health Study

The US Lung Health Study was a randomized clinical trial carried out in 10 clinical centres in the United States of America and Canada that enrolled 5887 male and female smokers age 35-60 years with early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its purpose was to determine whether a programme incorporating smoking intervention and use of an inhaled bronchodilator (ipratropium bromide) can slow the rate of decline in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in middle aged smokers with early COPD. Participants were randomized with equal probability into three groups: (i) smoking intervention plus bronchodilator; (ii) smoking intervention plus placebo; or (iii) no intervention. The primary outcome was rate of change and cumulative change in FEV1 over a 5 year period. The primary finding was that the use of the bronchodilator did not influence the long-term decline in FEV1. However, the aggressive smoking intervention programme significantly reduced the age-related decline in FEV1.
Croton Section Pedicellati (Euphorbiaceae), a Novel New World Group, and a New Subsectional Classification of Croton Section Lamprocroton

Abstract Croton section Pedicellati is described, with a disjunct distribution in Mexico and South America. It is recovered sister to Croton section Lamprocroton in Bayesian, Maximum Likelihood, and Maximum Parsimony analyses of nuclear ITS and chloroplast trnL-F DNA sequence data. Two new subsections, Croton subsection Lamprocroton and Croton subsection Argentini, are recognized within Croton section Lamprocroton. These well-supported sister clades include species with bifid and multifid styles, respectively. Croton breedlovei, a new lepidote species of section Pedicellati, endemic to Chiapas, Mexico, is described. Croton breedlovei is morphologically and phylogenetically closer to other lepidote species from Brazil than it is to the stellate C. tenuilobus, also from Mexico. This suggests two separate dispersal events from South America for the two Mexican species in the section. The replacement names C. longicolumellus and C. tenuicaulis are made for the later homonyms C. microcarpus and C. microstachys...
The cell surface of Trypanosoma musculi bloodstream forms. I. Fine structure and cytochemistry.

SYNOPSIS. An extracellular surface coat was observed at the fine-structural level on the outer lamina of the pellicular and flagellar membranes of intact Trypanosoma musculi bloodstream forms. The surface coat had a mean width of 9.2 nm, and was composed of a somewhat electron dense, uneven, fibrillar-like matrix. Brief trypsin treatment of living blood forms completely removed the cell surface coat. Several cytochemical methods applicable to electron microscopy were used to detect the presence and distribution of carbohydrates in the trypanosome's surface coat and pellicular membrane. The polycationic dye compounds employed were: ruthenium red, ruthenium violet, Alcian blue chloride, and lanthanum nitrate. Electron-dense stain reaction products, indicative of polysaccharides, were evident in the surface coat of cells treated with these dyes, which also agglutinated both living and glutaraldehyde fixed cells. Like the surface coat, the pellicular membrane of trypsinized cells gave strong positive staining reactions with the several dyes, indicating the presence of membrane bounded carbohydrates, and living and glutaraldehyde-fixed trypsinized cells were agglutinated with the polycationic stains. Bloodstream forms were treated with the enzymes, α-amylase, dextranase, and neuraminidase. No obvious morphologic difference, however, was apparent between the surface coat of untreated cells and those subjected to treatment with any of the various glycoside hydrolase enzymes. Further, these enzymes had no apparent gross effect on the staining affinity of the surface coat for the several polycationic dyes. Cationized ferritin was used to visualize the negative cell surface charge of T. musculi bloodstream forms. Large quantities of cationized ferritin were bound in the surface coat matrix. Glycoside hydrolase enzyme treatments had no apparent effect on the amount of ferritin bound in the surface coat. Cationized ferritin was bound also to the outer lamina of the pellicular membrane in trypsinized cells, which had quantitatively less ferritin bound per surface unit area than bloodstream forms untreated by the enzyme. Living and glutaraldehyde-fixed cells were agglutinated with cationized ferritin. The results obtained in the various experiments indicated that polyanionic polysaccharides were constituent terminal ligands of the surface coat matrix and pellicular membrane in T. musculi bloodstream forms.
Idiotypic relationships among anti-p-azophenylarsonate antibodies: shared public idiotopes among a-strain minor cri and balb/c cric.

Abstract Four monoclonal antibodies, each previously categorized as a member of the minor cross-reactive idiotypes of the A/J anti-p-azophenylarsonate (Ar) response, have been subjected to a detailed study of their idiotopes. All four were found to share at least one common public idiotope, with other public idiotopes expressed on some and not others of these antibodies. These CRIm were compared with 7 monoclonal anti-Ar derived from BALB/c mice that have been previously found to bear idiotopes of the BALB/c CRIc. Considerable homology of public idiotopes was demonstrated between the 4 A/J CRIm and 5 of the BALB/c CRIc( + ) anti-Ar referred to as the 5AF6 family. The implications of these findings with respect to the structural basis and regulation of these idiotypes are discussed.
Bedrock channel geometry along an orographic rainfall gradient in the upper Marsyandi River valley in central Nepal

channel width. We focus on small catchments (0.6–12.4 km 2 ) along a more than tenfold gradient in monsoon rainfall. Rainfall data are gathered from a dense weather network and calibrated satellite observations, the pattern of Quaternary exhumation is inferred from apatite fission track cooling ages, and rock compressive strength is measured in the field. Bedrock channel widths, surveyed at high scour indicators, scale as a power law function of discharge (w a Qw ) that is estimated by combining rainfall data with 90-m digital topography. The results suggest that power law width scaling models apply (1) to regions with pronounced rainfall gradients, (2) to tributary catchments distributed across a climatically diverse region, and (3) to large, rapidly denuding orogens. An analysis of rainfall data indicates that the regional gradient of rainfall during storms that drive erosive discharge events is about half as large as the gradient of seasonal rainfall across the same area. Finally, numerical models in which the maximum rainfall is displaced significantly downstream from the headwaters predict a midcatchment zone of relatively rapid decreases in channel gradient and increases in channel concavity that are driven by locally enhanced discharge. Because differential rock uplift can produce analogous changes in gradients, the influence of rainfall gradients should be assessed before tectonic inferences are drawn.
Amphetamines and related drugs in motor recovery after stroke.

Although stroke may cause a variety of neurologic impairments, motor deficits are among the most devastating and represent one of the important determinants of the level of poststroke independence in activities of daily living. A variety of new approaches are being explored to determine whether it may be possible to enhance the level of functional motor recovery stroke patients experience beyond that which can be achieved with traditional physiotherapeutic methods [1–6]. Among these new approaches is the potential for drugs affecting specific central neurotransmitters to modulate the recovery process. Laboratory data suggesting that the administration of amphetamine might enhance functional capacity following brain injury has been available since at least the 1940s [7,8]. Given the medical and social impact of stroke, it at first seems surprising that amphetamine’s potential to facilitate recovery has not yet been tested in a large clinical trial. Amphetamine, however, has a variety of physiologic effects, with the drug’s central actions mediated through noradrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic neurons [9]. Amphetamine can cause hypertension with reflex bradycardia, behavioral arousal, and hypermotility [10] as well as inducing changes in regional cerebral blood flow [11]. These effects raise concern for adverse actions of the drug in elderly stroke patients who often have other comorbid conditions and have limited enthusiasm for proceeding with clinical trials. This concern, coupled with the negative experience in attempting to develop clinically useful neuroprotective agents for stroke, leads to the alternative
Stability Region Based Expectation Maximization for Model-based Clustering

In spite of the initialization problem, the Expectation- Maximization (EM) algorithm is widely used for estimating the parameters in several data mining related tasks. Most popular model-based clustering techniques might yield poor clusters if the parameters are not initialized properly. To reduce the sensitivity of initial points, a novel algorithm for learning mixture models from multivariate data is introduced in this paper. The proposed algorithm takes advantage of TRUST-TECH (TRansformation Under STability-reTaining Equilibra CHaracterization) to compute neighborhood local maxima on likelihood surface using stability regions. Basically, our method coalesces the advantages of the traditional EM with that of the dynamic and geometric characteristics of the stability regions of the corresponding nonlinear dynamical system of the log-likelihood function. Two phases namely, the EM phase and the stability region phase, are repeated alternatively in the parameter space to achieve improvements in the maximum likelihood. Though applied to Gaussian mixtures in this paper, our technique can be easily generalized to any other parametric finite mixture model. The algorithm has been tested on both synthetic and real datasets and the improvements in the performance compared to other approaches are demonstrated. The robustness with respect to initialization is also illustrated experimentally.
Irreversible Capacities of Graphite in Low‐Temperature Electrolytes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Carbonaceous anode materials in lithium-ion rechargeable cells exhibit irreversible capacity, mainly due to reaction of lithium during the formation of passive surface films. The stability and kinetics of lithium intercalation into the carbon anodes are determined by these films. The nature, thickness, and morphology of these films are in turn affected by the electrolyte components, primarily the solvent constituents. In this work, the films formed on graphite anodes in low-temperature electrolytes, i.e., solutions with different mixtures of alkyl carbonates and low-viscosity solvent additives, are examined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and solid-state ^(7)Li nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. In addition, other ex situ studies such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy were carried out on the graphite anodes to understand their microstructures.
Indexing transition indicators of medical technology: evaluation by comparing process and co-variation methodologies

The evaluation of current and especially emerging medical technologies has always been a difficult task. This is of interest not only to the healthcare provider but also to the payor organizations and the government. This paper proposes a method by which transition indicators of the outcomes of medical technologies are indexed to produce a viable evaluation tool that allows provider and payor organizations the ability to evaluate the benefits from such technologies. The paper reports on a comparative exploratory study between two methodologies used to assess transition indicators: process and co-variation. Initial results from this exploratory study are presented as evidence in support of process methods. Implications for further research are examined, and methodological ramifications are explained.
Tomicus piniperda (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) emergence in relation to burial depth of brood logs.

The pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda (L.), is an exotic pest of pines, Pinus spp., that was first found in the United States in 1992. A federal quarantine currently regulates movement of pine Christmas trees and pine nursery stock from infested to uninfested counties. The current national Pine Shoot Beetle Compliance Management Program requires T. piniperda-infested brood material to be disposed of by burning, chipping, or burial. The burial option requires that the infested pine material be buried at a depth of at least 30 cm. We tested this requirement by burying logs with similar levels of infestation at 0, 15, 30, 45, 61 and 76 cm and then monitoring for T. Piniperda emergence. Logs were buried at two times during larval development (early and late)and in two soil types (sandy loam and loam). Emergence patterns from the two soil types were similar. Overall, 1,747 T. piniperda adults were collected from the 24 exposed control logs, but only 34 adults from the 120 buried logs, including 24 adults from logs buried at 15cm, eight adults from 30cm, one adult from 45 cm, and one adult from 61 cm. In comparing mean emergence density from buried logs with that of exposed logs, 98.6%mortality occurred at 15cm, 99.5% at 30cm, and >99.9% at >or=45cm. Mean date of T. piniperda emergence to the soil surface was affected by burial depth and burial date, but not soil type.
Animal Sexual Differentiation The Early Days and Current Questions

In 1959, Phoenix and colleagues published a trailblazing paper entitled “Organizing action of prenatally administered testosterone propionate on the tissues mediating mating behavior in the female guinea pig”. In that study they gave testosterone to pregnant guinea pigs and later examined the mating patterns of their offspring. The male offspring were mostly unaffected. The female offspring were substantially inhibited in the display of lordosis, a concave arching of the back that characterizes sexual receptivity in many animals. This was true even when the females were ovariectomized and treated with estrogen and progesterone in doses that induce receptivity in normal females.
Field Evaluation of Cross-Frame and Girder Live-Load Response in Skewed Steel I-Girder Bridges

AbstractA better understanding of the relationships among girder stresses, cross-frame design, and skew angle of two steel I-girder bridges, which have moderate and high levels of skew and differing cross-frame designs, was revealed via field testing under various load passes of a weighed load vehicle. Strains were measured at approximately 100 points on the two structures, and the majority of the instrumentation was located on the cross-frames. The data were analyzed in terms of vertical bending, lateral bending, and warping in the girders, and in the magnitudes and distribution of stresses in the cross-frames of the two structures. These metrics were compared between the two bridges and in relation to the assumptions typically used in contemporary bridge analysis. This comparison revealed the following: the magnitudes of lateral stresses were higher than current design guidance suggests in some cases when staggered cross-frames were used; significant magnitudes of warping stresses in the girder webs, wh...
Characterization of myocardial and thoracic dimensions in a population of patients undergoing SPECT MPI: Implications for dedicated cardiac imaging systems

2147 Objectives SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a key tool in the management of coronary artery disease. The demands for improvements in diagnostic performance of MPI, as well as reduction of radiation exposure, can be met by systems designed for the heart’s anatomy. The cardio-centric approach involves systems in which the entire detector images a small field-of-view (FOV) which can enclose the heart. Appropriate application of this approach requires knowledge of relevant anatomic information for the patient population. Methods We retrospectively examined images from 384 consecutive patients (ages 18-95, 235M/149F) undergoing a Tc-99m SPECT MPI study. For each patient, the cardiac dimensions were characterized by defining two axially oriented cylinders, one enclosing the left ventricle and the other enclosing the entire myocardium. The imaging protocol included transmission imaging with Gd-153 used to derive attenuation maps. These were used to characterize the thoracic dimensions by defining an elliptical cylinder enclosing the thorax. Results We observe a significant variation in key anatomic dimensions. The diameter of the cylinder encompassing the left ventricle ranged from 82 to 164 mm. The range for the entire myocardium was 88 to 188 mm. Thoracic width ranged from 333 to 602 mm. Conclusions This extensive dataset of anatomic information has significant implications for cardio-centric systems. The large range of dimensions observed in this work supports an adaptive imaging approach, in which the FOV is varied depending on the results of a scout scan. Such capability is an important step towards optimizing SPECT MPI across the patient population by increasing detector utilization. We show that adding an FOV configuration allows division of the population into two groups to optimize imaging for 72% of the population with a more modest improvement for the rest of the patients. Additional FOV configurations would yield greater benefits.
Comparison of Ring-Buffer-Based Packet Capture Solutions

Traditional packet-capture solutions using commodity hardware incur a large amount of overhead as packets are copied multiple times by the operating system. This overhead slows sensor systems to a point where they are unable to keep up with high bandwidth traffic, resulting in dropped packets. Incomplete packet capture files hinder network monitoring and incident response efforts. While costly commercial hardware exists to capture high bandwidth traffic, several software-based approaches exist to improve packet capture performance using commodity hardware.
Plant Breeding and Selecting for Insect Resistance

The biological control of insects as related to host resistance is a relatively new field of study in which recent development has been rapid. Many insects, especially species that attack field crops which are produced on marginal land, cannot be economically controlled by the use of insecticides. Therefore it is necessary to seek other means. In many cases the most feasible method of control seems to lie in the development of resistant varieties of plants.