cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny and biogeography of exindusiate Andean Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Uplift of the tropical Andes had a significant impact on the diversification of South American flora and fauna. Recent biogeographic inquiries have established patterns of Andean divergence, but investigations on ferns are scant. The fern genus Polystichum Roth (Dryopteridaceae) combines widespread geographic and elevational distribution with a large number of species to form an ideal system for investigation of the origin and diversification patterns of a fern lineage in the tropical Andes. METHODS The relationships among 42 Polystichum species, including taxa from all major biogeographic regions, were analyzed with 2591 aligned nucleotides from four plastid markers using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. The resulting phylogeny was then used to estimate divergence times and reconstruct both ancestral areas and ancestral elevations. KEY RESULTS Tropical Andean South American polystichums that lack an indusium (sori exindusiate) were confirmed to form a monophyletic group. This exindusiate Andean Polystichum clade diverged from a middle-elevation forest lineage now rich in species endemic to Mexico during the middle Miocene (13.12 million years ago). The majority of diversification that followed took place in the montane regions of the central Andes with radiations to the northern Andes, southeastern Brazil, and alpine regions. CONCLUSIONS The monophyletic exindusiate Andean Polystichum lineage diverged from a Mexican lineage in the middle Miocene and diversified in the central Andes before dispersing northward. This south-to-north dispersal pattern, documented for many other Andean lineages, corresponds with episodes of uplift in the tropical Andes.
A critical interaction time for fast fission

A TDHF-based classical model is compared to experimental data on fusion cross-section. A critical value of the interaction time, which leads to fast fission, is estimated from the reaction238U+89Y atElab = 6 MeV/u. Assuming that this critical time is independent of the reaction system, I estimated the absolute value of the fusion cross-sections for many different systems. A good agreement between theory and experiment was found.
Word to the Wise: Opaques

Most people are familiar with the term opaque, which means not able to be seen through or not allowing light to pass through. Opacity is the antonym of transparency. This is one measure of the degr...
Chenodeoxycholic acid suppresses the activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-α gene transcription by the liver X receptor agonist T0-901317

The therapeutic utility of liver X receptor (LXR) agonists in treating atherosclerosis is limited by an undesired accumulation of triglycerides in the blood and liver. This effect is caused by an increase in the transcription of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis. Here, we show that the primary bile acid, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), antagonizes the stimulatory effect of the synthetic LXR agonist, T0-901317, on the expression of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-alpha (ACCalpha) and other lipogenic enzymes in chick embryo hepatocyte cultures. CDCA inhibits T0-901317-induced ACCalpha transcription by suppressing the enhancer activity of a LXR response unit (-101 to -71 bp) that binds LXR and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1). We also demonstrate that CDCA decreases the expression of SREBP-1 in the nucleus and the acetylation of histone H3 and H4 at the ACCalpha LXR response unit. The CDCA-mediated reduction in ACCalpha expression is associated with a decrease in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) and small heterodimer partner and an increase in the expression of fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19). Ectopic expression of FGF-19 decreases T0-901317-induced ACCalpha expression. Inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and/or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) suppresses the effects of CDCA on the expression of ACCalpha, SREBP-1, PGC-1alpha, and FGF-19. These results demonstrate that CDCA inhibits T0-901317-induced ACCalpha transcription by suppressing the activity of LXR and SREBP-1. We postulate that p38 MAPK, ERK, PGC-1alpha, and FGF-19 are components of the signaling pathway(s) mediating the regulation of ACCalpha gene transcription by CDCA.
High power semiconductor laser sources for defense and security: a review of current technology

Concepts and markets of semiconductor diode lasers are introduced in the context of Defense and Security applications. Specific, high profile applications are reviewed and current and future diode laser technology is discussed. Advanced diode laser technology as it pertains to Infrared Countermeasures applications is reviewed in detail along with recent 2μm diode laser results and advanced packaging product architectures from nLIGHT.
Parameterizing exemplars of categories

This volume contains two papers dealing with computational approaches to face recognition, and it seems worthwhile to make explicit one of the key differences between them. Turk and Pentland’s article extends a method due to Kohonen for learning categories and reconstructing exemplars of these categories from degraded input, using linear methods. This approach is based on the idea of describing exemplars by individual feature vectors in some vector space V, and the hope that all exemplars of a single category will have feature vectors in or near a high codimensional subspace W of V; in particular, the distribution of these feature vectors might be approximately multidimensional gaussian, with only a few large eigenvalues, and W would be the span of the corresponding eigenvectors. Yuille’s article extends ideas of Elschlager and Fischler on characterizing categories of images by a configuration of feature points. This approach is based on the idea of describing exemplars by vectors from one feature point to another, or some geometrically derived quantities. This idea is extended by having a measure of fit of some kind of template for each feature at each location, and doing a gradient descent over ways to overlay the composite template with suitable proportions over the original iinage. I want to make explicit what seems to me a key difference between these approaches, which contrasts the method of representation used by the two approaches. To illustrate the difference, it is convenient to take a toy example in which we can work everything out, instead of trying to imagine what happens right away with such complex stimuli as faces. Let us imagine a category of widgets, which are simply black lines with one white dot on them. Faces are often imagined as relatively bland areas of skin on which the eyes, nose, and mouth are placed in differing configurations (e.g., the eyes closer or further apart), and what we seek to abstract with widgets is the placement of such strongly salient readily located parts as the pupils of the eyes within the face. We make the example one-dimensional to simplify the math. We imagine the image of the widget normalized to fixed position and scale (to eliminate the background), and sampled on a fixed grid, say with N sample points.
Modulation of middle and upper tropospheric ozone at northern midlatitudes by the El Niño/Southern Oscillation

A five-year time series of lidar profiles from a site in Colorado is used to investigate the sources and scales of variability for ozone in the free troposphere. Analysis of 475 daily mean profiles derived from more than 25,000 individual profiles shows that ∼66% of the total variance is due to fluctuations on time scales from 1 day to 1 month, ∼30% on time scales from 1 month to 1 year, and ∼4% on time scales greater than 1 year. The analysis also identifies low-frequency fluctuations correlated with the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) (following a ∼6-month lag) that may account for as much as 5% of the total variance in the data. The ENSO-related changes can also lead to apparent ozone trends that range from -0.2 to +0.5 ppbv/yr for different 10-year intervals between 1970 and 1990.
Carrier-Phase Multipath Corrections for GPS-based Satellite Attitude Determination

: Multipath errors in GPS carrier-phase data dominate the error budget for short-baseline applications such as static and kinematic relative positioning and vehicle attitude determination. This paper demonstrates the high degree of spatial repeatability of these errors for a spacecraft environment and describes a correction technique, termed the sky map method, which exploits the spatial correlation to correct measurements and improve the accuracy of GPS-based attitude solutions. Examples of CRISTA-SPAS satellite results are presented.
Botulinum toxin A: a new treatment option for multiple-sclerosis-related bladder overactivity?

Botulinum toxin A: a new treatment option for multiple-sclerosis-related bladder overactivity?
Optomechanical design of 10 modular cameras for the Mars exploration rovers

The 2003 mission to Mars includes two Rovers, which will land on the Martian surface. Each Rover carries 9 cameras of 4 different designs. In addition, one similar camera is mounted to each lander assembly to monitor the descent and provide information for firing the control jets during landing. This paper will discuss the mechanical systems design of the cameras, including fabrication tolerances of the lenses, thermal issues, radiation shielding, planetary protection, detector mounting, electronics, the modularity achieved, and how the 10 different locations were accommodated on the very tight real estate of the Rovers and Landers.
Poor decision-making by chronic marijuana users is associated with decreased functional responsiveness to negative consequences

Chronic marijuana users (MJ Users) perform poorly on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a complex decision-making task in which monetary wins and losses guide strategy development. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study sought to determine if the poor performance of MJ Users was related to differences in brain activity while evaluating wins and losses during the strategy development phase of the IGT. MJ Users (16) and Controls (16) performed a modified IGT in an MRI scanner. Performance was tracked and functional activity in response to early wins and losses was examined. While the MJ Users continued to perform poorly at the end of the task, there was no difference in group performance during the initial strategy development phase. During this phase, before the emergence of behavioral differences, Controls exhibited significantly greater activity in response to losses in the anterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal cortex, precuneus, superior parietal lobe, occipital lobe and cerebellum as compared to MJ Users. Furthermore, in Controls, but not MJ Users, the functional response to losses in the anterior cingulate cortex, ventral medial prefrontal cortex and rostral prefrontal cortex positively correlated with performance over time. These data suggest MJ Users are less sensitive to negative feedback during strategy development.
Capture-gated neutron spectrometry

The applications of a new inorganic scintillator, lithium gadolinium borate, to neutron dosimetry and spectroscopy, are described. A dosimeter using this material registers, in separate energy bins, thermal, epithermal and MeV neutrons. A spectrometer for MeV neutrons has a calculated energy resolution of 10% FWHM.
Epitaxial strain and epitaxial bending

The relation between the curvatures of an epitaxial film-substrate system and the epitaxial strain in the film is generalized to an arbitrary substrate surface of an arbitrary crystal structure. The determination of elastic constants of epitaxial film material from curvature measurements is compared with the determination from bulk perpendicular strain measurements by quantitative low-energy electron diffraction. Minimization of the elastic strain energy of the curved system as a function of an assumed single isotropic curvature leads to a particularly simple formula for the single curvature. The single curvature is proportional to an elastic constant which is simply the strain energy for unit in-plane epitaxial strain and is also proportional to the misfit strain and the ratio of film to substrate thickness. However, in general the curvature is anisotropic and a procedure for calculating the principal curvatures and their orientation is described and applied. The single curvature is shown to be close to the arithmetic average of the principle curvatures.
Studies on brain opiate receptor stability in vitro: inhibition of opiate receptor binding by adenosine-5'-diphosphate.

Abstract Incubation of rat brain homogenates at 37° causes a time-dependent decrease in opiate receptor binding which does not occur with a washed membrane fraction. The supernatant fraction contains a heat-stable inhibitor which is partially destroyed by apyrase and completely removed by activated charcoal. ADP causes a similar inhibitory effect in homogenates, but not with washed membranes, which is characterized by a decrease in both opiate agonist and antagonist binding in the absence or presence of NaCl. The ADP inhibition is antagonized by ATP, α,β-methyleneADP, β-thioADP and EDTA. It is concluded that ADP, unlike the guanine nucleotides, facilitates the nonspecific degradation of opiate receptors by an endogenous soluble factor.
Detection of interference/jamming and spoofing in a DGPS-aided inertial system

Previous research at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has resulted in the design of a differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) aided INS-based (inertial navigation system) precision landing system (PLS) capable of meeting the FAA precision requirements for instrument landings. The susceptibility of DGPS transmissions to both intentional and nonintentional interference/jamming and spoofing must be addressed before DGPS may be safely used as a major component of such a critical navigational device. This research applies multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) techniques to the problem of detecting and identifying interference/jamming and spoofing in the DGPS signal. Such an MMAE is composed of a bank of parallel filters, each hypothesizing a different failure status, along with an evaluation of the current probability of each hypothesis being correct, to form a probability-weighted average state estimate as an output. For interference/jamming degradation represented as increased measurement noise variance, simulation results show that, because of the good failure detection and isolation (FDI) performance using MMAE, the blended navigation performance is essentially that of a single extended Kalman filter (EKF) artificially informed of the actual interference noise variance. However, a standard MMAE is completely unable to detect spoofing failures (modeled as a bias or ramp offset signal directly added to the measurement). This work describes a moving-bank pseudoresidual MMAE (PRMMAE) to detect and identify such spoofing. Using the PRMMAE algorithm, spoofing is very effectively detected and isolated; the resulting navigation performance is equivalent to that of an EKF operating in an environment without spoofing.
Journal Club: The NHAMCS Database, Chart Review Methods, and More on Regression Modeling

Editor's Capsule Summary for Schuur et al 1 What is already known on this topic The National Quality Forum Expert Panel for Emergency Care recently endorsed a quality indicator to measure the performance of pregnancy testing in women aged 14 to 50 years who present to the emergency department (ED) with abdominal pain. What question this study addressed The performance of this quality measure was assessed in a national dataset (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey [NHAMCS]) and by chart review at 4 academic hospital EDs to see whether the 2 methods produced consistent results. What this study adds to our knowledge The nationally representative database (NHAMCS) significantly underestimated the measurement of pregnancy testing compared with the chart review. How this might change clinical practice Although these findings will not change clinical practice, they demonstrate the dangers and difficulties of using databases to measure quality indicators.
Splenic volume model constructed from standardized one-dimensional MDCT measurements.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to construct a model for estimation of splenic volume from standardized one-dimensional diameters of the spleen and to compare that model with the ellipsoid model for estimation of splenic volume.MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this retrospective study, segmentation software was used for semiautomated quantification of splenic volume by counting CT voxels in 193 consecutively registered patients. For standardization of one-dimensional measurements, the software was used to measure transaxial diameter in the slice with the largest splenic cross-sectional area. By incorporation of splenic volume and the product of width, thickness, and length into the linear regression equation, a model for estimation of splenic volume was constructed, and its performance was externally assessed. Splenic volume also was calculated with the formula for a prolate ellipsoid. The ellipsoid volume and best-fit volumes were compared with segmented splenic volume by use of Bland-Altman plot and...
Substrate orientation and specificity in xanthine oxidase: crystal structures of the enzyme in complex with indole-3-acetaldehyde and guanine.

Xanthine oxidase is a molybdenum-containing hydroxylase that catalyzes the hydroxylation of sp 2 -hybridized carbon centers in a variety of aromatic heterocycles as well as aldehydes. Crystal structures of the oxidase form of the bovine enzyme in complex with a poor substrate indole-3-acetaldehyde and the nonsubstrate guanine have been determined, both at a resolution of 1.6 A. In each structure, a specific and unambiguous orientation of the substrate in the active site is observed in which the hydroxylatable site is oriented away from the active site molybdenum center. The orientation seen with indole-3-acetaldehyde has the substrate positioned with the indole ring rather than the exocyclic aldehyde nearest the molybdenum center, indicating that the substrate must rotate some 30° in the enzyme active site to permit hydroxylation of the aldehyde group (as observed experimentally), accounting for the reduced reactivity of the enzyme toward this substrate. The principal product of hydroxylation of indole-3-acetaldehyde by the bovine enzyme is confirmed to be indole-3-carboxylic acid based on its characteristic UV−vis spectrum, and the kinetics of enzyme reduction are reported. With guanine, the dominant orientation seen crystallographically has the C-8 position that might be hydroxylated pointed away from the active site molybdenum center, in a configuration resembling that seen previously with hypoxanthine (a substrate that is effectively hydroxylated at position 2). The ∼180° reorientation required to permit reaction is sterically prohibited, indicating that substrate (mis)orientation in the active site is a major factor precluding formation of the highly mutagenic 8-hydroxyguanine.
Control-theoretic scheduling of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

Control technology has found widespread use in medical applications, including pharmacology and drug dosing. Although mental and behavioural health applications have much in common with these systems, only a few seminal works have applied control technology to inform treatment with non-pharmacological interventions. Herein, a model-based, predictive control strategy is proposed to optimise treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A mathematical model is developed that captures the dynamic relationship between five PTSD treatments and three commonly-employed PTSD assessment scales. The model supports an adaptive model predictive control strategy in which treatments are scheduled to achieve a therapeutic objective while recurrent assessment scale data are used to adaptively identify the patient model parameters. The model is corroborated against an independent data set, and the efficacy of the adaptive control strategy is demonstrated through Monte-Carlo simulations. While this work represents only a preliminary step towards a quantitative tool for clinical use, the simulated treatment results indicate that the proposed model and control approach could provide valuable insight towards designing personalised intervention schedules that increase treatment adherence, lower treatment costs and provide PTSD patients with more effective care.
Comparative performance of disadvantaged ethnic and racial groups.

Assessing the relative importance of environment and heredity on facets of group behavior can be extremely difficult. With respect to the possibility of racial differences in performance being partly of genetic origin, an authoritative statement recently contended: "In the absence of some now unforseen way of equalizing all aspects of the environment, answers to this question can hardly be more than reasonable guesses" (Council, 1968). The implication is that ethnic and racial differences on various tests cannot be assigned to genetic causes until every subtle environmental factor has been identified and equalized. This position effectively removes the problem from active investigation. An attempt to bypass this objection was made by comparing two minorities larking the intangible benefits of membership in the majority culture. Using data from a national survey (Coleman, et al., 1966), it was shown that American Indian children outperformed Negro children on several scholastic tests (Kuttner, 1968a, 1968b). Accompanying socioeconomic indiccs and available census statistics rank Indian srudents substantially below the Negro for the ordinary amenities of life. Either the Indian has superior capacity on these tests or the socioeconomic factors are less decisive than many believe (Jensen, 1969). Geneticists have disputed this conclusion (Crow, 1969; Lewontin, 1970). It is argued that if lndians score better than Negroes, then the Indian must rank higher on some crucial environmental variable that was missed when the family and home inventories were compiled, or the Negro is more damaged than his superior material status indicates. However, this postulate of hidden psychological trauma does not seem plausible. As originally emphasized (Kuttner, 1968a, 1968b), Indian ambition, motivation, and self-concept were rated inferior to those of the Negro (Coleman, et al., 1966). It is therefore reaffirmed that evidence of genetic components in group performance can be obtained without the necessity of equating all known and suspected environmental factors. The greater the socioeconomic disparity, the greater the importance of genetic influences on any aspect of behavior on which a more deprived group exceeds a more favored group. This view avoids the need for perfectly matching subsamples before comparisons are carried out.
Cryopreservation of human cadaveric bone marrow cells

Abstract The viability of cryopreserved human cadaveric bone marrow cells was studied using methylcellulose clonal cell culture assays. This is the first study done to reveal the persistence of hemopoietic proliferative and differentiative functions using the methylcellulose clonal cell assay in cryopreserved human cadaveric bone marrow cells which are several hours postmortem. Studies of cryopreserved human cadaveric bone marrows corresponded with those of murine bone marrows. These results strongly suggest that several hours postmortem human cadaveric bone marrow cells can be cryopreserved and may be useful for transplantation.
Theoretical investigation of attractive optical force in periodically-patterned silicon waveguides

We investigate the attractive optical force between a periodically-patterned silicon waveguide and a substrate. We show that the force is enhanced by mode delocalization and slow light effects.
Succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) mutations in pituitary tumors: could this be a new role for mitochondrial complex II and/or Krebs cycle defects?

Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) or mitochondrial complex II is a multimeric enzyme that is bound to the inner membrane of mitochondria and has a dual role as it serves both as a critical step of the tricarboxylic acid or Krebs cycle and as a member of the respiratory chain that transfers electrons directly to the ubiquinone pool. Mutations in SDH subunits have been implicated in the formation of familial paragangliomas (PGLs) and/or pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) and in Carney–Stratakis syndrome. More recently, SDH defects were associated with predisposition to a Cowden disease phenotype, renal, and thyroid cancer. We recently described a kindred with the coexistence of familial PGLs and an aggressive GH-secreting pituitary adenoma, harboring an SDHD mutation. The pituitary tumor showed loss of heterozygosity at the SDHD locus, indicating the possibility that SDHD’s loss was causatively linked to the development of the neoplasm. In total, 29 cases of pituitary adenomas presenting in association with PHEOs and/or extra-adrenal PGLs have been reported in the literature since 1952. Although a number of other genetic defects are possible in these cases, we speculate that the association of PHEOs and/or PGLs with pituitary tumors is a new syndromic association and a novel phenotype for SDH defects. Endocrine-Related Cancer (2012) 19 C33–C40
Seeking Fragility's Presence: The Power of Aesthetic Play in Teaching and Learning

The noun fragility makes most people nervous. A shattered, weak, perishable item; a delicate frame or character; life’s fragility, are images that flood one’s mind. Undoubtedly, the word fragility stirs much unease in educational communities. The concern for certainties does not embrace such a tentative, contingently held concept. And yet, I have become increasingly aware that fragility can harbor qualities that strengthen.
Performance features of Pt/BaO lean NOx trap with hydrogen as reductant

The performance of a model Pt/BaO/Al2O3 monolith catalyst was studied using H2 as the reductant. The dependence of product selectivities on operating parameters is reported, including the durations of regeneration and storage times, feed composition and temperature, and monolith temperature. The data are explained in terms of a phenomenological model factoring in the transport, kinetic, and spatio-temporal effects. The Pt/BaO catalyst exhibits high cycle-averaged NOx conversion above 100°C, generating a mixture of N2 and byproducts NH3 and N2O. The cycle-averaged NOx conversion exhibits a maximum at about 300°C corresponding to the NOx storage maximum. The N2 selectivity exhibits a maximum at a somewhat higher temperature, at which point the NH3 selectivity exhibits a minimum. This trend conveys the intermediate role of NH3 in reacting with stored NOx. Both N2 and N2O are also formed during the storage steps from the oxidation of NHx species produced during the regeneration. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Nucleosomal anatomy – where are the histones?

The recent surge of discoveries concerning the structural organization of nucleosomes, together with genetic evidence of highly specialized roles for the histones in gene regulation, have brought a renewed need for a detailed understanding of nucleosomal anatomy. Here we review recent structural advances leading to a new level of understanding of the nucleosome and chromatin fibre structure. We discuss the problems and challenges for existing models of chromatin structure and, in particular, consider how linker histones may bind within the nucleosome, together with the implications of their association for the structure of the chromatin fibre.
Correction and extension of Evjen's method for evaluating crystal potentials by means of lattice sums

Abstract By solving Poisson's equation it is shown that the reason for the failure of Evjen's method for evaluating crystal potentials is the neglect of a surface integral. A simple method for evaluating this surface integral is devised, and Evjen's method is extended to any lattice, in which the dipole moment of the unit cell vanishes because of symmetry. The method is applied to the NaCl, CsCl and Cu 2 O structures, and Madelung potentials for Cu 2 O are reported.
Epidermal growth factor receptor relocalization and kinase activity are necessary for directional migration of keratinocytes in DC electric fields

Human keratinocytes migrate towards the negative pole in DC electric fields of physiological strength. This directional migration is promoted by epidermal growth factor (EGF). To investigate how EGF and its receptor (EGFR) regulate this directionality, we first examined the effect of protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including PD158780, a specific inhibitor for EGFR, on this response. At low concentrations, PD158780 inhibited keratinocyte migration directionality, but not the rate of migration; at higher concentrations, it reduced the migration rate as well. The less specific inhibitors, genistein, lavendustin A and tyrphostin B46, reduced the migration rate, but did not affect migration directionality. These data suggest that inhibition of EGFR kinase activity alone reduces directed motility, and inhibition of multiple tyrosine kinases, including EGFR, reduces the cell migration rate. EGFR redistribution also correlates with directional migration. EGFR concentrated on the cathodal face of the cell as early as 5 minutes after exposure to electric fields. PD158780 abolished EGFR localization to the cathodal face. These data suggest that EGFR kinase activity and redistribution in the plasma membrane are required for the directional migration of keratinocytes in DC electric fields. This study provides the first insights into the mechanisms of directed cell migration in electric fields.
Recoilless Fraction in Amorphous and Nanocrystalline FeCuNbSiB System

Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and room temperature Mossbauer spectrum measurements of Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 (Finemet) alloy have been carried out in order to study its structural and magnetic properties as a function of annealing temperature. The Mossbauer spectra of annealed Finemet alloy could be fitted with 4 or 5 sextets and one doublet at higher annealing temperatures, revealing the appearance of different crystalline phases corresponding to the different Fe sites above the crystallization temperature. The appearance of the nanocrystalline phases at different annealing temperatures was further confirmed by the recoilless fraction measurements. These made use of our recently-developed dual absorber method, which made it possible to determine precisely the recoilless fractions of the amorphous, nanocrystalline and grain boundary phases separately.
Migration and the Employment and Wages of Native and Immigrant Workers.

This article assesses the association between migration (both international and internal) and the employment status and earnings of young non-college-educated native White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, ...
Allometric scaling of indirect effects: body size ratios predict non-consumptive effects in multi-predator systems

Summary 1. Non-consumptive effects (NCES) frequently lead to non-independent effects of multiple predators. While such emergent predator effects are ubiquitous in natural communities, the strength of these effects varies among studies and systems, making it difficult to predict a priory how changes in predator diversity influence prey suppression. Thus, identifying general scaling rules which can explain this variation of non-independent effects is vital for modelling natural communities and how they respond to biodiversity loss. 2. Body size is a key trait determining the nature and strength of ecological interactions. While great progress has been made using allometric relationships to predict the interaction strength of predator–prey pairs, it is unknown whether similar relationships explain variation in the strength of NCEs, and how they are related to consumptive effects. 3. Here, we experimentally manipulate the relative size difference of multiple predators to determine whether NCEs follow general allometric scaling relationships in an aquatic multipredator system. 4. Results demonstrate that the presence and strength of NCEs can vary dramatically across predator combinations. However, this variation scaled predictably with the size ratio of predators, increasing the size difference among predators increased NCEs. This pattern was driven by a size-mediated shift in ‘food web motif’ from competition to intraguild predation and a positive correlation of NCEs and intraguild predation rate. 5. Results indicate that models which assume that consumers have independent effects are particularly likely to make erroneous predictions when predators differ substantially in size, but simple allometric relationships of NCEs could be used to correct this bias.
Quantum size effect in the electrical conductivity of Bi8Te7S5

Abstract Oscillations in the ratio of the electrical conductivity of Bi 8 Te 7 S 5 at 300°K to the conductivity at 77°K are investigated. These oscillations as well as contact potential data are explained by a model incorporating the quantum size effect.
Minocycline and Pseudotumor cerebri: The well-known but well-kept secret.

To the Editor. Minocycline, a synthetic derivative of tetracycline, is the most widely prescribed oral systemic antibiotic for acne vulgaris because it does not appear to induce resistance in Propionobacterium acnes and can be administered only once or twice a day. Interestingly, minocycline is lipophilic and penetrates the blood-brain barrier more readily than other tetracyclines, thus attaining higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels. Despite its widespread use among adolescents, it does not appear that adequate prospective studies have been published to investigate its specific effects on the maturing teenager. Recent personal experience allowed for more careful study of the effects of minocycline. Specifically, our then 12 9 12 -year-old son initiated minocycline (100 mg twice a day) by mouth for the treatment of moderately severe acne. Four weeks later, he was examined by a senior pediatric ophthalmologist for his annual assessment of myopia. An entirely normal examination (including pupil dilation and fundoscopic assessment) was documented, but 4 weeks later he complained of a global headache that was modestly relieved by an oral analgesic (day 1). The next day (day 2) he developed vomiting and diarrhea with a low-grade temperature. By day 3, the vomiting and diarrhea had improved, he had defervesced, but he began to complain of visual glare. Although he noticed slight double vision, he did not mention it until late …
Postfreeze O2 Consumption in the Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Abstract Freeze-tolerant frogs experience marked changes in their cellular chemistry as a result of internal freezing, forcing them to incur metabolic costs that are likely remedied upon thawing. This study measured levels of O2 consumption in Rana sylvatica after freezing for one and seven days at −1.5 C and thawing at 5 C. Oxygen consumption was measured 4, 8, and 28 h after the onset of thawing. Following a one-day freeze, frogs had a 30% lower O2 consumption value after 4 h into the recovery than their prefreeze rate. After the seven-day freeze, the O2 consumption of frogs was nearly as low (−25%) at 4 h, but the reading at 8 h was more than 40% above the control level. Frogs had O2 consumptions equivalent to the control at 28 h following both treatments. Low rates of O2 consumption early in postfreeze recovery corresponds to depressed systemic functions in frogs, and the level of O2 consumption at 8 h following the seven-day freeze was possibly linked to disturbance of the cellular environment.
Minimum Error Probability Cooperative Relay Design

In wireless networks, user cooperation has been proposed to mitigate the effect of multipath fading channels. Recognizing the connection between cooperative relay with finite alphabet sources and the distributed detection problem, we design relay signaling via channel aware distributed detection theory. Focusing on a wireless relay network composed of a single source-destination pair with L relay nodes, we derive the necessary conditions for optimal relay signaling that minimizes the error probability at the destination node. The derived conditions are person-by-person optimal: each local relay rule is optimized by assuming fixed relay rules at all other relay nodes and fixed decoding rule at the destination node. An iterative algorithm is proposed for finding a set of relay signaling approaches that are simultaneously person-by-person optimal. Numerical examples indicate that the proposed scheme provides performance improvement over the two existing cooperative relay strategies, namely amplify-forward and decode-forward
A double isotope procedure for the determination of progestins in rat ovarian vein blood.

A double isotope dilution method is described for the quantitative determination of progestins in rat ovarian vein blood. Pure samples and extracts from blood (which include trace quantities of carbon-14 labeled indicators) are incubated with alumina-3H2O to form tritiumlabeled steroids by the exchange of enolic hydrogens for tritium. The tritiated progestins are easily purified by thin-layer chromatography to a constant tritium-carbon-14 ratio. The incorporation of tritium into progesterone and into 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one (20α-OHP) is directly proportional to the quantity of steroid. It was calculated that the amount of steroid that can be confidently distinguished from the tracers is 0.02 μg for progesterone and 0.05 μg for 20α-OHP, and that the error of a measurementc of progesterone at a level of 0.18 μg is ± 9.2 % and the error of a measurement of 20α-OHP at a level of 0.5 μg is ±8.2%. Progesterone is quantitatively recovered from 1 ml of blood from hypophysectomized rats. Results are presented ...
Fuel oil-induced adrenal hypertrophy in ranch mink (Mustela vison): effects of sex, fuel oil weathering, and response to adrenocorticotropic hormone.

Environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons from anthropogenic sources can be a cause of stress for free-ranging wildlife. The response of wildlife to chemical contaminants requires that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis be precisely regulated to allow for proper glucocorticoid-mediated adaptive responses. Chronic oral exposure to low concentrations of bunker C fuel oil causes the development of adrenal hypertrophy in male ranch mink (Mustela vison) without increasing serum or fecal glucocorticoid concentrations. This hypertrophy is an adaptive response to fuel oil-induced adrenal insufficiency. To determine if the same phenomenon occurs in female mink or male mink exposed to artificially weathered fuel oil, female mink were fed 0 ppm (mineral oil) or 420 ppm fuel oil and male mink were exposed to 0 ppm, 420 ppm fuel oil, or 480 ppm artificially weathered fuel oil in the diet for 60–62 days. At the end of the exposure, serum glucocorticoid concentrations were assayed along with body ...
ACTIVE CONTROL OF DYNAMIC BEARING LOADS IN ROTATING MACHINERY USING NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENTS

A new technique for measuring and actively controlling dynamic bearing loads in rotating machinery is presented. Bearing loads are estimated using the Deflection-Coefficient Method, a technique which does not rely on a full system model, and which applies commonly-used shaft-deflection measurement equipment to obtain estimates of bearing loads. The estimated bearing load is used as an error signal in an adaptive feedforward disturbance rejection controller. The result is a control system which can selectively minimize dynamic bearing loads in real time in rotating machinery systems. The method is applied to a numerical model of a typical rotating machinery system to suppress dynamic reaction forces at bearing supports.Copyright © 1994 by ASME
Are Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters Associated With Increased Risk of Adverse Events in Status 1B Patients Awaiting Transplantation on Continuous Intravenous Milrinone

Abstract Background Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are used to deliver continuous intravenous (IV) milrinone in stage D heart failure (HF) patients awaiting heart transplantation (HT). Methods We retrospectively analyzed PICC adverse events (AEs) and associated cost in 129 status 1B patients from 2005 to 2012. End points were HT, left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and death. Regression analysis was used to identify AE risk factors. Results Fifty-three PICC AEs occurred in 35 patients (27%), consisting of 48 infections, 4 thromboses, and 1 bleeding event. Median duration of PICC support was 63 (interquartile range [IQR] 34–131) days, and median time to first PICC infection was 44 (IQR 14–76) days. Among PICC infections, 9% required defibrillator removal and 30% were inactivated on the HT list for a mean of 23 ± 17 days. Rate of HT, LVAD, or death was similar between groups (P > .05). Regression analysis found that a double lumen PICC was associated with a shorter time to first PICC infection (hazard ratio 7.59, 95% CI 1.97–29.23; P = .003). Median cost per PICC infection was $10,704 (IQR $7,401–$26,083). Conclusions PICC infections were the most frequent AEs. PICCs with >1 lumen were associated with increased risk of infection. PICC AEs accounted for increased intensive care unit admissions, HT list inactivations, and overall cost.
Pesticide food safety standards as companions to tolerances and maximum residue limits

Abstract Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A novel approach to develop scientifically defensible levels of safety concern is presented and an example to determine acute and chronic pesticide food safety standard (PFSS) levels for the fungicide captan on strawberries is provided. Using this approach, the chronic PFSS level for captan on strawberries was determined to be 2 000 mg kg−1 and the acute PFSS level was determined to be 250 mg kg−1. Both levels are far above the existing tolerance and MRLs that commonly range from 3 to 20 mg kg−1, and provide evidence that captan residues detected at levels greater than the tolerance or MRLs are not of acute or chronic health concern even though they represent violative residues. The benefits of developing the PFSS approach to serve as a companion to existing tolerances/MRLs include a greater understanding concerning the health significance, if any, from exposure to violative pesticide residues. In addition, the PFSS approach can be universally applied to all potential pesticide residues on all food commodities, can be modified by specific jurisdictions to take into account differences in food consumption practices, and can help prioritize food residue monitoring by identifying the pesticide/commodity combinations of the greatest potential food safety concern and guiding development of field level analytical methods to detect pesticide residues on prioritized pesticide/commodity combinations.
Abstract 182: Medication Adherence Based on Part D Claims for Heart Failure Patients after Hospitalization in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Purpose: Recent analyses of national data have focused on long-term adherence in heart failure (HF) patients. Little is known about adherence of HF patients immediately following hospitalization. Methods: Hospitalized patients with an adjudicated HF diagnosis were identified from the Atherosclerosis Risk in the Communities (ARIC) study, which has followed a biracial cohort of 15,792 participants from 4 US communities since 1987. Participants with an adjudicated hospitalization diagnosis of acute or chronic HF during March 2006 - December 2009 who were also enrolled in Medicare Part D for at least 3 months prior to hospitalization were included. Part D prescriptions filled were identified using National Drug Codes and analyzed by sub-groups of patients discharged on ACE inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB), beta-blockers (BB), or diuretics. Proportion days covered (PDC) was calculated for up to twelve 30-day periods after discharge. PDC was based on days outside of a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Observations were censored by death or end of study period. Results: The study sample included 431 HF patients with mean age of 75 years (range 63 to 86), 36% male, and 41% African-American. Of the total patients, 67% were discharged on ACEI/ARB, 79% on BB, and 83% on a diuretic. Among those with discharge medications, some persons never filed Part D claims during the 12 periods (29/287 for ACEI/ARB, 25/340 for BB and 32/357 for diuretics). ACEI/ARB PDC after discharge declined from 74% to 57% over time (Figure 1); BB and diuretics had similar results. Patients with ACEI/ARB PDC>0 during the first 30 day period after discharge had higher PDC for subsequent periods, declining from 92% to 65%. The greatest decline in PDC occurred during the first 2-4 months after discharge for all medications. Conclusions: This study has many advantages over some prior studies. HF diagnosis was not defined simply by ICD9 codes. Discharge medications were documented, so Part D claims were not used to identify patients. Part D claims may be missing for some medications taken (e.g., $4 generic plans, provider samples), but ACEI/ARB PDC still declined 27 percentage points among patients with Part D PDC>0 immediately post-discharge. Interventions should be developed to assure early and sustained medication adherence. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Fracture Mechanics Evaluation of Pipes Subjected to Combined Load Conditions

For certain applications, pipelines may be submitted to biaxial loading situations. In these cases, it is not clear the influence of the biaxial loading on the fracture mechanics behavior of cracked pipelines. For further understanding of biaxial loading effects, this work presents a numerical simulation of ductile tearing in a circumferentially surface cracked pipe under biaxial loading using the computational cell methodology. The model was adjusted with experimental results obtained in laboratory using single edge cracked under tension (SENT) specimens. These specimens appear as the better alternative to conventional fracture specimens to characterize fracture toughness of circumferentially cracked pipes. The negligible effect of biaxial loadings on resistance curves was demonstrated. To guarantee the similarities of stress and strains fields between SENT specimens and cracked pipes subjected to biaxial loading, a constraint study using the J-Q methodology and the h parameter was used. The constraint study gives information about the characteristics of the crack-tip conditions.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Age-induced endothelial dysfunction: is it time to redefine the "reactivity" of reactive oxygen species?

endothelium-dependent signaling through nitric oxide (NO) is a critical contributor to exercise hyperemia in skeletal muscle. The results of numerous studies indicate that age impairs NO-dependent vasodilation in skeletal muscle ([5][1], [8][2], [9][3], [13][4], [14][5]). The bioavailability of NO