cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing PIREPs with NAWAU Turbulence and Icing Forecasts: Issues and Results

Abstract Pilot reports of aircraft turbulence and icing were compared with forecasts of those phenomena from the National Aviation Weather Advisory Unit for a 45-day period in the winter of 1992. An observation-driven approach was used because it is considered more appropriate for accomodating the subjective reporting that is characteristic of the observational dataset. A number of comparisons were done for subsets of the data based on the magnitude of the reported event, aircraft altitude, and type of forecast. Positive observations of events compared with forecasts more favorably for the icing data than for the turbulence data. Observations of nonevents compared with forecasts more favorably for the turbulence data than for the icing data. Positive observations of both icing and turbulence compared with forecasts more favorably below 18 000 ft than above 18 000 ft. Null reports for icing appear to be more representative of “no icing” than the zero-icing reports.
Dietary modulation of mitochondrial DNA deletions and copy number after chemotherapy in rats.

Abstract Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is particularly susceptible to mutation by alkylating agents, and mitochondrial damage may contribute to the efficacy and toxicity of these agents. We found that folate supplementation decreased the frequency of the “common deletion” (4.8 kb, bases 8103–12,936) in liver from untreated rats and from animals treated with cyclophosphamide but not 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The relative abundance of mitochondrial DNA was greater after chemotherapy but there was no effect of diet. Rats fed with a purified diet had fewer mitochondrial deletions than those maintained on a cereal-based diet after chemotherapy. These results indicate that diet can modulate the extent of mitochondrial damage after cancer chemotherapy, and that folic acid supplementation may be protective against mitochondrial DNA deletions.
Prevalence and correlates of waterpipe tobacco smoking by college students in North Carolina.

Abstract Background Known most commonly in the U.S. as “hookah,” waterpipe tobacco smoking appears to be growing among college students. Despite beliefs that waterpipe use is safer than cigarette smoking, research to date (albeit limited) has found health risks of waterpipe smoking are similar to those associated with cigarette smoking, including lung cancer, respiratory illness, and periodontal disease. The goals of this study were to estimate the prevalence of use among a large, multi-institution sample of college students and identify correlates of waterpipe use, including other health-risk behaviors (i.e., cigarette smoking, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drug use) and availability of commercial waterpipe tobacco smoking venues. Methods A cross-sectional sample of 3770 college students from eight universities in North Carolina completed a web-based survey in fall 2008. Results Forty percent of the sample reported ever having smoked tobacco from a waterpipe, and 17% reported current (past 30-day) waterpipe tobacco smoking. Correlates associated with current waterpipe use included demographic factors (male gender, freshman class); other health-risk behaviors (daily and nondaily cigarette smoking, alcohol use, marijuana use, other illicit drug use); perceiving waterpipe tobacco smoking as less harmful than regular cigarettes; and having a commercial waterpipe venue near campus. Conclusions The results highlight the popularity of waterpipe tobacco smoking among college students and underscore the need for more research to assess the public health implications of this growing trend.
Ovipositional Habits of the Rice Water Weevil in California as Related to a Greenhouse Evaluation of Seed Treatments

Adults of the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, a relatively new pest in California, were collected during May, June, and July for seed-treatment tests in the greenhouse. The parthenogenetic females readily oviposited in the submerged portion of the leaf sheath of the rice seedlings. Plant phytotoxicity was determined and control was evaluated by recording adult mortality, presence of larvae, and plant damage. Aldrin, lindane, Kepone® (decachlorooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno-2 H -cyclobuta[ cd ]pentalen-2-one), NIA 10242 (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate), and GS 13005 ( O,O -dimethyl phosphorodithioate S-ester with 4-(mercaptomethyl)-2-methoyx-δ2-1,3,4-thiadiazolin-5-one) controlled larvae or adults or both at 8 oz of active ingredients/100 lb of seed. The 3 last-mentioned insecticides were also tested at one-half this rate, but only NIA 10242 was equally effective at the lower rate. It was not determined if control was the result of contact or systemic action of the insecticides. The 1st-instar larvae would be most susceptible to contact action when they moved from the leaf sheath past the seed to the roots to complete their development.
Tidal and subtidal fluctuations in temperature, salinity and pressure for the winter 1996 larval ingress experiment—Beaufort Inlet, NC

A multidisciplinary field experiment was conducted to compare water properties, larval abundances, and transport and retention processes at Beaufort Inlet and two channels leading to the estuarine nursery grounds. Temperature, salinity and subsurface pressure were monitored in situ for a six-week period during March and April 1996 in each channel. Intensive sampling was performed during two neap-tide periods when water mass conditions in the estuary were significantly different. Currents were stronger in the eastern channel during both experiments. Ebb currents were stronger than flood in both channels. Decreasing subtidal sea level appeared to account for the stronger ebb currents. Subtidal sea level in the inlet responded optimally to north–south (along the inlet axis) wind stress and along a line 15° clockwise of north–south. This direction closely parallels the channel axis of Core Sound and may provide an efficient conduit to carry large volumes of low-salinity Pamlico Sound water into the estuarine complex when winds blow south in this sector. The tidal stream in Beaufort Inlet sets up strong cross-inlet gradients by the advection on the east side of higher salinity shelf water and advection on the west side of Beaufort Inlet plume water. The axial fronts produced by differential advection of these two water masses might play some role in redistributing larvae present in one tidal stream to another.
Massively Parallel Sequencing Identifies Recurrent Mutations in TP53 in Thymic Carcinoma Associated with Poor Prognosis

Background The characterization of the molecular alterations in thymic epithelial tumors may lead to a better understanding of tumorigenesis, new therapeutic targets, and biomarkers in these tumors. Methods Paired tissue (tumor and matched normal) from 15 thymic carcinomas (TCA) and six B3 thymomas were evaluated by exon capture of 275 cancer-related genes, followed by deep coverage next-generation sequencing, which identifies somatic sequence variants, small insertions and deletions, and copy number alterations involving all exons of the captured genes. Results Non-silent somatic mutations were identified in 12 of 15 (80%) TCA with a median of one mutation per tumor (range 0–26). Recurrent mutations were identified in tumor suppressor genes TP53 ( n = 4), SMAD4 ( n = 2), and CYLD ( n = 2); and chromatin remodeling genes KDM6A ( n = 3), SETD2 ( n = 2), MLL3 ( n = 2), and MLL2 ( n = 2). Tumors with TP53 mutation appeared to exhibit more aggressive behavior. Therefore, the role of P53 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in an additional ten cases. P53 overexpression correlated with TP53 mutation. These tumors had a higher rate of recurrence and death of disease compared to carcinoma with normal p53 expression ( p = 0.02 for disease-free survival and p = 0.05 for overall survival). Among the B3 thymomas, mutations were identified in four of six tumors. Mutations in BCOR (BCL6 co-repressor) were seen in three thymomas and MLL3 (involved in histone methylation) in one tumor. Conclusions Next-generation sequencing of cancer genes in thymic epithelial tumors revealed a low frequency of mutation, with different patterns between TCA and B3 thymomas. TP53 and BCOR were the most frequently mutated genes in TCA and B3 thymomas, respectively. Alterations in p53 are associated with worse prognosis in TCA.
Securing Designs against Scan-Based Side-Channel Attacks

Traditionally, the only standard method of testing that has consistently provided high fault coverage has been scan test due to the high controllability and high observability this technique provides. The scan chains used in scan test not only allow test engineers to control and observe a chip, but these properties also allow the scan architecture to be used as a means to breach chip security. In this paper, we propose a technique, called Lock & Key, to neutralize the potential for scan-based side-channel attacks. It is very difficult to implement an all inclusive security strategy, but by knowing the attacker, a suitable strategy can be devised. The Lock & Key technique provides a flexible security strategy to modern designs without significant changes to scan test practices. Using this technique, the scan chains are divided into smaller subchains. With the inclusion of a test security controller, access to subchains are randomized when being accessed by an unauthorized user. Random access reduces repeatability and predictability making reverse engineering more difficult. Without proper authorization, an attacker would need to unveil several layers of security before gaining proper access to the scan chain in order to exploit it. The proposed Lock & Key technique is design independent while maintaining a relatively low area overhead.
Laser excited atomic fluorescence for studies of enhancement effects in the direct current plasma

Abstract This paper reports a preliminary use of laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS) to study analyte population enhancement caused by easily ionized elements (EIEs) in the direct current plasma (DCP). Spatial atom density profiles in the DCP were obtained using resonance fluorescence at the calcium atom line at 422.7 nm, with and without the addition of an EIE. Variations in atom density caused by an EIE were found to be far too small to account for the marked enhancements of atomic emission signals which are caused by EIEs. Direct line fluorescence of the barium ion, excited at 614 nm and detected at 455 nm, was used to probe the effect of an EIE on excited state populations. Measurements in the analytical region of the plasma close to the core revealed that enhancements of fluorescence signals at low laser powers disappeared at laser powers which were sufficient to saturate the atomic transitions. While this result does not clarify any of the mechanisms of excitation in the DCP, it does lend support to two of the fundamental postulates of a recent model of the spectrochemical excitation processes in the DCP. These are first, that the analytical region of the DCP is not in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and second, that EIE enhancement proceeds by modulating the rates of power distribution among various plasma zones. In the outer zone of the analytical region of the DCP, depressive interferences occurred. These did not disappear upon saturation which indicates that they were not rate effects but effects that resulted from atom density changes.
Yoga and fetishism: reflections on Marxist social theory

La theorie sociale classique, y compris marxiste, est basee sur une critique de la relation entre religion et societe. La toile de fond philosophique qui sous-tend cette problematique est celle de la conscience et de sa projection dans les choses. A partir des theories anthropologiques et philosophiques actuelles du fetichisme, l'auteur aborde la critique de la religion par Marx et la recuperation de la valeur sociale par une analyse du yoga. Il formule deux hypotheses interdependantes : d'une part, le yoga representerait un changement paradigmatique dans le developpement historique de la conscience religieuse. Une analyse critique de cette evolution etend la fetichisation des relations sociales dans les objets au niveau de conscience de soi dans le corps. D'autre part, une critique de la fetichisation du corps et de la conscience dans le yoga etend et elargit la critique par Marx de la valeur sociale obscurcie et rend possible une politique ecologique plus holistique concernant la valeur de la vie.
Integration of Environmental Sensors with BIM: Case studies using Arduino, Dynamo, and the Revit API

This paper investigates the feasibility of connecting environmental sensors such as light, humidity, or CO 2 receptors to a building information model (BIM). A base case was created in Rhino; using Grasshopper and Firefly, a simple digital model responded to lighting-levels detected by a photoresistor on an Arduino board. The case study was duplicated using Revit Architecture, a popular BIM software, and Dynamo, a visual programming environment, in an innovative application. Another case study followed a similar procedure by implementing the Revit API directly instead of using Dynamo. Then the process was reversed to demonstrate that not only could data could be sent from sensors to change the 3D model, but changes to parameters of a 3D model could effect a physical model through the use of actuators. It is intended that these virtual/physical prototypes could be used as the basis for testing intelligent facade systems before constructing full size mock-ups.
Ca2+ and Cross-Bridge-Induced Changes in Troponin C in Skinned Skeletal Muscle Fibers: Effects of Force Inhibition

Changes in skeletal troponin C (sTnC) structure during thin filament activation by Ca2+ and strongly bound cross-bridge states were monitored by measuring the linear dichroism of the 5' isomer of iodoacetamidotetramethylrhodamine (5'IATR), attached to Cys98 (sTnC-5'ATR), in sTnC-5'ATR reconstituted single skinned fibers from rabbit psoas muscle. To isolate the effects of Ca2+ and cross-bridge binding on sTnC structure, maximum Ca2+-activated force was inhibited with 0.5 mM AlF4- or with 30 mM 2,3 butanedione-monoxime (BDM) during measurements of the Ca2+ dependence of force and dichroism. Dichroism was 0.08 +/- 0.01 (+/- SEM, n = 9) in relaxing solution (pCa 9.2) and decreased to 0.004 +/- 0.002 (+/- SEM, n = 9) at pCa 4.0. Force and dichroism had similar Ca2+ sensitivities. Force inhibition with BDM caused no change in the amplitude and Ca2+ sensitivity of dichroism. Similarly, inhibition of force at pCa 4.0 with 0.5 mM AlF4- decreased force to 0.04 +/- 0.01 of maximum (+/- SEM, n = 3), and dichroism was 0.04 +/- 0.03 (+/- SEM, n = 3) of the value at pCa 9.2 and unchanged relative to the corresponding normalized value at pCa 4.0 (0.11 +/- 0.05, +/- SEM; n = 3). Inhibition of force with AlF4- also had no effect when sTnC structure was monitored by labeling with either 5-dimethylamino-1-napthalenylsulfonylaziridine (DANZ) or 4-(N-(iodoacetoxy)ethyl-N-methyl)amino-7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD). Increasing sarcomere length from 2.5 to 3.6 microm caused force (pCa 4.0) to decrease, but had no effect on dichroism. In contrast, rigor cross-bridge attachment caused dichroism at pCa 9.2 to decrease to 0.56 +/- 0.03 (+/- SEM, n = 5) of the value at pCa 9. 2, and force was 0.51 +/- 0.04 (+/- SEM, n = 6) of pCa 4.0 control. At pCa 4.0 in rigor, dichroism decreased further to 0.19 +/- 0.03 (+/- SEM, n = 6), slightly above the pCa 4.0 control level; force was 0.66 +/- 0.04 of pCa 4.0 control. These results indicate that cross-bridge binding in the rigor state alters sTnC structure, whereas cycling cross-bridges have little influence at either submaximum or maximum activating [Ca2+].
NMR studies of silver ion and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene complexes†

A study, using NMR techniques, of the propensity of complex formation of silver ions with hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur is described. The results are compared with similar data using 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene as an acceptor. The differences in the two sets of data are interpreted in terms of localized and delocalized interactions in the formation of weak complexes.
Ecological constraints on fruit initiation by Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana (Arecaceae): FLORAL HERBIVORY, POLLEN AVAILABILITY, AND VISITATION BY POLLINATING BATS

Failure of a flower to initiate fruit can be attributed to an insufficiency of resources, genetic incompatibilities, or ecological constraints on pollination. Flower visitors can increase fruit initiation by pollinating flowers, or decrease fruit initiation by damaging them. If, however, resources limit fruit initiation, variation in visitation may be relatively unimportant. Visitors to Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana, a rain forest understory palm, leave a record of their activity by feeding on floral tissue. I recorded variation in inflorescence visitation, floral display, and fruit initiation during 7 mo over two field seasons. On average, bats visited 50-60% of flowers; katydids and scarab beetles visited and damaged the remaining 40-50%. Four species of bat (Phyllostomidae) captured near inflorescences were found to be carrying C. ghiesbreghtiana pollen. Approximately 18% of flowers visited by bats and not damaged by insects initiated fruit, whereas insect-damaged flowers set a negligible number. Some variation in fruit initiation was explained by nightly variation in the proportion of inflorescences at each site that were potential pollen donors (male-phase inflorescences). Visitors responded to variation in floral display; katydids damaged more flowers on taller inflorescences, and in one season bats visited a greater proportion of flowers on inflorescences with many flowers. However, floral display only explained a small amount of variation in visitation. A similar amount of variation in flower visitation was explained by the degree to which inflorescences were obstructed by surrounding vegetation. I used path analysis to summarize the overall effect of floral display on visitation by both pollinators and florivores and the effect of visitation and site sex ratio on fruit initiation. Because almost all flowers were visited by bats or damaged by katydids, the amount of bat visitation was strongly negatively correlated with katydid damage. In spite of the low fruit set from bat-visited flowers, variation in bat visitation explained 27-37% of the variation in fruit initiation.
Carbon emissions and the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the tropics

The net emissions of carbon from deforestation and degradation in the tropics, including the draining and burning of peat swamps in SE Asia, averaged ∼1.4 (±0.5) PgC yr−1 over the period 1990–2010. Most (60–90%) of the emissions were from deforestation; degradation (or reductions of biomass density within forests) is more difficult to document but results from harvest of wood and the re-clearing of fallow forests within the shifting cultivation cycle. The main driver of deforestation is agriculture, whether permanent or shifting, and whether for food crops or pasture. The relative contribution of deforestation and degradation to anthropogenic carbon emissions has been declining, but reducing emissions from land, along with reduced emissions from fossil fuels, could help stabilize the CO2 concentration of the atmosphere.Received: 25-4-2012; Accepted: 8-6-2012
A detailed consideration of resonance radiation trapping in the argon inductively coupled plasma

Abstract The extent and duration of trapping of argon resonance radiation (106.7 and 104.8 nm) in the ICP was calculated using a model incorporating line shape contributions from both Doppler and pressure broadening. The trap was found to be at the pressure-broadened limit, giving an escape factor of 7.9 × 10 −4 when excitation of the 4 s states in the plasma annulus is assumed. Theoretical apparent radiative lifetimes τ app for argon 3 P 1 and 1 P 1 resonance states are calculated to be 8 and 1.9μs respectively. The quartet of 4 s states, rapidly mixed by electron collisions, are presumed to share an overall apparent radiative lifetime τ app = 1.6μs for the purpose of plasma modeling. Effects of this radiation trapping on the argon 4s atom density and on electron-ion recombination are discussed.
Phase Behavior of Mixtures of Low Molar Mass Nematic Liquid Crystal and in Situ Photo-Cross-Linked Polymer Network

Phase equilibria and mesophase ordering behavior of mixtures of low molar mass nematic liquid crystal (LC) and photo-cross-linked polymeric network have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The nematic LC used was a single component, viz., 4-n-heptyl-4‘-cyanobiphenyl (K21). The polymer network was formed by photo-cross-linking multifunctional thiolene-based optical adhesive (NOA65). On the basis of a simple addition of the free energy densities of isotropic mixing and nematic ordering along with the elastic free energy density of the network, phase diagrams have been established by solving the total free energy equation self-consistently. The effects of average repeat units between cross-linked points, network functionality, and concentration dependence of network models on the phase diagrams of LC/polymer network were examined. The calculated phase diagrams displayed isotropic network + nematic solvent (I + N), isotropic network + isotropic solvent (I + I), and isotropic swollen network (I...
Reduced Sleep Duration or Quality: Relationships With Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes

T ype 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that is increasing at alarming ratesworldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs when insulin resistance (ie, reduced insulin action) is accompanied by impaired insulin secretion. Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus are both associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Obesity, family history of diabetes, decreased physical activity, and aging are among the most common factors known to contribute to the development of diabetes. An improved understanding of the pathogenesis could lead to better preventive and therapeutic strategies. Rapidly accumulating evidence suggests that sleep loss resulting from either behavioral sleep curtailment or sleep disorders may be a novel risk factor for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this article, we will first review the current epidemiologic evidence that links reduced sleep duration and/or quality to diabetes. We will then summarize the laboratory studies on the effects of manipulations of sleep duration and quality on glucose metabolism in healthy subjects with a brief discussion of potential mechanisms. In the last section, we will review the studies examining the association between insulin resistance, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), an increasingly common sleep disorder associated with both sleep loss and poor sleep quality.
Parton Distribution Functions for Twist Four

Abstract All O(1/Q2) corrections to leptoproduction are described by a small number of generalized multiparton distribution functions which depend only on the longitudinal momentum of the partons. We show that these functions can be represented (in A+ = 0 gauge) by sequential emission or absorption by the target of quarks, antiquarks and gluons where (i) all quanta move with 0 ⩽ k+/p+ ⩽ 1; (ii) all intermediate hadronic states are on-mass-shell; (iii) no graphs are semi-disconnected with respect to the target or the intermediate hadronic state. We show how all O(1/Q2) corrections to the forward virtual Compton amplitude can be represented in terms of these parton distributions.
Precursor lesions to prostatic adenocarcinoma

High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is the one well-documented precursor to adenocarcinoma of the prostate. This review article defines both low- and high-grade PIN. Unusual variants of high-grade PIN are illustrated. Benign lesions that may be confused with high-grade PIN, including central zone histology, clear cell cribriform hyperplasia, and basal cell hyperplasia are described and illustrated. High-grade PIN is also differentiated from invasive acinar (usual) and ductal adenocarcinoma. The incidence of high-grade PIN, its relationship to carcinoma (including molecular findings), and risk of cancer on rebiopsy are covered in detail. Finally, intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, a controversial entity, is discussed and differentiated from high-grade PIN.
The effect of drought and economic decline on rural women in Western Sudan

Abstract This paper illustrates how long-term economic instability has combined with drought to make women in a small village in western Sudan more vulnerable to impoverishment. Increased drought and government insolvency and indifference have forced poor farmers to rely on local resources and coping strategies. A case study from Bireka village demonstrates differences in strategies between women and men, and among women of different ethnicities and social status. This paper describes how inequalities in agricultural production reflect social and economic constraints. These differences make it more difficult for women to accumulate assets and savings that are the primary insurance against a poor agricultural season. Women, however, have other options for income generation, but these too are severely affected by drought and economic decline. These crises have combined to change the nature of gender relations. While certainly rural populations, and especially women and children, are more vulnerable to future risks, the changing gender relations may be forming the foundation of new coping strategies in the face of ecological crisis.
Communication-Efficient Computation on Distributed Noisy Datasets

This paper gives a first attempt to answer the following general question: Given a set of machines connected by a point-to-point communication network, each having a {\em noisy} dataset, how can we perform communication-efficient statistical estimations on the union of these datasets? Here `noisy' means that a real-world entity may appear in different forms in different datasets, but those variants should be considered as the same universe element when performing statistical estimations. We give a first set of communication-efficient solutions for statistical estimations on distributed noisy datasets, including algorithms for distinct elements, $L_0$-sampling, heavy hitters, frequency moments and empirical entropy.
Catabolite repression of thiosulfate reduction bySalmonella typhimurium

The effect of glucose and other carbon sources on thiosulfate reduction and on the expression ofphs bySalmonella typhimurium was examined. Glucose repressed both H2S production from thiosulfate and methyl viologen-linked thiosulfate reductase activity. Cyclic AMP (2 mM) in the growth medium restored both activities. Cyclic AMP was essential for both activities in acya mutant. Glucose and many other sugars repressedphs expression in both Cya+ and Cya−phs::Mu d1(Aprlac) operon fusion mutants. Increasing cyclic AMP to 10 mM increasedphs expression in the presence of some, but not all, sugars. It appears that catabolite repression of thiosulfate reduction inS. typhimurium involves more than a simple requirement for cyclic AMP.
Trends in percutaneous versus surgical revascularization of unprotected left main coronary stenosis in the drug-eluting stent era: a report from the American College of Cardiology-National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCDR).

Objectives: We sought to determine how practice patterns for unprotected left main stenosis have changed with the advent of drug-eluting stents (DES). Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of unprotected left main coronary stenosis has been controversial. Methods: We analyzed data submitted to the American College of Cardiology-National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCDR) between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2004 from 1,276,582 cardiac catheterizations at 417 institutions. Of these, 53,548 (4.2%) had left main stenosis >50% and no prior CABG. After excluding the unrevascularized, the patient sample (N = 32,562) was analyzed for PCI vs. CABG. Data was stratified by year/quarter, bare metal stent vs. DES, elective vs. urgent/emergent situations, LVEF < or ≥40%, and %left main and RCA stenosis. Results: Of unprotected left main revascularizations from 2002 to 2004, PCI increased from 17.0% to 21.9%, while CABG decreased from 83.0% to 78.1% (P < 0.0001). In 2002, bare metal stents were used for all PCIs; in 2004, bare metal stent use was only 25.5%, while DES use was 74.5% (P < 0.0001). Of elective procedures, PCI rose from 19.1% to 27.5% while CABG fell from 80.9% to 72.5% (P < 0.0001). Similar trends, all significant, were seen in every clinical situation. Conclusions: In the era of DES, the rate of PCI for unprotected left main stenosis has risen, while CABG has declined. These findings are seen across varying clinical situations, including elective procedures. DES have rapidly and largely replaced bare metal stents for PCI of unprotected left mains. However, PCI is still chosen less frequently than CABG for unprotected left main revascularization. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Origin of halite brine in the Onondaga Trough near Syracuse, New York State, USA: modeling geochemistry and variable-density flow

Halite brine (saturation ranging from 45 to 80%) lies within glacial sediments that fill the Onondaga Trough, a bedrock valley deepened by Pleistocene glaciation near Syracuse, New York State, USA. The most concentrated brine occupies the northern end of the trough, about 10 km downgradient of the northern limit of halite beds in the Silurian Salina Group, the assumed source of salt. The chemical composition of the brine and its radiocarbon age suggest that the brine originally formed about 16,700 years ago through dissolution of halite by glacial melt water and later mixed with saline bedrock water. Two hypotheses regarding the formation of the brine pool were tested through variable-density flow simulations using SEAWAT. Simulation results supported the first hypothesis that the brine pool was derived from a source in the glacial sediments and then migrated to its current position, where it has persisted for over 16,000 years. A second hypothesis that the brine pool formed through steady accumulation of brine from upward flow of a source in the underlying bedrock was not supported by simulation results, because the simulated age distribution was much younger than the age estimated from geochemical modeling.
A note on least two norm solutions of monotone complementarity problems

Abstract Growth rates for approximate solutions of monotone complementary problems are considered and an application to the linear case is given.
Migration and feeding of the predatory fish, Bairdiella chrysura Lacépède, in an intertidal creek

Abstract Juvenile Bairdiella chrysura (Lacepede) (silver perch) were collected hourly from a South Carolina intertidal creek for 10 tidal cycles. Stomach content analyses suggest that silver perch feed nocturnally within the intertidal zone during high tide. The reasons for this feeding behavior are discussed with emphasis on the importance of intertidal areas as regions where energy is transferred from the marsh to the estuary.
Career Advancement and Subcommittee Chairs in the U.S. House of Representatives 86th to 103rd Congresses

In this article, the author examines the career advancement of subcommittee chairs in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 86th to the 103rd Congresses (1959-1994). The author demonstrates that the rate of advancement to subcommittee chairs increased immediately after House reforms in the early 1970s but decreased once again during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Further, cross-sectional differences among committees are presented to show that there are also nonperiod effects that determine the pace of member career advancement. Finally, the author constructs and tests a model to examine the determinants of the rate of subcommittee chair acquisition.
An element-sensitive hysteresis loop study of an exchange-biased Co/NiO bilayer

Abstract An exchange-biased Co/NiO bilayer was studied by measuring element specific hysteresis loops. A phase-sensitive detection scheme based on fast switching of the polarization of the X-rays was developed for this measurement. Uncompensated Ni 2+ spins at the Co/NiO interface were observed for the first time. In addition, part of the Ni 2+ spins were found to switch with the Co layer.
Influence of cooling and photoperiod on growth and flowering of Aquilegia L. cultivars

Abstract Four cultivars of Aquilegia flabalata and four cultivars of Aquilegia×hybrida were cooled 0, 4, 8, or 12 weeks and forced in either long-day (LD) or short-day (SD) photoperiods. Cultivars of both species cooled eight or 12 weeks flowered in fewer forcing days than non-cooled plants, however, days to flower were similar for LD and SD photoperiods regardless of cooling level. Flower stem length increased with increasing cooling duration, and flowering stems were longer in LD photoperiod than in SD. Plants cooled eight or 12 weeks were either larger than or similar in size at flowering to non-cooled plants or those cooled four weeks. In this study, eight weeks cooling and LD photoperiod enhanced forcing phase growth and flowering of the columbine cultivars most efficiently.
University planning, decentralization and resource allocation

Abstract This paper proposes a system of resource allocation in universities which addresses both the problem of useful simulation of alternatives and efficient substitution of resources. It is the authors' view that the reasons why various university planning models proposed in the last few years have not been found useful in practice is that they take inadequate account of the decentralized nature of decisionmaking within universities. In this regard the three main points of the paper are: (1) university planning models should have flexible aggregation categories which can be determined and re-adjusted by the decisionmaker as he uses it; (2) resource constraints in university planning models should be flexible and negotiable, and negotiation over resources should be part of the analyst's domain of inquiry; (3) planning in universities must take into account the problem of introducing incentives which cause the behavior of individuals within the university to be directed to the needs of the institution's clienteles.
Design, synthesis, and in vitro biological evaluation of small molecule inhibitors of estrogen receptor α coactivator binding

Nuclear receptors (NRs) complexed with agonist ligands activate transcription by recruiting coactivator protein complexes. In principle, one should be able to inhibit the transcriptional activity of the NRs by blocking this transcriptionally critical receptor-coactivator interaction directly, using an appropriately designed coactivator binding inhibitor (CBI). To guide our design of various classes of CBIs, we have used the crystal structure of an agonist-bound estrogen receptor (ER) ligand binding domain (LBD) complexed with a coactivator peptide containing the LXXLL signature motif bound to a hydrophobic groove on the surface of the LBD. One set of CBIs, based on an outside-in design approach, has various heterocyclic cores (triazenes, pyrimidines, trithianes, cyclohexanes) that mimic the tether sites of the three leucines on the peptide helix, onto which are appended leucine residue-like substituents. The other set, based on an inside-out approach, has a naphthalene core that mimics the two most deeply buried leucines, with substituents extending outward to mimic other features of the coactivator helical peptide. A fluorescence anisotropy-based coactivator competition assay was developed to measure the specific binding of these CBIs to the groove site on the ER-agonist complex with which coactivators interact; control ligand-binding assays assured that their interaction was not with the ligand binding pocket. The most effective CBIs were those from the pyrimidine family, the best binding with K(i) values of ca. 30 microM. The trithiane- and cyclohexane-based CBIs appear to be poor structural mimics, because of equatorial vs axial conformational constraints, and the triazene-based CBIs are also conformationally constrained by amine-substituent-to-ring resonance overlap, which is not the case with the higher affinity alkyl-substituted pyrimidines. The pyrimidine-based CBIs appear to be the first small molecule inhibitors of NR coactivator binding.
The Potential of Maps APIs for Internet GIS Applications

Since the launching of Maps Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in 2005, many web developers, including geographers and non-geographers, applauded the freely adaptable tools and used them to spawn numerous Internet applications. The success of the Maps APIs is largely attributable to its no-cost policy, the availability of global data coverage, dynamic navigation, query capability, and ease of implementation. Despite its versatility in dynamic exploration of geographic data online, the existing Maps APIs lack Geographic Information System (GIS) functionalities compared to other Internet Mapping Services. The goal of this research was to review the potential of the Maps APIs for Internet GIS applications. This research employed the Google Maps API and developed a web prototype that disseminates spatial information of urban sprawl in Mundy Township, Michigan. The results revealed that both vector and raster data could be effectively represented by using the Maps API. Moreover, the Geographic Markup Language (GML) approach illustrated great potential for developing Internet GIS solutions around open specifications. This research suggested several potential solutions to expand the spectrum of GIS operations of the Maps APIs by incorporating the XML-related technology and extending the JavaScript library.
Gender trouble: Women and the making of Italy's ‘active population’, 1861‐1936

Abstract This article seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the complex sociocultural and ideological reasons that lay behind the well‐known fall in the number of women workers in the Italian population censuses from the post‐Unification period to Fascism. This was a time when the statisticians of the whole ‘civilized’ world were engaged in the definition of the modern statistical notion of ‘active population’. Through an examination of material published by Italian as well as non‐Italian statistical institutions and of the debates on women's work at the turn of the century, the article shows how the statisticians sought to make their data comparable to those of other, more modem countries and argues that an important turning point in the changing statistical representations of women's work in Italy occurred with the census of 1901. This coincided with growing interest in the question of women's work and the campaign for the introduction of legislation ‘protecting’ women workers. As state const...
A Multicontinuum Approach to Structural Analysis of Linear Viscoelastic Composite Materials

A multicontinuum approach to structural analyses of composites is described. A continuum field is defined to represent each constituent material along with the traditional continuum field associated with the composite. Finite element micromechanics is used to establish relationships between composite and constituent field variables. These relationships uncouple the micromechanics from structural solutions and render an efficient means of extracting constituent information during the course of a finite element structural analysis. Equations are developed for the case of a linear elastic reinforcing material embedded in a linear viscoelastic matrix and verified by comparison with results of finite element micromechanics.
The Tragedy of Radical Subjectivity: From Radical Software to Proprietary Subjects

ABSTRACT Considering the aestheticization of post-World War II research in cybernetics as part of a cultural shift in art practices and human and machine subjectivities, the author brings these spheres together by analyzing encounters between the experimental artists and researchers who wrote for and edited Radical Software in the early 1970s, including Harry A. Wilmer, Gregory Bateson and Paul Ryan. She then connects their experimental uses of video feedback (a central tenet of cybernetics) to new and increasingly pervasive human-machine subjectivities.
Does marital status contribute to the explanation of the hypercholesterolemia paradox in relation to long term mortality in myocardial infarction? Findings from the MONICA/KORA Myocardial Infarction Registry.

Abstract Objective A recent study found long-term mortality after first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to be particularly reduced among married individuals with hypercholesterolemia. This study explores, whether statin treatments during the last week prior to AMI offer an explanation to this phenomenon. Methods Data were retrieved 2000–2008 from the population-based KORA myocardial infarction registry, located in Bavaria, Germany. The sample included 3162 individuals, alive 28 days after first AMI, who received statins both in hospital and at discharge. Associations with long-term mortality were examined via multivariable Cox regression. Among patients with hypercholesterolemia, individuals with and without prior statin treatment were each tested against the reference group “neither (hypercholesterolemia nor statin)” and tested for interaction with “marital status”. Results Among patients with and without prior statins, hazard ratio (HR) 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.93 and HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55–0.94, were observed, respectively. Mortality reductions diminished after introduction of the following interaction terms with marital status: HR 0.49, p 0.042 for patients with and HR 0.77, p 0.370, for patients without prior statins. Conclusions Prior statin treatments appear to be an underlying factor for long-term mortality reduction in married AMI-survivors with hypercholesterolemia. Confirmation of our results in further studies is warranted.
Low-angle x-ray diffraction patterns from a variety of myelinated nerves.

Abstract Low-angle X-ray diffraction patterns from a variety of myelinated nerves are described. Different kinds of patterns are obtained from peripheral nerve and central nervous system myelin. The intensity variation between the first five diffraction orders is the same for each variety of peripheral nerve myelin, and similarly, an intensity variation exists which is the same for each variety of central nervous system myelin. However, the intensity variation for myelinated nerves from fish is different from peripheral nerve and central nervous system myelin. New diffraction orders higher than five for both peripheral nerve and central nervous system myelin have been recorded.
Control of recurrent tachycardia of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome by surgical ligature of the A-V bundle.

In a patient with WPW, type A, pharmacological therapy and radioactive iodine failed to control the disabling, life-threatening arrhythmia. Surgical ligation of the A-V bundle was undertaken in view of the rapidly deteriorating clinical course. Failure to identify A-V block after several sutures were placed in the A-V junction and subsequent activation of the ventricles in a heart with known A-V block demonstrates that the accessory A-V bundles may completely activate the ventricles. Complete elimination of the recurrent tachycardias after A-V ligation suggests that the normal A-V transmission system may be a crucial link in the circus pathway of WPW tachycardia.
Effect of variable thermal conductivity on isotherms in Bridgman growth

A change in thermal conductivity associated with melting or solidification can have a profound influence on the isotherms near the solidification interface if the material is being directionally solidified in an ampoule whose walls carry a substantial portion of the heat. This analysis was prompted by a recent discovery that the thermal conductivity of Hg(1-x)CD(x)Te increased dramatically as the material is heated above the solidus curve. An illustrative example is shown in which the sample is approximated as an infinite cylinder with constant but diffferent thermal properties in the solid and melt. The boundary conditions are fixed on the surface by a conductive ampoule in a two-zone Bridgman furnace with an adiabatic region separating the two zones. The effect of the adiabatic zone in this case is to intensify the curvature of the interface rather than to lessen it.
Project Glass: An Extension of the Self

Soon, Google Glass will be worn by many users as part of the Glass Explorers Program. However, to get to this point, Google first hired many of the academics who have worn such devices as part of their everyday lives. Here, Thad Starner discusses how he got hooked on HUDs and why he thinks wearable interfaces will help users pay attention to the real world as opposed to retreating from it.
Electron dose dependence and oxygen implantation effect on cathodoluminescence intensity in synthetic silica glass

Abstract A luminescence band at 2.75 eV in silica glass, Corning 7940, excited with 1 keV electron beam was measured as a function of beam current and dose. The initial luminescent intensities at 2.75 eV, taken within 1 s of the beginning of irradiation, were proportional to the beam current in the range 0.8 to 12.7 μA/mm2. The luminescent intensities as a function of dose were observed at current densities of 3.0, 4.8, and 12.7 μA/mm2. The intensities increased linearly for doses
The marital status inventory: Some preliminary data on an instrument to measure marital dissolution potential

Abstract The Marital Status Inventory (MSI) is designed to determine the severity of marital counseling cases in terms of the potential for dissolution of the marriage. The instrument differentiates effectively between couples seeking marital counseling and couples seeking help with parent-child problems. For all cases, MSI scores were found to relate significantly to husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction in the areas of companionship and sex.
Genetics of haemoglobin H.

Summary Additional studies are reported on the first family reported with haemoglobin H disease. These include the finding of a second fast minor haemoglobin in two of the subjects with haemoglobin H. This component does not have the alkaline resistance or ultra-violet spectrum of foetal haemoglobin and is slower than Bart's haemoglobin on electrophoresis at pH 8-6; it is, therefore, not Bart's haemoglobin. Another sibling has been studied and has thalassaemia trait. The current literature and hypotheses to explain the inheritance of haemoglobin H disease are reviewed.
General game learning using knowledge transfer

We present a reinforcement learning game player that can interact with a General Game Playing system and transfer knowledge learned in one game to expedite learning in many other games. We use the technique of value-function transfer where general features are extracted from the state space of a previous game and matched with the completely different state space of a new game. To capture the underlying similarity of vastly disparate state spaces arising from different games, we use a game-tree lookahead structure for features. We show that such feature-based value function transfer learns superior policies faster than a reinforcement learning agent that does not use knowledge transfer. Furthermore, knowledge transfer using lookahead features can capture opponent-specific value-functions, i.e. can exploit an opponent's weaknesses to learn faster than a reinforcement learner that uses lookahead with minimax (pessimistic) search against the same opponent.
Comparative Molecular Analysis of Endoevaporitic Microbial Communities

A phylogenetic comparison of microbial communities in hypersaline evaporites was conducted on crusts from Guerrero Negro, Mexico, and Lindsey Lake, New Mexico, using culture-independent rRNA gene sequence analysis. Many sequences were shared between evaporites, which suggests that similar environments select for specific microbial lineages from a global metacommunity.