cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Business Performance in Strategy Research: A Comparison of Approaches

Explores the different manners in which business performance can be measured in strategy research. A four-celled classification scheme, which depicts ten approaches for measuring business performance, is developed to aid in this analysis. The first dimension of this classification depicts financial versus operational indicators while the second depicts primary data sources versus secondary data sources. The ten approaches are viewed as either "within-cell" or "across-cell." The benefits and limitations of each approach are presented, with reference to previous studies using each performance measure. The "within-cell" approaches are found to have a narrow perspective on business performance and are not recommended for use. In cases where a "within-cell" approach is the only possibility, one must pay special attention to the methodological issues. This classification scheme results in several important implications for operationalizing business performance. Since the measurement approaches proposed in this analysis increase the domain of business performance, future researchers must recognize and address the dimensionality issue that results. Further, researchers must consider the convergence across the differing methods of data collection. (SRD)
Lesão de ombro após a vacinação: Uma revisão sistemática

As reacoes adversas as injecoes de vacina tendem a ser brandas e sao incrivelmente raras. No entanto, varios casos de eventos em ombros, como bursite, dor generalizada ou diminuicao da amplitude de movimento, foram relatados apos vacinacoes de rotina. Esses eventos sao conhecidos como lesoes em ombro relacionadas a administracao de vacina (SIRVA, do ingles shoulder injury related to vaccine administration). Uma revisao sistematica da literatura foi realizada para identificar todos os relatos publicados de SIRVA. Vinte e sete artigos que relataram um ou mais casos de SIRVA foram encontrados. A vacina mais comumente citada foi a vacina contra influenza. Os sintomas mais comuns foram dor com inicio em ate 48 horas e perda da amplitude de movimento do ombro. As modalidades de tratamento mais comuns foram fisioterapia, injecoes de corticosteroides e administracao de medicamentos anti-inflamatorios; alguns pacientes, porem, precisaram de cirurgia. Independentemente da intervencao, a grande maioria dos casos apresentou melhora da dor e da funcao, a excecao dos pacientes com lesao nervosa. A SIRVA tem multiplas possiveis etiologias, inclusive comprimento da agulha, lesao mecânica por penetracao excessiva da agulha e resposta inflamatoria aos componentes da vacina; no entanto, ainda nao ha um exame definitivo ou resultado quantificavel.
Comparison of Radiation Exposure Between Anterior, Lateral, and Posterior Interbody Fusion Techniques and the Influence of Patient and Procedural Factors.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to elucidate the relative influence of multiple factors on radiation usage for anterior, lateral, and posterior based lumbar interbody fusion techniques. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There has been substantial global growth in the performance of lumbar interbody fusions, due to evolution of techniques and approaches and increased attention to sagittal alignment. Utilization of intraoperative imaging guidance has similarly expanded, with a predominance of fluoroscopy and consequent increased radiation exposure. There have been no larger-scale studies examining the role of patient and procedural factors in driving radiation exposure across different interbody techniques. METHODS We used a clinical registry to review all single-level lumbar interbody fusions performed between January 2016 and October 2020. Operative records were reviewed for the amount of radiation exposure during the procedure. Patient age, biologic sex, body mass index (BMI), operative surgeon, surgical level, surgical time, and fusion technique were recorded. Multivariable adjusted analyses using negative binomial regression were used to account for confounding. RESULTS We included 134 interbody fusions; 80 performed with a posterior approach (TLIF/PLIF), 43 via an anterior approach (ALIF) with posterior pedicle fixation, and 9 performed with a lateral approach (LLIF/XLIF). Average radiation per case was 136.4 mGy (SE 17.3) for ALIF, 108.6 mGy (16.9) for LLIF/XLIF, and 60.5 mGy (7.4) for TLIF/PLIF. We identified lateral approaches, increased BMI, minimally invasive techniques, and more caudal operative levels as significantly associated with increased radiation exposure. CONCLUSION We identified several novel drivers of radiation exposure during interbody fusion procedures, including the relative importance of technique and the level at which the fusion is performed. More caudal levels of intervention and lateral based techniques had significantly greater radiation exposure.Level of Evidence: 4.
NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in Veterans (P1.103)

OBJECTIVE: To describe epidemiologic characteristics of patients with N-methyl-d-aspartate-receptor (NMDA-R) encephalitis in the national Veterans Affairs (VA) population. BACKGROUND: NMDA-R encephalitis is a common cause of encephalitis for individuals ≤30 years. NMDA-R often presents with complex neuropsychiatric symptoms. A definitive diagnosis is made by demonstration of NMDA-R antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and often responsive to immunosuppressant treatment. DESIGN/METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for all patients within the VA with a possible diagnosis of NMDA-R encephalitis in the past 5 years (Oct 1 2008 - Sept 30th 2013). Patients were identified within the electronic medical record by keyword identification of the phrase "NMDA" in close association with "diagnosis" or "shown" or "showed" or "found" or "positive". The search yielded 90 documents for and 41 unique patients. Diagnosis was confirmed by retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Of 41 patients identified by intelligent keyword search, 3 patients with confirmed NMDA-R encephalitis were identified. All were male, and each was diagnosed and managed for the NMDA-R encephalitis at outside facilities and later transferred to the VA for ongoing care. None had a malignancy, and all were living at last follow up. CONCLUSIONS: NMDA-R encephalitis may be challenging to diagnose in the veteran population, especially in the post-traumatic setting and in veterans with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. Study Supported by: None Disclosure: Dr. Singh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lott has nothing to disclose. Dr. Greenlee has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Medlink. Dr. Clardy has nothing to disclose.
Sufficient Conditions for Instability

In this section, we give a sufficient condition for the instability of the solution x = 0 of (2.1) and give some examples to illustrate the result.
Insights into Golgi function through mutants in yeast and animal cells

The unicellular budding yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, employs a typical eukaryotic pathway of secretion for the biogenesis of the Golgi apparatus (GA), vacuole and plasma membrane. This yeast has proven to be a powerful model organism for the identification and characterization of essential, evolutionarily conserved gene products that mediate vesicular transport in this pathway. While wildtypeS. cerevisiae cells possess a simple morphology, mutants blocked in secretion often display a dramatic accumulation of distinct membrane structures. Here we discuss the structural and functional organization of the GA in yeast, and review our current knowledge of vesicular membrane traffic to, through, and from the organelle, with an emphasis on protein sorting events. Current biochemical and genetic evidence suggests that, as in mammalian cells, the yeast GA consists of three to four distinct functional compartments:cis,medial,trans, andtrans-Golginetwork (TGN), each populated by a characteristic set of resident enzymes. Golgi-resident proteins must resist dispersion by the large flux of vesicular traffic passing through the GA; their organelle-residence is achieved through active and passive mechanisms. Protein sorting involving the budding of specialized vesicular carriers occurs at thecis-andtrans-sides of the GA: vesicles budding from thecis-Golgi mediate retrograde trafficking, e.g. retrieval of escaped ER-resident proteins and v-SNAREs back to the ER, whereas vesicles budding from thetrans-Golgi deliver cargo to the plasma membrane or the vacuole. At least two types of coat protein complexes, known as COP I and COP II, mediate protein sorting and transport between the ER and the GA, whereas the clathrin coat may be involved in Golgi-to-vacuole transport. We discuss the role of these coat complexes in transport events and in the maintenance of membranous organelles.
Dynamic sublimation pressure and the catastrophic breakup of Comet ISON

Abstract Previously proposed mechanisms have difficulty explaining the disruption of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) as it approached the Sun. We describe a novel cometary disruption mechanism whereby comet nuclei fragment and disperse through dynamic sublimation pressure, which induces differential stresses within the interior of the nucleus. When these differential stresses exceed its material strength, the nucleus breaks into fragments. We model the sublimation process thermodynamically and propose that it is responsible for the disruption of Comet ISON. We estimate the bulk unconfined crushing strength of Comet ISON’s nucleus and the resulting fragments to be 0.5 Pa and 1–9 Pa, respectively, assuming typical Jupiter Family Comet (JFC) albedos. However, if Comet ISON has an albedo similar to Pluto, this strength estimate drops to 0.2 Pa for the intact nucleus and 0.6–4 Pa for its fragments. Regardless of assumed albedo, these are similar to previous strength estimates of JFCs. This suggests that, if Comet ISON is representative of dynamically new comets, then low bulk strength is a primordial property of some comet nuclei, and not due to thermal processing during migration into the Jupiter Family.
Big Buildings in Small Easy Stages

(1976). Big Buildings in Small Easy Stages. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 26-27.
Optimal Control of Age-structured Populations in Economy, Demography, and the Environment

1. The genuine savings criterion and the value of population in an economy with endogenous fertility rate Kenneth J. Arrow, Alain Bensoussan, Qi Feng, and Suresh P. Sethi 2. Continuous time overlapping generations models Hippolyte d'Albis and Emmanuelle Augeraud-Veron 3. Modeling technological change in equipment replacement problems Chin Hon Tan and Joseph C. Hartman 4. Embodied technology adoption under uncertainty Bruno Cruz and Aude Pommeret 5. Viability, optimality, and sustainability in vintage models Noel Bonneuil 6. Embodied technical change and learning-by-doing in a two sector growth model with human capital accumulation Alberto Bucci, Herb Kunze and Davide La Torre 7. Age-structured optimization models in fisheries bioeconomics: a survey Olli Tahvonen 8. Age-structured models and optimal control in mathematical epidemiology: a survey David Greenhalgh 9. Optimal management of a size distributed forest with respect to timber and non-timber values Renan-Ulrich Goertz and Angels Xabadia 10. Optimal harvesting in a two-species model of size-structured population Nobuyuki Kato 11. Optimisation problems in the management of indigenous plant populations under grazing pressure Lynne McArthur, John Boland, and Fleur Tiver 12. Identification of age-structured contamination sources in ground water Sergey Lyashko, Dmitry Klyushin, Dmitry Nomirovsky, and Vladimir Semenov
Perceptions of African American Christians' Attitudes Toward Religious Help-Seeking: Results of an Exploratory Study

That religion has been a significant component of life in most African American communities for generations is a fact that has been firmly established in popular and scholarly literature alike. An accompanying reticence among members of this community to utilize the services of mental health professionals for serious personal/mental health issues for numerous, valid reasons has also been documented. Yet, what remains unknown is whether or not the historical reliance on the indigenous supports of the Black Church continues unabated or if the community is trending away from religious help-seeking. This paper presents initial findings from an exploratory study designed to assess the perceptions of African American Christians about help-seeking within the religious community.
STRUCTURAL ADHESIVE JOINTS FOR APPLICATION TO A COMPOSITE SPACE FRAME - ANALYSIS AND TESTING

This paper presents an efficient adhesively bonded joint design for application to a vehicle composite space frame. After preliminary investigations were conducted to evaluate several alternative joint configurations, an adhesively bonded insert type T-joint was chosen for use in a composite space frame because of its high specific stiffness and large bond area. The stiffnesses of each joint were investigated both analytically and experimentally. Since the lower rail is the primary load bearing member, the joints along it were selected for a detailed study. Two types of analyses were completed. First, a formulation based on the layered beam concept and strain energy theorems was used as an approximate measure to evaluate the effects of varying geometrical parameters. The relationships between joint flange width, insert thickness, and weight were considered. Using the geometry determined by the approximate formulation, a finite element analysis was completed. The finite element model itself consisted of approximately 2800 solid isoparametric elements. All of the materials were modeled including the adhesive layer. The details of the two analysis techniques are presented in this paper. For the covering abstract see IRRD 863693.
The Theory and Practice of Investment Management (a review)

This collection brings together the insights of numerous respected academics and practitioners to blend standard aspects of investment management with other important but frequently omitted topics of interest to students and practitioners at all levels.
Eikonal speculations on infrared confinement

A model eikonal calculation of quark-antiquark scattering, used to define an effective bound-state potential, suggests the suppression and possible cancellation of leading, virtual, infrared divergences.
A method to evaluate mechanical performance of thin transparent films for flexible displays

Mechanical flexing of plastic substrates coated with thin film permeation barriers causes stress-induced cracks that may lead to device degradation. This phenomenon is of particular importance for organic light emitting diodes, an emerging display technology that can be implemented on flexible substrates but imposes stringent requirements on the barrier performance. We demonstrate a dry-etch-based method to highlight cracks in thin films of transparent materials and make them visible under a conventional optical microscope on samples in a neutral, relaxed position. This approach allows for rapid evaluation of the mechanical performance of thin film barriers on flexible substrates.
High-dose rate brachytherapy for Stage I/II papillary serous or clear cell endometrial cancer.

Abstract Objective . To determine the efficacy of high-dose rate brachytherapy as adjuvant treatment for Stage I/II papillary serous or clear cell endometrial cancer. Methods . A retrospective study of all patients with Stage I/II papillary serous or clear cell endometrial cancer treated with high-dose rate brachytherapy between 1995 and 2001 was performed. Following surgical staging, which included hysterectomy with pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy, all patients without extrauterine disease were treated with high-dose rate brachytherapy and followed for recurrence. The locations of recurrences were noted and were classified as local or distant. Results . Three (13%) recurrences occurred among 24 patients with Stage I/II papillary serous or clear cell carcinoma. The risk of recurrence was similar for papillary serous and clear cell cancer (12% vs. 12%). Local control was achieved in 96%. The risk of recurrence for those with no myometrial invasion, less than 1/2, or more than 1/2 myometrial invasion was 0%, 10%, and 50%, respectively ( P Conclusions . High-dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) as the sole adjuvant treatment of Stage I/II papillary serous or clear cell carcinoma is associated with a 13% risk of recurrence. Although local control with HDR is excellent, the risk of distant recurrence is increased with deep myometrial invasion. High-dose rate brachytherapy is adequate for Stage IA cases, but more aggressive treatment combining chemotherapy with HDR should be evaluated for more advanced Stage I/II cases.
Characterization of a rabbit factor IX cDNA.

Abstract A rabbit factor IX cDNA was isolated and characterized. The cDNA was 2,676 bp in length and contained the coding region for the leader peptide, the entire mature factor IX protein and a long 3′ untranslated region. The deduced amino acid sequence shows a high degree of homology with the sequences of human factor IX and factor IX from other species. Northern blot analysis of liver RNA showed a single mRNA species of 2.8 kb for the rabbit factor IX.
Relations of Folded Dikes and Precambrian Polyphase Deformation, Gardner Lake Area, Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming

Two cross-cutting mafic dikes in the headwall of Gardner Lake in the eastern Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming, have structural relations with Archean migmatite and gneiss that suggest intrusion between deformational phases recognized in the eastern part of the range. Fabric data show that the older dike, an orthoamphibolite, was emplaced subsequent to the F 1 deformational event, but prior to the main episode of metamorphism, metasomatism, and folding, F 2 . The younger dike, a metanorite, was intruded after F 2 , but is folded by west-trending, open F 3 folds. The style and general trend of these F 3 folds are consistent with those observed elsewhere in the eastern part of the range. The data available and absolute age relations in other parts of the range indicate that F 2 occurred 2750 m.y. ago and F 3 1600 to 1800 m.y. ago.
The Probability Distribution of the Amplitude of a Constant Vector Plus a Rayleigh-Distributed Vector

Formulas, tables, and graphs are given for the probability distribution of the instantaneous resultant amplitude of the sum of a constant vector and a Rayleigh-distributed vector. It is emphasized that two distributions are required to describe a Rayleigh-distributed vector: the distribution of its amplitude and the distribution of its phase. A summary is presented of physical conditions which must be satisfied for a given phenomenon to exhibit statistical properties of a Rayleigh-distributed vector. References are made to ways in which these distributions may be used to describe random variables occurring in ionospheric, tropospheric, and irregular terrain propagation problems. Finally, a discussion is given of amplitude and phase distributions of two other random vectors encountered in tropospheric propagation studies.
Using Issue/Impact/Probability (I2P) Analysis to Facilitate Large and Diverse Group Meetings

Engineering managers are increasingly required to lead effective and efficient problem-solving meetings. This article presents a five-step process that engineering managers can use to facilitate la...
Predictors of resource use after acute hospitalization: The Northern Manhattan Stroke Study

Objective: To determine demographic and clinical predictors of discharge destinations following acute care hospitalization for stroke in the community of northern Manhattan. Methods: A group of 893 patients (mean age, 70 ± 12 years; 56% women; 51% Hispanic, 30% African-American, 19% white) who survived acute care hospitalization for a first ischemic stroke were followed prospectively. Stroke severity was assessed by the NIH Stroke Scale and categorized as mild (≤5), moderate (6 to 13), and severe (≥14). Polytomous logistic regression was used to determine predictors for rehabilitation and nursing home placement versus returning home. Results: Among the survivors of acute stroke care hospitalization, 611 (68%) patients were discharged to their homes, 168 (19%) to rehabilitation, and 114 (13%) to nursing homes. Patients with moderate and severe neurologic deficits had more than a threefold increased risk of being sent to a nursing home and more than an eightfold increased risk of being sent to rehabilitation. Age over 65 and cognitive impairment were associated with placement to a nursing home (age over 65: OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 5.6; cognitive impairment: OR, 2.9; 95%, CI 1.4 to 5.7), and rehabilitation (age over 65: OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.9; cognitive impairment: OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.4 to 5.7). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that one-third of patients with acute stroke from the community of northern Manhattan required placement in a temporary or a long-term disability care institution following acute care hospitalization. Severity of stroke is an important factor that influences discharge planning following acute care hospitalization and its reduction can improve health care resource usage.
Age changes in the localization and distribution of glycosaminoglycans in human hyaline cartilage.

The localization and distribution of acid glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins and basic proteins have been studied in human costal cartilage, trachea and primary bronchi from the fetal period through old age. Alcian blue and PAS were used for the staining of acid glycosaminoglycans and glycoprotein and/or sugar-containing compounds respectively. Bromphenol blue and/or bromsulfalein were utilized for the detection of basic proteins. In a further attempt to histochemically identify the various polyanions staining was carried out with AB containing different concentrations of electrolytes. Mild acid hydrolysis, hyaluronidase and proteolytic digestions were also employed. It appeared that the distribution, localization and concentration of the different macromolecules vary according to age, to the type of hyaline cartilage and to the different areas of the same segment. The results also suggested that in developing tissues the areas of appositional growth synthesize mainly chondroitinsulphate while in the territory and interterritory this acidic polyanion is found with keratansulphate. With advancing age the latter slowly disappears from the interterritorial matrix and is nearly exclusively found in the matrix adjacent to the chondrocytes. The susceptibility of these tissues to enzyme digestion also varied according to age and to the type of hyaline cartilage. Proteolytic and hyaluronidase treatment, which were extremely effective in the prenatal period and in young subjects, had practically no effect on mature and old ribs. In the bronchi, instead, the substrates were easily extracted even at an old age. The problems related to the different chemical state of the various macromolecules, their localization and distribution and their possible effect on “senescence” of hyaline cartilage are discussed.
Patterns of brood division and an absence of behavioral plasticity in a neotropical passerine

Studies of parental behavior in various habitats provide an opportunity to gain insight into how different environments may mold strategies of parental care. Brood division by parents has been hypothesized to occur facultatively within and among species. Brood division occurs when each parent cares for specific offspring within a brood. We studied brood division in a neotropical passerine, the western slaty antshrike (Thamnophilus atrinucha). Our results present a unique picture of a highly specialized example of avian brood division. Division was a fixed behavioral pattern in the population studied: all broods divided by fledging and remained divided during the entire post-fledging period. Brood division before fledging, a previously unreported phenomenon, occurred in 40% of nests observed. Parents that preferentially fed a certain offspring (defined as their focal offspring) in the nest fed the same individual after fledging. Each parent fed only its focal offspring in broods of one and two. The male parent cared for the heavier offspring and the first offspring to leave the nest. Siblings were segregated spatially during the time of highest predation risk. These observations suggest that a consistently high risk of predation on offspring has favored initial spatial segregation and inflexibility of brood division behavior in this species. Factors other than predation risk alone may explain the observed patterns of long-term, perfect brood division. Because high predation is common and relatively predictable in the tropics, selection for fixed brood division may be stronger in tropical birds than in the temperate zone.
Stable and unstable manifold structures in the Hénon family

For parameter values , we give a symbolic description of the collection of stable manifolds of this hyperbolic set and show that this collection is homeomorphic with the collection of unstable manifolds precisely when the attracting periodic orbit is accessible from the complement of the attracting set, a condition that can be characterized in terms of the kneading sequence of the quadratic map. As an application, we answer a question raised by Hubbard and Oberste-Vorth by proving that the basin boundaries corresponding to three distinct period five sinks in the Henon family are non-homeomorphic.
The mechanism of uptake of ascorbic acid into osteoblasts and leukocytes.

Ascorbic acid is taken up into osteoblast cells by a saturable, stereospecific, Na+-dependent transporter, accumulating ascorbic acid to a level 100-fold that in the medium. The ascorbic acid uptake rate correlated with intracellular hydroxyproline synthesis. A second, distinct mechanism has also been described for accumulation of ascorbic acid into neutrophils and myeloid leukemia cells. This appears to be Na+-independent and relies on the glucose transporter GLUT1 to ferry dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) into cells and then to trap it as ascorbic acid to a high concentration.
Aquatic Snails from Mining Sites Have Evolved to Detect and Avoid Heavy Metals

Toxicants in polluted environments are often patchily distributed. Hence, rather than being passive absorbers of pollution, some organisms have evolved the ability to detect and avoid toxicants. We studied the avoidance behavior of Physella columbiana, an aquatic pulmonate snail, in a pond that has been polluted with heavy metals for more than 120 years. Populations of this snail are rare at reference sites and are only robust at heavy-metal-polluted sites. We hypothesized that the snails are able to persist because they have evolved the ability to minimize their exposure to metals by actively avoiding metals in their environment. Using a Y-maze flow tank, we tested the avoidance behavior of snails to heavy-metal-polluted sediments and single-metal solutions of cadmium, zinc, or lead. We also tested the avoidance behaviors of the snails’ laboratory-reared offspring raised in nonpolluted conditions. In addition, we tested the avoidance behavior of a small population of snails from a reference pond. Although all the snails we tested were able to detect low concentrations of heavy metals, we found that snails from the polluted site were the most sensitive, that their offspring were somewhat less sensitive, and that snails from the reference site were the least sensitive. This suggests that the ability of polluted-site snails to avoid heavy metals is both genetic and environmental. The concentrations of metals avoided by the snails from the polluted site were below the levels found at hot spots within their natal pond. The snails may be able to persist at this site because they decrease their exposure by moving to less-polluted sections of the pond. One application of our findings is the use of aquatic snails and our Y-maze design as an inexpensive pollution detector. Environmental pollutants such as lead, zinc, and arsenic are a problem throughout the world. People in underdeveloped countries often lack sophisticated pollution detection devices. We have developed a behavioral assay of aquatic pollution that is easy to use, is extremely sensitive (detection below 10 ppb), and can be constructed for fewer than US $100. Pulmonate snails are widely distributed in tropical, subtropical, and temperate parts of the globe, and they are often common in polluted waters. For countries such as India and Bangladesh, which must test thousands of shallow wells for possible contamination with heavy metals, our assay would be a good initial test. Once snails detected metals, then those samples could be confirmed by spectrometers. We encourage scientists in underdeveloped nations to consider our assay as an option.
Ten More Years of Republican Rule

Ten More Years of Republican Rule? If history is any judge, Republicans should lose control of Congress or the White House during one of the five elections to come between now and 2015. Since Democrats and Republicans became national competitors in 1855, unified party control has lasted on average just 5.9 years. Unified Republican control has endured a bit longer, averaging 6.3 years. Even at its longest (with the onset of the 1896 realignment), Republican control of government has lasted just fourteen years. With the current Republican regime emerging from the elections of 2000, Republican control of Congress and the White House should have run its course by the elections of 2014. The received wisdom, of course, is more often likely to predict Republicans' electoral invulnerability, and for good reasons. First, transformation of the South from solid "blue" to "red" is said to have created a substantial base for the
Porewater biogeochemistry and soil metabolism in dwarf red mangrove habitats (Twin Cays, Belize)

Seasonal variability in biogeochemical signatures was used to elucidate the dominant pathways of soil microbial metabolism and elemental cycling in an oligotrophic mangrove system. Three interior dwarf mangrove habitats (Twin Cays, Belize) where surface soils were overlain by microbial mats were sampled during wet and dry periods of the year. Porewater equilibration meters and standard biogeochemical methods provided steady-state porewater profiles of pH, chloride, sulfate, sulfide, ammonium, nitrate/nitrite, phosphate, dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, reduced iron and manganese, dissolved inorganic carbon, methane and nitrous oxide. During the wet season, the salinity of overlying pond water and shallow porewaters decreased. Increased rainwater infiltration through soils combined with higher tidal heights appeared to result in increased organic carbon inventories and more reducing soil porewaters. During the dry season, evaporation increased both surface water and porewater salinities, while lower tidal heights resulted in less reduced soil porewaters. Rainfall strongly influenced inventories of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, possibly due to more rapid decay of mangrove litter during the wet season. During both times of year, high concentrations of reduced metabolites accumulated at depth, indicating substantial rates of organic matter mineralization coupled primarily to sulfate reduction. Nitrous oxide and methane concentrations were supersaturated indicating considerable rates of nitrification and/or incomplete denitrification and methanogenesis, respectively. More reducing soil conditions during the wet season promoted the production of reduced manganese. Contemporaneous activity of sulfate reduction and methanogenesis was likely fueled by the presence of noncompetitive substrates. The findings indicate that these interior dwarf areas are unique sites of nutrient and energy regeneration and may be critical to the overall persistence and productivity of mangrove-dominated islands in oligotrophic settings.
Three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography to predict weight and volume of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap for breast reconstruction.

Background: Three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography (3D CTA) can be used preoperatively to evaluate the course and caliber of perforating blood vessels for abdominal free-flap breast reconstruction. For postmastectomy breast reconstruction, many women inquire whether the abdominal tissue volume will match that of the breast to be removed. Therefore, our goal was to estimate preoperative volume and weight of the proposed flap and compare them with the actual volume and weight to determine if diagnostic imaging can accurately identify the amount of tissue that could potentially to be harvested. Methods: Preoperative 3D CTA was performed in 15 patients, who underwent breast reconstruction using the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap. Before each angiogram, stereotactic fiducials were placed on the planned flap outline. The radiologist reviewed each preoperative angiogram to estimate the volume, and thus, weight of the flap. These estimated weights were compared with the actual intraoperative weights. Results: The average estimated weight was 99.7% of the actual weight. The interquartile range (25th to 75th percentile), which represents the “middle half” of the patients, was 91–109%, indicating that half of the patients had an estimated weight within 9% of the actual weight; however, there was a large range (70–133%). Conclusion: 3D CTA with stereotactic fiducials allows surgeons to adequately estimate abdominal flap volume before surgery, potentially giving guidance in the amount of tissue that can be harvested from a patient's lower abdomen. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2011
Nanotribology: friction, wear and lubrication at the atomic scale

Friction, wear and lubrication between materials in contact are of fundamental importance in many pure and applied sciences. Owing to the development of experimental and computer-simulation techniques for studying these phenomena at the atomic scale, an understanding is beginning to emerge of the molecular mechanisms of tribology in thin films and at surfaces.
Overview of U.S. Army microgrid efforts at fixed installations

The deployment of microgrid technology to United States Army operations will improve energy efficiency and security. Microgrids provide fixed Army installations with the ability to “island” from the commercial power grid and operate independently for an extended period. The technology aids installations in meeting energy mandates and policy goals. Projects are already underway to demonstrate the microgrid concept at domestic installations. Several of these projects are discussed.
Evidence from a cannabis use disorders multiple causes model for the cannabis–tobacco combination known as ‘blunts’

What is a cannabis ‘blunt’? § A method of tobacco-cannabis co-administration where tobacco from a cigar is removed and replaced with cannabis. § Similar to other forms of co-use such as “spliffs” or “mulling” (mixing tobacco-cannabis in a joint), or “chasing” (smoking tobacco immediately after cannabis)1. How common is blunt smoking and who are primarily affected? § Lifetime blunt use may be as high as 10% among youths2 § In the US, as many as half of cannabis users have smoked a blunt recently (within the past 30 days)2. . § Blunt smokers are disproportionately male, African-American, older youths, and urban3,4. Why might the study of blunt smoking be important? § Rates of blunt use have been increasing among younger cohorts and differences between racial/ethnic groups are diminishing5. § Blunt smokers might experience more cannabis and nicotine dependence, but this finding needs to be further replicated4.
Surface Chemistry and Radiation Chemistry of Trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I) on Mo(110)

The surface-induced and electron-induced chemistry of trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I), a potential replacement for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and chlorofluorobromocarbons (halons), were investigated under ultrahigh vacuum conditions (p ∼ 1 × 10-10 Torr) on Mo(110). Results of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments indicate that dissociative adsorption of CF3I leads only to nonselective decomposition on Mo(110), in contrast to reactions of CF3I on other metal surfaces. Desorption of CF3 radicals and atomic iodine was detected mass spectrometrically during low-energy (10−100 eV) electron irradiation of four monolayer thick films of CF3I condensed at 100 K. Results of postirradiation temperature-programmed desorption experiments were used to identify CF2I2, C2F5I, C2F6, C2F4I2, and CFI3 as electron-induced reaction products of CF3I. Except for CFI3, all of these electron-induced reaction products of CF3I have been previously identified in γ-radiolysis studies, supporting our earlier claim that tempe...
Shoulder erosions in renal osteodystrophy.

The radiographic manifestations of renal osteodystrophy may be articular as well as osseous. The latter are well recognized, i.e., subperiosteal and subchondral bony resorption. Recently attention has been directed to the occurrence of an erosive arthritis of the hands and wrists in hyperparathyroidism. The authors present six patients with humeral head erosions, all of whom were on chronic long-term hemodialysis. These intra-articular erosions occurred at the “bare” area of the humeral head and thus represent an erosive arthritis and therefore can be distinguished from the usual sites of subchondral and subperiosteal bony resorption seen in hyperparathyroidism.
Bubble and drop trajectories in rotating flows

The migration of bubbles or drops in a rotating liquid-filled sphere was observed under a variety of experimental conditions, and the trajectory, final equilibrium position, and shape were compared with results of analysis. It was found that small migrating bubbles or drops were spherical and, under the quasi-steady conditions employed, behaved in a predictable manner. Large migrating bubbles were nonspherical yet still behaved predictably except when close to the sphere wall. At low rotation rates, the final equilibrium position was offset from the rotation axis and stationary in the rotating liquid relative to a laboratory (inertial) reference frame. One of the bubble migration experiments was accomplished in the near-free-fall environment provided by the NASA KC-135 flight program. At higher rotation rates and under zero gravity conditions where the rotation axis is the final equilibrium position, the shape was reasonably predictable.
Individual behavior differences related to induced tumor growth in the female Syrian hamster: two studies.

The relationship of individual behavioral differences to induced tumor growth and to Natural Killer (NK) cell activity was investigated in the Syrian hamster in the context of a long-term natural stressor (group social interaction). In the first sub-experiment, 90-day-old females had blood drawn for NK cell assays. Animals were then placed in groups of ten, and two samples of behavior were obtained on videotape. All hamsters were injected midback subcutaneously with malignant melanoma, developed tumors, and were sacrificed 35 days later. Eight reliable behaviors were coded from the videotapes and were factor analyzed, yielding two factors: “Activation” and “Inactivity.” The first factor of “Activation” was correlated p <. 06, two-tailed) with autopsy tumor size. The experiment was repeated using females aged 210 days. Factor analysis generated two factors virtually identical to those previously found. The factor of “Activation” was again correlated with autopsy tumor size (p <. 05, one-tailed). For older ...
Some Procedures and Results in the Study of Illative Categories: Tzeltal “Firewood”1

0. This study represents results at one stage in an attempted development of some specifiable techniques of ethnographic investigation and description. In this paper we discuss these techniques, and, by way of an example of their use, show the manner in which they reveal relevant dimensions in terms of which firewood is differentially identified and evaluated by the persons who use it in various Maya Indian parajes2 of the Muncipio of Tenejapa in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. The data which underlie an ethnography represent, or should represent, native responses to some set of conditions. It is our feeling that more attention needs to be directed to these conditions than has generally been the case, for insofar as the statements of the conditions governing native responses are present only by implication, the resulting description is replicable only in the most general sense and is thus ambiguous and open to various and personal interpretations. Among the conditions which produce native responses, and which, together with these responses, constitute one sort of data for the ethnographer, are questions put by the ethnographer to members of the population to whom the description pertains. The investigative techniques illustrated here are directed to the formulation of these conditions in the form of lin-
Synthetic membrane active amphiphiles

During the past several decades, various synthetic organic compounds that form pores in bilayer membranes have been prepared and studied. These membrane active amphiphiles have also proved to be useful in affecting the transport of molecules into or through the bilayer. This article discusses the evolution of these compounds and exemplifies recent applications such as enhancement of antimicrobial activity.
Square Wave Voltammetry of TNT at Gold Electrodes Modified with Self-Assembled Monolayers Containing Aromatic Structures

Square wave voltammetry for the reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was measured in 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 8) at gold electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) containing either an alkane thiol or aromatic ring thiol structures. At 15 Hz, the electrochemical sensitivity (µA/ppm) was similar for all SAMs tested. However, at 60 Hz, the SAMs containing aromatic structures had a greater sensitivity than the alkane thiol SAM. In fact, the alkane thiol SAM had a decrease in sensitivity at the higher frequency. When comparing the electrochemical response between simulations and experimental data, a general trend was observed in which most of the SAMs had similar heterogeneous rate constants within experimental error for the reduction of TNT. This most likely describes a rate limiting step for the reduction of TNT. However, in the case of the alkane SAM at higher frequency, the decrease in sensitivity suggests that the rate limiting step in this case may be electron tunneling through the SAM. Our results show that SAMs containing aromatic rings increased the sensitivity for the reduction of TNT when higher frequencies were employed and at the same time suppressed the electrochemical reduction of dissolved oxygen.
Triplex-directed self-assembly of an artificial sliding clamp on duplex DNA.

Background: Circular triplex-forming oligonucleotides (CTFOs) have previously been shown to bind tightly to short single-stranded homopurine DNAs in a sequence-specific manner. In view of the importance of double-stranded DNA as a target in the development of gene-specific therapeutic and diagnostic agents, we have investigated the binding of CTFOs to double-helical DNA. Results: DNA-binding experiments show that a CTFO can recognize its homopurine target when the target is embedded in a long duplex. Unlike their linear counterparts, CTFOs bind the double helix in two topologically distinct forms. The more stable of the two complexes is found to be a pseudorotaxane, having the same topology as the sliding clamp protein subunits associated with some DNA and RNA polymerases. Conclusions: Circular triplex-forming oligonucleotides have been shown to bind the DNA double helix in a topological manner which is unprecedented among synthetic ligands. This novel binding motif allows a synthetic CTFO to be irreversibly locked onto a circular double-stranded DNA target without covalently modifying the target.
Purification and properties of ferredoxinBPH, a component of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase of Pseudomonas sp strain LB400

The ferredoxin component (ferredoxinBPH) of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase was purified to homogeneity from crude cell extract of Pseudomonas sp strain LB400 using ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction and gel filtration column chromatography. The protein was a monomer with a molecular weight of 15000 and contained 2 gram-atoms each of iron and acid-labile sulfur. Ultraviolet-visible absorbance spectroscopy showed peaks at 325 nm and 460 nm with a broad shoulder around 575 nm. The spectrum was partially bleached in the visible region upon reduction by reductaseBPH with NADPH as the source of electrons. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry showed no signals for the oxidized protein. Upon reduction with sodium dithionite, signals with gx = 1.82, gy = 1.92 and gz = 2.02 were detected. These results indicate that the protein contains a Rieske-type (2Fe-2S) iron-sulfur center. FerredoxinBPH was required for the oxidation of biphenyl by the terminal oxygenase component of the enzyme and is probably involved in the transfer of reducing equivalents from reductaseBPH to the terminal oxygenase during catalysis.
Significance of inclusive electron-nucleus cross sections ratios in the multi-GeV region.

Ratios of inclusive electron-nucleus cross sections are studied at incoming electron energies of 1 GeV to 25 GeV and (Bjorken) variable [ital x][sub [ital B][ital j]][gt]1 where many of the present theoretical speculations and the available and forthcoming experimental data are focused on. An alternative analysis which accounts for nuclear target mass effects is proposed.
Provisioning of Game Meat to Rural Communities as a Benefit of Sport Hunting in Zambia

Sport hunting has reportedly multiple benefits to economies and local communities; however, few of these benefits have been quantified. As part of their lease agreements with the Zambia Wildlife Authority, sport hunting operators in Zambia are required to provide annually to local communities free of charge i.e., provision a percentage of the meat obtained through sport hunting. We characterized provisioning of game meat to rural communities by the sport hunting industry in Zambia for three game management areas (GMAs) during 2004–2011. Rural communities located within GMAs where sport hunting occurred received on average > 6,000 kgs per GMA of fresh game meat annually from hunting operators. To assess hunting industry compliance, we also compared the amount of meat expected as per the lease agreements versus observed amounts of meat provisioned from three GMAs during 2007–2009. In seven of eight annual comparisons of these GMAs, provisioning of meat exceeded what was required in the lease agreements. Provisioning occurred throughout the hunting season and peaked during the end of the dry season (September–October) coincident with when rural Zambians are most likely to encounter food shortages. We extrapolated our results across all GMAs and estimated 129,771 kgs of fresh game meat provisioned annually by the sport hunting industry to rural communities in Zambia at an approximate value for the meat alone of >US$600,000 exclusive of distribution costs. During the hunting moratorium (2013–2014), this supply of meat has halted, likely adversely affecting rural communities previously reliant on this food source. Proposed alternatives to sport hunting should consider protein provisioning in addition to other benefits (e.g., employment, community pledges, anti-poaching funds) that rural Zambian communities receive from the sport hunting industry.