cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trauma surgeon mortality rates correlate with surgeon time at institution.

Background Trauma centers have been created to bring traumatized patients together with experienced surgeons. We reviewed our outcomes to determine if mortality rates for high Injury Severity Scores (≥ 35) correlate with surgeon experience at our trauma center. Study Design Using our prospectively collected database, we compared our results with mean mortality for high-volume American College of Surgeon–certified trauma centers reporting to the National Trauma Data Bank. Mortality rates for our 11 trauma surgeons were correlated with years of experience as faculty surgeons at our institution during a 2-year period. Statistical analysis was done with chi-square or weighted linear regression; significance was defined as p Results Our trauma center mortality rates were significantly below the mean rates of National Trauma Data Bank at all levels of injury (chi-square, p Conclusions Mortality rates for severely injured patients correlate significantly with surgeon experience at our institution. The training process does not end with fellowship or surgical residency, and surgeons new to an institution should be closely monitored and mentored to minimize mortality rates of severely injured patients. Even at a very high volume trauma center with overall results substantially better than mean expected survival, we can demonstrate that experience makes a difference.
Holocene history of the Wilson Piedmont Glacier along the southern Scott Coast, Antarctica

Geometric and cross-cutting relationships between the Wilson Piedmont Glacier and raised beach ridges indicate that the glacier margin has undergone Holocene ‘ uctuations. During mid-Holocene time, the Wilson Piedmont Glacier retreated to a position less extensive than at present. A subsequent readvance culmi nated less than 250 years ago. Since ad 1956, the glacier and adjacent large snow ramps have retreated up to 600 m in some locations. Large snowbanks have also disappeared. Although the cross-cutting relationships and chronology indicate a late-Holocene advance at approximately the same time as the ‘Little Ice Age’ event, the magnitude and style of that advance differ from those of the classic ‘Little Ice Age’ glacier ‘ uctuations in the Northern Hemisphere.
Stability of the solution to inverse scattering problem with exact data

Abstract Assume that q j ( x ) generate the scattering amplitudes A j , j = 1, 2. If A ≔ A 1 − A 2 is small in a suitable sense then p ≔ q 1 − q 2 is small in some sense. Estimates of p ( x ) are given in terms of some norm of A .
Lessons learned from a commercial module approach to real-time ATR development (Abstract Only)

terrain room on two separate occasions. The system is entirelycomposed of commercially available modules, which were procuredfrom either Datacube or Motorola. The system includes a Sunworkstation to serve as the system host and development station.Standard Languages, busses, communication protocols, softwarepackages, and processors were established for the system. MTAP,not including the host processor and peripherals, is enclosed in 5
IMPAIRMENT OF MUCOSAL HYPERPLASIA FOLLOWING MASSIVE SMALL BOWEL RESECTION BY ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID (EFA) DEFICIENCY

Previous studies have shown that dietary long chain triglycerides stimulate mucosal hyperplasia following massive small bowel resection. In these studies, however, mucosal hyperplasia in “control” animals may have actually been inhibited by short term EFA deficiency. To evaluate this possibility 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 60% proximal jejunoileal resection and subsequently pair-fed isocaloric diets containing either linoleic (control) or palmitic (EFA deficient) acid (5% fat by weight). Two weeks postoperatively, mucosal protein (mg/cm bowel + SEM) was determined in the remaining bowel:: Mucosal protein levels were decreased in EFA deficient resected animals in all segments in remaining bowel (p<.05). Mucosal DNA levels paralleled these changes. A subsequent study demonstrated rapid reversal of impairment of mucosal hyperplasia following reinstitution of EFA containing diets. Hepatic triene:tetraene ratios confirmed EFA deficiency in the palmitic acid group. EFA deficiency impaired mucosal adaptation following resection. This effect was reversible, and may explain stimulatory effects of long chain triglycerides on mucosal hyperplasia.
Statistical Monitoring of Complex Chemical Processes Using Agent-Based Systems

It is highly desirable to have a statistical process monitoring (SPM) system that detects the abnormalities in process operations quickly with as few missed and false alarms as possible while the process operates under various operating conditions. An agent-based combined monitoring and fault detection framework is proposed in this study. In this framework, different SPM techniques compete with and complement each other to enhance detection speed and accuracy. SPM techniques from literature such as principal component analysis (PCA), multiblock PCA (MBPCA), and dynamic PCA (DPCA) techniques are implemented in this agent-based process supervision system. An agent performance assessment and agent management layer provides dynamic adaptation of the supervision system and improves the performance of SPM. The statistical information coming from each of the statistical techniques is summarized through a consensus mechanism. The performance of the agent-based consensus mechanism using different consensus criteri...
Hormonal Effects on Ontogeny of Swimming Ability in the Rat: Assessment of Central Nervous System Development

The maturation of swimming behavior and the evoked cortical response to sciatic stimulation were studied in newborn rats receiving thyroxine or cortisol. Compared to that of controls the maturation of swimming is accelerated or delayed 2 to 3 days by thyroxine or cortisol treatment, respectively, and this corresponds to ontogenetic shifts in the characteristics of the evoked potential. Front leg movement during swimming normally diminishes at about 16 days of age and is inhibited by day 22. Thyroxine also advances and cortisol delays the age at which this inhibitory mechanism becomes evident, and compresses (thyroxine) or expands (cortisol) the time interval over which it becomes functional. During early postnatal life certain circuilating hormones can affect the rate and chronology of central nervous system maturation. Swimming behavior may be a simple model to use in studies concerned with factors affecting the functional and behavioral development of the central nervouts system.
Increased hip abduction in high body mass index subjects during sit-to-stand

Abstract Obesity is associated with increased risk of total hip arthroplasty (THA) dislocation. Differences in kinematics and kinetics at the hip during activities of daily living such as sit-to-stand (STS) may contribute to this risk. Nine high body mass index (BMI) subjects (mean BMI 31.2) and ten normal BMI control subjects (mean BMI 22.1) were analyzed using force plates and an optoelectronic motion capture camera system during controlled STS movement. Flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and internal/external rotation angles and moments at the hip and knee were calculated using a musculoskeletal model. No differences were found at the knee. Peak hip abduction angles were on average 50% greater in the high BMI group compared to the normal group ( p = 0.038). The hip was roughly 50% more abducted throughout the entire STS cycle in the high BMI group. Peak normalized hip abduction moments were approximately twice as large in the high BMI group ( p = 0.005). Further research is required to determine if this increase in abduction angle and moment observed during STS is a contributor to risk for complications following THA in obese subjects.
On the field of definition of $$p$$ -torsion points on elliptic curves over the rationals

Let $$S_\mathbb Q (d)$$ be the set of primes $$p$$ for which there exists a number field $$K$$ of degree $$\le d$$ and an elliptic curve $$E/\mathbb Q $$ , such that the order of the torsion subgroup of $$E(K)$$ is divisible by $$p$$ . In this article we give bounds for the primes in the set $$S_\mathbb Q (d)$$ . In particular, we show that, if $$p\ge 11$$ , $$p\ne 13,37$$ , and $$p\in S_\mathbb Q (d)$$ , then $$p\le 2d+1$$ . Moreover, we determine $$S_\mathbb Q (d)$$ for all $$d\le 42$$ , and give a conjectural formula for all $$d\ge 1$$ . If Serre’s uniformity problem is answered positively, then our conjectural formula is valid for all sufficiently large $$d$$ . Under further assumptions on the non-cuspidal points on modular curves that parametrize those $$j$$ -invariants associated to Cartan subgroups, the formula is valid for all $$d\ge 1$$ .
Bargaining theory and cooperative fishing participation on ifaluk atoll.

In this paper we examine the merit of bargaining theory, in its economic and ecological forms, as a model for understanding variation in the frequency of participation in cooperative fishing among men of Ifaluk atoll in Micronesia. Two determinants of bargaining power are considered: resource control and a bargainer’s utility gain for his expected share of the negotiated resource. Several hypotheses which relte cultural and life-course parameters to bargaining power are tested against data on the frequency of cooperative sail-fishing participation. Consistent with predictions generated from bargaining theory, we show that (1) age is negatively correlated with cooperative fishing participation, (2) men of highranking clans and men with high levels of education fish less than men of low-ranking clans and less-educated men, (3) men with high expected utility gains from fishing returns fish more than men with low expected utility gains, (4) number of dependents is positively correlated with cooperative fishing participation, and (5) the number of young genetic offspring residing with a man is positively correlated with cooperative fishing participation, whereas the number of genetic offspring more than 13 years old who are residing with a man is negatively correlated with cooperative fishing participation.
Zur Darstellung von Phosphor(III)-oxid

Es wird eine Methode(1) zur Darstellung von Phosphor(III)-oxid beschrieben, die es gestattet, das Oxid mit Ausbeuten zwischen 35 und 45% durch Verbrennen von farblosem Phosphor in einem Distickstoffmonoxid-Strom bei Drucken zwischen 50 und 90 mm Hg kontinuierlich herzustellen. Andere Methoden, wie Oxydation von farblosem Phosphor in Sauerstoff—Stickstoff-Gemischen und Umsetzung von PCl3 mit [N(CH3)4]2SO3 in flussigem SO2, werden bezuglich ihrer Anwendbarkeit zur Darstellung von 5–5–30 g Phosphor(III)-oxid diskutiert. A preparation method(1) for phosphorus(III) oxide with 35–45% yields is described allowing the continuous combustion of colourless phosphorus by means of an N2O current at 50–90 mm Hg. Further methods, as the oxidation of P4 in O2/N2 mixtures and interaction of PCl3 with [N(CH3)4]SO3 in liquid SO2, for preparing P(III) oxide in 5–30 g scales are checked and discussed.
A Novel Hierarchical Level Set with AR-boost for White Matter Lesion Segmentation in Diabetes

Hierarchical as well as coupled level sets are widely used for multilevel image segmentation. However, these tools are successful if the number of levels of an image are known and a careful choice of initialization is performed. We intend a novel hierarchical level set (HLS) followed by an Adaptive Regularized Boosting (AR-Boost) for automatic White Matter Lesion (WML) segmentation from Magnetic Resonance Images. HLS does not need to know the number of levels in an image and HLS is computationally less expensive and more initialization independent than coupled level-setssince HLS doesn't generate redundant regions. We employan energy functional that minimizes the negative logarithm of variances between the two partitions created by the level set function. HLS uses a level set to partition the image into a number of segments, then applies the level set on all the segments separately to create more segments and the process continues iteratively until all the segments become a nearly homogeneous region (low intensity variance). Then AR-Boost classifies the segments into WML and non-WML classes. The proposed loss function for AR-boost enforces more weight on misclassified samples at each iteration than Adaboost to classify correctly in the next iteration and consequently leads to early convergence. Unlike Adaboost, the user can select optimal weights through cross-validation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art automated white matter lesion segmentation techniques.
Effects of breastfeeding on hypoestrogenic symptoms in postpartum women

Abstract Objective: To assess the frequency and severity of hypoestrogenic symptoms in lactating and nonlactating women during the postpartum period. Study design: Women were recruited in the immediate postpartum period and evaluated during the immediate postpartum period, at 3 weeks postpartum and at 6 weeks postpartum, using self-ranked symptoms questionnaires. Hypoestrogenic symptoms were assessed using a modified Kupperman index, a menopausal symptoms questionnaire. Mood changes were evaluated using the Stein Survey, a postpartum mood changes questionnaire. Results: Of 233 women recruited, 74% intended to breastfeed. The frequency and severity of most hypoestrogenic symptoms, including hot flashes, were low for both groups. However, at the 3- and 6-week postpartum evaluations, breastfeeding women were more likely to report vaginal dryness than those who did not breastfeed (17% versus 2% at 6 weeks, P Conclusions: The isolated finding of increased reported vaginal dryness among breastfeeding women may suggest that lower estrogen levels are clinically evident in these women, but not to the extent that hot flashes would be prevalent.
Intracellular Gating in an Inward-facing State of Aspartate Transporter GltPh Is Regulated by the Movements of the Helical Hairpin HP2

Sodium-coupled neurotransmitter transporters play a key role in neuronal signaling by clearing excess transmitter from the synapse. Structural data on a trimeric archaeal aspartate transporter, GltPh, have provided valuable insights into structural features of human excitatory amino acid transporters. However, the time-resolved mechanisms of substrate binding and release, as well as that of coupling to sodium co-transport, remain largely unknown for this important family. We present here the results of the most extensive simulations performed to date for GltPh in both outward-facing and inward-facing states by taking advantage of significant advances made in recent years in molecular simulation technology. The generated multiple microsecond trajectories consistently show that the helical hairpin HP2, not HP1, serves as an intracellular gate (in addition to its extracellular gating role). In contrast to previous proposals, HP1 can neither initiate nor accommodate neurotransmitter release without prior opening of HP2 by at least 4.0 Å. Aspartate release invariably follows that of a sodium ion located near the HP2 gate entrance. Asp-394 on TM8 and Arg-276 on HP1 emerge as key residues that promote the reorientation and diffusion of substrate toward the cell interior. These findings underscore the significance of examining structural dynamics, as opposed to static structure(s), to make inferences on the mechanisms of transport and key interactions.
Work in progress - The use of team-based learning in an experimental physics lab

Team-based learning (TBL) is a teaching method which emphasizes learning through teamwork rather than from traditional lecturing methods. This paper describes the integration of TBL with the physics laboratory courses at New Mexico State University. Previous laboratory classes were run using an inquiry based method. Implementation of TBL was designed to enhance the willingness of the students to participate in the inquiry process by adding more structure to the assessment of student progress. The change to TBL in the laboratory courses was designed to point students toward a hands-on, experimental approach to physics. The content portion of the TBL was the experiment itself. Students were asked to complete a RAT (readiness assessment test) after working the experiment. The activity portion of the TBL was incorporated through assigned homework for each student. Teaching assistants for each lab section made recorded observations of the students, both individually and as teams. This observation and subsequent discussion with the teaching assistants and students revealed three interesting findings. First, the students in the TBL course were more likely to create and implement their own experiments to solve the problems expounded in the RATs. Second, the students in the college physics lab (biologists, chemists, and engineering technologists, as well as pre-med and pre-vet students) were the first to recognize the goal of the lab and engage in hands-on experimentation. Students in the engineering physics lab took twice as long to make the connection. Third, the teaching assistants' observations indicated an increase in understanding of the experimental process by the students. They also commented that student confidence was enhanced over that exhibited in the previous lab classes.
Watch your head: A wearable collision warning system for the blind

We describe work in progress towards the development of a miniaturized, wearable sensor device to enhance safety during ambulation for persons who are blind. This system warns the blind user when they are about to hit an obstacle at head level, in time to avoid a collision. With respect to existing Electronic Travel Aids, this device is “minimalistic”: rather than attempting to provide rich information about the environment, the proposed system simply emits a warning signal (in acoustic and/or tactile form) when a hazard is detected. The sensor, which uses two ultrasonic transducers for obstacle localization, can be mounted on one's shirt pocket or disguised as a brooch. Special care is devoted to optimizing the devices' performance (in terms of range accuracy and detection / false alarm rate) and to minimizing form factor and power consumption.
CD73 on Tumor Cells Impairs Antitumor T-Cell Responses: A Novel Mechanism of Tumor-Induced Immune Suppression

CD73, originally defined as a lymphocyte differentiation antigen, is thought to function as a cosignaling molecule on T lymphocytes and an adhesion molecule that is required for lymphocyte binding to endothelium. We show here that CD73 is widely expressed on many tumor cell lines and is upregulated in cancerous tissues. Because the ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity of CD73 catalyzes AMP breakdown to immunosuppressive adenosine, we hypothesized that CD73-generated adenosine prevents tumor destruction by inhibiting antitumor immunity. We confirmed this hypothesis by showing that combining tumor CD73 knockdown and tumor-specific T-cell transfer cured all tumor-bearing mice. In striking contrast, there was no therapeutic benefit of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy in mice bearing tumors without CD73 knockdown. Moreover, blockade of the A2A adenosine receptor with a selective antagonist also augmented the efficacy of adoptive T-cell therapy. These findings identify a potential mechanism for CD73-mediated tumor immune evasion and point to a novel cancer immunotherapy strategy by targeting the enzymatic activity of tumor CD73.
Preclinical studies of low back pain

Chronic low back pain is a major cause of disability and health care costs. Current treatments are inadequate for many patients. A number of preclinical models have been developed that attempt to mimic aspects of clinical conditions that contribute to low back pain. These involve application of nucleus pulposus material near the lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG), chronic compression of the DRG, or localized inflammation of the DRG. These models, which are primarily implemented in rats, have many common features including behavioral hypersensitivity of the hindpaw, enhanced excitability and spontaneous activity of sensory neurons, and locally elevated levels of inflammatory mediators including cytokines. Clinically, epidural injection of steroids (glucocorticoids) is commonly used when more conservative treatments fail, but clinical trials evaluating these treatments have yielded mixed results. There are relatively few preclinical studies of steroid effects in low back pain models. One preclinical study suggests that the mineralocorticoid receptor, also present in the DRG, may have pro-inflammatory effects that oppose the activation of the glucocorticoid receptor. Although the glucocorticoid receptor is the target of anti-inflammatory steroids, many clinically used steroids activate both receptors. This could be one explanation for the limited effects of epidural steroids in some patients. Additional preclinical research is needed to address other possible reasons for limited efficacy of steroids, such as central sensitization or presence of an ongoing inflammatory stimulus in some forms of low back pain.
The clearance and metabolism of estradiol and estradiol-17-esters in the rat.

The C-17 fatty acid esters of estradiol are naturally occurring estrogens which have been shown to circulate in blood. They are long-acting estrogens, analogous to the synthetic alkyl and aryl esters of estrogens which have been used pharmacologically for decades. To determine the mechanisms involved in the prolonged stimulation evoked by these nonpolar estrogens, several C-17 alkyl esters were synthesized and labeled with 3H at C-17 alpha, and their metabolism and clearance were studied and compared to those of estradiol in rats. The conversion of the C-17-3H to 3H2O was used as a marker of metabolism. While the clearance of the long chain esters from blood is somewhat slower than that of estradiol (t 1/2 = approximately 16 vs. 2 min, respectively), the rates of metabolism are dramatically different. For example, the t 1/2 of metabolism for two representative esters, estradiol-17-stearate and arachidonate, are 580 and 365 min, respectively, while the t 1/2 of metabolism for estradiol is about as fast as its clearance from blood (approximately 2 min). When the effect of chain length was studied, it was found that for the smaller esters, there was an inverse relationship between the size of the acyl group and the clearance from blood, i.e. the longer carboxylic acids were cleared more slowly. However, when the acyl group was lengthened from C12 to C14, the rate of clearance increased and was even faster with C18. Nevertheless, with all of the esters tested, the rate of metabolism steadily decreased as the chain length increased. These results are interpreted as indicating that the control point or rate-limiting step in the metabolism of the estradiol esters is the esterase that hydrolyzes the ester to estradiol. Thus, the prolonged estrogenic action of the C-17-alkyl esters is due to the slow release of estradiol from this hydrophobic reservoir.
Micropatterned zinc oxide nanowire substrate preparation and analysis

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires offer a number of properties that are of interest in the field of neural tissue engineering. Materials that exhibit nanoscale surface dimensions have been shown to promote neuron function while simultaneously minimizing the activity of cells that inhibit central nervous system regeneration. Studies demonstrating enhanced neural tissue regeneration in electrical fields and on conductive scaffolds have led to interest in piezoelectric materials, such as ZnO. It has been speculated that ZnO nanowires have increased piezoelectric properties over ZnO fibers with diameters on a micron scale. The present study assessed the feasibility of micropatterning ZnO nanowires for investigating the adhesion and organization of neural cells on piezoelectric nanomaterials. ZnO nanowires embedded in polycarbonate urethane were micropatterned into rows with micrometer dimensions. Scanning electron microscope images of the micropatterned surfaces were observed to assess nanowire orientation. This study represents the first step in producing piezoelectric nanofiber scaffolds for neural tissue engineering. Successful production of scaffolds suitable for neural cell culture offers a means to evaluate their potential for incorporation into nerve guidance channels of greater efficiency.
Seasonal home ranges and fidelity to breeding sites among ringed seals

Population structure and patterns of habitat use among ringed seals (Phoca hispida) are poorly known, in part because seasonal movements have not been adequately documented. We monitored the movements of 98 ringed seals in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas between 1990 and 2006 using three forms of telemetry. In the winter—spring period (when the seals were occupying shorefast ice), we used radio and ultra-sonic tags to track movements above and below the ice, respectively. We used satellite-linked transmitters in summer and fall (when the seals ranged away from their winter sites) to track at-sea movements. In the shorefast ice habitat, the home ranges of 27 adult males ranged from \1 to 13.9 km 2 (median = 0.628) while the home ranges of 28 adult females ranged from \ 1t o 27.9 km 2 (median = 0.652). The 3-dimensional volumes used by 9 seals tracked acoustically under the ice averaged 0.07 (SD = 0.04) km 3 for subadults and adult males and 0.13 (SD = 0.04) km 3 for adult females. Three of the radio-tracked seals and 9 tracked by satellite ranged up to 1,800 km from their winter/spring home ranges in summer but returned to the same small (1-2 km 2 ) sites during the ice-bound months in the following year. The restricted movements of ringed seals during the ice-bound season— including the breeding season—limits their foraging activities for most of the year and may minimize gene flow within the species.
Channel sharing in multi-hop WDM lightwave networks: do we need more channels?

A local lightwave network can be constructed by employing two-way fibers to connect nodes in a passive-star physical topology, and the available optical bandwidth may be accessed by the nodal transmitters and receivers at electronic rates using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). The number of WDM channels, w, in such a network is technology-limited and is less than the number of network nodes, N, especially if the network should support a scalable number of nodes. We describe a general and practical channel sharing method, which requires each node to be equipped with only one transmitter-receiver pair, and in which each WDM channel is shared in a time-division multiplexed fashion; optical fiber LANs are discussed in particular. We also develop a general model for analyzing such a shared-channel, multi-hop, WDM network. Our analysis yields a counterintuitive result: it is sometimes better to employ fewer channels than a larger number of channels. We explore bounds on the ranges of w which admit queueing stability-using too few or too many channels can lead to instability. We also obtain an estimate for the optimal number of channels that minimizes network-wide queueing delay.
Miami-Dade County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Covenant Program: Creating Protected Areas on Private Lands via Financial Incentives

ABSTRACT: We review Miami-Dade County's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Covenant Program as a means to create protected areas on private property via financial incentives. Such incentives go a step beyond regulatory and fee simple approaches to conservation. The program is codified under Chapter 25B, Article II, of the Miami-Dade County Code as authorized by section 193.501, Florida Statutes. Under the EEL Covenant Program, landowners enter into a ten-year conservation agreement with the county, where owners agree to keep a portion of their land in its natural condition in exchange for a property tax reduction of 90%. The program creates protected areas where laws have not, sometimes in areas most vulnerable to development pressure. There are currently 85 properties in the program, encompassing 173 hectares of pine rockland, hardwood hammock, transitional ecotone, and wetland habitat. Pine rocklands are a globally imperiled ecosystem. Covenant sites can act as stepping stone reserves for some speci...
The human-computer interface requirements specification (HCIRS) as implemented within IBM SID engineering practices

A number of studies are reviewed which propose a variety of means of enhancing the contribution of human factors to the system design effort in the defense industry. The risks associated with allowing human interface design specification to be informal and loosely coupled with system documentation are considered. Particular emphasis is placed on the human-computer interface requirements specifications (HCIRS), which augments the traditional hardware and software interface specifications as a fundamental element in system design. The purpose and benefits of the HCIRS are described, and measures of success are offered. >
On the Phosphorus Limitation Paradigm for Lakes

Lakes are often said to be primarily phosphorus limited, but this paradigm has been described in numerous ways and there is considerable evidence that algae in lakes are often limited by other elements too. Crucial whole-ecosystem experiments that support the paradigm of the primacy of P limitation are few in number and have been limited to naturally oligotrophic lakes. A large amount of observational and experimental data seems to contradict the phosphorus limitation paradigm and instead indicates that most lakes are co-limited by N and P as well as, perhaps, by Fe and other resources. The biogeochemical theory behind the phosphorus limitation paradigm is that mechanisms can supplement cycles of C and N (and, discussed here, perhaps Fe) so that ultimately it is P that limits production and biomass. However, no mechanism has been proposed for ecosystems to overshoot this endpoint, meaning one might logically expect to see frequent occurrence of co-limitation by P, N and other resources over short, but still ecologically meaningful time scales that influence, for example, biodiversity patterns in lakes. One point of view has been that small-scale experimentation is simply misleading. However, an alternative is that even if P is ultimately limiting over multi-annual time scales, over shorter but still meaningful time scales, co-limitation of multiple nutrients is expected, and indeed is very common.
Choking under pressure: Self-consciousness and paradoxical effects of incentives on skillful performance

Choking under pressure is defined as performance decrements under circumstances that increase the importance of good or improved performance. A model for choking on coordination and skill tasks is proposed, holding that the pressure increases the conscious attention to the performer's own process of performance and that this increased conscious attention disrupts the automatic or overlearned nature of the execution. Six experiments provided data consistent with this model. Three studies showed that increased attention to one's own process of performance resulted in performance decrements. Three other studies showed similar decrements produced by situational manipulations of pressure (i.e., implicit competition, a cash incentive, and audience-induced pressure). Individuals low in dispositional self-consciousness were shown to be more susceptible to choking under pressure than those high in it.
Estimating local seeing at the DCT facility

A thermal model of the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) was used to estimate the contribution of major sources of local seeing; shell seeing, dome seeing and mirror seeing. The model simulates a dynamic equilibrium over several day/night cycles taking into account the morphology of the facility, diurnal insolation and radiation to the night sky, local air temperature and humidity swings, wind and air flow through the facility, and infiltration from warm spaces within the facility. The model confirmed that the well ventilated design of the DCT facility will virtually eliminate dome seeing, but that shell seeing and mirror seeing could be major contributors to local seeing. These can be mitigated by the choice of an appropriate exterior coating, and by cooling the primary mirror.
Mechanistic Investigations of a Ribozyme Derived from the Tetrahymena Group I Intron: Insights into Catalysis and the Second Step of Self-Splicing?

Self-splicing of Tetrahymena pre-rRNA proceeds in two consecutive phosphoryl transesterification steps. One major difference between these steps is that in the first an exogenous guanosine (G) binds to the active site, while in the second the 3'-terminal G414 residue of the intron binds. The first step has been extensively characterized in studies of the L-21ScaI ribozyme, which uses exogenous G as a nucleophile. In this study, mechanistic features involved in the second step are investigated by using the L-21G414 ribozyme. The L-21G414 reaction has been studied in both directions, with G414 acting as a leaving group in the second step and a nucleophile in its reverse. The rate constant of chemical step is the same with exogenous G bound to the L-21ScaI ribozyme and with the intramolecular guanosine residue of the L-21G414 ribozyme. The result supports the previously proposed single G-binding site model and further suggests that the orientation of the bound G and the overall active site structure is the same in both steps of the splicing reaction. An evolutionary rationale for the use of exogenous G in the first step is also presented. The results suggest that the L-21G414 ribozyme exists predominantly with the 3'-terminal G414 docked into the G-binding site. This docking is destabilized by approximately 100-fold when G414 is attached to an electron-withdrawing pA group. The internal equilibrium with K(int) = 0.7 for the ribozyme reaction indicates that bound substrate and product are thermodynamically matched and is consistent with a degree of symmetry within the active site. These observations are consistent with the presence of a second Mg ion in the active site. Finally, the slow dissociation of a 5' exon analog relative to a ligated exon analog from the L-21G414 ribozyme suggests a kinetic mechanism for ensuring efficient ligation of exons and raises new questions about the overall self-splicing reaction.
Wireless Video Transmission: A Single Layer Distortion Optimal Approach

In this paper, we introduce an analytical expression for the expected distortion of a single layer encoded video bit-stream. Based on the expected distortion model, we propose a distortion optimal Unequal Error Protection (UEP) technique to transmit such bit-stream over a wireless tandem channel. The proposed method allocates the total transmission budget unequally to different frames of a video bit-stream in order to protect the bit-stream against both bit errors caused by fading and packet erasures caused by network buffering. We compare this technique with another UEP technique as well as a one-dimension equal length protection technique. The evaluation results for different choices of packet sizes, available budgets, and channel conditions show that the proposed method outperforms the other alternative schemes.
Methadone and edema.

We describe a patient on methadone maintenance who developed distal leg edema after years of treatment. The edema resolved when methadone was discontinued and recurred when it was restarted. This patient is compared to three others reported in the literature who also developed fluid retention shortly after being placed on methadone. We conclude that methadone induced edema can occur not only immediately, but also after years of uncomplicated treatment.
Two Approaches in the Popular Press to Eliminating Poverty

Michaels, W. B. (2006). The trouble with diversity: How we learn to live with identity and ignore inequality. New York: H. Holt. Payne, R., DeVol, P. E., & Smith, T. D. (2001). Bridges out of pover...
Allozyme markers in breeding zone designation

Early studies of allozyme variation in plant populations suggested that allelic frequencies in some loci vary by geography. Since then, the expectation that allozymes might be useful in describing geographic patterns has generally not been borne out by single locus analyses, except on the broadest scale. Multi-locus analyses reveal the converse: canonical correlation analysis of individual, uniformly-spaced genotypes describe statistically-significant, complex patterns with geography. Multi-locus scores in four major species, Abies concolor, Pinus lambertiana, P. ponderosa, and Pseudotsuga menziesii, of the mixed conifer forest in the Sierra Nevada correlate 0.40 or greater with the first canonical vector of a geographical trend surface equation. The different species follow similar patterns by latitude and elevation. In contrast with patterns in the Sierra Nevada, large-scale differentiation is weak (R 2 < 0.20) among populations of Pseudotsuga menziesii in the Coast Ranges and Siskyou Mountains of northern California and southern Oregon, where differentiation may be local. For the purpose of forming zones, we subdivided scores of the first two to four canonical vectors into groups and plotted them as multidimensional contour intervals. Reclassification by discriminant analysis serves as an approximate guide to transfer risks within and among these groups.
African Rituals of Conflict

THIS paper presents a description of rites expressing social conflict among various African societies and offers suggestions concerning their functional significance. In doing so, it examines critically hypotheses and supporting data presented by Max Gluckman (1954b; 1959), who has provided the only substantial published writings on this subject. Gluckman discusses rites involving rebellion against authority among societies of southeastern Africa. The following discussion broadens the geographic area to Subsaharan Africa and enlarges the subject to include many ritual events not considered by Gluckman. Some of the rites to be discussed lack the element of conflict but are relevant in other respects. The idea that social conflict may serve important functions in supporting and maintaining society is fairly old in sociology (e.g., Simmel 1908). The outstanding contemporary work on this subject from sociology (Coser 1956) mentions anthropological writings only peripherally, drawing from them chiefly examples of institutionalized expressions of conflict. Anthropologists have not failed to note social conflicts, but they have generally regarded the conflicts as socially disruptive and have directed their attention chiefly to attempts to understand causes and modes of resolution. Only in recent years has anthropological thought turned to serious consideration of the idea that conflict may have positive as well as negative functional aspects. Gluckman's writings on customs of African peoples are among the earliest anthropological works that present hypotheses concerning socially integrative effects of expressions of conflict. Gluckman's criticism (1949a: 10) of Malinowski for his "refusal to see conflict as a mode of integrating groups and to recognize that hostility between groups is a form of social balance" is perhaps the first explicit expression of this point of view by an anthroplogist. Gluckman's interpretations are unusual in another respect. They are the first writings in the social sciences to set up as a distinctive class of events rituals that express conflict. Gluckman has called these customs "rituals of rebellion." He refers to rituals in which rules concerning behavior toward authority are seemingly abrogated temporarily. These are rites in which rulers and chiefs are reviled, criticized, and threatened by those subject to their authority, and men are similarly subjected to various ritual expressions of putative hostility enacted by women, who are their inferiors in authority. Gluckman sees the ritual enactment of conflicts of interest as a form of catharsis that banishes the threat to disunity imposed by the conflicts. This is a familiar line of reasoning in sociological writings on the role of conflict. Gluckman, however, goes further. He holds that institutionalized rites of rebellion may exist only in societies in which the social order is established and
Pharmacobiologically Based Scheduling of Capecitabine and Docetaxel Results in Antitumor Activity in Resistant Human Malignancies

PURPOSE: Capecitabine and docetaxel have demonstrated preclinical antitumor synergy. This synergy is thought to occur from docetaxel-mediated upregulation of thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase), an enzyme responsible for the relative tumor selectivity of capecitabine. On the basis of the time-dependency and transiency for this upregulation, we performed a phase I study of capecitabine in combination with weekly docetaxel. We hypothesized that weekly docetaxel would result in sustained dThdPase expression and that capecitabine administration at times of maximum dThdPase upregulation would increase the therapeutic index for this combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced solid malignancies received docetaxel on days 1, 8, and 15, and capecitabine bid on days 5 to 18, every 4 weeks. Docetaxel was fixed at 36 mg/m2/wk, whereas capecitabine was escalated in successive patients cohorts. RESULTS: Sixteen patients received 77 courses at capecitabine doses from 950 to 1,500 mg/m2/d. The most common t...
Perspectives of Native and Non-Native Scholars: Opportunities for Collaboration

Fundamental epistemological differences between Western and traditional Native American (NA) appro- aches to generating knowledge present both opportuni- ties and challenges for researchers working with NA and Alaska Native (AN) communities. For non-Native researchers, the research process is facilitated by genuine respect for the ability of communities to identify their own needs and provide their own leadership in the research process, as well as by sensitivity to the traumatic history of cultural annihilation that NA communities have endured. NA researchers, trained in Western institutions of higher education, must negotiate professional and NA identities as they strive to collaborate with their own or other com- munities to develop culturally relevant programs of research. Representing the personal viewpoints of a Native researcher and two non-Native researchers, this article suggests strategies for working with NA and AN communities and offers guidelines for critical self-assess- ment of personal knowledge, personal and professional attitudes, and outcome expectations relevant for work in Native communities. KEYWORDS—Native American; research methodology; community-based research
Comparison of bisulfite modification of 5-methyldeoxycytidine and deoxycytidine residues

Sodium bisulfite is a mutagen which can specifically deaminate more than 96% of the cytosine residues in single-stranded DNA via formation of a 5,6-dihydrocytosine-6-sulfonate intermediate. Under the same reaction conditions, only 2-3% of the 5-methylcytosine (m5Cyt) residues in single-stranded XP-12 DNA, which has 34 mole% m5Cyt, was converted to thymine (Thy) residues. In contrast, at the deoxynucleoside and free base levels, the same treatment with bisulfite and then alkali converted 51% and > 95%, respectively, of the m5Cyt to the corresponding Thy derivatives. However, the rate of reaction of m5Cyt and its deoxyribonucleoside was much slower than that of the analogous quantitative conversion of cytosine or deoxycytidine to uracil or deoxyuridine, respectively. The much lower reactivity of m5Cyt and its derivatives compared to that of the unmethylated analogs is primarily due to a decrease in the rate of formation of the sulfonate adduct.
Size and shape differences in genitalia of males from sympatric and reproductively isolated populations of Anthocoris antevolens White (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) in the Yakima Valley, Washington.

Abstract Anthocoris antevolens White (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is a widespread predatory bug in North America commonly associated with deciduous trees and shrubs. Unpublished observations showed that there is considerable geographic variation in male genitalia in this species and that the variation may lead to reproductive isolation among geographically separated populations. We show that male bugs from two sympatric populations in the Yakima Valley, Washington, one occurring on oak (Quercus garryana Douglas) and the other collected from willow (Salix sp.), differed in size and shape of the phallus and clasper. Mating trials showed that males from the oak source successfully inseminated females from the oak source in 75% of pairings; insemination success for males from the willow source paired with females from the willow source was somewhat lower at 62%. In nonlike crosses (oak × willow, willow × oak), males failed to inseminate the female in 100% of pairings, despite vigorous mating attempts by the ma...
Untrodden Ground, Chapter 5: A Rough Time of It

The most important individual interpreter of the United States Constitution is the President. Drawing on history, law, and political science, this book shows how Presidents have formed law by behavior that reflects their interpretations and that sets or alters precedents. Presidential interpretations are ultimately independent of the views of the other two branches of government. In a reciprocal process, presidential precedents both affect American history and are affected by it. When accepted by Congress and the people, presidential precedents become conventions that form constitutional law. The nature of the precedents results from a complex mix of each President's personal character and political values, the problems and incentives he faces, and the influence of precedents generated by his predecessors. Presidential interpretation has proved most successful and enduring when it is animated by clear values that are shared by the American people and is pursued by pragmatic means. The book reviews both the process of formation of precedents by all forty four Presidents and the contents of the constitutional conventions that have evolved. The presidential office that emerges from this analysis is both more and less powerful than many observers suppose. Presidents take more guidance from interpretations of constitutional text by their predecessors than from broad statements by courts or existing evidence of the original intent of the framers. Presidents do not behave as though there is a constitutionally unitary executive branch that they may command at will. Instead, they concede much power to the Senate and to statutes organizing the executive branch, often acquiescing in the formation of independent agencies. They concentrate on controlling the constitutional cabinet (the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, and Justice) and the military, and have mostly succeeded in that effort. Presidents have interpreted their core duty to faithfully execute the laws in widely variant ways that reflect their views of the appropriate role of the federal government and their selection of groups to benefit. Treating this duty as an opportunity, Presidents interpret statutes in ways that embody their view of the Constitution. Thus, Presidents refuse to obey statutes that they deem unconstitutional. They also issue executive orders implementing their policies in myriad ways that statutes do not clearly authorize or forbid.Presidents have frequently subordinated civil liberties to national security concerns, and have not often protected the powerless in American society. Presidents have developed emergency powers that are extensive and sufficient, especially in foreign policy and war making, without ordinarily contravening clear statutory restrictions on their discretion. Presidents legitimately use their commander in chief power to employ military force unilaterally in all situations that are short of war in a conventionally understood constitutional sense. Overall, the presidential office in the hands of its occupants has evolved in ways that seem sufficient to protect both the nation and the rule of law.