cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small mammal use of field borders planted as beneficial insect habitat

Field borders established for wildlife conservation have been recognized as a possible venue for also promoting beneficial insect populations, such as parasitic wasps and pollinators, on agricultural lands. However, traditional fallow field borders lack nectar sources required to sustain beneficial insect communities, and their value to small mammals is not well-understood. In October–November 2009, we trapped small mammals in four field-border treatments (planted native, warm-season grasses and prairie flowers, planted prairie flowers only, fallow vegetation, and frequently mowed vegetation) replicated around nine organic crop fields, and developed closed-population models in Program MARK to estimate abundance in each border. We also measured vegetation cover within each border treatment from June to August 2009. We captured 491 individuals of two species, the hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) and house mouse (Mus musculus). Cotton rat abundance was ≥2 times greater in grass and flower borders and flowers-only borders than in fallow borders, likely because of greater vegetation density and availability of preferred foods in planted borders. No cotton rats were captured in mowed borders, and house mouse abundance was ≥5 times lower in mowed borders than in other border types. Lower abundance of cotton rats and house mice in mowed borders emphasizes the importance of structurally complex non-crop vegetation for supporting small-mammal communities in agricultural landscapes. Field borders planted to promote beneficial insects may be a useful tool for maximizing the ecological services provided by non-crop vegetation. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
On a finite-difference approach to turbulence problems

Abstract Using a new, energy conserving finite-difference scheme for the unaveraged Navier-Stokes equations, pressure driven flow in a square duct is calculated for meshes of 7, 9, 11 and 17 points in each of three space directions. Both fully developed laminar and turbulent solutions are obtained as a function of the pressure drop imposed. The solutions are independent of initial conditions. Friction factor-Reynolds number relations, mean velocity profiles, Reynolds stress profiles and mean turbulence energy profiles qualitatively resemble data from physical flows. Improvement is noted as the mesh is refined. However, quantitative results would require an excessively fine mesh with impractically large computing requirements.
Validation of a software program for measuring fatigue-related changes in keystroke durations

Intensive computer use has been associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Although the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood, muscle fatigue is thought to be a contributing factor. Previous studies have shown that keystroke durations are related to muscle twitch durations and may be used as a surrogate measure of muscle fatigue. Software tools have been developed to measure keystroke durations; however, the accuracy of these programs may be influenced by the computer and/or the operating system (OS). Keystrokes were collected from six subjects and analyzed to determine whether there were any differences in keystroke durations measured by an OS-dependant software program and keystrokes collected directly from the keyboard using a USB analyzer (gold standard). The results demonstrated that the OS-dependant software program underestimated keystroke durations by 3.8 ms (103.5 vs. 107.3 ms; p < 0.0001) but keystroke durations at the individual level were highly correlated between the two systems (R2 = 0.997). Despite the small differences, the high correlation between systems indicated that the software program could be used to collect keystroke durations.
Commentary: Widening the Lens and Rethinking Asian American History

The new research here reported is extending Asian American and American history into the Pacific, complementing recent Atlantic world studies. Such extension fundamentally challenges the dominant east-west movement of American history. These essays offer (or reveal the need for) greater conceptual clarity in defining terms in the field and the scope of the field9s international dimensions. This new work highlights the importance of including a comparative aspect of transnational and global approaches to American history. While Pacific-wide or global developments may share a common history, there are also very specific local histories that demand distinction and invite comparison. Collectively, the essays gathered together suggest a more capacious definition of the field.
Are Open Abdominal Procedures a Thing of the Past? An Analysis of Graduating General Surgery Residents’ Case Logs From 2000 to 2011

Introduction Since the introduction of laparoscopic surgery for cholecystectomy in 1989, the growth of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has increased significantly in the United States. There is a growing concern that the pendulum has now shifted too far toward MIS and that current general surgery residents’ exposure to open abdominal procedures is lacking. Objective We sought to analyze trends in open vs MIS intra-abdominal procedures performed by residents graduating from US general surgery residency programs over the past twelve years. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the data from the ACGME national resident case log reports for graduating US general surgery residents from 2000 to 2011. We analyzed the average number of cases per graduating chief resident for the following surgical procedures: appendectomy, inguinal/femoral hernia repair, gastrostomy, colectomy, antireflux procedures, and cholecystectomy. Results For all the procedures analyzed, except antireflux procedures, a statistically significant increase in the number of MIS cases was seen. The increases in MIS procedures were as follows: appendectomy, 8.5 to 46 (542%); inguinal/femoral hernia repair, 7.6 to 23.3 (265%); gastrostomy, 1.4 to 3 (114%); colectomy, 1.8 to 18.2 (1011%); and cholecystectomy, 84 to 105.7 (26%). The p value was set at Conclusions The performance of open procedures in general surgery residency has declined significantly in the past 12 years. The effect of the decline in open cases in surgical training and practice remains to be determined.
Hurricane risk perceptions among Florida's single family homeowners

Abstract Hurricanes and associated storm damage remain a constant threat to the health, safety, and welfare of residents in Florida. Hurricane risk perception has been found to be an important predictor of storm preparation, evacuation, and hazard adjustment undertaken by households, such as shutter usage. Planners and policy makers often employ expert risk analysis to justify hazard mitigation policies, yet expert and lay risk assessments do not always agree. Because the public is increasingly involved in planning and policy decision-making, consistency between “expert” risk assessments and lay perceptions of risk are important for policy legitimization and compliance. This article examines factors contributing to hurricane risk perceptions of single-family homeowners in Florida. Utilizing data from a statewide survey, we first map and spatially analyze risk perceptions throughout Florida. Second, we examine the influence of location on shaping homeowner perceptions along with other factors, such as knowledge of hurricanes, previous hurricane experience, and socio-economic and demographic characteristics. The findings suggest there is a good deal of consistency between residing in locations identified by experts as being high hurricane wind risk areas and homeowner risk perceptions. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for land use and hazards planning.
The importance of ROC data.

Dear editor: The article by Gur et al (1) presents interesting data for those who perform reader studies of radiological devices. The article reports differences between two methods of estimating a change in the probability of correct discrimination, or area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). It uses data from one particular study (2) in which the breast cancer detection of full-field digital mammography (FFDM) was compared to that of FFDM plus the new investigational use technology of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Both estimates use a nonparametric empirical method, but one estimate uses multicategory or semicontinuous rating data, whereas the other uses two-category or binary data. We want to highlight three points relevant to this study and other controlled studies undertaken before a technology is in wide use in the clinical setting.
Rural African American Clergy: An Exploration of Their Attitudes and Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease

Rural African American clergy's ability to recognize Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and their capacity to provide support to elders with this illness has been neglected in the literature. Using a mental health literacy framework, the purpose of this research was to explore rural African American clergy knowledge and beliefs of AD. In-depth interviews were conducted with 9 African American clergy who oversaw churches in central Kentucky. Although few had direct experience with providing pastoral care to elders with AD, all clergy were literate and aware of the need for additional training. This study seeks to further clarify the role of African American clergy and their understanding of AD to inform the future development of appropriate interventions and establish better collaborative community treatment relationships.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the treatments of varicose veins.

Objectives Several treatment options exist for varicose veins. In this review we summarize the available evidence derived from comparative studies about the relative safety and efficacy of these treatments. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Current Contents, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) expert files, and the reference section of included articles. Eligible studies compared two or more of the available treatments (surgery, liquid or foam sclerotherapy, laser, radiofrequency ablations, or conservative therapy with compression stockings). Two independent reviewers determined study eligibility and extracted descriptive, methodologic, and outcome data. We used random-effects meta-analysis to pool relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) across studies. Results We found 39 eligible studies (30 were randomized trials) enrolling 8285 participants. Surgery was associated with a nonsignificant reduction in the risk of varicose vein recurrence compared with liquid sclerotherapy (RR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.29-1.06) and all endoluminal interventions (RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.37-1.07). Studies of laser and radiofrequency ablation and foam sclerotherapy demonstrated short-term effectiveness and safety. The quality of evidence presented in this review was limited by imprecision (small number of events), short-term follow-up, and indirectness (use of surrogate outcomes). Conclusion Low-quality evidence supports long-term safety and efficacy of surgery for the treatment of varicose veins. Short-term studies support the efficacy of less invasive treatments, which are associated with less periprocedural disability and pain.
ZAS3 represses NFκB-dependent transcription by direct competition for DNA binding.

NFκB and ZAS3 are transcription factors that control important cellular processes including immunity, cell survival and apoptosis. Although both proteins bind the κB-motif, they produce opposite physiological consequences; NFκB activates transcription, promotes cell growth and is often found to be constitutively expressed in cancer cells, while ZAS3 generally represses transcription, inhibits cell proliferation and is downregulated in some cancers. Here, we show that ZAS3 inhibits NFκB-dependent transcription by competing with NFκB for the κB-motif. Transient transfection studies show that N-terminal 645 amino acids is sufficient to repress transcription activated by NFκB, and that the identical region also possesses intrinsic repression activity to inhibit basal transcription from a promoter. Finally, in vitro DNA-protein interaction analysis shows that ZAS3 is able to displace NFκB by competing with NFκB for the κB-motif. It is conceivable that ZAS3 has therapeutic potential for controlling aberrant activation of NFκB in various diseases. [BMB reports 2010; 43(12): 807-812]
Manipulation of Particle Motions and Their Segregation in Micro-Fluidics by Positive Dielectrophoresis

We study the ac-field-driven segregation of positively polarized particles flowing through a micro-channel. Our batch fabrication technique allows one to construct an apparatus featuring a large number of mechanically robust and chemically inert micro-devices having a very low ratio of the dielectrophoretic time to the fluid residence time. Experiments were performed on dilute suspensions in microfluidics with electrodes of different sizes arranged parallel and perpendicular to the flow. The application of a high-gradient strong ac field to a flowing suspension results in trapping particles in the channel. When the channel characteristics meet certain requirements, the predictions of a single-particle model for the particle accumulation along the channel are found to be consistent with the experimental data. The model calculations required no fitting parameters because the suspension properties were measured independently. The results of our studies validate a simulation model needed for the design and operation of dielectrophoretic micro-fluidics.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Effect of heat on the microtubule disassembly and its relationship to body temperatures

Summary Microtubule proteins extracted from brain tissues of mouse, rat, calf and chicken have been used to study the heat induced disassembly process. The disassembly temperatures were 39.5°C, 41.5°C, 41.6°C, and 45°C respectively, to each species. These are within the range of fever temperatures of these species. Temperatures lethal to these animals cause denaturation of the microtubule proteins of the corresponding species. Purified microtubule protein is less sensitive to heat, but will reestablish its temperature sensitivity by addition of the supernatant obtained during the purification process. This study suggests that microtubule protein may have an important role in determining cellular function in the elevated temperature environment.
Development and Distribution of TSMC 0.25 \mu m Standard CMOS Library Cells

Cell-based design is a widely adopted design approach in current ASIC and SOC designs. Standard cell libraries are a collection of basic building blocks that can be used in cell-based designs. The use of standard cell libraries offers shorter design time, induces fewer errors in the design process, and is easier to maintain. This paper presents the TSMC 0.25 mum standard CMOS cell library designed and distributed by the Virginia Tech VISI for Telecommunications (VTVT) Group, and its impact on the VISI design community and VLSI education.
Associations between published quality ratings of skilled nursing facilities and outcomes of medicare beneficiaries with heart failure.

Introduction Nursing Home Compare quality ratings are designed to allow patients, families, and clinicians to compare facilities based on quality, but associations of the current measures with important clinical outcomes are not known. Our study examined associations between ratings and readmission and mortality among Medicare beneficiaries admitted to a skilled nursing facility with a primary diagnosis of heart failure.
Mars Pathfinder Microrover

When the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) spacecraft lands on Mars, the Microrover Flight Experiment (MFEX) will be deployed and perform its mission to conduct technology experiments verifying the engineering design, to deploy an alpha proton x-ray spectrometer (APXS) to measure elemental properties of rocks and soil, and to image the MPF lander. In accomplishing this mission the MFEX rover must determine a safe path to goal locations traversing over a poorly known Martian surface. The rover does this mission with a capable mobile platform executing on-board autonomous functions of navigation and hazard avoidance. In this paper we describe the rover, its operational environment and the implementation of the on-board autonomous functions.
Growth hormone and the expression of mRNAs for matrix proteins and oncogenes in bone

To examine the effects of growth hormone (GH) on the expression of the mRNAs of bone matrix proteins, three experiments were carried out with 3-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats. In the first experiment rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of recombinant human GH (8 mg rhGH/kg b. wt.), sacrificed 15 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h and 24 h later, and RNA isolated from cancellous bone from the distal femoral metaphysis. Growth hormone increased the level of type I collagen mRNA by 187, 417, and 509% over the control level at 15 min, 1 h and 2 h, respectively; the mRNA levels declined to 119 and 99% at 4 and 8 h, respectively, and then rose again to 351 and 423% over the control level at 16 and 24 h, respectively. Osteocalcin mRNA transcript increased by 89, 90, 325, 342, 361, and 407% over the control level at 15 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h and 16 h, respectively, and fell to 66% at 24 h. The level of IGF-I mRNA increased by 45, 83, 120, 140, and 175% over the control level at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 h, respectively. In the second experiment, following the administration of rhGH (8 mg/kg b. wt.) bone osteocalcin mRNA increased by 127, 177, 361, and 413% over the control level at 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h, respectively; IGF-I mRNAs increased by 38, 33, 87, and 437 at 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h, respectively, but the levels did not become significant until 2 h; c-fos mRNA increased significantly at 30 min, and c-jun and c-myc mRNAs did not increase until 4 h. In the third experiment, animals were given a single injection of rhGH (8 mg/kg b. wt.) and the animals were bled at timed intervals and acid ethanol-extractable serum IGF-I determined. Serum IGF-I increased significantly only at 12 h following rhGH administration. Our data indicate that GH stimulates a rapid increase in the expression of mRNAs for the bone matrix proteins, type I collagen and osteocalcin, by a mechanism that appears to be independent of IGF-I, the early response oncogenes or an increase in osteoblast number.
Image-based Monitoring of Structural Damage: Concrete Surface Cracks

Nondestructive imaging has been a widely used approach for detection of local structural damage in the engineering community. By combining image analysis methods, quantities describing the type, severity and extent of damage can be extracted within the spatial domain of images. However, the current practice of structural health monitoring requires a temporal characterization of structural damage, or some correlation of structural damage with response data. To accomplish this, one needs to consider the time scale in using any of the nondestructive imaging techniques, which in turn demands the use of spatial-temporal image analysis. In this paper, we address the temporal occurrence of cracks on the surface of concrete structural members, and attempt to monitor cracks, including their inception and propagation, using temporal image data. We assume under some conditions for objects in a pair of temporal images that only planar rigid-body motion takes place in the image domain, while cracks are treated as a type of local anomaly. The unknown motion parameters are estimated by means of a manifold-based optimization procedure, and the obtained manifold distance (MD) measure is used as a motion-invariant feature to describe the temporal occurrence of concrete cracks. Numerical analyses are conducted with the use of video clips from two laboratory experiments. It is concluded in this paper that the MD-based spatial-temporal image analysis can be an effective means for monitoring local damage of structural components that occurs and is accompanied by structural motion induced by loading.
Physical interventions in a location based cultural narrative: a case study of embedded media in public space installations

The majority of large scale media embedded into public spaces clashes with the existing architectural and cultural characteristics of an environments. This paper discusses the challenge to overcome this phenomenon through the design of new embedded artifacts which tie interactive media elements into existing physical properties of an environment, whether material, spatial, cultural, or social, to fluidly mesh and compliment a shared public space. Design challenges and guidelines are explored through the presentation of two experimental installations developed by the authors- the Algorithmic Topiary and Thermochromic Laundry Line. The site specific installations were created as physical interventions as part of the History Unwired Project, a mobile device based walking tour in the Castello neighborhood of Venice, Italy, and were intended to bring attention and dynamism to the physical and ephemeral elements of the environments which the tour describes.
Fermi surface of AuSb2. II. de Haas-van Alphen and de Haas-Shubnikov effects

de Haas-van Alphen and de Haas-Shubnikov oscillations were investigated in {100} and {110} planes of the metallic compound Au${\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$. The orientation dependence of eight sets of external Fermi-surface areas was determined. These frequencies ranged from about 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{4}$ G to 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ G. Where the frequency and cyclotron mass data for the two experiments overlapped, the agreement was excellent. An attempt was made to compare the field dependence of the amplitude of one set of oscillations in the two experiments. The de Haas-Shubnikov data fit the theory for fields below about 75 kG but the de Haas-van Alphen data did not fit the theory for any field range down to about 20 kG, the lowest field at which the latter oscillations could be measured. These anomalies in field dependence seem to be connected with magnetic breakdown but the precise mechanism that could explain the apparently different breakdown fields seen in the two experiments is not clear. Two nearly free-electron models were constructed for the Fermi surface. These models assumed effective valences of 1 for gold and either 5 or 3 for antimony. However, since neither model was capable of explaining the orientation dependence of the extremal areas, it was concluded that the electronic structure of this compound is not nearly free-electron-like.
On the relationship between functions with the same optimal knots in spline and piecewise polynomial approximation

Abstract The relationship between functions with the same optimal knots for L 2 [0, 1] approximation by k th order splines or piecewise polynomials is investigated. It is shown that if two functions have positive continuous k th derivatives they will have the same optimal knots if and only if they differ by a polynomial of order k . An application to design selection for continuous time regression is considered and extensions to L p approximation are also provided.
Modulation of protein kinase C by heavy metals

Abstract Protein kinase C (PKC) regulates a variety of intracellular and extracellular signals across the neuronal membrane. PKC requires calcium and phospholipid, particularly phosphatidylserine (PS) for its activation. The data indicates that mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and methyl mercury (CH 3 Hg) in vitro inhibited the PKC activity at micromolar concentrations in a concentration-dependent manner with IC 50 values of 1.5, 2.12 and 0.22 μM, respectively. The IC 50 values indicate that CH 3 Hg was more potent in inhibiting the enzyme activity than Hg or Pb. The basal PKC activity was also inhibited by Pb or Hg. However, the PS-stimulated PKC activity was more sensitive to Pb or Hg than the basal enzyme. The phorbol ester binding to PKC was also found to be inhibited by micromolar concentrations of these metals in vitro. Hg and CH 3 Hg were more potent inhibitors of phorbol ester binding than Pb. Dithiothreitol (DTT), a dithiol, but not glutathione (GSH) a monothiol, protected the activities of both PS-stimulated and basal PKC from metal-inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner. The present study suggests that the dithiols but not monothiols effectively protect metal-inhibited activity of PKC in rat brain.
Healthy people 2010--leading health indicators for women.

To examine the health status of women in relationship to the targets for the Healthy People 2010 ten Leading Health Indicators (LHIs), this paper compares females and males, as well as females by age groups. The data presented in this study were collected from publicly available sources, including Healthy People 2010 publications and websites, as well as Health US 2000. In addition, the lead agency Department of Health and Human Services workgroup coordinators provided clarifying information. Women were found to have better health status than men on half of the LHIs. When examined by age, data for the LHIs provide additional insights on where to target interventions to improve women’s health. For adolescent females, the biggest challenges to meet the year 2010 targets are in reducing tobacco use, obesity, motor vehicle deaths, and homicides. For adult females, the greatest public health challenges are in increasing physical activity, reducing obesity, and obtaining immunizations.
The influence of adrenalin upon the vital capacity in asthma

Abstract 1.1. The effect of adrenalin upon the vital capacity in asthma has been studied in a group of 27 cases, 24 of whom suffered from infected asthma, while in three cases infection was not an important factor in the disease. 2.2. The results indicate that irrespective of the type of asthma, the increase in vital capacity may be slight or none at all after the subcutaneous injection of adrenalin. 3.3. The relief experienced by all patients after the administration of adrenalin can be attributed to the relaxation of the bronchial tetany which seems to be responsible for the patient's distress. 4.4. The failure of the vital capacity to increase appreciably after the administration of adrenalin can be explained by the persistence of the mucosal edema and hypersecretion of its glands which may interfere with lung ventilation. 5.5. In this group of patients neither age, duration of the disease, nor the height of the initial vital capacity bore any relationship to the change in vital capacity after adrenalin administration.
Parathyroid Hormone Induces Expression of the Inducible cAMP Early Repressor in Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells and Mouse Calvariae

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) regulates gene expression in skeletal osteoblasts mainly through the cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. In neuroendocrine cells, activation of the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway leads to induction of the inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER), which is transcribed from an intronic promoter of the CREM gene and acts as a transcriptional repressor. To investigate whether PTH induces ICER expression in osteoblastic cells, RNA from MC3T3-E1 cells was subjected to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using primers spanning the ICER sequence. Amplified products were subcloned, sequenced, and used as a probe for Northern blot analysis. In MC3T3-E1 cells, PTH induced ICER mRNA levels, which peaked at 2 h and declined to baseline by 8 h. Cycloheximide caused superinduction of ICER mRNA in response to PTH. In cultured mouse calvariae, PTH also induced ICER mRNA accumulation, which peaked at 2 h and returned almost to baseline by 10 h. Overexpression of ICER IIgamma decreased both baseline and PTH-stimulated prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 promoter activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. The induction of ICER represents a novel mechanism by which PTH regulates gene expression in osteoblastic cells.
Experimental study of hydrogen release accidents in a vehicle garage

Storing a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in a garage poses a potential safety hazard because of the accidents that could arise from a hydrogen leak. A series of tests examined the risk involved with hydrogen releases and deflagrations in a structure built to simulate a one-car garage. The experiments involved igniting hydrogen gas that was released inside the structure and studying the effects of the deflagrations. The “garage” measured 2.72 m high, 3.64 m wide, and 6.10 m long internally and was constructed from steel using a reinforced design capable of withstanding a detonation. The front face of the garage was covered with a thin, transparent plastic film. Experiments were performed to investigate extended-duration (20–40 min) hydrogen leaks. The effect that the presence of a vehicle in the garage has on the deflagration was also studied. The experiments examined the effectiveness of different ventilation techniques at reducing the hydrogen concentration in the enclosure. Ventilation techniques included natural upper and lower openings and mechanical ventilation systems. A system of evacuated sampling bottles was used to measure hydrogen concentration throughout the garage prior to ignition, and at various times during the release. All experiments were documented with standard and infrared (IR) video. Flame front propagation was monitored with thermocouples. Pressures within the garage were measured by four pressure transducers mounted on the inside walls of the garage. Six free-field pressure transducers were used to measure the pressures outside the garage.
Observations on the Proboscis‐Cytopharynx Complex and Flagella of Rhynchomonas metabolita Pshenin, 1964 (Zoomastigophorea: Bodonidae)*

SYNOPSIS. The description of Rhynchomonas metabolita is amended on the basis of new electronmicroscopic and other evidence. The proboscis of R. metabolita is not derived from the anterior flagellum, but rather is an outward extension of the cytopharynx. Food organisms are taken up near the distal tip of the proboscis and pass through a membrane-limited lumen continuous with the permanent cytopharynx. The cytopharynx-proboscis lumen is surrounded by overlapping rows of microtubules running parallel to the long axis of the lumen; these may be involved in the accommodation of food particles that are larger than the resting diameter of the lumen. R. metabolita has 2 emergent flagella, the previously described trailing flagellum and a hitherto unreported shorter anterior flagellum that is closely associated with the proboscis; the anterior flagellum and proboscis normally beat synchronously. A paraxial rod is present in both flagella. Rhynchobodo Lackey, 1940 is probably a synonym of Rhynchomonas.
Ascites improves upon plus serum sodium model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) for predicting mortality in patients with advanced liver disease

Summary Background The clinical impact of ascites has historically been well recognized; however, its value is unclear in the context of current prognostic models. Aim To determine whether ascites can improve risk discrimination beyond model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and serum sodium (MELDNa). Methods Consecutive cirrhotic patients were evaluated for ascites on the basis of an outpatient CT along with concurrent MELD and Na values. Cox models were used to determine the added value of ascites for predicting 1-year mortality. Increases in the C-index, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and the net reclassification index (NRI) were used to assess improvements in discrimination after the addition of ascites. Results A total of 1003 patients had Na and MELD scores available within 30 days of the CT scan. A total of 60 deaths occurred within 1 year, with mortality higher in patients with ascites (21.4% vs. 4.0%, HR 6.08, 95% CI 3.62–10.19, P < 0.0005). In the presence of ascites, the MELD and MELDNa scores underestimated mortality risk when the scores were less than 21. The addition of ascites to the MELDNa model substantially improved discrimination by the C-index (0.804 vs. 0.770, increase of 3.4%, 95% CI 0.2–9.9%), IDI (1.8%, P = 0.016) and NRI (15.8%, P = 0.0006). Conclusion The incorporation of radiographic ascites significantly improves upon MELDNa for predicting 1-year mortality. The presence of ascites may help identify patients at increased risk for mortality, not otherwise captured by either MELD or MELDNa.
Visual Problems of the Aging Musician

The presbyopic musician presents the ophthalmologist with an often demanding set of visual needs. Many modalities, some necessarily creative, are available to aid older musicians in their vision-dependent art.
Receptor regulation: beta-arrestin moves up a notch.

β-arrestin, a protein known to regulate the signalling, trafficking and degradation of mammalian seven-transmembrane-spanning receptors, has now been identified as a regulator of ubiquitination and degradation of the Notch receptor in Drosophila melanogaster.
Application of fractals and kinetic equations to cluster formation

Abstract We describe a rigorous connection between a coalescence growth model employing the Smoluchowski equation and the log-normal distribution which has been used for decades to classify empirically small particle distributions. The model assumes that only binary collisional events occur, there is conservation of monomers over the lifetime of the process, the clusters can be represented using a mass fractal approach and there are no “magic numbers”. Numerically, it is easy to account for the effects of evaporation, magic numbers, other inhomogeneities and possibly a non-conservative process. The model correctly incorporates the existence of multiple kinetic pathways for producing almost all cluster sizes. The properties of elemental cluster size distributions can apparently be related to the nature of the monomers as represented by the Periodic Table. The model classifies cluster size distributions on the basis of a single scaling parameter which itself is a function of the dimensionality of the space in which the coalescence process occurs, the fractal dimensionality of the clusters, the fractal dimensionality of the trajectories of the agglomerating species between collisions and the scaling of the cluster velocities with increasing cluster size.
Mouse cyp2g1 gene: promoter structure and tissue-specific expression of a cyp2g1-lacz fusion gene in transgenic mice.

Abstract The structure of the mouse Cyp2g1 gene was determined to identify regulatory regions important for its olfactory mucosa-specific expression. Two Cyp2g1 genomic clones were isolated and characterized. A 3.6-kilobase 5′-flanking sequence was used to prepare a Cyp2g1–LacZ fusion gene for transgenic mice production. Transgene expression, as determined by β-galactosidase activity in tissue extracts, was detected in the olfactory mucosa, but not in any other tissues examined, in five different transgenic lines. Thus, the 3.6-kilobase fragment contained regulatory elements sufficient for olfactory mucosa-specific and proper developmental expression of the reporter gene. However, histological and immunohistochemical studies indicated that the expression of the transgene in the olfactory mucosa was patchy and the cellular expression patterns of the transgene did not exactly match that of the endogenous gene. These results implicate the presence of additional regulatory sequences that are necessary for the correct cell type-selectivity within the olfactory mucosa.
Blue phase III of chiral liquid crystals in an electric field.

We have studied the effect of electric fields on the blue phase III (BPIII) of chiral liquid crystals. A temperature--electric-field phase diagram is presented and the behavior of the BPIII selective reflections over this diagram is shown. The selective reflection consists of a broad peak situated on a sloping background; we argue that the background may be a remnant of additional structure at lower wavelength. A comparison of our data with three models for BPIII structure is made.
Modulation of synaptosomal high affinity choline transport.

Abstract Depolarization of synaptosomes produced by incubation in 35mMK + Krebs Ringer phosphate buffer results in an increased Vmax and no change in K T of the high affinity transport of [ 3 H]-choline as determined upon re-incubation in normal K + Krebs Ringer phosphate buffer. The high K + induced increase in the uptake of choline appears to be independent of transmitter release. The K + stimulated increase in the Vmax of the high affinity transport of choline is totally blocked by high, 11mM, Mg +2 . The proportion of choline converted to acetylcholine in synaptosomes previously depolarized is the same as those incubated in normal K + Krebs Ringer; thus the absolute rate of acetylcholine synthesis in nerve terminals is increased as a result of prior depolarization.
Heavy injection drug use is associated with lower percent body fat in a multi-ethnic cohort of HIV-positive and HIV-negative drug users from three U.S. cities

Background: The clinical implications of lower body weight in drug using populations are uncertain given that lower mean weights may still fall within the healthy range. Objectives: To determine the effect of type, mode and frequency of drug use on underlying body composition after accounting for differences in body shape and size. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 511 participants from the Tufts Nutrition Collaborative (TNC) Study. Data included measures of body composition, a 24-hour dietary recall, and a detailed health history and lifestyle questionnaire. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the independent effect of drug use on percent body fat (BF) after adjusting for BMI and waist circumference. Results: Heavy injection drug users (IDUs) had a 2.6% lower percent BF than non-users after adjusting for BMI, waist circumference, and other confounders. (p = 0.0006). Differences in percent BF were predominantly due to higher lean mass, rather than lower fat mass. Cocai...
Obesity, battle of the bulge-policy behind change: Whose responsibility is it and who pays?

Objectives: Examination of the prevalence of obesity and overweight over the past two decades and the health implications that encompass increased risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. Focus on legislative policies and individual responsibility.Method: Literature review of local and national data on obesity, health implications, government response and determinants of health.Results: Unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are determinants of obesity. In the U.S. it can be said that we live in a “toxic environment.” Environmental factors impeding healthy eating include socioeconomic status (SES), limited access to healthy food choices in low-income communities, poor neighborhood characteristics preventing the ability or desire for physical activity and advertising that bombards youth with unhealthy choices.Conclusion: When addressing responsibility for obese and overweight, all variables must be addressed: the individual, government, community and the food industry must lay...
Alternative Specifications of Bank Lending in France and Germany: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications

In this chapter, I compare a capital budgeting model of bank lending based on stock valuations to a supply/demand model based on an interest rate channel for France and Germany using non-nested hypothesis tests and omitted variables tests. For France, the results of these two statistical tests indicate a strong rejection of the supply/demand model with an interest rate channel and non-rejection of the capital budgeting model. The results for Germany are mixed. For Monetary Financial Institutions, the non-nested hypothesis test and omitted variables test rejected both models. For the banking sector of Monetary Financial Institutions, both tests rejected the supply/demand model but did not reject the capital budgeting model. Do these results have any implications for policy? If volatility in share prices leads to volatility in bank lending which in turn leads to volatility in real economic activity, then governments may want to begin thinking of ways to dampen the volatility in the stock market.
A dynamic cadaver model of the stance phase of gait: performance characteristics and kinetic validation.

Objective. This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of a new dynamic laboratory model of the stance phase of gait. Design. Five cadaver feet were repetitively tested in the apparatus. Background. Typical biomechanical investigations of cadaver feet simply place a static load on the tibia. The present system was designed to better simulate the changing in-vivo loading environment of the foot and ankle during gait. Methods. The device mimics the behavior of the tibia, foot, and ankle from heel-strike to toe-off by reproducing the physiologic actions of five extrinsic foot muscles and physiologic motion at the proximal tibia. To verify its utility, cadaver gait simulations were conducted while measuring applied muscle forces, ground reaction forces, and plantar pressures. Results. Dynamic muscle forces were consistently delivered to within 10% of pre-programmed values. Dynamic measurements of ground reaction forces and plantar pressure were similar to those measured in healthy human subjects. Peak vertical (y), foreaft (x) and medio-lateral (z) forces were 110, 18, and 4% of body weight respectively. Compressive force in the tibial shaft reached 410% of body weight.
Permeability Determination from On-the-Fly Piezocone Sounding

Solutions are developed for the steady, partially drained, fluid pressure field that develops around a moving penetrometer. These include rigorous solution for a point volumetric dislocation moving in a saturated elastic soil and an approximate solution for a pseudostatic, finite-volume, penetrometer moving in a nondilatant soil. These solutions provide a consistent framework for viewing the penetration process, and enable the nondimensional sounding indices of normalized tip resistance Qt, friction factor Fr, and pore pressure ratio Bq, to be straightforwardly linked to important material properties of the soil, most notably that of permeability, via a nondimensional permeability KD. This factor KD is inversely proportional to penetration rate, and is directly proportional to both permeability and vertical in situ effective stress. Simple relationships are developed to link these nondimensional sounding metrics, via KD. Most notably, the resulting simple relationship KD =1/ BqQt enables soil permeability to be determined from peak fluid pressures recorded on-the-fly. Importantly, these parameterizations enable plots of Bq˛ Qt, Fr ˛ Qt, and Bq˛ Fr to be contoured for KD, and hence for permeability. These plots define the relative superiority of using Bq˛ Qt data pairs over those for Fr ˛ Qt and Bq˛ Fr, in defining permeability. Similarly, the feasible range of permeabilities that may be recovered from peak pressure data are defined; permeabilities must be sufficiently high that penetration is not undrained, and sufficiently low that the resulting pressure response is not null ~fully drained!. These limits are a natural product of the analysis and represent permeabilities in the range 10 ˛4 -1 0 ˛7 m / s. The utility of these characterizations is confirmed with data from two locations where cone soundings are correlated with independently estimated permeabilities. DOI: 10.1061/~ASCE!1090-0241~2005!131:5~643! CE Database subject headings: Soil permeability; Penetrometers; Saturated soils .
GENERALIZED CUNTZ-KRIEGER ALGEBRAS

To a special embedding of circle algebras having the same spectrum, we associate an r-discrete, locally compact groupoid, similar to the Cuntz-Krieger groupoid. Its C algebra, denotedO , is a continuous version of the Cuntz-Krieger algebrasOA. The algebraO is generated by an AT-algebra and a nonunitary isometry. We compute its K-theory under the assumption that the AT-algebra is simple.
Direction-of-arrival estimation via exploitation of cyclostationary-a combination of temporal and spatial processing

Many modulated communication signals exhibit a cyclostationarity (or periodic correlation) property, corresponding to the underlying periodicity arising from carrier frequencies or band rates. By exploiting cyclostationarity, i.e. evaluating the cyclic correlations of the received data at certain cycle frequencies, one can extract the cyclic correlations of only signals with the same cycle frequency and null out the cyclic correlations of stationary additive noise and all other cochannel interferences with different cycle frequencies. Thus, the signal detection capability can be significantly improved. An approach for exploiting cyclostationarity that is asymptotically exact for either narrowband or broadband sources, unlike previous methods, is proposed. The method also has significant implementational advantages over the earlier techniques. The simulation results indicate a significantly better performance in some environments. >
Maturation History and Thermal Evolution of Cretaceous Source Rocks of Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana: ABSTRACT

The Laramide basins of the Rocky Mountain region are deep asymmetric structural depressions containing thick sequences of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary sandstone strata. The combined effects of tectonics and sedimentation have contributed to the thermal evolution of the basins and to the maturation history of the source rocks. In the Bighorn basin of Wyoming and Montana, total organic carbon (TOC) values for samples from a 2,000-ft (610-m) thick interval, including the Thermopolis, Mowry, Frontier, and Cody Formations, average 1 wt. %. The hydrogen indices and elemental analyses suggest that most of the samples presently contain kerogen between types II and III. The genetic potential of these samples suggests that they are moderately good source rocks. Vitrinite reflectan e values, production indices, elemental analyses, and the distribution of extractable hydrocarbons suggest that these Cretaceous source rocks can be within the liquid hydrocarbon window from a present day depth of 2,000-3,000 ft (610-914 m) down to 11,000-12,000 ft (3,353-3,658 m). On the basis of these observations, plus graphical and numerical thermal models for the Bighorn basin, it is suggested that (1) the Cretaceous section has generated hydrocarbons and could have produced the hydrocarbon production in the Bighorn basin, particularly from Cretaceous reservoirs, (2) migration distances for hydrocarbons into Cretaceous reservoirs could be short, (3) the stratigraphic and lateral distribution of marine sandstones intercalated within the Cretaceous source rocks provide ample opportunity for stratigraphic and/or diagenetic traps over a wide depth interval in this basin, and (4) owing to variations in thermal gradients within this basin, or similar Laramide-type basins, the hydrocarbon liquid window is expanded over a particular stratigraphic interval with dept . End_of_Article - Last_Page 937------------
A scenario-based performance evaluation of multicast routing protocols for ad hoc networks

Current ad hoc multicast routing protocols have been designed to build and maintain a tree or mesh in the face of a mobile environment, with fast reaction to network changes in order to minimize packet loss. However, the performance of these protocols has not been adequately examined under realistic scenarios. Existing performance studies generally use a single, simple mobility model, with low density and often very low traffic rates. We explore the performance of ad hoc multicast routing protocols under scenarios that include realistic mobility patterns, high density and high traffic load. We use these scenarios to identify cases where existing protocols can improve their performance. Based on our observations, we make a series of recommendations for designers of multicast protocols.