cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple domains of attraction in competition communities

ECOLOGISTS typically explain the absence of a species in an area by searching for ultimate climatic or physical factors that limit its distribution or favour its competitors. The possibility that the system is not in equilibrium—that colonisation has not occurred—is not normally considered. Even less appreciated is that there may be a number of alternative stable equilibrium communities which may develop in a given area and that the final outcome may depend solely or partially on historical factors such as the sequence and numbers in which each species colonises. Here we investigate the theoretical possibility of this proposition for competition communities.
A 3D general circulation model for Pluto and Triton with fixed volatile abundance and simplified surface forcing

Abstract We present a 3D general circulation model of Pluto and Triton’s atmospheres, which uses radiative–conductive–convective forcing. In both the Pluto and Triton models, an easterly (prograde) jet is present at the equator with a maximum magnitude of 10–12 m s−1 and 4 m s−1, respectively. Neither atmosphere shows any significant overturning circulation in the meridional and vertical directions. Rather, it is horizontal motions (mean circulation and transient waves) that transport heat meridionally at a magnitude of 1 and 3 × 107 W at Pluto’s autumn equinox and winter solstice, respectively (seasons referenced to the Northern Hemisphere). The meridional and dayside–nightside temperature contrast is small (⩽5 K). We find that the lack of vertical motion can be explained on Pluto by the strong temperature inversion in the lower atmosphere. The height of the Voyager 2 plumes on Triton can be explained by the dynamical properties of the lower atmosphere alone (i.e., strong wind shear) and does not require a thermally defined troposphere (i.e., temperature decreasing with height at the surface underlying a region of temperature increasing with height). The model results are compared with Pluto stellar occultation light curve data from 1988, 2002, 2006, and 2007 and Triton light curve data from 1997.
Approach to the adult horse with chronic diarrhoea

Chronic diarrhoea in adult horses can be very frustrating both for the veterinarian and the client. The horse is often bright with a good appetite which is quite different from the acute diarrhoea case where the horse is often dull, endotoxic and sick. A range of diagnostic tests can be performed and it is not uncommon that a diagnosis is still not reached. Findings are often non-specific and could be representative of many diseases. Symptomatic treatment can be used in cases of idiopathic diarrhoea to which horses often respond well. When inflammatory disease is the cause, the prognosis is often more guarded.
Gespräch in Stein: Die Begegnung von Kunst und Macht in Stefan Georges Gedicht 'Bamberg'

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Beziehung zwischen Kunst und Macht in Stefan Georges Gedicht ‘Bamberg’. Dazu wird zunachst nach der Identitat der vorkommenden Figuren gefragt — wie bezieht sich das Gedicht auf den Bamberger Reiter und Riemenschneiders Grab des Kaiserpaars Heinrich und Kunigunde? Sodann wird erstmals die dialogische Struktur des Gedichts untersucht. Dies erlaubt Ruckschlusse auch auf zahlreiche weitere Gedichte im Siebenten Ring. Es zeigt sich, das George, der am Beginn dieses Bandes Kunst und (zumindest zeitgenossische Manifestationen von) Macht klar voneinander getrennt hat, sie nun in gegenseitiger Achtung miteinander ins Gesprach kommen last.
iBEAT: A Toolbox for Infant Brain Magnetic Resonance Image Processing

It's a great challenge to analyze infant brain MR images due to the small brain size and low contrast of the developing brain tissues. We have developed an Infant Brain Extraction and Analysis Toolbox (iBEAT) for various processing of magnetic resonance (MR) images of infant brains. Several major functions generally used in infant brain analysis are integrated in iBEAT, including image preprocessing, brain extraction, tissue segmentation, and brain labeling. The functions of brain extraction, tissue segmentation, and brain labeling are provided respectively by three state-of-the-art algorithms. First, a learning-based meta-algorithm which integrates a group of brain extraction results generated by the two existing brain extraction algorithms (BET and BSE) was implemented in iBEAT for extraction of infant brains from MR images. Second, a level-sets-based tissue segmentation algorithm that utilizes multimodality information, cortical thickness constraint, and longitudinal consistency constraint was also included in iBEAT for segmentation of infant brain tissues. Third, HAMMER (standing for Hierarchical Attribute Matching Mechanism for Elastic Registration) registration algorithm was further included in iBEAT to label regions of interest (ROIs) of infant brain images by warping the pre-labeled ROIs of a template to the infant brain image space. By integration of these state-of-the-art methods, iBEAT is able to segment and label infant brain MR images accurately. Moreover, it can process not only single-time-point images for cross-sectional studies, but also multiple-time-point images of the same infant for longitudinal studies. The performance of iBEAT has been comprehensively evaluated with hundreds of infant brain images. A Linux-based standalone package of iBEAT is freely available at http://www.nitrc.org/projects/ibeat .
Detraining differentially preserved beneficial effects of exercise on hypertension: effects on blood pressure, cardiac function, brain inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Aims This study sought to investigate the effects of physical detraining on blood pressure (BP) and cardiac morphology and function in hypertension, and on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (PICs and AIC) and oxidative stress within the brain of hypertensive rats. Methods and Results Hypertension was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by delivering AngiotensinII for 42 days using implanted osmotic minipumps. Rats were randomized into sedentary, trained, and detrained groups. Trained rats underwent moderate-intensity exercise (ExT) for 42 days, whereas, detrained groups underwent 28 days of exercise followed by 14 days of detraining. BP and cardiac function were evaluated by radio-telemetry and echocardiography, respectively. At the end, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was analyzed by Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. ExT in AngII-infused rats caused delayed progression of hypertension, reduced cardiac hypertrophy, and improved diastolic function. These results were associated with significantly reduced PICs, increased AIC (interleukin (IL)-10), and attenuated oxidative stress in the PVN. Detraining did not abolish the exercise-induced attenuation in MAP in hypertensive rats; however, detraining failed to completely preserve exercise-mediated improvement in cardiac hypertrophy and function. Additionally, detraining did not reverse exercise-induced improvement in PICs in the PVN of hypertensive rats; however, the improvements in IL-10 were abolished. Conclusion These results indicate that although 2 weeks of detraining is not long enough to completely abolish the beneficial effects of regular exercise, continuing cessation of exercise may lead to detrimental effects.
Factors affecting unstimulated flux through the hexose monophosphate shunt during incubations of human red blood cells

Abstract Factors affecting the flux of glucose through the hexose monophosphate shunt in unstimulated human red blood cells were studied in vitro. Reduction of oxyhemoglobin or free O2 each accounted for about one-third of the total flux of reducing equivalents through the shunt. Approximately one third of total flux remained after removal of oxyheme activity and free O2. Both deoxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin stimulated flux in the absence of free O2 suggesting that the small amount of deoxyheme and metheme (1%), in equilibrium with the large pool of oxyheme (99%), may contribute to the total oxidizing effect of the heme group. The flux of reducing equivalents through the hexose monophosphate shunt in unstimulated red cells primarily involved oxidation and reduction of oxyhemoglobin or free O2. In low phosphate buffer (1.2 mM), glutathione served as the source of reducing equivalents for the remaining “electron sinks” (after removal of oxyheme activity and free O2) during the 1st hr of incubation so that glutathione stimulated flux through the hexose monophosphate shunt; during the 2nd hr of incubation, glutathione acted as a reservoir of reducing equivalents maintaining NADPH and inhibiting flux through the hexose monophosphate shunt. When red cells were incubated in high phosphate buffer (17.4 mM), glutathione behaved as an inhibitor of flux in the 1st hr of incubation in red cells lacking oxyheme activity and free O2. The H 2 PO 4 − HPO 4 2− anion couple appears to alter the pattern of NADPH oxidation in red cells lacking oxyheme activity and free O2. Flux was inhibited by incubation of red cells in a medium containing lactate (4 mM). Inhibition of flux by lactate was not dependent on heme, free O2 or glutathione but all these factors had complex influences on lactate-mediated inhibition. The inhibitory effect of lactate on flux is complementary to the well-characterized stimulatory effect of pyruvate. The lactate/pyruvate couple may act by directly filling or creating electron sinks, by interacting with the NADPH NADP + couple through lactic dehydrogenase or through transhydrogenation between the NADH NAD + and NADPH NADP + couples.
Task dependent rate of recovery following serial posterior hypothalamic lesions.

Abstract Forty-two male rats received one-stage or sequential unilateral (30 days between sides) lesions of the posterior hypothalamus and were tested 1, 3 and 5 weeks later on a swimming task and in the open field. Subjects with serial lesions were comparable to sham-operated rats in swimming ability at each observation point. Rats with one-stage lesions, in contrast, showed pronounced swimming deficits (time under water, body angle, hindlimb kicks/sec) at each test session, although some improvement was noted over time. With respect to open field activity, subjects with serial lesions did not demonstrate significant recovery until the third postoperative week, while rats with one-stage lesions were impaired at each test session. These data show that serial lesions of the posterior hypothalamus may be associated with more rapid recovery of function than one-stage lesions, but that the time course for such recovery may vary with the specific ability being evaluated.
The dynamic consequences of invasion: negative plant-soil feedbacks on natives increase ver the time course of invasion

*a) Background/Questions/Methods*Exotic species can negatively impact native community members, directly through interference competition, or indirectly by altering interactions between native species and other species such as pathogens and mutualists. Soil microbial communities have been shown to respond to invasive species, yet are relatively stable and may take time to respond to perturbations. For this reason, microbe-mediated effects of invasives on natives may take time to develop and may change throughout the invasion process. Few studies have investigated how species interactions between natives and exotics change during invasions._Acer platanoides_ was introduced into the US from Europe in 1756 and has since invaded intact forests, lowering understory diversity and inhibiting native tree species regeneration. We hypothesize that _A. platanoides_ invasion will decrease seedling survival in the native _A. saccharum_ by changing the soil microbial community through plant-soil feedbacks (PSF), and this relationship will intensify over the course of an invasion. We collected soil samples from beneath the canopies of both species co-occurring in Michigan forests that had been invaded by _A. platanoides_ for varying time periods. In the greenhouse, we inoculated seedlings of both species with the microbial communities to determine how the soil community affects seedling survival and growth.*b) Results/Conclusion*The microbe-mediated negative effects of _A. platanoides_ on survival of the native congener _A. saccharum_ increased with increasing invasion age (negative correlation between invasion age and _A. saccharum_ survival; r = -0.806, R^2^ = 0.65, p = 0.032). This result was not related to _A. platanoides_ density, suggesting that age of invasion drives this pattern. Contrastingly, invasion age did not significantly influence survival of _A. platanoides_ seedlings, indicating that _A. platanoides’_ PSF impacts native species but not on conspecific regeneration. Overall, _A. platanoides_ seedlings had increased growth (more and larger leaves) when grown in soil communities collected from the native _A. saccharum_, but _A. saccharum_ seedlings had reduced growth when grown in conspecific soil (p = 0.044). These results suggest that invasive species may have increased performance in exotic ranges by their ability to modify the soil microbial community in a manner that suppresses the growth of native species.We show the microbial community cultivated by an invader alters the performance of a native plant species, and this effect increases over the course of an invasion. In future work, we plan to identify changes in microbial community composition and the relative abundances of mutualists versus antagonists in response to invasion to identify potential mechanisms.
17β-estradiol-degrading bacteria isolated from activated sludge

Fourteen phylogenetically diverse 17β-estradiol-degrading bacteria (strains KC1−14) were isolated from activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant. These isolates widely distributed among eight different generaAminobacter (strains KC6 and KC7), Brevundimonas (strain KC12), Escherichia (strain KC13), Flavobacterium (strain KC1), Microbacterium (strain KC5), Nocardioides (strain KC3), Rhodococcus (strain KC4), and Sphingomonas (strains KC8−KC11 and KC14)of three Phyla: Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. All 14 isolates were capable of converting 17β-estradiol to estrone, but only three strains (strains KC6, KC7, and KC8) showed the ability to degrade estrone. Only strain KC8 could use 17β-estradiol as a sole carbon source. Based on the degree of estrogens being transformed and the estrogenicity of metabolites and/or end products of estrogen degradation, three different degradation patterns (patterns A−C) were observed from degradation tests using resting cells. Eleven out of 14 isolate...
Vulnerabilities, competition and rights in a context of climate change toward equitable water governance in Peru's Rio Santa Valley

Abstract As glacial retreat changes the hydrology of Peru's Rio Santa, water demand is growing, pollution is worsening, and competition for water among economic sectors, political jurisdictions and upstream and downstream water users is intensifying. The vulnerability of highland communities, food producers, and poor urban neighborhoods in the Santa watershed in the face of these changes is magnified by inequities in water governance, giving rise to water conflict. Peru's new water regime defines water as an economic good and seeks to centralize control over water. This article analyzes implications of this regime for ensuring equity and managing conflict. It concludes that Peru's water regime is more likely to address equity issues when faced with concerted citizen action.
A model for teacher mentoring of poor and minority children: a case study of an urban Israeli school mentoring program

The purpose of this article is fourfold. First, it identifies a growing international interest on the part of educators and school officials in finding effective ways to mentor especially poor and minority students toward academic success. Second, it reviews the literature on mentoring as it pertains to this population. Third, it details a case study of an urban Israeli school‐mentoring program through which teachers mentor students as a part and parcel part of their classroom responsibilities. Interviews with teachers and school guidance staff describe an innovative and supportive system of mentorship of poor children from North African and Middle Eastern backgrounds in an urban, combined middle/high school. Fourth, it highlights and discusses the changes that schools that are interested in establishing an effective teacher‐based mentorship program for poor and minority children must garner.
Identifying the serotonin transporter signal in Western blot studies of the neurotoxic potential of MDMA and related drugs

A number of published studies have questioned the serotonin neurotoxic potential of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") and related drugs (fenfluramine, p-chloroamphetamine) based upon results from Western blot studies using a custom synthesized serotonin transporter (SERT) antibody that found no reduction in the abundance of a 50kDa protein after substituted amphetamine treatment. The purpose of this study was to collect Western blot data using the same SERT antibody used in those studies, but with positive and negative controls to identify the SERT protein signal. A 63-68 kDa band that had the regional distribution expected of rat brain SERT, was decreased by 5,7-DHT, and was absent in SERT KO animals was identified as the SERT protein. Significant, lasting decreases in the abundance of the 63-68 kDa band were evident in the rat brain after treatment with MDMA and related drugs (FEN, PCA). Thus, when the band corresponding to the SERT protein is identified in Western blots through the use of positive and negative controls, reduced abundance of the SERT protein can be readily demonstrated after substituted amphetamine treatment. These data provide further evidence of lasting loss of the SERT protein after exposure to MDMA and other substituted amphetamines.
Hematoma Following Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Grave Complication

Hematoma following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) can require a return to the operating room. The purpose of this study was to uncover risk factors for hematoma and how it affects the outcome of THA. This case-control study identified 38 patients requiring reoperation due to hematoma following THA between 2000 and 2007. The 38 patients were matched with 117 patients without hematoma. The mean follow-up was 4.1years (range, 2.1-9.6). Multivariate regression showed that blood loss, administration of fresh frozen plasma and Vitamin K, perioperative anticoagulation and hormonal therapy were independent predictors for hematoma formation. Chronic anticoagulation and autologous blood transfusion were independent risk factors for mortality. Hematoma itself was found to be an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes, increasing morbidity and mortality, despite adequate treatment.
A Discovery Strategy for Selective Inhibitors of c‐Src in Complex with the Focal Adhesion Kinase SH3/SH2‐binding Region

The c-Src tyrosine kinase co-operates with the focal adhesion kinase to regulate cell adhesion and motility. Focal adhesion kinase engages the regulatory SH3 and SH2 domains of c-Src, resulting in localized kinase activation that contributes to tumor cell metastasis. Using assay conditions where c-Src kinase activity required binding to a tyrosine phosphopeptide based on the focal adhesion kinase SH3-SH2 docking sequence, we screened a kinase-biased library for selective inhibitors of the Src/focal adhesion kinase peptide complex versus c-Src alone. This approach identified an aminopyrimidinyl carbamate compound, WH-4-124-2, with nanomolar inhibitory potency and fivefold selectivity for c-Src when bound to the phospho-focal adhesion kinase peptide. Molecular docking studies indicate that WH-4-124-2 may preferentially inhibit the ‘DFG-out’ conformation of the kinase active site. These findings suggest that interaction of c-Src with focal adhesion kinase induces a unique kinase domain conformation amenable to selective inhibition.
The Correlated Intensity and Spectral Evolution of Cygnus X-1 During State Transitions

Using data from the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) aboard the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), we found that the 1.5-12 keV X-ray count rate of Cygnus X-1 is, on timescales from 90 s to at least 10 days, strongly correlated with the spectral hardness of the source in the soft state but is weakly anticorrelated with the latter in the hard state. The correlation shows an interesting evolution during the 1996 spectral state transition. The entire episode can be roughly divided into three distinct phases: (1) a 20 day transition phase from the hard state to the soft state, during which the correlation changes from being negative to positive, (2) a 50 day soft state with a steady positive correlation, and (3) a 20 day transition back to the hard state. The pointed RXTE observations confirmed the ASM results but revealed new behaviors of the source at energies beyond the ASM passband. We discuss the implications of our findings.
Extended characterisation of the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor-selective PET radiotracer 11C-MDL100907 in humans: quantitative analysis, test-retest reproducibility, and vulnerability to endogenous 5-HT tone.

Abstract Introduction Scanning properties and analytic methodology of the 5-HT 2A receptor-selective positron emission tomography (PET) tracer 11 C-MDL100907 have been partially characterised in previous reports. We present an extended characterisation in healthy human subjects. Methods 64 11 C-MDL100907 PET scans with metabolite-corrected arterial input function were performed in 39 healthy adults (18–55 years). 12 subjects were scanned twice (duration 150 min) to provide data on plasma analysis, model order estimation, and stability and test–retest characteristics of outcome measures. All other scans were 90 min duration. 3 subjects completed scanning at baseline and following 5-HT 2A receptor antagonist medication (risperidone or ciproheptadine) to provide definitive data on the suitability of the cerebellum as reference region. 10 subjects were scanned under reduced 5-HT and control conditions using rapid tryptophan depletion to investigate vulnerability to competition with endogenous 5-HT. 13 subjects were scanned as controls in clinical protocols. Pooled data were used to analyse the relationship between tracer injected mass and receptor occupancy, and age-related decline in 5-HT 2A receptors. Results Optimum analytic method was a 2-tissue compartment model with arterial input function. However, basis function implementation of SRTM may be suitable for measuring between-group differences non-invasively and warrants further investigation. Scan duration of 90 min achieved stable outcome measures in all cortical regions except orbitofrontal which required 120 min. Binding potential (BP P and BP ND ) test–retest variability was very good (7–11%) in neocortical regions other than orbitofrontal, and moderately good (14–20%) in orbitofrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe. Saturation occupancy of 5-HT 2A receptors by risperidone validates the use of the cerebellum as a region devoid of specific binding for the purposes of PET. We advocate a mass limit of 4.6 μg to remain below 5% receptor occupancy. 11 C-MDL100907 specific binding is not vulnerable to competition with endogenous 5-HT in humans. Paradoxical decreases in BP ND were found in right prefrontal cortex following reduced 5-HT, possibly representing receptor internalisation. Mean age-related decline in brain 5-HT 2A receptors was 14.0 ± 5.0% per decade, and higher in prefrontal regions. Conclusions Our data confirm and extend support for 11 C-MDL100907 as a PET tracer with very favourable properties for quantifying 5-HT 2A receptors in the human brain.
Horn antenna miniaturization with integrated high impedance surfaces

With the miniaturization of wireless systems, antenna volumes are being reduced while output power remains constant. Novel horn antennas incorporating Sievenpiper high-impedance electromagnetic surfaces are shown in the following work to provide a reduction in volume. Functioning as TEM horn antennas, they operate at geometries that would otherwise be below the TE 1,0 cutoff frequency and are capable of carrying more power than microstrip antennas with equivalent volumes. Four antennas in two geometries with metal and HIS sidewalls are designed, measured, and compared.
Finite horizon linear quadratic regulation for linear discrete time-varying systems with single/multiple input delay(s)

This paper studies the linear quadratic regulation problem for linear discrete time-varying systems with one or multiple delays in control input. This type of input-delay system can be used to model delayed actuation, where the system depends on the input after various (could be more than one) time delays. We provide explicit forms of the finite horizon closed-loop optimal control laws. Numerical examples are also provided to show the performance of our derived control laws.
Early response to light therapy partially predicts long-term antidepressant effects in patients with seasonal affective disorder

Objective: To determine if the antidepressant effect of 1 hour of light therapy is predictive of the response after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Patients: Twelve patients with SAD. Setting: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Md. Interventions: Light therapy for 2 weeks. Outcome measures: Scores on the Seasonal Affective Disorder Version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (SIGH-SAD) on 4 occasions (before and after 1 hour of light therapy and after 1 and 2 weeks of therapy) in the winter when the patients were depressed. Change on typical and atypical depressive scores at these time points were compared. Results: Improvement of atypical depressive symptoms after 1 hour of light therapy positively correlated with improvement after 2 weeks of therapy. Conclusion: In patients with SAD, the early response to light therapy may predict some aspects of long-term response to light therapy, but these results should be treated with caution until replicated.
Distribution of Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) with Respect to Cover-Object Characteristics in the Green Mountains of Vermont

Abstract We examined the distribution of Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed Salamander) with respect to cover-object type in the Green Mountains of Vermont by exploring their distribution under cover objects relative to the total availability of cover objects on the forest floor. We conducted cover-object searches in sixteen 50-m transects in forest stands >50 years old to explore the distribution of large (>3.47 cm snout-vent length) and small (<3.47 cm snout-vent length) salamanders with respect to object material, size, and texture. There were more salamanders than would be expected by chance under rocks and fewer under woody objects (branches and logs). Salamander counts were higher than would be expected under large cover objects and lower under small ones. Our results also indicate that salamanders were more common than would be expected under fibrous woody objects and less common under solid ones. Finally, we found that large salamanders were more common than would be expected under rocks, while small ...
An Ocean Circulation Model Based on Operator-Splitting, Hamiltonian Brackets, and the Inclusion of Sound Waves

Abstract This paper offers a simple, entirely prognostic, ocean circulation model based on the separation of the complete dynamics, including sound waves, into elementary Poisson brackets. For example, one bracket corresponds to the propagation of sound waves in a single direction. Other brackets correspond to the rotation of the velocity vector by individual components of the vorticity and to the action of buoyancy force. The dynamics is solved by Strang splitting of the brackets. Key features of the method are the assumption that the sound waves propagate exactly one grid distance in a time step and the use of Riemann invariants to solve the sound-wave dynamics exactly. In these features the method resembles the lattice Boltzmann method, but the flexibility of more conventional methods is retained. As in the lattice Boltzmann method, very short time steps are required to prevent unrealistically strong coupling between the sound waves and the slow hydrodynamic motions of primary interest. However, the di...
Circadian rhythm in mitotic index of corneal epithelium: Presence of ehrlich ascites carcinoma and treatment with saline or hydroxyurea

A study of the circadian rhythm in the mitotic index (MI) of the corneal epithelium was completed in non-tumor-bearing mice and in mice bearing the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC). All mice were standardized to a light-dark cycle with 12 hours of light from 0600 to 1800 CST alternating with 12 hours of darkness from 1800 to 0600 CST. Treatments included injection with saline (SAL) or hydroxyurea (HU) at different circadian times. This investigation demonstrated that: (1) Data from untouched animals cannot serve as proper controls because treatment with SAL altered the level of the MI, but only during the diurnal, not the nocturnal, phase of the circadian cycle; (2) the presence of the EAC depressed the level of the MI, but this inhibition was only detected during the diurnal period; (3) treatment with 500 mg/kg HU injected at 0500 caused more perturbation in this rhythm than did treatment with 500 mg/kg HU at 1700; (4) when 500 mg/kg HU was given at 2000 and 0100 and 0500, the perturbation of the rhythm was greater than when 500 mg/kg HU was given at 0900 and 1400 and 1700; (5) when 3000 mg/kg HU was given at 1700 and compared to 500 mg/kg HU at 1700, little difference in the overall circadian profiles of these rhythms was observed, indicating that the circadian control mechanisms operating on the MI exerted a greater influence than did a dosage change from 500 to 3000 mg/kg HU; and (6) a comparison of the practice of plotting experimental and control data as "hours after treatment" versus using a "time of day" plot for the same data demonstrated that the "hours after treatment" plot is very misleading because it fails to account for the significant circadian oscillation in this in vivo system.
Investigation into the use of a MOSFET dosimeter as an implantable fiducial marker.

Abstract: It may be possible to use a single device to measure the in vivo dose delivered during radiotherapy, as well as to localize the target volume. This potential, as well as the detectors’ ability to relate dosimetry and localization, were evaluated using two implantable MOSFET dosimeters placed inside an acrylic pelvic phantom. A wedged-field photon plan and an eight-field prostate treatment plan were developed. For each plan, conditions were simulated so that detectors were in their correct positions or slightly displaced to represent patient setup error and/or organ motion. Doses measured by the two detectors after irradiation were compared to those calculated by the treatment planning software. Additionally, using localization software and kilovoltage images of each setup, the displacement of the detectors from their correct locations was calculated and compared to the induced physical displacement. For all alignments and detector positions, measured and calculated doses showed an average disagreement of 2.7%. The detectors were easily visualized radiographically and the induced detector displacements were typically recognized by the localization software to within 0.1 cm. The implantable detector functioned well as both an internal dosimeter and as an internal fiducial marker and thus may be useful as a clinical tool to localize the target volume and verify dose delivery in vivo .
Study of Medical Students’ Malpractice Fear and Defensive Medicine: A “Hidden Curriculum?”

Introduction: Defensive medicine is a medical practice in which health care providers’ primary intent is to avoid criticism and lawsuits, rather than providing for patients’ medical needs. The purpose of this study was to characterize medical students’ exposure to defensive medicine during medical school rotations. Methods: We performed a cross- sectional survey study of medical students at the beginning of their third year. We gave students Likert scale questionnaires, and their responses were tabulated as a percent with 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Of the 124 eligible third-year students,102 (82%) responded. Most stated they rarely worried about being sued (85.3% [95% CI=77.1% to 90.9%]). A majority felt that faculty were concerned about malpractice (55.9% [95% CI=46.2% to 65.1%]), and a smaller percentage stated that faculty taught defensive medicine (32.4% [95% CI=24.1% to 41.9%]). Many students believed their satisfaction would be decreased by MC and lawsuits (51.0% [95% CI=41.4% to 60.5%]). Some believed their choice of medical specialty would be influenced by MC (21.6% [95% CI=14.7% to 30.5%]), and a modest number felt their enjoyment of learning medicine was lessened by MC (23.5% [95% CI=16.4% to 32.6%]). Finally, a minority of students worried about practicing and learning procedures because of MC (16.7% [95% CI=10.7% to 25.1%]).Conclusion: Although third- year medical students have little concern about being sued, they are exposed to malpractice concerns and taught considerable defensive medicine from faculty. Most students believe that fear of lawsuits will decrease their future enjoyment of medicine. However, less than a quarter of students felt their specialty choice would be influenced by malpractice worries and that malpractice concerns lessened their enjoyment of learning medicine. [West J Emerg Med.2014;15(3):293–298.]
Cyber Security and Rural Electric Power Systems

Cyber security is a topic of increasing importance and interest to small utility operators like REA's. The requirement for cyber security is based upon reasons ranging from national security to individual business operations to regulatory compliance. Several fundamental concepts can guide an operator when implementing a cyber security plan. Operators must consider the competing requirements of confidentiality, integrity, availability, and cost. They must consider the potential levels of impact for an incident. While implementing a cyber security plan, operators will constantly identify adversaries, threats, vulnerabilities, consequences, and risks. They will implement physical, technical, and administrative controls to protect networks and other assets, detect attacks, respond to those attacks, and recover from any damage. The process will be continuous, as operators respond to the changing environment.
A critical path approach for testing distributed real-time systems

The distinguishing feature of real-time computing is its insistence on predictable timing behavior. The authors introduce a novel approach to testing timing criteria of distributed real-time systems. They describe major problems related to estimating the worst case response times of distributed real-time tasks, concentrating on the blocking time due to limited resource availability. A static analysis approach is used to generate time-critical program paths based on a distributed system control flow graph. The authors present a three-step algorithm which, when applied to a task system flow graph, creates the corresponding execution graph. The properties of the task oriented execution graph allow for easy generation of time-critical distributed program paths. These paths, for which input data could be generated automatically, are then used for testing the timing behavior of the system. The authors also define and solve a maximum simultaneous request subset problem for a periodic task set. The solution of this problem allows for significant reduction of time-infeasible program paths. The method described is part of an integrated testbed project, designed for testing and fine tuning all relevant parameters of a distributed real-time system. >
Photogrammetry Applications in Routine Bridge Inspection and Historic Bridge Documentation

This study explored the use of digital close-range photogrammetry for routine bridge inspection and historic bridge documentation. The major objective of the research was to evaluate the feasibility of photogrammetry for these two bridge engineering applications. Study results indicated that photogrammetry provides sufficient accuracy and is a noncontact, inexpensive, and practical measurement option. The research involved two photogrammetry projects. In the first project, photogrammetry techniques were employed in geometry measurement of a simple-span prestressed concrete bridge. The bridge was measured and evaluated according to routine bridge inspection guidelines. PhotoModeler, a consumer-grade photogrammetry software program, was used to process the images for measurements of vertical clearance, lateral clearance, deck width, and structure length. Comparison between photogrammetric and hand measurements showed minor differences, with the percentage error ranging from 0.06% to 1.43%. In the second pro...
Acceleration of an Asynchronous Message Driven Programming Paradigm on IBM Blue Gene/Q

IBM Blue Gene/Q is the next generation Blue Gene machine that can scale to tens of Peta Flops with 16 cores and 64 hardware threads per node. However, significant efforts are required to fully exploit its capacity on various applications, spanning multiple programming models. In this paper, we focus on the asynchronous message driven parallel programming model - Charm++. Since its behavior (asynchronous) is substantially different from MPI, that presents a challenge in porting it efficiently to BG/Q. On the other hand, the significant synergy between BG/Q software and Charm++ creates opportunities for effective utilization of BG/Q resources. We describe various novel fine-grained threading techniques in Charm++ to exploit the hardware features of the BG/Q compute chip. These include the use of L2 atomics to implement lockless producer-consumer queues to accelerate communication between threads, fast memory allocators, hardware communication threads that are awakened via low overhead interrupts from the BG/Q wakeup unit. Burst of short messages is processed by using the ManytoMany interface to reduce runtime overhead. We also present techniques to optimize NAMD computation via Quad Processing Unit (QPX) vector instructions and the acceleration of message rate via communication threads to optimize the Particle Mesh Ewald (PME) computation. We demonstrate the benefits of our techniques via two benchmarks, 3D Fast Fourier Transform, and the molecular dynamics application NAMD. For the 92,000-atom ApoA1 molecule, we achieved 683μs/step with PME every 4 steps and 782μs/step with PME every step.
Estimates of Turbulence from Numerical Weather Prediction Model Output with Applications to Turbulence Diagnosis and Data Assimilation

Abstract Estimates of small-scale turbulence from numerical model output are produced from local estimates of the spatial structure functions of model variables such as the velocity and temperature. The key assumptions used are the existence of a universal statistical description of small-scale turbulence and a locally universal spatial filter for the model variables. Under these assumptions, spatial structure functions of the model variables can be related to the structure functions of the corresponding atmospheric variables. The shape of the model spatial filter is determined by comparisons with the spatial structure functions from aircraft data collected at cruising altitudes. This universal filter is used to estimate the magnitude of the small-scale turbulence, that is, scales smaller than the filter scale. A simple yet universal description of the basic statistics (such as the probability density function and the spatial correlation) of these small-scale turbulence levels in the upper troposphere and...
An example of CSCLIP delivery and research technologies with some preliminary findings from the field

This paper presents research based on the development and use of two CSCLIP technologies presently used in university settings that are also useful in advancing CSCLIP research. The tools specifically deliver rich CSCLIP experiential learning, particularly affective behavioral learning dealing with group communication and dynamics, motivation and attitude, communication skills, information exchange. We describe these tools and their theoretical bases and then present an overview of a study that compares their performance with their non-computer supported counterpart.
Proximal Processes in Urban Classrooms Engagement and Disaffection in Urban Youth of Color

We examine adolescents’ interpretations of instructional interactions to understand the academic and developmental implications of pedagogy for urban youth of color. In doing so, we seek to advance existing knowledge regarding student engagement in two ways—enhancing the ecological validity of such theories and making the links to teacher practice explicit. Urban youth of color (N= 28) were recruited from two urban high schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and two youth development programs in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The following three emergent findings summarize engagement-relevant interpretations of instructional interactions made by the adolescents in our study: (a) feeling heard in class, (b) going all in, and (c) taking students seriously.
AGE AT FIRST BREEDING AND NATAL DISPERSAL IN A DECLINING POPULATION OF CASSIN'S AUKLET

Abstract Age of first breeding (AFB) and natal dispersal distance (NDD) were investigated relative to proximate and ultimate factors in 276 known-age Cassin's Auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) breeding during 1981–1999 on Southeast Farallon Island, California. Breeding density in 446 study boxes declined significantly during the period 1987–1999, confirming other information indicating a long-term decline (since at least the 1970s) in the population. Mean AFB was 3.34 years when sexes were combined, ranging from 2–10 (mean 3.36) years in females and 2–9 (mean 3.36) years in males. AFB showed a significant linear increase with decreasing colony density, suggesting that increased stress on the entire population, such as that caused by decreasing food availability, may have prevented younger birds from attaining breeding condition at an early age. Median NDD was 8.84 m, ranging from 0–448.7 m; two individuals of each sex recruited into their natal boxes. NDD showed a significant linear increase with decreasi...
Addressing challenges of heterogeneous tumor treatment through bispecific protein-mediated pretargeted drug delivery

Tumors are frequently characterized by genomically and phenotypically distinct cancer cell subpopulations within the same tumor or between tumor lesions, a phenomenon termed tumor heterogeneity. These diverse cancer cell populations pose a major challenge to targeted delivery of diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents, as the conventional approach of conjugating individual ligands to nanoparticles is often unable to facilitate intracellular delivery to the full spectrum of cancer cells present in a given tumor lesion or patient. As a result, many cancers are only partially suppressed, leading to eventual tumor regrowth and/or the development of drug-resistant tumors. Pretargeting (multistep targeting) approaches involving the administration of 1) a cocktail of bispecific proteins that can collectively bind to the entirety of a mixed tumor population followed by 2) nanoparticles containing therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents that can bind to the bispecific proteins accumulated on the surface of target cells offer the potential to overcome many of the challenges associated with drug delivery to heterogeneous tumors. Despite its considerable success in improving the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy, the pretargeting strategy remains underexplored for a majority of nanoparticle therapeutic applications, especially for targeted delivery to heterogeneous tumors. In this review, we will present concepts in tumor heterogeneity, the shortcomings of conventional targeted systems, lessons learned from pretargeted radioimmunotherapy, and important considerations for harnessing the pretargeting strategy to improve nanoparticle delivery to heterogeneous tumors.
Civil Conflict, Crowding-Out Effects and World Fisheries, 1952–2004

While studies have demonstrated the negative impact of World War II on the industrial fish catch of developed nations, there has been no systematic study assessing the effect of civil conflict on fisheries. This paper surveys the effects of civil conflict on marine and inland fish catch, focusing on the effects of conflict through redeployment of labor, population displacement, counterinsurgency strategy and tactics, and third-party encroachment into territorial waters. Analysis of 123 countries from 1952 to 2004 demonstrates a strong, statistically robust and negative relationship between civil conflict and fisheries, with civil wars (1000 battle deaths) depressing catch by over 17 percent relative to pre-war levels. Robust evidence of a Phoenix effect is lacking: post-conflict fisheries do not quickly bounce back to pre-war catch levels due to rapid growth. Analysis of conflict episodes indicates that conflict intensity, measured by battle deaths, negatively affects fish catch, while population displacement and conflict proximity to the coast do not. While these findings contribute to the growing literature on the economic effects of civil conflict, they also are important for regional fisheries management organizations, which must increasingly pay attention to factors that are exogenous to oceanic conditions but nevertheless dramatically affect the utilization of aquatic resources.
On estimating market efficiency

In this paper, we discuss commentaries by Maynes and Hjorth-Andersen on our earlier paper (1990), and then go on to discuss the merits of various measures of market efficiency which have appeared in the literature. While Maynes criticized the model in our 1990 paper for a lack of realism, we argue that our limited objective of demonstrating that price-quality correlations are not necessarily related to market efficiency did not require a model which was realistic in all details. We also demonstrate that our basic conclusion that the price-quality correlation need not measure market efficiency does not depend on our theoretical model. Hjorth-Andersen advanced a number of alternative reasons why price-quality correlations may not measure efficiency, and we view his arguments largely as complementary to ours. The basic conclusion is that there are severe problems with interpreting measured price-quality correlations as measures of efficiency. We go on to discuss alternative measures. While no alternatives are completely satisfactory, we argue that measures based on deviations from an efficient frontier have some attractive properties, and are currently the most desirable alternative.
TRAVEL EXPERIENCE IN PATIENTS ACTIVELY SUPPORTED BY LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are being implanted with increasing frequency in patients with advanced heart failure in an effort to restore functional capacity and improve quality of life. It has been shown that patients suffering from advanced heart failure are significantly limited in