cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rectosigmoid Motility and Myoelectric Activity in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis

Colon motility and myoelectric slow wave activity were compared in 10 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis and 18 controls. Recordings were made in the rectosigmoid and rectum, 25–30 cm and 10–15 cm from the anal margin, respectively, during two 4-min baselines and in response to stepwise distention of the colon with an air-filled balloon. During baseline, the motility (activity index, defined as cumulated areas of all waves divided by recording time) of the rectosigmoid was similar in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (0.38 ± 0.61 in baseline 1, 0.86 ± 1.33 in baseline 2) and controls (1.15 ± 2.02 in baseline 1, 0.77 ± 1.01 in baseline 2). Rectal motility was also similar during baseline in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (1.43 ± 2.56 in baseline 1, 1.65 ± 2.47 in baseline 2) and controls (0.56 ± 0.80 in baseline 1, 0.62 ± 0.94 in baseline 2). Patients showed a lower tolerance for balloon distention of the colon (average, 130 vs. 184 ml) and a greater amount of contractile activity than controls after balloon distention (rectosigmoid activity index, 1.05 ± 1.24 vs. 0.07 ± 0.14; rectal activity index, 2.75 ± 3.71 vs. 0.13 ± 0.31). Maximum tolerable volume of balloon distention was inversely correlated to complaints of diarrhea in patients. Slow wave myoelectric activity did not differentiate patients from controls. These findings suggest that diarrhea, and possibly other gastrointestinal symptoms associated with progressive systemic sclerosis, may be due to decreased complianvp of the bowel.
Rebuttal from Scott K. Powers, Ashley J. Smuder, David Fuller and Sanford Levine.

Drs Sieck and Mantilla have presented an eloquent argument that diaphragm muscle fibre atrophy following unilateral phrenicotomy, tetrodotoxin (TTX) nerve blockade or high cervical spinal hemisection injury does not result from muscle inactivity alone. Nonetheless, we retain our position that when diaphragmatic contractile work is diminished during prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV), the ensuing diaphragm fibre atrophy occurs primarily due to decreased diaphragm contractile activity. In our response to Dr Sieck and Mantilla's position, we highlight several fundamental differences between the unilateral denervation model of diaphragm inactivity and the reduced diaphragmatic contractile work that occurs during prolonged MV. A fundamental difference between these two models of diaphragm inactivity is that prolonged MV results in atrophy of all diaphragm muscle fibre types whereas unilateral phrenic denervation promotes a transient hypertrophy of diaphragmatic type I and IIa fibres followed by atrophy of type IIx and IIb fibres. This is a unique physiological response as muscle hypertrophy does not occur in any other model of skeletal muscle inactivity. Another major difference is that diaphragm movement patterns differ markedly between the unilateral phrenic denervation model of diaphragm inactivity and MV. During MV, both hemidiaphragms move synchronously as the lungs inflate and empty. In contrast, following unilateral phrenic denervation, the contralateral hemidiaphragm contracts and shortens, thus eliciting small fibre length changes in the paralysed hemidiaphragm (Zhan et al. 1995). Since muscle fibre size is a highly regulated process controlled by mechanical signals, neurotrophic influences, and paracrine signalling which regulate muscle protein turnover (Rennie et al. 2004), the possibility exists that distortion of the paralysed diaphragm elicits an anabolic signalling response to promote hypertrophy. Importantly, not all studies report diaphragmatic hypertrophy following denervation-induced inactivity. Indeed, a study from Dr Sieck's laboratory revealed that unilateral denervation of the rat diaphragm results in a net loss of muscle protein after 5 days (Argadine et al. 2009). It follows that this deficit of muscle protein should translate into diaphragm fibre atrophy but unfortunately, this study did not report diaphragm fibre size. Further, in direct contrast to the rat data, hemidiaphragm paralysis in humans results in atrophy of diaphragm slow muscle fibres with atrophy of fast fibres occurring at a slower time course (Welvaart et al. 2011). Interestingly, these results agree with the Sieck–Mantilla initial theoretical argument that inactivity-induced diaphragm muscle fibre atrophy should occur most rapidly in slow fibres. In conclusion, based on our work and the work of others, we maintain the position that during prolonged MV, when diaphragm work against external loads is greatly diminished, the ensuing diaphragm atrophy is primarily due to decreased diaphragm contractile work.
The problems and prospects in the teaching of mixed methods research

There are pedagogical challenges USA students and instructors face within mixed methods classrooms. Instructors of mixed methods are often self-taught, lacking adequate training in both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. Students are not often trained in both research approaches. These dual training gaps can result in deep pedagogical issues compromising students’ ability to fully understand mixed methods research praxis and leaving teachers feeling ill equipped to address students’ learning concerns. To tackle the myriad of challenges confronted in the mixed methods classroom requires structural changes to the current way graduate training programs in social research methods are organized and taught. Developing a team-based teaching approach to mixed methods research that provides students with instructors who have the requisite qualitative and quantitative knowledge can serve as a pedagogical model that can begin at least to address the current methods and methodological skills gap in ...
Realizing software defined radio - a study in designing mobile supercomputers

The physical layer of most wireless protocols is traditionally implemented in custom hardware to satisfy the heavy computational requirements while keeping power consumption to a minimum. These implementations are time consuming to design and difficult to verify. A programmable hardware platform capable of supporting software implementations of the physical layer, or Software Defined Radio (SDR), has a number of advantages. These include support for multiple protocols, faster time-to-market, higher chip volumes, and support for late implementation changes. The challenge is to achieve this under the power budget of a mobile device. Wireless communications belong to an emerging class of applications with the processing requirements of a supercomputer but the power constraints of a mobile device — mobile supercomputing. This thesis presents a set of design proposals for building a programmable wireless communication solution. In order to design a solution that can meet the lofty requirements of SDR, this thesis takes an application-centric design approach — evaluate and optimize all aspects of the design based on the characteristics of wireless communication protocols. This includes a DSP processor architecture optimized for wireless baseband processing, wireless algorithm optimizations, and language and compilation tool support for the algorithm software and the processor hardware. This thesis first analyzes the software characteristics of SDR. Based on the analysis, this thesis proposes the Signal-Processing On-Demand Architecture (SODA), a fully programmable multi-core architecture that can support the computation requirements of third generation wireless protocols, while operating within the power budget of a mobile device. This thesis then presents wireless algorithm implementations and optimizations for the SODA processor architecture. A signal processing language extension (SPEX) is proposed to help the software development efforts of wireless communication protocols on SODA-like multi-core architecture. And finally, the SPIR compiler is proposed to automatically map SPEX code onto the multi-core processor hardware.
Strategy for dose escalation using 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for lung cancer.

Purpose : Local failure is a major obstacle to the cure of locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. 3-Dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-DCRT) selects optimal treatment parameters to increase dose to tumor and reduce normal tissue dose, potentially permitting dose escalation. There are several ongoing trials of dose escalation using 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer. We performed this analysis to determine if data derived from dose volume histograms could be used as the basis for designing the method of dose escalation in these trials. Methods and materials : Between 1990 and 1993, 31 patients were treated with 3-DCRT and had complete normal tissue dose volume histograms created as part of the planning process. The stage distribution was stage I/II 13%, stage IIIa in 45%, and stage IIIb in 42%. The median radiation dose to gross disease was 70.2 Gy (52.2-72 Gy). Elective mediastinal irradiation (50.4 Gy) was administered to 52% (16/31) of patients. Results : The major toxicity encountered in this experience was pulmonary. Dose-volume-histogram data were used to analyze the predictors of toxicity and showed a correlation between risk of pulmonary toxicity and indices of dose to lung parenchyma. Grade 3 or higher pulmonary toxicity occurred in 38% (3/8) of pts with > 30% of lung volume receiving ≥ 25 Gy, versus 4% (1/23) of pts. with ≤ 30% lung receiving ≥ 25 Gy (p=0.04). Grade 3 or higher pulmonary toxicity occurred in 29% (4/14) of patients with a predicted pulmonary normal tissue complication probability of 12% or higher versus 0% (0/17) in patients with a predicted probability of less than 12% (p=0.03). The single fatality occurred in a patient with a calculated pneumonitis probability of 85% and a high percent (49%) lung volume receiving > = 25 Gy. Conclusion : This preliminary experience demonstrates a correlation between lung dose-volume-histogram data and the risk of severe pulmonary toxicity. This provides an opportunity to modify the method of radiation dose escalation. Dose-volume-histogram data can allow escalation according to the risk to the lung parenchyma (which is the major organ of concern) rather than escalation according to tumor dose levels. Because of the major inter-patient variability of intrathoracic tumor bulk and anatomic distribution, this strategy is intuitively appropriate. This approach may facilitate completion of dose escalation studies and identification of maximum tolerable pulmonary dose levels.
Publishing performance in industrial organization: A comment

In their recent paper, "The Publishing Performance of U.S. Economics Departments in Industrial Organization," Victor J. Tremblay, Carol Horton Tremblay and Byunglak Lee (1989) seek to assess "faculty strength in industrial economics" by analyzing a set of information about "publishing performance." To do this, they tabulate the page totals for authors in "the leading 45 journals" for the years 1980-86. The results are interesting, but they present certain problems which invite further discussion. Several technical conditions make Tremblay-Tremblay-Lee's (TTL) research and results less complete and reliable than they suggest. In particular, measures of the frequency of citations are likely to give a more reliable picture, than do TTL's page counts, of which departments are "active." Also, there is a larger-and much more important issue which Tremblay-Tremblay-Lee inadvertently pose: the extent to which "Industrial Organization" is the same as "New IO Theory." The TTL methods and results are a useful basis for exploring this question, which goes to the heart of current controversies about the field's true nature and value. I will suggest in this note that there are actually two largely separate fields: "new 10 theory" is complementary to mainstream Industrial Organization, rather than a substitute for it. Because Tremblay-Tremblay-Lee make no distinction between the two fields, their results are incomplete and, in some prominent details, less than reliable.
Molecular dynamics predictions of thermal and mechanical properties of thermoset polymer EPON862/DETDA

Abstract We use molecular dynamics (MD) to perform an extensive characterization of the thermo-mechanical response of a thermoset polymer composed of epoxy EPON862 and curing agent DETDA. Our simulations, with no adjustable parameters, show that atomistic simulation can capture non-trivial behavior of amorphous thermosets including the role of polymerization degree, thermal history, strain rate and temperature on the glass transition temperature ( T g ) and mechanical response (including ultimate properties) and lead to predictions in quantitative agreement with experiments. We find a significant increase in T g , Young’s modulus and yield stress with degree of polymerization while yield strain is significantly less sensitive to it. For structures cured beyond the gel point (percolation of a 3D network) conversion degree and temperature affect yield stress in a similar way with yield stress linearly dependent on T − T g ; however, we find non-linear and non-universal relationship below the gel point. Our results show that a relative small variation in polymerization degree (∼5%) can explain the spread in experimental measurements of T g and elastic constants available in the literature.
Methods for coating filter paper for solid-phase microextraction with luminescence detection and characterization of the coated filter paper by infrared spectrometry

Abstract Methods were developed to coat Whatman No. 1 filter paper for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water. The filter paper samples were coated using solutions of poly(hydrogenmethylsiloxane) and dichlorodimethylsilane. The coated paper samples were tested for extraction of polar aromatic compounds and polycyclic aromatic compounds from aqueous solutions. The extracted compounds were detected using solid-matrix fluorescence (SMF) and solid-matrix phosphorescence (SMP). Also, the limits of detection and effective partition coefficients for the compounds were calculated for the coated papers. The limits of detection and effective partition coefficients were compared to those obtained using 1PS paper as an extraction medium. Both coated filter paper samples were shown to be more effective than Whatman 1PS for extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, the paper treated with poly(hydrogenmethylsiloxane) gave the best extraction properties and a limit of detection of 29 fmol/ml for benzo[ e ]pyrene. The paper coatings were characterized using near- and mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy. In addition, 1PS paper was determined to contain 1.04 wt.% poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS).
Effects of external magnetic fields on the operation of high-gradient accelerating structures

Abstract Field emission in an rf cavity in the presence of external magnetic fields is examined. We show that emitted electrons from a sharp protrusion are focused by the magnetic field into small spots at another location in the cavity where they heat its surface. Scaling laws are established for the beam’s induced heat in terms of macroscopic quantities such as magnetic field, accelerating gradient and spot dimensions. We find that when the magnetic field is of the order of a Tesla, the induced thermal stresses by the pulsed electron flux exceed the elastic limit and the surface becomes prone to cycling fatigue. The implication of these findings on the observed surface damage and magnetic-field-depended breakdown of an 805 MHz cavity is addressed.
Late Mississippian Folding of a Syncline in the Western Appalachians, West Virginia and Virginia

The Hurricane Ridge syncline is in the most westerly portion of the folded and thrust-faulted Appalachians in Tazewell County, Virginia, and Mercer County, West Virginia. Late Mississippian rocks are exposed in the trough of the syncline. The Hurricane Ridge syncline was being actively downwarped during deposition of the Upper Mississippian sequence. A greater thickness of sediment accumulated in the trough than in adjacent areas. During deposition of the prominent sandstones, finer and lighter grains were washed into the trough, and coarser quartz sands free of mica and clay were left on the structural flanks. A source area near the southeast flank of the syncline supplied pebbles and finer clastic particles to the depositional area. Continuing downwarp induced the partly lithified sediments to slump and flow toward the structural trough. Turbidity currents were generated on the southeast flank and were blocked by structural reversal on the northwest flank. Partial reduction of maroon sediments occurred periodically in the deeper water along the trough. Locally on the southeast flank of the Hurricane Ridge syncline, the Upper Mississippian beds were upturned and subjected to erosion prior to deposition of the overlying Pennsylvanian.
Boualem Sansal: novelist, polemicist, eulogist

L'enfant fou de l'arbre creux, by Boualem Sansal, Paris, Gallimard, 2000, 301 pp., ISBN 2-07-075928-8 Poste restante: Alger; Lettre de colere et d'espoir a mes compatriots, by Boualem Sansal, Paris, Gallimard, 2006, 59 pp., ISBN 2-07-077684-0 Petit eloge de la memoire: Quatre mille et une annees de nostalgie, by Boualem Sansal, Paris, Gallimard, 2007, 134 pp., ISBN 978-2-07-034126-9 Sansal represents an important new voice in Algerian literature. He is a politically engaged writer who, after publishing four novels, has turned to such genres as the political pamphlet and the essay to express political criticism. This analysis reviews a representative novel, a pamphlet in the form of an ‘open letter’, and an essay on North African history in order to present Sansal's principal arguments and to illustrate his stylistic methods. The three works constitute a coherent whole that attacks orthodox ideas while calling for expanding the space of public discourse in Algeria.
Nucleic acid and nucleotide content of myosin preparations.

Abstract Myosin preparations contain 0.5–0.8% of ribonucleic acid, which cannot be separated from the protein by the usual purification procedures, but can be extracted with hot 10 % NaCl solution and also removed partly after digestion with ribonuclease. The physicochemical and enzymic properties of myosin are unaffected by the depolymerization of the nucleic acid by ribonuclease. Hot TCA extracts from myosin contained the hydrolysis products of the nucleic acid, and an extra amount of adenine. The amount of the extra adenine is small in myosin A, but amounts to 0.1–0.4 group/105 g. protein in myosin B preparations. After extraction of the nucleic acid, the residual phosphorus amounts to 0.5–0.8 mole/105 g. protein.
Malignant hyperthermia in plastic surgery

Malignant hyperthermia is a seemingly rare genetic myopathy. Hypermetabolic crisis accompanied by a rise in body temperature to as high as 44 degrees C is its hallmark. Malignant hyperthermia is usually triggered by potent inhalated anesthetics and/or depolarizing muscle relaxants. Because of the extraordinary risk of death in patients who are at risk, plastic surgeons may be reluctant to operate on these patients. Five such patients were referred to the Plastic Surgery Service and the UCLA Malignant Hyperthermia Center for anesthetic and surgical management following plastic surgical procedures aborted for first episodes of malignant hyperthermia. They were anesthetized with nitrous oxide, barbiturates, opiates, tranquilizers, and nondepolarizing muscle relaxants. The patients were not treated prophylactically with dantrolene. Cardiac monitoring, end-tidal pCO2, and rectal temperatures were followed. After completion of their plastic surgical procedures, all five patients had a vastus lateralis muscle biopsy performed and subsequent caffeine/halothane contracture studies completed. The contracture study was positive in all patients studied. No anesthetic or surgical complications were encountered. This study demonstrates that patients at risk of developing malignant hyperthermia crisis can have plastic surgical procedures performed safely while undergoing appropriately selected general anesthesia.
Robust HRR radar target identification by hybridization of HMM and eigen-template-based matched filtering

In this paper, a new 1-D hybrid Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm is developed for sequential High Range Resolution (HRR) radar signatures. The proposed hybrid algorithm combines Eigen-Template based Matched Filtering (ETMF) and Hidden Markov modeling (HMM) techniques to achieve superior HRR-ATR performance. In the proposed hybrid approach, each HRR test profile is first scored by ETMF which is then followed by independent HMM scoring. The first ETMF scoring step produces a limited number of "most likely" models that are target and aspect dependent. These reduced number of models are then used for improved HMM scoring in the second step. Finally, the individual scores of ETMF and HMM are combined using Maximal Ratio Combining to render a classification decision. Classification results are presented for the MSTAR data set via ROC curves.
Digital image tiles: a method for the processing of large sections.

SUMMARY Segmentation of large areas of light microscopic slides into N by N fields, and each of these fields into M digital image tiles, allows the scanning, storage and digital processing of large images. Any of the original N2 fields or composites of M adjacent tiles can be recalled to the video display for analysis. Developed procedures for use on a microscope equipped with a precision scanning stage allow registration of the image coordinates (X-Y) for any original or composite field and the alignment of one of these fields along the depth (Z) axis by means of external, machined fiducial marks in serial sections. To facilitate work whenever unavoidable, we have incorporated methods for digital image panning and zooming (changes of magnification) and discuss their use and implications.
Controlled lock violation

In databases with a large buffer pool, a transaction may run in less time than it takes to log the transaction's commit record on stable storage. Such cases motivate a technique called early lock release: immediately after appending its commit record to the log buffer in memory, a transaction may release its locks. Thus, it cuts overall lock duration to a fraction and reduces lock contention accordingly.Early lock release also has its problems. The initial mention of early lock release was incomplete, the first detailed description and implementation was incorrect with respect to read-only transactions, and the most recent design initially had errors and still does not cover unusual lock modes such as "increment" locks. Thus, we set out to achieve the same goals as early lock release but with a different, simpler, and more robust approach.The resulting technique, controlled lock violation, requires no new theory, applies to any lock mode, promises less implementation effort and slightly less run-time effort, and also optimizes distributed transactions, e.g., in systems that rely on multiple replicas for high availability and high reliability. In essence, controlled lock violation retains locks until the transaction is durable but permits other transactions to violate its locks while flushing its commit log record to stable storage.
Analysis of the Na, K-ATPase α- and β-subunit expression profiles of bladder cancer using tissue microarrays

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunit expression in a histopathologically well-characterized group of patients representing a wide spectrum of tumor grades and disease stages with transitional cell carcinomas (TCC). METHODS Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunit protein expression patterns were analyzed using immunohistochemistry on urothelial cancer tissue microarrays (TMA) of 146 patients diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma. For each subunit, the maximum staining intensity and the percentage of positive cells staining at the maximal intensity were analyzed. RESULTS Compared with the benign fields, the mean protein expression for both Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunits were found to be decreased overall in in situ and invasive tumors, as well as in tumor-adjacent dysplastic fields. When Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunit expression levels were dichotomized into distinct groups, they were both found to be significant predictors of recurrence risk in multivariate logistic regression analysis (P = 0.0062, odds ratio [OR] = 2.6 and P = 0.013, OR = 0.43, for Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunits, respectively). The authors also found that patients with high α- and low β-subunit expression had a high risk for early recurrence, whereas patients with a low α- and high β-subunit expression had a significantly longer median recurrence-free time (17 months and 125 months, respectively, log rank statistics P = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that Na,K-ATPase α- and β-subunit expression levels may be useful predictors of clinical outcomes such as recurrence-free time of bladder cancer patients. Cancer 2003;97:1859–68. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11267
Chromatin remodeling is a key mechanism underlying cocaine-induced plasticity in striatum

Summary Given that cocaine induces neuroadaptations through regulation of gene expression, we investigated whether chromatin remodeling at specific gene promoters may be a key mechanism. We show that cocaine induces specific histone modifications at different gene promoters in striatum, a major neural substrate for cocaine's behavioral effects. At the cFos promoter, H4 hyperacetylation is seen within 30 min of a single cocaine injection, whereas no histone modifications were seen with chronic cocaine, consistent with cocaine's ability to induce cFos acutely, but not chronically. In contrast, at the BDNF and Cdk5 promoters, genes that are induced by chronic, but not acute, cocaine, H3 hyperacetylation was observed with chronic cocaine only. ΔFosB, a cocaine-induced transcription factor, appears to mediate this regulation of the Cdk5 gene. Furthermore, modulating histone deacetylase activity alters locomotor and rewarding responses to cocaine. Thus, chromatin remodeling is an important regulatory mechanism underlying cocaine-induced neural and behavioral plasticity.
A tutorial in displaying mass spectrometry-based proteomic data using heat maps

Data visualization plays a critical role in interpreting experimental results of proteomic experiments. Heat maps are particularly useful for this task, as they allow us to find quantitative patterns across proteins and biological samples simultaneously. The quality of a heat map can be vastly improved by understanding the options available to display and organize the data in the heat map. This tutorial illustrates how to optimize heat maps for proteomics data by incorporating known characteristics of the data into the image. First, the concepts used to guide the creating of heat maps are demonstrated. Then, these concepts are applied to two types of analysis: visualizing spectral features across biological samples, and presenting the results of tests of statistical significance. For all examples we provide details of computer code in the open-source statistical programming language R, which can be used for biologists and clinicians with little statistical background. Heat maps are a useful tool for presenting quantitative proteomic data organized in a matrix format. Understanding and optimizing the parameters used to create the heat map can vastly improve both the appearance and the interoperation of heat map data.
Acute onset esotropia after heroin withdrawal

• Diplopia in the form of acute esotropia may manifest in up to 30% of individuals undergoing heroin withdrawal.
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Literature Using Confidence Intervals

The validity and reliability of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) as a framework to measure the extent to which teachers can teach with technology hinges on the ability to aggregate results across empirical studies. The results of data collected using the survey of pre-service teacher knowledge of teaching with technology (TKTT) were synthesized using confidence intervals (CIs). Mean pre-service teacher TPACK point estimates were characterized by graphing CIs across studies from 2009 until 2011. The results present approximations of TPACK population parameters and implications for researchers and teacher educators.
Marsh dieback, loss, and recovery mapped with satellite optical, airborne polarimetric radar, and field data

Abstract Landsat Thematic Mapper and Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) satellite based optical sensors, NASA Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) polarimetric SAR (PolSAR), and field data captured the occurrence and the recovery of an undetected dieback that occurred between the summers of 2010, 2011, and 2012 in the Spartina alterniflora marshes of coastal Louisiana. Field measurements recorded the dramatic biomass decrease from 2010 to 2011 and a biomass recovery in 2012 dominated by a decrease of live biomass, and the loss of marsh as part of the dieback event. Based on an established relationship, the near-infrared/red vegetation index (VI) and site-specific measurements delineated a contiguous expanse of marsh dieback encompassing 6649.9 ha of 18,292.3 ha of S. alterniflora marshes within the study region. PolSAR data were transformed to variables used in biophysical mapping, and of this variable suite, the cross-polarization HV (horizontal send and vertical receive) backscatter was the best single indicator of marsh dieback and recovery. HV backscatter exhibited substantial and significant changes over the dieback and recovery period, tracked measured biomass changes, and significantly correlated with the live/dead biomass ratio. Within the context of regional trends, both HV and VI indicators started higher in pre-dieback marshes and exhibited substantially and statistically higher variability from year to year than that exhibited in the non-dieback marshes. That distinct difference allowed the capturing of the S. alterniflora marsh dieback and recovery; however, these changes were incorporated in a regional trend exhibiting similar but more subtle biomass composition changes.
In the shadow of Moundville: A bioarchaeological view of the transition to agriculture in the central Tombigbee valley of Alabama and Mississippi

Abstract Biocultural patterns surrounding the emergence of agriculture from 11 sites in the central Tombigbee River valley (500–1200 AD), 50–100 km west of the emerging Moundville polity, suggest that while food production may have alleviated some ecological stress, it came at a cost. Markers of childhood arrest indicate earlier weaning, likely creating a cycle of rising fertility and competition, but surviving adults appear better off following intensification. Health disparities at farmsteads, including more prevalent anemia, growth defects, lower limb infections, and accidental trauma, are consistent with increasingly competing demands of domestic and corporate modes of production. Although these agricultural settlements in the hinterlands were not severely compromised as predicted by a strictly top down model of provisioning, health risks assumed by farmsteads may have resulted from provisioning to centers and/or corporate lineages while simultaneously mitigating larger risks (e.g., raiding). The greater health risks assumed by farmstead females suggest that they had less control over production and decision-making than women buried at centers, while height and upper body strength at mound centers, in addition to rare but extreme trauma, point to identities that were mapped not only onto the landscape, but onto the bodies of men and women occupying elite spaces.
The Potential Role of Exposure to Environmental Toxicants in the Pathophysiology of Endometriosis

Humans and animals are exposed daily to a complex mixture of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs). Previous work has shown that exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is associated with a dose-dependent increase in the incidence and severity of endometriosis in the rhesus monkey. Dioxin-like chemicals can also exert effects in combination with TCDD via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Using a rhesus model of chronic TCDD exposure and endometriosis, serum concentrations of TCDD and 19 dioxin-like PHAHs were quantified 13 years after termination of exposure to TCDD. In additional studies, the immune status of TCDD-exposed monkeys was evaluated. For TCDD-exposed and unexposed animals, TCDD exposure correlated with an increased serum TCDD concentration. Furthermore, TCDD exposure and an elevated serum TCDD concentration were associated with increased serum levels of triglycerides, 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF), PCB77, and PCB126. Importantly, the animals with elevated serum levels of PCB77 and PCB126 and increased total serum TCDD equivalents (TEQs) had a high prevalence of endometriosis, and the severity of disease correlated with the serum concentration of PCB77. In immune studies, TCDD exposure correlated with increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to stimulation by T cell mitogen and decreased NK cytolytic activity. Elevated serum concentrations of TCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF, and PCB126 correlated with increased numbers of CD3+/CD25- and CD3-/CD25+ leukocytes and enhanced secretion of TNFalpha by mitogen-stimulated PBMC. This evidence suggests that TCDD exposure and endometriosis in the rhesus monkey may be associated with increased serum concentrations of specific coplanar PCB compounds and long-term alterations in systemic immunity. Furthermore, the data suggest a potential involvement of an increased body burden of PCB compounds in the etiology of endometriosis in the rhesus. Recent advances in the detection and assay of individual PHAH congeners in biological samples have made it possible to assess total PHAH body burden in humans and animals. Future studies are expected to exploit this advance to assess the health impact of PHAH body burdens in both exposed individuals and the general population. Serum PHAH concentrations and TEQs in TCDD-exposed monkeys with endometriosis are similar to or lower than blood levels in the general human population; thus, it is important to consider the implications of these findings for human health and the prevalence of endometriosis in humans. Additional studies are warranted, particularly in human subjects, to explore the potential implications of these data.
Impact of non-normal random effects on inference by multiple imputation: A simulation assessment

Multivariate extensions of well-known linear mixed-effects models have been increasingly utilized in inference by multiple imputation in the analysis of multilevel incomplete data. The normality assumption for the underlying error terms and random effects plays a crucial role in simulating the posterior predictive distribution from which the multiple imputations are drawn. The plausibility of this normality assumption on the subject-specific random effects is assessed. Specifically, the performance of multiple imputation created under a multivariate linear mixed-effects model is investigated on a diverse set of incomplete data sets simulated under varying distributional characteristics. Under moderate amounts of missing data, the simulation study confirms that the underlying model leads to a well-calibrated procedure with negligible biases and actual coverage rates close to nominal rates in estimates of the regression coefficients. Estimation quality of the random-effect variance and association measures, however, are negatively affected from both the misspecification of the random-effect distribution and number of incompletely-observed variables. Some of the adverse impacts include lower coverage rates and increased biases.
Contextualizing physical literacy in the school environment: The challenges

Abstract The intent of this paper is to conceptualize physical literacy in the school environment within the United States educational system. Evolution of physical literacy from both a general education and disciplinary focus is overviewed. The challenges of transitioning from a physically educated to a physically literate person as the primary learning outcome of physical education may inhibit progress. Five prioritized recommendations are made to assist teachers in overcoming such barriers: (a) whole of school approach, (b) effective, differentiated pedagogy, (c) integration of technology for individualized tracking of progress, (d) supportive school climate, and (e) alignment of local efforts with national initiatives.
TAUTOMERISM IN 3-ETHOXY-5-PHENYL-1,2,4-TRIAZOLE

The cmr spectrum of the title compound was observed at several temperatures and assigned based on a tautomeric exchange requiring that the N(1)-H compound be present to the extent of 70%.
Morphology and cytidine-5′-monophosphatase cytochemistry of odontogenic epithelium at the enamel-free areas of mouse molars

This epithelium in developing first and second molars of 1-15 days old balb/c mice was examined by light and electron microscopy. The lysosomal content of these epithelial cells was assessed using CMPase as a marker. At the early developmental stages (4-7 days), the epithelial cells at the enamel-free areas had morphological features of secretory cells. A distinct afibrillar layer was identified covering the enamel-free dentine surfaces. This layer was morphologically different from both the underlying dentine and the enamel at its periphery. At a later stage (9 days), the epithelial cells had extensive infoldings of their distal membranes. Also, the secretory organelles were markedly reduced and mostly replaced by abundant mitochondria concentrated in the distal cytoplasm. Numerous CMPase-reactive lysosomal structures were demonstrated in the 9- and 11-day-old specimens. These cytochemical and morphological features are consistent with a resorptive activity for the enamel-free cells during this developmental stage (9-11 days). Subsequently, at 15 days, these cells had regressed into a flattened squamous epithelium that remained in contact with the tooth surface until eruption.
Organizing your clinical service line: colon cancer prevention.

P Purchasers of health care are slowly shifting from a defined benefit to a defined contribution infrastructure. Examples include accountable care organizations, premium support, and state block grants to name a few. Concomitantly, reimbursement for specific medical services is moving from a volume-based to a value-based model. Both trends will force gastroenterologists to restructure their practices so they deliver care through clinical service lines (CSLs). In the second of two articles about CSLs, we describe the fundamentals of a colon cancer prevention program. Last month, Dr Sunanda Kane described a CSL for inflammatory bowel disease. These are significant steps along the roadmap to the future of gastroenterology practice.
Autologous Tissue in Complex Aortic Valve Disease

Young patients with complex aortic valve disease involving the aortic root or ascending aorta are a challenge to manage. To use the Ross operation and realize its benefits, the operative technique must include aortic annulus reduction and fixation and replacement of ascending aortic pathology. Special techniques must be used when the cause of the complex disease is active endocarditis of the valve and aortic root. Surgical techniques that allow the use of the Ross operation in these settings and the midterm results in 84 patients are reviewed.
On making and attributing demonstrative reference

Demonstrative reference is the mechanism that connects us, as con scious beings, to the world we encounter. Aristotle, Kant and Hegel recognized the role of demonstrative reference as the grain of truth in empiricism; and demonstrative reference is at the heart of Descartes' Cogito. Recently, attention has been given to the significance of demonstrative reference for language and perceptual beliefs.1 I shall emphasize the role of demonstrative reference in our under standing of self-consciousness. In order to think of oneself as a self who faces a world, one must be able to make demonstrative reference. In order to think of others as selves, one must be able to attribute demonstrative reference to them. Here I study both the indexical mechanism for making demonstrative reference and the quasi-indexical mechanism for attributing demonstrative reference to others. Ultimately, I connect these largely linguistic investigations to broader topics in metaphysics and the philosophy of mind. Part I is an examination and critique of several views of indicators in indirect discourse; Part II is a discussion of quasi-indexical reference; Part III is a critical assessment of the Casta?eda-Hintikka debate on the irreducibility of quasi-indicators; Part IV is an argument linking the capacity to make first-person demonstrative reference to self-con sciousness.
Multivariate analyses of the factors affecting the distribution, abundance and social form of Louisiana fire ants, Solenopsis invicta

We surveyed 165 sites to determine the ecological factors influencing the distribution, abundance, and occurrence of polygyny in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in Louisiana. On average, sites had 220 nests/ha, 14% of mounds were polygyne, and 22% of sites had ≥ one polygyne mound. The density of nests and ants per site both increased with the proportion of mounds that were polygyne and the organic and phosphorous content of the soil but decreased with longitude, latitude, and the silt: clay, calcium and sodium content of the soil. Ant density also declined with ambient relative humidity. These multivariate models explained ~25% of the variation in nest and ant density per site. Mean mound size per site increased with the phosphorous content of the soil and the number of nests at the site suggesting that prospective queens may select sites that are conducive to produce large mounds. Mean nest size, however, decreased with the proportion of nests that were polygyne and soil potassium while mounds in forests were typically larger than those in residential areas. Overall, this model accounted for 29% of the variation in mean nest size per site. Polygyne sites were patchily distributed across Louisiana. The probability of a site being polygyne declined with mean monthly temperature for 1999 – 2003 and distance to the nearest commercial waterway suggesting that shipping activities may have played a role in the introduction of polygyne colonists to an area. Forested sites were also less likely to be polygyne than those in residential areas. Finally, the density of polygyne nests and ants increased with latitude whereas that of the monogyne form generally declined with latitude. The abundance of both social forms was also greater when they occurred alone. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that monogyne and polygyne S. invicta compete with one another.
Uncovering Genetic Relationships using Small Molecules that Selectively Target Yeast Cell Cycle Mutants

Genetic analysis in budding yeast has shown thatmultiple G1 cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinasescontrol cell cycle entry, polarized growth, andspindle pole duplication. The G1 cyclins Cln1 andCln2 associate with the cyclin-dependent kinaseCdc28 to facilitate cell cycle progression anddevelopment of the cleavage apparatus. We havedeveloped a chemical genetic approach towardthe discovery of compounds that target G1 controlpathways by screening for compounds that selec-tively kill a yeast strain lacking the G1 cyclinsCln1 and Cln2. A class of small molecules wasidentiﬁed that is highly toxic toward thecln1Dcln2D double mutant and has relatively littleeffect on wild-type yeast. We call these com-pounds ’clinostatins’ for their selectivity towardthe cln1/2 deletion strain. Clinostatins were usedin a genome-wide chemical synthetic lethalityscreen to identify other genes required for growthin the presence of the drug. Other deletions thatwere sensitive to the drug include members of theprotein kinase C(PKC)-dependent MAP kinasepathway. These results suggest an approach forcombining chemical synthetic lethality and chem-ical genomic screens to uncover novel geneticinteractions that can be applied to other eukaryot-ic pathways of interest.Key words: cell cycle, chemical genetics, chemical genomics, high-throughput screening, yeastReceived 19 February 2007, revised and accepted for publication 7March 2007
Active surface segmentation analysis of CCAT

The Cornell Caltech Atacama Sub-millimeter Telescope (CCAT) is proposed to have 25m-diameter primary segmented active surface capable of diffraction-limited operation in the wavelength range between 200 microns to 1mm. The active surface design layout is composed of 162 "pie-shaped" segments, each fitted with three actuators that provide piston and tilt/tip control for segment positioning and orientation. We present a performance analysis for five types of segment positioning errors, e.g., piston, tilt/tips, radial and azimuth displacements, and twist errors. From these only the first two, segment piston and tilt/tip errors, are directly controllable by the actuator system. Segment tilt/tip motions may indirectly compensate radial and azimuth segment positioning errors. Residual segment twists introduce quadric phase distribution errors across the face of the segments that cannot be compensated by a simple 3-actuator/segment active surface control system. We have obtained Ruze's coefficients that relate the standard deviation of each segment positioning error type with the overall Strehl ratio of the telescope at 200 microns.
Robust designs for first-order multiple design multivariate models

This paper deals with the methodology of obtaining designs that are robust to nonnormality of the error distribution for tests associated with first-order multiple design multivariate linear models.A sequential procedure is given for the generation of the proposed designs.
Improved Long Term Outcome for the Micropreemies (<800 grams) 1164

Continued assessment of Long Term Outcome is necessary to evaluate ongong obstetrical and neonatal interventions, as well as to be able to share this information with prospective parents and the perinatal team. Recently introduced interventions include Antenatal Steroids and Surfactant administration. St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center is a recently awarded Perinatal Tertiary Care facility which serves part of Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan. The study period included January 1, 1993, to June 30, 1996. Therewere 1,216 admissions to our NICU. For the birth weight between 501- 800 grams there were 72 births. Forty-four (44) survived to be discharged from the NICU and remain alive to date (61% survival). All but two (2) have reached the adjusted age of 18 months. Eight (8) were lost to follow-up (81% follow-up rate), and twenty-six (26) did not survive. The mean gestational age and birth weight with 1 SD for the survivors were 25.9 +/- 1.7 weeks and 686+/- 74g, compared with non-survivors at 239 +/- 1.7 and 618 +/- 63g, respectively. Among the survivors 50% (n=8) did not receive Antenatal Steroids, 22% (n=8) received only 1 dose, and 28% (n=10) received a full course. Surfactant was given to 78% (n=28), BPD-36 weeks on 36%, IVH>2 on 11%, ROP>2 in 50% and Post-Natal Steroids on 83%. Combined Bayley II Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and Neuromuscular Evaluation resulted in 47% Survivors to be normal (n=17), 28% (n=10) to be Suspect, and 25% (n=9) show a Severe Handicap.