cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Presentation and management of post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leaks after sphenoclival expanded endonasal surgery: A single institution experience.

Abstract While surgical approaches and techniques of expanded endonasal approach (EEA) surgery have been well described, little data exist regarding management of post-operative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. In this study, we examined a surgeon’s continuous 12-year experience with failed closure of sphenoclival skull base defects. We conducted a retrospective case series of patients identified with post-operative CSF leaks after EEA of the sphenoclival axis, managed by a single otolaryngologist at a minimally invasive skull base center. Ten out of 326 patients required therapeutic intervention for central skull base defect closure failure. Median time to presentation of CSF leak was 25 days (range 6–542 days). Symptoms included rhinorrhea (n = 7), meningitis (n = 6), and pneumocephalus (n = 1). The majority of patients (7 of 10) were first managed by lumbar drain placement - one of which had resolution of his/her CSF leak. Overall, 9 of 10 patients required endoscopic repair. The majority of the post-operative CSF leaks (9/13, 69.2%) were repaired using a vascularized mucosal flap. There were 3 patients who required a second revision surgery. All CSF leaks were repaired without completely deconstructing the initial repair. Failure sites most frequently occurred outside of the sella (80%), likely reflecting their direct relationship to the intracranial cisterns. Initial operative repair provided definitive treatment in most cases (70%). Correct placement of a vascularized local pedicle-based flap is essential for successful repair. Knowledge of alternative flaps is particularly important when the nasoseptal flap is no longer available.
Impact of Fall Risk and Direct Oral Anticoagulant Treatment on Quality-Adjusted Life-Years in Older Adults with Atrial Fibrillation: A Markov Decision Analysis

The decision to initiate anticoagulation in older adults with atrial fibrillation is complicated by the benefit of ischemic stroke prevention vs the risk of falls resulting in major bleeds. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different treatments including direct oral anticoagulants on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) in patients aged 75 years and older with atrial fibrillation in the context of falls. A Markov decision process was constructed for older patients with atrial fibrillation taking no anti-thrombotic, aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. Input probabilities for clinical events were estimated from the available literature. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses were performed by measuring the impact of varying input probabilities of clinical events on QALY outcomes. The base-case scenario estimated that older adults treated with no anti-thrombotic, aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban had QALYs of 8.03, 8.69, 10.38, 11.02, and 11.56, respectively. The sensitivity analysis estimated that an older adult would need to fall over 45 (rivaroxaban) and 458 (apixaban) times per year for the QALY of a direct oral anticoagulant to be lower than that of aspirin. Older adults with atrial fibrillation benefit from stroke protection of anticoagulants, especially direct oral anticoagulants, even if they are at high risk of falls. Clinicians should not consider fall risk as a deciding factor for withholding anticoagulation in this population of patients.
The effect of cardiac geometry variation according to sex and race on outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction The prevalence and long-term consequences of differences in baseline cardiac geometry (as a result of hypertension) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are ill-defined. The primary purpose of this study was to clarify whether there were differences among sexual and racial groups in echocardiographic findings reflecting cardiac geometry and adaptation in patients undergoing PCI for ACS and whether this could explain the differences in outcomes seen between these groups. Material and methods We analyzed 1-year follow-up data from a single institution, a retrospective, observational study that enrolled 1,153 patients who presented with ACS and were treated with PCI, for whom echocardiographic data were available. Results Normal, concentric hypertrophy, and eccentric hypertrophy in males vs. females were observed as follows: 29% vs. 19% (p = 0.001), 25% vs. 31% (p = 0.02), and 8% vs. 14% (p = 0.004), respectively. The primary endpoint of all-cause death (n = 89, 7.7%) occurred in 48 (10.5%) females and in 41 (8.2%) males, p = 0.03. Major adverse cardiac events and bleeding (MACE-B - all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke or hospitalization for bleeding) was higher among women than men (21.6% vs. 13.5%, p = 0.0002). Males with eccentric hypertrophy (EH) had similar MACE-B outcomes as females with EH 1-year post-PCI (29% vs. 32%, respectively, p = 0.77). Conclusions Females undergoing PCI for ACS are at higher risk for worse outcomes because they are more likely to express the eccentric hypertrophy phenotype; however, it did not account for the difference in adverse outcomes observed between sexes.
Climate Change Compliance

Unless corporations prioritize climate change mitigation, efforts to control global warming will fail. Yet, the strategies that have been proposed for enlisting corporations are insufficient to the task. In our era of political polarization, a comprehensive “Green New Deal” to transition the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels is a nonstarter. Nor can we expect corporate risk management or social responsibility to fill the gap; there are practical limits to how far corporate managers can depart from strategies designed to maximize profits for investors. This Article contends that climate change is a compliance issue. Scholars have overlooked compliance as a solution because they believe it achieves nothing more than fidelity to existing laws and regulations. This is a mistake. Once neglected as a backwater of corporate governance, the field of compliance has evolved and now involves forward-looking strategic analysis of legal and business risks as well as ethical considerations. A compliance-based approach best captures the rationale for holding corporations responsible for climate change and provides a robust framework for achieving results.
When measles came to class: a look back at the 1989 Kent State University measles epidemic.

Abstract Background Measles was eliminated from the United States in 2000, following a change from a single dose of measles vaccine to two doses after an epidemic 1989-1991. Several college campuses experienced outbreaks, including Kent State University (KSU) in Ohio. Methods Local news media from 1988-1989 were searched in August 2019. Interventions taken by the university were recorded, and an epidemic curve constructed. Results The first measles cases were reported in October 1988. The outbreak diminished over winter break. New cases were confirmed in February 1989. Infected students were instructed to vacate the dorms. Vaccines were mandated for student groups. The epidemic grew rapidly in March but slowed after spring break. By April, 380 cases had been reported and 7000 students vaccinated. Conclusions KSU was one of the hardest-hit universities during the 1989 measles epidemic. A combination of vaccination, isolation, quarantine, and elimination of public events helped to curtail the epidemic.
The Climacteric and Osteoporosis in Women with Autoimmune Diseases

Publisher Summary Menopause represents a transition from the reproductive to the nonreproductive years—the end of fertility, resulting from the ovarie's decreased production of estrogen and progesterone. The loss of estrogen during the menopausal period has a profound effect on bone density and is associated with increased bone resorption. Bone loss in postmenopausal women is the result of increases in the rate of bone remodeling and the imbalance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts. This pattern of accelerated bone loss in women primarily affects trabecular bone and results in irreversible bone loss. The impetus for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis is its devastating complications. Generalized osteoporosis is a well-known phenomenon in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), demonstrated by decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and the increased risk of fracture. The risk factors for osteoporosis with glucocorticoid therapy are not the same as those typically associated with osteoporosis. Men and women of all ethnic backgrounds and ages are at risk for glucocorticoid osteoporosis. Among patients who are assumed to have osteoporosis on the basis of chronic glucocorticoid use, postmenopausal status, and inflammatory condition, selective screening for other causes of bone loss needs to be considered.
Street Meeting: Multiethnic Neighborhoods in Early Twentieth-Century Los Angeles

List of Illustrations and Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Familiarity of "Foreign Quarters": The Central Los Angeles Populace in the Early Twentieth Century 2. Building the White Spot of America: The Corporate Reconstruction of Ethnoracial Los Angeles 3. The Church of All Nations and the Quest for "Indigenous Immigrant Communities" 4. "So Many Children at Once and So Many Kinds": The World of Central City Children 5. Mixed Couples: Love, Sex, and Marriage across Ethnoracial Lines 6. Preaching to Mixed Crowds: Ethnoracial Coalitions and the Political Culture of Street Speaking 7. The Streets Run Red: The Communist Party and the Resurgence of Coalition Street Politics Conclusion. From Central Neighborhood to Inner City: The Triumph of Corporate Liberal Urbanization Notes Bibliography Index
Changes in Abdominal Aortic Diameter in Response to the Cold Pressor Test and Nitroglycerin: A New Noninvasive Model for the Assessment of Endothelial‐Dependent and Endothelial‐Independent Vascular Relaxation

Coronary vascular responses to the cold pressor test (CPT) have been shown to parallel changes caused by infusion of acetylcholine. Whereas the CPT is a method of assessing endothelial-dependent vasodilation, nitroglycerin produces endothelial-independent vasodilation. We performed histological studies on autopsy specimens of abdominal aorta and demonstrated that it is predominantly muscular artery. To test the hypothesis that vasodilatory responses of the abdominal aorta to interventions would parallel those of peripheral vessels, 33 normal males without hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia, and 10 younger male smokers had ultrasound imaging of the abdominal aorta conducted in the control state, 2 minutes after immersion of the hand in cold water and 10 minutes after rewarming the hand (i.e., cold pressor test). The internal diameter of the abdominal aorta at the onset of the QRS complex was determined for each intervention by averaging 4 beats. It was found that the cold pressor test and nitroglycerin resulted in similar degrees of dilation of the abdominal aorta in nonsmoking subjects, and that these responses were attenuated in smokers. Thus, both endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vascular relaxation were impaired in smokers. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 26, November 2009)
Operationally significant patterns of association

An association between two persons is an observation or reported fact that can reasonably be assumed to indicate they know of, and probably communicate with, each other. Much of the information on known/suspected terrorists comprises collections of such associations absent information that would support determination of whether any particular set of associations evinces cooperative involvement in pursuit of a common goal or objective. A major challenge for information technology is to develop tools for discovering such stronger relationships in large collections of associations gathered from disparate sources. To this end, this paper describes four patterns of associations that are indicators of possible organizational activity, regardless of the means of their discovery. It describes for each: i) techniques for visualizing the pattern in the data; ii) efficient means of discovery of instances of the pattern in very large link data bases; and iii) procedures for validating instances of the pattern as being attributable to organizational behavior rather than a chance encounters. It further describes results of analyses of real-world data that demonstrate the operational utility of inferences derived from the patterns.
Production of a Capsular Polysaccharide by a Marine Filamentous Fungus

The spent seawater medium of 4-day-old-cultures of the filamentous marine fungus Leptosphaeria albopunctata had a high viscosity after the fungus was collected by high-speed centrifugation. Microscopic examination of uncentrifuged mycelium suspended in India ink revealed that the viscosity resulted from capsular material. These capsules became disassociated from the mycelium during centrifugation. Precipitation of the medium of centrifuged cultures with 95% ethyl alcohol yielded a highly anthrone-positive polysaccharide material, composed of large amounts of glucose and minute amounts of mannose. Time course studies of the nutritional requirements for capsular polysaccharide production revealed that the capsular material was produced in large amounts, and on a wide variety of sugars, during the period of rapid growth, but was quickly degraded and presumably remetabolized in older cultures. The amount of capsular material produced was enhanced by NaCl concentrations above that of artificial seawater, and KCl could be substituted for NaCl. The salts MgCl(2) and CaCl(2) were also required for capsule production by L. albopunctata, although growth was obtained in cultures without added amounts of these constituents. The possible role of these salts in the metabolism of the fungus is discussed.
Evaluation times for patients with in-hospital strokes.

Each year at least 35,000 people suffer a stroke while hospitalized, but little is known about the clinical characteristics of such patients or how rapidly they are identified and evaluated. With a recent emphasis on the very early treatment of stroke, in-hospital stroke patients may be candidates for some early interventions.This was a retrospective study using the stroke registries at two academic medical centers. Data were collected about the clinical characteristics of patients with an in-hospital stroke and who recognized the stroke. Detailed time data were analyzed to determine the time of stroke recognition, medical evaluation, and neurological evaluation. These specific time epochs were analyzed to determine which were responsible for any delays in stroke identification and assessment. Data were analyzed using nonparametric methods, including the Wilcoxon rank sum and Kruskal-Wallis procedure.Sixty-three patients were identified with in-hospital strokes and adequate time data. In-hospital stroke p...
Synthesis for advanced ASIC design

This paper describes a new synthesis capability required for the design of advanced ASICs. Called placement-based synthesis (PBS), it specifically addresses the challenges of 0.5 /spl mu/m design. It allows placement data to be read by logic design tools in order to accurately assess interconnect delays (which account for up to 80% of the overall delay through a path in devices of this size). It then directly and incrementally adjusts the placement in order to correct timing problems and meet performance objectives.
Motivating Substance Abusers to Enter Treatment: Working with Family Members

Description of Community Reinforcement and Family Training. Building and Sustaining Motivation of Concerned Significant Others. Functional Analysis of a Problem Behaviour. Domestic Violence Precautions. Improving Communication Skills of Concerned Significant Others. Positive Reinforcement of Clean and Sober Behaviour. The Use of Negative Consequences. Helping Concerned Significant Others Enrich Their Own Lives. Inviting the Identified Patient to Enter Treatment. Empirical Support for CRAFT.
Coupled Chemical and Faceting Surface Phase Transitions

This paper has summarized results relating to chemical surface phase transitions and roughening faceting transitions which have been observed in Pb-Bi-Ni alloys. The Bi and Ni solutes present in these alloys co-segregate to the surface, and their surface concentrations undergo an abrupt increase on cooling below some transition temperature. This transition temperature depends on the orientation of the surface; it is highest on surfaces of {111} orientation, and is progressively lower on the {227}, {110}, and {100} surfaces, respectively. The temperature dependence of the surface energies of the segregated surfaces is small in the high temperature weakly segregated state, but quite large in the low temperature strongly segregated state. As a consequence, once the transition has occurred at some particular surface orientation, a cusp forms in the γ-plot at that orientation, if one is not already present there. This process leads to the formation of new facets in the alloy which are not seen on the equilibrium form of pure Pb in the same temperature range.
Testable Design of Single-Output Sequential Machines Using Checking Experiments

The problem of testing sequential machines using checking experiments is investigated. A method of modifying sequential machines by adding a controllable input is presented. A procedure is given to construct checking experiments for the modified machine and it is shown that only one output observation is sufficient to determine whether the machine is fault free.
Decreased ventilatory response to hypoxia during acute polycythemia in the calf.

Abstract Increase in ventilation in response to acute hypoxia is mediated by stimulation of systemic arterial chemoreceptors. Probably the stimulus is intracellular hypoxia resulting from a reduction m the amount of oxygen delivered to the chemoreceptor tissue. If oxygen transport were increased, then the ventilatory response to hypoxia might be reduced. This hypothesis was examined in nine calves. Blood oxygen carrying capacity was increased by the infusion of packed red cells sufficient to increase the hemoglobin concentration from 11.4 to 15.7 g/100 ml, which increased systemic oxygen transport by 37%. Lowering the arterial oxygen tension from 60 to 40 mm Hg increased ventilation 141% prior to transfusion, but only 76% in the presence of polycythemia (p
In vivo preservation of steroid specificity in CWR22 xenografts having a mutated androgen receptor

Background In vitro studies of CWR22 tumor cells lack steroid specificity. We sought to determine if CWR22 xenografts also lack steroid specificity. Methods We injected castrated nude mice with CWR22 tumor cells (6 × 106 cells) and implanted Alzet osmotic pumps that delivered approximately 1 mg steroid/kg body weight/day. Results Serum PSA levels were detectable in intact mice and castrated mice treated with testosterone (T), but not in those treated with estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), or flutamide (F). T maintained mean tumor weight similar to that in intact mice (P = NS). We observed no tumors in castrated mice or mice treated with E2, P, or F, and tumor histology was consistent with weights. Conclusions The mutation of the androgen receptor (H874Y) that occurs in the CWR22 xenograft model of human prostate cancer does not significantly affect in vivo steroid specificity for E2, P, or F. Prostate 57: 1–7, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Moyamoya: Indiana University Medical Center experience.

Background Moyamoya usually presents with cerebral ischemia in children and intracranial hemorrhage in adults. Treatment remains controversial. Design and Objective We reviewed our experience from June 1995 to August 1999 of 20 adult and pediatric angiographically diagnosed patients with moyamoya to report their clinical presentation, radiological findings, management, and clinical outcomes. Results The mean age of patients at symptom onset was 17 years (range, 2-54 years). Patients were divided into 2 age groups (group 1, P = .03). The mean follow-up time was 36 months. One patient in group 1 had an ischemic stroke. There was no difference in stroke recurrence, mortality, or modified Rankin scale score among medically or surgically treated patients. Conclusions Moyamoya disease may have a different presentation and more benign natural history in our population than in Asian populations. Our findings italicasize the need to better understand the natural history of patients with moyamoya as well as the clinical benefit of different treatment modalities. Structured multicenter randomized clinical trials are needed to further assess the best treatment modalities for patients with moyamoya in the United States.
“Quick and Clean”: A Fast Path to Library Spreadsheet Systems

Libraries need to develop information processing systems for evaluation, budgeting, planning, and operations. Electronic spreadsheets lend themselves to a variety of applications, but are time‐consuming to create. A model template and macros that can be used in many different types of library data analysis have been developed here. The procedures demonstrated here can build an essential set of tools for meeting fundamental goals of administrative efficiency, effective use of library resources, staff motivation, and rational policy making.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection as a Precipitant of Thyroid Storm in a Previously Undiagnosed Case of Graves' Disease in a Prepubertal Girl

Graves' disease is less common in prepubertal than pubertal children, and initial presentation with thyroid storm is rare. We report an 11-year-old prepubertal Hispanic girl who presented with a one-day history of respiratory distress, fever, and dysphagia. She had exophthalmos, a diffuse bilateral goiter and was agitated, tachycardic, and hypertensive. Nasal swab was positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). She was diagnosed with thyroid storm and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. While infection is a known precipitant of thyroid storm and RSV is a common pediatric infection, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of RSV infection apparently precipitating thyroid storm in a prepubertal child.
Reflections on generativity and flourishing: a response to Snow’s Kohlberg Memorial Lecture

Most readers will recognize more than a grain of truth in Professor Nancy Snow’s retelling of Clarence Darrow’s humorously negative take on parental generativity. Yet, of course, there is also a po...
Theory of Midinfrared Absorption Microspectroscopy: I. Homogeneous Samples

Midinfrared (IR) microspectroscopy is widely employed for spatially localized spectral analyses. A comprehensive theoretical model for the technique, however, has not been previously proposed. In this paper, rigorous theory is presented for IR absorption microspectroscopy by using Maxwell’s equations to model beam propagation. Focusing effects, material dispersion, and the geometry of the sample are accounted to predict spectral response for homogeneous samples. Predictions are validated experimentally using Fourier transform IR (FT-IR) microspectroscopic examination of a photoresist. The results emphasize that meaningful interpretation of IR microspectroscopic data must involve an understanding of the coupled optical effects associated with the sample, substrate properties, and microscopy configuration. Simulations provide guidance for developing experimental methods and future instrument design by quantifying distortions in the recorded data. Distortions are especially severe for transflection mode and ...
Genetic and biochemical mechanisms limiting fipronil toxicity in the LPR strain of house fly, Musca domestica

Fipronil is a new insecticide which exerts its toxic action by interacting with the insect GABA-gated chloride channel. Previous studies have shown that cyclodiene-resistant insects have low to moderate levels of cross-resistance to fipronil, while other resistant strains are usually susceptible. In contrast, we recently found a strain (LPR) of house fly (Musca domestica L) with 15-fold cross-resistance to fipronil that was not associated with cyclodiene resistance. Fipronil cross-resistance in LPR was inherited as an intermediately dominant, autosomal, multigenic trait. [ 14 C]Fipronil was observed to penetrate into LPR flies more slowly than into susceptible flies. S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate and diethyl maleate pretreatment did not reduce the level of fipronil cross-resistance, while piperonyl butoxide resulted in a slight decrease. These results indicate that decreased penetration and monooxygenase-mediated detoxification may be mechanisms contributing to fipronil cross-resistance in the LPR strain.
Education and Training for Low-Income Women: An Elusive Goal:

Welfare reform has generally denied poor women access to effective education and training that could lead to economic independence. Instead, a work-first approach prevails. As the public safety net is removed and education and training are not provided, welfare reform reinforces the economic and social status quo. This article addresses barriers to education and training along a continuum of possible educational opportunities and argues that education and skills training for low-income women, especially poor women of color, are moral and economic imperatives. Current affirmative action successes can provide guidance for increasing access to education and training for poor women.
Studying Sexual Orientation Change: A Methodological Review of the Spitzer Study, “Can Some Gay Men and Lesbians Change Their Sexual Orientation?”

ABSTRACT Robert L. Spitzer, MD, recently published a report, “Can Some Gay Men and Lesbians Change Their Sexual Orientation?: 200 Subjects Reporting a Change from Homosexual to Heterosexual Orientation.” He recruited men and women who reported to once have had a predominantly homosexual orientation–which they felt conflicted about–and who claimed, due to some kind of “therapy,” to have sustained some change to a heterosexual orientation for at least five years. “Therapy” in this study included either seeing a mental health professional, attending an ex-gay or other religious support group, bibliotherapy, repeated meetings with a heterosexual role model, or, without any external support, changing one's relationship to God. Spitzer interviewed his participants by telephone, asking 114 closed-ended and some open-ended questions, which were answered in about 45 minutes. Spitzer acknowledges that this approach has numerous limitations and discusses several of them in the paper. However, a careful methodologica...
Economic justice in an unfair world: towards a level playing field By Ethan B. Kapstein Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006

Kapstein begins by stating that â€˜If any norm characterizes international economic relations, it is probably that they should be carried out on a â€œlevel playing fieldâ€ â€™ (p. xi). He then sets out to offer his vision of what such leveling would amount to. The book offers what he calls a â€˜liberal internationalistâ€™ perspective on global economic justice, a view defined in opposition to two other views introduced and explored throughout: communitarianism, on the one hand, which according to him takes states too seriously by denying, beyond a certain minimal level, obligations to those who do not belong to them; and cosmopolitanism, on the other hand, which he thinks does not take states seriously enough by failing to acknowledge, to a sufficient degree, the special moral importance of shared citizenship. By way of contrast, liberal internationalism takes states as given, but acknowledges that there are moral obligations tying together states into a society of states, a society that, according to Kapstein's ideal, is supposed to be inclusive, participatory, and welfare-enhancing for all states.
Penalty-hybrid finite element method☆

Abstract We introduce a penalty-hybrid formulation for the use in non-conforming finite element methods. This overcomes the disadvantages of suboptimality for the penalty method and the stability criterion for the hybrid method. We show that error estimations and the condition number for the associated algebraic system of the method are the same as for conforming finite element method.
Developing a content analysis evaluation approach for the examination of limited-service lodging properties.

SUMMARY This exploratory study investigates the Website effectiveness of limited-service chain lodging operations. Websites of the top 25 limited-service chain lodging operations in the U.S. were evaluated based on the criteria established for the study. The seven evaluation criteria included impression, content usefulness, accuracy, navigation, accessibility, online reservations, and timeliness of information. A detailed description was developed for each criterion. The results of this study offers a starting point for both Web researchers and practitioners in the limited-service segment of the lodging industry to determine specific areas of Website improvements.
A genotype risk score predicts type 2 diabetes from young adulthood: the CARDIA study

Aims/hypothesis Genotype does not change over the life course and may thus facilitate earlier identification of individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that a genotype score predicts incident type 2 diabetes from young adulthood and improves diabetes prediction models based on clinical risk factors alone.
Characterization of the Monte Arci (Sardinia) Obsidian Sources

In the western Mediterranean, obsidian from four volcanic island sources was used beginning in the Neolithic period. The geological sources on Lipari, Palmarola, and Pantelleria have been located and chemically characterized; until now, however, the Monte Arci source in Sardinia was better known from the analysis of archaeological rather than geological specimens. The results of a comprehensive field survey and characterization study of the obsidian sources in Sardinia are presented here, and finally allow all obsidian artefacts of western Mediterranean origin to be attributed to specific sources using minimally destructive and relatively inexpensive methods of analysis. Five chemically distinct sources in the Monte Arci region were exploited, with their location and the physical properties of the obsidian itself contributing to chronologically and spatially diverse frequency-of-use patterns.
Incorporating Genotyping Error Into Non-Invasive DNA-Based Mark–Recapture Population Estimates

Use of non-invasive sources of DNA, such as hair or scat, to obtain a genetic mark for population estimates is becoming commonplace. Unfortunately, with such marks, potentials for genotyping errors and for the shadow effect have resulted in use of many loci and amplification of each specimen many times at each locus, drastically increasing time and cost of obtaining a population estimate. We proposed a method, the Genotyping Uncertainty Added Variance Adjustment (GUAVA), which statistically adjusts for genotyping errors and the shadow effect, thereby allowing use of fewer loci and one amplification of each specimen per locus. Using allele frequencies and estimates of genotyping error rates, we determined, for each pair of specimens, the probability that the pair was obtained from the same individual, whether or not their observed genotypes match. Using these probabilities, we reconstructed possible capture history matrices and used this distribution to obtain a population estimate. With simulated data, we consistently found our estimates had lower bias and smaller variance than estimates based on single amplifications in which genotyping error was ignored and that were comparable to estimates based on data free of genotyping errors. We also demonstrated the method on a fecal DNA data set from a population of red wolves (Canis rufus). The GUAVA estimate based on only one amplification genotypes compares favorably to the estimate based on consensus genotypes. A program to conduct the analysis is available from the first author for UNIX or Windows platforms. Application of GUAVA may allow for increased accuracy in population estimates at reduced cost.
Promise and problems of emergy analysis

Abstract Solar Emergy is the available solar energy used up directly and indirectly to make a service or product. Although this basic concept is quite straightforward, its implications are potentially profound. H.T. Odum pioneered the development and use of emergy, and presented it as a way of understanding the behavior of self-organized systems, valuing ecological goods and services, and jointly analyzing ecological and economic systems. Unfortunately, like many groundbreaking ideas, emergy has encountered a lot of resistance and criticism, particularly from economists, physicists, and engineers. Some critics have focused on detailed practical aspects of the approach, while others have taken issue with specific parts of the theory and claims. This paper discusses the main features and criticisms of emergy and provides insight into the relationship between emergy and concepts from engineering thermodynamics, such as exergy and cumulative exergy consumption. This reveals the close link between emergy and ecological cumulative exergy consumption, and indicates that most of the criticisms of emergy are either common to all holistic approaches that account for ecosystems and other macrosystems within their systems boundaries, or a result of misunderstandings derived from a lack of communication between various disciplines, or are not relevant for engineering applications. By identifying the main points of criticisms of emergy, this paper attempts to clarify many of the common misconceptions about emergy, inform the community of emergy practitioners about the aspects that need to be communicated better or improved, and suggest solutions. Further research and interaction with other disciplines is essential to bring one of H.T. Odum’s finest contributions into the mainstream to guide humanity on “the prosperous way down.”
Modulation of the 3′→5′-Exonuclease Activity of Human Apurinic Endonuclease (Ape1) by Its 5′-incised Abasic DNA Product

The major abasic endonuclease of human cells, Ape1 protein, is a multifunctional enzyme with critical roles in base excision repair (BER) of DNA. In addition to its primary activity as an apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease in BER, Ape1 also possesses 3'-phosphodiesterase, 3'-phosphatase, and 3'-->5'-exonuclease functions specific for the 3' termini of internal nicks and gaps in DNA. The exonuclease activity is enhanced at 3' mismatches, which suggests a possible role in BER for Ape1 as a proofreading activity for the relatively inaccurate DNA polymerase beta. To elucidate this role more precisely, we investigated the ability of Ape1 to degrade DNA substrates that mimic BER intermediates. We found that the Ape1 exonuclease is active at both mismatched and correctly matched 3' termini, with preference for mismatches. In our hands, the exonuclease activity of Ape1 was more active at one-nucleotide gaps than at nicks in DNA, even though the latter should represent the product of repair synthesis by polymerase beta. However, the exonuclease activity was inhibited by the presence of nearby 5'-incised abasic residues, which result from the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity of Ape1. The same was true for the recently described exonuclease activity of Escherichia coli endonuclease IV. Exonuclease III, the E. coli homolog of Ape1, did not discriminate among the different substrates. Removal of the 5' abasic residue by polymerase beta alleviated the inhibition of the Ape1 exonuclease activity. These results suggest roles for the Ape1 exonuclease during BER after both DNA repair synthesis and excision of the abasic deoxyribose-5-phosphate by polymerase beta.
Effects of vertical inhomogeneity on snow spectral albedo and its implication for optical remote sensing of snow

[1] The spectral albedo of dry, vertically heterogeneous snow is simulated using a multilayer discrete ordinate method radiative transfer code, with single snow grain–scattering parameters calculated either from Mie theory for small grains or from a geometric optics code for large grains. In the near-infrared wavelengths the snowpack is effectively semi-infinite at a depth of around 5 cm; that is, the reflectance is the same as for a deep snowpack. In the visible wavelengths, however, the snow critical depth is more than 50 cm for coarse-grained snow, but the top 5–10 cm layer is the most important one. Two heterogeneous snowpacks with the same average grain size in the topmost layer but with different vertical distributions of grain sizes can have quite different spectral albedos because of greater penetration by visible than by near-infrared radiation. The spectral albedo computed from the multilayer model agrees better with measured albedo when the vertical variability of grain size and the measured composite grain size rather than the measured single grain size are considered.
Ontogeny of the basal lamina in the sea urchin embryo.

Abstract The patterns of expression for several extracellular matrix components during development of the sea urchin embryo are described. An immunofluorescence assay was employed on paraffin-sectioned material using (i) polyclonal antibodies against known vertebrate extracellular matrix components: laminin, fibronectin, heparan sulfate proteoglycan, collagen types I, III, and IV; and (ii) monoclonal antibodies generated against sea urchin embryonic components. Most extracellular matrix components studied were found localized within the unfertilized egg in granules (0.5–2.0 μm) distinct from the cortical granules. Fertilization initiated trafficking of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components from within the egg granules to the basal lamina of the developing embryo. The various ECM components arrived within the developing basal lamina at different times, and not all components were unique to the basal lamina. Two ECM components were not found within the egg. These molecules appeared de novo at the mesenchyme blastula stage, and remained specific to the mesoderm through development. The reactivity of antibodies to vertebrate ECM antigens with components of the sea urchin embryo suggests the presence of immunologically similar ECM molecules between the phyla.
Effect of coprophagy on utilization of urea by the rat.

Summary1. Addition of urea to a synthetic amino acid diet lacking in non-essential amino acids stimulated growth of young rats. 2. The growth-stimulatory effect of urea was not affected by prevention of coprophagy in the animals.
Use of Functional near Infrared Imaging to Investigate Neural Correlates of Expertise in Military Target Identification

This paper explores the use of functional near infrared imaging in the investigation of expertise in an applied setting, specifically that of military vehicle recognition and identification. Although brain research has shown strong support for the localization of function for identifying objects, specifically in areas such as the face fuseiform gyrus, the authors believe there may be potential in measuring the upper regions of the parietal cortex to find differences between novices and experts. Four participants, two novices and two experts, were used in a military vehicle identification task while being measured with a Functional Near Infrared (fNIR) imager. Results show promise for further use of this technology in training, evaluation and augmented cognition.
Thymidine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase: a phage-induced enzyme in Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract When phage ∅e infects Bacillus subtilis it induces the synthesis of an enzyme (dTTPase) which hydrolyzes thymidine triphosphate to the monophosphate. The enzyme can first be detected 6–7 min after infection at 37°. In addition, extracts of infected bacteria hydrolyze deoxyuridine triphosphate. By isolating phage mutants that induce low levels of dTTPase, it has been possible to show that one enzyme is responsible for both the activities and that its structure is determined at least partly by the phage genome.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increases FSH receptor messenger ribonucleic acid while decreasing FSH binding in cultured porcine granulosa cells.

The goal of the present studies was to compare direct effects of porcine FSH (pFSH) on [125I]pFSH-binding sites with effects of pFSH on FSH receptor mRNA in cultured porcine granulosa cells. Cells from immature follicles were cultured on laminin-coated plates in serum-free medium for up to 6 days in the absence or presence of pFSH (1-100 ng/ml) or cholera toxin (0.04-400 ng/ml), which activates adenylyl cyclase independently of the FSH receptor. RRA indicated that [125I] pFSH binding to cells cultured without stimulator increased more than 10-fold with time in culture. Addition of pFSH to cultures resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in binding, assessed after removal of bound pFSH. Equilibrium saturation binding analysis indicated that pFSH (10 ng/ml) caused a 39% decrease in binding sites in cells cultured for 6 days. At the same time, pFSH increased progesterone production 9.5-fold. Cholera toxin (4 ng/ml) increased [125I]pFSH binding 110% and progesterone production 8.9-fold. Northern hybridization a...
Factors controlling critical shears for deposition and erosion of individual grains

Abstract We have quantified critical deposition and erosion shear stresses for individual, fine (24–141 μm), natural quartz particles in a flow chamber with radial parallel flow. In seawater (30‰, 10–15°C), critical erosion shear stresses, as expected, are slightly larger than estimates from previous studies which strove for cohesionless conditions, while critical deposition shear stresses are three orders of magnitude larger than predicted by Hjulstrom (1935) and equal to the stress on a particle settling at Stokes' terminal fall velocity. Manipulative experiments indicate that critical deposition shear stress of medium to coarse silt is little affected by physical-chemical adhesion, bed roughness or microbial adhesion, while critical erosion shear stress is at least doubled by microbial adhesion or bed roughness. Critical stresses for individual grains of comparable size are normally distributed, supporting the concept of well-behaved thresholds for both erosion and deposition. Because the thresholds do not differ greatly in magnitude for particles of a given size, organism-produced and -maintained features (e.g., pits and tubes) can be important in shifting local conditions from erosive to depositional and vice versa.
Electron transfer in platinum(II) diimine-centered triads: mechanistic insights from photoinduced transient displacement current measurements.

The consequences of photoexcitation of a platinum diimine bisacetylide complex and its triads with phenothiazine species (McGarrah, J. E.; Eisenberg, R. Inorg. Chem. 2003, 42, 4355−4365) were investigated by the photoinduced transient displacement current (PTDC) method, with the aim of understanding the role of solvent in defining the nature and extent of intratriad electron transfer. PTDC enables reports on the distance of charge separation in photoexcited states. Photoexcition of the triad, Pt(dbbpy)(CCC6H4CH2(PTZ))2 (where dbbpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine), leads to formation of the 3MLCT excited state, which in CH2Cl2 is intramolecularly quenched by PTZ to form a charge-separated (CS) state, Pt(dbbpy·-)(CCC6H4CH2(PTZ) CCC6H4CH2(PTZ·+); the CS state features a dipole moment oriented in essentially the opposite direction to that of the ground state. In toluene the last step of charge separation is shut down. In THF these two transient states are equilibrated, approximately as a 1:1 mixture of ...
Temporal co-variation of surface and microwave brightness temperatures in Antarctica, with implications for the observation of surface-temperature variability using satellite data

Satellite observations of microwave emission are a key resource for estimating surface temperatures in Antarctica. Use of these data to examine climate variability, however, relies on the assumption of constancy through time in the relationship between surface temperatures and the proxy brightness temperatures. Thus we are motivated to study the physical relationship between surface and brightness temperature time series, and to seek indicators of possible temporal variability in that relationship. Here we report an initial study using near-surface temperatures from the Byrd Station automated weather station in West Antarctica and 37 GHz, vertically polarized brightness temperatures from the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer. We begin with the simplest model of the relevant thermal and microwave physics and derive a convolution expression that relates surface and brightness temperatures. The convolution kernel depends on firn thermal diffusivity and the microwave extinction coefficient in a particularly simple way: solely through a single characteristic time-scale. For the Byrd data, we find that the (fractional variation in) observed brightness temperatures can be reproduced by our model in considerable detail, on scales from interannual down to a few days. The time-scale is tightly constrained by minimization of the discrepancy between observed and simulated time series, and the optimized value agrees closely with that derived from independent estimates of firn thermal and microwave parameters. We find no evidence thus far of temporal variability in the relation between surface and brightness temperatures, though investigation across a wider domain in space and time is needed before such variability can be ruled out.
Insomnia causes, consequences, and therapeutics: an overview.

There is growing interest in insomnia both from the perspective of recent advances in clinical management as well as research aimed at elucidating its pathophysiology. This theoretical overview of insomnia describes the negative impact, etiological considerations, and pharmacological and behavioral treatments for the disorder, with an emphasis on areas receiving increased research attention. Insomnia, the most prevalent sleep disorder, affects 10-15% of the general population. In population-based studies severe insomnia has been shown to last for a median of 4 years. In addition, insomnia has a significant negative impact on an individual's work, physical, and social performance as well as overall quality of life. Furthermore, the economic cost of insomnia related to lost productivity, work-related accidents, absenteeism, and health-care costs are enormous. There is increasing evidence linking the precipitation of insomnia to stress, and converging evidence from cognitive, endocrine, neurological, and behavioral domains provide clear evidence for hyper-arousal in insomnia. However, there remains no consensus regarding the specific etiological mechanisms of this disorder. Although the pathophysiology of primary insomnia remains an enigma, numerous treatments both pharmacological and behavioral have been developed and found to be efficacious in controlled studies. Despite the wide availability of pharmacological treatments and increased knowledge of behavioral interventions, the vast majority of individuals with insomnia do not appear to be receiving adequate treatment. The inadequate treatment of insomnia leads to several important and under-recognized consequences including subsequent development of psychiatric disease and increased substance use.
Longitudinal ultrasound in the heavy electron superconductor URu2Si2

Abstract We report measurements of the attenuation and velocity of longitudinal sound waves with the wave-vector parallel to the a -axis in the heavy electron superconductor URu 2 Si 2 . In the superconducting state the attenuation shows an absorption peak at 0.8 K considerably below T c =1.05 K. Associated with it an anomalously large decrease in the sound velocity is also observed. We also report sound velocity measurements in the normal state and compare it to results expected from the theory of a pinned density wave.