cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accretion tectonics and crustal structure in Alaska

Abstract The entire width of the North American Cordillera in Alaska is made up of “suspect terranes”. Pre-Late Cretaceous paleogeography is poorly constrained and the ultimate origins of the many fragments which make up the state are unclear. The Prince William and Chugach terranes accreted since Late Cretaceous time and represent the collapse of much of the northeast Pacific Ocean swept into what today is southern Alaska. Greater Wrangellia, a composite terrane now dispersed into fragments scattered from Idaho to southern Alaska, apparently accreted into Alaska in Late Cretaceous time crushing an enormous deep-marine flysch basin on its inboard side. Most of interior eastern Alaska is the Yukon Tanana terrane, a very large entirely fault-bounded metamorphic-plutonic assemblage covering thousands of square kilometers in Canada as well as Alaska. The original stratigraphy and relationship to North America of the Yukon-Tanana terrane are both obscure. A collapsed Mesozoic flysch basin, similar to the one inboard of Wrangellia, lies along the northern margin. Much of Arctic Alaska was apparently a vast expanse of upper Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic deep marine sediments and mafic volcanic and plutonic rocks now scattered widely as large telescoped sheets and Klippen thrust over the Ruby geanticline and the Brooks Range, and probably underlying the Yukon-Koyukuk basin and the Yukon flats. The Brooks Range itself is a stack of north vergent nappes, the telescoping of which began in Early Cretaceous time. Despite compelling evidence for thousands of kilometers of relative displacement between the accreted terranes, and large amounts of telescoping, translation, and rotation since accretion, the resulting new continental crust added to North America in Alaska carries few obvious signatures that allow application of currently popular simple plate tectonic models. Intraplate telescoping and strike-slip translations, delamination at mid-crustal levels, and large-scale lithospheric wedging were important processes in northern Cordilleran tectonic evolution.
Multimagnetical simulation of the Ising model

Abstract We review the recently proposed multimagnetical ensemble. Using this ensemble we performed simulations of the Ising Model. We demonstrate that it is possible to enhance the frequency of appearance of order-order interfaces during the simulation by many orders of magnitude as compared to the standard Monte Carlo simulation. Stringent tests of the method are performed by reproducing exact 2 D results. In the physically more interesting 3 D case we estimate the amplitude F 0 s of the critical interface tension.
Water, Nitrogen, and Electrolyte Content of Right and Left Ventricular Walls and Interventricular Septum of Normal Canine Hearts

The water, nitrogen, and electrolyte content of the normal canine myocardium partitioned as right ventricle, septum, and left ventricle are presented on a connective tissue-free basis as well as fat-free and blood-free. Considering the tissue on a fat-free, blood-free, connective tissue-free basis, the extracellular phase (expressed as g/kg heart muscle) of the left ventricle was 86% that of the right ventricle; that of the septum was 91% that of the right ventricle. In all three segments, cell water was constant at 77%. One kilogram of myocardial cells contains 29.7 g of noncollagenous protein nitrogen, 116 mEq of potassium, 26 mEq of magnesium, and is associated with 0.3 (septum and left ventricle) and 0.53 (right ventricle) mEq of calcium.
Tris(trimethylstannyl)silyl Complexes of Ruthenium and Platinum

By addition of (THF)3 LiSi(SnMe3)3 to the appropriate metal chloride reagent, the complexes Cp*(PMe3)2RuSi(SnMe3)3(1,Cp* = η5 – C5Me5) and (dcpe)Pt[Si(SnMe3)3] Cl(2, dcpe = Cy2PCH2CH2PCy2) have been prepared and structurally characterized. Structural parameters for complex 1 indicate that it is quite sterically congested. Complex 2, which is less sterically hindered, undergoes rearrangement in refluxing benzene to the complex (dcpe)Pt[Si(SnMe3)2Cl](SnMe3) (3). Single-crystal data are as follows: (1), monoclinic, P21/n, with a = 10.360 (3) A, b = 21.127(5) A, c = 17.200(4) A, β = 97.59 (2)°, V = 3731 (2) A, Z = 4, d(calcd) = 1.616 gcm−1, 3575 observed reflections, and R = 3.83% (Rw = 4.65%); (2), monoclinic, C2/c, with a = 39.09 (2) A, b = 10.314 (4) A, c = 22.904 (10) A, β = 95.42 (4)°, V = 9193 (7) A3, Z = 8, d(calcd) = 1.694 gcm−1, 4258 observed reflections, and R = 4.13% (R w = 5.67%).
Synecdoche and stigma

In the portion of their reply directed to me, Professor Asch and Dr. Wasserman helpfully develop the synecdoche argument by highlighting its connections to stigma. I understand them to distinguish the situation of a woman making a decision concerning her pregnancy informed by prenatal testing from a woman making a similar decision informed by considerations of, for example, poverty, like so: In testing contexts, it will characteristically be the case that the woman's decision will be distorted by the stigma associated with impairment: She will consider only the fact that, should her pregnancy come to term, the child would be impaired; she will not be able to attend in a satisfactory manner to a fuller range of possible features, both good and bad, that may characterize the child's life and her experience of being the child's parent. The woman considering whether to terminate her pregnancy due to, say, poverty will, in contrast, typically be able to deliberate in ways more responsive to a broader range of relevant matters, as the possible child's poverty will not be the only thing she is in a position to take into account about her or his life and their life together. Further, even where poverty or some other factor influencing decisions about terminating or continuing pregnancy are stigmatizing, they are not as thoroughly stigmatizing as are impairment-related conditions, due to prevalent confusions about the immutability of traits seen as biological rather than social.
Direct measurement of bonded film thickness of A20H lubricant

Currently the bonded lubricant thickness is measured either by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) on the remaining lubricant after using fluorocarbon solvent like Vertrel to rinse off the mobile lubricant from magnetic disk surfaces. As the thickness of the lubricant applied on a disk approaches to its molecular dimension (∼10 A), the current measurement methods face tremendous challenges in achieving the desired levels of accuracy and sensitivity. We propose a new method that makes use of a time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to directly measure the bonded film thickness of A20H lubricant by quantifying the ratio of either the hydroxyl end-group or the phenoxy portion of the cyclotriphosphazene end-group with respect to their respective neighboring backbone fragments. The quantified ratios include C2F3/CF2CH2OH and C6F3O/CF3C6H4 measured in the positive polarity and C2F3O/OCF2CH2OH, and C7F5/CF3C6H4O2H2 measured in the negative polarity. The transfer function from the quantified ratios to the bonded lubricant thickness (t) is given in the form of t=α×ln (100×RT)−β, where α,β are constants for a selected ratio and RT represents the quantity of the specific ratio. The results correlate very well with the FTIR method currently used in the measurement of the magnetic media during production (R2>90). The new method can complete the measurement of the bonded lubricant thickness in a one-step process and it has a much higher spatial resolution at sub-micrometers than that of the FTIR or ESCA with order of a few tens of micrometers in resolution. The quantified ratio obtained from this TOF-SIMS technique makes the imaging of the localized bonded lubricant possible, which can be applied in the magnetic media failure analysis.
Probing reactive sites within the Photosystem II manganese cluster: Evidence for separate populations of manganese that differ in redox potential

When the oxygen evolving complex of Photosystem II is depleted of essential cofactor atoms (Ca2+ and Cl−) by a high ionic strength treatment that extracts 23 and 17 kDa extrinsic polypeptides, Mn2+ can be released by several large reductants (hydroquinone (H2Q), N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD), methyl derivatives of hydroxylamine). This reactivity can be slowed if the enzyme is reconstituted with Ca2+. For TMPD, data from EPR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicate that Ca2+ reconstitution restricts initial Mn reduction to a site which contains a Mn4+ atom. Dimethylhydroxylamine (DMHA), a much smaller Mn reductant, is unable to reduce the cluster under these same conditions, even though DMHA and TMPD can generate Mn2+ from the Mn cluster in the absence of Ca2+. These reductants differ in redox potential by about 300 mV, and it is likely that the higher potential reductant, DMHA (+550 mV), is restricted to initially reacting with a Mn3+ species that is screened by the Ca2+ atom and is incapable, in the presence of Ca2+, of reducing lower potential atoms of the cluster that do react with TMPD. Reduction of the reactive Mn3+ species by DMHA in the absence of Ca2+, however, subsequently allows reduction of the remaining 3 Mn. Such an arrangement of metals and potentials in the cluster is in accord with models for the site of water oxidation and for the structure of the Ca–Mn4 cluster.
Correlations between sociability and motor performance scores in 8-month-olds

Correlations between measures of social responsiveness (to examiner and to mother), social intensity, social class, and motor development were computed using data from the eight-month assessments of 33,688 participants in the National Collaborative Perinatal Project. A composite measure of sociability correlated 18 with motor performance scores. Of the component scales, social responsiveness to the examiner was the best correlate (r = .19), followed by social intensity (r = .09). There were no effects attributable to either sex or race. Social class was correlated with motor performance scores (r = .07) but not with the sociability scales. Since sociability predicts motor test performance almost as well as it predicts mental development scores, it appears that a performance artifact does not account for these correlations. Direct relationships among sociability, cognitive, and motor development appear to be involved.
High glucose enhances microRNA-26a to activate mTORC1 for mesangial cell hypertrophy and matrix protein expression

Abstract High glucose milieu inhibits PTEN expression to activate Akt kinase and induces glomerular mesangial cell hypertrophy and matrix protein expression in diabetic nephropathy. Specific mechanism by which high glucose inhibits PTEN expression is not clear. We found that high glucose increased the expression of the microRNA-26a (miR-26a) in mesangial cells. Using a sensor plasmid with 3′UTR-driven luciferase, we showed PTEN as a target of miR-26a in response to high glucose. Overexpression of miR-26a reduced the PTEN protein levels resulting in increased Akt kinase activity similar to high glucose treatment. In contrast, anti-miR-26a reversed high glucose-induced suppression of PTEN with concomitant inhibition of Akt kinase activity. Akt-mediated phosphorylation of tuberin and PRAS40 regulates mTORC1, which is necessary for mesangial cell hypertrophy and matrix protein expression. Inhibition of high glucose-induced miR-26a blocked phosphorylation of tuberin and PRAS40, which lead to suppression of phosphorylation of S6 kinase and 4EBP-1, two substrates of mTORC1. Furthermore, we show that expression of miR-26a induced mesangial cell hypertrophy and increased fibronectin and collagen I (α2) expression similar to that observed with the cells incubated with high glucose. Anti-miR-26a inhibited these phenomena in response to high glucose. Together our results provide the first evidence for the involvement of miR-26a in high glucose-induced mesangial cell hypertrophy and matrix protein expression. These data indicate the potential therapeutic utility of anti-miR-26a for the complications of diabetic kidney disease.
Determination of acyl-CoA concentrations using pancreatic lipase

Abstract A rapid and sensitive assay for acyl-CoA thiol esters has been devised using pancreatic lipase as a hydrolytic agent in the presence of dithionitrobenzoic acid to detect the liberated CoA. Acyl thiol esters containing 12–22 carbon atoms and 0–6 double bonds are measurable in this system whereas acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA were not cleaved.
Mass Transfer and Bioavailability of PAH Compounds in Coal Tar NAPL−Slurry Systems. 1. Model Development

A modeling framework is developed that addresses mass transfer, bioavailability, and potential biotreatment rates that may be achieved under stable microbial conditions in slurry systems containing multi-component non-aqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs). The framework is applied to describe biotreatment of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released from coal tar NAPL in solid−slurry and liquid−liquid dispersion systems. A multi-step mass transport−degradation model considers equilibrium partition ing of PAH compound at the NAPL−water interface, fol lowed by three sequential kinetic processes occurring in the aqueous phase: micropore sorption−diffusion, bulk aqueous-phase transport, and first-order biodegradation of bulk-phase substrate. Dynamic changes in NAPL−water equilibria due to depletion of PAH compound from the NAPL are incorporated into the model. Model results indicate that the overall rate of biotransformation of organic compounds from NAPLs is controlled by NAPL−water equilibrium processes re...
Pattern of retroperitoneal dissemination of primary peritoneum cancer: basis for rational use of lymphadenectomy.

Abstract Introduction The rationale for lymphadenectomy in primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) is unclear. We sought to define the pattern of lymphatic metastasis in PPC and propose evidence-based rationale for lymphadenectomy in relevant cases. Methods Patients with PPC undergoing primary surgery at Mayo Clinic were identified. Demographics, tumor characteristics, procedures performed and follow up were analyzed. Results Forty eight patients with PPC were identified; 39 had stage IIIC (81.2%) and 9 (18.8%) had stage IV. Residual disease (RD) after primary surgery was microscopic in 6 cases (12.5%), less than 1 cm in 33 (68.8%), more than 1 cm in 9 patient (18.7%) with median survivals of 5.8, 3.2 and 1.3 years, respectively. Overall, 24 patients had lymphadenectomy performed (pelvic (PND) or paraortic (PAND) or both). Pelvic nodes were involved in 12/23 (52.7%) cases, while para-aortic nodes were involved in 5/21 (23.8%) of cases. The rate of simultaneously positive pelvic and para-aortic nodes was 20% (4/20). Nodal involvement was a poor prognostic factor with 5 year overall survival 63% vs. 25% (p = 0.014) in node positive vs. negative cases. Compared to patients with primary ovarian cancer (OC), OC cases had a higher rate of positive para-aortic nodes (57.6%: 77/132; p = 0.004). Conclusions Retroperitoneal lymph nodes are a common site of metastases in PPC, therefore it is logically consistent to perform PND and PAND if a patient can be cytoreduced to microscopic RD in other sites or remove grossly positive nodes in patients with RD
Quantitation of four guanine oxidation products from reaction of DNA with varying doses of peroxynitrite.

The oxidation products obtained from the reaction of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) with dG includeamong others8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2‘-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), 2,2-diamino-4[(2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentafuranosyl)amino]-5(2H)-oxazolone (oxazolone), spiroiminodihydantoin, and N1-(β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-5-guanidinohydantoin (guanidinohydantoin). In the present work, the formation of these products from the treatment of calf thymus DNA with varying amounts of ONOO- was studied quantitatively in vitro. 13C-, 15N-labeled standards were synthesized for the nucleosides of interest, and calf thymus DNA was reacted with ONOO- and digested enzymatically down to the nucleoside level. Specific modifications in the DNA were measured by HPLC separation followed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric analysis in the selected reaction-monitoring mode. Artifacts of the above four oxidation products, arising from oxidation of dG and/or 8-oxodG during DNA digestion and subsequent workup, were evaluated with 7-15N-dG an...
Unaided Speech in Long‐Term Tube‐Free Tracheostomy

Objectives/Hypothesis Objectives of the current study were as follows: 1) to determine whether a self-sustaining, tube-free tracheostomy with unaided speech capability can be achieved, 2) to propose new surgical techniques to enhance voluntary constriction of a tube-free tracheostoma to improve cough and speech production, and 3) to explain the mechanism involved in unaided speech after long-term tracheostomy. The hypotheses were that long-term, tube-free tracheostomy could minimize the unwanted effects of conventional tube-dependent tracheotomy; that surgical shunting of the trachea to the skin surface can be established through a short, skin-lined, self-supporting, nostril-like opening; and that patients could generate speech and cough without the need to occlude the stoma or use stents and/or one-way valves if such a long-term tube-free tracheostoma were established. Study Design A prospective study of tube-free tracheostomy intended to establish unaided cough and speech. Methods Thirty-five patients who underwent long-term flap tracheostomies between 1992 and 1999 with the prospective intent of establishing a self-sustaining stoma without the need for tubes or stents were reviewed. The patients were trained to intentionally constrict the stoma for production of unaided speech and cough. The pertinent techniques developed for successful achievement of these characteristics are presented and reviewed. A new surgical technique using a local tendinous muscular sling was designed to further improve the efficacy of stomal constriction. Results A tube-free stoma was successfully established in all 35 patients. Eighteen patients achieved effective intentional constriction of the stoma and thereby were capable of unaided speech production. Four patients required an additional new surgical sling procedure to optimize unaided cough and speech production. Thirteen patients achieved only limited unaided speech production, but were satisfied to do nothing further. Conclusions New surgical techniques and postoperative management to create a modified tube-free tracheostomy with self-constricting capabilities can enable production of effective cough and near-normal generation of unaided speech. In this manner, the airway can be secured with little or no voice compromise.
The Critical Heat Flux Condition With Water in a Uniformly Heated Microtube

The critical heat flux (CHF) condition needs to be well understood for designing miniature devices involving two-phase flow. Experiments were performed to determine the CHF condition for a single stainless steel tube having an inside diameter of 0.427 mm subjected to uniform heat flux boundary conditions. The effects of mass flux, pressure, and exit quality on the CHF were investigated. The experimental results show that the CHF increases with an increase in mass flux and exit pressure. For all exit pressures, the CHF decreased with an increase in quality in the subcooled region, but with a further increase in quality (near zero quality and above), the CHF was found to have an increasing trend with quality (up to about 25% quality). CHF values in this region were much higher than those in the subcooled region. This suggests that even at very low qualities, the void fraction becomes appreciable, which results in an increase in the average velocity, thereby increasing the CHF limit.
Armoring CRAds with p21/Waf-1 shRNAs: the next generation of oncolytic adenoviruses

Conditionally replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) represent a promising modality for the treatment of neoplastic diseases, including Prostate Cancer. Selectively replicating viruses can be generated by placing a tissue or cancer-specific promoter upstream of one or more of the viral genes required for replication (for example, E1A, E1B). We have previously reported multiple cellular processes that can attenuate viral replication, which in turn compromises viral oncolysis and tumor kill. In this study, we investigated the importance of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21/Waf-1, on viral replication and tumor growth. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the importance of p21/Waf-1shRNA on the induction of an androgen responsive element (ARE) based promoter driving the E1A gene. As a proof of concept, the study emphasizes the use of RNA interference technology to overcome promoter weaknesses for tissue-specific oncolytic viruses, as well as the cellular inhibitor pathways on viral life cycle. Using RNA interference against p21/Waf-1, we were able to show an increase in viral replication and viral oncolysis of prostate cancer cells. Similarly, CRAd viruses that carry p21/Waf-1 shRNA (Ad5-RV004.21) were able to prevent tumor outgrowth that resulted in a marked increase in the mean survival time of tumor-bearing mice compared with CRAd without p21/Waf-1 shRNA (Ad5-RV004). In studies combining Ad5-RV004.21 with Adriamycin, a suprar-additive effect was observed only in CRAds that harbor shRNA against p21/Waf-1. Taken together, these findings of enhanced viral replication in prostate cancer cells by using RNA interference against the cdk inhibitor p21/Waf-1 have significant implications in the development of prostate-specific CRAd therapies.
Piety and Redistributive Preferences in the Muslim World

This article tests two competing theories of the relationship between piety and redistributive preferences in the Muslim world. The first, drawn from the new political economy of religion, holds that more pious individuals of any faith should oppose redistributive economic policies. The second, drawn from Islamic scripture, holds that pious Muslims should favor more redistributive economic policies. Employing survey data from twenty-five countries, the authors find that there is no clear relationship between piety and redistributive preferences among Muslims. The authors find that more pious Muslims are less likely to favor government efforts to eliminate income inequality, but they find only inconsistent evidence that more pious Muslims support governments taking responsibility for the well-being of the poor. The findings offer little evidence to suggest that either scriptural or organizational factors unique to Islam create distinct economic policy preferences.
The innate immune rheostat: influence on lung inflammatory disease and secondary bacterial pneumonia

The activity of innate immunity is not simply dictated by the presence of an antigen but also by the balance between negative regulatory and immune potentiator pathways. Even in the absence of antigen, innate immunity can 'inflame' if negative regulators are absent. This resting state is adaptable and dictated by environmental influences, host genetics and past infection history. A return to homoeostasis post inflammation may therefore not leave the tissue in an identical state to that prior to the inflammatory event. This adaptability makes us all unique and also explains the variable outcome experienced by a diverse population to the same inflammatory stimulus. Using murine models we have identified that influenza virus causes a long-term modification of the lung microenvironment by a de-sensitization to bacterial products and an increase in the myeloid negative regulator CD200R (CD200 receptor). These two events prevent subsequent inflammatory damage while the lung is healing, but also they may predispose to bacterial colonization of the lower respiratory tract should regulatory mechanisms overshoot. In the extreme, this leads to bacterial pneumonia, sepsis and death. A deeper understanding of the consequences arising from innate immune cell alteration during influenza infection and the subsequent development of bacterial complications has important implications for future drug development.
Editor's note: Retained foreign bodies--why do we still allow them to occur?

ALTHOUGH NOT THE USUAL ‘‘HARD SCIENCE’’ of most laboratory studies published in Surgery, the article by Dr Carl Fabian addresses an as yet unsolved problem for the abdominal and chest surgeon— that is, the ‘‘retained’’ foreign object. Dr Fabian is a retired radiologist who has carried out this project, beginning this work literally in his garage. I have worked with him to get the study and finally the manuscript into shape for publication with the primary hope that this fairly simple study will stimulate and foster a more intense focus on this topic. As we are learning with the use of information transfer and the electronic record, we are years, maybe decades, behind most businesses in electronic means of information sharing. While fishing on a remote lake in northern Canada, I spoke with one of my fishing buddies who runs a dry goods and frozen goods warehouse in Fargo, ND (no, he does not have a wood chipper). When I asked him how he keeps inventory on where goods are stored in his warehouse, he immediately talked about radiofrequency ‘‘tags,’’ which monitor not only inventory but also the location of each item in the warehouse, replacing computer input of location and number. Grocery stores, of course, use bar code technology to monitor inventory, but the use of a radiofrequency tag would allow constant updating of both inventory and location. The obvious
The flow-insensitive precision of Andersen's analysis in practice

We present techniques for determining the precision gap between Andersen's points-to analysis and precise flow-insensitive points-to analysis in practice. While previous work has shown that such a gap may exist, no efficient algorithm for precise flow-insensitive analysis is known, making measurement of the gap on real-world programs difficult. We give an algorithm for precise flow-insensitive analysis of programs with finite memory, based on a novel technique for refining any points-to analysis with a search for flow-insensitive witnesses. We give a compact symbolic encoding of the technique that enables computing the search using a tuned SAT solver. We also present extensions of the algorithm that enable computing lower and upper bounds on the precision gap in the presence of dynamic memory allocation. In our experimental evaluation over a suite of small- to medium-sized C programs, we never observed a precision gap between Andersen's analysis and the precise analysis. In other words, Andersen's analysis computed a precise flow-insensitive result for all of our benchmarks. Hence, we conclude that while better algorithms for the precise flow-insensitive analysis are still of theoretical interest, their practical impact for C programs is likely to be negligible.
Elastomeric Cell-Laden Nanocomposite Microfibers for Engineering Complex Tissues

Biomaterials-based three dimensional scaffolds with tunable elasticity hold promise in replacing failed organs resulting from injuries, aging, and diseases by providing a suitable cellular microenvironment to facilitate regeneration of damaged tissues. However, controlled presentation of biological signals with tunable tissue mechanics and architecture remain a bottleneck that needs to be addressed to engineer functional artificial tissues. Nanocomposite hydrogels that promote cells adhesion and demonstrate tunable viscoelastic properties could mimic key properties and structures of native tissue. We have developed elastomeric fiber shaped cellular constructs from poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, silicate nanoparticles, and gelatin methacrylate via ionic and covalent crosslinking. By controlling the interactions between nanoparticles and polymers, nanocomposite hydrogels with tunable mechanical and degradation properties are fabricated. By encapsulating multiple cell types in these cellular constructs, we demonstrate materials-based control of cell spreading, survival, and proliferation. As a proof-of-concept, we assembled the hydrogel microfibers to obtain multicellular elastomeric tissue constructs. These elastic microfibers may serve as model systems to explore the effect of mechanical stress on cell–matrix interactions. Moreover, such elastomeric hydrogel fibers can be used to engineer scaffold structures, fabric sheets, bundles, or as building blocks for 3D tissue construction.
Female Lincoln's sparrows modulate their behavior in response to variation in male song quality

Sexually reproducing organisms should mate with the highest quality individuals that they can. When female songbirds choose a mate, they are thought to use several aspects of male song that reflect his quality. Under resource-limited environmental conditions, male Lincoln’s sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii) vary among one another in several aspects of song quality, including song length, song complexity, and trill performance. In a 2-pronged approach, we tested whether variation in song quality of male Lincoln’s sparrows influences the behavior of females that are in a reproductive-like state. Over two trials, we exposed females to songs from the high and low ends of the distribution of naturally occurring song quality variation and found a higher level of behavioral activity in females exposed to high-quality songs, especially when they had first been exposed to low-quality songs. We also examined female phonotaxis toward antiphonally played songs with experimentally elevated and reduced trill performance and found that females moved preferentially toward the songs with elevated trill performance. Contrary to most studies investigating the behavioral responses of wild, female songbirds to variation in male song, we obtained our results without administering exogenous estradiol, which can artificially perturb the female’s physiology. Our results demonstrate that the behavior of female Lincoln’s sparrows is modulated by the quality of male songs to which they are exposed and that trill performance plays a significant role in this behavioral modulation. Furthermore, as the order of song quality presentation matters, it appears that recent song experience also influences female behavior. Key words: bird song, mate choice, Melospiza lincolnii, phonotaxis, sexual selection, song playback, trill performance, vocal performance. [Behav Ecol]
Dirac Structures in Pseudo-Gradient Systems With an Emphasis on Electrical Networks

The relationship between implicitly defined Hamiltonian systems and pseudo-gradient systems is investigated. It is shown that under certain conditions a Hamiltonian system, implicitly defined with respect to a Dirac structure on the state space manifold, can be used to generate a pseudo-gradient system on the Lagrangian submanifold of the cotangent bundle of the state space. This elucidates the relationship between the Smale pseudo-gradient and the Bloch-Couch Hamiltonian formulations of lossless circuit dynamics. A more general situation is also considered where the implicit Hamiltonian system gives rise to a foliation of the Lagrangian submanifold in which each leaf is a pseudo-Riemannian manifold which in turn gives rise to a pseudo-gradient system.
Looking back to move forward on model validation: insights from a global model of agricultural land use

Global agricultural models are becoming indispensable in the debate over climate change impacts and mitigation policies. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to validate these models and identify critical areas for improvement. In this letter, we illustrate both the opportunities and the challenges in undertaking such model validation, using the SIMPLE model of global agriculture. We look back at the long run historical period 1961‐2006 and, using a few key historical drivers—population, incomes and total factor productivity—we find that SIMPLE is able to accurately reproduce historical changes in cropland use, crop price, crop production and average crop yields at the global scale. Equally important is our investigation into how the specific assumptions embedded in many agricultural models will likely influence these results. We find that those global models which are largely biophysical—thereby ignoring the price responsiveness of demand and supply—are likely to understate changes in crop production, while failing to capture the changes in cropland use and crop price. Likewise, global models which incorporate economic responses, but do so based on limited time series estimates of these responses, are likely to understate land use change and overstate price changes.
The study of risk in pulmonary arterial hypertension

A growing body of published evidence exists on the risk factors for disease progression in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The Scientific Steering Committee for the Study of Risk in PAH was established to bring together leading clinical and statistical experts in PAH and risk modelling, for the purpose of advancing the understanding of the risk of development and progression of PAH. Herein, we discuss the impact of this information on three key areas: 1) clinical decision-making; 2) policy and reimbursement; and 3) future trials and research.
Epigenetic Regulation of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle in Osteosarcoma

The role of genetic mutations in the development of osteosarcoma, such as alterations in p53 and Rb, is well understood. However, the significance of epigenetic mechanisms in the progression of osteosarcoma remains unclear and is increasingly being investigated. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations such as methylation and histone modifications of genes involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of this tumor. Importantly, understanding the molecular mechanisms of regulation of these pathways may give insight into novel therapeutic strategies for patients with osteosarcoma. This paper serves to summarize the described epigenetic mechanisms in the tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma, specifically those pertaining to apoptosis and cell cycle regulation.
Severe Tracheomalacia in the ICU: Identification of Diagnostic Criteria and Risk Factor Analysis From a Case Control Study

BACKGROUND: Severe tracheomalacia (STM) is being increasingly recognized as a cause for respiratory failure in the ICU. The diagnosis is often overlooked, as chest radiography appears normal, and the role of invasive diagnostic testing for this diagnosis is not well described in the ICU setting. The prevalence and risk factors for STM are not known, and computed tomography (CT) based diagnostic criteria for ventilated patients are not well studied. METHODS: Patients admitted between January 2008 and December 2010, with respiratory failure and who failed ventilator discontinuation or required reintubation, were screened for the presence of any tracheal collapse, utilizing prior CT of the chest. Bronchoscopically confirmed cases were compared with age and sex matched controls to identify risk factors. RESULTS: Twenty-five subjects were identified as having STM, which represented 0.7% of ICU admissions and 1.6% of subjects with respiratory failure. The mean ICU stay was significantly longer in STM (30 d, 95% CI 19.7–40 d), compared to controls (4.4 d, 95% CI 3.6–5.2 d). Obesity (odds ratio 1.26, 95% CI 1.04–1.54) and gastro-esophageal reflux (odds ratio 31, 1.7- 586) were associated with increased risk for STM. The pre-intubation PaCO2 (68 mm Hg, 95% CI 57–79 mm Hg) was significantly higher in STM, compared to controls (38 mm Hg, 95% CI 35–41). The distal tracheal antero-posterior diameter (2.80 mm, 95% CI 2.15–3.46) was significantly lower in STM. A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a distal tracheal antero-posterior diameter < 7 mm to be the optimal cutoff measurement to diagnose STM. CONCLUSION: STM was associated with prolonged ICU stay. A distal tracheal antero-posterior diameter < 7 mm on a non-intubated CT chest was suggestive of STM that required a confirmatory bronchoscopy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease and obesity were potential risk factors.
Aeroponic system for control of root-zone atmosphere

Control of rhizospheric gases can be critical to research. Culturing plants with roots in liquid is a common component of protocols described previously for controlling the root-zone atmosphere, and liquid culture is routine during assays of symbiotic N2 fixation. However, spurious data may result from gases becoming trapped within the boundary layer of solution-cultured roots and nodules. Aeroponics is a viable alternative to other soilless culture systems for maintaining plants with a controlled root-zone atmosphere. We have designed an aeroponic gas-delivery system that allows statistical treatment of individual plants as discrete experimental units when root-zone-targeted treatments are imposed. Roots of intact plants were held in closed 1-L canning jars, with one plant per jar and the stem emerging from a hole drilled in the jar lid. Extra-fine fog nozzles controlled by a programmable timer sprayed roots periodically with nutrient solution. Gases were mixed and delivered to jars at a prescribed rate by using a system of capillary tubes. During a study of O2 effects on formation of root nodules, 100% survival of plants and profuse nodulation resulted after 4 weeks. The pO2 within each jar remained within ±1.0% of its prescribed value, and pre-and post-experimental O2 measurements within individual jars did not differ (P < 0.0001). The system is easy to construct with inexpensive materials, has many applications for rhizosphere biology, and is unique among systems used previously. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
AUTOMATED DETECTION OF MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT THROUGH MRI DATA ANALYSIS

The early identification of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has the potential for timely therapeutic interventions that would limit the advancement of MCI to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This paper presents an automated approach for early detection of MCI through pattern classification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The approach is based on image feature selection and support vector machine (SVM) classification. Subjects were selected from the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS) database and included 89 MCI subjects and 80 controls. Voxel-by-voxel differences in gray matter (GM) intensity between the MCI and control groups were identified. Then regions of interest (ROIs) and the most discriminative image features that represented the patterns in MCI subjects were determined for training a classifier. The classifier demonstrated a high classification accuracy (90%) when a behavioral estimate of MCI and the ROIs were included as features in comparison to the behavioral estimate or the ROIs alone, which is one scientific contribution of our work. Another contribution is that the classifier can be integrated with the image processing functions through an online interface with significant medical capability that can be used for automated image pre-processing, obtaining MCI probability estimates for individual cases, and visualization of affected regions.
Relentless Progression Toward Sustained Hypertension

Blood pressure (BP) measured carefully by cuff under standardized conditions in physician offices has been shown to be an acceptable predictor of morbidity and mortality.1 However, 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring is a closer surrogate end point for heart attack and stroke than office BP.2,3 Because the correlation between 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement and office BP measurement is moderate at best, not unexpectedly there will be a significant number of people who are truly hypertensive but in whom the diagnosis is missed by office BP measurements (masked hypertension). Conversely, BP may be elevated in the office but not on ambulatory BP monitoring, an entity known to most clinicians as white-coat hypertension. Both masked hypertension and white-coat hypertension can be considered prehypertensive states not uncommonly evolving into sustained hypertension. The article by Mancia et al4 in the present issue of Hypertension assesses the risk of developing sustained hypertension in the Pressioni Arteriose Monitorate e Loro Associazioni population over a 10-year follow-up. Regardless of whether the definition of white-coat hypertension or masked hypertension was based on home BP measurements or 24-hour ambulatory monitoring, both forms of hypertension were at an increased risk of progressing to sustained hypertension. In fact, Mancia et al4 showed that >40% of patients having white-coat or masked hypertension will developed sustained hypertension over a 10-year period (Figure). In contrast, only 16% of truly normotensive subjects will progress to sustained hypertension within the same …
Transmission through inhomogeneous plane layers

A plane wave is considered to be incident obliquely on a dielectric layer whose permittivity is a function of distance from the plane surface. The field distribution and the transmission coefficient are obtained from step-by-step numerical integration. Since the calculations are simple and repetitive, the technique is suitable for both manual and automatic calculations. The method has been used successfully for lossy and lossless layers with perpendicular and parallel polarization. Some of the calculated field distributions are presented graphically. Only ten steps are required in the numerical integration for a typical half-wave inhomogeneous radome wall to obtain results accurate to within one per cent.
The Oncology Education Initiative: Successful Incorporation of Multidisciplinary Oncology Education into the Core Radiology Clerkship

The standard of cancer management is multidisciplinary care, yet most medical schools teach systems-based oncology. This format, while excellent for systems-based diseases, such as cardiovascular and pulmonary, can be disjointed for oncology. As part of a broader Oncology Education Initiative emphasizing horizontal integration of cancer education, a didactic lecture by an attending radiation oncologist was incorporated into the core radiology clerkship. This study presents the attitudes of students towards this didactic session. Of the 137 fourth-year students (total n=152) who completed the study, a majority expressed dissatisfaction with their exposure to cancer topics/patients in the pre-clinical years. 91% believed that radiation oncology was important in medical education, but 64% knew little about radiation oncology prior to the Initiative. Afterward, 38% of the students stated that they felt more comfortable managing patients with cancer. 90% reported a better appreciation of multidisciplinary cancer management. 96% felt that the radiology clerkship was an opportune format for this training. Horizontal integration of medical and radiation oncology and radiology was viewed favorably.
Review: Cardiovascular risk assessment in the metabolic syndrome, screening for subclinical disease, and implications for treatment:

The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of risk factors known to promote or increase the risk for development of cardiovascular disease. Approximately 25‐35% of the adult population of developed countries are characterised with metabolic syndrome by different definitions. Metabolic syndrome, even in the absence of diabetes, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and total mortality, and is related to an increased risk for the development of diabetes. Initial evaluation of coronary heart disease risk involves global risk estimation using Framingham or other algorithms for risk prediction. Given the absence of key metabolic syndrome risk factors (namely obesity, elevated triglycerides, and impaired fasting glucose) in these algorithms, elevations in these factors need to be considered in individual patient risk evaluation. Further, consideration of screening for novel risk factors such as C-reactive protein, as well as subclinical atherosclerosis (from carotid ultrasound, computed tomography, or anklebrachial index), can further refine the estimation of future cardiovascular disease risk. The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis or elevated levels of C-reactive protein can potentially modify recommended treatment goals for lipid and other cardiovascular risk factors. The American Heart Association and US National Heart Lung and Blood Institute have recently released revised guidelines for the diagnosis and clinical management of metabolic syndrome. This article examines global assessment of cardiovascular risk in persons with metabolic syndrome, the role of screening for subclinical disease in risk assessment, as well as treatment strategies and their implications for reducing cardiovascular risk in those with metabolic syndrome. Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis 2005;5:305‐14 The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated risk factors of metabolic origin that appears to directly promote the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The contributing risk factors most widely recognised include atherogenic dyslipidaemia, elevated BP, and elevated plasma glucose. The initial report of the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in United States adults surveyed in 1988‐1994 showed approximately 47 million to have this condition, 1 based
The prognostic role of donor corneoscleral rim cultures in corneal transplantation.

Purpose To examine the discriminatory performance of donor corneoscleral rim cultures for predicting endophthalmitis after corneal transplantation. Design Systematic literature review. Participants Studies that reported the prevalence of donor rim cultures after refrigerated preservation of donor corneas distributed for keratoplasty. Methods Random-effects meta-analysis estimated pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios. Meta-regression and stratification explored study-level reasons for diagnostic performance. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of postkeratoplasty endophthalmitis. Results Of 17 614 corneal grafts, 2459 (14%) had a positive donor rim culture and 31 (0.2%) developed endophthalmitis. Twenty-one had concordant donor and recipient isolates, including 10 with Candida species. The sensitivity of donor rim cultures among 10 studies reporting postsurgical endophthalmitis was 67% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47%–83%), and specificity averaged 85%. Endophthalmitis occurred 12 (95% CI, 5–29) times more often among recipients of a culture-positive donor cornea. With Bayesian analysis, a culture-positive donor cornea would raise the infection risk to 1%, whereas fungal isolation from the donor rim predicts a 3% probability of fungal endophthalmitis. Pooling of studies was limited by a significant discrepancy among reports that could not be explained by differences in antibiotic supplementation of the preservation medium, method of culture inoculation, or type of culture medium. Conclusion Endophthalmitis after penetrating keratoplasty is more likely with a culture-positive donor rim, notably candidal endophthalmitis from fungal contaminants, but better evidence is needed to determine the prognostic value and manner of routine microbiological screening.