cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variation in material transport and water chemistry along a large ephemeral river in the Namib Desert

Summary 1 The chemical characteristics of floodwaters in ephemeral rivers are little known, particularly with regard to their organic loads. These rivers typically exhibit a pronounced downstream hydrological decay but few studies have documented its effect on chemical characteristics and material transport. To develop a better understanding of the dynamics of floods and associated material transport in large ephemeral rivers, floods of the ephemeral Kuiseb River in south-western Africa were tracked and repeatedly sampled at multiple points along the river's lower 220 km. 2 We quantified the composition and transport of solute and sediment loads in relation to longitudinal hydrological patterns associated with downstream hydrological decay. Source and sink areas for transported materials were identified, and the composition and transport dynamics of the organic matter load were compared to those described from more mesic systems. 3 Concentrations of sediments and solutes transported by floods in the Kuiseb River tended to increase downstream in association with pronounced hydrological decay. The contribution of particulate organic matter to total organic load is among the highest recorded, despite our observation of unusually high levels of dissolved organic matter. Hydrological decay resulted in deposition of all transported material within the lower Kuiseb River, with no discharge of water or materials to the Atlantic Ocean. 4 Our results suggest that longitudinal variation in surface flow and associated patterns of material transport renders the lower Kuiseb River a sink for materials transported from upstream. The downstream transport and deposition of large amounts of labile organic matter provides an important carbon supplement to heterotrophic communities within the river's lower reaches.
A uniform asymptotic analysis of dispersive wave motion

The signaling problem for the one dimensional Klein-Gordon equation with spatially varying coefficients is analyzed. A formal, uniformly valid, asymptotic expansion of the solution is obtained with the help of two families of rays, and involving four functions : two successive Bessel functions of integer order and two new functions which we call the diffraction functions. The validity of the expansion is established when the coefficients in the Klein-Gordon equation are constants, and the results are applied to a signaling problem for a class of acoustic wave guides.
Morphology of Layered Silicate− (NanoClay−) Polymer Nanocomposites by Electron Tomography and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

A basis for quantitative analysis of layered silicate− (nanoclay−) polymer nanocomposite morphology using two characterization methods, electron tomography and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), is provided. For tilt greater than 15°, the contrast of a single montmorillonite layer experimentally decreases below the detectable limit of high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF−STEM). Calculations based on Z-contrast imaging of a 1 nm thick aluminosilicate layer predict this tilt angle (15°) should produce 17% contrast, consistent with a reasonable limit of HAADF−STEM detection for this system. This result implies that segmentation or thresholding of 2-dimensional Z-contrast projection images of randomly oriented, highly anisotropic nanoparticles, such as layered silicates in polymer nanocomposites, will be extremely inaccurate. For example, nearly 75% of the volume of montmorillonite layers in an epoxy matrix will not be identified in the segmentation, owing to their ...
Protein-acetaldehyde adducts in serum of alcoholic patients.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the presence of protein-acetaldehyde adducts (-AAs) in human serum samples. Two methods were compared: (1) direct ELISA: samples, rabbit anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG, and β-galactosidase (β-gal) conjugated goat anti-rabbit serum IgG added to a 96-well ELISA plate in a stepwise manner; and (2) two-site or sandwich ELISA: serum samples added to an ELISA plate that had been precoated with anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG (the capture antibody) and incubated stepwise with biotinated anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG (the signal anti-body) and avidin-β-gal conjugates. Serum protein-AA levels were then assayed by bound β-gal activities at OD405. When human hemoglobin (Hgb)-AA was used as a model protein-AA for the sandwich ELISA, the EC60 (estimated concentration that corresponds to 50% of the OD405 response range) was 7 ng/ml. Direct ELISA was less sensitive (EC50 of 120 ng/ml). Adding control human serum to Hgb-AA increased the EC50 of the direct ELISA more than the sandwich ELISA. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variance for sandwich ELISA were both about 8%. Detection of Hgb-AA by sandwich ELISA was highly specific. The above results with anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG were also obtained when anti-myoglobin-AA IgG was used in sandwich ELISA. Using sandwich ELISA and anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG, OD405 for sera of control subjects and alcoholic patients were 0.036 ± 0.033 (±SEM, n= 28) and 0.150 ± 0.088 (n= 28), respectively. Serum protein-AAs reacted more strongly with anti-myoglobin-AA IgG than anti-hemocyanin-AA IgG. The data indicate that high titers of serum protein-AAs are present in most alcoholic patients.
Tdb: a source-level debugger for dynamically translated programs

Debugging techniques have evolved over the years in response to changes in programming languages, implementation techniques, and user needs. A new type of implementation vehicle for software has emerged that, once again, requires new debugging techniques. Software dynamic translation (SDT) has received much attention due to compelling applications of the technology, including software security checking, binary translation, and dynamic optimization. Using SDT, program code changes dynamically, and thus, debugging techniques developed for statically generated code cannot be used to debug these applications. In this paper, we describe a new debug architecture for applications executing with SDT systems. The architecture provides features that create the illusion that the source program is being debugged, while allowing the SDT system to modify the executing code. We incorporated this architecture in a new tool, called tdb, that integrates a SDT system, Strata, with a widely used debugger, gdb. We evaluated tdb in the context of a code security checker. The results show that a dynami-cally translated program can be debugged at the source level and that the approach does not overly increase the run-time perfor-mance or memory demands of the debugger.
Large-scale eddies in the upper troposphere and stratosphere diagnosed with quasi-conservative coordinates

[1] A new diagnostic for the amplitudes of large-scale eddies in the upper troposphere and stratosphere is introduced. It is based on the instantaneous azonality (area displacement) of the contours of a potential vorticity-like tracer on the isentropic surface, easily calculable from the surface integral of the Coriolis parameter within the contour, or the planetary circulation. Unlike the traditional Eulerian definition, the diagnostic does not involve zonal averaging and provides an absolute measure of eddy amplitude. Seasonal climatology as well as interannual variability of this amplitude diagnostic are examined with the United Kingdom Meteorological Office Stratospheric Analysis data for 1992–2005. In the potential temperature-equivalent latitude plane, the eddy amplitudes are generally large (small) at the flanks (axes) of the jets. This paints a very different picture from the traditional Eulerian zonal-mean diagnostics in which eddy amplitudes are often maximal along the jets.
Preparation of rigid, low‐density, flame‐retardant polyurethane foams from whey permeate

The disposal of whey and whey permeate derived from the cheese industry is a serious economic and environmental problem. Lactose in whey permeate was used to synthesise polyether polyols from which rigid, low-density polyurethane foams were prepared. Resultant foams were comparable to those made from commercially available sucrose-based polyether polyols. Brown-coloured lactose polyether polyols are characterised by low viscosity and high carbonyl content. Urea incorporated into these polyether polyols yields flame retardant (self-extinguishing) foams. Urea also reduced the amount of phosphorus and/or halogen based fire retardants needed to make the foams non-burning. A preliminary economic analysis indicates that whey-based polyether polyols can be prepared at a cost savings of up to 36% compared to the sucrose counterparts.
Complement Component C3 Mediates Inflammatory Injury Following Focal Cerebral Ischemia

The complement cascade has been implicated in ischemia/reperfusion injury, and recent studies have shown that complement inhibition is a promising treatment option for acute stroke. The development of clinically useful therapies has been hindered, however, by insufficient understanding of which complement subcomponents contribute to post-ischemic injury. To address this issue, we subjected mice deficient in selected complement proteins (C1q, C3, C5) to transient focal cerebral ischemia. Of the strains investigated, only C3−/− mice were protected, as demonstrated by 34% reductions in both infarct volume ( P <0.01) and neurological deficit score ( P <0.05). C3-deficient mice also manifested decreased granulocyte infiltration ( P <0.02) and reduced oxidative stress ( P <0.05). Finally, administration of a C3a-receptor antagonist resulted in commensurate neurological improvement and stroke volume reduction ( P <0.05). Together, these results establish C3 activation as the key constituent in complement-related inflammatory tissue injury following stroke and suggest a C3a anaphylatoxin-mediated mechanism.
An investigation of image users across disciplines: A model of image needs, retrieval and use

This study investigates the image behaviors of twenty-four participants in four separate user groups (six in each group: archaeologists, architects, art historians and artists). These groups of participants were chosen due to their heavy reliance on images to perform their daily work routines. Two of the image user groups, archaeologists and art historians, are expected to need images for pedagogical and research purposes while the two remaining groups, architects and artists, are believed to need images for inspiration and problem-solving aims. Additionally, the inclusion of these groups of image users will allow for an assessment of image users' behaviors by discipline and underlying needs. This study will identify the critical characteristics of users' image needs, retrieval and use and these characteristics, in turn, will be used to develop a theoretical model to explain users' image behaviors.
Activation of Akt Signaling Reduces the Prevalence and Intensity of Malaria Parasite Infection and Lifespan in Anopheles stephensi Mosquitoes

Malaria (Plasmodium spp.) kills nearly one million people annually and this number will likely increase as drug and insecticide resistance reduces the effectiveness of current control strategies. The most important human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, undergoes a complex developmental cycle in the mosquito that takes approximately two weeks and begins with the invasion of the mosquito midgut. Here, we demonstrate that increased Akt signaling in the mosquito midgut disrupts parasite development and concurrently reduces the duration that mosquitoes are infective to humans. Specifically, we found that increased Akt signaling in the midgut of heterozygous Anopheles stephensi reduced the number of infected mosquitoes by 60–99%. Of those mosquitoes that were infected, we observed a 75–99% reduction in parasite load. In homozygous mosquitoes with increased Akt signaling parasite infection was completely blocked. The increase in midgut-specific Akt signaling also led to an 18–20% reduction in the average mosquito lifespan. Thus, activation of Akt signaling reduced the number of infected mosquitoes, the number of malaria parasites per infected mosquito, and the duration of mosquito infectivity.
The Determinants of State Government Debt Financing

This article analyzes the determinants of state debt financing-including the composition of government spending and the desire to make intergenerational transfers, as well as a variety of economic, political, and institutional factors. The authors find that a greater proportion of younger voters is correlated with increased debt at the state level, but a greater proportion of elderly voters is correlated with decreased debt, probably because of the composition of state government spending. Moreover, the authors find that political variables are largely irrelevant to the accumulation of debt at the state level and that some types of institutional restraints are effective in limiting the size of state debt.
Conformational activation of a basic helix-loop-helix protein (MyoD1) by the C-terminal region of murine HSP90 (HSP84).

Abstract A murine cardiac lambda gt11 expression library was screened with an amphipathic helix antibody, and a recombinant representing the C-terminal 194 residues of murine HSP90 (HSP84) was cloned. Both recombinant and native HSP90s were then found to rapidly convert a basic helix-loop-helix protein (MyoD1) from an inactive to an active conformation, as assayed by sequence-specific DNA binding. The conversion process involves a transient interaction between HSP90 and MyoD1 and does not result in the formation of a stable tertiary complex. Conversion does not require ATP and occurs stoichiometrically in a dose-dependent fashion. HSP90 is an abundant, ubiquitous, and highly conserved protein present in most eukaryotic cells. These results provide direct evidence that HSP90 can affect the conformational structure of a DNA-binding protein.
Sleep Disorders in Neuromuscular Diseases

Sleep disorders are common in patients with neuromuscular diseases, but are often overlooked. Recognizing and treating issues relating to sleep disturbances improves the quality of life for these patients. This article provides an overview of the sleep dysfunction that occurs in neuromuscular diseases, of which the most common is sleep-disordered breathing. In addition, the current literature is reviewed to provide primary care physicians, sleep specialists, neurologists, and neuromuscular specialists with information on available diagnostic and treatment modalities.
Serum digoxin concentrations and clinical signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity in the paediatric population

Background Serum digoxin levels have limited utility for determining digoxin toxicity in adults. Paediatric data assessing the utility of monitoring serum digoxin concentration are scarce. We sought to determine whether serum digoxin concentrations are associated with signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity in children. Methods We carried out a retrospective review of patients 2 ng/ml). Results There were 87 patients who met study criteria (male 46%, mean age 8.4 years). CHD was present in 67.8% and electrocardiograms were performed in 72.4% of the patients. The most common indication for digoxin toxicity was heart failure symptoms (61.5%). Toxic serum digoxin concentrations were present in 6.9% of patients (mean 2.6 ng/ml). Symptoms associated with digoxin toxicity occurred in 48.4%, with nausea/vomiting as the most common symptom (36.4%), followed by tachycardia (29.5%). Compared with those without toxic serum digoxin concentrations, significantly more patients with toxic serum digoxin concentrations were female (p=0.02). The presence of electrocardiogram abnormalities and/or signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity was not significantly different between patients with and without serum digoxin concentrations (p>0.05). Conclusion Serum digoxin concentrations in children are not strongly associated with signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity.
Therapeutic efficacy of CXCR3 blockade in an experimental model of severe sepsis

Introduction In our previous studies we demonstrated that CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) participates in the regulation of lymphocyte trafficking during cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of treatment with anti-CXCR3 immunoglobulin (IgG) and antibiotics on outcome during septic shock caused by CLP.
Screening test for toxicity of chlorinated milk derivatives by a fertile egg injection technique.

Abstract Whole milk, skim milk, lactose, and milk protein and lipid fractions in concentrations in milk were heat treated, then admixed with concentrated chlorine-based sanitizer to give 1.34 g sodium hypochlorite per liter of solution. After 24-h reaction at ambient temperature, .1 ml of well dispersed control and reacted samples were injected into fertile chicken eggs by the technique of Duthachie and Fletcher. Control samples were prepared, refrigerated, warmed to ambient temperature, and well shaken just before injection into fertile eggs. Mortality assessed each week during incubation and hatchability served as indices of toxicity. Chlorinated whole milk showed increased toxicity as compared to control whole milk; however, milk lipid fractions were less toxic when chlorinated. All other chlorinated samples were equal to or less toxic than samples of nonchlorinated control milks and milk fractions.
Historical Perspective of the Field of ASR/NLU

The quest for a machine that can recognize and understand speech, from any speaker, and in any environment has been the holy grail of speech recognition research for more than 70 years. Although we have made great progress in understanding how speech is produced and analyzed, and although we have made enough advances to build and deploy in the field a number of viable speech recognition systems, we still remain far from the ultimate goal of a machine that communicates naturally with any human being. It is the goal of this section to document the history of research in speech recognition and natural language understanding, and to point out areas where great progress has been made, along with the challenges that remain to be solved in the future.
Does fertilization by proxy occur in Tribolium beetles? A replicated study of a novel mechanism of sperm transfer

Sperm competition is a fundamentally important component ofpostcopulatory sexual selection, and direct removal of rival malesperm from the female reproductive tract has been documented inat least three insect orders: Odonata, Orthoptera and Coleoptera(e.g. Siva-Jothy 1987; Ono et al. 1989; Gage 1992; Simmons 2001).Haubruge et al. (1999) reported a novel twist on sperm removal,a process they termed fertilization by proxy, in the red ﬂour beetleTribolium castaneum. This study suggested that not only do malesremove previously stored sperm from females, but that males alsotranslocate rival males’ sperm when they subsequently mate withnew females. The mechanism they proposed was rival spermremoval by an array of chitinous spines located on the matingmale’s aedeagus, followed by translocation of these still viablesperm when this male subsequently mated with another female.Empirical evidence for this novel phenomenon was based ona physiological paternity marker involving resistance to the insec-ticide malathion, which in T. castaneum is due to a spontaneousmutation in a carboxylesterase enzyme that confers malathion-speciﬁc resistance (Dyte & Rowlands 1968; White & Bell 1988;Haubruge et al. 2002; Arnaud et al. 2005). The experimental designincludedthreeconsecutivecrosses:(1)amalathion-resistantvirginmalewasmatedwithamalathion-susceptiblevirginfemale,(2)thesame susceptible female was mated with a susceptible virgin maleand (3) the same susceptible male was mated with a new suscep-tible virgin female. Adult progeny collected from the two matedfemales were subjected to an insecticide-exposure bioassay(contact with 1% malathion in acetone) for 3 h. Paternity wasassigned based onwhether progeny died (indicating they had beensired by the directly mating, susceptible male) or survived(presumed to be sired indirectly by the resistant male). Haubrugeet al. (1999) reported that fertilization by proxy was quite common(occurring in 22% of sequential matings), and that in such cases,a surprisingly high percentage (53% on average) of offspring weresired by translocated sperm.To date, this study by Haubruge et al. (1999) remains the onlyevidence for rival sperm translocation, a phenomenon that couldpotentially counteract any ﬁtness advantages that males may gainfrom sperm removal. As pointed out recently by Kelly (2006),replication studies traditionally have been undervalued in behav-ioural ecology, and consequently both conﬁrmatory and contra-dictory results may be difﬁcult to publish. However, veriﬁcation ofkey empirical results should be standard operating procedure torigorously test any novel evolutionary hypotheses. Based on theimportant evolutionary implications of the phenomenon of spermtranslocation, we conducted a partial replication of the study byHaubruge et al. (1999), in which we exactly duplicated mostexperimental procedures but used a different paternity marker todifferentiate between the two potential sires.
Phlebotomine sand fly species co-occurrence at the local scale: Differences between agricultural and forested areas

SUMMARY � Phlebotominesandflies � (Diptera:� Psychodidae:� Phlebotominae)� arevectorsofLeishmaniaparasites,� etiologicalagentsofleishmaniasesinhumansandother� mammalsworldwide.�Apreviousstudyshowedthatatlarge� biogeographicalscalessandflypatternsofco-occurrence� aresegregated,�indicatingthatsandflycommunitiesatsuch� scalesarelikelyshapedbyenvironmentalfactorsandinter- specificinteractions.�However,�nostudyhasaddressedco- occurrencepatternsatthelocalscaleofdiseasetransmission.� Here,�anull-modelanalysisofspeciesco-occurrencepatterns� ispresented,�showingthatatthelocalscalepatternsofsand� flyspeciesco-occurrenceshiftfromasegregatedstructureto� randomwhencomparingaforesttoafarmland.�Thesepatterns� mayexplaintheecologicalfittingofsandflieswithregardto� thechoiceofdiurnalrestingsitesintransformedlandscapes,� whichmayimpactthetransmissionofLeishmaniaparasites� bydisruptingpatternsofbloodforagingacrossvertebrate� hosts.
Stabilization of time domain solutions of EFIE based on partial element equivalent circuit models

Progress is being made towards the stable integration of time-domain electromagnetic field integral equations. Many different techniques have been proposed previously for overcoming the well known "late time" instability problem associated with the numerical integration of these equations. The instabilities could be either due to the discretization of the integral equation or the numerical integration scheme. In this paper, we present a stable time domain solution technique which is based on advances in the understanding of the sources of the late instability problem. The proposed technique takes advantage of the distributed equivalent circuit representation of the electromagnetic problem effected through the use of partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) models for the numerical approximation of the integral equation. We are interested in solving problems associated with EMI and other EIP (electrical interconnect and package) induced noise effects. We are also interested in the simulation of complex RF and microwave circuits that involve both distributed and lumped circuits.
Cuticular lipids of female solitary bees, Osmia lignaria Say and Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

article i nfo The cuticular lipids of the cavity-nesting adult female solitary bees, Osmia lignaria Say and Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and combined GC- mass spectrometry. The cuticular lipids of these female bees are mainly consisted of hydrocarbons. For O. lignaria, nearly 64% of the cuticular lipids were C25-C31 mono-alkenes. For M. rotundata, 48% of the cuticular lipids were C23-C33 alkanes with nearly the same quantities of the same chain-length mono-alkenes (45%). For the mono-alkenes of O. lignaria, 14 mono-alkene constituents were identified, with two of these, 9- heptacosene and 7-nonacosene, comprising 67% of the total alkene distribution. For M. rotundata females, the mixtures of mono-alkenes were more complex with 26 constituents identified and quantified. For the M. rotundata mono-alkenes, 57% of the total composition consisted of the three alkenes, 7-pentacosene, 9- pentacosene and 7-heptacosene. For both bee species, small quantities of C40-C48 wax esters were also characterized with the major components possessing a C18 mono-unsaturated fatty acid (9-octadecenoate) moiety esterified to even-carbon number (C22-30) fatty alcohols. The possible role of these cuticular lipids as nest recognition chemicals is discussed in light of nesting behavior of managed crop pollinators.
Dynamical Lorentz symmetry breaking and topological defects

I discuss the possibility of topological defect solutions in field theories containing a tensor field which spontaneously breaks Lorentz symmetry. I find that for theories of a tensor with rank r ≤ 5 and for which the vacuum manifold consists of the tensors whose "square" is some constant value, only three types of tensor (vectors, antisymmetric two-tensors, and symmetric two-tensors) have the appropriate vacuum manifold topology to support topological defects. Of these, topological defect solutions can be easily constructed for two: vector domain-wall solutions and antisymmetric tensor monopole solutions. These antisymmetric tensor monopole solutions are in principle detectible via their gravitational lensing effects.
Experimental comparison of master/slave and hybrid two arm position/force control

The difference between master/slave and hybrid two-arm position/force control is clarified. Experimental results have shown that the hybrid control law yields smaller force errors, better tracking of sine input, and faster rise time for a step input than the master/slave control law. The master/slave control for both step and sine input resulted in a maximum force error of 75%, wherein the hybrid scheme had only 34% maximum error for the step command and 18% maximum error for the sine command. The reason for difference is that in master/slave control there is no sharing of information (errors) between the arms, and the slave must react to the master. In hybrid control the arms share the internal force error and position error, i.e. they cooperate when they move. >
Non‐NMDA receptors modulate respiratory drive in fetal sheep

1Experiments were carried out in unanaesthetized fetal sheep to evaluate the significance of non-N-methyl-d-aspartate (non-NMDA) receptor neurotransmission in the expression of fetal breathing movements. Catheters placed in the trachea and amniotic fluid and electrodes beneath the parietal bones and in the nuchal muscle were used to monitor breath amplitude and frequency and fetal behavioural state. 2Experiments were carried out by instillation of neurotransmitter agonists, antagonists or receptor modulators into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the fourth ventricle by means of a chronic catheter introduced through the foramen magnum. 3The non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) decreased respiratory rate in a dose dependent manner by lengthening both inspiratory time (Ti) and expiratory time (Te). 4Kainate and (R,S)-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) increased breath amplitude. Instillation of the antagonist 2,3-dihydro-6-nitro-7-sulphamoyl-benzo(f) quinoxaline (NBQX) prior to administering AMPA resulted in apnoea, which was not overcome by the agonist. 5Cyclothiazide, which has been shown to prevent desensitization of AMPA receptors, caused an increase in both breath amplitude (152 ± 73%; mean ±s.d.; P= 0.004) and frequency (46 ± 37%; P= 0.049). 6These data suggest that glutamate acting at non-NMDA receptors is an essential component for the expression of fetal breathing movements, and that under resting conditions these non-NMDA receptors are desensitized following glutamate synaptic release.
Fuzzy conceptual-based search engine using conceptual semantic indexing

Retrieving relevant information is a crucial component of cased-based reasoning systems for Internet applications such as search engines. The task is to use user-defined queries to retrieve useful information according to certain measures. Even though techniques exist for locating exact matches, finding relevant partial matches might be a problem. It may not be also easy to specify query requests precisely and completely - resulting in a situation known as a fuzzy-querying. It is usually not a problem for small domains, but for large repositories such as World Wide Web, a request specification becomes a bottleneck. Thus, a flexible retrieval algorithm is required, allowing for imprecise specification or search. Therefore, we envision that non-classical techniques such as fuzzy logic based-clustering methodology based on perception, fuzzy similarity, fuzzy aggregation, and FLSI for automatic information retrieval and search with partial matches are required.
High performance MESFET power amplifiers for high volume application in Ka band

A very repeatable MBE power MMIC process has been developed for low-cost and high-volume Ka-band applications. The RF yield under power drive has reached more than 60%. The power out in a balanced configuration was 300 mW with 18% power added efficiency at 30 GHz.
Impact of aborted sudden cardiac death on survivors and their spouses: the phenomenon of different reference points

BACKGROUND Although anecdotal data suggest that spouses of aborted sudden cardiac death survivors become enmeshed in the physical and emotional recovery of their mates, few longitudinal studies address the personal struggle of aborted sudden cardiac death survivors and their spouses during recovery. OBJECTIVE To identify and explore phenomena experienced by aborted sudden cardiac death survivors and their spouses, and to determine implications for care. METHODS This was a phenomenological study; qualitative interviews were conducted within 3 weeks of aborted sudden cardiac death and continued through 24 weeks after arrest at 6- to 8-week intervals. A total of 180 interviews were conducted with 40 survivors and 30 spouses. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for recurrent themes. RESULTS For the spouses the point of focus, or reference point, for future decision making was the arrest; for the survivors the reference point was prearrest life. These different reference points led to different concerns between spouses and survivors, from which spousal protectiveness and entrapment emerged. CONCLUSIONS Acknowledgment of different reference points is essential in planning interventions for aborted sudden cardiac death survivors and their spouses. This population must be encouraged to express their questions, concerns, and fears early. Differences in perspectives should be identified to avoid troubled communication and conflicts.
HEMANGIOMA OF VERTEBRAE

Evidence points toward vertebral hemangioma as a definitely recognizable condition which often does not cause symptoms. However, the symptoms of some patients, particularly the younger ones, may be marked, even to development of complete paraplegia. In such cases laminectomy with decompression, followed by roentgenotherapy, offers the best possibility of relief. In patients in whom paraplegia is not present but in whom there is evidence of compression of the spinal cord or local symptoms, roentgenotherapy is the treatment of choice. Supportive corsets or braces should be used whenever they are indicated,—for instance, with patients who have the static type of pain or sufficient involvement of the vertebra by the hemangioma to cause a pathological compression fracture. This latter complication, however, is rarely noted.
Amazons, Wives, Nuns, and Witches: Women and the Catholic Church in Colonial Brazil, 1500–1822. By Carole A. Myscofski. (Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2013. Pp. xii, 308. $55.00.)

The author's engaging introduction to women's lives and gender norms in colonial Brazil draws on a wealth of secondary sources in English and Portuguese as well as documentation she uncovered throu...
A Portable System for Imaging and Diffractometry

We present the design and development of an all-in-one portable system with embedded computing and data analysis for both imaging and diffractometry. We demonstrate the application of the system to bead-based grating patterns.
The Carbon and Nitrogen Nutrition of Fusarium Roseum

Fusarium roseum (Link) Snyder & Hansen is the causal agent of a root, crown and stem rot of carnation, and a root and stem rot, and seedling blight of cereals (2, 5, 6). Life cycle, host range, and control of the pathogen and the disease it causes have been studied. The fungus has been cultured in natural media (5), but its nutrition in chemically defined media has not heretofore been investigated (1). Future studies of the physiological phenomena of parasitism and pathogenicity of this fungus will require a knowledge of its nutrtion. Therefore, the ability of F. roseum to utilize a variety of carbon and nitrogen compounds in synthetic media was investigated.
Serologic and Physicochemical Characterization of Donath-Landsteiner Antibodies from Six Patients

Donath-Landsteiner antibodies from six patients were studied serologically and physicochemically. All had similar serologic properties including a requirement for complement in the cold phase. Five of the antibodies were associated with the 7S γ2-globulins, while the sixth was associated with 7S γ-globulins of slightly faster electrophoretic mobility and slightly different chromatographic behavior.
Orthopedic Aspects of Osteoporosis

Orthopedic surgeons are important members of the healthcare team providing care for the millions of adults worldwide who have osteoporosis or low bone mass. Musculoskeletal complaints are amongst the most common reasons for an adult in the US to present to a physician. Medicare expenditures in the US include both osteoarthritis care and hip fracture care in the top five diagnoses for total expenditures. While most healthcare providers quickly recognize the association between osteoporosis, the orthopedic surgeon, and hip fractures, they often forget that orthopedic surgeons see and operate electively on people every day with osteoporosis. Joint replacement patients, spine fusion patients, and even sports medicine patients are at risk for low bone mass and osteoporosis and bone quality in these patients can affect both surgical planning and outcomes.
Modification of Mediac Dose Calibrator

An inexpensive and simple method for expanding the versatility of a Mediac dose calibrator is described. The method is applicable to the newer gamma-emitting isotopes, such as 67Ga, 111In, or 169Yb, which are of interest today in nuclear medicine.
Effect of Repeated/Spaced Formative Assessments on Medical School Final Exam Performance

Abstract Purpose Formative assessments, especially if spaced, encourage effective study habits such as retesting. The individual and combined effect of weekly formative assessments and cumulative assessments on final exam performance was studied. Methods Students were placed into 6 groups by weekly formative assessment performance and practice exam utilization/performance. Students who scored below the median on weekly assessments comprised groups 1/3/5. Groups 2/4/6 scored above the median. Groups 1/2 did not use the practice exam. Groups 3/4 scored below the median on the practice exam while Groups 5/6 scored above. Multiple comparisons were made using ANCOVA. Results Adjusted analysis showed weekly assessment and practice exam performance had a significant relationship with final exam performance (F[7,145]=18.765, p Discussion Performance on weekly formative assessments was predictive of final exam scores. Struggling medical students will benefit from extra cumulative practice exams while students who are excelling do not need extra practice.
Randomized Study of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Ablate in Sinus Rhythm Versus Ablate Complex-Fractionated Atrial Electrograms in Atrial Fibrillation.

Background— Achieving long-term successful outcomes with ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a clinical and procedural challenge. We aimed to assess 2 ablation strategies for persistent AF: pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVAI) in sinus rhythm after direct current cardioversion versus PVAI and ablation targeting complex-fractionated atrial electrograms while in AF. Methods and Results— Between June 2009 and July 2013, patients with continuous persistent AF for ≥3 months were prospectively randomized to either direct current cardioversion before PVAI and posterior wall/septum ablation while in sinus rhythm (group 1), versus same ablation in group 1 in addition to complex-fractionated atrial electrogram ablation while in AF (group 2). The procedural profiles and clinical outcomes of the 2 strategies were compared. Ninety patients were randomized to group 1 (n=46) or group 2 (n=44). There were no differences in baseline characteristics between groups. Over 365 days of follow-up after the index procedure, 16 patients (35%) in group 1 and 13 patients (30%) in group 2 remained arrhythmia-free off antiarrhythmic medications. Over long-term follow-up (median, 867 days), arrhythmia-free survival off antiarrhythmic medications was more likely in group 1 than in group 2 in Kaplan–Meier analysis (Log Rank P =0.04). Group 1 ablation was associated with significantly shorter procedural duration and fluoroscopy time (231±72 versus 273±76 min; P =0.008 and 54 [Q1–Q3: 46–67] versus 66 (Q1–Q3: 53–83] min; P =0.018, respectively). Conclusions— In patients with persistent AF, PVAI in sinus rhythm after direct current cardioversion is associated with higher success and shorter procedural and fluoroscopy times compared with PVAI in AF with additional complex-fractionated atrial electrogram ablation. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: . Unique identifier: [NCT02429648][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT02429648&atom=%2Fcircae%2F9%2F2%2Fe003596.atom
Predictors and Outcomes of Crossover to Surgery from Physical Therapy for Meniscal Tear and Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Trial Comparing Physical Therapy and Surgery

Background: Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) combined with physical therapy (PT) have yielded pain relief similar to that provided by PT alone in randomized trials of subjects with a degenerative meniscal tear. However, many patients randomized to PT received APM before assessment of the primary outcome. We sought to identify factors associated with crossing over to APM and to compare pain relief between patients who had crossed over to APM and those who had been randomized to APM. Methods: We used data from the MeTeOR (Meniscal Tear in Osteoarthritis Research) Trial of APM with PT versus PT alone in subjects ≥45 years old who had mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis and a degenerative meniscal tear. We assessed independent predictors of crossover to APM among those randomized to PT. We also compared pain relief at 6 months among those randomized to PT who crossed over to APM, those who did not cross over, and those originally randomized to APM. Results: One hundred and sixty-four subjects were randomized to and received APM and 177 were randomized to PT, of whom 48 (27%) crossed over to receive APM in the first 140 days after randomization. In multivariate analyses, factors associated with a higher likelihood of crossing over to APM among those who had originally been randomized to PT included a baseline Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Pain Score of ≥40 (risk ratio [RR] = 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00, 3.93) and symptom duration of <1 year (RR = 1.74; 95% CI = 0.98, 3.08). Eighty-one percent of subjects who crossed over to APM and 82% of those randomized to APM had an improvement of ≥10 points in their pain score at 6 months, as did 73% of those who were randomized to and received only PT. Conclusions: Subjects who crossed over to APM had presented with a shorter symptom duration and greater baseline pain than those who did not cross over from PT. Subjects who crossed over had rates of surgical success similar to those of the patients who had been randomized to surgery. Our findings also suggest that an initial course of rigorous PT prior to APM may not compromise surgical outcome. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Automated tetraploid genotype calling by hierarchical clustering

New software to make tetraploid genotype calls from SNP array data was developed, which uses hierarchical clustering and multiple F1 populations to calibrate the relationship between signal intensity and allele dosage. SNP arrays are transforming breeding and genetics research for autotetraploids. To fully utilize these arrays, the relationship between signal intensity and allele dosage must be calibrated for each marker. We developed an improved computational method to automate this process, which is provided as the R package ClusterCall. In the training phase of the algorithm, hierarchical clustering within an F1 population is used to group samples with similar intensity values, and allele dosages are assigned to clusters based on expected segregation ratios. In the prediction phase, multiple F1 populations and the prediction set are clustered together, and the genotype for each cluster is the mode of the training set samples. A concordance metric, defined as the proportion of training set samples equal to the mode, can be used to eliminate unreliable markers and compare different algorithms. Across three potato families genotyped with an 8K SNP array, ClusterCall scored 5729 markers with at least 0.95 concordance (94.6% of its total), compared to 5325 with the software fitTetra (82.5% of its total). The three families were used to predict genotypes for 5218 SNPs in the SolCAP diversity panel, compared with 3521 SNPs in a previous study in which genotypes were called manually. One of the additional markers produced a significant association for vine maturity near a well-known causal locus on chromosome 5. In conclusion, when multiple F1 populations are available, ClusterCall is an efficient method for accurate, autotetraploid genotype calling that enables the use of SNP data for research and plant breeding.
The Molecular Basis for the Lack of Inflammatory Responses in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Their Differentiated Cells

We reported previously that mouse embryonic stem cells do not have a functional IFN-based antiviral mechanism. The current study extends our investigation to the inflammatory response in mouse embryonic stem cells and mouse embryonic stem cell-differentiated cells. We demonstrate that LPS, TNF-α, and viral infection, all of which induce robust inflammatory responses in naturally differentiated cells, failed to activate NF-κB, the key transcription factor that mediates inflammatory responses, and were unable to induce the expression of inflammatory genes in mouse embryonic stem cells. Similar results were obtained in human embryonic stem cells. In addition to the inactive state of NF-κB, the deficiency in the inflammatory response in mouse embryonic stem cells is also attributed to the lack of functional receptors for LPS and TNF-α. In vitro differentiation can trigger the development of the inflammatory response mechanism, as indicated by the transition of NF-κB from its inactive to active state. However, a limited response to TNF-α and viral infection, but not to LPS, was observed in mouse embryonic stem cell-differentiated fibroblasts. We conclude that the inflammatory response mechanism is not active in mouse embryonic stem cells, and in vitro differentiation promotes only partial development of this mechanism. Together with our previous studies, the findings described in this article demonstrate that embryonic stem cells are fundamentally different from differentiated somatic cells in their innate immunity, which may have important implications in developmental biology, immunology, and embryonic stem cell-based regenerative medicine.
Clinical Relevance of Circulating Myeloperoxidase (MPO) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

MPO, a hemoprotein expressed in polymorphonuclear neutrophils and their precursors, is an important component of the antimicrobial activity of phagocytes and is associated with inflammatory response. Cellular expression levels of MPO, assessed by cytochemical staining, are used extensively for the diagnosis and subtyping of various leukemias. However, the association of circulating (plasma or serum) MPO levels with hematologic values and clinical outcomes of AML and MDS has not been reported. We investigated whether MPO, presumably released from leukemic cells, can be detected in the plasma of patients with AML and MDS. We further assessed the association of plasma MPO levels with hematologic characteristics and outcomes. 144 patients with AML, 28 patients with MDS, and 100 control subjects were included in the analysis. Patients with AML (median 19.3, range 1.0–9514.7 ng/mL) and MDS (median 13.6, range 1.0–3021.9 ng/mL) had significantly higher plasma MPO levels than control subjects (median, 4.9; range, 3.5–20.6 ng/mL). Because MPO levels and overall survival did not differ significantly between AML and MDS patients, the 2 groups were considered together in subsequent analyses. MPO levels were inversely correlated with overall survival (Cox regression analysis, P
Parental Age and Offspring Psychopathology in the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort

Objective Increasing evidence implicates advanced paternal age at offspring birth in neuropsychiatric disorders. Advanced maternal age has also been associated with schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders, whereas younger maternal age has been linked with behavioral disorders. Few studies have considered the specificity of the associations with respect to comorbidity. In addition, most prior studies have been conducted in clinical samples or registries that may reflect more severe forms of psychopathology. The aim of this research is to examine the independent and joint associations of maternal and paternal age with specific subtypes of psychopathology in offspring in a pediatric sample of adolescents with emergent psychiatric syndromes. Method A total of 8,725 youths (aged 8−21 years) from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort were included in the analyses. Logistic regression models with parental age predicting offspring psychopathology were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and comorbid disorders. Results We found that younger parental ages were generally associated with increased rates of offspring psychopathology. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidity, both younger maternal and paternal ages were associated with behavior syndromes and psychosis in youth, whereas advanced paternal age was associated with pervasive developmental disorders/autism spectrum disorder (PDD/ASD). Conclusion These findings suggest that both younger and older parental age at birth are associated with specific forms of psychopathology in offspring. The persistence of the influence of parental age after control for demographic factors and an index of social environment suggests that additional explanations for these findings should be examined in future studies.