cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CHAPTER 8 – Long-Term Changes in Lizard Assemblages in the Great Victoria Desert: Dynamic Habitat Mosaics in Response to Wildfires

Australian desert lizards have evolved a high degree of habitat specificity. Some species are restricted to spinifex habitats and flat sandplain, others to shrub -Acacia habitats, and still others to sand ridges. Lightning sets hundreds of wildfires annually in inland arid Australia, generating an ever-changing spatial–temporal patchwork of habitats that differ in their state of post-fire recovery. Different species of desert lizards have differing post-fire habitat requirements. Species that require open areas increase in abundance immediately following fire. Other species that require long unburned spinifex tussocks disappear after fire. However, fires frequently reticulate, leaving behind refuges that allow the latter species to persist in isolated pockets of suitable old spinifex habitat. Sandridges and mulga habitats add two more important phases to this complex mosaic of habitats. Lizard populations, in this region, form metapopulations, temporarily going extinct within some isolated patches of habitat, but periodically re-invading from others. Such regional processes foster local diversity. Waves of lizards are constantly moving about this landscape. Long-term studies at two sites document changing relative abundances. Comparisons between sites in different stages of postfire recovery suggest that some lizard species decrease in abundance following fire, whereas other increase in abundance. Further long-term studies are needed to document changing relative abundances during this dynamic fire succession cycle.
Risk, uncertainty, and violence in eastern Africa: a regional comparison.

Previous research on warfare in a worldwide sample of societies by Ember and Ember (Journal of Conflict Resolution, 36, 242–262, 1992a) found a strong relationship between resource unpredictability (particularly food scarcity caused by natural disasters) in nonstate, nonpacified societies and overall warfare frequency. Focusing on eastern Africa, a region frequently plagued with subsistence uncertainty as well as violence, this paper explores the relationships between resource problems, including resource unpredictability, chronic scarcity, and warfare frequencies. It also examines whether resource scarcity predicts more resource-taking in land, movable property, and people, as well as the commission of atrocities. Results support previous worldwide results regarding the relationship between resource unpredictability and warfare frequency. Results regarding resource-taking and atrocities are more nuanced and complex. In almost all findings, relationships are generally in opposite directions in nonstate and state societies. In post-hoc analyses, atrocities are significantly more likely to be committed in states than in nonstates.
Rainfall limit of the N cycle on Earth

[1] In most climates on Earth, biological processes control soil N. In the Atacama Desert of Chile, aridity severely limits biology, and soils accumulate atmospheric NO3−. We examined this apparent transformation of the soil N cycle using a series of ancient Atacama Desert soils (>2 My) that vary in rainfall (21 to <2 mm yr−1). With decreasing rainfall, soil organic C decreases to 0.3 kg C m−2 and biological activity becomes minimal, while soil NO3− and organic N increase to 4 kg N m−2 and 1.4 kg N m−2, respectively. Atmospheric NO3− (Δ17O = 23.0‰) increases from 39% to 80% of total soil NO3− as rainfall decreases. These soils capture the transition from a steady state, biologically mediated soil N cycle to a dominantly abiotic, transient state of slowly accumulating atmospheric N. This transition suggests that oxidized soil N may be present in an even more arid and abiotic environment: Mars.
Integrating emergency medicine principles and experience throughout the medical school curriculum: Why and how

The management of acutely ill and injured patients is an essential component of medical student education, yet the formal integration of emergency medicine (EM) into the medical school curriculum has progressed slowly since the inception of the specialty. Medical student interest and the number of resident positions in the National Resident Matching Program are higher than any time in the past, yet students often find access to EM faculty and clinical experience limited to a fourth-year rotation. Incorporating EM into all years of the undergraduate medical student curriculum can offer unique educational experiences and enhance exposure to the necessary and recommended knowledge and skills students must attain prior to graduation. Academic emergency physicians (EPs) should advocate our specialty's importance in their medical school curricula using a proactive approach and actively involve themselves in medical student education at all stages of training. The goals of this article are to describe several approaches for EM faculty to expand medical student exposure to the specialty and enhance student experiences in the core principles of EM throughout the undergraduate medical curriculum.
Numerical simulation of the hydrodynamics and mass transfer in the large scale, rapid growth of KDP crystals. Part 1:: Computation of the transient, three-dimensional flow field

Abstract Numerical simulations of the hydrodynamics and mass transfer involved in the rapid growth of large KDP crystals (linear dimensions up to 60 cm and masses greater than 300 kg) have been performed. The simulations are fully three-dimensional and time-dependent, and the computational geometry corresponds very closely to the 1000-l crystallizers currently in use at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for the growth of KDP crystals for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The Reynolds number of the flow is of order 10 5 , and the Schmidt number is of order 10 3 . The flow is turbulent and dominated by flow separation from the rectangular corners of the rotating crystal and a secondary flow driven by Ekman boundary layers on the support platform. The full three-dimensional structure of the flow field is described, but the major emphasis is placed on understanding the surface shear stress distribution on the crystal, since it is critically involved in the process of inclusion formation. The temporal and spatial evolution of the surface shear stress and its effect on the surface morphological stability is compared for several different crystal sizes and rotation conditions.
Single mode photonic crystal vertical cavity lasers incorporating etch depth dependence

Triangular lattice photonic crystal designs incorporating the etch depth dependence on mode properties were created within vertical cavity lasers for the first time. Fabricated lasers show operation in the fundamental photonic crystal defect mode.
Gender Differences in Liver Donor Quality Are Predictive of Graft Loss

Some studies have found that donor-recipient gender mismatch predicts posttransplant outcomes but whether this is independent of donor quality is unknown. To evaluate the association between gender mismatch and graft loss, 11 508 females (F) and 16 714 males (M) who underwent liver transplant from March 1, 2002 to December 31, 2007 were studied. Of 11 donor characteristics, clinically relevant differences between F and M donors were median age (47 vs. 39 years), height (165 vs. 178 cm) and proportion dying of stroke (59 vs. 35%) (p < 0.001 for all). The donor risk index was significantly lower for F than M donors (1.3 vs. 1.6, p < 0.001). Recipients of gender-mismatched grafts had an 11% higher risk of graft loss (p < 0.001). Compared to M→M donor-recipient-matched transplants in univariable analysis, F→M mismatch was associated with a 17% increased risk of graft loss (95% CI = 1.11-1.24, p < 0.001), whereas M→F mismatch was not (HR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.96-1.09; p = 0.46). However, adjustment for significant recipient and donor factors eliminated the association between F→M mismatch and graft loss (HR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.89-1.02; p = 0.18). In conclusion, donor quality differs significantly between female and male donors-female donors are older, shorter and die more frequently of stroke-and gender differences in donor quality, rather than gender mismatch are predictive of graft loss.
Ionization cones and radio ejecta in active galaxies

We report radio mapping at three frequencies of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 5252, which is known to exhibit a spectacular pair of 'ionization cones' in optical emission-line images. The radio structure of the galaxy comprises an unresolved (less than 50 pc) source coincident with the optical nucleus, weak, narrow features extending approximately equal to 900 pc to north and south from the nucleus, and an unresolved radio source some 10 kpc from the nucleus. The inner parts of the extended radio structure and the off-nuclear source align well with the axis of the ionization cones. There are currently 11 Seyfert galaxies known to possess an ionization cone or a bi-cone; 8 of these galaxies also contain a linear (double, triple, or jet-like) nuclear radio structure. For this limited, incomplete sample, there is a tight alignment between cone and radi axes: the formal mean difference between the measured projections of these axes on the sky is only 6 deg, and the alignment may well be better than this at the location(s) closer to the nucleus where the collimation occurs. Although the degree of collimation is much worse for the ionizing photons than for the radio plasma, it is clear that they are collimated by the same, or coplanar, nulcear disks or tori. In particular, if the ionization cones result from absorption by dusty tori on the pc scale and the radio ejecta from accretion disks around the central black hole, the absence of differential precession indicates that either the gravitating mass distribution is close to spherical or the dusty torus has settled into a preferred plane. The cones currently known in late-type (but not early-type) spirals show a trend to align with the axis of the galaxy stellar disk. We argue that this alignment is either an observational selection effect or indicates that the gas accreted to power the nuclear activity has an internal origin in late-type spirals, but may have an external origin (e.g., a galaxy merger) in early-types. .
Designing high performance data access systems: invited talk abstract

In this talk, I discuss practical approaches to designing high performance data access systems and how design choices impact performance measurement methodology. The xrootd data access system is used as an example of how far the performance curve can be pushed, invariable tradeoffs that occur, and when one should stop pursuing the ultimate ideal.
Depression, hypomania, and expectation of future success among alcoholics

The present study investigated the effects of differing levels of depression and hypomania on alcoholics' expectancy for future success on chance and skill tasks. Subjects were classified into four groups based upon scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and the MMPI hypomania scale. The primary finding suggests that these two variables exert an interactive effect on such expectancies. The presence of hypomania among highly depressed alcoholics appears to counteract the typical depressive influence on expectancies, leading to a perception of response-outcome dependence similar to that found among nondepressed nonhypomanic subjects. The presence of hypomania in the absence of depression leads to patterns of dampened expectancies similar to those among depressed-nonhypomanic subjects. The relationship of these findings to propositions of the learned helplessness model of depression is discussed.
Wave-mud interactions over the muddy Atchafalaya subaqueous clinoform, Louisiana, United States: Wave-supported sediment transport

[1] Near-bottom fluid-mud layers were observed during two experiments conducted on the muddy Atchafalaya inner shelf (subaqueous clinoform), Louisiana, United States. On the face of the subaqueous delta (4–7 m water depth, first experiment) fluid-mud layers are produced by seafloor liquefaction and resuspension forced by swells associated with cold front passages, and supported by near-bed wave-induced turbulence. The layers are episodic (lifetime of 9–12 h), form prior to significant postfrontal settling of sediment in the overlying water column, and flow seaward (downslope) at about 5 cm/s. Farther westward on the delta front (finer grain size, with negligible sand or coarse silt content, second experiment), similar wave-supported fluid-mud layers are observed to last longer (>2 days), show weaker alongshore (westward) flow of about 1–3 cm/s. The results suggest a sequence of near-bed sediment transport processes, triggered by frontal swell activity (bed liquefaction, resuspension and advection, modulated by the bathymetric characteristics of the clinoform) that contribute to the formation of clinoform stratigraphy of muddy subaqueous deltas.
Serum bicarbonate, anion gap and insulin resistance in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Aims Metabolic acidosis may contribute to the development of insulin resistance. To date, there have been no population-based studies of acid-base status and insulin resistance. We examined the cross-sectional relations between serum bicarbonate, anion gap, and insulin resistance in a subset of healthy participants in the 1999–2000 and 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Methods We included 1496 adults without diabetes or other chronic diseases. Insulin sensitivity was estimated by an index based on fasting insulin and triglyceride levels (MFFM). Linear regression was used to adjust for age, race, body mass index, albumin and other factors. Sample weights were used to produce weighted regression parameters. Results Median values of bicarbonate, anion gap and fasting levels of insulin, triglycerides and glucose were 23 mmol/l, 12.5 mmol/l, 48 pmol/l, 1.08 mmol/l and 5.0 mmol/l, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, bicarbonate was positively associated and anion gap was inversely associated with MFFM (P < 0.01). Participants in the highest quartile of bicarbonate had fasting insulin 12.76 pmol/l lower [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.96, 19.55; P for trend < 0.01] than those in the lowest quartile. Participants in the highest quartile of anion gap had fasting insulin 4.39 pmol/l higher (95% CI 0.47, 8.31; P for trend < 0.01) than those in the lowest quartile. Conclusions Lower bicarbonate and higher anion gap are independently associated with insulin resistance. Further research is needed to elucidate the relations between organic acid production, insulin resistance, and the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes.
Wavefunction comparisons for the valence-bond model for conjugated π-networks

Approximate ground-state wavefunctions for valence-bond (or Heisenberg) models are obtained both within Neel-state-based and within Kekule-state-based resonance-theoretic approaches. Comparisons are made between these and other general approaches, with particular emphasis on organic π-network systems. Attention is drawn to the manner in which the quality of the different approximation schemes changes with variations in structural characteristics of the system. It is suggested that resonance-theoretic ideas are most appropriate for (aromatic benzenoid) systems with low coordination number, whereas Neel-state based ideas are most appropriate for (3-dimensional) structures with higher coordination number (and little “frustration”).
Using natural coastal Wetlands systems for wastewater treatment: an economic benefit analysis

Wetland systems can be substitutes for traditional wastewater treatment. Additional benefits include the enhancement in wetlands quality stemming from nutrients in the treated wastewaters. This paper reports on estimates of cost savings from using coastal wetlands for substitute treatment in Louisiana, U.S.A. Estimates of discounted cost savings ranged from $785 to $34 700 per acre of wetlands used for treatment.
Doxorubicin-induced Apoptosis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Differential Effects in Heart, Kidney and Intestine, and Inhibition by ICRF-187☆

Abstract The occurrence of apoptosis in heart, kidney and small intestine was investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) treated with doxorubicin (1 mg/kg/week for 6, 9 and 12 weeks) with and without pretreatment with the iron chelator ICRF-187 [ (+)1,2-bis(3,5-dioxopiperazinyl-1-yl)propane] (25 mg/kg, i.p., given 30 min before doxorubicin). Animals receiving either ICRF-187 alone or saline were used as controls. Cells undergoing apoptosis were identified ultrastructurally and by staining using the nick-end labeling method. The results obtained by counting cells with positive nick-end labeling showed that, when given in cumulative doses of 9 and 12 (but not 6) mg/kg, doxorubicin induced significant toxicity in the heart, kidneys and intestine in association with apoptosis in epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa and renal tubules but not in cardiac myocytes. At these doses, nick end labeling in the heart was confined to occasional endothelial cells, interstitial dendritic cells and macrophages. The frequency of doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in renal and intestinal epithelial cells was decreased by pretreatment of the SHR with ICRF-187. Our data support the concept that the chronic cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin is not mediated by apoptosis of the cardiac myocytes.
Universal mental health screening in pediatrics: toward better knowing, treating, or referring.

creening for treatable conditions has long been a hallmark of pediatrics. Screening S starts before birth with in utero ultrasounds looking for congenital abnormalities, after birth with a heel prick for metabolic disorders, and in the primary care office with growth charts, specific developmental questions, hematocrits, urine dipsticks, and vision and hearing tests. Although psychosocial screening is far less common, the rate of positive findings is usually much higher than with any of the aforementioned traditional tests. I use the broader term psychosocial disorders or dysfunction rather than psychiatric disorder because pediatricians routinely face many questions that are not specifically defined in the DSM-5 and are defined quite differently in primary care in more everyday terms, such as problems in school, parenting, peer relationships, activities, or mood. These concerns might meet criteria for formal psychiatric diagnoses or they might not because they are framed as descriptions of dysfunction in day-to-day life that impairs the trajectory of the child’s development. Many issues with considerable impact—divorce, school failure, intense sibling rivalry, and poverty—may result in a positive screen result or parental concern and are important to explore before focusing on a formal psychiatric diagnosis. How common is psychosocial dysfunction? Of course this depends on the definition and threshold for dysfunction. Mild anxiety and depression are common but often result in little or no impairment over time. A rigorous definition of severity or dysfunction requires information and subjective judgment based on an interview. The literature typically cites 10% or 12% of children as having psychosocial issues sufficient to impair functioning. I suggest this could be several percentages lower if the level of
Visible and Infrared Reflectance Imaging Spectroscopy of Paintings: Pigment Mapping and Improved Infrared Reflectography

Reflectance imaging spectroscopy, the collection of images in narrow spectral bands, has been developed for remote sensing of the Earth. In this paper we present findings on the use of imaging spectroscopy to identify and map artist pigments as well as to improve the visualization of preparatory sketches. Two novel hyperspectral cameras, one operating from the visible to near-infrared (VNIR) and the other in the shortwave infrared (SWIR), have been used to collect diffuse reflectance spectral image cubes on a variety of paintings. The resulting image cubes (VNIR 417 to 973 nm, 240 bands, and SWIR 970 to 1650 nm, 85 bands) were calibrated to reflectance and the resulting spectra compared with results from a fiber optics reflectance spectrometer (350 to 2500 nm). The results show good agreement between the spectra acquired with the hyperspectral cameras and those from the fiber reflectance spectrometer. For example, the primary blue pigments and their distribution in Picasso's Harlequin Musician (1924) are identified from the reflectance spectra and agree with results from X-ray fluorescence data and dispersed sample analysis. False color infrared reflectograms, obtained from the SWIR hyperspectral images, of extensively reworked paintings such as Picasso's The Tragedy (1903) are found to give improved visualization of changes made by the artist. These results show that including the NIR and SWIR spectral regions along with the visible provides for a more robust identification and mapping of artist pigments than using visible imaging spectroscopy alone.
Direct observation of voltage barriers in ZnO varistors

Voltage barriers in a ZnO varistor have been imaged by voltage-contrast scanning electron microscopy. They are due to grain boundaries and are capable of supporting voltage differences of up to about 4 V.
Predictors of nonadherence with blood pressure regimens in hemodialysis

BACKGROUND Hypertension is very poorly controlled in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Demographic and psychosocial predictors of nonadherence with blood pressure (BP) regimens in HD have not been investigated. A study of 118 HD patients from six outpatient HD units was conducted to determine the relationship between demographic/psychosocial factors and adherence with BP-related regimens, ie, fluid restriction, BP medication adherence, and HD treatment adherence. METHODS Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple regressions were conducted to analyze and determine the relationships between variables. RESULTS Younger age was related to increased fluid gains (r = -0.37, P < 0.01), decreased medication adherence (r = -0.19, P = 0.04), increased missed HD treatments (r = -0.37, P < 0.01), and diastolic BP (r = -0.60, P < 0.01). Female sex was significantly related to decreased fluid gains (r = -0.28, P < 0.01). Race was related to increased missed HD treatments (r = 0.22, P = 0.02). Increased social support was related to decreased missed HD treatments (r = -0.22, P = 0.02). Depression scores were inversely related to decreased medication adherence scores (r = 0.24, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION By identifying risk factors for nonadherence with BP-related regimens (young age, male sex, decreased social support, and depression), health care providers can plan early clinical intervention to minimize the risk of nonadherence.
Biological characterization of various forms of elongation factor 1 from rabbit reticulocytes

Abstract Two forms of elongation factor 1 (EF-1) have been tested for a variety of biological functions. One form, EF-1H, is a high-molecular-weight aggregate (Mr > 500,000) containing four distinct polypeptides (α, β, γ, δ). The other form, EF-1α, consists of a single polypeptide which is the same as the α subunit of EF-1H. Both EF-1α and EF-1H function catalytically in binding Phe-tRNA to ribosomes, and in poly(U)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis. The activity of EF-1α is enhanced in polyphenylalanine synthesis by a complementary component, EF-1βδ. It is also shown that EF-1βδ can facilitate an exchange of EF-1α-bound GDP for GTP. The EF-1α dissociation constants for GDP and GTP were 0.47 and 0.55 μ m respectively, while the EF-1H dissociation constants for GDP and GTP were 2.0 and 1.6 μ m , respectively. Thus, while EF-1α and EF-1H had approximately the same affinities for GDP and GTP, the EF-1α dissociation constants were about fourfold lower than the EF-1H dissociation constants. Attempts to isolate complexes of EF-1α or EF-1H with GTP and Phe-tRNA or with GTP, Phe-tRNA, and ribosomes were unsuccessful using either Millipore filters, gel filtration, or sucrose density gradients. The results presented in this report, along with studies from other laboratories, strengthen the hypothesis that the general mechanism of the elongation cycle is similar in eucaryotes and procaryotes.
Racemization of Amino Acids in Dipeptides Shows COOH > NH2 for Non-Sterically Hindered Residues

The relative rates of racemization for amino acid residues at the NH 2 and COOH ends of 37 different dipeptides were determined. In nine dipeptides containing alanine, leucine, phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methionine, the amino acid residue racemized faster at the COOH-terminal position than at the NH 2 -terminal position (COOH > NH 2 ). The sterically hindered amino acids isoleucine and valine showed NH 2 > COOH. Six proline dipeptides showed NH 2 > COOH. Intramolecular effects have been invoked to explain these surprising results.
Pharmaceutical innovation and public policy: The case for a new strategy for drug discovery and development

The major research-intensive pharmaceutical companies (big pharma), are facing a profound crisis. Their R&D expenditures have grown at a staggering rate, while the creation of drugs that represent truly novel advances in therapy, so-called new molecular entities (NMEs), has stagnated. Here I present a comprehensive analysis of the NME crisis and discuss possible solutions. This includes proposals to fix the problem by increasing the efficiency of corporate R&D, as well as several alternative strategies for pharmaceutical research, including academic drug discovery centers and the public--private partnerships that have been so successful in attacking neglected diseases. Finally, a new policy initiative, the creation of non-profit drug development corporations (NPDDCs) designed to bring key aspects of early-stage drug development into the pre-competitive public arena is proposed. The creation of effective NPDDCs will be challenging, but promises to provide the health care system with less costly and more effective medicines. Copyright The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.
Functional and morphological characteristics of neuronal substance P in the canine gastroesophageal junction.

The specific functions of the numerous substance P (SP) nerve fibers present within the gastrointestinal tract are not clearly defined. This study examines both functional aspects and distribution of immunoreactive SP (IR-SP) in the canine gastroesophageal junctional (GEJ) region. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse rate (PR), and respiratory rate (RR) were monitored before and after topical application of 2 ml capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) to the distal esophageal mucosa of anesthetized dogs. Animals then underwent a capsaicin desensitization protocol over a 12-day period. The responses of monitored variables were compared on Day 1 and Day 12 of repetitive capsaicin application. Immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay (RIA) were performed on GEJ segments to study the distribution and content of IR-SP in both control (untreated) and capsaicin-treated dogs. The IR-SP was extracted from tissue for RIA and analysis by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). On Day 1, a 2-ml capsaicin application stimulated increases in LESP (44.3 +/- 7.8 cm H2O; P 0.2). No response was observed on Day 12 of treatment. This was accompanied by a 43.3% decrease of IR-SP content in the mucosa of the distal esophagus of desensitized animals. Capsaicin applied at greater concentrations on Day 12 stimulated a return of responses (P < 0.05). Ganglia, cell bodies, nerve fascicles, and neurites stained positively for IR-SP. IR-SP content was markedly higher in esophageal mucosa than in gastric mucosa (P < 0.05). The authenticity of the IR-SP molecule was confirmed by elution time on HPLC. In conclusion, repetitive capsaicin application induced a state of homologous desensitization which was accompanied by a partial depletion of mucosal SP. The GEJ region contains a high SP content with a broad neural distribution. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that SP may act as a neurotransmitter for chemonociceptive stimuli in the canine distal esophagus.
Photochemically reactive polymers; the synthesis and photochemistry of amide polymers and model compounds containing metal–metal bonds and internal radical traps

Abstract The synthesis and photochemistry of a photochemically reactive polymer that has internal metal-radical traps (chlorine atoms) along its backbone is reported. Reaction of the organometallic `diamine' (CpCH2CH2NH2)2Mo2(CO)6 with an activated mixed anhydride derivative of 3,4-dichlorohexanedioic acid gave the polymer [–CHClCH2C(O)NHCH2CH2(η5-C5H4)(CO)3Mo–Mo(CO)3(η5-C5H4)CH2CH2NHCOCH2CHCl–]n. The difunctional activated mixed anhydride was used because the Mo–Mo bond reacts with acyl chlorides to form oligomeric amides containing –Mo(CO)3Cl units. As an aid to the spectroscopic characterization of the polymers, model complexes were synthesized by reacting (CpCH2CH2NH2)2Mo2(CO)6 with activated mixed anhydrides of chloroacetic acid and 5-chlorovaleric acid. Thus, (η5-C5H4R)2Mo2(CO)6 (R=–CH2CH2NHCOCH2Cl and –CH2CH2NHCO(CH2)3CH2Cl) were synthesized by reacting (CpCH2CH2NH2)2Mo2(CO)6 with CH3CH2OC(O)OC(O)CH2Cl and CH3CH2OC(O)OC(O)(CH2)3CH2Cl, respectively. Because of the metal–metal bonds along the backbone, the polyamide is photochemically reactive (as are the model complexes), undergoing metal–metal bond photolysis reactions similar to the Cp2Mo2(CO)6 dimer. The products contain CpMo(CO)3Cl units, indicative of `self-trapping' by the chlorine atoms built into the polymer and model complexes. Photochemical decomposition also occurred in the solid state without external metal-radical traps.
Evaluation of two enzyme immunoassays for detection of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B in swine.

Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) in neonatal pigs is accomplished, in part, by detection of toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB) in feces or colonic contents. Samples (n = 115) were tested simultaneously with two toxin assays (Clostridium difficile Tox A/B II™, TechLab, Blacksburg, VA; Gastro-tect Clostridium difficile Toxin A + B, Medical Chemical Corporation). Previous comparison of the Tox A/B II assay to the reference method (toxicity in CHO cell monolayers) revealed an overall correlation of 88%, with 91% sensitivity and 86% specificity, a positive predictive value of 86 and a negative predictive value of 84. In comparing the two EIAs, a group of nine samples were positive in both assays and a group of 92 were negative in both. However, 14 samples positive in the Tox A/B II were negative in the Gastro-tect assay. Thus, in comparison to the Tox A/B II assay, the Gastro-tect assay was 100% specific but only 39% sensitive. Its negative predictive value was 87, but its positive predictive value was 100. Thus, the Tox A/B II kit is apparently superior to the Gastro-tect Toxin A + B test for diagnosis of CDAD in neonatal pigs.
Exposure to Ginger Root Oil Enhances Mating Success of Irradiated, Mass-Reared Males of Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Previous research revealed that exposure to ginger root oil, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, containing the known male attractant (a-copaene) increased the mating success of male Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), from a newly established laboratory colony. The goal of the current study was to determine whether exposure to ginger root oil likewise enhanced the mating competitiveness of irradiated C. capitata males from a 5-yr-old mass-reared strain. Mating tests were conducted in field cages containing guava trees (Psidium guajava L.) to monitor the mating frequency of irradiated, mass-reared and wild males competing for wild females. In the absence of chemical exposure, wild males outcompeted the mass-reared males and obtained 74% of all matings. However, following exposure to ginger root oil (20 microl for 6 h), the mating frequencies were reversed. Whether exposed as mature (3-d-old) or immature (1-d-old) adults, mass-reared males achieved approximately 75% of all matings in tests conducted 2 or 4 d following exposure, respectively. Irradiated, mass-reared males prevented from contacting the oil directly (i.e., exposed to the odor only for 6 h) still exhibited a mating advantage over wild males. In an additional study, signaling levels and female arrivals were compared between males exposed to ginger root oil and nonexposed males, but no significant differences were detected. The implications of these findings for the sterile insect technique are discussed.
PLASMA EXCITATIONS IN LiF

Abstract The absorption data of Milgram and Givens on LiF films have been analyzed by means of dispersion integrals. From the plot of Im (ϵ -1 ) vs. energy the characteristic electron energy loss at 25.3 eV can be identified as a plasma-like excitation very close to a one-electron excitation peak at 23.9 eV. Other possible plasma loss peaks are at 13.4 eV, ∼45 eV and ∼50 eV.
Septicemia and Shock Syndrome Due to Viridans Streptococci: A Case-Control Study of Predisposing Factors

Between 1972 and 1989, the incidence of viridans streptococcal bacteremia at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston increased from one case per 10,000 admissions to 47 cases per 10,000 admissions (P less than .0001). A shock syndrome characterized by hypotension, rash, palmar desquamation, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and occasionally death developed in 26% of cases of streptococcal septicemia but in only 4% of cases of septicemia involving other gram-positive bacteria (P = .0005). The risk of streptococcal infection increased with the prophylactic administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or a fluoroquinolone (P less than .0001) and with profound neutropenia (P less than .0001). Treatment of chemotherapy-induced gastritis with antacids or with histamine type 2 (H2) antagonists was associated with a sevenfold increase in risk (P less than .001), while sucralfate therapy did not increase risk (P = .65). Streptococcal infection may result from gastric overgrowth of organisms resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in an antacid- or H2 antagonist-induced alkaline environment, with the gastrointestinal tract ulceration caused by antineoplastic therapy providing a convenient portal of entry. In patients receiving chemotherapy, replacement of antacids or H2 antagonists by an acid-sparing regimen should be considered to preserve the natural acidic barrier to infection.
Combinatorial Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc-Tin-Oxide Transparent Conductors

In this work, we discuss the combinatorial deposition and analysis of transparent conducting oxides along the ZnO-SnO2 composition tie line. Libraries were deposited by co-sputtering from ZnO and Sn-metal targets. The production and analysis of Zn-Sn-O libraries has already produced significant results, confirming the properties of the 2:1 (Zn2SnO4) region and revealing a second region of interest, the 1:1(ZnSnO3) composition. Subsequent film growth of these stochiometries by pulsed laser deposition has confirmed the potential for both of these stochiometries. Work is currently underway to optimize both Zn2SnO4 and ZnSnO3. Planned future work includes a combinatorial investigation of ternary metal systems such as Zn-In-Sn-O.
Lightfield photography and phase-space tomography a paradigm for computational imaging

The interpretation of lightfield photography as phase-space tomography is used to introduce a formalism for analyzing and optimizing computational imaging systems. We illustrate this concept by discussing lightfield wavefront sensing and computational imaging applications.
Viscoelastic properties of polyvinyl acetates IV. Creep studies of plasticized fractions

Abstract Shear creep measurements have been made on concentrated solutions of two polyvinyl acetate fractions in diethyl phthalate: M = 53,400, v 2 = 0.737to1.0: M = 240,000, v 2 = 0.455to1.0 ( M =molecular weight, v 2 =volume fraction of polymer.) Each solution was studied over a sufficient temperature range to encompass the transition, plateau, and terminal zones of viscoelastic behavior. The temperature dependence of the creep compliance, J(t) , was described by the method of reduced variables. When reduced to a reference temperature of 40°, logarithmic plots of v 2 J(t) against time in the transition zone all had identical shapes. From the separation on logarithmic time axis between the transition zone of each solution and that of an undiluted polymer of very high molecular weight, an individual reference temperature T 0 corresponding to equal local friction coefficients (or segmental mobilities) was calculated. In the range covered, T 0 was a linear function of v 2 ; analysis of the temperature and concentration dependences of the local friction coefficient in several ways indicated that both are primarily determined by the free volume. In the terminal zone, the steady-flow viscosities and relaxation times depend on the combined effects of free volume and long-range entanglements, but the concentration dependence is dominated by the former. If the viscosity is reduced to an iso-free-volume state, it is proportional to M 3.4 for the undiluted polymers (as previously found for undiluted fractions and, with M w 3.4 , for blends) and for the solutions it is roughly proportional to ( Mv 2 ) 3.4 . The steady-state compliance was closely proportional to v 2 −1 and for the fraction of higher molecular weight its value agreed well with that predicted from the Rouse theory. The ratio λ 2 of the terminal relaxation times in solution to their values in the undiluted polymer was obtained by applying the method of Ninomiya to the relaxation modulus, calculated from the creep compliance by approximation methods, and also from the respective steady-flow viscosities; the two calculations were in good agreement. The concentration dependence of λ 2 exceeds that of the local friction coefficient by an amount which is attributed to changes in entanglement spacing and is a little greater than would be expected for a spacing inversely proportional to v 2 .
Die faszinierenden Alkaloide aus Yuzuriha

Die orientalische Pflanze Yuzuriha (Daphniphyllum macropodum) bildet eine Gruppe faszinierender polycyclischer, vom Squalen abgeleiteter Alkaloide, an denen sich der Stand der organischen Synthesechemie messen last. Die bezaubernden Strukturen dieser Naturstoffe haben uns dazu angeregt, zwei ziemlich verschiedene Synthesen zu entwerfen und zu untersuchen. Dieser Ubersichtsartikel stellt beide Synthesewege vor und vergleicht sie miteinander. Dem ersten Ansatz lag eine Syntheseplanung auf der Basis von Coreys Netzwerkanalyse zugrunde, bei der ein effizienter Aufbau des polycyclischen Kohlenstoffgerusts im Vordergrund steht. Wir konnten eine strategische Bindung identifizieren und konzipierten die Synthese so, das diese Bindung zum Schlus geknupft wurde. Die auf dieser Grundlage entwickelte Synthese verlief glatt bis zur Abspaltung funktioneller Gruppen, die einzig zur Bildung der strategischen Bindung eingebaut worden waren. Obwohl wir diese Probleme schlieslich losen konnten, erwies sich die Synthese als zu lang, und der Aufbau eines der asymmetrischen Zentren verlief nicht stereokontrolliert. Der zweite Syntheseansatz basierte auf einem moglichen Biosyntheseweg fur eines def Alkaloide und ermoglichte einen erstaunlich leichten Zugang zu den einfacheren Vertretern dieser Verbindungsklasse. Der Erfolg dieser Synthese fuhrte zu einem konkreten Vorschlag fur die Biosynthese dieser Alkaloide und zur Entdeckung einer erstaunlichen Umsetzung, die in Schema 27 wiedergegeben ist. Bei dieser prazedenzlosen Reaktion wird ein acyclisches Squalen-Derivat durch schrittweise Umsetzung mit Allerweltschemikalien in ein pentacyclisches Alkaloid verwandelt. Dabei werden in einem Reaktionsschritt vier Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff-, zwei Kohlenstoff-Stickstoff- und eine Kohlenstoff-Wasserstoff-Bindung geknupft.
Determining the size and location of transverse cracks in beams

The spectral element method, which is very suitable for solving inverse dynamic problems, is combined with a stochastic genetic algorithm to give a scheme that can locate and size cracks in structural components. The mechanical model is based on an approach that separates the global structural dynamics from the local crack-tip zone dominated by singular stresses. The global model, consisting of connected waveguides, describes the structural dynamics using spectral elements. The local model, describing the crack-tip behavior, is based on the relation between the stress-intensity factor and the stored strain energy representing the crack region. The results are demonstrated with experimental data from an aluminum beam with a transverse crack.
Loss of exon 4 in a human T-cell factor-4 isoform promotes hepatic tumourigenicity.

Background T-cell factor (TCF) proteins represent key transcription factors that activate Wnt/β-catenin signalling. We have reported that a pair of TCF-4 isoforms (TCF-4C and TCF-4D) exhibit differential TCF transcriptional activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, although their structure differs by only the presence (TCF-4D) or absence (TCF-4C) of exon 4. Aim To demonstrate a regulatory role of exon 4 in HCC development. Methods TCF-4C and TCF-4D expression profiles were examined in 27 pairs of human HCC and adjacent liver tissues. The functional role of the TCF-4 isoforms was evaluated in OUMS-29 (an immortalized hepatocyte-derived) and HAK-1A (a well-differentiated HCC) cell lines using stable clones overexpressing the TCF-4 isoforms. Results TCF-4C was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues compared with corresponding peritumour and normal liver tissues; in contrast, there was no difference in TCF-4D expression. TCF-4C clones derived from both cell lines exhibited increased TCF activity, Wnt-responsive target genes, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs compared with TCF-4D clones. Capability of cell migration and colony formation was significantly higher in TCF-4C than TCF-4D clones. In a nude mice xenograft model, the HAK-1A-derived TCF-4C clone rapidly developed tumours compared with the TCF-4D clone. TCF-4C clone-derived tumours exhibited upregulation of Wnt-responsive target genes compared with the slow developing and small TCF-4D-derived tumours. Conclusion These results demonstrate that the TCF-4C isoform lacking exon 4 is associated with a malignant phenotype compared with the exon 4-harbouring TCF-4D isoform, indicating that exon 4 of TCF-4 plays a prominent role in HCC development.
Project mistt: Kinetics of particulate sulfur formation in a power plant plume out to 300 km

Abstract As part of the 1976 field program of Project MISTT, the plume of the coal-fired Labadie power plant near St Louis was positively identified and sampled from aircraft over a range exceeding 300 km and 10 h of transport during day and night on July 9 and July 18. Measurements were made of SO 2 , NO x , ozone, particulate sulfur and various other pollutant and meteorological parameters. For both days, it is found that the gas-to-particle conversion of sulfur occurred mostly during daylight hours. The ratio of particulate to total sulfur was related linearly with the total solar radiation dose experienced by the plume. The maximum rate of paniculate sulfur formation was less than 3%h −1 on both days. Production of ozone was also observed within the plume on both occasions. Ground removal of total sulfur was found to be about 25% in the first 200 km, and its magnitude is compared to that of the gas-to-particle conversion.
31P NMR Investigation of Backbone Dynamics in DNA Binding Sites

The backbone conformation of DNA plays an important role in the indirect readout mechanisms for protein−DNA recognition events. Thus, investigating the backbone dynamics of each step in DNA binding sequences provides useful information necessary for the characterization of these interactions. Here, we use 31P dynamic NMR to characterize the backbone conformation and dynamics in the Dickerson dodecamer, a sequence containing the EcoRI binding site, and confirm solid-state 2H NMR results showing that the C3pG4 and C9pG10 steps experience unique dynamics and that these dynamics are quenched upon cytosine methylation. In addition, we show that cytosine methylation affects the conformation and dynamics of neighboring nucleotide steps, but this effect is localized to only near neighbors and base-pairing partners. Last, we have been able to characterize the percent BII in each backbone step and illustrate that the C3pG4 and C9pG10 favor the noncanonical BII conformation, even at low temperatures. Our results dem...
An Educational Model for Undergraduate Psychiatry Students to Promote Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning

Abstract In this paper we describe an educational model for undergraduate psychiatry students. In the proposed model, the contents of clinical cases are drawn from patients’ clinical data stored in the electronic medical records of the hospital. Teachers can develop a variety of learning materials and tasks based on real clinical cases, related to a variety of specific mental disorders. The clinical cases are presented to the students in an interactive format, to stimulate and enhance self-regulated learning as well as collaboration among students. The training model aims to develop and improve effective clinical reasoning skills in psychiatry students, through practicing the diagnostic skills and the competences of treatment definition of the principal psychiatric disorders previously studied from a theoretical point of view. To reach this objective, a collaborative training environment has been defined to reproduce each phase of the diagnosis process. During each phase, students are guided in carrying out individual and collaborative tasks, and they receive feedback from teachers about their performance. This work is based on the assumption that case-based learning programs represent an effective learning methodology for medical students.
Simultaneous Cutaneous Flap Elevation and Skin Resurfacing in the Rabbit Model

Abstract Background: Despite several studies that indicate the potential harmful effects of combined procedures, simultaneous rhytidectomy and skin resurfacing have been used with increasing frequency as surgeons seek efficient ways to treat facial aging. Objective: In this study we examined the effects of combined cutaneous flap elevation and skin resurfacing in the rabbit model. Methods: Rabbits were divided into 1 control and 4 treatment groups, with 6 rabbits in each group (n = 6). Rabbits in the control group underwent elevation of a 10 × 18-cm flank pedicle flap based on the thoracodorsal vessels, with shortening of the flap length by 10% and suturing of the flap back into its original position. Rabbits in the treatment groups underwent additional skin resurfacing by CO 2 laser with 3, 4, or 5 passes or chemexfoliation with a single application of Baker-Gordon phenol peel solution. Seven days later, tissues were harvested from distal, middle, and proximal regions at the superior, intermediate, and inferior areas of each flap, as well as from proximal and distal regions of the superior incision. Results: Fluorescein injection revealed defects in flap perfusion only in flaps that underwent phenol peel. Histologic examination of tissues revealed increasing degrees of skin injury and delay in skin healing with an increasing number of passes with the CO 2 laser. Extensive inflammation, delayed reepithelialization, and skin healing were noted with phenol peel. Increased depth of injury and delay of healing correlated with the most dependent portion of the flap. Furthermore, incisional tensile strength was significantly diminished with a greater number of laser passes as well as with phenol peel. Conclusions: Our data suggest that caution must be used when flap elevation and skin resurfacing are performed simultaneously, especially with application of skin resurfacing in the dependent region of the flap. Incisional strength can be diminished, and skin healing delayed, to the extent that wound dehiscence may occur, compromising the desired result.