cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A balanced approach to tourniquet use: lessons learned and relearned.

W W t n p ecent military conflict has created a multitude of exremity wounds, and their proper treatment has been ebated. The question has been asked whether or not we hould apply tourniquets to these wounds if they are emorrhaging. The express purpose of such tourniquets s to stop arterial inflow and prevent hemorrhage. This eview of the use of tourniquets was stimulated by these urrent events and heightened interest in this ancient evice. Historical data are reviewed and comments bout modern-day tourniquet use are presented.
Acetylcholine Receptor-Controlled Ion Flux in Electroplax Membrane Vesicles: Identification and Characterization of Membrane Properties that Affect Ion Flux Measurements

Several intrinsic properties of acetylcholine receptor-rich membrane vesicles prepared fromElectrophorus electricus, which need to be considered in measurements of receptor-mediated ion flux, have been identified. One of these properties is a slow exchange of inorganic ions in the vesicles. The slow exchange of ions is not related to the receptor-mediated flux of ions and accounts for 30–35% of the efflux observed. A method to separate this process from the receptor-controlled flux has been developed. It has also been shown, using a light-scattering method, that aggregation-disaggregation of the vesicles can interfere with the efflux measurements, and a method to overcome this problem has been developed. The difference in the amplitude of effluxes induced by saturating amounts of carbamylcholine and gramicidin has been investigated and has been shown not to be due to a receptor-controlled process; therefore, the amplitude difference does not need to be considered in understanding the receptor-controlled process.
On stochastic extremum problems - calculus.

Lagrange multiplier technique for determining stationary points /of functions/ or stationary functions /of integrals/ of expected value of random functions with certain random constraints
Integrated stream and wetland restoration: A watershed approach to improved water quality on the landscape

Abstract Water quality in Upper Sandy Creek, a headwater stream for the Cape Fear River in the North Carolina Piedmont, is impaired due to high N and P concentrations, sediment load, and coliform bacteria. The creek and floodplain ecosystem had become dysfunctional due to the effects of altered storm water delivery following urban watershed development where the impervious surface reached nearly 30% in some sub-watersheds. At Duke University, an 8-ha Stream and Wetland Assessment Management Park (SWAMP) was created in the lower portion of the watershed to assess the cumulative effect of restoring multiple portions of stream and former adjacent wetlands, with specific goals of quantifying water quality improvements. To accomplish these goals, a three-phase stream/riparian floodplain restoration (600 m), storm water reservoir/wetland complex (1.6 ha) along with a surface flow treatment wetland (0.5 ha) was ecologically designed to increase the stream wetland connection, and restore groundwater wetland hydrology. The multi-phased restoration of Sandy Creek and adjacent wetlands resulted in functioning riparian hydrology, which reduced downstream water pulses, nutrients, coliform bacteria, sediment, and stream erosion. Storm water event nutrient budgets indicated a substantial attenuation of N and P within the SWAMP project. Most notably, (NO 2 − + NO 3 − )–N loads were reduced by 64% and P loads were reduced by 28%. Sediment retention in the stormwater reservoir and riparian wetlands showed accretion rates of 1.8 cm year −1 and 1.1 cm year −1 , respectively. Sediment retention totaled nearly 500 MT year −1 .
Strict L ∞ Isotonic Regression

Given a function f and weights w on the vertices of a directed acyclic graph G, an isotonic regression of (f,w) is an order-preserving real-valued function that minimizes the weighted distance to f among all order-preserving functions. When the distance is given via the supremum norm there may be many isotonic regressions. One of special interest is the strict isotonic regression, which is the limit of p-norm isotonic regression as p approaches infinity. Algorithms for determining it are given. We also examine previous isotonic regression algorithms in terms of their behavior as mappings from weighted functions over G to isotonic functions over G, showing that the fastest algorithms are not monotonic mappings. In contrast, the strict isotonic regression is monotonic.
Resolution of Inflammation-Induced Axonal Mechanical Sensitivity and Conduction Slowing in C-Fiber Nociceptors

The present study is an in vivo investigation into the time course of inflammation-induced axonal mechanical sensitivity (AMS) in intact C-fiber axons. After induction of a localized neuritis in the rat sciatic nerve, AMS developed in C-fiber axons at 1 (18.2%) and 4 weeks (11.6%). By 8 weeks, AMS was virtually absent (2.1%). AMS was also tested in intact L5 neurons after L4 spinal nerve transection, which induces a diffuse inflammation within the sciatic nerve. At 1 week, AMS developed in 10% of neurons. No AMS was observed in unoperated animals. The localized neuritis also caused changes in L5 dorsal root conduction velocities (CVs). Us decreased at 1 week (-7.7%) and 4 weeks (-17.6%) and returned to normal by 8 weeks. L4 transection similarly reduced Us (-13.7%) of L5 dorsal root axons. There were no significant changes among any groups in the proportion or rate of ongoing activity. These results demonstrate that the axonal changes due to neuritis are not permanent. Therefore, in patients with persistent movement-induced radiating limb pain with few clinically apparent signs of nerve damage, there may be a persisting inflammatory lesion affecting the nerve. Perspective: Nerve inflammation, or neuritis, causes axonal mechanical sensitivity, which is the neural substrate for radiating limb pain induced by movement This study examined the time course of induced axonal mechanical sensitivity and conduction velocity changes in intact C-fiber axons after nerve inflammation. The results suggest that treatment to reduce nerve inflammation may be beneficial to patients with radiating pain. (c) 2008 by the American Pain Society.
Greece Is Tip of Sovereign Debt Iceberg

The world is rapidly evolving on many fronts. Brazil, Turkey and other emerging powers are taking their own initiatives and building their own global links outside the old frameworks of the G-8, the United Nations Security Council and NATO. The “third way” politics of Tony Blair that embraced globalization from the left of center in Britain has given way to the Tory party once again. Just as recovery from the financial crash seemed on the horizon, Europe's sovereign debt crisis has erupted. The historically unprecedented pace and scale of urbanization in China is transforming the politics of the Communist Party. President Lula of Brazil, former US treasury secretary Henry Paulson, Singapore's foreign minister George Yeo and others take stock of these manifold developments.
Divalent Recognition of the E. Coli Cytoskeletal Protein FtsZ by the ATP-dependent Protease ClpXP

Cell division in bacteria requires the coordinated interactions of cytoskeletal motor proteins, their regulators and proteins that remodel the outer cell layers. In Escherichia coli, the tubulin homolog FtsZ is essential for cell division. FtsZ forms a large ring-like structure, called the Z-ring, inside the cell at the site of constriction. In vitro FtsZ hydrolyzes GTP and assembles into dynamic polymers when GTP is present. One modulator of FtsZ assembly is the ATP-dependent protease ClpXP. ClpX, a AAA+ ATPase, forms a hexameric ring that unfolds proteins with specific recognition signals. ClpX associates with ClpP, a barrel-shaped compartmentalized protease, to degrade proteins in a regulated manner. ClpXP degrades FtsZ in vivo and in vitro and promotes the disassembly of FtsZ polymers. Site-directed mutagenesis of FtsZ indicated that two discrete regions of FtsZ near the C-terminus are important for degradation by ClpXP. One region is within the C-terminal four amino acids of FtsZ and overlaps with the recognition site for several other FtsZ-interacting proteins. A second region is located ∼30 residues proximal to the C-terminus, in a linker region connecting the polymerization domain to the C-terminal conserved core region. We determined that amino acid residues from both regions are important for FtsZ degradation in the absence and presence of GTP, the condition that promotes polymerization. We also showed that the amount of FtsZ degraded by ClpXP in vitro is reduced in the presence of excess MinC, an inhibitor of FtsZ polymerization. Our results suggest that MinC competes with ClpXP for the FtsZ C-terminus and prevents unfolding and degradation by ClpXP. These studies indicate that two negative regulators of FtsZ assembly, ClpXP and MinC, both utilize the FtsZ C-terminal region for destabilization and/or degradation of FtsZ polymers.
Void Evolution via Coupled Creep and Electromigration in Confined Small Scale Interconnects

This paper proposes a three dimensional electromigration model for void evolution in small scale interconnects. Concurrent kinetics of creep flow and surface diffusion as well as the effect of surrounding material are considered to provide better understanding of the evolution process. The multiple kinetics and energetics are incorporated into a diffusive interface model. A semi-implicit Fourier spectral method and the preconditioned biconjugate-gradient method are proposed in the computations to achieve high efficiency and numerical stability. We systematically studied kinetic processes from diffusion dominated to creep dominated. Which process dominates, as revealed by the analysis, is determined by a combination of viscosity, mobility, interconnect thickness, and void radius. Previous studies on electromigration suggest that the void shape evolution is determined by the competition between the electron wind force and the surface energy. There exists a critical initial void shape, which determines whether a void evolves into a slit or not. However, our simulations show that in the same situation a creep dominated process can lead to a quite different morphology. A spherical void can evolve into a bowl shape, and further split into two smaller voids. It is also shown that the interconnect geometry has an important effect.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Anticipating Health Hazards through an Ontology-Based, IoT Domotic Environment

Embedded intelligence entails a vision of the Internet of Things oriented to "Ambient Intelligence", which can be defined as the capacity to collect and analyze the digital traces left by people when they interact with the environment and with such "intelligent things". In such a vision, the ultimate aim is to acquire knowledge about everyday life and human behavior. We apply these concepts to the automated home, in which even nowadays devices (sensors and actuators) are already Internet-capable "things" endowed with their own intelligence. This work introduces a semantic knowledge representation for domotics following the principles of the semantic Web (Web 3.0). We have implemented specific ontologies that automatically take account of distributed environmental context information. The first result was to achieve a natural abstraction of different, incompatible devices in order to support interoperability in a consistent technology-independent manner and impart awareness to the domestic environment in which "things" such as furniture and other objects, as well as the rooms themselves, take on computational significance. This goal includes leveraging the development of a comprehensive intelligent ecosystem that, by applying machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques, gains knowledge of the occupants' behaviors and habits and can thereby adapt itself to the specific setting and anticipate their needs without direct human intervention. The same modeling process serves as the basis for implementation of an e-health system that can anticipate, and thereby prevent, possible health hazards before emergency situations arise (especially for the sick and elderly).
‘A Geography of Racism’: Internal Orientalism and the Construction of American National Identity in the Film Mississippi Burning

This article examines the contribution of the film Mississippi Burning to theconstruction of American national identity within the context of the discourse of internal orientalism. This discourse consists of a tradition of representing the American South as fundamentally different from the rest of the United States, and an important strand of this tradition involves construing ‘the South’ as a region where racism, violence, intolerance, poverty and a group of other negative characteristics reign. In contrast, ‘America’ is understood as standing for the opposite of these vices. Mississippi Burning continues this tradition by creating a ‘geography of racism’, juxtaposing the brutality ofwhite Southerners with the morality of two FBI agents sent to Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of three civil rights workers. A variety of the film’s devices, includingthe comparison between the racist white Southerners and the FBI agents, reproduces anAmerican national identity that stands for tolerance, justice and peace.
Implications of angular momentum conservation for fluctuations in heavy ion reactions

A method is presented for calculating synthetic excitation functions and angular distributions which includes angular momentum conservation. The results of the calculations are used to study the effect of GAMMA/sub J//D/sub J/, the average coherence width divided by the average level density for each value of J, on fluctuations, angular distributions, and changes in the angular distributions near maxima in the excitation functions. The relation between GAMMA/sub J//D/sub J/ and the observation of resonances in heavy ion reactions is discussed. The implications of these studies on fluctuation analysis are also discussed.
Impact on In-Hospital Outcomes With Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Bare-Metal Stents (from 665,804 Procedures)

Contemporary large-scale data, regarding in-hospital outcomes depending on the types of stent used for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is lacking. We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2006 to 2011 using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure code 36.06 (bare-metal coronary artery stent, BMS) or 36.07 (drug-eluting coronary artery stent, DES) for PCI. All analyses were performed using the designated weighting specified to the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to minimize bias. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Wald's chi-square test was used for categorical variables. We built a hierarchical 2 level model adjusted for multiple confounding factors, with hospital identification incorporated as random effects in the model and propensity match analyses were used to adjust confounding variables. A total of 665,804 procedures were analyzed, which were representative of 3,277,884 procedures in the United States. Use of bare-metal stents (BMS) was associated with greater occurrence of in-hospital mortality compared with that of drug-eluting stents (DES; 1.4% vs 0.5%, p 80 (0.66 [0.58 to 0.74, <0.001]), and multivessel PCI (0.55 [0.46 to 0.66, <0.001]). In conclusion, DES use was associated with lesser in-hospital mortality compared with BMS. This outcome benefit was seen across subgroups in various subgroups including elderly, diabetics, and acute myocardial infarction as well as multivessel interventions.
CLARIFYING THE CONCEPT OF GENOCIDE

: This essay develops a detailed account of the features that make a group susceptible to the harm of genocide. If the members of a group consent to a life in common, if the culture of the group is comprehensive, and if the social structure of the group is such that membership cannot easily be renounced, then the flourishing of the group's culture and social ethos will have profound and far-reaching effects on the well-being of its individual members. Systematic destruction of cultural and social institutions under these conditions will eventuate in individuals suffering the harms and deprivations peculiar to the crime of genocide. The later sections of the essay illustrate and further defend the thesis that “social death” is the harm that distinguishes genocide from other forms of political violence.
T-wave alternans testing for ventricular arrhythmias.

T-wave alterans (TWA) measures alternate-beat fluctuations in the ECG T-wave, and has been used to predict the risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in various clinical populations. This work reviews the traditional literature linking repolarization alternans in cellualr and tissue-level studies, with clinical studies that TWA can successfully add to existing clinical risk factors in predicting ventricular arrhythmias. We conclude by providing an evidence-based framework integrating TWA with other risk factors to stratify risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
Drug metabolizing capabilities and drug-induced immunosuppression in two strains of H-2 congenic mice

Mice of the C57BL/10.RIII strain (B10.RIII) and C57BL/10.F strains (B10.F) are congenic, differing genetically at the H-2 complex. The former is H-2r and the latter H-2n. The strains differ greatly in mean survival times, with values for females being about 33 months for B10.RIII and 14 months for B10.F. In the present study, we found that B10.F mice had slightly greater uninduced levels of hepatic P-450-mediated monooxygenase activities than their congenic partners. The ratios of B10.F/B10.RIII basal levels of activities of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) hydroxylase, 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EC) deethylase and p-nitroanisole (p-NA) demethylase were 1.5, 1.7, and 1.2, respectively (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Cytochrome P-450-independent malathion and phenthoate carboxylesterase basal activities were not different between the strains. Treatment with β-naphthoflavone (β-NF) induced BP hydroxylase 6.0 fold in B10.RIII mice compared with 3.0 fold in B10.F mice. 7-EC deethylase was induced 3.4 fold in B10.RIII mice and 2.6 fold in B10.F mice. Induction of p-NA demethylase was 1.9 fold in both strains. Treatment with phenobarbital induced 7-EC to a greater degree in B10.RIII than in B10.F mice. In parallel studies on these same mice, splenic lymphocytes from the B10.RIII strain displayed a 2.0-fold higher proliferative response to concanavalin A (Con, 6,) stimulation than was seen in B10.F mice. However, after treatment with β-NF, a striking immunosuppressive effect on B10.RIII mice was noted, with a 6.6-fold decrease in Con A response, while B10.F mice were unaffected. Thus, the longer lived strain B10.RIII appears to be more susceptible to immunosuppression and AHH induction by β-NF than does its congenic partner.
Amino acids that confer transport of raffinose and maltose sugars in the raffinose permease (RafB) of Escherichia coli as implicated by spontaneous mutations at Val-35, Ser-138, Ser-139, Gly-389 and Ile-391.

In order to identify amino acid residues in the Escherichia coli raffinose-H+ permease (RafB) that play a role in sugar selection and transport, we first incubated E. coli HS4006 containing plasmid pRU600 (expresses inducible raffinose permease and α-galactosidase) on maltose MacConkey indicator plates overnight. Initially, all colonies were white, indicating no fermentation of maltose. Upon further incubation, 100 mutants appeared red. pRU600 DNA was prepared from 55 mutants. Five mutants transferred the phenotype for fermentation of maltose (red). Plasmid DNA from five maltose-positive phenotype transformants was prepared and sequenced, revealing three distinct types of mutations. Two mutants exhibited Val-35→Ala (MT1); one mutant had Ile-391→Ser (MT2); and two mutants had Ser-138→Asp, Ser-139→Leu and Gly-389→Ala (MT3). Transport studies of [3H]-maltose showed that cells harboring MT1, MT2 and MT3 had greater uptake (P ≤ 0.05) than cells harboring wild-type RafB. However, [14C]-raffinose uptake was reduced in all mutant cells (P ≤ 0.05) with MT1, MT2 and MT3 mutants compared to cells harboring wild-type RafB. Kinetic analysis showed enhanced apparent K m values for maltose and reduced V max/ K m ratios for raffinose compared to wild-type values. The apparent K i value of maltose for RafB indicates a competitive relationship between maltose and raffinose. Maltose “uphill” accumulation was greater for mutants (P ≤ 0.05) than for cells with wild-type RafB. Thus, we implicate residues in RafB that are responsible for raffinose transport and suggest that the substituted residues in RafB dictate structures that enhance transport of maltose.
A constrained adaptive beamformer for medical ultrasound: initial results

Adaptive beamforming has been widely used as a way to improve image quality in medical ultrasound applications by correcting phase and amplitude aberration errors resulting from tissue inhomogeneity. A less-studied concern in ultrasound beamforming is the deleterious contribution of bright off-axis targets. This paper describes a new approach, the constrained adaptive beamformer (CAB), which builds on classic array processing methods from radar and sonar. Given a desired frequency response for the mainlobe beam, the CAB reduces off-axis signals by imposing an optimal set of weights on the receive aperture. A linearly constrained adaptive filter dynamically adjusts the aperture weights in response to the incoming data. Initial results show a factor of two improvement in point target resolution and a 60% contrast improvement for low echogenicity cysts. The CAB could considerably improve cardiac and abdominal image quality. We address implementation issues and discuss future work.
Parental Religiosity, Religious Homogamy, and Young Children's Well-Being

Using longitudinal data on fragile families, this study examines the relationships between parents' religiosity, religious homogamy, and young children's well-being, and whether these relationships vary by family structure. Results suggest that weekly service attendance by both parents is associated with lower externalizing problem behavior among young children. Results also suggest that being raised by a mother who believes that religion is important to family life is associated with higher well-being among young children raised by married parents. In contrast, having only one parent who believes religion is important to family life is associated with lower well-being among children raised in cohabiting or single-parent families. Moreover, having parents with strict religious beliefs is associated with increased internalizing problem behavior, but is also associated with a decrease in externalizing problem behavior for children raised by cohabiting parents. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the role of religion within fragile families, as well as the role that religion may play in early child development.
LEDS-An overview of the state of the art in technology and application

Solid state lighting in the form of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) is bringing new sources with different operating characteristics to the market. With the control in dimension, optics, intensity and color, these sources have the potential to transform the way we use light. This paper will review the recent improvements in performance that have been achieved by these devices, focusing on those product attributes identified as being critical to end users. The paper will conclude with a consideration of applications capitalizing on the LEDs' unique operating and physical properties.
Optimization by Integer Programming of Constrained Reliability Problems with Several Modes of Failure

Reliability optimization problems with N stages or subsystems in series, utilizing parallel or series redundant units, can be formulated and solved as integer programming problems. The systems considered have subsystems with components which can fail in several modes and are subject to linear and nonlinear constraints. Two situations are considered in which components within the subsystem 1) all fail in the same mode, or 2) all may fail in different modes. Expressions are developed for the probability of failure in each case. Two examples are solved.
PREFERENCE OF REDUVIOLUS AMERICOFERUS (HEMIPTERA: NABIDAE) FOR POTATO LEAFHOPPER NYMPHS AND PEA APHIDS

The preference of the nabid, Reduviolus americoferus (L.), for potato leafhopper nymphs, Empoasca fabae (Harris), and pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), was examined using functional response models. The nabid exhibited a type-II functional response to each prey. Handling time was much higher for the aphid than for the leafhopper (3.623 vs. 0.211 h). Instantaneous search rates were also higher for the aphid (0.096 vs. 0.020 h−1). A preference index was calculated using the ratio of the instantaneous search rates. The nabid exhibited strong preference for the aphid; when both prey were present in equal numbers, the nabid consumed 3 times as many aphids. The predator did not switch to leafhopper nymphs as the proportion of leafhoppers was increased.
Numerical smoothness and error analysis on WENO for the nonlinear conservation laws

In this study, we give an a posteriori error analysis on the weighted essentially nonoscillatory schemes for the nonlinear scalar conservation laws. This analysis is based on the new concept of numerical smoothness, with some new error analysis mechanisms developed for the finite difference and finite volume discretizations. The local error estimate is of optimal order in space and time. The global error estimate grows linearly in time, because of the direct application of the L1 -contraction between entropy solutions in the error propagation analysis. As a beginning, we only deal with smooth solutions in this article. Within the same error propagation framework, when we deal with piecewise smooth solutions later, we only need to work on estimating the local error where smoothness is lost. The smoothness indicators not only serve the purpose of local error estimation, but also serve as a monitor on both the possible numerical instability and the expected solution shapening. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2013
Recent advances in the theory of hydrogen storage in complex metal hydrides

This article provides an overview of the key concepts and recent theoretical developments in computational modeling of complex metal hydrides with a focus on applications in hydrogen storage. Density functional theory based first-principles calculations have played an important role in understanding the structural and thermodynamic properties of these materials. Methods for predicting crystal structures and hydrogen positions in complex hydrides have been developed to complement experimental synthesis and characterization. Together with an efficient formalism for determining multinary phase diagrams under variable temperature and hydrogen pressure (the grand-canonical linear programming method), they constitute a complete first-principles framework for designing new hydrogen storage reactions. We also review the progress in modeling reaction kinetics in a prototypical complex hydride (i.e., a transition metal catalyzed sodium alanate [NaAlH4]). While many aspects of titanium-doped NaAlH4 remain hotly disputed, we discuss areas where satisfactory quantitative understanding has been achieved: diffusive metal mass transport, bulk substitution of Ti, and hydrogen dissociation.
Solubility of zinc oxide-eugenol and calcium hydroxide cements in simulated dentinal fluid

The solubility of four dental cement bases was measured in simulated dentinal fluid and distilled water to evaluate the relevancy of the American Dental Association solubility test for cement bases in contact with vital dentine. A simulated dentinal fluid was formulated utilizing glucose, distilled water, and sterile human plasma. Cement-base samples were immersed in either distilled water or simulated dentinal fluid at 37 degrees C in a shaker water-bath for 1, 2, or 3 months. Weight loss values were compared utilizing a three-way analysis of variance. Zinc oxide-eugenol cements were significantly more soluble in simulated dentinal fluid than distilled water, while the calcium hydroxide cement bases were significantly more soluble in distilled water than simulated dentinal fluid.
Alexis de Tocqueville on the Natural State of Religion in the Age of Democracy

Contemporary scholars, journalists, and politicians are deeply divided with respect to the religious or secular character of America's founding principles. In sharp contrast to the narrowing tendencies of contemporary intellectual and political life, Tocqueville's classic study of democracy in America is the first of any scope to give weight to America's dual founding-biblical and philosophic. For Tocqueville it is the combination of two different traditions, neither of which can be reduced to the other, that is the hallmark of the new political science he bequeaths to the dawning democratic age. In this article, I draw out the natural state of religion in a democratic society, particularly as it comes to light in America, as well as Tocqueville's attempts to address the particular problems and possibilities to which it gives rise.
Testing for faunal stability across a regional biotic transition: quantifying stasis and variation among recurring coral-rich biofacies in the Middle Devonian Appalachian Basin

Previous observations about the stable nature of coral-rich assemblages from the Middle Devonian Hamilton Group have led some researchers to invoke the primacy of ecological controls in maintaining biofacies structure through time. However, few analyses have examined the degree to which recurring biofacies vary quantitatively, and none have assessed lateral variability as a benchmark for testing the significance of temporal variability. Thus, the extent to which Hamilton biofacies persist and the mechanism(s) responsible for their hypothesized stability remain conten- tious. In this study, recurring coral-rich biofacies were evaluated from two stratigraphic horizons within the Middle Devonian Appalachian Basin to examine (1) the extent to which species assem- blages persisted within the basin through space and time, and (2) whether ecological interactions may be a plausible mechanism for generating the degree of stasis observed in this case. Variations in species composition and abundance were examined across multiple spatial scales within both sampled coral-rich horizons. This permitted the establishment of a baseline against which temporal differences in biofacies composition and structure could be evaluated. Although successive coral-rich horizons remained taxonomically stable, their dominance structures changed significantly through the 1.5 Myr study interval. Moreover, additional comparisons among older Hamilton coral-rich horizons corroborate our primary results. These findings support a model in which species respond individually to fluctuations in the physical environment, as indicated by the fluidity of their relative abundances geographically and temporally.
Metabolism studies of the anti‐tumor agent maytansine and its analog ansamitocin P‐3 using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Maytansine, a potent clinically evaluated plant-derived anti-tumor drug, and its microbial counterpart, ansamitocin P-3, showed a substantially higher cytoxicity than many other anti-tumor drugs. Owing to a shortage of material and lack of sufficiently sensitive analytical methods at the time, no metabolism studies were apparently carried out in conjunction with the initial preclinical and clinical studies on maytansine, but some products of decomposition during the period of storage of the formulated drug were reported. In the current study, the in vitro metabolism of maytansine and ansamitocin P-3 was studied after incubation with rat and human liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH, and with rat and human plasma and whole blood, using liquid chromatography/multi-stage mass spectrometry. Unchanged ansamitocin P-3 and 11 metabolites and unchanged maytansine and seven metabolites were profiled and the structures of some metabolites were tentatively assigned based on their multi-stage electrospray ion-trap mass fragmentation data and in some cases accurate mass measurement. The major pathway of ansamitocin P-3 metabolism in human liver microsomes appears to be demethylation at C-10. Oxidation and sequential oxidation/demethylation also occurred, although to a lesser extent. However, the major pathway of maytansine metabolism in human liver microsomes is N-demethylation of the methylamide of the ester moiety. Several minor pathways including O/N-demethylation, oxidation and hydrolysis of the ester bond were also observed. There were no differences in maytansine metabolism between rat and human liver microsomes; however, the rate of metabolism of ansamitocin P-3 was different in rat and human liver microsomes. About 20% of ansamitocin P-3 was converted to its metabolites in rat liver microsomes and about 70% in human liver microsomes under the same conditions. Additionally, 10-O-demethylated ansamitocin P-3 was also detected in the urine after i.v. bolus administration of ansamitocin P-3 to Sprague-Dawley male rats. No metabolites were detected following incubation of maytansine and ansamitocin P-3 with human and rat whole blood and plasma.
Dietary Intakes of Arachidonic Acid and α-Linolenic Acid Are Associated with Reduced Risk of Hip Fracture in Older Adults

PUFA are hypothesized to influence bone health, but longitudinal studies on hip fracture risk are lacking. We examined associations between intakes of PUFA and fish, and hip fracture risk among older adults (n = 904) in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Participants (mean age ~75 y at baseline) were followed for incident hip fracture from the time they completed the baseline exam (1988-1989) until December 31, 2005. HR and 95% CI were estimated for energy-adjusted dietary fatty acid exposure variables [(n-3) fatty acids: α-linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, DHA, EPA+DHA; (n-6) fatty acids: linoleic acid, arachidonic acid (AA); and the (n-6):(n-3) ratio] and fish intake categories, adjusting for potential confounders and covariates. Protective associations were observed between intakes of ALA (P-trend = 0.02) and hip fracture risk in a combined sample of women and men and between intakes of AA (P-trend = 0.05) and hip fracture risk in men only. Participants in the highest quartile of ALA intake had a 54% lower risk of hip fracture than those in the lowest quartile (Q4 vs. Q1: HR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.26-0.83). Men in the highest quartile of AA intake had an 80% lower risk of hip fracture than those in the lowest quartile (Q4 vs. Q1: HR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.04-0.96). No significant associations were observed among intakes of EPA, DHA, EPA+DHA, or fish. These findings suggest dietary ALA may reduce hip fracture risk in women and men and dietary AA may reduce hip fracture risk in men.
Recombinant factor VIIa after amniotic fluid embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy

This case report illustrates the successful use of activated recombinant factor VIIa in the management of severe postpartum hemorrhage secondary to amniotic fluid embolism.
Communicating social support: Identifying supportive episodes in an HIV/AIDS support group

Ethnographic observations are used to describe supportive episodes in an HIV/AIDS support group and to describe the role of social support for group members. It is suggested that members use communication as a healing agent, as a preparatory mechanism for living with AIDS, as an outlet for expressing emotions, and as a means of changing society. Specifically, feedback and self‐disclosure are recognized as essential elements for communicating support, and the notions of over support and omitted support are identified as directions for future research.
Exercise training normalizes enhanced sympathetic activation from the paraventricular nucleus in chronic heart failure: role of angiotensin II

Exercise training (ExT) normalizes the increased sympathetic outflow in heart failure (HF), but the underlying mechanisms are not known. We hypothesized ExT would normalize the augmented activation...
Method for Calculating the Calcium and Phosphorus in Menhaden Fish Meal from the Analysis of Total Ash

Abstract INTRODUCTION SOME manufacturers of mixed feeds have neglected the potential cost advantage to be obtained by taking into account the calcium and phosphorus contents of fish meals in calculating their formulations. This neglect may derive from the fact that the calcium and phosphorus contents vary among fish meals with the result that time-consuming analyses of each lot would be required. The variation in calcium and phosphorus contents stems from differences in the raw materials and in processing. Notable among the differences in processing are the manufacture of two types of fish meal: (a) “regular” meals, in which soluble solids are removed, and (b) whole meals, in which some or all of these soluble solids are added back to the meal. 1 Other feed manufacturers have considered the more easily analyzed total ash content of fish meals as an index of the calcium and phosphorus contents, on the assumption that these minerals …
Reliability of Heterogeneous Distributed Computing Systems in the Presence of Correlated Failures

While the reliability of distributed-computing systems (DCSs) has been widely studied under the assumption that computing elements (CEs) fail independently, the impact of correlated failures of CEs on the reliability remains an open question. Here, the problem of modeling and assessing the impact of stochastic, correlated failures on the service reliability of applications running on DCSs is tackled. The service reliability is modeled using an integrated analytical and Monte-Carlo (MC) approach. The analytical component of the model comprises a generalization of a previously developed model for reliability of non-Markovian DCSs to a setting where specific patterns of simultaneous failures in CEs are allowed. The analytical model is complemented by a MC-based procedure to draw correlated-failure patterns using the recently reported concept of probabilistic shared risk groups (PSRGs). The reliability model is further utilized to develop and optimize a novel class of dynamic task reallocation (DTR) policies that maximize the reliability of DCSs in the presence of correlated failures. Theoretical predictions, MC simulations, and results from an emulation testbed show that the reliability can be improved when DTR policies correctly account for correlated failures. The impact of correlated failures of CEs on the reliability and the key dependence of DTR policies on the type of correlated failures are also investigated.
On the Use of the Double Cantilever Beam Specimen for Determining the Plane Strain Fracture Toughness of Metals

The double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen has considerable potential for application to fracture toughness testing because it facilitates the determination of a number of plane strain toughness data from a single specimen of moderate size. The relationship between the elastic strain energy release rate, load, and extension for a given crack length is obtained from compliance tests and the dependence of this relationship on the specimen geometry is presented. The effect of changing specimen geometry on the fracture toughness is also presented. Comparison with plane strain toughness data obtained by other techniques on identical materials is made to evaluate the effectiveness of the side grooves in the specimen for providing plane strain conditions at fracture. Finally, consideration of the meaning of the stress intensity at crack arrest in the DCB specimen indicates that this parameter is dependent on specimen geometry as well as the material properties.
On the Thermal Ionization of Trapped Electrons in Ionic Solids

The ground state of an electron trapped at a defect of the interstitial ion type in an ionic crystal is determined by a variation method in which the interaction between electron and lattice vibrations is treated on a dynamic basis. The results are com pared with static calculations using a self-consistent method, and it is shown that for certain ranges of the low- and high-frequency dielectric constants an appreciable difference in energy may occur.
Who And What Influences Choice Of University? Student And University Perceptions.

Emerging peer-to-peer communication via social media, and the role of influential peers, is changing the way that marketers communicate with prospects. The model is changing from a sender-receiver model to one that includes influential peer-to-peer and receiver-to-sender communication. This research examines this phenomenon in the context of student choice of a university. What is the relative influence that various sources of information have on students’ choice of university? How does the influence of friends and family members compare to the influence of non-personal media? How do high-touch tools like campus visits compare to high-tech tools such as social media sites? Results of a survey of students showed that parents, along with other family and friends, were the most influential sources of information. Outside of personal contacts, a student’s visit to campus was highly influential. Surprisingly, social media was not rated as highly influential compared to traditional media. Results of a second survey of university employees generally predicted student responses well, although employees underestimated the influence of university representatives (faculty members, staff, and coaches) and underestimated the impact of a visit to campus as sources of information for prospective students.
The Influence of Social Protest from Ancient Israel to the Modern Day

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. Social protest is the way in which an oppressed minority group pursues some form of social change on their own behalf. Without social protest, the decisions of the majority population would go unquestioned and the needs of the suppressed minority would be ignored. For beneficial changes to be made for the oppressed minority, social protest is in order. Social protest has long paved the way for societal change, and without the creative minority, these changes would never occur. This essay on religion is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol13/iss1/10
Estimating coronary blood flow using CT transluminal attenuation flow encoding: Formulation, preclinical validation, and clinical feasibility

Abstract Background We present the formulation and testing of a new CT angiography (CTA)–based method for noninvasive measurement of absolute coronary blood flow (CBF) termed transluminal attenuation flow encoding (TAFE). CTA provides assessment of coronary plaque but does not allow for detection of vessel specific ischemia. A simple and direct method to calculate absolute CBF from a standard CTA could isolate the functional consequence of disease and aid therapy decisions. Methods We present the theoretical framework and initial testing of TAFE. Nine canine models of ischemic heart disease were prepared and underwent CT imaging and microsphere measurements of myocardial blood flow. Additionally, 39 acute chest pain patients with normal coronary arteries underwent coronary CTA. We applied TAFE to calculate absolute CBF in the coronary arteries using 4 vessel input parameters including transluminal attenuation gradient, cross-sectional area, length, and the contrast bolus duration derived from the arterial input function. Results In animal studies, TAFE-derived CBF in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery was 20.8 ± 10.4 mL/min, 27.0 ± 13.4 mL/min, and 6.0 ± 3.7 mL/min, respectively. TAFE-derived CBF divided by myocardial mass strongly correlated with microsphere myocardial blood flow (R 2 = 0.90, P P Conclusion TAFE allows for quantification of absolute CBF from a standard CTA acquisition and may provide functional significance of coronary disease without complex computational methods.
Increased epigenetic age and granulocyte counts in the blood of Parkinson's disease patients

It has been a long standing hypothesis that blood tissue of PD Parkinson's disease (PD) patients may exhibit signs of accelerated aging. Here we use DNA methylation based biomarkers of aging ("epigenetic clock") to assess the aging rate of blood in two ethnically distinct case-control data sets. Using n=508 Caucasian and n=84 Hispanic blood samples, we assess a) the intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration of blood (IEAA), which is independent of blood cell counts, and b) the extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration rate of blood (EEAA) which is associated with age dependent changes in blood cell counts. Blood of PD subjects exhibits increased age acceleration according to both IEAA (p=0.019) and EEAA (p=6.1 x 10(-3)). We find striking differences in imputed blood cell counts between PD cases and controls. Compared to control subjects, PD subjects contains more granulocytes (p=1.0 x 10(-9) in Caucasians, p=0.00066 in Hispanics) but fewer T helper cells (p=1.4 x 10(-6) in Caucasians, p=0.0024 in Hispanics) and fewer B cells (p=1.6 x 10(-5) in Caucasians, p=4.5 x 10(-5) in Hispanics). Overall, this study shows that the epigenetic age of the immune system is significantly increased in PD patients and that granulocytes play a significant role.
The impact of sexual abuse on job attrition in military recruits.

Objective : To determine whether recruits entering the U.S. Air Force with a history of sexual abuse had a higher attrition rate from basic military training (BMT). Methods : Retrospective, case-control study involving 28,918 recruits entering BMT from October 1, 1991, to September 30, 1992. Self-report questionnaires were given to all recruits on the second day of BMT. We compared recruits revealing a history of sexual abuse to all other recruits at the end of BMT and at the end of the next fiscal year. Results : We found that victims of sexual abuse had a higher attrition rate from BMT than non-victims (10.6 versus 4.1%, p < 0.0001). Four and one-tenth percent of all recruits (1,289) reported a history of sexual abuse, and fewer male than female recruits reported a history of sexual abuse (1.5 versus 15.1%, p < 0.0001). However, after BMT there were no differences in any job performance indicators between victims and non-victims. Conclusion : We conclude that recruits with a history of sexual abuse had a higher attrition rate from BMT than those without a history of abuse ; however, those recruits who did complete BMT were as successful as those who did not report a similar history of abuse.
The Uncertain Scope of the Public Performance Right after Aereo

The Supreme Court’s recent majority decision in American Broadcasting Companies v. Aereo, Inc. 134 S.Ct. 2498 (2014) holds that a service allowing consumers to watch broadcast television programs over the Internet virtually simultaneously with the original over the air broadcast directly infringes the copyright owners the exclusive rights to 'perform the copyrighted work publicly.' The majority overrules the Second Circuit ruling in the same case, and throws into doubt one of the central holdings in the Second Circuit’s Cablevision decision. The majority’s 'looks like a cable system' approach makes the public performance right almost incomprehensible. This Article considers a number of questions left open by the Aereo decision relating to specific technologies, including remote DVRs, devices that allow the consumer to pause and rewind live television, and cloud computing generally. It also considers whether the Court's decision in Aereo portends the use an effects-based approach to expand other exclusive rights under the Copyright Act in future cases. Finally, this Article concludes with a concise explanation as to why Aereo would not have prevailed under a fair use analysis. Judge Chin’s intuition that Aereo’s design was a mere 'Rube Goldberg-like contrivance, over-engineered in an attempt to avoid the reach of the Copyright Act,' was spot on; however this technological contrivance should not have been the foundation for the Supreme Court's legal contrivance.