cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulsed current gradient power supply for microcoil magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) microscopy requires very strong gradients (>10 T/m) that can be rapidly switched between positive and negative gradient fields. A gradient power supply is presented that is capable of pulsing a custom built triaxial microcoil gradient system to an excess of 15 T/m (and as high as 50 T/m), representing pulsed currents in excess of 150 A into loads of ∼200 mΩ (gradient coil plus cables). The gradient power supply is switchable (from positive to negative gradient fields) within a time of ∼10 μs. An H-bridge design, consisting of four metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), is used for changing both the current and magnetic field gradient directions. In series with the H bridge is an additional MOSFET that is optimized to be a voltage-controlled (adjustable) resistor to send the current through the gradient coils. Because MOSFETS require special driving circuits to overcome parasitic capacitances, the MOSFET fundamental design parameters are also presented to complete the circuit schematics. The gradient power supply presented allows for the high gradient fields required for microcoil MRI of small samples. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts in Magnetic Resonance (Magn Reson Engineering) 15: 189–200, 2002
Polyacetylene as an electrode in solid state batteries

Abstract Highly conducting polyacetylene can be used as an electrode in a solid state cell. The solid electrode processes are the doping and the undoping of the polymer by the mobile ions. The solid state doping and the emf of the Na/(CH) x cell are examined. The emf of the Na/(CH) x cell versus concentration curve resembles that of Li/TiS 2 .
Antiobesity Pharmacotherapy: New Drugs and Emerging Targets

Obesity is a growing pandemic, and related health and economic costs are staggering. Pharmacotherapy, partnered with lifestyle modifications, forms the core of current strategies to reduce the burden of this disease and its sequelae. However, therapies targeting weight loss have a significant history of safety risks, including cardiovascular and psychiatric events. Here, evolving strategies for developing antiobesity therapies, including targets, mechanisms, and developmental status, are highlighted. Progress in this field is underscored by Belviq (lorcaserin) and Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate), the first agents in more than 10 years to achieve regulatory approval for chronic weight management in obese patients. On the horizon, novel insights into metabolism and energy homeostasis reveal guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) signaling circuits as emerging targets for antiobesity pharmacotherapy. These innovations in molecular discovery may elegantly align with practical off-the-shelf approaches, leveraging existing approved drugs that modulate cGMP levels for the management of obesity.
Stabilization of Anionic and Neutral Forms of a Fluorophoric Ligand at the Active Site of Human Carbonic Anhydrase I

Abstract We synthesized a fluorogenic dansylamide derivative (JB2-48), which fills the entire (15 A deep) active site pocket of human carbonic anhydrase I, and investigated the contributions of sulfonamide and hydrophobic regions of the ligand structure on the spectral, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties of the enzyme–ligand complex. The steady-state and fluorescence lifetime data revealed that the deprotonation of the sulfonamide moiety of the enzyme bound ligand increases the fluorescence emission intensity as well as the lifetime of the fluorophores. This is manifested via the electrostatic interaction between the active site resident Zn 2+ cofactor and the negatively charged sulfonamide group of the ligand, and such interaction contributes to about 2.2 kcal/mol (ΔΔ G ∘) and 0.89 kcal/mol (ΔΔ G ‡ ) energy in stabilizing the ground and the putative transition states, respectively. We provide evidence that the anionic and neutral forms of JB2-48 are stabilized by the complementary microscopic/conformational states of the enzyme. The implication of the mechanistic studies presented herein in rationale design of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors is discussed.
Eliminating blinding trachoma.

In the developing world, trachoma remains the leading infectious cause of blindness. Dr. Joseph Cook writes that the early results achieved with the use of the SAFE strategy and azithromycin mass treatment suggest that elimination of blinding trachoma by 2020 is entirely possible.
Fate of Manuscripts Rejected From the Red Journal

Purpose To evaluate characteristics associated with higher rates of acceptance for original manuscripts submitted for publication to the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (IJROBP) and describe the fate of rejected manuscripts. Methods and Materials Manuscripts submitted to the IJROBP from May 1, 2010, to August 31, 2010, and May 1, 2012, to August 31, 2012, were evaluated for author demographics and acceptance status. A PubMed search was performed for each IJROBP -rejected manuscript to ascertain whether the manuscript was ultimately published elsewhere. The Impact Factor of the accepting journal and the number of citations of the published manuscript were also collected. Results Of the 500 included manuscripts, 172 (34.4%) were accepted and 328 (65.6%) were rejected. There was no significant difference in acceptance rates according to gender or degree of the submitting author, but there were significant differences seen based on the submitting author's country, rank, and h-index. On multivariate analysis, earlier year submitted ( P P =.006) remained significantly associated with acceptance into the IJROBP . Two hundred thirty-five IJROBP -rejected manuscripts (71.7%) were ultimately published in a PubMed-listed journal as of July 2014. There were no significant differences in any submitting author characteristics. Journals accepting IJROBP -rejected manuscripts had a lower median [interquartile range] 2013 impact factor compared with the IJROBP (2.45 [1.53-3.71] vs 4.176). The IJROBP -rejected manuscripts ultimately published elsewhere had a lower median [interquartile range] number of citations (1 [0-4] vs 6 [2-11]; P Conclusions The acceptance rate for manuscripts submitted to the IJROBP is approximately one-third, and approximately 70% of rejected manuscripts are ultimately published in other PubMed-listed journals, but these ultimate-destination journals usually have a lower impact factor, leading to fewer citations and overall visibility.
New Application of Radiocarbon Dating to Collagen Residue in Bones

The authors discuss some disadvantages and errors of radiocarbon dating as seen from the point of view of the analyst, the archaeologist and the museologist. This is followed by the results from carbon-14 analyses made on various bone materials both human and animal, excavated from different archaeological sites in Sweden. The article suggests that collagen dating offers the archaeologist an elegant and versatile tool which is likely to find wide application. -- AATA
EXPLOITING YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE

Exploiting a company's competitive advantage is a subject all marketing managers wrestle with daily, both strategically and tactically. Hewlett‐Packard will be used as a case study here. It has a unique competitive advantage in the industry — a blend of expertise in both electronic measurement and computational technologies. More relevant here, HP is managing change and exploiting its competitive advantage in the process. Some of the things it has learned along the way are quite generic.
Plasma Estrogen and Progesterone Levels After Mating, and During Late Pregnancy and Postpartum in Cows12

Peripheral blood plasma was analyzed for total estrogen and progesterone concentrations concurrently during several reproductive stages of the cow. In trial I, 18 beef heifers were mated and blood was collected every 3 days until they either returned to estrus or until day 39 of pregnancy. In trial II, 10 dairy cows were bled daily from 7–14 days prior to parturition, then on a twice a week basis for 60 days postpartum. Estrogen and progesterone concentrations were determined by radio assay. In mated cows that returned to estrus, the mean estrogen level was below 7 pg/ml on day 3, 6, 12 and 15. It increased to a minor peak on day 9 (13 pg/ml) and to a major peak just before estrus (25 pg/ ml). In pregnant cows, it was low (<5 pg/ml) from day 3 until 39. Plasma progesterone increased from 1.2 ng/ml on day 3 to levels of 8.2 ng/ml and 9.9 ng/ml on day 12, in the two groups, respectively. After day 12, the progesterone level declined in the nonpregnant cows and increased to 13.9 ng/ml in the pregnant cows. D...
Direct visualization of hepatitis C virus-infected Huh7.5 cells with a high titre of infectious chimeric JFH1-EGFP reporter virus in three-dimensional Matrigel cell cultures.

Identification of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) JFH1 isolate enabled the development of infectious HCV cell culture systems. However, the relatively low virus titres and instability of some chimeric JFH1 reporter viruses restricts some uses of this system. We describe a higher-titre JFH1-EGFP reporter virus where the NS5A V3 region was replaced with the EGFP gene and adapted by serial passage in Huh7.5 cells. Six adaptive mutants were identified: one each in E2, P7 and NS4B, plus three in the NS5A region. These adaptive mutants increased the reporter virus titres to 1×106 immunofluorescent focus-forming units ml−1, which is the highest titre of JFH1-EGFP reporter virus reported to our knowledge. This chimeric virus did not lose EGFP expression following 40 days of passage and it can be used to test the activity of HCV antivirals by measuring EGFP fluorescence in 96-well plates. Moreover, this reporter virus allows living infected Huh7.5 cells in Matrigel three-dimensional (3D) cultures to be visualized and produces infectious viral particles in these 3D cultures. The chimeric NS5A-EGFP infectious JFH1 reporter virus described should enable new studies of the HCV life cycle in 3D cell cultures and will be useful in identifying antivirals that interfere with HCV release or entry.
Role of Oral Antibiotics in Treatment of Breastfeeding Women with Chronic Breast Pain Who Fail Conservative Therapy

Abstract Background: Although breast pain remains a common cause of weaning, controversy exists regarding the etiology of chronic pain. Prospective studies are needed to define optimal treatment regimens. We evaluated patient history, exam, and bacterial cultures in breastfeeding women with chronic breast pain. We compared pain resolution and breastfeeding complications in patients responding to conservative therapy (CTX) (n=38) versus those in patients failing CTX and receiving oral antibiotic treatment (OTX) (n=48). Subjects and Methods: We prospectively enrolled 86 breastfeeding women with breast pain lasting greater than 1 week and followed up patients through 12 weeks. Results: Higher initial breast (p=0.012) and nipple pain severity (p=0.004), less response to latch correction (p=0.015) at baseline visit, and breastmilk Staphylococcus aureus growth (p=0.001) were associated with failing CTX. Pain type was not associated with failure of CTX. When culture results were available at 5 days, breast pain ...
Capture-time Classification of Mobile Sunset Photos Leveraging Strong Spatiotemporal Cues

Advancements in the field of mobile photography provide new contextual cues to enhance capture-time scene classification. In this paper we present a novel approach to improve an existing sunset photo classifier by using the photo's spatiotemporal cues. First, we classify the photo based on visual cues using a support vector machine. Second, we use spatiotemporal cues -- geolocation, date, and time -- to calculate the range of times when sunset photos are expected to be taken that day; the probability distribution is learnt from a large set of geotags obtained from Flickr. We then classify the photo using those spatiotemporal cues. Finally, we obtain a classification from the posterior probability using both visual and spatiotemporal cues. We present a new mobile camera app that classifies photos as sunset or non-sunset at capture time, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our application on a large dataset.
Analysis of Physarum proteins throughout the cell cycle by two-dimensional PAGE.

Abstract The accumulation of several hundred proteins during the nuclear division cycle of Physarum polycephalum was measured by digital image processing of silver-stained two-dimensional (2D) polyacrylamide gels. In contrast to previous studies, we have used an organism with a naturally synchronous cell cycle, so there are no uncertainties concerning synchronization artifacts or cell-sorting artifacts, and we have measured the specific amounts of each protein rather than the rate of synthesis. Since one-dimensional SDS-PAGE shows no significant fluctuations in the most abundant plasmodial proteins, we have loaded 2D gels so that proteins of low-to-moderate abundance appear in the linear range of the silver stain standard curve. Only five proteins showed reproducible, measurable fluctuations during the cell cycle. One of these proteins was tubulin. Full quantitative information was obtained by analysing the digital images of silver-stained gels by a general image processing system.
Sentence Imagery and Recall: An Electroencephalographic Evaluation of Hemispheric Processing in Males and Females

Hemispheric alpha asymmetries were obtained for males and females during the presentation of sentences comprised of high imagery and low imagery words. The subject's task was to later recall lexical items for each imagery group. The subjects were also administered a modified version of Paivio's (1971) Individual Differences Questionnaire (IDQ). The results indicated that females appeared to process both sentence types left hemispherically while males used the right hemisphere for these stimuli. No difference in processing was found for the two imagery conditions. Females scored higher than males on both subtests of the IDQ and tended to recall more items from both imagery conditions. The results are discussed in terms of stimulus and task variables which may affect hemispheric processing.
Effect of Thickness on Single Ply Percolation and Conductivity

A single ply of unidirectional composite is modeled as a two-dimension al close packed lattice of circular fiber cross sections of infinite width and finite thickness. To introduce randomness fibers are removed at random from the lattice, leaving vacant lattice sites of matrix material, until a certain fiber volume fraction is reached. The effect of lattice thickness on the critical fiber fraction for percolation is calculated for this random, close packed fiber model. For a typical ply thickness of 24 fiber diameters, the critical fiber fraction for percolation is reduced by 20% from the infinite lattice value of 0.45 to a smaller value of 0.36. The percolation versus thickness results of the random square lattice of fibers are compared with those of the random close packed fiber model. Experimental measure ments of the increase in electrical conductivity of a single ply of graphite/ epoxy composite with decrease in ply thickness predicted by the random close packed fiber model, are presented.
Spherically symmetric solutions in Abelian Kaluza-Klein theories☆

Abstract We present the most general spherically symmetric solution to the field equations of the truncated five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory. We also detail some of the special forms of this solution. With the exception of the Gross-Perry-Sorkin monopole and the Schwarzschild solutions we find that most, and we conjecture all, of the solutions have naked curvaure singularities. We then proceed to consider higher-dimensional theories with toroidal compactification and we exhibit a class of nonsingular monopole solutions which are the natural generalization of the Gross-Perry-Sorkin monopole to more than five dimensions. We also present some selected solutions including a solution pertaining to a model with a Ricci-flat, but not curvature-flat, internal manifold. All of these other solutions have naked curvature singularities.
Kinetics of micronucleus expression in synchronized irradiated Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The kinetics of expression of radiation-induced micronuclei (MN) in synchronized Chinese hamster cells (CHO) was examined. the purpose of the study was to determine if the cell cycle distribution of a population significantly influences the levels of radiation induced MN, thereby obscuring the exact quantification of the radiation effect. Cells were synchronized by centrifugal elutriation, irradiated, and then different phases of the cell cycle were examined for: cell cycle progression, division probability, and temporal expression of MN. the results demonstrate that the time interval for maximal MN expression is long enough that the position of cells in the cell cycle and radiation induced division delays do not prevent the majority of cells from completing their first post-irradiation mitosis, therefore, expressing MN. By following the progression of synchronized cell populations by flow cytometry and also examining the time of division of individual cells for 24 hr after irradiation, we observed that the maximum number of cells from all phases of the cell cycle are in their first post-irradiation interphase at that time, thus explaining the MN results.
"I am very, very proud of myself": improving youth activity levels using self-determination theory in program development.

Many adolescents are not meeting recommended levels for physical activity. Increasing physical activity among urban African American youth is both a challenge and a public health priority. Most research in community-based interventions has taken a didactic approach, focusing on skill and knowledge development alone, with inconclusive results. This ten-week progressive activity intervention with adolescents in an urban faith community introduced a self-determination theory (SDT) approach with the aim of promoting the adoption of self-management skills necessary for sustaining activity. Components of SDT included relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Together with didactics, aligning activities with participant interests, and using existing social structures for health message delivery, the approach led to high satisfaction ratings for the three components of SDT along with improved skills, knowledge, and outcomes in cardiovascular fitness. Understanding and utilizing approaches that enhance enjoyment, personal choice, confidence, and social affiliation may lead to more lasting healthy activity behaviors and attitudes than didactic approaches alone in this and other adolescent populations. The SDT is reviewed in the context of this youth intervention.
Effects of silicon nutrition on cadmium uptake, growth and photosynthesis of rice plants exposed to low-level cadmium

The effect of silicon (Si) nutrition on low-level cadmium (Cd) toxicity symptoms was investigated in hydroponically-grown rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.). Silicon (0.0, 0.2, or 0.6 mM) was added when seedlings were 6 or 20 days old representing early (SiE) or late (SiL) Si treatment, respectively. Cadmium (0.0 or 2.5 μM) was added when seedlings were 6 days old. Measurements included generation of CO2 and light response curves; chlorophyll fluorescence analysis; growth; and tissue-element content analysis. Our results showed that low-level Cd treatment generally inhibited growth and photosynthesis. However, the addition of 0.2 or 0.6 mM SiE or SiL significantly reduced root- and leaf-Cd content. Consequently, the addition of 0.6 mM SiL significantly alleviated low-level Cd-induced inhibition of growth. Furthermore, 0.2 mM Si treatment significantly reduced g s compared to 0.0 or 0.6 mM Si without inhibiting A, especially in +Cd plants, suggesting an increase in instantaneous water-use-efficiency (IWUE). Additionally, in +Cd plants, the addition of 0.6 mM SiE significantly reduced F o but increased F v/F m, while treatment with 0.2 mM SiL significantly increased qP, suggesting an increase in light-use-efficiency. We thus, propose that 0.6 mM SiL treatment is required for the alleviation of low-level Cd-mediated growth inhibition. Furthermore, we suggest that 0.2 mM Si concentration might be close to the optimum requirement for maximum Si-induced increase in IWUE in rice plants, especially when under low-level Cd-stress. Our results also suggest that Si alleviates low-level Cd toxicity by improving light-use-efficiency.
Spontaneously dimerized ground states in 1D frustrated Heisenberg antiferromagnets

We give an explicit proof that the completely dimerized (’Kekule or nearest‐neighbor resonant valence bond) state is the degenerate ground state of a linear chain S =1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet, with competing couplings extending up to 2n nearest neighbors, if the relation J1 = 2n, J2 = 2n − 1,...,J2n = 1, holds between the various exchange integrals. The previously known result for J2 =1/2 J1 is then just a special case corresponding to n=1. We study in detail n=2 (fourth‐nearest neighbors) and show that this state is the ground state of the Hamiltonian when J1 − 2J2 + J3 = 0, J3 = 2J4, in a finite interval of values of the parameter J4. A rigorous lower limit for the extension of this interval is found to be 0 ≤ J4 ≤1/4 J1. A comparison with ground‐state configurations of the equivalent classical Heisenberg and Ising models is made.
The effect of land-cover change on vegetation greenness-based satellite agricultural drought indicators: a case study in the southwest climate division of Indiana, USA

During the last decade, the use of the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI for drought monitoring applications has drawn many criticisms, mainly because a number of drivers such as land-cover/land-use change, pest infestation, and flooding may depress the NDVI, further causing false drought identification. In this study, the impacts of land-cover change on the NDVI-derived satellite drought indicator, the vegetation condition index VCI, are presented. It was found that the VCI is sensitive to changes in land cover, especially deforestation, the land cover changes from evergreen and deciduous forests to other land-cover classes. However, because the scale of land-cover changes was very small across the study area, only trivial drought alerts were observed in the VCI-based drought maps during non-drought years. Because drought is a large-scale climate event, it is reasonable to neglect these alerts. Besides, when the VCI was averaged to climate division scale, the results obtained through the VCI method were in good agreement with those acquired by the meteorological data-based drought indices such as the Palmer drought severity index and standardized precipitation index.
Short-term serial sampling of natriuretic peptides in patients presenting with chest pain.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to characterize the diagnostic and prognostic utility of short-term dynamic changes in natriuretic peptides in patients presenting with chest pain. Background Although single levels of natriuretic peptides in patients admitted for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have important prognostic value, it is unclear whether serial sampling of natriuretic peptides might have both diagnostic and prognostic value in the setting of chest pain. Methods We followed 276 patients for 90 days who presented to the emergency department with chest pain. We sampled brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal (NT)-proBNP up to 5 times within 24 h of presentation and again at discharge. Follow-up data was collected at 30 and 90 days after admission. Adverse events included emergency department visits for chest pain, cardiac readmission, and death. We assessed the prognostic and diagnostic value of baseline natriuretic peptide measurements with receiver-operating characteristic analyses. Results Natriuretic peptides were diagnostic for congestive heart failure (CHF) and new-onset CHF but less so for ACS. The prognostic utility of serial sampling was evaluated through testing the statistical contribution of each future time point (as well as variability over time) over and above the baseline values in logistic regression models. Conclusions Baseline elevated BNP and NT-proBNP concentrations were predictive of adverse events at 30 and 90 days. Serial sampling did not improve the prognostic value of BNP or NT-proBNP.
Production of reflex cough by brainstem respiratory networks

Delineation of neural mechanisms involved in reflex cough is essential for understanding its many physiological and clinical complexities, and the development of more desirable antitussive agents. Brainstem networks that generate and modulate the breathing pattern are also involved in producing the motor patterns during reflex cough. Neurones of the ventrolateral medulla respiratory pattern generator mutually interact with neural networks in the pons, medulla and cerebellum to form a larger dynamic network. This paper discusses evidence from our laboratory and others supporting the involvement of the nucleus tractus solitarii, midline raphe nuclei and lateral tegmental field in the medulla, and the pontine respiratory group and cerebellum in the production of reflex cough. Gaps in our knowledge are identified to stimulate further research on this complicated issue.
The Use of Epidemiological Methodology as a Means of Influencing Public Policy

To best influence policymakers, researchers need to provide information and measures of effects that reflect the nature of policy decisions. Specifically, policymakers are often interested in factors associated with changes in the number of cases or rate of disorders in a community. Regression/analysis of variance (ANOVA) models, which focus on the prediction of means, slopes, and variances, do not directly address such questions. In contrast, epidemiological statistics, which focus on differences in proportions of cases, do provide such information. Three epidemiological measures of effect (the risk-ratio, the odds-ratio, and the population attributable fraction) are reviewed; their value as tools for informing public policy is discussed; and examples are provided illustrating their use. Researchers are encouraged to consider adopting an epidemiological perspective as part of their work.
Statistics in Liberal Arts Education

Abstract Statistics has not been a part of the typical liberal arts curriculum. After an examination of some central features of both liberal arts education and statistics, it is argued that statistics can play a strong role in liberal arts education, in part because of the advances that have taken place in computer technology.
A Short Period for Obtaining R.O.P. Egg Weights

Abstract IT IS not practical for poultry breeders to weigh all of the eggs laid by each pullet. The selection of breeding fowls for egg size must be based upon the weights of a representative sample of eggs from each hen. Several different methods of taking egg weight samples have been found to be very reliable for measuring egg weight. Jull (1930) found that by weighing the eggs laid on the same day each week throughout the year a very reliable index of the average egg weight of the first year egg production was obtained. The first 10 eggs laid during the month of March was a reliable index for about 60 percent of the hens. Dudley (1930–31) and Godfrey (1933) found that by weighing the eggs four consecutive days each month a good index of the first-year egg weight could be secured. Maw and Maw (1932) observed that the . . .
Predation risk and foraging behavior of the hoary marmot in Alaska

I observed hoary marmots for three field seasons to determine how the distribution of food and the risk of predation influenced marmots' foraging behavior. I quantified the amount of time Marmota caligata foraged in different patches of alpine meadows and assessed the distribution and abundance of vegetation eaten by marmots in these meadows. Because marmots dig burrows and run to them when attacked by predators, marmot-toburrow distance provided an index of predation risk that could be specified for different meadow patches. Patch use correlated positively with food abundance and negatively with predation risk. However, these significant relationships disappeared when partial correlations were calculated because food abundance and risk were intercorrelated. Using multiple regression, 77.0% of the variance in patch use was explained by a combination of food abundance, refuge burrow density, and a patch's distance from the talus where sleeping burrows were located. Variations in vigilance behavior (look-ups to search for predators while feeding) according to marmots' ages, the presence of other conspecifics, and animals' proximity to their sleeping burrows all indicated that predation risk influenced foraging. In a forage-manipulation experiment, the use of forage-enhanced patches increased six-fold, verifying directly the role of food availability on patch used. Concomitant with increased feeding, however, was the intense construction of refuge burrows in experimental patches that presumably reduced the risk of feeding. Thus, I suggest that food and predation risk jointly influence patch use by hoary marmots and that both factors must be considered when modeling the foraging behavior of species that can be predator and prey simultaneously.
Adrenal cortex: scalpels, syringes, and separatory funnels

This essay looks at the historical significance of three APS classic papers that are freely available online: Houssay BA and Lewis JT. The relative importance to life of cortex and medulla of the a...
Productivity of a herbivorous pupfish population (Cyprinodon nevadensis) in a warm desert stream

Production and food intake by an herbivorous pupfish population (Cyprinodon nevadensis amargosae) living in the outflow of a thermal artesian well (Tecopa Bore) near Death Valley, California is described. Water issues from the ground at 47.5° C and cools 8.12° C before leaving the study area 300 m from the source. High stream temperatures restricted the pupfish population to some 41 % of the study area, with a resulting mean density of 89 individuals m−2 (range = 13 to 196m−2). Biomass estimates ranged from 7 kcal m−2 to 42 kcal m−2. The mean annual standing crop of pupfishes (24 kcal m−2) turned over about five times annually. Growth rates were highest in juveniles (♂= 9.5% day−1) and slowest in large adults (♀= 08% day−1). Monthly production ranged from 22 kcal m−2 in September to 3 kcal m−2 in July and August. Pupfish in Tecopa Bore fed on algae and detritus, ingesting 1941 kcal m−2 yr−1 or 17.5% of the annual net primary production. 119 kcal m−2 yr−1 was deposited in growth. This latter value is approximately ten times greater than values previously reported for large carnivorous fishes but is comparable lo values reported for herbivorous fishes under pond culture.
Fundamentals of Ground Water(Franklin W. Schwartz and Hubao Zhang)

Despite the growth of hydrogeology as a discipline during the last 25 years, there are few current textbooks that are suitable for introductory courses targeted to upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, yet sufficiently comprehensive to serve as references for professionals. Two of the most widely used are Applied Hydrogeology (Fetter, 2001) and Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology (Domenico and Schwartz, 1998). However, the newer Fundamentals of Ground Water (Schwartz and Zhang, 2003; ISBN 0-471-13785-5) has advantages that lead me to recommend it over both of the aforementioned texts. The contents of Schwartz and Zhang are basically comparable to both those of Fetter and of Domenico and Schwartz. Fundamentals of Ground Water can be divided into four parts. The first two chapters provide an introduction to ground water and to components of the hydrologic cycle. Chapters 3 through 8 establish the fundamental equations and provide the geologic context for subsurface fluid flow. These …
Measurements of transverse emittance growth due to coherent synchrotron radiation in the SLAC SPPS bunch compressor Chicane

A four-dipole bunch compressor chicane has recently been installed in the SLAC linac at 9 GeV and is capable of compressing a 3.4-nC electron bunch to an rms length of 50 microns, resulting in a peak current of nearly 10 kA. The electron bunch is extracted from a damping ring with normalized horizontal emittance of ~30 mum. We present preliminary measurements of the initial and final emittance in the chicane and compare these to 1D and 3D calculations of the effects of coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR)
The Influence of Genetics on Cystic Fibrosis Phenotypes

Technological advances in genetics have made feasible and affordable large studies to identify genetic variants that cause or modify a trait. Genetic studies have been carried out to assess variants in candidate genes, as well as polymorphisms throughout the genome, for their associations with heritable clinical outcomes of cystic fibrosis (CF), such as lung disease, meconium ileus, and CF-related diabetes. The candidate gene approach has identified some predicted relationships, while genome-wide surveys have identified several genes that would not have been obvious disease-modifying candidates, such as a methionine sulfoxide transferase gene that influences intestinal obstruction, or a region on chromosome 11 proximate to genes encoding a transcription factor and an apoptosis controller that associates with lung function. These unforeseen associations thus provide novel insight into disease pathophysiology, as well as suggesting new therapeutic strategies for CF.
Sexual transfer of prostaglandin precursor in the field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus

. When injected into the haemolymph of newly emerged adult males of the field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus (Walker), [3H]arachidonic acid is incorporated into tissue phospholipids. Two reproductive tissues, testes and accessory glands, incorporate and preserve the labelled arachidonic acid for at least 49 days. With onset of circadian rhythm-controlled spermatophore production, radioactive arachidonic acid is incorporated into spermatophore phospholipids. After mating with untreated females, radioactivity was detected in spermathecae and in haemolymph from females. Some of the transferred radioactive arachidonic acid is subsequently converted into prostaglandins. Hence, males of T. commodus transfer prostaglandin synthetase activity and substrate by way of spermatophores during mating
Carbon Structure of Thyroxine Metabolites in Urine

Four radiothyroxines, L-[3,5-125I] T4, D,L-[α-14C]T4, D,L-[β-14C]T4 and D,L-[phenolic ring-14C]T4, were administered singly to normal rats. The skeleton structure of the urinary metabolites of thyroxine other than iodide was deduced by comparing the 14C-labeled metabolites of these radiothyroxines. The results showed that, in vivo, the iodine atoms were removed from the nonphenolic ring and were excretedexcreted as inorganic iodide. Four 14C-labeled metabolites were observed in the urine. They contained at least 2 carbons on the side chain and an intact diphenyl ether. Therefore, in the normal living rats the major metabolic pathway of thyroxine degradation did not appear to affect the diphenyl ether linkage. (Endocrinology 84: 705, 1969)
Testing secondary hypotheses following sequential clinical trials.

Summary. Sequential monitoring in a clinical trial poses difficulty in hypotheses testing on secondary endpoints after the trial is terminated. The conventional likelihood-based testing procedure that ignores the sequential monitoring inflates Type I error and undermines power. In this article, we show that the power of the conventional testing procedure can be substantially improved while the Type I error is controlled. The method is illustrated with a real clinical trial.
Relevance feedback for spine X-ray retrieval

Relevance feedback (RF) has been an active research area in content-based image retrieval (CBIR). RF intends to bridge the gap between the low-level image features and the high-level human visual perception by analyzing and employing the feedback information provided by the user. This gap becomes more evident and important in medical image retrieval due to the two distinct facts with regard to medical images: (1) subtle differences between images, even between pathological and non-pathological images; (2) subjective and different diagnosis even among experts. This paper describes a novel linear weight-updating approach for RF applying to spine X-ray image retrieval. The algorithm utilizes both positive and negative examples to gain feedback from the user. Experimental results show that the proposed approach can substantially improve the retrieval performance to better satisfy the individual user's preferences.
Computerised colour measurement

Coloration costs as a percentage of a product's total manufacturing price have, in general, risen ten times faster than all other raw material costs in the last five years. The ever increasing need for the most cost‐effective use of pigments in colouring, coupled with the need to reduce machine down‐time while colour matching is taking place, has resulted in the rapid development of computer based technology to assist the colourist in his work.
Factors influencing non-expert term usage during a disaster: An analysis of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Understanding how the general public uses science terminology during disasters has implications for improving communication between disaster experts and the public and for informing efforts designed to cultivate science literacy. This study presents an analysis of quotes in U.S. newspaper and newswire articles from people who identified the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami either as a tidal wave or as a tsunami immediately after the disaster. Quotes from 147 individuals were assigned codes based on their location, nationality, and connection to the event. Individuals coded as experts (n = 16) only uttered tsunami . English-speaking non–tsunami experts in impacted countries were significantly more likely to identify the tsunami as a tidal wave than were individuals in non-impacted countries. Of 31 quoted non–tsunami experts who were in an impacted country, 52% described the disaster as a tidal wave ; only 2% of distal non–tsunami experts (n = 100) uttered tidal wave . Of particular note, four of ten quoted tourists from the U.S. who experienced the tsunami uttered tidal wave , whereas none of 27 quoted residents in the U.S. did so. Our results suggest that even if people are aware of appropriate terminology, many individuals will utter more familiar, colloquial, and linguistically simpler words instead of more accurate terminology, especially when experiencing elevated levels of stress, such as during the aftermath of a disaster. The implication for disaster communication efforts is that while a term that was once considered jargon can become widely known and adopted, many people will resort to a more familiar term unless the scientific jargon resonates with their personal, conceptual image of the disaster.
Where Solving for Stationary Points by LCPs is Mixing Newton Iterates

A stationary point for a convex polyhedral set and a continuously differentiable function with positive semi-definite derivatives is computed by iteratively solving the linearized problem which is a linear complementarity problem (LCP). The procedure is shown to be a mixing of a finite number of Newton methods all converging to the same points, and consequently, to have convergence properties like Newton’s methods.
Perioperative Statin Therapy for Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with an intense systemic inflammatory response, which is linked to postoperative complications. Beyond lipid lowering, statins exert a constellation of beneficial actions, including an antiinflammatory role, known as pleiotropic effects. There is increasing evidence that perioperative statin therapy improves outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Statins are underused in the coronary artery bypass grafting population, because perioperative discontinuation remains a common practice. This article provides an extensive review of the available literature on the effect of perioperative statin therapy on post–coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes and weighs the evidence for the concerns about increased incidence of statin-related adverse effects in this setting.
On the Benefits of Promoting Diversity of Ideas

A common flaw of astronomers is to believe that they know the truth even when data is scarce. I provide ten examples where this approach led to wrong strategic decisions in research plans, causing unnecessary delays in finding the truth. In order to make the discovery process more efficient, I advocate affirmative action for diversity of ideas by telescope-time allocation committees and funding agencies.
Ultrafast Solvent-Assisted Sodium Ion Intercalation into Highly Crystalline Few-Layered Graphene.

A maximum sodium capacity of ∼35 mAh/g has hampered the use of crystalline carbon nanostructures for sodium ion battery anodes. We demonstrate that a diglyme solvent shell encapsulating a sodium ion acts as a “nonstick” coating to facilitate rapid ion insertion into crystalline few-layer graphene and bypass slow desolvation kinetics. This yields storage capacities above 150 mAh/g, cycling performance with negligible capacity fade over 8000 cycles, and ∼100 mAh/g capacities maintained at currents of 30 A/g (∼12 s charge). Raman spectroscopy elucidates the ordered, but nondestructive cointercalation mechanism that differs from desolvated ion intercalation processes. In situ Raman measurements identify the Na+ staging sequence and isolates Fermi energies for the first and second stage ternary intercalation compounds at ∼0.8 eV and ∼1.2 eV.
Using The Poisoner’s Handbook in Conjunction with Teaching a First-Term General/Organic/Biochemistry Course

Deborah Blum’s New York Times bestselling nonfiction book The Poisoner’s Handbook was used as supplementary reading in our first-term General/Organic/Biochemistry course. This course serves as both the first course for our Allied Health chemistry sequence and a core science course. Our goal was that, through reading this book, students would learn more about the origin of forensic chemistry in the historical context of the Jazz Age and the toxins that were often involved in poisonings near the beginning of the 20th century. Outcomes and student feedback to this initiative are discussed.
Myocardial Preconditioning: From a Model to a Phenomenon

Originally, the term ischemic preconditioning described the observation that four 5 minute episodes of coronary artery occlusion in dogs followed by prolonged ischemia (40 minutes) and reperfusion resulted in a marked reduction in the rate of ATP depletion and limitation of myocardial infarction (1). Sustained ischemia alone produces about 30% myocardial infarction of the area at risk. These observations have been reproduced in small and large animal models of coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion whereby a single episode (or multiple episodes) of ischemia and reperfusion protected the myocardium against infarction, but failed to augment recovery of ventricular function in the same model.
Rescue inhaler usage prediction in smart asthma management systems using joint mixed effects logistic regression model

ABSTRACTAsthma is a very common and chronic lung disease that impacts a large portion of population and all ethnic groups. Driven by developments in sensor and mobile communication technology, novel Smart Asthma Management (SAM) systems have been recently established. In SAM systems, patients can create a detailed temporal event log regarding their key health indicators through easy access to a website or their smartphone. Thus, this detailed event log can be obtained inexpensively and aggregated for a large number of patients to form a centralized database for SAM systems. Taking advantage of the data available in SAM systems, we propose an individualized prognostic model based on the unique rescue inhaler usage profile of each individual patient. The model jointly combines two statistical models into a unified prognostic framework. The application of the proposed model to SAM is illustrated in this article and the effectiveness of the method is shown by both a numerical study and a case study that uses ...
Off-Design Lift Distribution Characteristics for Subsonic Trapezoidal Wings

A common practice in wing design is to twist the airfoil sections of a speci ed planform to achieve a particular lift distribution at a design operating condition. Ideally, the twist distribution is selected to achieve a high span e ciency, acceptable stall behavior, and a particular tailoring of the root bending moment, not only at the design condition, but also at common or critical o -design operating points. One challenge in this design activity is that the shape of the lift distribution will generally change with ight condition. Since an aircraft must operate e ectively throughout a range of ight conditions, it is important to understand the variation in the o -design lift distribution and its in uence on wing performance. In this paper, the sensitivity of o -design span e ciency, root bending moment, and section lift coe cient to the design planform, ight conditions, and on-design lift distribution shape is examined. The study is based on a Weissinger lifting line formulation that models the lift behavior of planar trapezoidal wings, and induced drag is calculated by integration in the Tre tz plane. O -design lift characteristics for wings representative of a business jet and a commercial transport are explored, and sensitivities to planform parameters are illustrated. A general observation is that the more closely the lift distribution of the untwisted wing matches the speci ed design lift distribution, the less the change in shape of the lift distribution during o -design operation. This observation is consistent with the well-known result that straight wings of intermediate taper are similar to wings with elliptical planform in terms of achieving a nearly elliptical lift distribution at both on-design and o -design conditions.
Soil Loss-Sediment Yield to Silver Lake, Missouri

A sedimentation survey, cesium 137 analyses, and soil loss calculations were used to estimate the average rate and variability in rates of sediment deposition in Silver Lake, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri, and soil loss rates in the Silver Lake drainage area. The rates of soil loss and sediment deposition have been relatively constant since 1957. Silver Lake has an estimated remaining life of 280 years. Continued sediment deposition in Silver Lake will, however, induce flora and fauna changes.
Studies of Insulin Effect on Permeability of Dermal Connective Tissue

ConclusionThe present results with insulin seem to indicate that the hormone, at the doses used in the present work, is without local and systemic effect on the intercellular transport of metabolites, at least if tested by the rate of intradermal diffusion of Evans blue dye.The authors wish to thank Mr. Donald E. Hinton for his valuable assistance.