cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
II. Horticultural performance of ‘Honeycrisp’ grown on a genetically diverse set of rootstocks under Western New York climatic conditions

Abstract A field experiment with 31 rootstocks representing a genetically diverse group of rootstocks featuring ‘Honeycrisp’ as the scion was planted in 2010 at Geneva, NY USA. Rootstocks included three from the Malling series (UK), nine from the Budagovsky series (Russia), 16 from the Cornell Geneva series (USA) and three from the Pillnitz series (Germany). Over the first 8 years (2010–2017) we measured final tree size (trunk cross-sectional area: TCA) and cumulative yield. In the last 4 years we measured fruit soluble solids, bitter pit incidence, biennial bearing, and leaf zonal chlorosis. Tree size varied dramatically with the largest trees on B.70-20-20 and smallest trees on B.71-7-22. Setting the most vigorous rootstock at 100% we categorized rootstocks into 5 size categories: sub-dwarfing class (10–25%), dwarfing class (25–35%), semi-dwarfing class (35–50%), semi-vigorous category (50–70%) and vigorous class (70–100%). Cumulative yield varied 8 fold between the highest yielding rootstock (CG.3001) and the lowest yielding rootstock (B.71-7-22). We calculated theoretical yield per ha by multiplying cumulative yield per tree by a theoretical optimal tree density (trees/ha) based on tree size (TCA). The dwarfing rootstocks G.814, G.41TC, G.11 and B.10 had the highest yields per hectare while the most vigorous rootstocks B.70.20.20 and B.71-7-22 were the least productive. Theoretical cumulative yields varied from a high of 400 t/ha to a low of 50 t/ha, an 8-fold difference. Rootstock also influenced the incidence of bitter pit with the lowest levels of bitter pit with the rootstocks B.10, CG.2034, B.71-7-22, G.41N, CG.4003, G.202N, G.214, and Supporter 3. Considering bitter pit, yield, and optimum tree density, the theoretical yield of bitter pit free fruit varied from a high of 340 t/ha to a low of 35 t/ha, almost a 10-fold difference. The dwarfing rootstocks B.10, G.11, G.41TC, G.214 and G.814 had the highest yields per hectare of bitter pit free fruit. Rootstocks B.9 and M.26 had significantly lower cumulative bitter pit free yield/ha. These data indicate that rootstock not only has a large influence on mature tree cumulative yield but also bitter pit incidence which combine to create a large economic impact of rootstock choice on the long-term economic result of an orchard. This leads to the need for “designer rootstocks” which combine the rootstock characteristics needed to maximize the economic potential of each scion cultivar.
Two Sides of the Same Coin - Compensatory Proliferation in Regeneration and Cancer

Apoptosis has long been regarded as a tumor suppressor mechanism and evasion from apoptosis is considered to be one hallmark of cancer. However, this principle is not always consistent with clinical data which often illustrate a correlation between apoptosis and poor prognosis. Work in the last 15 years has provided an explanation for this apparent paradox. Apoptotic cells communicate with their environment and can produce signals which promote compensatory proliferation of surviving cells. This behavior of apoptotic cells is important for tissue regeneration in several model organisms, ranging from hydra to mammals. However, it may also play an important feature for tumorigenesis and tumor relapse. Several distinct forms of apoptosis-induced compensatory proliferation (AiP) have been identified, many of which involve reactive oxygen species (ROS) and immune cells. One type of AiP, “undead” AiP, in which apoptotic cells are kept in an immortalized state and continuously divide, may have particular relevance for tumorigenesis. Furthermore, given that chemo- and radiotherapy often aim to kill tumor cells, an improved understanding of the effects of apoptotic cells on the tumor and the tumor environment is of critical importance for the well-being of the patient. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of AiP and focus our attention on recent findings obtained in Drosophila and other model organisms, and relate them to tumorigenesis.
Diversity, distribution and dynamics of large trees across an old-growth lowland tropical rain forest landscape.

Large trees, here defined as ≥60 cm trunk diameter, are the most massive organisms in tropical rain forest, and are important in forest structure, dynamics and carbon cycling. The status of large trees in tropical forest is unclear, with both increasing and decreasing trends reported. We sampled across an old-growth tropical rain forest landscape at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica to study the distribution and performance of large trees and their contribution to forest structure and dynamics. We censused all large trees in 238 0.50 ha plots, and also identified and measured all stems ≥10 cm diameter in 18 0.50 ha plots annually for 20 years (1997-2017). We assessed abundance, species diversity, and crown conditions of large trees in relation to soil type and topography, measured the contribution of large trees to stand structure, productivity, and dynamics, and analyzed the decadal population trends of large trees. Large trees accounted for 2.5% of stems and ~25% of mean basal area and Estimated Above-Ground Biomass, and produced ~10% of the estimated wood production. Crown exposure increased with stem diameter but predictability was low. Large tree density was about twice as high on more-fertile flat sites compared to less fertile sites on slopes and plateaus. Density of large trees increased 27% over the study interval, but the increase was restricted to the flat more-fertile sites. Mortality and recruitment differed between large trees and smaller stems, and strongly suggested that large tree density was affected by past climatic disturbances such as large El Nino events. Our results generally do not support the hypothesis of increasing biomass and turnover rates in tropical forest. We suggest that additional landscape-scale studies of large trees are needed to determine the generality of disturbance legacies in tropical forest study sites.
outpatient care: Emergency-department design and function

(1973). outpatient care: Emergency-department design and function. Hospital Topics: Vol. 51, No. 10, pp. 50-52.
Temporal Clustering Based Thermal Condition Monitoring in Building

Abstract Recurrent or non-recurrent temperature and humidity variations trigger various damages on the inside and outside surfaces of buildings, which eventually lead to poor insulation, additional energy consumption, and expensive repairing plan. Formal thermal inspection by professionals is expensive, often inconclusive and inconvenient for continuous or frequent monitoring. Thermal condition monitoring with sensors provides data-driven knowledge of thermal properties of built environments to residents and also helps in accelerating the process of thermal inspection by the professionals. In this work, we introduce a thermal condition monitoring framework which simultaneously learns temporal feature representations of thermal condition (i.e., temperature, humidity, etc.) from inside and outside of built environment, and performs cluster assignments on the unlabeled data using deep neural network. We install thermo-hygrometers in three different homes for at least 40 days. Temporal clustering on the latent features of thermal data provides the pattern of indoor thermal conditions during different outside weather conditions. We demonstrate how indoor thermal variables respond to the outdoor thermal condition for each of the cluster patterns. Our proposed new algorithm for temporal clustering is evaluated on the collected thermal dataset from three buildings and compared with other temporal clustering algorithms, such as k-shape, deep temporal clustering (DTC), self-organizing map (SOM) from recent studies. Our framework achieves better clustering metrics and provides a non-intrusive data-driven approach to monitor indoor thermal response which saves time and resources for visual inspection by professionals. This also keeps the residents informed about the thermal condition of home with no knowledge on structural properties of buildings.
Racial Differences in the Incidence, Behavior, and Management of Tumors of the Genitourinary Tract

“Every aspect of American society has been affected by racial discrimination and segregation. Cancer has been no exception.” These are the opening lines of the introduction to Minorities and Cancer (Organ 1989), a compilation of articles from the first Biennial Symposium on Minorities and Cancer held in Houston, Texas during the third week of April 1987, which by American Presidential Resolution is “National Minority Cancer Awareness Week.” It is in this context that we will attempt to clarify the role of race in the behavior and management of prostate, bladder, renal, and testicular cancers, which account for the vast majority of genitourinary tumors.
Modeling of Rate-dependent Force-Displacement Behavior of MREs using Neural Networks for Torque Feedback Applications *

Magnetorheological smart elastomers exhibit controllable properties in the presence of controlled external magnetic field. Recently, such elastomers have been used for tactile display applications. In this study, a conceptual design and control framework for utilization of magnetorheological elastomers for torque feedback applications was proposed. As a necessary block in the proposed control framework, a model to obtain the required magnetic field to achieve a desired force-displacement behavior was required. To this end, a neural network-based model was proposed and validated. Also, a search methods based on the nearest neighbor approach was proposed and its performance to predict a desired force profile was assessed with referende to the available experimental data. The proposed neural network was accurate in predicting the force-displacement behavior of three types of MREs (R2 = 0.97, mean-absolute-error=1.26 N). Also, the proposed search method was successful in obtaining the required magnetic field to demonstrated a desired force-displacement profile (mean-absolute error=3.64 mT). The proposed learning-based MRE model and search method showed favorable performance for incorporation to the proposed torque control framework.
Longitudinal evolution of neurovascular coupling during stroke recovery

We present the use of intrinsic optical signal imaging to monitor the progression of ischemic stroke in the acute and chronic phases of recovery. An optimized mouse photothrombosis stroke model is used to induce stroke in the sensory forelimb area and longitudinal recovery is assessed using resting state functional connectivity as well as forelimb stimulation. These functional measures are then correlated with behavioral outcome assessed with a forelimb asymmetry test. Obtaining measures in both the acute and chronic phases of recovery will enable better interpretation of human functional neuroimaging stroke studies and allow their use in understanding acute stroke.
Abstract P756: Bilirubin Oxidation and Cerebral Vasospasm in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Feasibility Study

Introduction: Cerebral vasospasm (CV) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. In an adequate oxidative environment, certain ...
The rapid reemergence of seasonal respiratory viruses in Houston, Texas, after relaxing COVID-19 restrictions

Brief abstractImplementation of measures to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid decrease in all other respiratory pathogens. As COVID-19 containment measures were relaxed, the first non-COVID respiratory viruses to return to prepandemic levels were members of the rhinovirus/enterovirus, followed by the rapid return of seasonal coronaviruses, parainfluenza, and respiratory syncytial virus after the complete removal of COVID-19 precautions at the state level, including an end to mask mandates. Inasmuch as COVID-19 has dominated the landscape of respiratory infections since early 2020, it is important for clinicians to recognize the return of non-COVID respiratory pathogens may be rapid and significant when COVID-19 containment measures are removed.
Paecilomyces Pneumonia Despite Voriconazole Prophylaxis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Paecilomyces species are a rare cause of fungal pulmonary infections in immunocompromised hosts. Paecilomyces variotii and Paecilomyces lilacinus are the two most common species of clinical significance. Both species differ in their susceptibility to antifungal agents. We present a rare case of a 47-year-old immunocompromised woman who developed Paecilomyces pneumonia despite being on voriconazole prophylaxis. We also present a review of the literature on other reported cases. LEARNING POINTS Paecilomyces species differ in their susceptibility to antifungal agents. Breakthrough invasive mould infections are increasingly being documented in immunocompromised patients on voriconazole prophylaxis. Posaconazole has been shown to be effective against both Paecilomyces species. Keywords: Paecilomyces, pneumonia, voriconazole, resistance, posaconazole INTRODUCTION Paecilomyces, a saprophytic fungus that lives in decaying plants, soil, wood and food products, is of great interest to clinicians worldwide due to its pathogenicity and resistance to some antifungal agents [1]. Voriconazole has demonstrated in vitro activity against many clinically significant fungi in the past, thereby validating its use for prophylaxis in immunocompromised individuals [2]. However, there has been an increase in the number of cases of Paecilomyces infection failing voriconazole treatment or prophylaxis. In this case report, we describe an immunocompromised patient with history of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma status after stem cell transplantation (complicated by graft versus host disease) who developed Paecilomyces pneumonia while on voriconazole prophylaxis. Our review of the literature demonstrates four other cases of Paecilomyces infection that either failed or were resistant to voriconazole.
Vida en fragmentos

Abstract The cancionero of Juan Alvarez Gato, bureaucrat at the service of the Catholic monarchs, is structured around a religious crisis and framed by the poet's sociopolitical success. Cancionero MH2 was compiled toward the end of the poet's life and organized as a life narrative. Various compositions written at different points in the poet's life appear threaded by means of a careful rubricatory apparatus. The narrative thread presents a political and courtly figure that is transformed into a Christian ascetic retired from the world. The biography of Hernado de Talavera ends the codex and functions as the culmination of Alvarez Gato's vital and religious progression. This analysis enables the inquiry into the compilatory nature of the autobiographical narrative of the cancionero as well as its use as a document valued as notarial instrumentum.
Gestational Diabetes After Delivery: Increasing Postpartum Follow-Up Appointments

At the end of the pilot, ¢nal data were collected showing an average birth to reunion time of 2 hours and 4 minutes. Although substantial challenges to early reunion exist on the unit, in terms of ingrained work patterns and the geographic layout, this project showed that gathering and sharing information and implementing small changes can create dramatic improvements in practice at virtually no cost. Key to the success of this project was a nuanced analysis of the unit as well as selection of incremental, measureable goals. Although not a blueprint for every unit, the Mother/Baby Reunion Project is a demonstration of how carefully chosen small changes can yield big results.
Equilibria in infinite random graphs

A load balancing problem is formulated for infinite networks or graphs. There are overlapping sets of locations, each set having an associated possibly random amount of load to be distributed. The total load at a location is the sum of the contributions due to the sets that contain it. Equilibrium is said to hold if the load corresponding to any one set cannot be reassigned to improve the balance of total loads. The set of possible equilibria, or balanced load vectors, is examined. The balanced load vector is shown to be unique for Euclidean lattice networks, in which the sets correspond to pairs of neighboring nodes in a rectangular lattice in finite dimensions. A method for computing the load distribution is explored for tree networks. An FKG type inequality is proved. The concept of load percolation is introduced and is shown to be associated with infinite sets of locations with identical load.
Besteht ein Zusammenhang zwischen kieferorthopädischer Behandlung und Myoarthropathien des Kausystems

Obwohl sich die zahnarztliche Literatur schon seit langerer Zeit mit der Frage eines moglichen Zusammenhangs zwischen kieferorthopadischer Behandlung und Myoarthropathien (MAP) des Kausystems beschaftigt, sind entsprechende klinisch-epidemiologische Studien erst seit relativ kurzer Zeit vorhanden. Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrags ist es, auf der Grundlage der seit 1989 veroffentlichten Studien zur dieser Thematik folgende Fragen zu beantworten. 1. Birgt die kieferorthopadische Behandlung ein erhohtes Risiko, eine MAP des Kausystems zu entwickeln? 2. Hat die Extraktion von Pramolaren im Rahmen eines kieferorthopadischen Behandlungsplans ein erhohtes MAP-Risiko zur Folge? 3. Kann umgekehrt eine kieferorthopadische Behandlung dem Auftreten von MAP vorbeugen, oder konnen vorhandene MAP-Beschwerden durch kieferor-thopadische Masnahmen kuriert werden? Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragen fuhrten wir eine Literaturrecherche in der Literaturdatenbank MEDLINE durch, die durch eine manuelle Recherche in ausgewahlten Fachzeitschriften komplettiert wurde. Wir fanden 21 Veroffentlichungen von Studien zum Themenkomplex kieferorthopadischer Behandlung und Myoarthropathien. Die Ergebnisse unserer Analyse konnen wie folgt zusammengefast werden: 1. Eine in der Jugend durch-gefuhrte kieferorthopadische Behandlung hat keine Auswirkungen auf das Risiko, spater MAP-Beschwerden zu entwickeln. Es liegen keine Anhaltspunkte dafur vor, das die Anwendung eines bestimmten kieferorthopadischen Behandlungsmittels das Risiko erhoht, MAP des Kausystems zu entwickeln. 2. Ebensowenig wird dieses Risiko durch die Extraktion von Zahnen als Teil eines kieferorthopadischen Behandlungsplans erhoht. 3. Bislang liegen keine uberzeugenden Hinweise dafur vor, das eine kieferorthopadische Behandlung der Entwicklung von MAP des Kausystems vorbeugen kann; eine mogliche Ausnahme stellt eventuell die Korrektur eines einseitigen posterioren Kreuzbisses bei Kindern dar. Es sind keine Anhaltspunkte dafur vorhanden, das MAP durch kieferorthopadische Masnahmen kuriert werden konnen.
Distressed behavior and its context.

Behavior that is commonly labeled as indicating distress may have an important function in certain clinical problems. Evidence suggests that “distressed” behavior is displayed more frequently by persons who are depressed or experiencing chronic pain. Such behavior includes nonverbal facial expressions and body postures which are typically labeled as “sad,” and verbal responses involving self-denigration or complaints. Such behaviors appear to form a functional response class which has a unique impact on others. The behavior appears to be more likely among persons who are receiving aversive stimulation. Recipients of distressed behavior are more likely to experience negative emotion, yet be solicitous toward the person who displays distressed behavior. Under circumstances where distressed behavior is unsuccessful in reducing aversive stimulation, the behavior may be shaped and maintained by the fact that it temporarily reduces the probability of others behaving aggressively toward the person displaying distress. Thus, the development of a pattern of high rates of distressed behavior that characterizes clinically depressed persons and persons in chronic pain may be partly a result of the unique social contingencies that surround this behavior.
Nocturnal observations of incoming longwave radiation and the urban heat island for a small prairie city

Observations of incoming Longwave radiation (L↓) and air temperature were made using automobile transects across the small city of Brandon, Canada. Data were obtained during nighttime for 13 spring and summer days in 1979 under a variety of sky cover conditions. A strong relationship between urban-rural differences inL↓ and the urban heat island magnitude was found. Values ofL↓ were consistently larger for the urban situation with increases over the rural case ranging from 2.0 to 20.1% with an average of 10.7%. These increases are comparable to those found in past studies for much larger cities.
Adaptive filtering algorithms and alpha stable signals

We consider the problem of optimal FIR linear and regression filters for jointly stationary symmetric alpha stable processes with index alpha greater than one. We then consider the signed-error and sign-sign adaptive filtering algorithms and provide various convergence results for the signal and tap weights estimation errors.
Unusual distribution of a glycolipid antigen in the flagella ofChlamydomonas

Mouse hybridomas were obtained that secrete monoclonal antibodies recognizing glycolipid antigens located in the flagellar membrane of the biflagellate alga,Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The antigen is an acidic lipid that migrates slightly slower than a GM1 ganglioside on thin layer chromotography. The binding of the antibodies to the thin layer plate was inhibited by periodate oxidation suggesting that the antibodies are recognizing a carbohydrate epitope. In a variety ofChlamydomonas strains, these antibodies were found to stain the flagella of only a sub-set of the cells in the population, generally varying from 50% to 75% of the cells. Even after cloning, the population of cells continued to express this variability in staining, and presumably, expression of the glycolipid epitope. Although most cells showed either strong staining of both flagella or no detectable staining of both flagella, a subset of the cells in the culture exhibited differential antibody labeling of the two flagella, suggesting that an individualChlamydomonas can exhibit a different glycolipid composition in each of its two flagellar membranes and even differential expression along the length of an individual flagellum.
Unmet need and problems accessing core health care services for children with autism spectrum disorder.

To investigate the health care experiences of children with autism spectrum disorder, whether they have unmet needs, and if so, what types, and problems they encounter accessing needed care. We address these issues by identifying four core health care services and access problems related to provider and system characteristics. Using data from the 2005–2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) we compared children with autism spectrum disorder with children with special health care needs with other emotional, developmental or behavioral problems (excluding autism spectrum disorder) and with other children with special health care needs. We used weighted logistic regression to examine differences in parent reports of unmet needs for the three different health condition groups. Overall unmet need for each service type among CSHCN ranged from 2.5% for routine preventive care to 15% for mental health services. After controlling for predisposing, enabling and need factors, some differences across health condition groups remained. Families of children with autism spectrum disorder were in fact significantly more at risk for having unmet specialty and therapy care needs. Additionally, families of children with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to report provider lack of skills to treat the child as a barrier in obtaining therapy and mental health services. Disparities in unmet needs for children with autism suggest that organizational features of managed care programs and provider characteristics pose barriers to accessing care.
Clinical review of genetic epileptic encephalopathies

Seizures are a frequently encountered finding in patients seen for clinical genetics evaluations. The differential diagnosis for the cause of seizures is quite diverse and complex, and more than half of all epilepsies have been attributed to a genetic cause. Given the complexity of such evaluations, we highlight the more common causes of genetic epileptic encephalopathies and emphasize the usefulness of recent technological advances. The purpose of this review is to serve as a practical guide for clinical geneticists in the evaluation and counseling of patients with genetic epileptic encephalopathies. Common syndromes will be discussed, in addition to specific seizure phenotypes, many of which are refractory to anti-epileptic agents. Divided by etiology, we overview the more common causes of infantile epileptic encephalopathies, channelopathies, syndromic, metabolic, and chromosomal entities. For each condition, we will outline the diagnostic evaluation and discuss effective treatment strategies that should be considered.
Quinone Reductase 2 Is a Catechol Quinone Reductase

The functions of quinone reductase 2 have eluded researchers for decades even though a genetic polymorphism is associated with various neurological disorders. Employing enzymatic studies using adrenochrome as a substrate, we show that quinone reductase 2 is specific for the reduction of adrenochrome, whereas quinone reductase 1 shows no activity. We also solved the crystal structure of quinone reductase 2 in complexes with dopamine and adrenochrome, two compounds that are structurally related to catecholamine quinones. Detailed structural analyses delineate the mechanism of quinone reductase 2 specificity toward catechol quinones in comparison with quinone reductase 1; a side-chain rotational difference between quinone reductase 1 and quinone reductase 2 of a single residue, phenylalanine 106, determines the specificity of enzymatic activities. These results infer functional differences between two homologous enzymes and indicate that quinone reductase 2 could play important roles in the regulation of catecholamine oxidation processes that may be involved in the etiology of Parkinson disease.
119 Differential Regulation of Angiogenic Genes in Normal and Diabetic Wound Healing

Wound healing is a complicated biological process that involves interactions of multiple cell types, various growth factors, their mediators and the extracellular matrix proteins. In this study, we have studied the differential regulation of angiogenic genes during wound healing in transgenic diabetic mice and non-diabetic mice. One 8 mm full thickness cutaneous wound under aseptic conditions was created on either side of the midline. Wound tissues were studied at 4, 7, and 11 days postwounding and healing was assessed by histology. The pathway specific gene expression profile of wound tissue in transgenic diabetic mice was compared with the normal mice. Profiling of these genes showed differential regulation of many angiogenic promoters, inhibitors, growth factors and cytokines. Furthermore, in our study hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1a), osteopontin (OPN) and osteonectin are induced early at day 4, in both the diabetic and nondiabetic wound. The expression was downregulated by 11-day postwounding in the nondiabetic wound, whereas diabetic wounds showed constitutively high expression of these genes. The expression patterns of these genes were concomitant with the extent of healing as assessed by histology at different time point postwounding. These results suggest wound healing is a complex process that involves cascade of interaction of various factors. Although a single gene may not be solely responsible for any impairment in healing; however, an in-depth study of these genes and precise balance between the inducers and inhibitors of angiogenesis may provide an answer to the delayed healing in diabetic conditions. (This work was supported by a grant (5 R21 AT000517-02) from the NCCAM, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD.)
Accurate heats of formation and acidities for H3PO4, H2SO4, and H2CO3 from ab initio electronic structure calculations

Atomization energies and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K for H 2 CO 3 , HCO - 3 , H 2 SO 4 , HSO - 4 , H 3 PO 4 , and H 2 PO - 4 were calculated using coupled cluster theory including noniterative, quasi-perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) with large basis sets. Optimized geometries and harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. Atomization energies were obtained by extrapolating CCSD(T) valence energies to the complete basis set limit (CBS) using the aug-cc-pV(n+d)Z (n = D, T, Q) basis sets where the +d corresponds to the inclusion of tight d functions for the second row atoms P and S. In order to achieve near chemical accuracy (′1 kcal/ mol) in the thermodynamic properties, a core/valence correction, a Douglas-Kroll-Hess scalar relativistic correction, and a first-order atomic spin-orbit correction were included. The calculated heats of formation of the neutral molecules at 0 K are ΔH 0 f (H 2 CO 3 ) = -275.2, ΔH 0 f (H 2 SO 4 ) = -167.9, and ΔH 0 f (H 3 PO 4 ) = -268.8 kcal/mol. The only experimental value is ΔH 0 f (H 2 SO 4 ) = -172.4 ′ 2, a difference of about 4 kcal/mol. The calculated gas acidities (AG) at 298 K are 332.2, 322.2, and 304.6 kcal/mol for H 2 CO 3 , H 3 PO 4 , and H 2 SO 4 , respectively. The calculated values for H 3 PO 4 and H 2 SO 4 are in good agreement with the respective experimental values of 323.0 ′ 4.9 and 302.3 ′ 2.6 kcal/mol. Solution acidities are computed using the fully polarizable continuum model. Using an electron density contour value of 0.001 a.u. to define the cavity for the neutral molecules and of 0.0022 a.u. for the anions, we calculate pK a (H 2 CO 3 ) = 6.3, pK a (H 3 PO 4 ) = 2.5, and pK a (HNO 3 ) = -2.4 which are within one pK a of the respective experimental values of 6.4, 2.1, and -1.4. We predict the pK a of H 2 SO 4 in aqueous solution to be in the range of -6 to -8, significantly lower than the estimated experimental values in the range of -3.
The utility of urgent colonoscopy in the evaluation of acute lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding: a 2-year experience from a single center

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Urgent colonoscopy is often recommended to evaluate acute rectal bleeding. However, it may not identify a source because of blood in the lumen or inadequate preparation. Our aim was to determine the utility of urgent colonoscopy as the initial test for acute rectal bleeding. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of all patients discharged in 1997 and 1998 with an International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, code for hematochezia or rectal bleeding. RESULTS: We identified 514 charts but excluded 424 because of inaccurate coding. In the 90 with confirmed acute rectal bleeding, colonoscopy was the initial test in 39; age, sex, and race distributions were similar to those who did not have colonoscopy. A definite source of bleeding was seen at colonoscopy in only three patients, a probable source in 26, and no source in 10. Therapeutic intervention in four patients with a definite or probable source was successful in three. The commonest reasons for not performing urgent colonoscopy were bleeding from presumed hemorrhoids or bleeding that was clinically insignificant. Spontaneous resolution of bleeding and length of hospital stay were not affected by urgent colonoscopy. Five patients had surgery for unrelated reasons. In-hospital mortality was 2% and was unrelated to bleeding. CONCLUSION: Urgent colonoscopy as the initial investigation in acute lower GI tract bleeding probably does not alter the outcome in most cases. Identification of a definite bleeding source leading to successful therapeutic intervention is rare. Spontaneous resolution is frequent, length of hospital stay is similar, and clinical outcome is excellent regardless of whether or not urgent colonoscopy is performed.
Plant pathogen spores grow in microfluidic droplets: A high-throughput approach to antifungal drug screening

A droplet-based microfluidic approach was investigated to develop high throughput phenotypic screening assays for chemicals, toxic to oomycete plant pathogens. Random fast moving Phytophthora sojae zoospores and an antioomycete drug were encapsulated in micro-sized droplets. Phenotypic responses of zoospores to the drug at different concentrations were quantified parallely inside the droplets with a single zoospore spatial resolution and large data sets. This droplet-based device can not only provide a high throughput phenotypic drug screening technique for plant pathogenic zoospores, but also advance our understanding of interactions of plant pathogens with chemical compounds.
An Exercise in the Theory of Heterogeneous Capital Accumulation

C. CATON and K. SHELL University of Pennsylvania The basic result of Hahn's seminal contribution to the descriptive theory of hetero- geneous capital accumulation [2] is that the short-run-perfect-foresight balanced-growth equilibrium is a saddlepoint in the space of capital-labour ratios and capital goods prices. In the context of a special model, Shell and Stiglitz [5] show further that on paths not tending to balanced growth, price ratios become zero (or infinite) in finite time. If machines are freely disposable, asset markets cannot be in equilibrium on such " errant " trajectories. A recent paper by Atkinson [1] has pointed out some very special features of the Shell-Stiglitz technology, casting some doubt on the generality of the conclusions. In the present paper, we investigate the " Hahn problem " in the context of a more regular model of production, the " quarter-circle" technology employed by Samuelson in his study of joint production [4]. As in the previous studies, we find that the unique balanced-growth equilibrium is a saddlepoint, and on paths not tending to balanced growth the price ratio becomes zero or infinite in finite time. 1. THE MODEL As in [5], we study a one-sector, two-capital model in which a homogeneous output, Y, is produced by the cooperation of labour, L, machines of the first kind, K1, and machines of the second kind, K2. Assuming constant returns-to-scale and denoting quantities per unit labour by lower case letters, the production relation can be written as y = f(kl, k2). For ease of analysis we assume that the production function is linear in logarithms, so
Elastic thread pollution of puffins

Abstract More evidence is available that rubber thread cuttings reaching the sea present a new hazard to marine life. Puffins, in particular appear to mistake them for fish and swallow them. These elastic threads remain tangled in the crop. While they do not appear to kill the birds there is a possibility they make them less able to withstand other stresses.
Hepatic Collagen Metabolism: Effect of Alcohol Consumption in Rats and Baboons

Long-term ethanol feeding causes collagen accumulation in livers of rats and baboons. Activity of collagen proline hydroxylase in the liver is also stimulated, and incorporation of proline into collagen hydroxyproline in rat liver slices is significantly enhanced, a result indicating that increased synthesis is responsible, in part, for the collagen accumulation.
Conservation of native freshwater fishes in the Mediterranean-type climate of California, USA: A review

Abstract The native fish fauna of California, like the faunas of other regions of the world with Mediterranean climate, is declining rapidly: 63% of the 115 taxa are extinct or in danger of becoming extinct. The native fishes fall into three major groups: (1) diadromous fishes and their stream-resident derivatives; (2) large, long-lived freshwater dispersant fishes, mostly Cyprinidae; and (3) small freshwater dispersant fishes in isolated inland habitats, such as desert springs. In this respect, the fish fauna of California bears a closer resemblance to the fish fauna of Europe than it does to that of eastern North America. The native fish fauna is in trouble because most of the precipitation occurs in the northern half of the state or at high elevations, while most of the human need for water is in the southern half of the state, at low elevations. The result has been the construction of dams and reservoirs on every major stream in the state and thousands of kilometres of aqueducts. In addition, poor land use has devastated many drainages, introduced fishes have replaced native fishes, and fisheries have depleted some stocks. Major droughts have exacerbated these problems. Most of the extinct or endangered species are either native to small isolated habitats or to big rivers. The fishes have continued to decline despite conservation efforts using such powerful legal tools as the Endangered Species Act, the California Department of Fish and Game Code, and the Public Trust Doctrine. The poor state of California's fish fauna is a strong indication that many other endemic aquatic organisms, much more poorly known than the fishes, are in trouble as well. Protecting fishes will thus help to protect aquatic biodiversity in California. With this in mind, a general plan for protecting California's aquatic biota is presented. The plan has two main components: (1) legal protection for species in immediate danger of extinction and (2) development of a statewide system of protected waters called Aquatic Diversity Management Areas (ADMAs). For the latter component, a framework is presented that consists of (1) criteria for the design of ADMAs; (2) a system for ranking the suitability of aquatic habitats for protection of the native biota; (3) a classification system for California's waters; and (4) a long-term scheme for protecting aquatic biodiversity statewide.
Humoral immunity in long-lived arthropods

The innate immune system is represented by a complex of cellular and humoral factors and processes that protect the organism against pathogenic attack. Certain of these elements arose early in the evolution of multicellular animals and have been preserved throughout the evolutionary divergence of the different animal phyla. Two mediators that have interested us are α2-macroglobulin and the pentraxins. Both function as elements in the plasma defense systems of arthropods and vertebrates. The ability to purify significant quantities of both proteins from the plasma of the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has enabled us to investigate their functions at the molecular and organismal levels. In Limulus α2-macroglobulin functions as a broad-spectrum protease-binding molecule that mediates the clearance of proteases from the plasma. Limulus has at least two pentraxins in the plasma, an abundant form designated Limulus C-reactive protein, which is of unknown function, and limulin, a low-abundance form with sialic acid recognition capabilities, which mediates a cytolytic reactivity for the destruction of foreign cells that have contacted the plasma.
Going for baroque at the Escherichia coli K1 cell surface

Phase variation is usually thought of as the stochastic switching between alternatively expressed ('on') and unexpressed ('off') phenotypic states. However, coupling synthesis of a monotonous homopolysaccharide to a mechanism of random but incomplete chemical modification produces almost infinite structural variation. Potentially limitless variability implies that evolution can produce highly ornate or extravagant flourishes reminiscent of the baroque style. Here, we describe an analysis of capsular polysialic acid form variation in Escherichia coli K1, demonstrating that the large number of variant structures is controlled by a single contingency locus. The mechanism for generating maximum structural diversity from maximal genetic parsimony is conferred by a simple translational switch carried on a K1-specific prophage.
The coupling of diffusion, migration and chemical equilibrium during the voltammetric reduction of weak polyprotic acids

A theoretical model is presented for the coupling of diffusion, migration and chemical equilibrium during the voltammetric reduction of weak polyprotic acids. The dissociation reaction of a neutral acid is assumed to influence only the apparent diffusion coefficients of the hydrogen ion and its conjugate base anions. For typical values of equilibrium constants of dissociation reactions and analytical concentration, polyprotic acids behave as either monoprotic acids or diprotic acids, which agrees well with experimental results. A semi-quantitative explanation based on a diffusion layer treatment is proposed for this phenomenon. It is also shown that the ratio of limiting current at low concentration of supporting electrolyte to diffusion-limited current depends on the initial equilibrium concentrations of all species in the solution but not on the kinetics of the dissociation reactions. Furthermore the movement of the uncharged species (the neutral acid) can be influenced by an electric field through the coupling effected by the chemical equilibrium.
Reaction of diphenylgermane with (Ph3P)2Pt(η2-C2H4) : Generation of mono- and dinuclear complexes containing Pt-Ge bonds. X-ray crystal structure determination of [(Ph3P)Pt(μ-η2-H-GePh2)]2

The reaction of diphenylgermane (Ph2GeH2) with (Ph3P)2Pt(η2-C2H4) provided both mononuclear (Ph3P)2Pt(H)(GePh2H) and dinuclear [(Ph3P)Pt(μ-η2-H-GePh2)]2 complexes. The structure of the dinuclear co...
A LABILE TRANSCRIPTIONAL REPRESSOR MODULATES ENDOTOXIN TOLERANCE

Tolerance to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is an adaptive cellular process whereby exposure to endotoxin induces a subsequent hyporesponsive state characterized by decreased levels of LPS-induced cytokine mRNA and protein. We demonstrate, in a human promonocytic cell line, THP-1, that endotoxin tolerance is manifested by decreased LPS-induced interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) transcription. Inhibition of protein synthesis reverses the tolerant phenotype by inducing transcription of IL-1 beta in the absence of a second stimulus. These results indicate that a labile protein contributes to the endotoxin-tolerant phenotype, and that this factor acts in a dominant repressive manner to inhibit the activity of existing transcription factors. We provide further data that cellular expression of I kappa B-alpha correlates with downregulated IL-1 beta gene expression during endotoxin tolerance, implicating I kappa B-alpha as a potential candidate for the labile repressor identified herein.
Use of Chromic Oxide as an Indicator of Fecal Output for the Purpose of Determining the Intake of Pasture Herbage by Grazing Cows

Summary A series of five trials was conducted to determine the adequacy of Cr 2 O 3 as an indicator of fecal output by grazing cows. Seventeen individual cows were employed in these studies. The Cr 2 O 3 concentration of feces taken reetally at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on seven consecutive days and bulked on an equal weight basis provided accurate estimates of the total fecal output. The mean rate of recovery of the ingested Cr 2 O 3 from the combined feces sampled at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. was 100.58 ± 0.87%. A study of the Cr 2 O 3 concentration-time excretion patterns of grazing cows revealed that from 65 to 141% as much Cr 2 O 3 is voided in the feces at various hours of the day as is found in well-mixed feces representing the total amount of feces voided during a 7-day period. This precludes the indiscriminate adoption of times for the sampling of feces for the purpose of measuring the total output of feees by grazing cows. No difference in the accuracy of the estimated output of feces was found between the administration of Cr 2 O 3 , in capsules and that in concentrate feeds. Also, the effectiveness of the procedure for measuring fecal output was the same regardless of whether Cr 2 O 3 was administered at 6 a.m. or 4 p.m. or at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. It is suggested that the time and mode of administration of Cr 2 O 3 employed in the conduct of grazing studies should be determined by the nature of the experiment and the convenience of the operation.
Mechanisms Responsible for the Sensitivity of New born Rats to Pregnenolone

The minimum lethal dose of pregnanolone, a potent pharmacologically active metabolite of progesterone, increased about 60-fold from birth to weaning. This was greater than the increase seen with non-steroid hypnotic drugs. The brain concentration of pregnanolone at the onset fo hypnosis was 0.35 μg/g in 3-day-old and 7-10 × higher in 23-day-old rats, indicating an elevated receptor threshold. Similarly, older rats awoke at a brain concentration 6 × higher than that maintaining sleep in younger animals. Hepatic biotransformation to sulfate and glucuronic acid esters and more polar steroids was extremely rapid, even in 3 day olds. Seven minutes after i.p. administration of pregnanolone with radioactive tracer only 29 and 37% of the total cpm in blood and liver were present as free pregnanolone. Although metabolism was somewhat faster in older rats, the relative increase was not quantitatively important compared to the extent of newborn sensitivity. A number of metabolites were found in blood, brain and liver of which pregnanediol was a surprisingly small component. Esters in the liver (at 45 min post injection) were predominantly sulfates. No conjugates were found in brain. Pregnanolone accumulation in brain, as a percentage of the injected dose, was slightly greater in newborns, though far less than predicted assuming uniform distribution. In almost all previous developmental studies, impaired hepatic metabolism has been of sufficient magnitude to explain accentuated pharmacologic responses. These studies may be the first to experimentally verify the concept of altered receptor threshold in the brain as a mechnism for the sensitivity fo newborn animals to drugs.
The stroke survivor

Purpose : This article reviews the physiological basis of stroke rehabilitation and describes the theories and interventions involved in the rehabilitation of the stroke survivor. Issues : Stroke remains the third most common cause of death in the Western World, and is the leading cause of adult disability and placement into extended care facilities. Stroke is not a disease of the old, but affects many people under the age of 65. Comprehensive rehabilitation may improve the functional abilities of the stroke survivor, despite age and neurologic deficit, and decrease long-term patient care costs. Rehabilitation not only involves restoring independence in mobility and activities of daily living, but maximizing compensatory strategies in linguistic and cognitive function. Strategies to reintegrate the stroke survivor into the community are discussed. Secondary complications of stroke are described, and interventions are suggested to prevent and treat potential medical issues. Conclusion : Stroke rehabilitati...