cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CAN MIGRANTS DO IT FASTER? ACCELERATED MOLT OF BAIRD'S SPARROWS AND FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO SOUTHWESTERN MOLTING GROUNDS

Abstract Using museum specimens, I document the prebasic flight-feather molt and molting grounds of Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). Prebasic molt can apparently be carried out to some extent during fall migration. When initiating or completing molt, most Baird's Sparrows appear to be concentrated at the northern edge of their wintering range, and well within the late-summer monsoon zone. This staging may be to make use of the monsoon zone, broadly defined, but also to avoid the heavier monsoon rains found farther south in the wintering range. During prebasic molt, adult female Baird's Sparrows replace their primaries in 27 days, whereas adult males take 46 days; the mean replacement time is 39 days when sexes are combined. This is the fastest rate yet reported for a western U.S. breeding passerine, and I hypothesize that it might be due to being released from energetic constraints imposed by additional extensive migration. ?Pueden las Aves Migratorias Hacerlo mas Rapido? Muda Acelerada en Ammodramus...
Environmental controls on organic matter production and transport across surface-subsurface and geochemical boundaries in the Edwards aquifer, Texas, USA

Karst aquifer phreatic zones are energy limited habitats supported by organic matter (OM) flow across physical and geochemical boundaries. Photosynthetic OM enters the Edwards Aquifer of Central Texas via streams sinking along its northeastern border. The southeastern boundary is marked by a rapid transition between oxygenated freshwaters and anoxic saline waters where OM is likely produced by chemolithoautotrophic microbes. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in OM composition at these boundaries was investigated using isotopic and geochemical analyses. δ13C values for stream fine particulate OM (FPOM) (−33.34‰ to −11.47‰) decreased during regional drought between fall 2010 and spring 2012 (p<0.001), and were positively related to FPOM C:N ratios (r2=0.47, p<0.001), possibly due to an increasing contribution of periphyton. Along the freshwater-saline water interface (FWSWI), δ13CFPOMvalues (−7.23‰ to −58.18‰) correlated to δ13C values for dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CDIC) (−0.55‰ to −7.91‰) (r2=0.33, p=0.005) and were depleted relative to δ13CDIC values by 28.44‰, similar to fractionation values attributed to chemolithoautotrophic carbon fixation pathways using DIC as the substrate. δ13CFPOMvalues also became enriched through time (p<0.001), and δ13CDIC values (r2=0.43, p<0.001) and δ13CFPOM values (r2=0.35, p=0.004) at FWSWI sites increased with distance along the southwest-northeast flowpath of the aquifer. Spatial variability in FWSWI δ13CDIC values is likely due to variable sources of acidity driving carbonate dissolution, and the temporal relationship is explained by changes to recharge and aquifer level that affected transport of chemolithoautotrophic OM across the FWSWI. Keywords: Carbon stable isotopes, spatial and temporal variability, chemolithoautotrophic production, allochthonous input, karst. DOI: 10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.666
A class of tight contact structures on Σ2 × I

We employ cut and paste contact topological techniques to clas- sify some tight contact structures on the closed, oriented genus-2 surface times the interval. A boundary condition is specified so that the Euler class of the of the contact structure vanishes when evaluated on each boundary component. We prove that there exists a unique, non-product tight contact structure in this case. AMS Classification 57M50; 53C15
An in vitro study of an intraarticular and extraarticular reconstruction in the anterior cruciate ligament deficient knee.

The biomechanical effectiveness of an extraarticular ACL reconstruction, an intraarticular ACL reconstruc tion, and the combination of these on both anterior stability and internal rotational stability of the ACL de ficient knee was investigated in six cadaver knees. The extraarticular reconstruction consisted of the Muller anterolateral femorotibial ligament iliotibial band teno desis, and the intraarticular reconstruction used the middle third of the patellar tendon in the manner of Clancy.The extraarticular reconstruction was found to over- constrain internal tibial rotation of the ACL excised knee between 30° and 90° ( P < 0.05). While the isolated extraarticular reconstruction did not return normal an terior stability to the ACL deficient knee (P < 0.05), it did significantly reduce the anterior laxity of the ACL deficient knee between 30° and 90° of knee flexion (P < 0.05).For the combined reconstruction, the intraarticular procedure was performed and then only enough ten sion was applied to the ext...
Structure of the first-order solution set for a class of nonlinear programs wit h parameters

This paper studies the set of first-order solutions of a family of nonlinear programs in which the inequality constraints are fixed but the right hand side of the equality constraints varies. It is shown that under certain conditions this set is a topological manifold. The results are applied to the problem of describing the set of first-order Pareto optima in a pure exchange economy with monotone utility functions.
Brain NaK-ATPases in mice differentially sensitive to alcohols.

The isozymes of NaK-ATPase were studied in the particulate fraction of homogenates prepared from cortex of LS and SS mice, two lines of mice that have been selectively bred for differential response to ethanol. In addition to a ouabain-insensitive Mg-ATPase, ouabain dose-response curves have suggested the presence, in brain, of two NaK-ATPase activities with different sensitivities to ouabain. These are designated low K, (4 times 10-7 M) and high K1 (2 times 10-4 M). Ethanol differentially inhibited the ATPases: The ouabain-insensitive activity was less sensitive to ethanol inhibition than were the two ouabain-inhibitable activities. The low K1 (brain specific) NaK-ATPase was more sensitive than was the high K, activity. However, ethanol inhibited all three components of the ATPase activity in an identical fashion in the two mouse lines. The low K, activity was also more labile to thermal and p-hydroxymercurobenzoate denaturabon than was the high K1 activity. These measures did not differ between the LS and SS lines. SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis of particulate fraction of cortical homogenates obtained from LS and SS mice revealed the presence of two protein bands with similar 32P labeling in both lines. Given that etectrophoretic pattern and heat or p-hydroxymercurobenzoate inhibition were identical, it seems unlikely that differences in ATPase activity, or inhibition by ethanol, are responsible for the different response of LS and SS mice to ethanol.
MCNP benchmarking of an inelastic neutron scattering system for soil carbon analysis

Abstract We benchmark here a Monte Carlo model simulating an inelastic neutron scattering (INS) system for quantitative analysis of carbon in soil. Specifically, we compare the simulations with experimental results of copper foils activations, INS system calibration, INS system optimization of the height above the ground and comparing pulse height distributions due to 137 Cs and 60 Co sources. Most of the simulations and the measurements agree better than 10%, although some of them registered discrepancies larger than 20%.
THE DEMAND FOR INTERCITY PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MODELS TEND TO BE DEVELOPED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND ARE UNRELIABLE WHEN USED MORE GENERALLY. THEY ARE INVARIABLY MODE SPECIFIC AND CONSEQUENTLY PROVIDE NO WAY OF LOOKING AT TOTAL TRAVEL WHEN ONE MODE IS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY OR A NEW MODE INTRODUCED. THIS PAPER REEXAMINES SOME DEMAND MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED AND ARE CURRENTLY THE BASIS OF POLICY. THESE ARE GENERALIZED AND RE-ESTIMATED. THE LIMITATIONS OF THE MODELS ARE THEN USED TO DEVELOP A MORE GENERAL CLASS OF DEMAND MODELS, SIMILAR TO THE ABSTRACT MODE MODELS OF BAUMOL AND QUANDT. WHILE THE BAUMOL-QUANDT ABSTRACT MODE MODEL IS A MAJOR THEORETICAL CONTRIBUTION TO DEMAND FORECASTING, IT ADDS LITTLE TO FORECASTING ABILITY. THE DATA DO NOT ALLOW ESTIMATION OF GENERAL MODELS AND FOR THIS REASON THE MODELS MUST BE USED WITH CARE. /AUTHOR/
Effect of training on intrinsic and resting heart rate and plasma volume in young and old horses

The chronic bradycardia seen in several species after intense exercise training may be due to autonomic mechanisms, non-autonomic mechanisms, such as increased pre-load, or a combination of the two. Thirteen, healthy, unfit Standardbred mares were split into two groups: young (age 12±1 yr; mean ± standard error, n=8) and old (age 22±1 yr, n=5) to test the hypothesis that there would be age and training related differences in resting heart rate (RHR), intrinsic heart rate (IHR), maximal heart rate (HRmax) and plasma volume (PV). Mares were trained 3 d/wk at 60% HRmax for 20 min and gradually increased to exercising 5 d/wk at 70% HRmax for 30 min and RHR, IHR, HRmax, and PV were measured prior to and after the 8 wk training period. There were no age related differences (P≯0.05) between young and old mares before (41±2 vs. 42±2 beats per minute (bpm); 86±5 vs. 80±4 bpm) or after training (35±1 vs. 34±1 bpm; 81±6 vs. 78±2 bpm) for RHR and IHR respectively. RHR was decreased (P<0.05) following training in both...
Satisfaction with aging and use of preventive health services.

Objective Preventive health service use is relatively low among older age groups. We hypothesized that aging satisfaction would be associated with increased use of preventive health services four years later.
Alcoholism and Tuberculosis

With the recent discovery of several new drugs, it has become possible to arrest tuberculosis more effectively and more rapidly than at any time in the past. The tuberculosis patient of ten years ago could expect to spend several years in the sanatorium. The tuberculosis patient of 1958 can look forward to returning home in well under a year.
The Missing Democratic Revolution and Serbia's Anti-European Choice: 1989–2008

In 1989, as the countries of the Soviet bloc took a turn toward democracy and Europe, Yugoslavia and Serbia plunged into a bloody war and moved in the opposite direction. This article argues that the legacy of that era is still strongly felt in postwar and post-Milosevic Serbia. Now, like then, the choice is not simply for or against Europe. By holding on to the nationalism of the Kosovo myth, which territorializes both the Serbian ethnos and the opposition between Christianity and Islam, Serbia is tracing a tortuous path toward democratization and European integration. In the contemporary context, the Kosovo myth impedes Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo as an independent state; it continues to fuel the rhetoric of fractious elites that never cease to tap its capacity for rallying the public; and it provides room for “pro-European” leaders to negotiate EU integration, straddling the fence between Europe’s Atlantic propensities and the resurgent power of Russia. This nationalist myth thus plays a normative and an instrumental role, both domestically and internationally. Outside Serbia, it also engages with a narrow and “thick” notion of Europe, which gained traction within Europe itself in the post-9/11 climate of heightened fear of Islam, where cultural identity trumps the values of liberal democracy.
AMELIORATION OF ACUTE RENAL FAILURE WITH ATP-MgCl 2 INFUSION

Since previous studies have shown a protective effect of the administration of ATP-MgCl2 in shock, the present study was designed to determine the effect of the infusion of ATP-MgCl2 after 30 minutes of bilateral renal artery occlusion. Twenty-four hours later, animals who received no infusion or only MgCl2 had 1) reduced GFR (27S±80 or 377±32 μl/min/100gmBW vs 1091±36 control values, p < 0.01), 2) marked diuresis (6.1±0.7 or 12.3±2.5 μl/min/100gmBW vs 3.1±0.2 control, p < 0.01), and 3) increased proportional flow to the outer cortex (1.83±.04 or 1.93±.06 vs 1.68±.04 control, p < 0.01) which suggested that these rats were in the early recovery phase of post-ischemic acute renal failure. The animals who received ATP-MgCl2 had 1) improved GFR (784±60), 2) no diuresis (3.5±0.4), and 3) a normal pattern of cortical perfusion (1.70±.05) which suggested that these animals had an enhanced state of renal function compared to the no-infusion or MgCl2-only groups of rats. These findings suggest that the infusion of ATP-MgCl2 after 30 minutes of renal artery occlusion either 1) ameliorated the effect of renal ischemia or 2) accelerated the recovery process following acute renal injury.
ALMOST CIRCULAR ORBITS IN CLASSICAL ACTION-AT-A-DISTANCE ELECTRODYNAMICS.

The motion of two fully relativistic classical spinless point particles interacting electromagnetically is studied in the special case of almost circular orbits. The equations of motion are difference-differential equations with half-retarded plus half-advanced Li\'enard-Wiechert potentials. As expected on both physical and mathematical grounds we find multiple stable solutions and conclude that ordinary (Newtonian) initial conditions are not sufficient to determine the trajectories. In addition to the stable solutions we find an infinity of divergent solutions. Alternatives for dealing with the extraneous solutions are discussed. The exact equations of motion can in certain limits be approximated by differential equations. Our solutions serve to delimit the range of applicability of the approximations.
Model checking for additive hazards model with multivariate survival data

Multivariate failure time data often arise in biomedical studies due to natural or artificial clustering. With appropriate adjustment for the underlying correlation, the marginal additive hazards model characterizes the hazard difference via a linear link function between the hazard and covariates. We propose a class of graphical and numerical methods to assess the overall fitting adequacy of the marginal additive hazards model. The test statistics are based on the supremum of the stochastic processes derived from the cumulative sum of the martingale-based residuals over time and/or covariates. The distribution of the stochastic process can be approximated through a simulation technique. The proposed tests examine how unusual the observed stochastic process is, compared to a large number of realizations from the approximated process. This class of tests is very general and suitable for various purposes of model fitting evaluation. Simulation studies are conducted to examine the finite sample performance, and the model-checking methods are illustrated with data from an otitis media study.
Dispersion Relation of Dust Acoustic Waves in a dc Glow Discharge Plasma

Summary form only given. Measurements of the dispersion relation of dust acoustic (DA) waves in a dc glow discharge plasma will be presented. The glow discharge is formed on a 3 cm anode disk located in the center of a 60 cm diameter by 100 cm long grounded vacuum chamber. Relevant discharge and plasma parameters are: anode voltage 300 V, discharge current 15 mA, argon pressure 100-200 mtorr, electron temperature 1-3 eV, plasma density 1014-1015 m-3. A magnetic field of 5 mT, applied parallel to the axis of the disk, magnetizes the electrons, allowing the formation of an axially elongated anodic plasma with a potential structure supporting both parallel and perpendicular (radial) electric fields. Aluminum silicate powder located on an electrically floating tray just below the anode is attracted into the anode plasma where it is trapped and levitated in the anode plasma potential structure. The trapped, charged dust is mainly in the size range of 0.5 -1 microns. DA waves with angular frequencies ap 300 s-1 and wavenumbers ap 25 cm-1 are spontaneously excited in the dusty plasma, and are detected using a CCD camera which images laser light scattered from the dust. Dispersion relation measurements are made by synchronizing the DA wave frequency to a desired value by applying a sinusoidal modulation to the discharge current. The resulting wavenumbers are measured from single frame video images of the DA wave fronts. Dispersion measurements covering a range of angular frequencies ap 100 s-1 - 900 s-1 will be presented. Earlier measurements covering a much smaller range of angular frequencies (50 s-1 -225 s-1) were reported. When the applied modulation frequency is above the frequency of the spontaneously excited wave, both the spontaneous and synchronized waves are present, and wave interference results in a beating of the two modes resulting in a "fine structure" in the visible DA wave pattern.
Hiding homoeroticism in plain view: the Fight Club DVD as digital closet

–The DVD format has emerged as the dominant digital means of repackaging films for home consumption. In this essay, we theorize this new viewing experience and identify some of the challenges it poses for the media critic. We argue that the additional material DVDs typically offer, coupled with the format's interactivity, constitute a rhetorically powerful means of directing the consumer's viewing experience and protecting the commercial viability of the product. To illustrate, we offer a critical analysis of the DVD release of the controversial film Fight Club. Our analysis suggests that Fight Club's DVD “extra text” dissuades the viewer from acknowledging the film's homoerotic elements as representing homosexual experience.
OCLUS: An Analytic Method for Generating Clusters with Known Overlap

The primary method for validating cluster analysis techniques is throughMonte Carlo simulations that rely on generating data with known cluster structure (e.g., Milligan 1996). This paper defines two kinds of data generation mechanisms with cluster overlap, marginal and joint; current cluster generation methods are framed within these definitions. An algorithm generating overlapping clusters based on shared densities from several different multivariate distributions is proposed and shown to lead to an easily understandable notion of cluster overlap. Besides outlining the advantages of generating clusters within this framework, a discussion is given of how the proposed data generation technique can be used to augment research into current classification techniques such as finite mixture modeling, classification algorithm robustness, and latent profile analysis.
Distinct domains of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor α subunit mediate activation of Jak/Stat signaling and differentiation

The α subunit of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor has several isoforms that result from alternative splicing events. Two forms, α-1 and α-2, have intracytoplasmic sequences that are identical within a membrane-proximal domain but differ completely distally. Variant and mutated GM-CSF receptor α subunits, along with the β subunit (βc protein) were expressed in M1 murine leukemia cells. and the ability of the receptors to signal for differentiation events and to activate Jak/Stat signaling pathways was examined. All cell lines expressing both α and βc proteins exhibited high-affinity binding of radiolabeled human GM-CSF. Receptor α subunits with intact membrane-proximal intracellular domains could induce expression of the macrophage antigen F4/80 and down-regulate the expression of CD11b. Addition of recombinant human GM-CSF to cells expressing α-1 subunits induced the expression of CD86 and tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak-2 and its putative substrates SHPTP-2, Stat-5, and the GM-CSF receptor βc subunit. Cells containing α subunits that lacked a distal domain (term-3) or had the alternatively spliced α-2 distal domain showed markedly decreased ability to support tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak-2 and its substrates or to up-regulate CD86. Ligand binding induced stable association of the α-1 subunit and βc protein. In contrast, the α-2 subunit did not stably associate with the βc subunit. These data identify potential molecular mechanisms for differential signaling of the α-1 and α-2 proteins. The association of unique signaling events with the 2 active GM-CSF α subunit isoforms offers a model for variable response phenotypes to the same ligand.
Significance of persistent ST-elevation after healing of anterior wall acute myocardial infarction☆

S T-segment elevation persists in 60% of patients after healing of an anterior wall acute myocardial infarction.’ Its traditional association with left ventricular aneurysm has been difficult to establish.1%2 ST elevation is not consistently related to the degree of left ventricular dysfunction present after healing of an anterior wall infarction.2 An association with dyskinetic wall motion has been suggested,3 but a link between the contraction abnormality and the electrocardiographic finding has not been elucidated. Thus, it is reasonable to consider an electrophysiologic basis for persistent ST elevation. We investigated the possibility that clinical electrophysiologic testing might demonstrate a distinguishing characteristic of patients with this finding. The standard 12-lead electrocardiograms of 490 of the 495patients who underwent electrophysiologic study in the arrhythmia center of the Washington Hospital Center between July 1,1985, and August 31,1988, were available for review. Predetermined criteria for anterior wall myocardial infarction (Table I) were identified in 49. Excluded were 2 patients in whom programmed ventricular stimulation was not part of the study, 5 who had no clinical history of an acute myocardial infarction and 6 whose infarction had occurred within 2 weeks of the electrophysiologic study. The infarction had occurred >I year previously in 20 (56%) of the 36patients whose electrocardiograms were included in the study. Each electrocardiogram was reexamined by 2 of the investigators for the presence of ST elevation in the leads reflecting the acute infarction. Any elevation above the TP interval at the midpoint of the ST’ was carefully measured by each. The mean of the 2 measurements was used to classify patients with regard to the magnitude of the ST elevation. ST elevation was deemed present when >I mm.] ST-elevation was considered very elevated when >2 mm. Agreement in the measurement of ST between the 2 readers was good. In only 6 instances did the measurements vary by >0.5 and in only 2 did they vary by >l mm. Only in the latter 2 patients was the classification potentially affected, and these 2 electrocardiograms were reviewed by the readers and a consensus was reached. During the electrophysiologic study 13 patients were free of antiarrhythmic agents, but the clinical situation dictated continuation of drug therapy in 23. The technique used has been previously described.4 If sustained
Computational aspects of FEM approximation of fractional advection dispersion equations on bounded domains in R 2

In this paper, we investigate the numerical approximation of the variational solution to the fractional advection dispersion equation (FADE) on bounded domains in R2. More specifically, we investigate the computational aspects of the Galerkin approximation using continuous piecewise polynomial basis functions on a regular triangulation of the domain. The computational challenges of approximating the solution to fractional differential equations using the finite element method stem from the fact that a fractional differential operator is a non-local operator. Several numerical examples are given which demonstrate approximations to FADEs.
Evidence for restricted gene flow over small spatial scales in a marine snapping shrimp Alpheus angulosus

Despite the apparent absence of geographic barriers, connectivity among marine populations may be restricted by, for example, ecological or behavioral mechanisms. In such cases, populations may show genetic differentiation even over relatively small spatial scales. Here, mitochondrial sequence data from the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene and seven polymorphic microsatellite markers were used to investigate fine geographic scale population genetic structure in the snapping shrimp Alpheus angulosus, a member of the A. armillatus species complex, from collections in Florida, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico carried out from 1999 to 2005. The COI data showed a deep divergence that separated these samples into two mitochondrial clades, but this divergence was not supported by the microsatellite data. The COI data reflect past population divergence not reflected in extant population structure on the whole genome level. The microsatellite data also revealed evidence for moderate population structure between populations as close as ∼10 km, and no evidence for isolation by distance, as divergences between near populations were at least as strong as those between more broadly separated populations. Overall, these data suggest a role for restricted gene flow between populations, though the mechanisms that reduce gene flow in this taxon remain unknown.
The solubility of iron in seawater

Abstract The solubilities of iron(III) hydroxides in seawater were determined in Gulf Stream seawater as a function of pH (2 to 9), temperature (5 to 50 °C) and salinity (0 to 36). Our results at S=36 and 25 °C near a pH of 8 are in agreement with the measurements of Byrne and Kester [Mar. Chem. 4 (1976a) 255] and Kuma et al. [Limnol. Oceanogr. 41 (1996) 396] (0.2 to 0.3 nM). The solubilities at 5 °C are considerably higher than at 25 °C and decrease with a decrease in salinity. Near a pH of 8, the solubilities as a function of temperature (T/K) and ionic strength [I=19.922S/(1000−1.005S)] can be estimated from log [ Fe ( III )]=−10.53+322.5/T−2.524I 0.5 +2.921I (σ=0.2) The results at low pH (2 to 5) and S=36 have been used to determine the limiting solubilities of Fe(OH)3(s) which have been fitted to the equation (σ=0.08) log K Fe ( OH ) 3 *=−9.17+3993/T The values of KFe(OH)3* are in good agreement with those determined in 0.7 m NaCl. The solubilities as a function of pH, temperature and salinity have been used to determine the stability constants for the formation of Fe(OH)2+, Fe(OH)2+ and Fe(OH)3. The hydrolysis constants at I=0.74 (S=36) have been fitted to the equations log β 1 *=1.86−1300/T (σ=0.1) log β 2 *=0.18−1997/T (σ=0.2) log β 3 *=−2.47−3185/T (σ=0.8) The results for log β1* and log β2* at 25 °C are in reasonable agreement with the values in 0.7 m NaCl. The value of log β3* in seawater is larger than the value in 0.7 m NaCl due to the formation of Fe(III) complexes with organic matter. The higher solubilities in seawater (0.3–0.5 nM) compared to the values in 0.7 m NaCl (0.011 nM) are due to the formation of Fe3+ complexes (FeL) with natural organic ligands (L). By diluting seawater (S=36) with 0.7 m NaCl, we have been able to show that the solubilities approach the values in NaCl at the same ionic strength and temperature. The differences in the solubility of Fe in seawater and 0.7 m NaCl near a pH have been used to calculate ligand concentrations [L′]=0.1–0.2 nM (not complexed with iron) using a literature value of the stability constant (K′FeL=1011.5). The results at different temperatures have been used to determine a value of ΔH=7±5 kcal mol−1 for the formation of FeL.
Paper Chromatography and UV–Vis Spectroscopy To Characterize Anthocyanins and Investigate Antioxidant Properties in the Organic Teaching Laboratory

A variety of fruits and vegetables, including raspberries, blueberries, Concord grapes, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, eggplant, red cabbage, and red onions, contain flavonoid compounds known as anthocyanins that are responsible for the blue-red color and the astringent taste associated with such foods. In addition, anthocyanins exhibit a wide range of chemical properties, such as radical scavenging, metal chelation, pH-dependent color changes, and intramolecular stabilization. Two experiments have been developed for anthocyanin-containing extracts isolated from freeze-dried berries to teach students the skills of solid–liquid extraction, paper chromatography, UV–vis spectroscopic characterization, and detection and evaluation of radical scavenging properties.
Selective nonoperative management of penetrating torso injury from combat fragmentation wounds.

BACKGROUND Historically, military surgical doctrine has mandated exploratory laparotomy for all penetrating fragmentation wounds. We hypothesized that stable patients with abdominal fragmentation injuries whose computerized tomography (CT) scans for intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal penetration disclosed nothing abnormal, can be safely observed without therapeutic laparotomy. METHODS We retrospectively studied all hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating fragmentation wounds to the back, flank, lower chest, abdomen, and pelvis evaluated by abdominal physical examination (PE), CT, or ultrasound treated during a 6-month period at one combat support hospital. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated comparing each positive test to laparotomy and each negative test to successful nonoperative management. RESULTS One hundred forty-five patients met study criteria. Based on CT scans, 85 (59%) patients were managed nonoperatively; 60 (41%) underwent laparotomy. Forty-five of 60 (75%) of laparotomies were therapeutic. CT scan for intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal penetration that disclosed nothing abnormal was 99% predictive of successful nonoperative management. In detecting intra-abdominal injury requiring laparotomy, sensitivity for each method was 30.2% (PE), 11.7% (ultrasound), and 97.8% (CT) (p < 0.05). Specificity was 94.8% (PE), 100% (ultrasound), and 84.8% (CT). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.565 (PE), 0.543 (ultrasound), and 0.929 (CT) (p < 0.0001). All patients with a positive ultrasound (n = 4) underwent therapeutic laparotomy. CONCLUSION PE alone was unreliable in stable patients with abdominal fragmentation injuries. The clinical value of ultrasound results was limited, likely because the majority of these stable patients did not have injuries associated with the large accumulation of peritoneal fluid. CT scan safely and effectively analyzed nonoperative management of penetrating abdominal fragmentation injuries and should be the diagnostic study of choice in all stable patients without peritonitis with abdominal, flank, back, or pelvic combat fragmentation wounds.
Achalasia of the esophagus: a surgical disease.

P A p w b i e s a p g chalasia is a primary esophageal motility disorder of unlear etiology. As treatment has evolved during the past 10 o 15 years, it has become primarily a surgical disease. It is ncommon, but not rare, affecting approximately 1 in 00,000 individuals per year. Occurring equally in men nd women, it is an acquired condition usually diagnosed etween 20 and 50 years of age, but can occur at any age. In 672, Sir Thomas William first described the disease as cardiospasm” and treated the problem with dilation using whale sponge attached to a whale bone. It was not until 927, when A F Hurst determined that the problem was he result of an inability of the lower esophageal sphincter LES) to relax, and named the disease achalasia, a Greek erm meaning failure to relax. Normal individuals have a ower esophageal high-pressure zone, which completely reaxes with initiation of a swallow. In achalasia, residual ressures in the LES remain well above normal after swalowing, resulting in a functional outflow obstruction at the astroesophageal junction. In addition, the LES can be ypertensive, resulting in higher than normal resting presures, and the esophageal body is aperistaltic, all leading to ailure of bolus transport. When untreated, intraesophaeal pressures rise and the esophagus slowly dilates, often to he point of gross deformity.
Design and Application of Two-Pole Synchronous Motors

The paper presents a brief resume of the problems encountered in the design of two-pole high-speed synchronous motors together with a description of how they are met. A satisfactory design is worked out. The theory of the starting winding is given briefly in non-mathematical language, and curves are presented showing the results obtained in so far as current and torque are concerned. It also outlines the applications in which these motors have been used, pointing out both the advantages and the limitations of synchronous motors. This is followed by a description of the operating characteristics and of the method of controlling the motors.
Proteomic snapshot of breast cancer cell cycle: G1/S transition point

The biological processes that unfold during the G1-phase of the cell cycle are dependent on extracellular mitogenic factors that signal the cell to enter a state of quiescence, or commit to a cell-cycle round by passing the restriction point (R-point) and enter the S-phase. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells evolved the ability to evade the R-point and continue through the cell cycle even in the presence of extensive DNA damage or absence of mitogenic signals. The purpose of this study was to perform a quantitative proteomic evaluation of the biological processes that are responsible for driving MCF-7 breast cancer cells into division even when molecular checkpoints such as the G1/S R-point are in place. Nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of the G1 and S cell-cycle phases were analyzed by LC-MS/MS to result in the confident identification of more than 2700 proteins. Statistical evaluation of the normalized data resulted in the selection of proteins that displayed twofold or more change in spectral counts in each cell state. Pathway mapping, functional annotation clustering, and protein interaction network analysis revealed that the top-scoring clusters that could play a role in overriding the G1/S transition point included DNA damage response, chromatin remodeling, transcription/translation regulation, and signaling proteins.
Hematology: Clinical Principles and Applications, 2nd ed. Bernadette F. Rodak. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company, 2002, 852 pp., $74.95, hardcover. ISBN 0-7216-8404-1.

This textbook brings together the collective expertise of distinguished laboratorians in a comprehensive volume on hematology for students of laboratory sciences. Its organization is particularly well suited for promoting active learning. Each chapter begins with a list of learning objectives, a case study to be considered, and concludes with a list of important teaching points and several review questions. Answers to review questions and a brief case discussion are featured in the Appendix. In addition to covering topics traditionally included under the broad umbrella of hematology (including hematopoiesis, disorders of red blood cells, white blood …
“Listening In” on How a Bacterium Takes Over the Plant Vascular System

ABSTRACT Bacteria that infect the plant vascular system are among the most destructive kind of plant pathogens because pathogen proliferation in the vascular system will sooner or later shut down the plant’s water and nutrient supply and necessarily lead to wilting and, in the worst case, death of the entire plant. How bacterial plant pathogens adapted to life in the plant vascular system is still poorly understood. As described in a recent article, Caitilyn Allen and her group studied the archetypical vascular pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum, the causative agent of bacterial wilt disease in almost 200 crop and ornamental plant species, and they have described the results of a microarray analysis that allowed them to “listen in” on the pathogen’s sabotaging activity inside the plant [J. M. Jacobs et al., mBio 3(4):e00114-12, 2012]. Besides gaining for the first time an almost complete picture of R. solanacearum gene expression during infection, this approach allowed revision of a wrong assumption about the activity of the pathogen’s type III secretion system during infection and uncovered the importance of sucrose as an energy source for vascular pathogens like R. solanacearum.
Upbuilding Black Durham: Gender, Class, and Black Community in the Jim Crow South

Historian Leslie Brown tells the story of Durham, North Carolina's black community in the years between emancipation and the 1930s. Brown points out that because Durham was just a small railroad st...
Interdependency of pharmacokinetic parameters: a chicken-and-egg problem? Not!

Pharmacokinetic (PK) software packages are widely used by scientists in different disciplines to estimate PK parameters. However, their use without a clear understanding of physiological parameters affecting the PK parameters and how different PK parameters are related to each other may result in erroneous interpretation of data. Often, mathematical relationships used for the estimation of PK parameters obscure the true physiological relationships among these parameters, prompting a discussion of which parameter came first and giving the appearance of the-chicken-and- the-egg dilemma. In this article, the author attempts to show how different PK parameters are related to physiological parameters and each other by using various scenarios and examples. In particular, the relationship between clearance and the rate of elimination and that among the other major PK parameters are explored. It is concluded that there is no dilemma in interdependency of the PK parameters, and the relationships among the PK parameters and between PK and physiological parameters are clear.
Regime-switching debt and taxation $

The effects of changes to the tax rate are studied within a framework where an estimated regime-switching process for the debt-output ratio is embedded in a standard growth model. The regime is a hidden state variable, so agents face a signal extraction problem. Consequently, agents incorporate the possibility of switching to different fiscal regimes when forming expectations over future taxes. Decision rules have additional nonlinearity relative to fixed-regime models. Income allocation and the tax elasticity of investment depend on agents’ inference regarding the regime. Specifically, the tax elasticity can be either positive or negative, depending on whether agents perceive a tax reform as an intra-regime shock or change in regime.
Studies on the secretion and interconversion of the androgens. 3. Results obtained after the injection of several radioactive C-19 steroids, singly or as mixtures.

In an attempt to obtain information not otherwise available about the complex problem of androgen secretion in the human subject, various experiments involving the administration of isotopically labeled steroids have been carried out. The experiments consisted of injecting various steroids labeled with 14C or 3H, singly or in combination, into various subjects and isolating appropriate metabolites from their urine. The C19 steroids used as tracers were dehydroisoandrosterone (D), dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate (DS), androstenedione (Δ) and testosterone (T). After the administration of labeled D it was observed that the specific activities of the urinary glucuronoside of D (DG) were higher than the specific activities of urinary DS, androsterone (A) and etiocholanolone (E). The comparison of these specific activities indicated the existence of secreted precursors, other than D, for DS, A and E (DS itself for DS and T or Δ for A and E). When tracers of D and DS labeled with 3H and 14C were simultaneously ad...
Clarifying the Construct of Mindfulness in the Context of Emotion Regulation and the Process of Change in Therapy

Bishop et al. (this issue) propose an operational definition of mindfulness developed by a recent consensus panel. The group provides a solid empirical framework from which to develop measures of mindfulness, and they propose an exciting research agenda. We describe measurement development work from our research group that provides initial support for the proposed consensus definition and that examines mindfulness in relation to emotion regulation variables. We extend the discussion by describing how mindfulness can enhance the stabilizing and destabilizing aspects of therapeutic change, and we illustrate this in the context of our treatment program for depression.
RELEASE FROM POLYMERIC PRODRUGS: LINKAGES AND THEIR DEGRADATION

Polymeric prodrugs have evolved into a very useful class of drug delivery agents. Numerous polymeric prodrugs have been prepared for applications ranging from passive drug targeting to controlled release. The mechanistic aspects of the release processes, however, have not been clearly delineated. This review highlights the salient features of the chemical reactions that are responsible for drug release from these systems. The mechanisms of release from polymeric prodrugs employing various chemical linkages, esters, carbonates, carbamates, C=N linkage and amides, are discussed.
Superconductor electronics, 1986-1996

This paper reviews progress in superconductor electronics over the decade since the discovery of the high temperature oxide superconductors (HTS). Almost simultaneously with that discovery was the development of a new process for low temperature superconductor (LTS) devices based on the Nb/AlOx/Mb whole wafer tunnel junction. Both of these developments facilitated a strong growth in applications. We review first the applications based on thin films with no Josephson junctions. This is mostly using HTS, which permits more convenient cooling thus making applications mere commercially viable. With their need for only one or two Josephson junctions, SQUID magnetometers have succeeded to the market place using HTS materials. Finally, we review progress in the volt standard and digital circuits, both of which require large numbers of junctions and at present can only be realized with LTS materials.
Visual scenes and cortical neurons: What you see is what you get

To even the casual observer, it cannot be doubted that animals are highly adapted to their environments. The long necks of giraffes help them to gather food from high in the trees and a cheetah’s speed helps it to capture prey. But over the last several years, studies of visual information processing have taken this sort of insight to levels that are not as inherently obvious. When we examine a visual scene, there are certain features that attract our attention, such as the face of a friend or an oncoming car. But to identify these objects, neural circuits in the visual system must extract relevant cues from the available visual information. For example, the outline of the oncoming car can be defined by the organization of oriented edges within the visual field. Information theory now is being used to define what cues are available within visual scenes. It is believed that neural circuits in the visual system should be adapted to take advantage of these cues (for review see refs. 1 and 2).
Current Concepts in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Objective To describe primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and its associated complications, as well as medical and surgical treatment. Design A review of PSC and its associated etiopathologic factors is presented; numerous studies of agents that are used to treat patients with PSC are discussed. Results PSC, a slowly progressive disease that often involves autoimmune damage to the biliary tree, is frequently associated with inflammatory bowel disease, usually chronic ulcerative colitis. Long-term follow-up of patients with PSC has revealed a high incidence of colon cancer and bile duct cancer, both of which are most likely related to the chronic inflammation involving these two organs. Although PSC is an unusual disease, it is now diagnosed with approximately the same frequency as is primary biliary cirrhosis. The histopathologic evolution of PSC results in irreversible damage to bile ducts, which ultimately leads to cholestasis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and premature death from liver failure unless liver transplantation is performed. Therefore, the best chance of achieving success is to treat patients with early-stage disease rather than those with irreversible end-stage cirrhotic disease. Although several medical therapies for PSC have been evaluated, only d-penicillamine, cyclosporine, methotrexate, and, most recently, ursodeoxycholic acid have been studied in controlled clinical trials. Furthermore, several surgical therapies for PSC and its associated complications have been assessed. Conclusion Currently, no therapy achieves a complete clinical, biochemical, or histologic remission in this disease. Until the etiopathogenesis of PSC is further defined, effective therapy is unlikely to be found. Thus, liver transplantation will continue to be an important therapeutic intervention for the management of patients with end-stage PSC.
IL-13 Induces Skin Fibrosis in Atopic Dermatitis by Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin

Skin fibrotic remodeling is a major feature in human atopic dermatitis (AD). Inflammation and tissue fibrosis are common consequences of Th2 responses. Elevated IL-13 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) have been found in the AD skin lesions. Fibrocytes can be recruited to inflamed tissues to promote wound healing and fibrosis. Dermal transgenic expression of IL-13 causes an AD-like phenotype with fibrosis and increased TSLP. However, the role of TSLP in fibrotic remodeling is unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of TSLP and fibrocytes in the generation of IL-13-induced skin fibrosis. In AD lesion, cessation of IL-13 transgene expression resulted in reduced skin inflammation but with no effect on further progression of fibrosis. This was accompanied by markedly increased CD34(+)/procollagen 1(+) fibrocytes. Furthermore, fibrocytes express TSLP receptor (TSLPR), and TSLP directly promotes PBMC-derived fibrocytes to produce collagen. Neutralization of TSLP or genetic deletion of TSLPR in IL-13 transgenic mice resulted in a significant reduction in fibrocytes and in skin fibrosis. Furthermore, reduction of fibrosis by depletion of TSLP was independent of IL-13. Interestingly, the number of fibrocytes was highly increased in the skin samples of AD patients. These data indicate that the progression of skin fibrosis in IL-13-induced AD occurs via TSLP/TSLPR-dependent but IL-13-independent novel mechanisms by promoting fibrocyte functions.
Combining memory and a controller with photonics through 3D-stacking to enable scalable and energy-efficient systems

It is well-known that memory latency, energy, capacity, bandwidth, and scalability will be critical bottlenecks in future large-scale systems. This paper addresses these problems, focusing on the interface between the compute cores and memory, comprising the physical interconnect and the memory access protocol. For the physical interconnect, we study the prudent use of emerging silicon-photonic technology to reduce energy consumption and improve capacity scaling. We conclude that photonics are effective primarily to improve socket-edge bandwidth by breaking the pin barrier, and for use on heavily utilized links. For the access protocol, we propose a novel packet based interface that relinquishes most of the tight control that the memory controller holds in current systems and allows the memory modules to be more autonomous, improving flexibility and interoperability. The key enabler here is the introduction of a 3D-stacked interface die that allows both these optimizations without modifying commodity memory dies. The interface die handles all conversion between optics and electronics, as well as all low-level memory device control functionality. Communication beyond the interface die is fully electrical, with TSVs between dies and low-swing wires on-die. We show that such an approach results in substantially lowered energy consumption, reduced latency, better scalability to large capacities, and better support for heterogeneity and interoperability.
The cremasteric reflex: a useful but imperfect sign in testicular torsion

The cremaster reflex has been reported to be absent in 100% of cases of testicular torsion, making it a useful sign in this difficult diagnosis. The authors report a case of surgically confirmed testicular torsion in which the cremasteric reflex clearly was present at presentation. The background of this sign and its utility in the evaluation of the acute scrotum are discussed.