cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Into the Wild: Vegetation, Alien Plants, and Familiar Fire at the Exurban Frontier

The spatial expansion of human populations threatens or alters ecosystems on much of the country’s privately owned exurban land. These impacts affect the many ways that plants, animals, and environments interact and influence one another. This chapter considers exurban impacts to plant habitat, plant species, plant community structure, ecological processes, and social conditions within, nearby, and at a distance from development. The properties of major vegetation eco-regions in the United States are described and how and why exurban development alters ecological processes over varying spatial and temporal scales is explained. Issues such as fire suppression, land fragmentation, and the introduction of nonnative vegetation are discussed as artifacts of exurban land development. The chapter also draws on the research literature to discuss why specific development densities and configurations are best suited for particular vegetation regimes and points to the mitigation techniques that have proven most successful.
Myelopathy Secondary to Congenital Osteopetrosis of the Cervical Spine

Congenital Osteopetrosis (Albers-Schonberg disease, Marble bone disease) is a complex disorder of genetic origin associated with extremely thickened bone, the consequence of defective osteoclast function. Hydrocephalus frequently occurs in these patients, but its cause is unclear. The present case, a 15-year-old boy has been followed since age 4 when the diagnosis of osteopetrosis was established. At age 6 hydrocephalus was first noted and ventriculoperitoneal shunt was inserted. This has required several revisions. His most recent hospital admission was occasioned by compressive cervical myelopathy secondary to congenital osteopetrosis of the upper cervical vertebrae. CT examination of the skull revealed an extremely thickened calvarium with obliteration of the subarachnoid spaces. It is possible that obliteration of subarachnoid spaces by skeletal enlargement may be one of the possible mechanisms for hydrocephalus in osteopetrosis. (Neurosurgery 20: 487–489, 1987)
Roles of succession, light, nutrients and disturbance on population vigor and maintenance of the rare plant Solidago shortii (Asteraceae)

Results of field and glasshouse experiments on Solidago shortii, and our observations on this species over many years, were used to construct a conceptual model of the roles of succession, light, soil nutrients and disturbance on population vigor and maintenance of this federal-endangered species. As cover of woody vegetation increased at a population site between 1986 and 1992, number of flowering ramets of S. shortii significantly decreased but number of vegetative ramets remained nearly constant. Adult plants transplanted into a redcedar thicket and those shaded in a glasshouse produced many fewer flowering ramets and capitula per flowering ramet and less biomass and had higher mortality than those in the open. Seedlings/juveniles shaded in a glasshouse had significantly less dry biomass; lower RGR, NAR, leaf area and root/shoot ratio and higher LAR, SLA and LWR than nonshaded ones. In a field site and glasshouse, fertilized plants (NPK) consistently had more flowering ramets and capitula per flowering ramet than nonfertilized ones. Hierarchy of dry weight of plants grown in a glasshouse in soils derived from five types of bedrock was phosphatic limestone > calcareous shale > sandstone > black shale = dolomite. Flowering and biomass production in the field-fertilizer and soil-type experiments were associated closely with levels of P. Number of flowering ramets significantly increased in plants transferred from shaded to nonshaded glasshouse conditions, but no such increase occurred after opening the canopy above plants in a thicket. Both high light and high nutrient levels apparently are necessary to maintain high vigor of S. shortii. In areas subject to invasion by woody plants, periodic high intensity disturbance may be required to prevent population extirpation.
CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HEALTHY AGING FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

The absence of “culture” when discussing social determinants of health has created barriers to healthy aging for older adults with limited-English proficiency (LEP). Cultural determinants of health are critical to the study of aging and health, given that today’s unprecedented number of older adults (65 years plus) are also the most diverse than any time in our history. Our rapidly aging population includes a growing LEP immigrant and refugee sub-population who experience significant health disparities compared to English-proficient older adults. This paper is a secondary analysis from a parent study that explored barriers and facilitators to preventive cancer screenings for Hmong and Spanish-speaking LEP patients in a large healthcare system in the Midwest (N=20). Three themes emerged regarding LEP older adults’ health behavior: (1) adherence to cultural beliefs about health and illness, (2) differential attitudes between traditional healing practices and western medicine, and (3) a general distrust of western healthcare. Results suggest language barriers led to stronger adherence to their cultural attitudes about health in part because of their limitation to understand American culture. The LEP patient present unique challenges, especially since a language barrier is not an isolated situation. It is critical to understand how the combination effect of language and culture create cross-cultural barriers on health outcomes because their perspective on health and illness does not align with the US healthcare system perspective. Understanding the cultural determinants of health is an important factor to consider as this aging LEP population are at greater risk for age-related health complications.
Adjunct Publication of the 30th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology

Welcome to the 30th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST), held from October 22nd to October 25th 2017, in Quebec City, Canada. UIST is the premier forum for the presentation of research innovations in the software and technology of human-computer interfaces. Sponsored by ACM's special interest groups on computer-human interaction (SIGCHI) and computer graphics (SIGGRAPH), UIST brings together researchers and practitioners from diverse areas including graphical & web user interfaces, tangible & ubiquitous computing, virtual & augmented reality, multimedia, new input & output devices, fabrication, wearable computing and CSCW. UIST 2017 received 324 technical paper submissions. After a thorough review process, the 42-member program committee accepted 73 papers (22.5%). Each anonymous submission that entered the full review process was first reviewed by three external reviewers, and a meta-review was provided by a program committee member. If, after these four reviews, the submission was deemed to pass a rebuttal threshold, we asked the authors to submit a short rebuttal addressing the reviewers' concerns and a second member of the program committee to review the paper. The program committee met in person at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, USA on June 23rd and 24th, 2017, to select the papers to invite for the program. Submissions were accepted only after the authors provided a final revision addressing the committee's comments. Three papers (<1% of submissions) were recognized by the reviewers and the program committee as Best Papers and eight (2.5%) received Honorable Mentions. In addition to papers, our program includes 26 posters, 56 demonstrations, and 8 student presentations in the thirteenth annual Doctoral Symposium. Our program also features the ninth annual Student Innovation Contest - teams from all over the world will compete in this year's contest, in which we explore how novel input, interaction, actuation, and output techniques can augment experiences that literally "reach out" into the world. Student teams will develop novel input and output techniques for an Arduino Braccio, a desktop-sized and fully-customizable, multi-DOF robotic arm. The opening keynote will be given by Prof. Gabriella Coleman from McGill University and the closing keynote will be given by Prof. Niki Kittur from Carnegie Mellon University. Both will highlight impactful and sometimes unexpected ways in which interactive technology can be used to shape our society. Once again: Welcome to Quebec City and to UIST 2017!
Automated image quality evaluation of structural brain MRI using an ensemble of deep learning networks

Background Deep learning (DL) is a promising methodology for automatic detection of abnormalities in brain MRI. Purpose To automatically evaluate the quality of multicenter structural brain MRI images using an ensemble DL model based on deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs). Study type Retrospective. Population The study included 1064 brain images of autism patients and healthy controls from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. MRI data from 110 multiple sclerosis patients from the CombiRx study were included for independent testing. Sequence T1 -weighted MR brain images acquired at 3T. Assessment The ABIDE data were separated into training (60%), validation (20%), and testing (20%) sets. The ensemble DL model combined the results from three cascaded networks trained separately on the three MRI image planes (axial, coronal, and sagittal). Each cascaded network consists of a DCNN followed by a fully connected network. The quality of image slices from each plane was evaluated by the DCNN and the resultant image scores were combined into a volumewise quality rating using the fully connected network. The DL predicted ratings were compared with manual quality evaluation by two experts. Statistical tests Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values. Results The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV for image quality evaluation of the ABIDE test set using the ensemble model were 0.90, 0.77, 0.85, 0.84, 0.42, and 0.96, respectively. On the CombiRx set the same model achieved performance of 0.71, 0.41, 0.84, 0.73, 0.48, and 0.80. Data conclusion This study demonstrated the high accuracy of DL in evaluating image quality of structural brain MRI in multicenter studies. Level of evidence 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1260-1267.
Metallothionein isoform gene expression in four human bladder cancer cell lines

The expression of metallothionein (MT) has been demonstrated using immunohistochemical methods in a number of human tumors, including: testicular embryonal carcinomas, thyroid tumors, transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder, in situ and invasive breast carcinomas, malignant melanomas, pancreatic carcinomas, and salivary gland tumors. In the most widely studied instance, ductal breast carcinoma, the expression of immunoreactive MT has been shown to correlate with a poor disease prognosis [1–4]. In more limited studies, the immunohistochemical expression of MT in transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary tract has been correlated with tumor resistance to chemotherapeutic regimens employing cisplatin or cisplatin alone [5, 6]. However, the direct correlation of MT expression with a poor prognosis is not universal. In colorectal adenocarcinoma, an inverse correlation of MT expression to tumor stage and lymph node involvement was demonstrated [7]. While these studies demonstrate the potential use of MT as a prognostic indicator, interpretation is limited by the fact that the MT antibody reveals expression of a family of genes, not a specific gene product. In humans, the MTs are encoded by a family of genes located at 16g13 that contains 10 functional and 7 non-functional MT isoforms [8–11]. Based on charge characteristics, the genes are divided into four classes designated 1–4. With the exception of MT-4 which has not been extensively studied, the other MT genes have been shown to exhibit inducer-, tissue-, and developmental-specific patterns of gene regulation. Questions remain as to which MT gene products are being assessed in protocols using MT immunolocalization to define tumor prognosis and if expression patterns vary within and among tumors. As an initial step in addressing whether different MT isoforms are expressed in transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary tract, the present study uses reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technology as described previously to determine the expression of the human MT isoforms in four bladder cancer cell lines [12].
Quadravalvular Noninfectious Endocarditis.

Abstract Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is characterized by sterile thrombi on cardiac valves. This report describes the case of nonbacterial endocarditis without pathologic findings of fibrin or platelet deposition. Quadrivalvular endocarditis was found to be due to immunoglobulin M heavy chain deposition. This was a case of nonbacterial, nonthrombotic quadrivalvular endocarditis, which was termed noninfective endocarditis. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Prevalence and Course of Treatment of Common Hip Diagnoses Presenting to a Sports Medicine Clinic.

Background Hip-related pain and pathology can have an overall negative impact on healthrelated quality of life. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of symptoms at the hip may expedite the recovery process and allow for an earlier return to normal activity. Knowing the prevalence of a condition can help facilitate the diagnostic process. However, the prevalence of hip diagnoses and associated courses of treatment have not been described. Methods A retrospective study was performed on patients presenting to a sports medicine clinic. Information on demographics, duration of pain, course of treatment, history of previous injury or surgery, and mechanism of injury was collected. Multivariate linear regression and multivariate logistic regression were utilized to describe differences in course of treatment between diagnostic groups. Results Six hundred eighteen patients were included in this study, with 641 hips analyzed. Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) was the most frequent diagnosis (212 hips), followed by "musculotendinous pain" and "hip pain, not otherwise specified." Of those diagnosed with FAIS, 30.1% had secondary diagnoses in other categories. Home exercise programs were the most commonly prescribed treatment, followed by injections and physical therapy. Having a diagnosis of FAIS or chondrolabral pathology increased the odds of surgery. Conclusion Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome was the most common diagnosis in our cohort and had the highest frequency of concurrent diagnoses. A combination of a home exercise program, injection, and physical therapy made up the typical course of treatment, while surgery was utilized less frequently.
The Health of Women Farmworkers and Women in Farmworker Families in the Eastern United States

Women are integral members of the Latinx farmworker community, both as farmworkers themselves and as members of households that contain one or more farmworkers. The proportion of farmworkers who are women has increased, nationally, over the past two decades, and is greater in the eastern United States than the country as a whole. Women in the farmworker community face social, economic, and ethnic discrimination that shapes their mental and physical health risks and can limit their access to care. Their experience is likely different from men due to sexual harassment and domestic obligations that often fall primarily on women. Research on the health of women in the Latinx farmworker community is spotty, with few studies focusing directly on women. It is likely that health hazards known to exist (e.g., heat-related illness and pesticide exposure) pose risks for women that differ from those for men, but little research has been conducted with sufficient numbers of women to adequately explore these differences. This chapter reviews current knowledge of risks and health outcomes and makes recommendations for future research, practice, and policy.
Emerging therapies in acute ischemic stroke

Thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy have revolutionized the care of patients with acute ischemic stroke. The number of patients who can benefit from these treatments continues to increase as new studies demonstrate that not just time since stroke onset but also collateral circulation influences outcome. Technologies such as telestroke, mobile stroke units, and artificial intelligence are playing an increasing role in identifying and treating stroke. Stroke-systems-of-care models continue to streamline the delivery of definitive revascularization in the age of mechanical thrombectomy.
Unrecognized Hemoglobin Variants in the Donor Blood Supply Are Detectable in the Transfused Population

Objectives The US Food and Drug Administration requires donated blood to be tested for various infectious diseases to ensure safety and purity. However, testing for hemoglobin variants is not required, despite reported occurrences of hemoglobin variant transfusion and concerns about the safety of such transfusions. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of hemoglobin variants within the blood supply. Methods We performed a 2-part study. First, we tested all RBC units in our blood bank by high-performance liquid chromatography for the presence of hemoglobin variants. Second, we performed a retrospective analysis of hemoglobin variant testing completed for routine management of sickle cell disease patients at our institution over a 5-month period to identify cases of hemoglobin variant transfusion. Results We found that 2 of 476 (0.4%) RBC units in our blood bank contained a hemoglobin variant, and 5 of 563 (0.9%) sickle cell patients seen at our institution in a 5-month period were transfused with RBCs containing a hemoglobin variant. Conclusions We confirmed that hemoglobin variants are present within the blood supply, and the frequency of hemoglobin variant transfusion is elevated for patients with sickle cell disease given the increased prevalence of hemoglobin variants in the population of matched donors.
Abstract A04: Childhood cancer incidence among specific Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the U.S.

Background: We sought to explore variation in childhood cancer incidence rates among specific Asian and Pacific Islander (API) groups. Despite high genetic diversity in this region of the world, API groups in the United States are often combined into a single race/ethnic group. Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Detailed Asian/Pacific Islander (2000-Centered) data was used for this analysis. Cancer diagnoses occurring between January 1998 to December 2002 from 14 SEER registries were included. Detailed racial/ethnic population data from the 2000 census was used to calculate incidence rates for individual races with at least 500,000 individuals. We also combined this data into groups based on geographic regions and genetic similarity, which included East Asia (China, Japan, Korea; n=377 cases), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia; n=136 cases), Asian Indian/Pakistan (n=163 cases), Oceania (Guam, Samoa, Tonga; n=29 cases), and the Philippines (n=199 cases). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated comparing each API regional group to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), and each API regional group to East Asians. Results: Incidence rates among detailed Asian and Pacific Islander groups varied. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was significantly lower in children of SE Asian (IRR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42, 0.82) and Filipino (IRR 0.73, 95% CI 0.57, 1.00) descent compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was more common among children from Oceania compared to NHW (IRR 3.44, 95% CI 1.63, 7.28). Central nervous system (CNS) cancers were less common among East Asian (IRR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58, 0.96), SE Asian (IRR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28, 0.73), and Filipino (IRR 0.48, 95% CI 0.32, 0.72) children compared to NHW. When comparing the incidence of cancers among API regions, few clear patterns emerged. The incidence of AML in children from Oceania was nearly four times that in East Asians (IRR 3.88, 95% CI 1.64, 9,.11), though roughly the same among all other regions. The incidence rates of ALL (IRR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41, 0.97) and malignant gonadal germ cell tumors (IRR 0.29 95% CI 0.08, 0.97) were lower in SE Asians compared to East Asians. Lymphoma was twice as common in Asian Indians/Pakistani children compared to East Asians (IRR 2.13, 95% CI 1.33, 2.29). Conclusions: The variation observed in cancer incidence patterns among these groups is important and may indicate differences in underlying etiology and/or exposure patterns. These findings highlight possible disparities in cancer incidence between specific API groups. Citation Format: Kristin J. Moore, Aubrey K. Hubbard, Lindsay A. Williams, Logan G. Spector. Childhood cancer incidence among specific Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the U.S. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr A04.
Requerimiento de Capital Bancario y Ciclos Económicos en un Modelo DSGE (Banking Capital Requirements and Business Cycles in a DSGE Model)

Spanish Abstract: Esta investigacion busca analizar si el requerimiento de capital bancario se comporta como un acelerador financiero. Ademas, se evalua los efectos sobre la volatilidad del producto y demas variables macroeconomicas y financieras de tres regimenes de regulacion en el requerimiento de capital (capital fijo, prociclico y contraciclico). Para ello desarrollo un modelo microfundado de equilibrio general (DSGE) caracterizado por agentes ricardianos y no ricardianos, estos ultimos no tienen acceso al sistema financiero, y un sector bancario sujeto a una restriccion de requerimiento de capital impuesta por el regulador. Las simulaciones del modelo, calibrado para la economia peruana, indican que el requerimiento de capital bancario se comporta como un amortiguador del choque de productividad; ademas, el regimen de regulacion contraciclico (menor requerimiento de capital en malos tiempos) ayuda a disminuir la volatilidad de las variables endogenas. Finalmente, se observa que la inclusion de mas familias al sector financiero disminuye la volatilidad del consumo, producto, inversion, creditos, etc. en la fase recesiva del ciclo economico. English Abstract: This research seeks to analyze if the banking capital requirement behaves like a financial accelerator. In addition, the effects on the volatility of the product and other macroeconomic and financial variables of three regulatory regimes in the capital requirement (fixed, procyclical and countercyclical capital) are evaluated. For this purpose, I developed a general equilibrium model (DSGE) characterized by Ricardian and non-Ricardian agents, the latter have no access to the financial system, and a banking sector subject to a capital requirement restriction imposed by the regulator. The simulations of the model, calibrated for the Peruvian economy, indicate that the bank capital requirement behaves like a shock absorber of the productivity shock; In addition, the countercyclical regulation regimen (lower capital requirements in bad times) helps to reduce the volatility of endogenous variables. Finally, it is observed that the inclusion of more families in the financial sector reduces the volatility of consumption, product, investment, credits, etc. in the recessive phase of the economic cycle.
Assessing the Impacts of Prescribed Fire and Bison Disturbance on Birds Using Bioacoustic Recorders

Grassland bird responses to grazing and prescribed fire are species-specific and are primarily known from systems with cattle as the predominant grazer. There is less knowledge of how grazing by bison impacts grassland birds, especially in sites restored and reconstructed from row-crop agriculture. Working at a tallgrass prairie site consisting of restored and remnant prairie in the years following bison reintroduction and ongoing prescribed burning, we assessed overall species richness and the relative detection frequency of five focal species (Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, and Brown-headed Cowbird). We used stationary bioacoustics recorders to record the soundscape during the summer breeding season in areas with and without bison from 2016 to 2018. Species richness and the detection frequencies of our focal species were not influenced by bison disturbance. Grasshopper Sparrow and Dickcissel detection frequency increased slightly in response to prescribed fire, whereas Henslow's Sparrow detection frequency decreased. Time since sites were restored was a predominant factor that influenced the variation in detection frequency of Henslow's Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks, likely due to vegetation differences in restored versus remnant sites and each species' vegetation structure preferences. Brown-headed Cowbird detection frequency was unaffected by bison presence, prescribed fire, or time since restoration, but varied among sampling years. Our focal species showed no response to bison disturbance 4 y after the bison reintroduction. This suggests there could be a time-lag for a response or that these species will not respond to the bison reintroduction at this study site.
Reforming the World: The Creation of America's Moral Empire

Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations xi Introduction 1 Part I: Networks of Empire Chapter 1: Webs of Communication 13 Chapter 2: Missionary Lives, Transnational Networks: The Misses Margaret and Mary Leitch 28 Part II: Origins of American Empire Chapter 3: The Missionary Impulse 49 Chapter 4: The Matrix of Moral Reform 74 Chapter 5: Blood, Souls, and Power: American Humanitarianism Abroad in the 1890s 98 Part III: The Challenge of American Colonialism Chapter 6: Reforming Colonialism 123 Chapter 7: Opium and the Fashioning of the American Moral Empire 146 Chapter 8: Ida Wells and Others: Radical Protest and the Networks of American Expansion 166 Part IV: The Era of World War I and the Wilsonian New World Order Chapter 9: States of Faith: Missions and Morality in Government 191 Chapter 10: To Make a Dry World: The New World Order of Prohibition 209 Conclusion: The Judgments of Heaven: Change and Continuity in Moral Reform 227 Notes 247 Index 309
Treatment of complex fractures of the distal radius: combined use of internal and external fixation and arthroscopic reduction

SUMMARY A group of fractures of the distal radius are inherently unstable and cannot be treated by closed reduction and cast or external fixation. These fractures are high-energy motor vehicle accidents often seen in young adults but possible in nearly every age group. They are not typical Colles's fractures because they are intra-articular with displacement of the joint articular surfaces. The goals of treatment are to obtain an anatomic reduction and then to proceed with treatment techniques to maintain the reduction by whatever methods are available or necessary within the experience of the treating surgeon. Previous admonitions that Colles's fractures should not be treated by open reduction are incorrect. Like other intra-articular fractures, the goal is anatomic alignment. Limited open reduction or newer arthroscopic techniques may be sufficient. A more aggressive approach of open reduction, internal and external fixation, and autogenous bone grafting is now indicated in most high-energy distal radius fractures to achieve the treatment goals defined earlier: anatomic joint surface reduction, restoration of radial length, and correction of dorsal malangulation.
Selective induction of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein isoforms occurs during rat liver development

Abstract Background/Aims: Recent evidence suggests that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) transcription factors may regulate hepatocyte terminal differentiation. Methods: To explore this possibility, the present study looked for variations in the expression or DNA binding activity of different C/EBP isoforms during rat postnatal liver development and determined which of the C/EBPs were expressed by adult hepatocytes in primary culture. Results: In intact rats, hepatocyte proliferation is active for 2–3 weeks after birth. During this period of postnatal liver growth, several liver-specific functions emerge and C/EBPα, β, and δ isoforms are induced. Nuclear expression of the 36-kilodalton C/EBPδ protein increases immediately after birth, followed first by increases in the 38-kilodalton C/EBPβ protein expression and then by increases in the 42-kilodalton C/EBPα protein expression. Changes in C/EBP DNA binding activity accompany developmental increases in C/EBP proteins. Messenger RNAs of all three C/EBP isoforms are expressed by mature hepatocytes in primary culture. Conclusions: Specific C/EBP isoforms are induced differentially during the course of rat postnatal liver development. Young adult rats and cultured adult hepatocytes express all three C/EBP isoforms. These results are consistent with (but do not prove) the theory that variations in C/EBP expression and function help regulate hepatocyte terminal differentiation.
Modeling heterogeneity in susceptibility and infectivity for HIV infection

Models of the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection must deal with substantial heterogeneity in the populations at risk. The virus is spread by behaviors that are far from uniformly distributed in the population, and substantial variations in biological aspects of susceptibility and infectivity are also likely. How adequately a model represents this heterogeneity will substantially determine its accuracy and usefulness for capturing the dynamics of the epidemic, for making forecasts of future spread, and for answering questions of policy interest.
Alphatic 3,4-epoxyalcohols. Metabolism by epoxide hydrase and mutagenic activity.

Abstract Rabbit hepatic microsomal epoxide hydrase catalyzes the rapid hydrolysis of 1,2-epoxy-4-heptanol to 1,2,4-heptanetriol. Both diastereomers of the substrate are hydrolyzed, and both product diastereomers are formed. Similarly, both cis- and trans-3,4-epoxy-1-hexanol are hydrolyzed, albeit more slowly, to give 1,3,4-hexanetriol. The trans isomer gives exclusively one diastereomer (erythro) of the triol, while the cis isomer gives the other diastereomer (threo). The product expected if a primary cationic intermediate were to be formed and trapped intramolecularly during the hydrolysis of 1,2-epoxy-4-heptanol, 2-propyl-4-tetrahydrofuranol, was not observed. A comparison of the mutagenic activity in the Ames test of 1-heptane, 1-hepten-4-ol, 1,2-epoxyheptane, and 1,2-epoxy-4-heptanol revealed that only the latter is a detectable mutagen. A vicinal hydroxyl therefore does not interfere significantly with enzymatic epoxide hydrolysis, but it does enhance the bioalkylating potential of even an aliphatic epoxide.
Alterations in primary motor cortex neurotransmission and gene expression in hemi-parkinsonian rats with drug-induced dyskinesia

Treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) with dopamine replacement relieves symptoms of poverty of movement, but often causes drug-induced dyskinesias. Accumulating clinical and pre-clinical evidence suggests that the primary motor cortex (M1) is involved in the pathophysiology of PD and that modulating cortical activity may be a therapeutic target in PD and dyskinesia. However, surprisingly little is known about how M1 neurotransmitter tone or gene expression is altered in PD, dyskinesia or associated animal models. The present study utilized the rat unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model of PD/dyskinesia to characterize structural and functional changes taking place in M1 monoamine innervation and gene expression. 6-OHDA caused dopamine pathology in M1, although the lesion was less severe than in the striatum. Rats with 6-OHDA lesions showed a PD motor impairment and developed dyskinesia when given L-DOPA or the D1 receptor agonist, SKF81297. M1 expression of two immediate-early genes (c-Fos and ARC) was strongly enhanced by either L-DOPA or SKF81297. At the same time, expression of genes specifically involved in glutamate and GABA signaling were either modestly affected or unchanged by lesion and/or treatment. We conclude that M1 neurotransmission and signal transduction in the rat 6-OHDA model of PD/dyskinesia mirror features of human PD, supporting the utility of the model to study M1 dysfunction in PD and the elucidation of novel pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
Observational Evidence for Mergers

Theory has long suggested that dynamical friction between colliding galaxies must lead to mergers. The problem for observers has been to find which galaxies are mergers. I shall first review the available evidence for mergers in various kinds of galaxies, then propose a tentative classification scheme for mergers, and finally discuss mergers in giant ellipticals and their relation to the evolution and perhaps even the formation of ellipticals.
Histopathologic and immunocytochemical analysis of the retina and ocular tissues in batten disease

Abstract Purpose To describe the pathophysiologic features of retinal degeneration in Batten disease (juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis [JNCL]) caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene. Study design Comparative human tissue study. Materials The retina and other ocular tissues of a 22-year-old man with JNCL were compared with the same tissues of a healthy 30-year-old man. DNA from whole blood and RNA from retina were used for genotype analysis. Methods The retinas, corneas, conjunctiva, and ciliary body were processed for histopathologic and immunofluorescence analysis. Genomic DNA was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nucleotide sequence analyses. Reverse transcriptase/PCR and sequence analysis were performed on retinal RNA. Results The JNCL donor was heterozygous for a ∼1 kb deletion in CLN3 , as found in most JNCL patients. The other allele had a single base pair deletion in exon 6 that resulted in a frame shift. Gross pathology of the JNCL retina resembled that in retinitis pigmentosa, including deposits of bone spicule pigment. Histopathologic studies revealed loss of neurons from all retinal layers. Immunofluorescence labeling with antibodies to rhodopsin, recoverin, and cone opsin demonstrated degenerate rods and cones with short outer segments in the far periphery. Autofluorescent lipopigment granules were prominent in ganglion cells and some cells of the inner nuclear layer, but not in the photoreceptors. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) had fewer lipofuscin granules than the control specimen. Increased numbers of lipofuscin granules were found in the epithelia of the ciliary body and conjunctiva, but not in the cornea of the JNCL eye. Conclusions Immunofluorescence studies revealed degenerate rods and cones in the far periphery. Lipofuscin granules were decreased in the RPE, consistent with loss of photoreceptor outer segments. The novel finding that degenerate photoreceptors did not contain autofluorescent inclusions suggests that granule accumulation may not precede photoreceptor degeneration in JNCL. The presence of normal photoreceptor proteins in the degenerate rods and cones suggests that these cells may be capable of functional regeneration if a therapy for Batten disease is developed.
Sepiapterin reverses the changes in gastric nNOS dimerization and function in diabetic gastroparesis

Background We have demonstrated previously that in vivo supplementation of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4); a co-factor for neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) significantly restored delayed gastric emptying and attenuated nitrergic relaxation in diabetic rat. In this study, we have investigated whether supplementation of sepiapterin (SEP), a precursor for BH4 biosynthesis via salvage pathway restores gastric emptying and nitrergic system in female diabetic rats. Methods Diabetic rats (streptozotocin-induced) were supplemented with BH4 or SEP (20 mg kg−1 body weight). Gastric nitrergic relaxation in the presence or absence of high glucose and SEP were measured by electric field stimulation. Gastric muscular strips from healthy or diabetic female rats were incubated in the presence or absence of high glucose, SEP and/or methotrexate (MTX). Nitric oxide release was measured colorimetrically by NO assay kit. The expression of nNOSα and dimerization was detected by Western blot. Key Results In vitro studies on gastric muscular tissues showed that MTX, an inhibitor of BH4 synthesis via salvage pathway, significantly decreased NO release. In vivo treatment with MTX reduced both gastric nitrergic relaxation and nNOSα dimerization. Supplementation of SEP significantly attenuated delayed gastric emptying in diabetic rats. In addition, SEP supplementation restored impaired nitrergic relaxation, gastric nNOSα protein expression, and dimerization in diabetic rats. Conclusions & Inferences The above data suggests that supplementation of SEP accelerated gastric emptying and attenuated reduced gastric nNOSα expression, and dimerization. Therefore, SEP supplementation is a potential therapeutic option for female patients of diabetic gastroparesis.
Understanding the Bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors: A Primer

The federal government’s investment in the American automotive industry in 2008 and 2009 has sparked controversy over the government’s role in private enterprise, in general, and the bankruptcy process, in particular. Critics of the reorganizations assert that the bankruptcies threaten to undermine the rule of law. To save the politically powerful union, the government elevated the unsecured claims of organized labor above the secured claims of investors, according to critics, overturning well-established creditor priorities in bankruptcy. This precedent-setting distortion of bankruptcy priorities, critics argue, will have severe consequences, resulting in a greater cost of capital for borrowers. Supporters reply that the restructurings comply with existing bankruptcy law and practice. According to the supporters, the critics are bothered by the fact that the government was a major participant in the transactions, and that it chose to favor the union over investors. The scope and intensity of this debate suggests that these cases might have a crucial impact on the future of bankruptcy. This Article explores that possibility. The Article describes how the two automotive companies structured their bankruptcies, and how those structures were challenged in the courts. The Article presents the arguments made on each side of the debate, in a point-counterpoint format. Unlike existing studies, which argue either for or against the restructurings, this Article takes an even-handed approach, exploring the arguments and counterarguments on both sides. The Article advances certain reforms which, by responding to the concerns on both sides of the debate, promise to bring greater clarity to bankruptcy practice. The Article also takes an early glimpse at effects the Chrysler and General Motors decisions may have on bankruptcy law, by examining the initial cases that cite or discuss the court decisions.
The Anesthesia Patient with Acute Coronary Syndrome

This article reviews the current state of knowledge of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of acute coronary syndrome outside and during the perioperative period. It highlights some aspects of relevance for the anesthesiologist caring for these patients. Perioperative modalities for the management of patients suffering from this syndrome, the major guidelines and the evidence behind them, and possible avenues for future research is explored.
On the Magnetic Fields and Particle Acceleration in Cassiopeia A

We investigate the nonthermal X-ray emission from Cas A, using BeppoSAX, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory OSSE, and Chandra data. For the hard X-ray continuum we test the model proposed by Laming, which invokes nonthermal bremsstrahlung from electrons accelerated by lower hybrid plasma waves. The justification for this model comes from our determination of a lower limit to the average magnetic field of B > 0.5 mG. For such high magnetic fields, the synchrotron losses are severe enough that most of the electron populations responsible for the radio emission have maximum electron energies well below the limit for which X-ray synchrotron emission is important. However, we do suggest that the rim surrounding Cas A, seen in Chandra continuum images, is X-ray synchrotron emission. The width of this rim of 15-4'' can be used to infer the magnetic field near the shock front, for which we estimate B = 0.08-0.16 mG and electron energies of ~57-40 TeV. This magnetic field strength is lower than the average magnetic field but higher than what may be expected from shocked interstellar medium, suggesting either a high magnetic field in the wind of the progenitor or rapid postshock field amplification by nonlinear growth of plasma waves. Combining the two magnetic field measurements, we have constructed a simple two-zone model. Most of the radio emission comes from inside Cas A, where the magnetic field is strong. In contrast, the inverse Compton emission is dominated by emission from near the shock front. Only for our lower limit on the magnetic field strength near the shock front is it possible to explain the recent detection of TeV emission by the High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy experiment with inverse Compton emission, for which, in addition, we have to assume a rather high far-infrared photon density that should be twice as high as our best estimate of ~70 cm-3. Pion decay is therefore likely to be the dominant emission from Cas A at TeV energies.
The origin of and metabolic fate of deoxycorticosterone and deoxycorticosterone sulfate in pregnant women and their fetuses.

Abstract DOC and DOC-SO4, which are present in large amounts in the blood of pregnant women, are derived from sources other than maternal adrenal. Other investigators demonstrated that treatment of near-term pregnant women with ACTH or dexamethasone did not cause alterations in the blood levels of DOC. To define the source(s) of DOC and DOC-SO4 in plasma of pregnant women, we evaluated the conversion of plasma progesterone (P) to DOC in extraadrenal sites. DOC is formed from plasma P and, provided that the pregnancy is one characterized by the usual large production of estrogen, DOC production in a given woman is proportional to the level of P in plasma. Unlike other steroid conversions or interconversions, however, the fractional conversion of P to DOC among apparently normal persons varied widely 0.011 ± 0.003 (mean ± SEM, n = 40, range = 0.001 to 0.030). In women pregnant with a normal living fetus, the product of the production rate of P and the fractional conversion of P to DOC is sufficient to account for the majority of DOC produced in the mother. There may be a second source of DOC, i.e. the transfer of DOC from the fetal to the maternal compartment in a manner that involves (a) direct transfer of DOC by way of trophoblast and (b) by desulfurylation of DOC-SO4 from fetal umbilical arterial plasma in trophoblast and thence transfer of DOC liberated in trophoblast to the maternal compartment. Presently, it is clear that DOC-SO4 in blood of pregnant women is not derived from plasma DOC; and there is little or no evidence in support of the proposition that DOC-SO4 (as a sulfoconjugate) is transferred from the fetal to the maternal compartment because of placental hydrolysis to DOC. Among the extraadrenal tissue sites identified as those in which 21-hydroxylation of plasma P could be effected are some also believed to be tissue sites of mineralocorticosteroid action, viz. kidney, aorta, thymus, and spleen. Quantitatively, the origin of DOC in the fetus is not as clear as in the maternal compartment; yet, many tissues of the fetus have been identified in which both steroid 21-hydroxylase and 21-hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase activity are present. Thus, in the human fetus, extraadrenal as well as adrenal production of DOC and DOC-SO4 are possible.
Lambda repressor mutations that increase the affinity and specificity of operator binding

Abstract Intragenic, second-site reversion has been used to identify amino acid substitutions that increase the affinity and specificity of the binding of λ repressor to its operator sites. Purified repressors bearing the second-site substitutions bind operator DNA from 3 to 600 fold more strongly than wild type; these affinity changes result from both increased rates of operator association and decreased rates of operator dissociation. Three of the revertant substitutions occur in the α2 and α3 DNA binding helices of repressor and seem to increase affinity by introducing new salt-bridges or hydrogen bonds with the sugar-phosphate backbone of the operator site. The fourth substitution alters the α5 dimerization helix of repressor and appears to increase operator affinity indirectly.
On the instability and energy flux of lower hybrid waves in the Venus plasma mantle

Waves generated near the lower hybrid resonance frequency by the modified two stream instability have been invoked as a possible source of energy flux into the topside ionosphere of Venus. These waves are observed above the ionopause in a region known as the plasma mantle. The plasma within the mantle appears to be a mixture of magnetosheath and ionospheric plasmas. Since the magnetosheath electrons and ions have temperatures of several tens of eV, any instability analysis of the modified two stream instability requires the inclusion of finite electron and ion temperatures. Finite temperature effects are likely to reduce the growth rate of the instability. Furthermore, the lower hybrid waves are only quasi-electrostatic, and the energy flux of the waves is mainly carried by parallel Poynting flux. The magnetic field in the mantle is draped over the ionopause. Lower hybrid waves therefore cannot transport any significant wave energy to lower altitudes, and so do not act as a source of additional heat to the topside ionosphere.
Interrelationships among Turfgrasses, Clipping Recycling, Thatch, and Applied Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium

The influence of clipping return on bermudagrass thatch has not been resolved. Additionally, independent and combined effects of applied Ca, Mg, and K on bermudagrass growth and quality and thatch accumulation have not been clarified. To evaluate the influence of clipping return and applied Ca, Mg, and K on ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt Davy) and ‘Pennant’ perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) a 3-y study was conducted at the Turfgrass Field Laboratory near Gainesville, FL, on an Arredondo loamy fine sand (Typic Quartzipsammets). A strip-split-plot factorial experiment with applied Ca, Mg, and K at 20 g m⁻² representing the main plot and with clipping return or removal stripped across the main plots with three replications was employed. Bermudagrass clipping return did not affect overall mean thatch accumulation. Bermudagrass and perennial ryegrass clipping yields increased in response to clipping return. Bermudagrass quality was enhanced by the return of clippings, but ryegrass quality was not. Application of Ca and K did not influence thatch accumulation, while Mg did promote additional bermudagrass thatch. Application of K and Mg reduced Ca levels on plots receiving Ca to less than the extractable Ca level of the untreated plots. Ryegrass and bermudagrass quality was increased by the application of Mg on plots which had the clippings removed. Potassium and Mg application promoted bermudagrass clipping yield when clippings were removed. Soil Ca to Mg ratio did not influence the growth or quality of either bermudagrass or ryegrass. Contribution of the Florida Agric. Exp. Stn. Journal Series no. R-02292.