cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Artists, Artificial Intelligence and Machine-based Creativity in Playform

espanolLos investigadores y artistas de inteligencia artificial han entrenado maquinas y procesos generativos para producir obras visualmente interesantes y novedosas, dando lugar a una obra creativa "maquinica". Playform es un producto desarrollado por Artrendex pensado para que sea una herramienta facil de usar por diferentes tipos de artistas, desde los principiantes hasta aquellos que cuentan con habilidades tecnicas avanzadas. Este articulo se centra en las motivaciones que hay detras del desarrollo de Playform y la recepcion y uso que ha tenido en algunos artistas. Nuestro objetivo es comprender mejor la creatividad, tanto si viene de seres humanos como de maquinas, en su interseccion en un sistema generador de arte como Playform. catalaEls investigadors i els artistes d’intel·ligencia artificial han entrenat maquines i processos generatius per produir obres visualment interessants i noves, que ha donat lloc a una obra creativa «maquinica». Playform es un producte desenvolupat per Artrendex pensat perque sigui una eina facil d’usar per diferents tipus d’artistes, des dels principiants fins aquells que compten amb habilitats tecniques avancades. Aquest article se centra en les motivacions que hi ha darrere del desenvolupament de Playform i la recepcio i us que ha tingut en alguns artistes. El nostre objectiu es comprendre millor la creativitat, tant si ve dels essers humans com de les maquines, en la seva interseccio en un sistema generador d’art com Playform. EnglishArtificial intelligence researchers and artists have trained machines and generative processes to produce visually interesting and novel works, thereby devising machinic means of creativity. At Artrendex, Playform was developed as an easy-to-use program specifically to be used by a broad range of artists, from beginners to those with advanced technical skills. This essay focuses on the development of Playform and its uses, outlining the features of Playform and the impact of the tool on the creative work of select artists. Our aim is to better understand both human and machine-based creativity at their intersection in an art generating system such as Playform.
Intubating the Septic Patient: Avoiding the Crash and Burn

Intubating critically ill patients is an extremely high-risk procedure with airway-related morbidity, and mortality significantly higher compared to that of controlled settings such as the OR. According to the fourth National Audit Project (NAP4) of the Royal College Of Anesthetics, airway-related mortality is 58 times more likely to occur per patient in the ICU than in the OR. These numbers tend to rise further when dealing with a septic patient. Within the critically ill population, intubation and airway management of a septic patient can be two of the most challenging interventions for providers. Identifying some of the factors that make this procedure so challenging will enable you to be better prepared to handle them in a smooth, safe, and efficient manner when the situation arises ….and it will!
Internal Controls and Audit Committee Oversight

Ever since Sarbanes-Oxley, a growing body of research has focused on the roles played by the audit committee. However, few theoretical studies exist to guide this research. In this study, we focus on the audit committee’s role in overseeing internal controls and the impact of whether or not the audit committee relies on management in designing the controls. We provide theoretical guidance by characterizing how the associations between internal control strength and overstatement, market overvaluation, expected non-detection risk, and audit risk vary across these two settings, in equilibrium. As one example that highlights the importance of theoretical guidance, consider the literature’s presumption that internal control strength is positively associated with non-detection risk. Depending on the degree of direct audit committee oversight and the change in payoff parameters, we find that this association may be positive or negative as internal control strength changes.
Fall-Related Injuries Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Reported Hearing Loss and Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

BACKGROUND Hearing loss is associated with a greater risk of death in older adults. This relationship has been attributed to an increased risk of injury, particularly due to falling, in individuals with hearing loss. However, the link between hearing loss and mortality across the life span is less clear. METHODS We used structural equation modeling and mediation analysis to investigate the relationship between hearing loss, falling, injury, and mortality across the adult life span in public-use data from the National Health Interview Survey and the National Death Index. We examined (a) the association between self-reported hearing problems and later mortality, (b) the associations between self-reported hearing problems and the risk of injury and degree and type of injury, (c) the mediating role of falling and injury in the association between self-reported hearing problems and mortality, and (d) whether these relationships differ in young (18-39), middle-aged (40-59), and older (60+) age groups. RESULTS In all 3 age ranges, those reporting hearing problems were more likely to fall, were more likely to sustain an injury, and were more likely to sustain a serious injury, than those not reporting hearing problems. While there was no significant association between hearing loss and mortality in the youngest category, there was for middle-aged and older participants, and for both, the fall-related injury was a significant mediator in this relationship. CONCLUSIONS Fall-related injury mediates the relationship between hearing loss and mortality for middle-aged as well as older adults, suggesting a need for further research into mechanisms and remediation.
Structural and magnetic properties of hard magnetic system Ce(Co1-xFex)4.4Cu0.6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.19)

Abstract The Ce(Co1-xFex)4.4Cu0.6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.19) is a composite, hard magnetic system that is based on the CaCu5-type structure (1:5). It shows both, unique magnetic and microstructural features that are essential for permanent magnets, e.g., exceptional squareness of the 2nd. quadrant of the magnetization loops and microstructural features typically needed for pinning. Samples solidified in alumina crucibles are coarse-grained and often clearly faceted and readily align in a magnetic field. X-ray, SEM, and TEM analyses show a 1:5-type single-phase material when quenched from high temperature, which, after heat treatment, transforms into a laminar coherent nanostructure through the formation of a dense array of extended intercalated regions. These extended intercalated regions are comprised of segments of the Ce2Ni7–type structure (2:7) which segregate into various closely related precipitates forming a nanostructure similar to the SmCo5 - Sm2Co17 composites seen in Sm-Co permanent magnets. Based on TEM and Lorentz microscopy of well-aligned single grain particles, the magnetic domains’ reversal mechanism is regulated by anisotropy fluctuations occurring along the easy direction of magnetization and strong exchange interactions between the matrix and defects (e.g.: stacking faults). Lorentz microscopy suggests the domain wall is not physically pinned by the defect, but rather is offset/deflected when it interacts with the defect. The Lorentz and magnetization data suggest that defects cause a bending of the moment away from the c axis inside the grains.
The Impact of Nurse Education on Heart Failure Readmissions and Patient Education.

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) has become a national concern, with approximately 5.7 million adults in the United States suffering from this life-altering disease. Improved education of these patients prior to discharge helps patients manage their disease adequately and reduce symptom exacerbations. OBJECTIVE This quality improvement initiative aimed to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving nurses' knowledge of HF discharge teaching and documentation of this education in patient charts. METHODS This project was conducted at a Magnet-recognized acute care hospital with 39 critical care step-down beds. Twenty-nine nurses employed on the step-down unit participated in the educational intervention. Pre/post nurse knowledge and chart review data were analyzed. RESULTS There was a statistically significant increase in the percentage of patients receiving HF education from unit nurses from preintervention 77.0% (n = 81) to postintervention 96.4% (n = 138) (p < .001). There was also a statistically significant increase in the mean number of days patients were educated from 1.64 to 2.58 days (p < .001). Nurse knowledge also increased from pretest (69.7%) to posttest scores (100%) (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Providing HF educational opportunities enhanced nurse knowledge and increased their documentation of HF education in patient charts. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Nurse educators may use the study results to improve nurse education and practices aimed at reducing HF readmissions.
Coronary computed tomographic angiography: A review of the techniques, protocols, pitfalls, and radiation dose.

Abstract Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is a viable alternative to catheter coronary angiography for several clinical indications, chiefly because it is fast and non-invasive. For effective clinical use of CCTA, various technical and patient factors should be considered. In this brief review article, we discuss the indication and contraindications for CCTA, technical requirements for CCTA including radiation dose, patient preparation principles, image post-processing, and pitfalls and artifacts of CCTA.
“Depressed Sufferings”: Reading Dalit Life-Writings as Testimonies of Collective Resistance

Dalit life-writings have often been identified as reified spaces of protest against the Brahmanic oppression continuing since centuries in the Indian society. Banished to a space of invisibility, both metaphorical as well as physical margins of the Social Imaginary, Dalits continue to push back boundaries by transforming the ‘marginal’ space into a space of ‘subaltern resistance’. My aim in this paper is to interrogate the methods of collective resistance in the life-writings of Dalit women authors and show how the peripheral spatial geography becomes the central site of resistance. Both Baby Kamble’s The Prisons we Broke (2008), and Bama’s Karukku (1992) belong to entirely different historical periods, and therefore, inevitably differ in their plot-narratives and manner of expression. However, they converge in their emphasis on how the Dalit segregated spaces in their village assume an important role in awakening their collective consciousness first – as members of a community, and second – as women. Both Karukku and The Prisons We Broke refuse to adhere to the Augustinian definitions of the autobiography as a genre and instead become works which elude generic conventions of the autobiography, anticipating a separate literary genre for themselves. In fact, the closest literary referent of these texts is the Latin American genre of the testimonio - social and political narratives of witnessing significant events as a collective - that emerged in the 1960s. Reading these Dalit life-writings as testimonios of collective resistance is evocative of the on-going struggle of the Dalits to claim a separate space, both social and literary, while lending a voice to their lived-experiences in a paternalistic society that is essentially casteist. Baby Kamble and Bama raise pertinent questions against the dominant religious ideology and contribute to a social change in the conditions of women. Thus, my second intention in the paper is to closely look at the resistance offered against religious bias by the two authors. Since the Indian caste system derives its justifications from the Hindu law of divinity that are apparently inalterable according to Hindu purists, challenging the ‘ savarna ’ customs and rituals has been a persistent preoccupation within Dalit activism. Foregrounding textual instances of such challenges and resistance shall help us in understanding how a society practices coercion against a community when it comes to something as benign and as personal as man’s spiritual connection with the divine force.
OPERAS/spl minus/an object-oriented signal processing system architecture simulator

The design of a low-power digital signal processor requires an energy-driven approach to optimize the processing algorithm and hardware architecture over area, time and energy. In addition, the detailed understanding of the interactions between algorithm and architecture is crucial for the overall energy optimized system design and partitioning. To accurately characterize a system, a complete algorithm and architecture need to be simulated together over a representative set of input signals, and the simulator's speed is important. The existing academic and commercial simulation tools lack the ability to efficiently model the energy consumption of a complete system. The authors introduce OPERAS (Object-oriented Power Estimating Restructurable Architecture Simulator), an object-oriented system simulator with power estimation capability. OPERAS's design uses object-oriented principles and efficient C++ language to model and simulate the system behavior. >
The Mona Lisa and the Symbol of Ideas: Pater's Leda as Mother to Yeat's Helen

Sur l'influence de Walter Pater et de son utilisation du symbole dans la poetique visionnaire de W. B. Yeats
Differential modulation by sulfhydryl redox agents and glutathione of GABA- and glycine-evoked currents in rat retinal ganglion cells

Some areas of the mammalian CNS, such as the retina, contain not one but two fast inhibitory neurotransmitter systems whose actions are mediated by GABA and glycine. Each inhibitory receptor system is encoded by a separate gene family and has a unique set of agonists and antagonists. Therefore, in rat retinal ganglion cells we were surprised to find that a single agent, extracellular glutathione, was capable of modulating currents activated by either GABAA or glycine receptor stimulation. Both oxidized and reduced glutathione influence inhibitory neurotransmission in a manner similar to that of the sulfhydryl redox agents dithiothreitol (DTT) and 5,5′-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB). Remarkably, the actions of glutathione are diametrically opposed on the GABAA and glycine systems. In whole-cell recordings of single retinal ganglion cells with patch pipettes, reduced glutathione enhances GABA-evoked currents but decreases glycine-evoked currents. These findings suggest that endogenous redox agents, such as glutathione, may constitute a novel modulatory system for the differential regulation of inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian retina.
Dynamic State Estimation based protection of microgrid circuits

Microgrid protection presents challenges because of the presence of inverter interfaced resources which results in insufficient separation between fault and load currents. This paper uses the Dynamic State Estimation (DSE) based protection (EBP) method for the protection of microgrid components. The paper demonstrates that this method provides a reliable protection system as opposed to traditional methods. Specifically, we verify that traditional protection functions such as overcurrent, distance etc. fail to provide selectivity in protection of microgrids. The EBP method can be viewed as an evolution of current differential protection and requires GPS synchronization if measurements come from different metering devices. The method mainly determines whether the measurements are consistent with the model of the protection zone by use of the chi-square test. Numerical simulations prove that the method can correctly respond to different fault types and locations. The method works equally well for three-phase balanced or unbalanced systems, two-phase or single-phase systems, and radial or networked microGrids.
Cosmology Confronts Grand Unification

The euphoria accompanying the successes of Grand Unified Theories as models for particle physics at the very highest energies, is tempered by the emerging awareness of the limitations of conventional accelerators in testing and probing these theories. Increasing consideration is being given to alternate techniques for studying particle physics at its frontiers. One of the most promising of these approaches to elementary particle physics is via cosmology (Steigman, 1979 and references therein).
Ballot technique to analyze unslotted CDMA with fixed packet lengths

A technique to analyze the throughput of an L-channel CDMA (code-division multiple-access) network is presented. Two approximations are needed to use the technique. First, we need to divide the packet into minislots. Second, at most one arrival or one departure can occur in one minislot, but not both. The error due to the approximation is very small for small lambda /M and large M, where M is the bit size of the packet and lambda is the rate of the packet-arrival process. The technique is verified using M=64. Results obtained by the ballot technique are very close to the simulation results for low arrival rates and less accurate for higher arrival rates. The disadvantage of the ballot technique is that the solution is not given in a compact close form. >
Saxagliptin: a clinical review in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background Some conventional therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) fail to address the progressive nature of the disease, and as a result, they may become ineffective in maintaining normoglycemia. Antihyperglycemic agents have been developed to target incretin hormones, specifically glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1. Incretin analogues and agents that delay GLP-1 degradation, the dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, offer mechanisms of action that may improve T2DM management. Saxagliptin was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in July 2009 and by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency in October 2009 for use as monotherapy or in combination regimens for the treatment of T2DM. Objective The aim of this article was to review the mechanism of action, pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and tolerability associated with the use of saxagliptin in patients with T2DM. Methods MEDLINE, BIOSIS, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Google Scholar were searched for English-only clinical trials and therapeutic reviews published between 1966 and June 15, 2011 (search term: saxagliptin ). Additional trials and reviews were identified from the reference lists of published articles. Results Findings on efficacy and tolerability were obtained from 11 completed Phase III clinical trials. In trials in saxagliptin-naive patients, changes from baseline in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) ranged from –0.72% to –0.90% in the saxagliptin treatment arms compared with –0.27% with placebo (all, P 1c and the proportions of patients achieving target HbA 1c ( P ≤ 0.0001). When saxagliptin was used in combination with a sulfonylurea or a thiazolidinedione, the changes in HbA 1c ranged from –0.54% to –0.64% and –0.66% to –0.94%, respectively, in a dose-dependent manner ( P ≤ 0.0007 vs monotherapies). Based on changes in HbA 1c , saxagliptin + metformin was reported to be noninferior to sitagliptin + metformin (–0.52% and –0.62%, respectively; difference, 0.09% [95% CI, –0.01% to 0.20%]). Saxagliptin was reported to have been well tolerated, with the most common adverse events being upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, headache, and nasopharyngitis. A systematic review of cardiovascular events in pooled trial results of saxagliptin use reported no increased cardiovascular risk compared with metformin, glyburide, or placebo (relative risk, 0.24 [0.09–0.63]). Conclusions Saxagliptin, used as monotherapy and in combination regimens, has been associated with significant reductions in HbA 1c and significant increases in the rate of achieving target HbA 1c in patients with T2DM. It has been reported to be well tolerated compared with other oral antihyperglycemic agents. Based on the findings from the studies in this review, the primary role of saxagliptin is expected to be in combination therapy with other antihyperglycemic agents.
Systemic properties of myclobutanil in soybean plants, affecting control of Asian soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi)

BACKGROUND: The demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicide myclobutanil can be an effective component of spray programmes designed to control the highly destructive plant pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd., causal agent of Asian soybean rust. Myclobutanil is known from previous studies in grapevines to be xylem mobile. This study investigates the mobility profile of myclobutanil in soybean as an important component of its effective field performance. RESULTS: Over a 12 day period under greenhouse conditions, a constant uptake of myclobutanil from leaflet surfaces into the leaflet tissue was observed. Once in the leaflet, myclobutanil was seen to redistribute throughout the tissue, although no movement out of leaflets occurred owing to a lack of phloem mobility. The ability of myclobutanil to redistribute over distance within the soybean plant was revealed when visualizing movement of the compound to foliage above the point of application on the plant stem. An efficacy bioassay demonstrated that the systemic properties of myclobutanil allow control of disease at a point remote from the initial site of compound application. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the high degree of xylem systemicity displayed by myclobutanil in soybean foliage is a contributory factor towards its commercial effectiveness for control of Asian soybean rust. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Mortality and Revision Surgery Are Increased in Patients With Parkinson's Disease and Fractures of the Femoral Neck.

Background Patients with Parkinson’s disease are at increased risk for falls and associated hip fractures as a result of tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. The available literature is limited and conflicting regarding the optimal surgical treatment and risk for postoperative complications and mortality in this unique patient population.
The Impact of Nutritional Needs of Older Adults on Recommended Food Intakes

The elderly are at greater risk for nutrient deficiencies than are younger people. The complications of chronic disease states that are more common among older adults as well as the limitations that accompany the natural aging process can affect nutrient intake, absorption, and utilization. This paper reviews those nutrients for which research has been conducted among elderly populations to determine their specific needs. Based on the state of knowledge to date, recommendations are made. In addition, a modified food pyramid that takes into account the lower energy intakes and special nutrient needs of the elderly has been designed and is described here. Nutrient-dense foods, adequate fluid and fiber, and supplementation of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 are each emphasized in this narrower version of the Food Guide Pyramid for seniors over age 70. Specific food choices that will help elderly people meet their changing needs and avoid nutrient deficiencies, such as fortified cereals, brightly colored vegetables and fruits, and low-fat dairy products, are highlighted as well.
Extreme Weather: Understanding the Science of Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Heat Waves, Snow Storms, Global Warming and Other Atmospheric Disturbances

Extreme weather is of importance because of the threats it makes to life and property. At the same time, extreme weather is a great fascination for meteorologists as well as for the general public. The conditions and processes that lead to extreme weather—although governed by the same physical principles as “ordinary” weather—frequently are far from the average state of the atmosphere. Thus, explaining them in simple terms can be difficult. This book represents an effort to explain the development of extreme weather to the public.
Calcium signaling and neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), present an enormous medical, social, financial and scientific problem. Recent evidence indicates that neuronal calcium (Ca2+) signaling is abnormal in many of these disorders. Similar, but less severe, changes in neuronal Ca2+ signaling occur as a result of the normal aging process. The role of aberrant neuronal Ca2+ signaling in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is discussed here. The potential utility of Ca2+ blockers for treatment of these disorders is also highlighted. It is reasoned that Ca2+ blockers will be most beneficial clinically when used in combination with other disease-specific therapeutic approaches.
Mouse hepatitis virus strain — Related patterns of tissue tropism in suckling mice

The pattern of tissue tropism for several prototype and uncharacterized strains of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) was studied by intranasal inoculation of each virus strain into groups of neonatal Swiss mice under otherwise identical conditions. Mice were killed at intervals up to 18 days after inoculation, and their tissues were examined for the presence of MHV antigen by indirect immunofluorescence. Two patterns of infection were apparent. Prototype MHV strains 1, 3, A59, JHM, S and uncharacterized MHV strains Tettnang and wt-1 produced a respiratory pattern, in which nose and lung were consistently involved with dissemination to other organs in a vascular distribution. Pulmonary vascular endothelium and alveolar septal cells, but not airway epithelium, were infected. An enteric pattern was observed with MHV-Y and wt-2 in which MHV antigen was largely restricted to the nose and bowel, with limited dissemination to other abdominal organs but not lung. Intestinal lesions in these mice were severe compared to those manifesting the respiratory pattern of infection. These results indicate that, like coronaviruses of other species, different strains of MHV possess different primary and secondary organotropisms following a natural route of inoculation in a susceptible host.
Maize can still be identified using phytoliths: response to Rovner

Abstract In his comment on Pearsall et al.'s (J. Archaeol. Sci. 30 (2003) 611) study of maize cob phytoliths, Rovner claims to demonstrate that systematic errors in research design (the “transparent blindfold” of his title) led to the results reported. Error plays a role in this exchange, but it is all on Rovner's side. The central argument of his comment is based on his misreading and misuse of two tables in our article, and a table published by Piperno and Pearsall (Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 85 (1998b)). Rovner confuses the distinctive wavy-top and ruffle-top rondels produced by maize with simple mirror-image rondels produced by many grasses. He also misunderstands the published work of early phytolith researchers, and attributes to them conclusions about phytolith formation that they do not hold. Our conclusions do hold: maize cob phytoliths are distinguishable from teosinte (wild Zea) and most other wild panicoid grasses of Mesoamerica. This research reaffirms the strength of typological approaches that incorporate the three-dimensional morphology of phytoliths.
Reciprocal relationship between size of postsynaptic densities and their number: constancy in contact area.

Abstract Plasticity in the size of postsynaptic membrane specializations (postsynaptic densities) was analyzed by quantitation following lesioning of parallel fiber afferent axons to Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Double sectioning of parallel fibers in the same folium as well as longitudinal undercutting of the molecular layer to destroy granule cells and their parallel fibers were used to produce various levels of afferent reduction to Purkinje cells. The length of profiles of membrane densities was measured utilizing semi-automated, computer-electron microscopy and the number of synapses was determined from their volume density and changes in volume estimated from cortical thickness. Correlation between the number of synapses on Purkinje cells and their average contacts area revealed a reciprocal relationship throughout a range of 0–67% reductions in paralle fiber synapses. Larger reduction levels had a progressive decrease in average size of contacted postsynaptic densities and an accompanying increase in the number of vacant postsynaptic specializations. Total absence of parallel fibers resulted in nearly all vacant sites on spines (except for a few connections with boutons having irregular shaped vesicles). These vacant sites were, on the average, only half the size of controls but their number was approximately double the control amount. This study confirms that location and size of synapses are not permanent and that plasticity in size of contacts allows reorganization in circuitry to compensate alterations in the number of inputs following a number of perturbations. The finding of a reciprocal relationship indicates that total contact area on Purkinje cells remained relatively constant throughout the entire range of reductions in the number of afferents. A ‘constancy principle for total postsynaptic contact area’ is envisioned to stabilize functional aspects of circuitry during developmental organization and to direct compensation following reduction in pre- or postsynaptic neurons from environmental effects or attrition in aging. Constancy in target area provides a realm under which the size of individual synapses can be modified as functional adaptations in circuitry even without changes in the number of connections.
Effectiveness of Seining after Electrofishing to Characterize Stream Fish Communities

Abstract The richness and composition of species collected uniquely to electrofishing and subsequent seining efforts were examined at 271 stream sites across the USA by using wadeable electrofishing methods (backpack or barge electrofishing) or boat electrofishing followed by seining. Seining after wadeable electrofishing resulted in the collection of new species at 42% of sites, whereas seining after boat electrofishing resulted in the collection of new species at 87% of sites. Mean percentage of total observed fish species richness that was collected uniquely by seining was 6% (representing one new species, on average) after wadeable electrofishing compared with 18% (four new species, on average) after boat electrofishing. Shannon–Wiener diversity index values were not significantly different between data from combined sampling (electrofishing and seining) and data from wadeable electrofishing (P = 0.490) but were significantly different between boat electrofishing and combined sampling (P = 0.004). Sei...
Family-based tests of association in the presence of linkage.

Linkage analysis may not provide the necessary resolution for identification of the genes underlying phenotypic variation. This is especially true for gene-mapping studies that focus on complex diseases that do not exhibit Mendelian inheritance patterns. One positional genomic strategy involves application of association methodology to areas of identified linkage. Detection of association in the presence of linkage localizes the gene(s) of interest to more-refined regions in the genome than is possible through linkage analysis alone. This strategy introduces a statistical complexity when family-based association tests are used: the marker genotypes among siblings are correlated in linked regions. Ignoring this correlation will compromise the size of the statistical hypothesis test, thus clouding the interpretation of test results. We present a method for computing the expectation of a wide range of association test statistics under the null hypothesis that there is linkage but no association. To standardize the test statistic, an empirical variance-covariance estimator that is robust to the sibling marker-genotype correlation is used. This method is widely applicable: any type of phenotypic measure or family configuration can be used. For example, we analyze a deletion in the A2M gene at the 5′ splice site of “exon II” of the bait region in Alzheimer disease (AD) discordant sibships. Since the A2M gene lies in a chromosomal region (chromosome 12p) that consistently has been linked to AD, association tests should be conducted under the null hypothesis that there is linkage but no association.
A Comparative Analysis of Copulatory Plugs in Muroid Rodents and Their Relationship to Copulatory Behavior

Seventy-one females of 11 species of muroid rodents were mated with conspecific males in order to investigate the nature of copulatory plugs. The presence or absence of plugs was correlated with copulatory pattern. Four species, which display a locking pattern of copulation, did not deposit copulatory plugs. By contrast, seven nonlocking species always deposited plugs. Both plug accumulation and plug dislodgement were found in multiple ejaculation tests with the nonlocking species. The plugs of hamsters can be dislodged after few intromissions. The failure of locking species to deposit plugs appears correlated with reduction in the complement of male accessory sex glands.
Ion beam bonding of thin films

The phenomenon of irradiation enhanced adhesion of thin films has been studied for the case of 700 A Cu films deposited on alumina, fused quartz and glass-ceramic. Peel test measurements were made as a function of ion dose from 1014 to 5 × 1016ionscm2, for both 200 keV He+ ions and 280 keV Ne+ ions. Subsequent heating at 450°C for l h further increased the adhesion of the irradiated interfaces by as much as a factor of 10. The thermal stability of the adhesion was also demonstrated by an interface wetting test. In view of the inability of Cu to reduce these substrates chemically, the strength and stability of the enhanced adhesion are surprising. Some possible explanations are proposed. The ability of both He+ and Ne+ to produce strong bonding indicates that enhanced adhesion can be produced by both nuclear and electronic components of ion energy loss.
SERIAL STUDY OF IMMUNE FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH HEMOPHILIA

Since the development of AIDS in patients with hemophilia, studies have revealed decreases in T4/T8 ratios and other immunologic parameters. We report here serial studies over 5 years of lymphocyte proliferation (LP) using OKT3 and PHA as mitogens and of T cell numbers and subsets using OKT3, OKT4, and OKT8 including 31 observations in 14 children with hemophilia now < 15 years of age. 12 of 14 were anti- HIV+. LP-T3 increased in 10 of 14 patients. The mean LP-T3 per year from 1983 to 1986 was: 38,900 cpm (n=5), 38,100cpm (8), 52,100cpm (8), & 71,300cpm (9) respectively (p<0.05 for increase over time); controls were 66,000cpm. The other data were consistent with the serial decreases found by other studies. LP-PHA was decreased and did not change from '83 to '86. The T4/T8 ratios averaged 1.0 and were unchanged, and the absolute number of T4+ cells decreased but not significantly. There was an increase in %T3-(%T4+%T8) over time but it and changes in LP-PHA were unrelated to changes in LP-T3. Children with hemophilia exposed to HIV, as with our older patients, have had a dramatically increased responsiveness to OKT3 in 1985-1986 compared to 1983-1984 without change in other immune parameters. This may be the first sign of immune recovery from chronic HIV infection, perhaps because of the universal use of heat-treated factor VIII concentrate. Alternatively this may be a sign of the immunopathy of HIV reflecting the appearance of abnormal OKT3+ T4-T8-cells.
Prospective Randomized Trial of Moderately Strenuous Aerobic Exercise After an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

Background—Despite its salutary effects on health, aerobic exercise is often avoided after receipt of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) because of fears that exercise may provoke acute arrhythmias. We prospectively evaluated the effects of a home aerobic exercise training and maintenance program (EX) on aerobic performance, ICD shocks, and hospitalizations exclusively in ICD recipients. Methods and Results—A total of 160 patients (124 men and 36 women) were randomly assigned who had an ICD for primary (43%) or secondary (57%) prevention to EX or usual care (UC). The primary outcome was peak oxygen consumption, measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing at baseline and 8 and 24 weeks. EX consisted of 8 weeks of home walking for 1 h/d, 5 d/wk at 60% to 80% of heart rate reserve, followed by 16 weeks of maintenance home walking for 150 min/wk. Adherence to EX was determined from exercise logs, ambulatory heart rate recordings of exercise, and weekly telephone contacts. Patients assigned to ...
Heritabilities for Lactation Average of Somatic Cell Counts in First, Second, and Third or Later Parities

Abstract Heritabilities were estimated for lactation average log, base 2, somatic cell count from cows with four or more tests in each lactation. Estimates were for first, second, and third or later parities (defined by age at calving) individually and for mixed parities. Estimates were from sire components of variance with numbers of sires and daughters of 406 and 22,140; 337 and 8,659; 311 and 6,122; and 310 and 10,217 for mixed, first, second, and third or later parities, respectively. Both sire and error components of variance increased with parity. Heritabilities were .18, .09, .10, and .29, for mixed, first, second, and third or later parities.
Dual Discharge Modes Operation of an Argon Plasma Generated by Commercial Electronic Ballast for Remote Plasma Removal Process

An argon plasma generated between the cone-shaped electrode powered by commercial electronic ballast and grounded plane electrode has been investigated. Since the electronic ballast has positive and negative cycle in a period, two different discharge modes of remote plasma—the normal glow discharge mode and the hollow cathode discharge mode—have been observed. It is noted that the hollow cathode discharge mode has wider operation window in gas pressure than the glow discharge one. The glow discharge started to be extinguished at pressure higher than 4.1 torr and turned to the hollow cathode discharge mode in the holes on ground plate, while the hollow cathode discharge mode kept growing until 10 torr. These results show that the stable operation window of the system could be defined by the glow discharge mode rather than the hollow cathode discharge mode and could be improved by optimizing the applied voltage waveform and electrode configuration.
A Study of the Oxidation Pathway of Adrenaline by Cyclic Voltammetry: An Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Exercise

An undergraduate laboratory exercise to be used in an undergraduate instrumental methods course is presented for the electrochemical characterization of oxidation products of adrenaline. An objective of this experiment is to use information obtained through cyclic voltammetry and simulation software to develop a qualitative understanding of the oxidation mechanism of adrenaline.
Detrital zircon provenance from three turbidite depocenters of the Middle-Upper Triassic Songpan-Ganzi complex, central China: Record of collisional tectonics, erosional exhumation, and sediment production

To test the idea that the voluminous upper Middle to Upper Triassic turbidite strata in the Songpan-Ganzi complex of central China archive a detrital record of Dabie ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane unroofing, we report 2080 single detrital U-Pb zircon ages by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe–reverse geometry (SHRIMP-RG) and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis from 29 eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex sandstone samples. Low (<0.07) Th/U zircons, consistent with crystallization under UHP conditions, are rare in eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex zircon, and U-Pb ages of low Th/U zircons are incompatible with a Dabie terrane source. An unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean nearest-neighbor analysis of Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test results reveals that the eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex is not a single contiguous turbidite system but is instead composed of three subsidiary depocenters, each associated with distinct sediment sources. The northeastern depocenter contains zircon ages characterized by Paleozoic and bimodally distributed Precambrian zircon populations, which, together with south- to southeast-directed paleocurrent data, indicate derivation from the retro-side of the Qinling-Dabie (Q-D) collisional orogen wedge. In the central depocenter, the dominantly Paleozoic detrital zircon signature and south- to southwest-oriented paleocurrent indicators reflect a profusion of Paleozoic zircon grains. These data are inter preted to reflect an influx of material derived from erosion of Paleozoic supra-UHP rocks of the Dabie terrane in the eastern Qinling-Dabie orogen, which we speculate may have been enhanced by development of a monsoonal climate. This suggests that erosional unroofing played a significant role in the initial phase of UHP exhumation and likely influenced the petrotectonic and structural evolution of the Qinling-Dabie orogen, as evidenced by compressed Triassic isotherms/grads reported in the Huwan shear zone that bounds the Dabie terrane to the north. The central depocenter deposits reflect a later influx of bimodally distributed Precambrian zircon, signifying either a decrease in the influx of Paleozoic zircon grains due to stalled UHP exhumation and/or dilution of the same influx of Paleozoic zircons by spilling of Precambrian zircon from the northeastern depocenter into the central depocenter basin, perhaps due to infilling and bypass of sediment from the northern depocenter or due to initial collapse and constriction of the eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex basin. The southeastern depocenter of the eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex bears significant Paleozoic, Neoproterozoic, and Paleoproterozoic zircon populations derived from the South China block and Yidun arc complex, likely recording nascent uplift of the Longmenshan deformation belt due to impingement of the Yidun arc complex upon the western margin of the South China block.
Circadian temperature rhythms in young adult and aged men

Abstract The core body temperatures of ten healthy young adult and eight healthy aged men were recorded continuously for 14–24 hours using rectal thermometers and analog tape recorders. Aged subjects had significantly higher temperatures at the nadir of the temperature curve compared to the young subjects. Cosinor analysis of the data revealed that, while all subjects' data significantly fit an idealized cosine function of 24 hours periodicity, the peak to trough amplitude of the rhythm was significantly lower in the aged group. No group differences in the 24-hour mean temperature, the mean temperature during the sleep period time, the mesor, or the acrophase were found. These data are in essential agreement with previously reported data but expand upon those findings and demonstrate that the age-related changes in amplitude of the temperature rhythm are not confined to subjects studied under isolated laboratory environments.
Umlautless Residues in Germanic

Evidence suggests that Germanic languages resisted the spread of historical umlaut processes. We propose that examples of such superficially varied umlautless residues all yield to a single coherent phonological account. Specifically, these vocalic assimilations show strong preferences for reducing more extreme differences in place of articulation between trigger and target while failing to assimilate articulatorily closer vowels, so that triggering /i, j/ first and most consistently mutated /a/ and last and least consistently mutated /u(:)/. This vocalic cline interacts with the consonantal material intervening between trigger and target, so that obstruent clusters (especially velar or labial) are prone to inhibit umlaut. In both cases, the smaller the phonetic difference between target and trigger, the less likely umlaut is to occur. While umlaut failure has long been consigned to the margins of theories of umlaut, we argue that it is crucial, providing a snapshot of how umlaut unfolded across western and north Germanic.
Highly Sensitive and Compact Molecular Sensor Using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering and Optical Fibers

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors incorporating various fiber configurations as probes are reviewed and discussed. These include side-polished and end-polished fibers, photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), and fibers with lens-like tips. All these geometries provide large interaction areas for SERS, with the PCF configuration showing the greatest sensitivity.
Hysteroscopic Metroplasty for the Septate Uterus: Review and Meta-Analysis

The introduction of hysteroscopy to diagnose and treat intrauterine conditions, specifically to divide the uterine septum, or metroplasty, has replaced the traditional laparotomy approach, and objective results demonstrate its salutary effects in women treated. Hysteroscopic metroplasty averts the implications of major invasive abdominal surgery, with good and satisfactory results in pregnancy and live-birth rates, despite the lack of prospective, randomized, controlled studies. A careful review of the published results supports this type of treatment when the uterine septum adversely affects normal reproductive function.
SU-FF-T-220: Evaluation of the Performance of An Implantable Dosimeter Used in 4D-Gated Radiotherapy

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of an implantable dosimeter for treatment delivery and daily dose verification for 4D‐gated radiotherapyMethod and Materials: The DVS® dosimeter from Sicel Technologies, Inc. measured doses delivered to a volume in a Quasar™ Respiratory Motion Phantom. DVS® measurements were compared to the Pinnacle's treatment planning results and to those made by a NIST‐traceable calibrated ion chamber. Each dosimeter measured dose within the phantom's lung equivalent moving insert. The phantom was scanned on a GE Lightspeed RT‐CT scanner using the 4D respiratory gating option. From the scans, a composite CT data set was built and an average GTV was defined within the lung equivalent moving insert. A treatment plan was created using the composite scans. Both the ion chamber and DVS® were used to track GTV dose. A second plan was created that uses a gated‐beam able to deliver radiation to the GTV during the expiration breathing phases only. Results: Both plans were created to deliver 200 cGy per fraction for 5 fractions to the GTV. The first plan included an average GTV that includes all the breathing phases. The DVS® and the ion chamber differed up to 3% from the Pinnacle average GTV plan. Measurements between the two dosimeters differed by 2.5%. Measurements made by the DVS® and the ion chamber for the gated‐ treatment are also comparable to those made using the treatment plan with all breathing phases. Conclusions: The measurements made by the DVS® dosimeter falls within the device's specified accuracy of 3%. The Dose Verification System provides the ability to verify that the prescribed dose is delivered during 4D‐gated treatments on a daily basis. Conflicts of interest: Sicel Technologies, Inc provided the equipment and materials used in the study.