cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of high-lignin softwood kraft pulp with laccase and amino acids

This study demonstrates the potential of laccase-facilitated grafting of amino acids to high-lignin content pulps to improve their physical properties in paper products. Research studies have recently reported that increases in anionic fiber charge can improve strength properties of paper. In an effort to increase carboxylic acid groups, we developed a unique two-stage laccase grafting protocol in which fibers were initially treated with laccase followed by grafting reactions with amino acids. The bulk acid group content was measured, and a variety of amino acids including glycine (Gly), phenylalanine (Phe), serine (Ser), arginine (Arg), histidine (His), alanine (Ala), and aspartic acid (Asp) were examined. The effects of optimizing laccase dose, and amino acid structures, on fiber modification chemistry were studied. Histidine provided the best yield of acid groups on pulp fiber, and was used for the preparation of handsheets for physical strength testing. Laccase-histidine treated pulp showed an increase in strength properties of the resulting paper.
Evolving content in the Galactic Arms Race video game

Video game content includes the levels, models, items, weapons, and other objects encountered and wielded by players during the game. In most modern video games, the set of content shipped with the game is static and unchanging, or at best, randomized within a narrow set of parameters. However, ideally, if game content could be constantly renewed, players would remain engaged longer in the evolving stream of novel content. To realize this ambition, this paper introduces the content-generating NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies (cgNEAT) algorithm, which automatically evolves game content based on player preferences, as the game is played. To demonstrate this approach, the Galactic Arms Race (GAR) video game is also introduced. In GAR, players pilot space ships and fight enemies to acquire unique particle system weapons that are evolved by the game. As shown in this paper, players can discover a wide variety of content that is not only novel, but also based on and extended from previous content that they preferred in the past. The implication is that it is now possible to create games that generate their own content to satisfy players, potentially significantly reducing the cost of content creation and increasing the replay value of games.
A Retrospective Comparative Study of 2-Drug Oral and Intramuscular Cephalosporin Treatment Regimens for Pharyngeal Gonorrhea

Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) treatment guidelines for pharyngeal gonorrhea recommend a single intramuscular 250-mg dose of ceftriaxone in combination with either a single 1-g dose of azithromycin or doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily for 7 days [1, 2]. However, to our knowledge, only 1 clinical study has evaluated the value of adding a second agent to ceftriaxone in the treatment of pharyngeal gonorrhea [3]. In the absence of strong data, the CDC's decision to recommend that pharyngeal infections be treated with 2 drugs was based largely on the well-established difficulty of eradicating Neisseria gonorrhoeae from the oropharynx [4–6], and experience with other infections in which 2 active agents of different antimicrobial classes are clinically superior to 1 agent and are thought to diminish the risk of selection for drug resistance [7–9]. Pharyngeal gonococcal infections are common in men who have sex with men (MSM) and in at least some populations of women [10–17]. Moreover, the oropharynx is thought to serve as an anatomic reservoir of infection that facilitates the gonococcus’ acquisition of genes conferring antimicrobial resistance [6, 18] and promotes sustained gonococcal transmission in the population [19, 20]. Antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae, particularly the increasing proportion of isolates with decreased susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins, is now a major global public health concern [7, 21]. Better data on gonorrhea treatment, including the treatment of pharyngeal infections, is needed. Using data collected over a period of 18 years, we assessed the efficacy of different regimens in treating pharyngeal gonorrhea. In particular, we were interested in testing the hypothesis that dual therapy with an oral cephalosporin and azithromycin is comparable to treatment with ceftriaxone, and superior to treatment with an oral cephalosporin alone or in combination with doxycycline, an idea supported by a previous observational study [3].
P3H-7 Volumetric Imaging Using Fan-Beam Scanning with Reduced Redundancy 2D Arrays

Phased array processing with a fully populated 2D array produces the best image quality but requires excessive number of active parallel front-end channels. Here we explore four array designs with reduced redundancy in spatial frequency contents. To minimize the number of firings we employ fan-beam processing, where 1D arrays are used to insonify 2D planar slices of the volume at successive firing events; echo signals are collected by the receive array elements. The array designs are compared based on simulated point spread functions, frame rate, motion susceptibility, and signal-to-noise ratio
Simulation of Alpha Particles in Rotating Plasma Interacting With a Stationary Ripple

Superthermal E × B rotation can provide magnetohydrodynamic stability and enhanced confinement to axisymmetric mirrors. However, the rotation speed has been limited by phenomena at end electrodes. A new prediction is that rotation might instead be produced using a magnetic ripple and alpha particle kinetic energy, in an extension of the alpha channeling concept. The interaction of alpha particles with the ripple results in visually interesting and practically useful orbits.
CD4 T Cell Help Is Limiting and Selective during the Primary B Cell Response to Influenza Virus Infection

Influenza virus vaccination strategies are focused upon the elicitation of protective antibody responses through administration of viral protein through either inactivated virions or live attenuated virus. Often overlooked in this strategy is the CD4 T cell response: how it develops into memory, and how it may support future primary B cell responses to heterologous infection. Through the utilization of a peptide-priming regimen, this study describes a strategy for developing CD4 T cell memory with the capacity to robustly expand in the lung-draining lymph node after live influenza virus infection. Not only were frequencies of antigen-specific CD4 T cells enhanced, but these cells also supported an accelerated primary B cell response to influenza virus-derived protein, evidenced by high anti-nucleoprotein (NP) serum antibody titers early, while there is still active viral replication ongoing in the lung. NP-specific antibody-secreting cells and heightened frequencies of germinal center B cells and follicular T helper cells were also readily detectable in the draining lymph node. Surprisingly, a boosted memory CD4 T cell response was not sufficient to provide intermolecular help for antibody responses. Our study demonstrates that CD4 T cell help is selective and limiting to the primary antibody response to influenza virus infection and that preemptive priming of CD4 T cell help can promote effective and rapid conversion of naive B cells to mature antibody-secreting cells.
Measurements of strip dipole antennas on finite-thickness substrates at 230 GHz

Gain and field pattern measurements at 230 GHz are reported for strip dipole antennas on finite-thickness substrates without ground planes. Four substrate thicknesses are investigated ranging from 0.25 lambda to 1.53 lambda ( lambda =wavelength in substrate material). Measured results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. A unique detector/low-pass filter design, composed of a bolometer and an interdigitated capacitor, is used to eliminate the distortion of the measured field patterns caused by the reception of the leads connecting the antenna with the monitoring instrumentation. >
Thermolysis and photolysis of 4-diazo-1,2,3-triazoles in benzenoid solvents, systems which reveal decomposition of diazo compounds to carbenes to diazo compounds to carbenes.

4-Diazo-1,2,3-triazoles thermolyze and photolyze to 4H-1,2,3-triazolylidenes which (1) convert benzenes to 4-phenyl-1,2,3-triazoles or/and (2) isomerize to α-diazonitriles which react carbenically with benzenes by addition, ring-expansion or substitution processes.
Necrotizing fasciitis associated with acupuncture: a case report.

Infectious complications from acupuncture are extermely rare; we present a case of severe necrotizing Fasciitis (type 1) in an elderly nondiabetic male. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Gold island fiber optic sensor

A fiber optic chemical sensor based on gold-island surface plasmon excitation is presented. The sensing part of the fiber is the end of the fiber onto which a thin layer of gold has been deposited to form a particulate surface. Annealing the gold reshapes the particles and produces an optical absorbance near 535 nm with the fiber in air. The optical absorption resonance of the gold particles is shifted if the fiber is immersed in a medium other than air. These resonance shifts are examined by transmission spectroscopy through the fiber. Experimental results for the sensitivity and dynamic range in the measurement of liquid solutions are in agreement with a basic theoretical model which characterizes the surface plasmon using nonretarded electrodynamics.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The hierarchical spatial distribution of chloroplast DNA polymorphism across the introduced range of Silene vulgaris

Silene vulgaris was introduced into North America sometime prior to 1800. In order to document the population structure that has developed since that time, collections were made from 56 local populations distributed among 9 geographical regions in eastern North America. Individual plants were characterized for chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) haplotype by restriction fragment size analysis of four noncoding regions of cpDNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 19 cpDNA haplotypes were detected using this method. The overall gene diversity of 0.85 is quite similar to the diversity detected in these same regions of cpDNA in a previously published sample of S. vulgaris taken from across much of Europe. The spatial distribution of the North American cpDNA diversity was quantified by hierarchical F-statistics that partitioned the genetic variance into variation among local populations within regions, and variation among regions. The average FST among populations within regions was 0.66 and the FST among regions was 0.09. The among-region variation was due to both differences among regions in the frequency of two most common haplotypes, and to the presence of a number of region-specific haplotypes. In order to test for isolation by distance at the regional level, FST values were calculated for all possible pairs of regions, and regressed against the geographical distance between those regions. There was no evidence for isolation by distance. It is suggested that the local population structure is generated by recent extinction/colonization dynamics, and that the among-region structure reflects demographic events associated with range expansion following introduction to North America.
Association of Substance Use Discussion by Pediatric Providers With the Parent—Provider Relationship and Maternal Behavior Change

A cross-sectional study of data from a randomized, controlled trial was conducted to determine (1) provider and parent attributes associated with discussion of maternal substance use, (2) how substance use discussion related to the parent-provider relationship, and (3) whether discussion was associated with maternal attempts at behavior change. Of the 482 mothers, 34% reported discussing all 3 substance use items (smoking, alcohol, and drug use) with their child's provider. Mothers who discussed smoking were more likely to report discussing alcohol and other drug use (P < .001). Parent-provider relationship scores, measured by a modified version of the Primary Care Assessment Survey, were positively associated with discussion of each substance (P < .001). Discussion of smoking and drug use were significantly associated with attempted behavior change. Our findings suggest that discussion of parental substance use by pediatricians is positively associated with the parent-provider relationship and may lead to behavior change.
HISTONES WITH HIGH LYSINE CONTENT

1. The preparation and properties of lysine-rich histones, which differ in a number of respects from the classical arginine-rich histones, have been described. 2. Lysine-rich histones, like those previously known, are located in cell nuclei. 3. Lysine-rich histones dissociate more readily from combination with nucleic acid than do other histones.
Using a Soil Hydrology Model to Obtain Regionally Averaged Soil Moisture Values

Abstract The Soil Hydrology Model (SHM) was modified, and daily simulations of soil volumetric water content were made at 38 Oklahoma Mesonet sites for July 1997. These model results were compared with soil moisture observations made at the mesonet sites at depths of 5, 25, 60, and 75 cm. This work is believed to be the first time that a hydrological model has been evaluated with in situ soil moisture measurements over such an extensive area spanning several climate zones. Comparisons of time series between the observed and modeled domain-averaged volumetric water content at 5 cm revealed similar phase and amplitude changes, a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.64, and small mean bias and root-mean-square errors (MBE and rmse) of 0.03 and 0.09, respectively. At 25, 60, and 75 cm, the model performance was slightly worse, with R2 values between 0.27 and 0.40, MBE between −0.01 and 0.02, and rmse between 0.11 and 0.13. The model response to changes in soil water at these levels was sluggish, possibly be...
Xpros: a Fuzzy Expert System for Prospect Appraisal

We have developed a fuzzy expert system (XPROS) based on the fuzzy multicriteria decision-making paradigm for prospect evaluation. XPROS considers all available information, which are usually fragmentary and imprecise - the kind of information which cannot be incorporated in traditional methods. In essence, XPROS employs fuzzy implications to gauge satisfaction levels associated with each measure of the characteristics associated with the source rock, reservoir, trap, and seal. In this paper we describe XPROS illustrated with a case study.
Soluble homopolymers and copolymers from 2,6‐disubstituted‐1,6‐heptadienes

A method is described for the preparation of high molecular weight, soluble homopolymers from 2,6-disubstituted-1,6-heptadienes. Contrary to expectation, the disubstituted heptadienes readily form soluble, high molecular weight copolymers with vinyl- and acrylate-type monomers if dilute solutions are employed and polymerization is not too rapid. The absence of unsaturation in copolymers and their excellent solubility indicates that the disubstituted heptadienes polymerize by an intramolecular-intermolecular mechanism even in the presence of reactive monomers.
Faulty assumptions: A comment on Blanton, Jaccard, Gonzales, and Christie (2006).

Blanton, Jaccard, Gonzales, and Christie (BJGC, 2006) assert that the Implicit Association Test (IAT) imposes a model that portrays relative preferences as the additive difference between single attitudes. This assertion is misplaced because relative preferences do not necessarily reduce to component attitudes. BJGC also assume that the IAT conditions represent two indicators of the same construct. This assumption is incorrect, and is the cause of their poor-fitting models. The IAT, like other experimental paradigms, contrasts performance between interdependent conditions, and cannot be reduced to component parts. This is true whether calculating a simple difference between conditions, or using the IAT D score. D – an individual effect size that is monotonically related to Cohen's d – codifies the interdependency between IAT conditions. When their unjustified psychometric assumptions are replaced with plausible assumptions, the models fit their data very well, and basis for their poor-fitting models becomes clear.
Simulating the delaware bay buoyant outflow : Comparison with observations

Coastal buoyant outflows from rivers and estuaries previously have been studied with field research, laboratory experiments, and numerical models. There is a dire need to evaluate model performance in light of coastal current observations. This research simulates the Delaware Bay outflow and compares results with observations of estuarine and shelf conditions. Observations include an estuarine salinity climatology, a record of freshwater delivery to the shelf, coastal current salinity mappings, and surface drifter data. Simulation efforts focus on spring 1993 and spring 1994, the primary field study period. The simulation is forced with river discharge, winds, and tides; only tidal-averaged results are discussed. Estuarine salinity results are consistent with the observed lateral salinity pattern, vertical structure, and response to river discharge. Salinities within the lower bay agree with observations, but the simulation overestimates the along-estuary salinity gradient. Observed and simulated freshwater delivery exhibit the same amplitude of response to river discharge and winds. The simulation produces a buoyant outflow that is generally consistent with the observed buoyancy signature, width, length, and vertical structure over a variety of river discharge and wind conditions. The simulated coastal current, however, tends to be somewhat shorter and fresher than observed. Simulated surface drifter paths exhibit the observed onshore advection during downwelling winds as well as offshore transport and current reversals during upwelling winds. A statistical evaluation based on shelf salinity mappings indicates that the model reproduces the observed variance and has only a small bias (less than 10% of plume buoyancy signature). The rms error of 1.2 psu is linked to the shorter and fresher nature of the simulated coastal current. Observational comparisons discussed in this paper indicate that the model can simulate many coastal current features and its response to river discharge and wind forcing.
Visualization of mRNA translation in living cells.

The role of mRNA localization is presumably to effect cell asymmetry by synthesizing proteins in specific cellular compartments. However, protein synthesis has never been directly demonstrated at the sites of mRNA localization. To address this, we developed a live cell method for imaging translation of β-actin mRNA. Constructs coding for β-actin, containing tetracysteine motifs, were transfected into C2C12 cells, and sites of nascent polypeptide chains were detected using the biarsenial dyes FlAsH and ReAsH, a technique we call translation site imaging. These sites colocalized with β-actin mRNA at the leading edge of motile myoblasts, confirming that they were translating. β-Actin mRNA lacking the sequence (zipcode) that localizes the mRNA to the cell periphery, eliminated the translation there. A pulse-chase experiment on living cells showed that the recently synthesized protein correlated spatially with the sites of its translation. Additionally, localization of β-actin mRNA and translation activity was enhanced at cell contacts and facilitated the formation of intercellular junctions.
A semivarying joint model for longitudinal binary and continuous outcomes

Semivarying models extend varying coefficient models by allowing some regression coefficients to be constant with respect to the underlying covariate(s). In this paper we develop a semivarying joint modelling framework for estimating the time-varying association between two intensively measured longitudinal responses: a continuous one and a binary one. To overcome the major challenge of jointly modelling these responses, namely, the lack of a natural multivariate distribution we introduce a Gaussian latent variable underlying the binary response. We then decompose the model into two components: a marginal model for the continuous response and a conditional model for the binary response given the continuous response. We develop a two-stage estimation procedure and discuss the asymptotic normality of the resulting estimators. We assess the finite-sample performance of our procedure using a simulation study, and we illustrate our method by analyzing binary and continuous responses from the Women's Interagency HIV Study. The Canadian Journal of Statistics xx: 1–14; 2015 © 2015 Statistical Society of Canada Resume Les modeles a coefficients semi-variables sont une generalisation des modeles a coefficients variables qui permettent a certains coefficients de regression de demeurer constants par rapport aux covariables sous-jacentes. Les auteurs developpent un cadre de modelisation conjointe afin d'estimer les variations temporelles de l'association entre deux reponses longitudinales mesurees intensement : l'une continue, l'autre binaire. Afin de surmonter le defi majeur de la modelisation conjointe de ces reponses, nommement l'absence d'un candidat naturel pour la distribution multivariee, les auteurs proposent une variable latente gaussienne pour la reponse binaire. Ils decomposent alors le modele en deux composantes : un modele marginal pour la reponse continue, et un modele conditionel pour la reponse binaire sachant la reponse continue. Les auteurs developpent une procedure d'estimation en deux etapes et discutent de la normalite asymptotique des estimateurs ainsi obtenus. Ils evaluent la performance de leur procedure sur des echantillons finis a l'aide de simulations et illustrent leur methode en analysant des reponses binaires et continues de l’etude interinstitutions sur le VIH chez les femmes (WIHS). La revue canadienne de statistique xx: 1–14; 2015 © 2015 Societe statistique du Canada
Chemistry of Intrinsic Membrane Protein Complexes: Studies on Complex III and Cytochrome c Oxidase

The picture of membranes that has emerged recently is one with the lipids in the form of a bilayer with proteins sitting on or penetrating into or completely through the lipid continuum.(1,2) Proteins which enter the bilayer are then called “intrinsic membrane proteins” to distinguish them from proteins which are loosely associated with the surface of the membrane, the “extrinsic membrane proteins.”(1,3)
Abstract 006: An Advance toward Making A Heart: Engineering Functional Human Heart Constructs with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Decellularized Mouse Hearts

Background: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world, requiring the development of novel and personalized therapeutic strategies for disease treatment. Heart tissue engineering holds a great promise for those therapies based on the reconstruction of patient-specific cardiac muscle. A bioartificial heart was reported by reseeding rat cardiomyocytes ( CMs ) into decellularized rat heart. Whether such method could be used to make human heart constructs remained unknown. Objectives: We sought to rebuild functional heart constructs using human induced pluripotent stem ( iPS) cells and decellularized whole mouse hearts. Methods: We repopulated decellularized mouse hearts with human iPS cell derived multipotential cardiovascular progenitors ( MCPs ). MCPs represent the earliest heart progenitors during human cardiogenesis and can give rise to multiple cardiovascular lineage cells. Results: The seeded MCPs differentiated in situ into CMs, smooth muscle and endothelial cells, which reconstructed the decellularized mouse hearts. The engineered constructs exhibited myocardium and vessel-like structures, contracted spontaneously with a rate of 40~50 beats/min, exhibited intracellular Ca2+ transients and responded as expected to various drug interventions. In addition, we found heart ECM could promote proliferation and myofilament formation of CMs from the repopulated human MCPs. Therefore this study established a novel strategy of human heart tissue engineering, which could be beneficial to study heart development, and future preclinical applications.
Groundwater: How much and how old?

A global picture of the age structure and flow path of groundwater is lacking. Tritium concentrations and numerical modelling shed light on both the most recently replenished and the longest stored groundwater within Earth's continents.
FCPR – Forest Conservation Performance Rating for the Pan-Tropics

This note introduces and illustrates fCPR (Forest Conservation Performance Rating), a system of color-coded ratings for tropical forest conservation performance that can be implemented for local areas, countries, regions, and the entire pan-tropics. The ratings reward tropical forest conservation in three dimensions: (1) exceeding expectations, given an area’s forest clearing history and development status; (2) meeting or exceeding global REDD goals; and (3) achieving an immediate reduction in forest clearing. We assign green ratings to areas that meet condition (2); yellow to areas that meet (1) only; and red to countries that fail to meet either condition. We have developed fCPR at the Center for Global Development (CGD), using monthly forest clearing indicators from CGD’s FORMA (Forest Monitoring for Action). This first release rates the quarterly conservation performance of 27 countries currently tracked by FORMA, as well as 242 of their states and provinces that contain tropical forests. The 27 countries accounted for 94 percent of tropical forest clearing during the period 2000-2005. Future releases will include additional countries as FORMA begins tracking them.
Functional Neural Network Connectivity in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a chronic illness with debilitating neurocognitive impairment that remains poorly understood. Previous studies have characterized cognitive deficits as a process by which brain abnormalities are inferred from pre-established testing paradigms using neuroimaging with low temporal resolution. Unfortunateily, this approach has been shown to provide limited predictive power, rendering it inadequate for the study of neuronal communication between synchronized regions. More recent developments have highlighted the importance of modeling spatiotemporal dynamic interactions within and between large-scale and small-scale neural networks on a millisecond time scale. Here, we focus on recent emergent principles of complex cortical systems, suggesting how subtle disruptions of network properties could be related to significant disruptions in cognition and behavior found in ME. This review, therefore, discusses how electrical neuroimaging methods with time-dependent metrics (e.g., coherence, phase, cross-frequency coupling) can be a useful approach for the understanding of the cognitive symptoms in ME. By providing a platform for utilizing real-time alterations of the perpetual signals as an outcome, the disruptions to higher-level cognition typically seen in ME can be readily identified, creating new opportunities for better diagnosis and targeted treatments.
Automated assay of ld-1

A relatively new method for measuring lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme number one (LD-1) using sodium perchlorate as a chaotropic chemical inhibitor, marketed by Abbott Laboratories as A-gent LD-1, was successfully adapted to a Coulter DACOS automated chemical analyzer. Our adaptation gave a rapid (less than 15 minutes), fully automated measurement of LD-1 in cases of suspected acute myocardial infarction. The adaptation showed good precision (within-run coefficient of variation, 1.8%; runto-run coefficient of variation, 4.7%), and good accuracy (r=.958) when measured against electrophoresis as a reference method.
A System-of-Systems Perspective on Information Fusion Systems: Architecture Representation and Evaluation

Information Fusion System employs multiple distributed and heterogeneous systems that collaborate with one another to achieve low-level and high-level information fusion functionality as defined by the JDL Data Fusion Model. The collaboration of distributed, heterogeneous and independent systems corroborates the Systems-of-Systems nature of the Information Fusion System. The main objective of this paper is to introduce a System-ofSystems perspective that enables an integrated design and evaluation of the Information Fusion System. In this paper, we apply a System-of-Systems architecting process to obtain a System-of-Systems representation of the Information Fusion System. The allocation of the JDL Data Fusion Model functional architecture to the System-of-Systems physical architecture results in an Information Fusion System-of-Systems allocated architecture that integrates the low-level and the high-level information fusion functions. Guidelines for creating Information Fusion System-of-Systems allocated architectures are established. These guidelines constraint the design space of Information Fusion System-of-Systems allocated architectures by taking into account the JDL Data Fusion Model limitations and the System-of-Systems considerations. Nonetheless, the non-uniqueness of Information Fusion System-of-System allocated architectures introduces an extensively large design space which requires a highly flexible evaluation model. This paper elaborates a multi-agent system modeling approach – which is built upon System-of-Systems principles – to provide a flexible evaluation model for the Information Fusion System-of-Systems.
Relative Toxicities of Insecticides to the Alfalfa Weevil Parasite Microctonus aethiops and the Influence of Parasitism on Host Susceptibility

The influence of parasitism by Microctonus aethiops (Nees) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on the susceptibility of its primary host, the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) to carbofuran (Furadan®), methoxychlor, methyl parathion and Supracide® was studied in the laboratory. Relative toxicities to the adult and pupal stages of the parasite were also determined. Furadan was the most toxic compound to nonparasitized weevils with an LD50 of 1.18 μg/g body wt, followed by methyl parathion, Supracide and methoxychlor. Methoxychlor was about 3000 times less toxic than Furadan. Parasite egg development in the host did not influence weevil susceptibility. However, parasite larval development increased host susceptibility and the LD50 values decreased by almost one-half. Supracide, Furadan, methyl parathion and methoxychlor were ca. 2, 3, 5 and 600 times more toxic to adult parasites than to adult weevils. Parasite pupae displayed considerable resistance. Furadan and methyl parathion were about 90 times less toxic to pupae than to adults. Similarly, Supracide and methoxychlor toxicity decreased 54- and 17-fold, respectively.
REGIONAL SOCIOLOGY AS A SPECIAL DISCIPLINE

ABOUT two decades ago, Howard W. Odum and his associates at the University of North Carolina began calling the attention of the sociologists of the nation to the highly promising and relatively unexplored area of regional study. The story of how his and his colleagues' interest in the subject matter evolved through the years is told by Odum in his article "From Community Studies to Regionalism."' So logical and appealing were the many books, monographs, and articles produced by the above group that by the late 1930's, popular as well as scientific writers had been inspired to make voluminous contributions to regional literature. In fact, the era of the "New Regionalism" was ushered in with an enthusiasm seldom accorded a new or revised field of endeavor. In view of the wide acclaim accorded the regional approach, one is not surprised at the number of institutions of higher learning in the nation which have added courses centered around this theme to their sociology listings. At the same time a good many research projects throughout the nation are under the direction of regional sociologists. It is thus not out of the way to say that Regional Sociology is coming into its own as a special discipline. In this connection, time is overripe for persons in the field to become concerned with systematic treatments of content matter. Up to the present time what has been written has not usually been designed to give a perspective of the field. Rather, emphasis has been placed on particular regions, specialized characteristics or methodological procedures with comparatively little effort being spent on the proper orientations to the field of sociology, the clarification of definitions, concepts and theory, and the listing of general principles. It is this fact which has prompted Zimmerman's statement, ". . . as yet we have no carefully thought-out regional sociology."2 Heberle has also shown concern over the lack of organization of Regional Sociology. He writes, ". . . The role of sociology in regional studies should be rigidly circumscribed in order to relate these studies to general sociological theory."3 The situation described above provides the stimulus for this effort, the general objective of which is a preliminary statement of Regional Sociology as a special discipline. Only a few of the most pertinent topics to the purpose in mind may be covered in the space allotted, and it is possible to give only general treatment in these cases. It is hoped, however, that others will be moved to give more detailed treatments to this subject in the future. In this regard, a note on needed emphasis in teaching and research is included as a final section in this paper.
Quality analysis of scattered water supply in oil shale area of Maoming City.

[Objective]Maoming city and surrounding townships are oil shale areas. To know the health status of water quality of scattered rural drinking water (well water) in Maoming area,so as to carry out relevant measures to improve the water quality. [Methods]214 samples of scattered drinking water (mainly were well water) in the last 2 years in Maoming city were tested,and the results were evaluated and analyzed according to the Quality Standard for Ground Water (GB/T 14848 - 93) .[Results]Only 55. 1% ,71. 0% and 78. 0% of samples met the III water quality standard for pH value,iron and manganese,respectively. The main reasons included pH value was low,and the contents of iron and manganese were high.[Conclusion]The qualified rate of well water quality in Maoming city and surrounding townships was low. Residents should pay attention to the choice of drinking water source,use the centralized water supply as much as possible,in order to ensure the safety of drinking water safety.
On the Public Opinion Supervision of the Local Newspaper of the Party

In order to put the local newspaper of the Party under the public opinion supervision, we should seek the support of the leader, properly select the subject matter of the report and factually report the news event. The journalist of the newspaper of the Party should be righteous. Moreover, technically, they should employ various modes of reporting.
Genetic analysis of discrete reproductive traits in sheep using linear and nonlinear models: II. Goodness of fit and predictive ability

The performance of linear and nonlinear sire and animal models in the analyses of reproductive traits (fertility, litter size, and ovulation rate) in two sheep populations (Rambouillet and Finnsheep) was compared in terms of goodness of fit and predictive ability. Linear sire (LSM) and animal (LAM) models were used with all traits. Nonlinear models were the threshold, Poisson, and negative binomial. Threshold sire (TSM) and animal (TAM) models were also used with all traits. Litter size and ovulation rate were analyzed also with Poisson and negative binomial sire (PSM and NBSM, respectively) and animal (PAM and NBAM, respectively) models. Variance components were those reported in the companion article. For PAM a new set of variance components derived from estimates found with the linear animal model also was used (PAM-L). Mean squares error (MSE) and correlations between fitted and observed values were used to assess goodness of fit. Predictive ability was assessed by partitioning the data sets for the different traits into two subsets with the restriction that all levels of fixed effects were represented in each subset. Parameters from one subset were employed to predict observations in the other, and then MSE and correlations between observed and predicted values were used as criteria for model comparison. Within estimation procedure, breed, and trait, goodness of fit of sire and animal models was similar. Linear and threshold models resulted in similar fit, and both outperformed Poisson and negative binomial models. In terms of predictive ability, linear and threshold models performed only slightly better than Poisson and negative binomial models. Goodness of fit and predictive ability generally were better when models included permanent environmental effects.
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas

As is the case in other areas of research where advances in basic science have changed concepts in clinical medicine, it has become evident that clinical or morphological criteria alone no longer suffice to classify lymphocytic neoplasms. A definition of the subclass of the cells involved, their immunocytochemical characteristics, and their original role in the immune system appears necessary to arrive at more accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and more appropriate treatment for this group of diseases.
Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 and the kidney.

Purpose of reviewAngiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a monocarboxypeptidase that metabolizes angiotensin II (AngII). AngII levels can be modulated by ACE2 in tissues where the enzyme is highly expressed, such as the kidney. In the kidney, ACE2 has the potential to regulate the intrarenal renin
Antimony(V) cations for the selective catalytic transformation of aldehydes into symmetric ethers, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, and 1,3,5-trioxanes

1-Diphenylphosphinonaphthyl-8-triphenylstibonium triflate ([2][OTf]) was prepared in excellent yield by treating 1-lithio-8-diphenylphosphinonaphthalene with dibromotriphenylstiborane followed by halide abstraction with AgOTf. This antimony(V) cation was found to be stable toward oxygen and water, and exhibited exceptional Lewis acidity. The Lewis acidity of [2][OTf] was exploited in the catalytic reductive coupling of a variety of aldehydes into symmetric ethers of type L in good to excellent yields under mild conditions using Et3SiH as the reductant. Additionally, [2][OTf] was found to selectively catalyze the Aldol condensation reaction to afford α-β unsaturated aldehydes (M) when aldehydes with 2 α-hydrogen atoms were used. Finally, [2][OTf] catalyzed the cyclotrimerization of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes to afford the industrially-useful 1,3,5 trioxanes (N) in good yields, and with great selectivity. This phosphine–stibonium motif represents one of the first catalytic systems of its kind that is able to catalyze these reactions with aldehydes in a controlled, efficient manner. The mechanism of these processes has been explored both experimentally and theoretically. In all cases the Lewis acidic nature of the antimony(V) cation was found to promote these reactions.
Sampling over nonuniform distributions: A neural efficiency account of the primacy effect in statistical learning

Successful knowledge acquisition requires a cognitive system that is both sensitive to statistical information and able to distinguish among multiple structures i.e., to detect pattern shifts and form distinct representations. Extensive behavioral evidence has highlighted the importance of cues to structural change, demonstrating how, without them, learners fail to detect pattern shifts and are biased in favor of early experience. Here, we seek a neural account of the mechanism underpinning this primacy effect in learning. During fMRI scanning, adult participants were presented with two artificial languages: a familiar language L1 on which they had been pretrained followed by a novel language L2. The languages were composed of the same syllable inventory organized according to unique statistical structures. In the absence of cues to the transition between languages, posttest familiarity judgments revealed that learners on average more accurately segmented words from the familiar language compared with the novel one. Univariate activation and functional connectivity analyses showed that participants with the strongest learning of L1 had decreased recruitment of fronto-subcortical and posterior parietal regions, in addition to a dissociation between downstream regions and early auditory cortex. Participants with a strong new language learning capacity i.e., higher L2 scores showed the opposite trend. Thus, we suggest that a bias toward neural efficiency, particularly as manifested by decreased sampling from the environment, accounts for the primacy effect in learning. Potential implications of this hypothesis are discussed, including the possibility that "inefficient" learning systems may be more sensitive to structural changes in a dynamic environment.
Spectroscopy: Analysis of Structure

We have constructed a view of biochemical state space based predominantly on the ideas of a limited set of mechanical motions and the existence of electrical charge. Using just these basic concepts, we have been able to develop useful descriptions of light and electromagnetic radiation and subsequently of atomic and molecular structure. These ideas are developed from the same core physical concepts. Therefore, it is not surprising that we will find a substantial interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. A great deal of structural information can be gained by studying these interactions. In general we can explore the structure of biological molecules by focusing on either the wavelike nature or the quantum treatment of light. The first forms the basis of light-scattering (e.g., X-ray diffraction) experimental methods, and the second, the basis of spectroscopy. We take up spectroscopy next.
Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) (Noncrystalline)

Publisher Summary Noncrystalline silicon nitride (Si3N4) is an important material in the integrated circuit technology. In this context, it is used in thin-film form and can be prepared by a variety of deposition techniques, including pyrolytic decomposition of a mixture of gases containing silicon and nitrogen, sputtering, and glow-discharge techniques. Silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) films can also be readily formed by adding small amounts of NO or O2 to the reactive gases. The optical properties of these films are strongly dependent on the deposition temperature, Si-to-N, and Si-to-O-atom ratios. Other studies also suggest the presence of chemically bound hydrogen in the film. Thus, the stoichiometry of an arbitrary film can be more accurately indicated by SiOxNyHz, and the refractive index and other optical properties can be a function of x, y, and z. Samples prepared by high temperature pyrolysis are generally considered to have, or come close to, the ideal stoichiometry, Si3N4.
Fluororescence in situ hybridization (FISH) gene amplification analysis of EGFR and HER2 in patients with malignant salivary gland tumors (MSGT) treated with lapatinib

C41 Background. MSGT are a heterogeneous group of malignancies with distinct histologies and variable biological behavior. In a previously reported phase II trial of the dual EGFR/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib in progressive MSGT, prolonged disease stabilization of > 6 months was observed in 36% of evaluable patients (pts) [Agulnik et al, J Clin Oncol 2007]. MSGT pts were divided into 2 cohorts in this trial: adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and non-adenoid cystic carcinoma (non-ACC). Methods. FISH analysis for both EGFR and HER2 gene amplification was performed successfully in the archival tumor specimens of 20 pts with ACC and 17 pts with non-ACC, all treated with lapatinib. For EGFR, high polysomy and gene amplification would qualify as being FISH positive. For HER2, specimens were determined to be amplified if the ratio of HER2 signals to chromosome 17 centromere (CEP17) signals was > 2.0. Results. For ACC, no EGFR or HER2 gene amplifications were detected. For non-ACC, no EGFR gene amplifications were detected but 3 pts (18%) were HER2 amplified. All 3 HER2 amplified non-ACC pts had poorly differentiated histologies (1 squamous, 2 adenocarcinomas), and all had stained 3+ for both EGFR and HER2 by immunohistochemistry in their archival specimens. Only 2 of these 3 pts were evaluable for efficacy as 1 pt never received lapatinib, and these 2 pts have time-to-progression (TTP) duration of 8.3 months (mo) and 18.4 mo. For pts with both FISH and efficacy outcome data, the HER2 to CEP17 ratio was explored to determine its predictive value for TTP. Interestingly, when this ratio was stratified as low ( 1.1), pts with low and high ratios had a prolonged TTP than those with moderate ratios. For ACC pts, the TTP of pts with low/high ratios was 9.5 mo versus 3.1 mo for those with moderate ratios (p = 0.03). For non-ACC pts, the TTP of pts with low/high ratios was 8.3 mo versus 1.6 mo for those with moderate ratios (p = 0.015). Conclusions. EGFR gene amplifications were not found in MSGT. HER2 gene amplifications using conventional criteria were not found in ACC, but were found in a minority of non-ACC MSGT pts, all of whom had 3+ HER2 staining by immunohistochemistry. Pts with low or high HER2 to CEP17 FISH ratios appear to have a longer TTP than those with moderate ratios, perhaps reflecting improved clinical outcomes in a dual pt population. A low HER2 to CEP17 FISH ratio may have prognostic value and reflects pts who have a less aggressive disease biology, whereas a high HER2 to CEP17 FISH ratio may have predictive value and reflects pts who benefited most from lapatinib. Further exploration of this as a marker of efficacy is warranted.
Thiopurines and inflammatory bowel disease: Current evidence and a historical perspective

The use of thiopurines in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been examined in numerous prospective, controlled trials, with a majority demonstrating a clinical benefit. We conducted this review to describe the historical and current evidence in the use of thiopurines in IBD. A systematic search was performed on MEDLINE between 1965 and 2016 to identify studies on thiopurines in IBD. The most robust evidence for thiopurines in IBD includes induction of remission in combination with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents, and maintenance of remission and post-operative maintenance in Crohn's disease. Less evidence exists for thiopurine monotherapy in induction of remission, maintenance of ulcerative colitis, chemoprevention of colorectal cancer, and in preventing immunogenicity to anti-TNF. Evidence was often limited by trial design. Overall, thiopurines have demonstrated efficacy in a broad range of presentations of IBD. With more efficacious novel therapeutic agents, the positioning of thiopurines in the management of IBD will change and future studies will analyze the benefit of thiopurines alone and in conjunction with these new medications.
A Co-Performance of Radical Change: Venus Hottentot, Slut Shaming, and Sexual Violence:

Sara Baartman (“Venus Hottentot”) was a curvaceous South African teenager lured to Europe to perform for audiences in 1810—her genitals and brain posthumously dissected, pickled, and museumized. As...
As Eleições Presidenciais de 2002 nas páginas de “Veja”

Este trabajo analiza 27 ediciones de la revista semanal brasilena mas influyente, Veja, del 1er de mayo a 30 de octubre de 2002, aplicando metodos de la teoria semiotica de tradicion francesa. El analisis trata del discurso de la revista, con foco en el tema de las elecciones presidenciales celebradas en aquel ano. Los resultados muestran que Veja es una revista de opinion, de tendencia conservadora, que cree en la globalizacion y en los mercados como fuerza principal en el mundo, alineada con los intereses de las clases altas y del exito individual en el sistema capitalista. En ese contexto, tuvo una posicion antagonica al candidato Lula y de apoyo a Jose Serra.