cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Measurement-Based Model of BMI Impact on UWB Multi-Antenna PAN and B2B Channels

Personal area networks (PANs) and body-to-body (B2B) networks are of increasing importance for applications ranging from medical monitoring to entertainment. The performance of such networks is largely determined by the propagation channels in which they operate, and which in turn are strongly impacted by the human body/bodies in these channels. It is thus essential to quantify the impact of different body types/sizes on the channel characteristics for PAN and B2B channels. In this paper, we present an extensive propagation channel measurement campaign in the 2–10 GHz frequency band for SIMO (single-input-multiple-output) PAN and MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) B2B channels. The measurements were done using 60 (for PAN) and 9 (B2B) human subjects, which had widely varying body mass index (BMI) values grouped into three categories. For each BMI category, parameters such as the average path gain, shadowing gain, root-mean-squared delay spread, channel spatial correlation coefficients, amplitude fading statistics, and channel capacity values were extracted for both PAN and B2B channels. Our analysis reveals considerable differences between these parameters for different BMI categories.
Labour politics as public health: how the politics of industrial relations and workplace regulation affect health.

There are three main areas of social and economic policy that influence health: the welfare state, industrial organization (unions), and labor regulation. Public health literature and analysis traditionally focuses on the taxing and spending of the welfare state. This paper presents highlights from the extensive literature in political economy in order to argue that industrial relations and workplace regulation are political and crucial to public health. The routes by which they influence public health include wage inequality, workplace health and safety, political engagement and investment in human capital. The magnitude of impact can be impressive: the United Kingdom’s taxation and spending have about as much redistributive impact as that of Sweden, but that is not enough to compensate for the inequality produced by the UK’s liberal labor market. The trend across wealthy countries has been to weaker unions and less workplace regulation and we can see this as a likely cause of public health problems and health inequalities into the future.
Web-Based Contingency Management for Adolescent Tobacco Smokers: A Clinical Trial

Introduction Adolescence is a critical time when the majority of tobacco users initiate smoking. Contingency management for adolescent smoking cessation has shown promise in previous studies, but efficacy following removal of contingencies is not well understood. This study examined a remote form of contingency management among non-treatment-seeking adolescent smokers. Methods Participants (N = 127) submitted breath carbon monoxide (CO) three times daily throughout a 42-day program. For this randomized trial, participants in the active condition (n = 63) were reinforced for providing CO measurements on schedule and below a set criterion, whereas those in the control condition (n = 64) were reinforced for providing CO measurements on schedule. Self-reported smoking and urinary cotinine levels were collected at several timepoints. Results Active condition showed greater within-group reductions in CO levels relative to control condition, but not at 3- or 6-month follow-up. Active condition reported significantly less smoking during treatment compared to control condition, but not at follow-up. There were no significant differences for urinary cotinine. Overall treatment adherence was low, with only 37% and 51% of possible CO samples being submitted among active and control, respectively. Poor treatment adherence may explain the disparity between CO and cotinine results, and poor follow-up treatment efficacy. Conclusions This study replicates feasibility of a remote form of contingency management for adolescent smoking. CO results suggest active condition reduced smoking within group, but treatment adherence and posttreatment efficacy was poor. Future research should focus on increasing adherence for this type of program among adolescent smokers. Implications This study demonstrates feasibility of a remote form of contingency management therapy for smoking cessation among adolescents, while providing posttreatment efficacy data. Within-group efficacy of this form of treatment is suggested, but treatment adherence and follow-up efficacy were poor. This study underscores the need for further development of contingency management therapy for adolescent smoking cessation, which emphasizes better treatment adherence and posttreatment efficacy.
Beyond entry and exit: Hand hygiene at the bedside

Background We aimed to assess compliance, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the World Health Organization (WHO) 5 moments for hand hygiene (HH). Methods We assessed HH compliance from July-August 2016, using a modified WHO HH observation form. A 26-question survey was used to assess health care personnel (HCP) knowledge, opinions, and barriers to HH. A subgroup of HCPs participated in a 2-round focused survey to assign priority to the moments. Results Three hundred two HH opportunities were observed in 104 unique HCP-patient interactions. HH was performed at 106 (35%) opportunities, 37% (25 of 68) before touching a patient, 9% (6 of 70) before aseptic procedures, 5% (1 of 22) after body fluid exposure or risk, 63% (55 of 88) after touching a patient, and 35% (19 of 54) after touching patient surroundings. Two hundred eighteen HCPs completed the survey; 63 (29%) were familiar with the WHO 5 moments but only 13 (21%) were able to recall all 5 moments. In the focused surveys, 46% (6 of 13) ranked “before aseptic procedure” as the most important HH moment, and 86% (11 of 13) identified “after touching patient surroundings” as the least important. Conclusions We found frequent opportunities for HH with infrequent compliance. Lack of recognition of opportunities at the bedside and frequent glove use may contribute to lower compliance.
A unique tau conformation generated by an acetylation-mimic substitution modulates P301S-dependent tau pathology and hyperphosphorylation

Abnormal intracellular accumulation of aggregated tau is a hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Pathological tau can undergo a range of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that are implicated as triggers of disease pathology. Recent studies now indicate that tau acetylation, in particular, controls both microtubule binding and tau aggregation, thereby acting as a central regulator of tau's biochemical properties and providing avenues to exploit for potential therapies. Here, using cell-based assays and tau transgenic mice harboring an acetylation-mimic mutation at residue Lys-280 (K280Q), we evaluated whether this substitution modifies the neurodegenerative disease pathology associated with the aggregate-prone tau P301S variant. Strikingly, the addition of a K280Q-substituted variant altered P301S-mediated tau conformation and reduced tau hyperphosphorylation. We further evaluated neurodegeneration markers in K280Q acetylation-mimic mice and observed reduced neuroinflammation as well as restored levels of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors and post-synaptic markers compared with the parental mice. Thus, substituting a single lysine residue in the context of a P301S disease-linked mutation produces a unique tau species that abrogates some of the cardinal features of tauopathy. The findings of our study indicate that a complex tau PTM code likely regulates tau pathogenesis, highlighting the potential utility of manipulating and detoxifying tau strains through site-specific tau-targeting approaches.
The effects of sample duration and timing on speaker identification accuracy by means of long-term spectra

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of speech sample duration on speaker identification accuracy when an FFT-based Long-Term Spectrum (LTS) analysis approach was utilized. A secondary goal was to assess the usefulness of FFT-LTS when non-contemporary speech samples were used. Two separate experiments were performed. Results for Experiment 1 revealed identification accuracy of 92–100% for text-independent, contemporary speech samples of 20 s and 10 s duration. Five-second contemporary samples resulted in accuracy rates of 28–96%. Statistical analysis revealed that the specific text of the test sample was significantly related to accuracy rate; thus, this procedure could not be considered “text-independent” at the 5 s duration. Preliminary phonemic analysis did not reveal a phonetically-based explanation for this text-related difference in accuracy results at 5 s. Results of Experiment 2 indicated that for non-contemporary samples with similar text, the identification accuracy of the LTS vector was significantly reduced (52–72% correct). It was concluded that the LTS approach may be most useful as one element in a multi-vector speaker recognition/identification profile.
Professional Competence Is a Condition Precedent to Effective Management-An Argument for Practice Leaders in Legal Service Organizations

There is an unstated argument with an unsettling currency in today’s organizations: Those that can’t do, lead. The concept of management has devolved from a position that facilitates productivity and navigates workplace challenges, to a type of “bullshit job.” To adherents of this philosophy, competence in one’s vocation, profession or business is unnecessary in order to excel as a manager in that vocation, profession or business. In professional environments technical competence in one’s occupation is a condition precedent to good management. Technically competent managers come to positions of leadership with occupational gravitas. Occupational gravitas is forged from experience and imbues those who possess it with the confidence to effectively navigate the challenges confronting their organization. It is earned from experience dealing with the particular challenges of one’s occupation. Leadership skills are an adjunct to the occupational competence necessary for good management in professional environments. The concept that leadership skills are separate and apart from occupational competence, rather than ancillary to it, in the execution of good management is herein explicitly rejected. People placed in positions of authority who lack experience, or are otherwise incompetent, bring with them not gravitas, but fear. Fear is the primary element from which springs management failures, and through which such failures are expressed. Incompetent leadership is not only dangerous to legal service provider organizations and their employees, but also exposes clients to dire consequences. In a legal services environment, bad management really is a public protection issue. The model of a “practice leader,” is the paradigm through which legal service organizations can model their management style. A practice leader is both an accomplished attorney as well as a leader. Practice leaders understand the work and the environment in which it is produced. This is important because it is they and the organization that are ultimately responsible for the work of their subordinates. Failure of leadership in a legal service environment can not only lead to litigation but could also lead to professional discipline when subordinates engage in misconduct.
States in N=81 141 Nd populated by the decay of 141 Pm

The decay of 20.90-min $^{141}\mathrm{Pm}$ has been studied with Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl) $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray detectors in a variety of singles and coincidence configurations, including Ge(Li)-Ge(Li) two-parameter "megachannel" coincidence experiments, anticoincidence experiments, and pair (${\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$) experiments to determine the relative ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$ feedings. Fifty-two $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays were identified from this decay, and 43 of these (g 99% of the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ intensity) were placed in a decay scheme containing 23 levels in $^{141}\mathrm{Nd}$. ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ assignments or limits were made for all of the states. The structures of the lower-lying states in $^{141}\mathrm{Nd}$ are discussed in terms of the shell model, and possible structures are also suggested for many of the higher-lying states. We compare our results with those of previous studies and also with particle-transfer data.
Identification And Expenditure Tracking Using RFID Based Intelligent Card

In recent years RFID (Radio frequency identification) based applications are expanded in number. The point of this framework is to permit the faculty in control at a school or college to effortlessly follow understudy cash exchanges and furthermore permit to make participation/attendance in the most straightforward way. The card will be used as means for ID, security, document student tracking and cash. The errand is made to encourage made by understudy or staff, incorporates a card containing a RFID given to each understudy. The zones where RFID is proper are a variety of as transportation, restorative administrations, cultivating and neighborliness division. RFID innovation rearranges programmed remote recognizable proof utilizing electronic uninvolved and dynamic labels with appropriate per users. Right now, endeavor is made to tackle visit live talk and common participation checking issue utilizing RFID innovation. This application spares the time which is typically squandered during manual participation system which includes teacher. Which eventually decreases the likelihood of mix-ups in checking manual participation. Later when information is gathered it additionally catches study hall measurement for distribution of suitable participation score which can additionally be utilized for fell administrative choices. This application additionally encourages utilizing RFID tag as key for applicants' approved ledger to deal with account segment related exchanges.
Counteracting Bias and Increasing Fairness in Search and Recommender Systems

Search and recommender systems have unprecedented influence on how and what information people access. These gateways to information on the one hand create an easy and universal access to online information, and on the other hand create biases that have shown to cause knowledge disparity and ill-decisions for information seekers. Most of the algorithms for indexing, retrieval, ranking, and recommendation are heavily driven by the underlying data that itself is biased. In addition, ordering of the search and recommendation results create position bias and exposure bias due to their considerable focus on relevance and user satisfaction. These and other forms of biases that are implicitly and some times explicitly woven in search and recommender systems are becoming increasing threats to information seeking and sense-making processes. In this tutorial, we will introduce the issues of biases in search and recommendation and show how we could think about and create systems that are fairer, with increasing diversity and transparency. Specifically, the tutorial will present several fundamental concepts such as relevance, novelty, diversity, bias, and fairness using socio-technical terminologies taken from various communities, and dive deeper into metrics and frameworks that allow us to understand, extract, and materialize them. The tutorial will cover some of the most recent works in this area and show how this interdisciplinary research has opened up new challenges and opportunities for communities such as RecSys.
New Specimens of Scutellosaurus Lawleri Colbert, 1981, from the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation in Arizona Elucidate the Early Evolution of Thyreophoran Dinosaurs

We describe new specimens of the ornithischian dinosaur Scutellosaurus lawleri Colbert, 1981, from the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation of Arizona and discuss their systematic importance. The new s...
Timing of insertion affects expulsion in patients using the levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine system for noncontraceptive indications.

Abstract Objective To evaluate levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine system (IUS) expulsion risk by menstrual cycle day of insertion (days 1–8 vs days 9 and beyond) in women using the IUS for noncontraceptive indications. Study design We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with a levonorgestrel IUS inserted for the management of noncontraceptive, gynecologic conditions at Kaiser Permanente-Hawaii between January 2009 and December 2010. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the likelihood of IUS expulsion adjusting for demographic and clinical factors and a Kaplan-Meier curve for survival analysis. Results Of 176 patients identified, insertion occurred in 42 patients in cycle days 1 to 8 and 87 patients after day 8. Patient follow-up within the Kaiser system ranged from 1 to 71 months. Thirty-nine (22%) patients experienced expulsion, 16 (38%) and 15 (17%) for the 2 timing groups, respectively. Expulsion was more likely if the IUS placement occurred during the menstrual cycle days 1 to 8 (adjusted odds ratio 3.57 [95% confidence interval 1.13, 11.31]), which was consistent with the Kaplan-Meier analysis (p = 0.008). Conclusion Levonorgestrel IUS expulsion among women using the IUS for noncontraceptive indications occurred more frequently if insertion occurred during the first eight days of the menstrual cycle. Implications In women planning to use the levonorgestrel IUS to treat gynecologic conditions such as abnormal uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, and endometrial hyperplasia, providers should consider waiting until after cycle day 8 to perform insertion.
Function of Renal Nerves in Kidney Physiology and Pathophysiology

Renal sympathetic (efferent) nerves play an important role in the regulation of renal function, including glomerular filtration, sodium reabsorption, and renin release. The kidney is also innervated by sensory (afferent) nerves that relay information to the brain to modulate sympathetic outflow. Hypertension and other cardiometabolic diseases are linked to overactivity of renal sympathetic and sensory nerves, but our mechanistic understanding of these relationships is limited. Clinical trials of catheter-based renal nerve ablation to treat hypertension have yielded promising results. Therefore, a greater understanding of how renal nerves control the kidney under physiological and pathophysiological conditions is needed. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of the anatomy of efferent and afferent renal nerves and their functions in normal and pathophysiological conditions. We also suggest further avenues of research for development of novel therapies targeting the renal nerves.
Impacts of low-disturbance dairy manure incorporation on ammonia and greenhouse gas fluxes in a corn silage–winter rye cover crop system

Manure and fertilizer applications contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia (NH3 ) emissions. Losses of NH3 and nitrous oxide (N2 O) are an economic loss of nitrogen (N) to farms, and methane (CH4 ), N2 O, and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) are important GHGs. Few studies have examined the effects of low-disturbance manure incorporation (LDMI) on both NH3 and GHG fluxes. Here, NH3 , N2 O, CH4 , and CO2 fluxes in corn (Zea mays L.)-winter rye (Secale cereale L.) field plots were measured under fall LDMI (aerator/band, coulter injection, strip-till, sweep inject, surface/broadcast application, broadcast-disk) and spring-applied urea (134 kg N ha-1 ) treatments from 2013 to 2015 in central Wisconsin. Whereas broadcast lost 35.5% of applied ammonium-N (NH4 -N) as NH3 -N, strip-till inject and coulter inject lost 0.11 and 4.5% of applied NH4 -N as NH3 , respectively. Mean N2 O loss ranged from 2.7 to 3.6% of applied total N for LDMI, compared with 4.2% for urea and 2.6% for broadcast. Overall, greater CO2 fluxes for manure treatments contributed to larger cumulative GHG fluxes compared with fertilizer N. There were few significant treatment effects for CH4 (P > .10); however, fluxes were significantly correlated with changes in soil moisture and temperature. Results indicate that LDMI treatments significantly decreased NH3 loss but led to modest increases in N2 O and CO2 fluxes compared with broadcast and broadcast-disk manure incorporation. Tradeoffs between N conservation versus increased GHG fluxes for LDMI and other methods should be incorporated into nutrient management tools as part of assessing agri-environmental farm impacts.
Who do you trust? College students’ attribution of stigma to peers with incarceration histories

This brief communication tests how an undergraduate student’s incarceration history (i.e., previous incarceration vs. no previous incarceration) affects evaluations by their peers on several scales (e.g., desired social distance, warmth, competence, expected immoral behaviors). The experimental conditions were presented in a survey delivered to a sample of MTurk respondents currently enrolled in undergraduate classes (N=400). OLS regression was used to estimate the impact of the experimental manipulation on respondents’ feelings toward formerly incarcerated peers. Formerly incarcerated students were rated as less warm and less moral by respondents, and incarceration history led to increased desired social distance among respondents. Meditation analysis indicates perceived warmth is the main cause of desired social distance. The results show that formerly incarcerated undergraduate students are stigmatized by their peers in significant ways. However, concerns about morality and competence do not affect desired social distance. The behavioral penalties assessed against students with incarceration histories are driven by concerns about warmth. Further research on the mechanisms that create (as well as reduce) stigma for formerly incarcerated college students is necessary.
Current and Emerging Therapies in Atheroprotection

BACKGROUND The global epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to rise, with atherosclerotic CVD remaining the lead cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, comprising of 29% of all global deaths in 2003. A majority of these deaths were directly caused by coronary artery disease (CAD) or strokes. It is estimated that up to 50% of all deaths and disability due to CAD and strokes could be curtailed by a number of lifestyle and therapeutic approaches that directly target major cardiovascular risk factors. Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease process involving multiple vascular territories. The presence of established vascular disease, regardless of the territory involved, portends the greatest risk of incident cardiovascular events. The prevalence of asymptomatic coronary stenoses of greater than 50% angiographic severity in non-disabling ischaemic stroke patients has recently been estimated to be 20%, and those patients afflicted with peripheral arterial disease have a probability of death due to CAD and stroke of 55% and 11% respectively. Given the significant systemic plaque burden in these patients coupled with corresponding high event rates, various anti-atherosclerotic and vascular protective therapies have the potential to significantly lower absolute clinical event rates. PATHOLOGY Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition, characterised by the accumulation of inflammatory cells, lipid and apoptotic material within the arterial wall. The endothelial cell layer, a single cell layer lining the lumen of the vasculature, serves to regulate permeability of the arterial wall, vascular tone and tendency for thrombus formation.
Relationships between lightning flash rates and passive microwave brightness temperatures at 85 and 37 GHz over the tropics and subtropics

[1] Using 13 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager observations, the precipitation features are defined by grouping contiguous raining regions over the tropics and subtropics. The lightning flash rate in each precipitation feature is determined using the TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor. Relationships are investigated between lightning flash rate and minimum brightness temperature of each feature, as well as the area with low brightness temperatures at 85 and 37 GHz wavelengths in the precipitation features. These relationships are treated separately on a 4° × 4° grid between 36°S and 36°N. Consistent with earlier studies, the systems over land have more flashes and higher probabilities of lightning than those over ocean given the same brightness temperatures at 85 and 37 GHz. The minimum 37 GHz brightness temperature in the precipitation feature is found to be a good indicator of the probability of lightning. However, the area of low brightness temperatures of the precipitation features is better correlated with the lightning flash rates than the minimum brightness temperature. This implies that the flash rate is not as highly correlated to the maximum convective intensity of the thunderstorm. It is the total amount of ice passing through the mixed phase region in the convective core(s) that better correlates to the area-total flash rates. Over some land regions, high correlations between flash rate and the area of low brightness temperature at 85 and 37 GHz are established. However, there are large regional variations of these relationships.
Shark punch: A virtual reality game for aquatic rehabilitation

The long term objective of this research is to enable persons with disabilities to play VR games during aquatic rehabilitation [2] sessions. Unfortunately, there have been only a few research projects that have explored VR underwater use [3][1][4], and none of these have addressed rehabilitation. This research focuses on understanding and mitigating the associated usability, accessibility, and system design issues for underwater VR rehabilitation games. Specifically, we present a novel underwater VR game — Shark Punch — in which the user must fend off a virtual Great White shark with real punches in a real underwater environment. This video presents our underwater VR system and our iterative design process through field tests with a disabled user. We conclude with proposed usability, accessibility, and system design guidelines for future underwater VR rehabilitation games.
The role of phospholipase A2-derived mediators in obesity

Obesity has become an epidemic and its prevalence is increasing exponentially. A great deal of focus has been given to understanding the molecular processes that regulate obesity. The characterization of phospholipase A2s, especially adipose-specific PLA2, has lead to a proposed role of their downstream products in the progression of obesity and obesity related disorders. This review summarizes recent developments in the role of PLA2 and their downstream effects in the development of metabolic disorders.
VECTORCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN MYOTONIA ATROPHICA. A STUDY EMPLOYING THE FRANK LEAD SYSTEM.

Abstract 1. 1. Seventeen patients with classic myotonia atrophica, as manifested by clinical findings and electromyographic studies, were investigated by chest x-ray film, electrocardiogram, and spatial vectorcardiogram employing the Frank lead system. Twenty-seven normal individuals were studied with the Frank system and are reported on to validate our method and to add to the normal findings in the literature. 2. 2. In 12 (71 per cent) of the 17 patients there was a total of 12 different abnormal electrocardiographic findings. These consisted primarily of conduction defects (P-R interval greater than 0.20 sec., 29.5 per cent; QRS interval greater than 0.09 sec., 41 per cent; Q-T interval in excess for rate, 35 per cent). Five patients (29.5 per cent) were found to have left axis deviation. S-T segment elevation was present in 4 patients (23.5 per cent). Three patients (17.5 per cent) were thought to have a form of left ventricular parietal block. The other major abnormalities included T-wave changes (17.5 per cent), and changes consistent with myocardial infarction (12 per cent). Seven patients (41 per cent) had a sinus rhythm of 60 per minute. 3. 3. Spatial vectorcardiography revealed 3 patients with normal loops (17.6 per cent), 4 patients with S 1 S 2 S 3 loops (23.5 per cent), 4 with left ventricular parietal block (23.5 per cent), and 6 with displacement of instantaneous vectors in anterior, diaphragmatic, or posterior areas identical to that seen in myocardial infarction (35.4 per cent). The cause of left axis deviation in the electrocardiogram of 5 of our patients was either “infarction” or left ventricular parietal block by vectorcardiographic findings. The findings of “infarction” and left ventricular parietal block in 10 patients (60 per cent) would imply involvement of myocardial tissue. Prolongation of the QRS interval in the electrocardiogram (greater than 0.09 sec.) and vectorcardiogram in this study was due to either “infarction” or left ventricular parietal block. The vectorcardiogram proved to be superior to the standard 14-lead electrocardiogram in the detection of abnormalities of the ventricular activation process. The electrocardiogram was the better measurement of P-R and Q-T intervals, rate, rhythm, and S-T segment and T-wave changes. 4. 4. The findings of conduction defects in the electrocardiogram, and of significant changes in the ventricular activation process in 60 per cent of patients in the vectorcardiogram, would seem to be consistent with the reported autopsy findings of myocardial involvement. 5. 5. The findings of “infarction” in the absence of clinical history would imply that cardiac involvement in myotonia atrophica brings about another “infarction pattern” without true coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction.
Pattern and process in northern rocky mountain headwaters: ecological linkages in the headwaters of the Crown of the Continent

: The Crown of the Continent is one of the premiere ecosystems in North America containing Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the Bob Marshall-Great Bear-Scapegoat Wilderness Complex in Montana, various Provincial Parks in British Columbia and Alberta, several national and state forest lands in the USA, and Crown Lands in Canada. The region is also the headwater source for three of the continent’s great rivers: Columbia, Missouri and Saskatchewan that flow to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, respectively. Headwaters originate in high elevation alpine environs characterized by high snow accumulations in winter and rainstorms in summer. Most headwaters of the region contain high quality waters with few ions in solution and extremely low nutrient concentrations. Alpine streams have few species of aquatic organisms; however, they often possess rare species and have hydrogeomorphic features that make them vulnerable to climatic change. Subalpine and valley bottom streams of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE) flow through well forested watersheds. Along the elevation gradient, the streams and rivers of the CCE flow through series of confining and nonconfining valleys resulting in distinct canyon and floodplain reaches. The alluvial floodplains are characterized by high species diversity and bioproduction maintained by the hydrologic linkages of habitats. The streams and rivers of the CCE have low nutrient concentrations, but may be significantly affected by wildfire, various resource extraction activities, such as logging or mining and exurban encroachment. Wildfire has been shown to increase nutrient loading in streams, both during a fire and then following the fire for as much as 5 years. Logging practices increase nutrient loading and the algal productivity of stream periphyton. Logging and associated roads are also known to increase sediment transport into Crown of the Continent streams directly affecting spawning success of native trout. The CCE is one of the fastest growing regions in the USA because of the many recreational amenities of the region. And, while the region has many remarkably pristine headwater streams and receiving rivers, there are many pending threats to water quality and quantity. One of the most urgent threats comes from the coal and gas fields in the northern part of the Crown of the Continent, where coal deposits are proposed for mountain-top removal and open-pit mining operations. This will have significant effects on the waters of the region, its native plants and animals and quality of life of the people.
All Sky Camera and Fabry-Perot Interferometer Observations in the Northern Polar Cap

We report all sky camera and Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) observations of mesospheric gravity waves and a 12-hour wave at Resolute and a joint observation of 10-hour wave with Eureka . All sky camera observations showed a low occurrence of mesosphere gravity waves during equinoxes, which is similar to the mid-latitude region. A slightly higher occurrence near solstice appears to indicate that gravity waves are not filtered out by the neutral wind in the winter. The FPI observation of a 12-hour wave showed amplitude variations from day to day. The phase of the wave is mostly stable and consistent with the GSWM prediction in the winter. The phase shifts with season as predicted by the GSWM. Four events of the 12-hour wave were found in spring with amplitudes larger than the GSW predictions. The FPls at Resolute and Eureka also observed a wave with period close to 10 hours. The 10-hour wave maybe the result of the non-linear interaction between the semi-diurnal tide and the quasi-two day wave. Further studies are under way. Overall, the combined Resolute and Eureka observation have revealed some new fractures about the mesospheric gravity wave, tidal wave, and other oscillations.
Ordered Binary Ionic Adlayers on a Au(110) Electrode: Coadsorption of Alkali Metal Cations with Iodide Anions

Alkali metal cations are found, using X-ray diffraction, to coadsorb with iodide ions on a Au(110) electrode surface at potentials positive of the onset of the Au(110) reconstruction and negative of the formation of iodine monolayers. The adlayer exhibits a c(2 × p) in-plane diffraction pattern with p depending on the cation species and concentration. For the CsI adlayer, p = 4/3 independent of potential and the Cs+−I- spacing is close to that in bulk CsI. In KI, NaI, and LiI solutions, p increases with increasing potential. As a result, the coverages of both the cation and anion species decrease with increasing potential. For the anion, the slope of the potential-dependent coverage is opposite of its behavior in the absence of cation coadsorption. This unusual behavior is attributed to the net positive charge within the adlayer due to the partial discharge of chemisorbed iodides. Details of the diffraction features suggest the existence of antiphase domains and relaxation at domain walls.
Extremal distance, harmonic measure and numerical conformal mapping

Abstract DeLillo, T.K. and J.A. Pfaltzgraff, Extremal distance, harmonic measure and numerical conformal mapping, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics 46 (1993) 103–113. Estimates of extremal distance and harmonic measure are used to show how the geometric properties of a simply connected domain influence the boundary distortion of a conformal map from the unit disk to the domain. Numerical examples and remarks on the conditioning of numerical conformal mapping methods are included. A sharp estimate is given of the exponential ill-conditioning, known as the crowding phenomenon, which occurs for slender regions.
Clinical trial of an educational intervention to achieve recommended cholesterol levels in patients with coronary artery disease.

Abstract Background Despite national efforts to improve cholesterol management for patients with coronary artery disease, many patients are not reaching recommended cholesterol target levels. We sought to determine whether a nurse-based educational intervention, designed to educate patients with confirmed coronary artery disease about personal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol target levels and encourage partnership with physicians, could increase adherence with National Cholesterol Education Program target levels (LDL cholesterol level ≤100 mg/dL). Methods Patients hospitalized with confirmed coronary artery disease were randomized to undergo a nurse-based educational intervention (375 patients) or usual care (381 patients) for a 12-month period after hospitalization. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients at the LDL cholesterol target level 1 year after hospitalization. The secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with accurate knowledge of LDL cholesterol target levels. Results The groups were similar at baseline in demographic and clinical characteristics, percent at LDL cholesterol target level (43.9% and 41.1%, respectively), and percent with knowledge of LDL cholesterol target levels (both 5%). The proportion of patients at LDL cholesterol target levels at 1 year did not differ between the intervention (70.2%) and usual care group (67.4%, P = .46). At the conclusion of the trial, patient knowledge about LDL cholesterol target level was higher for the intervention group than the usual care group (19.6% and 6.7%, respectively, P = .001), but this was not associated with improved cholesterol management. Conclusions Our nurse-based educational intervention did not result in a significant increase in the proportion of patients who reached target LDL cholesterol levels 1 year after hospitalization. Although the intervention improved patient knowledge of LDL cholesterol target levels, overall rates of LDL cholesterol knowledge remained low, and it was not associated with improved cholesterol management.
Large, complex burrow systems from freshwater deposits of the Monongahela Group (Virgilian), Southeast Ohio, USA

Abstract A large burrow complex is described from the Monongahela Group (Upper Pennsylvanian) in southeastern Ohio. The burrow complex consists of a branching network of elliptical to circular, horizontal tunnels, 1–18 cm in diameter, occurring on a single horizontal plane. The tunnels branch to form X-, T-, and Y-junctions with branch angles between 60 and 130°. Branching produces multiple polygonal galleries up to 60 cm wide connected by small horizontal tunnels. Vertical shafts connecting the galleries to the surface are not preserved. Tunnel surfaces are irregular with circular to elliptical nodes and depressions, elongate ridges and grooves, and 1.5–4.0 cm wide nodular patches typically located at branch points. The occurrence of these burrow complexes in the Monongahela Group represents one of the largest examples of a branching burrow complex older than the Cretaceous. The Monongahela burrow complexes are preserved within a succession of floodplain and palustrine sediments suggesting a freshwater habitat for the tracemaking organisms. Potential tracemakers of the Monongahela burrow complexes include a variety of Pennsylvanian crustaceans and vertebrates. The presence of these and similar Paleozoic ichnofossils indicate a long and complex evolutionary history of the trace-making behaviors associated with the construction of large, open burrow networks.
Circadian rhythms in Neurospora crassa: effects of saturated fatty acids.

Employing a fatty acid-requiring strain (bd csp cel) of Neurospora crassa, the 21.5-h period of the circadian spore-forming rhythm was manipulated by fatty acid supplementation. The addition to the medium of an unsaturated fatty acid (oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acid) lengthened the period to 26, 40, or 33 h, respectively. Ther period-lengthening effect of linoleic acid was proportional to its concentration up to 1.3 X 10(-4) M, and also was reversed by the addition to the medium of a saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid. None of these period-lengthening effects was observed in the prototrophic strain (bd csp cel+).
FTMAP: extended protein mapping with user-selected probe molecules

Binding hot spots, protein sites with high-binding affinity, can be identified using X-ray crystallography or NMR by screening libraries of small organic molecules that tend to cluster at such regions. FTMAP, a direct computational analog of the experimental screening approaches, globally samples the surface of a target protein using small organic molecules as probes, finds favorable positions, clusters the conformations and ranks the clusters on the basis of the average energy. The regions that bind several probe clusters predict the binding hot spots, in good agreement with experimental results. Small molecules discovered by fragment-based approaches to drug design also bind at the hot spot regions. To identify such molecules and their most likely bound positions, we extend the functionality of FTMAP (http://ftmap.bu.edu/param) to accept any small molecule as an additional probe. In its updated form, FTMAP identifies the hot spots based on a standard set of probes, and for each additional probe shows representative structures of nearby low energy clusters. This approach helps to predict bound poses of the user-selected molecules, detects if a compound is not likely to bind in the hot spot region, and provides input for the design of larger ligands.
Use of cholesterol reference materials in a nation wide study of the cholesterol content of eggs

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1563-2, Cholesterol and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Coconut Oil, and SRM 1845, Cholesterol in Whole Egg Powder, were used to monitor the accuracy and precision of analyses in a recent nationwide study of cholesterol in eggs. A two-phase study was conducted between June, 1988 and May, 1989 by USDA in collaboration with the egg industry to update the USDA nutrient data for eggs. Determination of cholesterol levels received special emphasis since dietary cholesterol is monitored as part of the assessment of the relationship between diet and coronary disease. During each phase of the study eggs were collected from 122 of the top 200 US egg handlers in six regions of the country, representing 67% of the nation's monthly egg production. During Phase I egg yolks were composited into 24 analytical samples. As a result of low variance in cholesterol values for Phase I, egg yolks in Phase II were composited into 6 samples. The selection of the analytical contractor was based on results of analyses of SRM 1563-2, a USDA frozen egg material, and a whole egg powder material (SRM 1845, candidate status) submitted by several laboratories. In all cases the results by the selected contractor were within 1% of the certified or recommended values. The contractor used SRM 1563-2 as well as an in-house cholesterol-spiked oil research material to validate the modified AOAC method which incorporated ethanolic potassium hydroxide saponification followed by gas chromatography. During the analysis of nationwide samples the contractor analyzed SRMs 1563-2 and 1845, as well as the cholesterol-spiked oil and the USDA frozen egg material to monitor accuracy and precision. Over the course of the study coefficients of variation for all materials were less than 5%. As a result of rigorous quality control the cholesterol results for eggs have been regarded with confidence and used to update various public and private data bases used to monitor dietary cholesterol levels.
Glucocorticoid-inducible expression of a glutamine synthetase-CAT-encoding fusion plasmid after transfection of intact chicken retinal explant cultures ☆

In this communication we demonstrate that gene transfer methodology can be applied to study gene expression in intact retinal explant cultures. The appropriate enzyme activity is observed in extracts obtained after electroporation of embryonic day-10 chicken retina with plasmids containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-encoding or beta-galactosidase-encoding reporter genes under transcriptional control by the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat. Similar results are obtained using Ca.phosphate-mediated gene transfer. Moreover, it has been previously established that glucocorticoid hormones stimulate transcription of glutamine synthetase (Glns) mRNA in embryonic retina. We report here that, based on the results of gene transfer experiments with chimeric plasmids containing 5'-flanking DNA derived from the cloned chicken Glns-encoding gene (Glns), essential glucocorticoid response elements reside between approx. 1.3 kb and 2.5 kb upstream from the Glns transcription start point. These data show that transfection of explant cultures can provide a useful approach to the study of gene expression in complex systems.
Prolonged maintenance of water balance by adult females of the American spider beetle, Mezium affine Boieldieu, in the absence of food and water resources.

Abstract Moisture requirements were evaluated for female adults of spider beetles Mezium affine Boieldieu and Gibbium aequinoctiale Boieldieu to determine how they are differentially adapted for life in a dry environment. Features showing extreme desiccation resistance of M. affine were an impermeable cuticle wherein activation energies (43 kJ/mol) were suppressed, daily water losses as little as 0.3%/day with an associated group effect, a low 64% water content and an impressive ability to survive nearly 3 months with no food and water. Behaviorally, the extended period of water stress and fasting was marked by long intervals of physical inactivity (quiescence), as though dead. These characteristics emphasizing water retention rather than gain are shared by G. aequinoctiale and reflect a typical xerophilic water balance profile. Water uptake was restricted to imbibing liquid, as evidenced by uptake of dye-stained droplets of free water and a critical equilibrium activity of 1.00 a v , where the inability to absorb water vapor from the air fails to equilibrate declining water levels (gain≠loss) except at saturation. Four-fold reduction in survival time within dry air and accelerated water loss rates with high activation energies for female adults of the closely related winged Prostephanus truncatus (Say) suggest that the enhanced water conservation of spider beetles is due, in part, to fusion of their elytra supplemented by entering into quiescence.
Selective principal component regression analysis of fluorescence hyperspectral image to assess aflatoxin contamination in corn

Selective principal component regression analysis (SPCR) uses a subset of the original image bands for principal component transformation and regression. For optimal band selection before the transformation, this paper used genetic algorithms (GA). In this case, the GA process used the regression correlation as its fitness function. This algorithm was used for analyzing fluorescence hyperspectral images of aflatoxin contaminated corn kernels. The results showed that SPCR could produce results similar to the standard PCR approach. However, the data dimension was much less for the SPCR process. The SPCR correlation coefficient was 0.8 when 33 of the original 74 bands were used for the SPCR transformation. The results demonstrated that SPCR could be used as a combined dimension reduction and data analysis tool for high dimensionality data processing.
Morality, self-interest, and leaders in international affairs

Abstract Critics of the morality associated with transforming leadership have begun to note the qualities of transactional and strategic leaders. The case of international affairs highlights the role transactional leaders play in providing structure and moral substance in an environment that lacks both. This study takes note of the competing schools of thought in international relations, the concept of a rational basis for cooperation, and four approaches to resolving moral disputes in political theory. In sum, this study shows how the pursuit of mutual self-interest over the long-term and not absolute moral principles has usually provided an effective and morally sound international system that serves the greater good.