cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Silica in Lake Superior: mass balance considerations and a model for dynamic response to eutrophication

Abstract The dissolved silica concentration in waters of Lake Superior probably is in a steady state because it is not influenced significantly by man, and the climate, topography and vegetation in the drainage area of the lake have been stable for the past 4000 years. Therefore the rate at which dissolved silica is introduced to the lake should equal the output rate. The primary inputs are: tributaries (4.1–4.6 × 10 8 kg SiO 2 / yr ), diffusion from sediment pore waters (0.21−0.78 × 10 8 kg SiO 2 / yr ) and atmospheric loading (0.26 × 10 8 kg SiO 2 / yr ). Silica is lost from the lake waters by: outflow through the St. Marys River, diatom deposition, adsorption onto particulates in the sediments, and authigenic formation of new silicate minerals. Tributary outflow accounts for less than one half the annual input of silica, and diatom deposition and silica adsorption withdraw less than 10% of the annual input. Therefore the formation of new silicate phases must be the dominant sink for dissolved silica in Lake Superior. The specific phases formed are not identified in the bottom sediments. X-ray diffraction studies suggest that smectite is one product, and amorphous ferroaluminum silicates may be another product. Mathematical modeling of the dissolved silica response to lake eutrophication suggests that the phosphate loading to Lake Superior would have to increase by about 250-fold to cause a silica depletion rate equal to that reported for Lake Michigan, assuming no change in the rate of upwelling of deep waters.
How Valid is the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicator “Postoperative Respiratory Failure”?

Background The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety Indicator postoperative respiratory failure (PRF) uses administrative data to screen for potentially preventable respiratory failure after elective surgery based on a respiratory failure diagnosis or an intubation or ventilation procedure code. Data on PRF accuracy in identifying true events is scant; a recent study using University HealthSystem Consortium data found a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83%. We examined the indicator's PPV in the Veterans Health Administration. Study Design We applied the Patient Safety Indicator software (v.3.1a) to fiscal year 2003–2007 VA discharge data. Trained abstractors reviewed medical records of 112 software-flagged PRF cases. We calculated the PPV and examined false positives to determine reasons for incorrect identification and true positives to determine clinical consequences and potential risk factors of PRF. Results Seventy-five cases were true positive (PPV 67%; 95% CI, 57–76%); 13% were identified by a diagnosis code, 53% by a procedure code, 33% by both. Of false positives, 19% represented coding errors, 76% represented nonelective admissions. Of true positives, 28% of patients died, 56% had an American Society of Anesthesiologists level higher than II. Of associated index procedures, 53% were abdominal/pelvic, and 56% lasted >3 hours. Conclusions Based on our and University HealthSystem Consortium's findings, PRF should continue to be used as a screen for potential patient-safety events. Its PPV could be substantially improved in the Veterans Health Administration through introduction of an admission status code. Many PRF-identified cases appeared to be at high risk, based on patient and procedure-related factors. The degree to which such cases are truly preventable events requires additional assessment.
Scientific Discovery in Fusion Plasma Turbulence Simulations at Extreme Scale

The primary goal of the extreme-scale plasma turbulence studies described in this article is to gain new insights on confinement scaling in magnetic fusion systems by using powerful, world-class supercomputers to carry out simulations with unprecedented resolution and temporal duration. New insights have been gained on the key question of how the turbulent transport of thermal energy and particles in the plasma and the associated confinement scale from present-generation devices to much larger ITER-size plasmas. In particular, new results from large-scale simulation studies have demonstrated that improvement in confinement as devices grow larger is far more gradual, with significantly lower loss rates than less-powerful computer simulations have indicated in research carried out over the past decade.
Global perspectives on e-governance: from government-driven to citizen-centric public service delivery

E-government is more than a simple digitalization of government through the use of information communication technologies (ICTs). It is a whole-of-government transformation towards efficient, effective and citizen-centric service delivery. E-governance is moving one step further to establish the integral framework for transparent, accountable and trust-based decision-making processes for such service delivery. Although intrinsically related to each other, practice shows that successful e-government and e-governance are not synonymous, but complementary. Based on the first-hand data and findings of the United Nations E-government Survey of 2010, this paper demonstrates that three strategy clusters can bridge e-government and e-governance: Static Supply-based (SS); Dynamic Demand-driven (DD); and Interactive Integration (II) Strategies. It also maintains that although high-income countries fare better in building robust e-government systems, less well-off countries can make considerable strides in moving towards successful e-governance. Finally, the paper argues that strong and healthy e-government can hardly be sustained unless e-governance is strengthened.
Assignment of ADT modules to processors

The utilization of reusable software components can help to reduce the complexity of developing and maintaining parallel programs, but can lead to inefficiencies. The potential inefficiencies are addressed by providing a model of parallel execution (asynchronous remote procedure call, or ARPC) that not only speeds up programs, but also encourages the development of layered software by increasing parallelism in correspondence to increases in layering. The paper presents an efficient algorithm for assigning the reusable modules of a program to the processing elements of a parallel computer that supports ARPC. The objectives of the assignment algorithm are to permit maximum inter-module parallelism with the fewest possible PEs, and to prevent deadlock. The algorithm differs from previous solutions to the assignment problem in that the modules to be assigned are generic abstract data type modules, not procedures, tasks, or processes. >
Characteristics and mechanism study of cerium oxide based random access memories

In this work, low operating voltage and high resistance ratio of different resistance states of binary transition metal oxide based resistive random access memories (RRAMs) are demonstrated. Binary transition metal oxides with high dielectric constant have been explored for RRAM application for years. However, CeOx is considered as a relatively new material to other dielectrics. Since research on CeOx based RRAM is still at preliminary stage, fundamental characteristics of RRAM such as scalability and mechanism studies need to be done before moving further. Here, we show very high operation window and low switching voltage of CeOx RRAMs and also compare electrical performance of Al/CeOx/Au system between different thin film deposition methods and discuss characteristics and resistive switching mechanism.
In situ pCO2 and O2 measurements in a lake during turnover and stratification: Observations and modeling

Sensors for the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and dissolved O2 (DO) were deployed near the surface and bottom of a freshwater lake (Placid Lake, Montana) during the period from ice cover to seasonal stratification. Sources of variability were examined using one-dimensional physical and biogeochemical models. Model predictions for pCO2 and DO were compared to further constrain model parameters. A number of transient processes were documented that have not been well characterized in previous studies. The models made it possible to link these short-term events to specific forcings. We found that (1) 11 d of the 13-d turnover period occurred under ice through lightdriven convective mixing, (2) phytoplankton biomass increased to its highest seasonal level under ice, (3) weak stratification set up immediately after ice-out, causing bottom water pCO2 and DO to diverge from surface levels, (4) subsequent diel convective mixing brought bottom pCO2 and DO back toward surface levels, and (5) before stable stratification, vertical entrainment of CO2-rich water, net production, and air-water exchange drove 100-200 µatm daily changes in pCO2, but, because of their counterbalancing effects, surface pCO2 remained >1,000 µatm for nearly 1 month after ice-out. Upon stable stratification, net production and air-water exchange overcame pCO2 gains from mixing and heating and reduced pCO2 to near atmospheric levels within 20 d. Net production and gas exchange accounted for ~75% and 25%, respectively, of the decrease in surface pCO2 observed after ice-out. Diel convection was the dominant mixing process both under ice and after ice-out and may be an important underrepresented mechanism for CO2 and DO exchange between surface and bottom water.
Impact of fluoroquinolone resistance in Gram-negative bloodstream infections on healthcare utilization

There has been a concerning increase in fluoroquinolone resistance among Gram-negative bloodstream isolates. This retrospective cohort study examines the implications of fluoroquinolone resistance on use of healthcare resources in patients with Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSI). Hospitalized adults with first episodes of community-onset Gram-negative BSI from 2010 to 2012 at Palmetto Health Hospitals in Columbia, SC, USA were identified. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine risk factors for prolonged hospital length of stay (HLOS) in survivors of Gram-negative BSI. Among 474 unique patients, 384 (81%) and 90 (19%) had BSI due to fluoroquinolone-susceptible (FQ-S) and fluoroquinolone non-susceptible (FQ-NS) Gram-negative bacilli, respectively. The FQ-NS bloodstream isolates, particularly Escherichia coli, were more likely than FQ-S isolates to be multi-drug resistant (56% versus 6%, p < 0.001). Compared with patients with BSI due to FQ-S bloodstream isolates, those with FQ-NS isolates were more likely to receive inappropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy (26% versus 3%, p < 0.001), have longer mean HLOS (11.6 versus 9.3 days, p 0.03) and treatment duration with intravenous antibiotics during hospitalization (9.1 versus 7.1 days, p 0.001), and use outpatient intravenous antibiotics at hospital discharge (15% versus 8%, p 0.05). After adjustments in the multivariate model, inappropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy was an independent risk factor for prolonged HLOS in survivors of Gram-negative BSI (parameter estimate 3.65 days, 95% CI 0.43–6.86). Multi-drug resistance among FQ-NS bloodstream isolates limits both empirical and definitive antimicrobial treatment options and poses excessive burdens on the healthcare system.
The Existence–Life–Intellect Triad in Gnosticism and Neoplatonism

In his Life of Plotinus (16), Porphyry makes reference to certain gnostic ‘revelations’ under the names of ‘Zoroaster and Zostrianos and Nicotheus and Allogenes and Messos and many others of this kind’ which were circulated in Plotinus' school and refuted by Plotinus and his students, including Porphyry himself. Porphyry claims to have made ‘several refutations against the book of Zoroaster’ while Amelius apparently wrote some ‘forty volumes against the book of Zostrianos’. The surprising discovery of Coptic gnostic texts in the Nag Hammadi Library under the specific names of Allogenes (Nag Hammadi Codex XI.3) and Zostrianos (VIII.1) and the close relation of these texts to The Three Steles of Seth (VII.5) and Marsanes (x) has led to the general consensus that we now possess some of the actual texts mentioned by Porphyry.
Pigment gallstone formation in the cholesterol-fed guinea pig.

Female Hartley guinea pigs fed a 0.5% cholesterol-supplemented diet were found to form pigmented gallstones after 6 weeks (17/23) and 12 weeks (11/11), while only 2 of 44 animals fed a trace cholesterol diet formed gallstones over a comparable period. The light brown stones consisted primarily of aggregates of fine granular crystals, morphologically similar to calcium bilirubinate crystals. The stones were soluble in 0.1 N sodium hydroxide and were found to contain a substance which co-migrated with unconjugated bilirubin during thin-layer chromatography. Despite hypercholesterolemia (202 ± 34 vs. 59 ± 22 mg per dl in controls, p < 0.05) and fatty infiltration of the liver, cholesterol-fed animals had a lithogenic index of only 0.22 ± 0.04 in gallbladder bile as compared to a lithogenic index of 0.02 ± 0.01 in animals fed the trace cholesterol diet. Accordingly, no cholesterol monohydrate crystals were found in any animals. Hematocrits among cholesterol-fed animals (47.6 ± 1.2%) were lower than those of controls (54.8 ± 1.3%, p < 0.05) probably as a result of the cholesterol-induced hemolytic anemia which has been reported by others in this species. Fasting gallbladder volume was greater in cholesterol-fed animals (2.4 ± 0.18 ml) than in controls (1.7 ± 0.11, p < 0.0025), and a comparable increase in gallbladder dry tissue mass was found. There was no evidence of biliary obstruction, however, and the gallbladder contractile response to octapeptide cholecystokinin was comparable in both groups. The increase in gallbladder volume appeared to result from: (a) an increase in hepatic bile salt secretion with an associated increase in bile flow and (b) a decrease in the capacity of the gallbladder to absorb fluid from hepatic bile (6.0 ± 1.4 mg fluid per hr per mg tissue with cholesterol diet vs. 12.9 ± 0.9 in controls, p < 0.0005). Total bile salt concentration was also decreased in gallbladder bile of cholesterol-fed animals (13.79 ± 0.51 vs. 18.56 ± 2.19 mmoles per liter in controls, p < 0.05), probably as a result of increased hepatic bile flow and decreased gallbladder absorption. The absence of cholesterol gallstones in this model is consistent with the failure to supersaturate bile with cholesterol. The reasons for pigment gallstone formation are less clear but their occurrence may be the result of a cholesterol-induced hemolytic anemia.
Assessment of nailfold capillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis by different optical magnification methods.

Summary Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by target-organ fibrosis and microvascular dysfunction, which can be assessed using nailfold capillaroscopy. Dermoscopy is a useful and easily performed method for diagnosing skin lesions. Aim To compare conventional capillaroscopy, using the gold-standard method (conventional stereomicroscope nailfold capillaroscopy; SNFC), with polarized light noncontact dermoscopy (PNCD) and nonpolarized light contact dermoscopy (NPCD), and to evaluate their accuracy in diagnosing characteristic SSc-related alterations. Methods The study enrolled 45 patients with SSc. Capillaroscopy images and photographs were taken with three devices, SNFC, NPCD and PNCD, and these images were randomly analysed by a blinded observer. Results The scleroderma pattern was found in 83% of patients. PNCD and NPCD were highly sensitive in identifying the presence of focal capillary loss (96.4% and 100%, respectively), haemorrhage (96.2% and 92%, respectively), and scleroderma (91.9%, 94.6%), and showed high specificity for haemorrhage and enlarged loops. The intra-observer kappa values for detection of the scleroderma pattern by SNFC images, NPCD and PNCD were moderate to good: (κ = 0.71 (95% CI 0.44–0.95), κ = 0.60 (95% CI 0.35–0.83) and κ = 0.60 (95% CI 0.32–0.86), respectively. Evaluation of haemorrhage presence gave high kappa values for all methods: κ = 0.77 (95% CI 0.57–0.95), κ = 0.90 (95% CI 0.76–1.00) and κ = 0.95 (95% CI 0.85–1.00), respectively. Conclusions Both polarized and nonpolarized dermoscopy are reliable methods for valuation of nailfold capillaroscopy in patients with SSc. They are easy to perform, with good rates of accuracy and results that are comparable with traditional capillaroscopy.
Expression of type 1 and 2A protein phosphatase subunits in the rat corpus luteum across pregnancy.

This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the reduction in protein phosphatase activity that had been observed at mid-pregnancy in the rat corpus luteum (CL) was due to a decrease in expression of one of the catalytic subunits or an increase in one of the B regulatory subunits of the type 2A protein phosphatase (PP2A). Ovaries were collected from rats on days (d) 1, 3, 7, 14, 20, and 21 of pregnancy, and on day 21 after progesterone treatment on day 20 (nZ6). Realtime RT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of the a and b isoforms of the catalytic subunit, the structural A subunit, and three B regulatory subunits of PP2A, as well as the catalytic subunit of PP1. Expression of the a and b catalytic subunits of PP2A was progesterone responsive. Expression of the PP1 catalytic subunit correlated with the previously reported protein phosphatase activity, but PP2A subunits did not. The data suggest that the decreased protein phosphatase activity at mid-pregnancy was due to a decline in expression of the catalytic subunits of PP1 rather than changes in expression of PP2A subunits.
Modulation of Cell Wall Structure and Antimicrobial Susceptibility by a Staphylococcus aureus Eukaryote-Like Serine/Threonine Kinase and Phosphatase

It is well established that prokaryotes and eukaryotes alike utilize phosphotransfer to regulate cellular functions. One method by which this occurs is via eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase (ESTK)- and phosphatase (ESTP)-regulated pathways. The role of these enzymes in Staphylococcus aureus has not yet been examined. This resilient organism is a common cause of hospital-acquired and community-associated infections, infecting immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts alike. In this study, we have characterized a major functional ESTK (STK) and ESTP (STP) in S. aureus and found them to be critical modulators of cell wall structure and susceptibility to cell wall-acting β-lactam antibiotics. By utilizing gene knockout strategies, we created S. aureus N315 mutants lacking STP and/or STK. The strain lacking both STP and STK displayed notable cell division defects, including multiple and incomplete septa, bulging, and irregular cell size, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Mutants lacking STP alone displayed thickened cell walls and increased resistance to the peptidoglycan-targeting glycylglycine endopeptidase lysostaphin, compared to the wild type. Additionally, mutant strains lacking STK or both STK and STP displayed increased sensitivity to cell wall-acting cephalosporin and carbapenem antibiotics. Together, these results indicate that S. aureus STK- and STP-mediated reversible phosphorylation reactions play a critical role in proper cell wall architecture, and thus the modulation of antimicrobial resistance, in S. aureus.
Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community

Bodies of Inscription:. Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community. Margo DeMello. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. vii. 222 pp., photographs, notes, bibliography, index.
Age and Gender Differences in Teen Relationship Violence

Research shows that abuse in adolescence can start early and current literature regarding gender differences in teen relationship violence (TRV) is inconsistent. Age and gender differences in TRV were examined. Measures assessing TRV and its correlates were completed by 231 teens from 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade classes. A 2 (gender) by 3 (grade) multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant effects for grade and gender indicating that 7th graders have lower perpetration and victimization of TRV, less anger control, and fewer positive conflict resolution behaviors than 9th and 11th graders. Furthermore, girls perpetrate more physical and emotional abuse, whereas boys perpetrate more sexual abuse. Results have implications for timing and content of prevention programs addressing dating violence in adolescence.
Aerosol‐cloud‐land surface interactions within tropical sea breeze convection

In this study, the influence of aerosols, surface roughness length, soil moisture, and synergistic interactions among these factors on tropical convective rainfall focused along a sea breeze front are explored within idealized cloud-resolving modeling simulations using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). The idealized RAMS domain setup is representative of the coastal Cameroon rainforest in equatorial Africa. In order to assess the potential sensitivity of sea breeze convection to increasing anthropogenic activity and deforestation occurring in such regions, 27 total simulations are performed in which combinations of enhanced aerosol concentrations, reduced surface roughness length, and reduced soil moisture are included. Both enhanced aerosols and reduced soil moisture are found to individually reduce the precipitation due to reductions in downwelling shortwave radiation and surface latent heat fluxes, respectively, while perturbations to the roughness length do not have a large impact on the precipitation. The largest soil moisture perturbations dominate the precipitation changes due to reduced low-level moisture available to the convection, but if the soil moisture perturbation is more moderate, synergistic interactions between soil moisture and aerosols enhance the sea breeze precipitation. This is found to result from evening convection that forms ahead of the sea breeze only when both effects are present. Interactions between the resulting gust fronts and the sea breeze front locally enhance convergence and therefore the rainfall. The results of this study underscore the importance of considering the aerosol-cloud-land surface system responses to perturbations in aerosol loading and land surface characteristics.
Evaluating Trap Crops for Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Potential trap crops for the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), were evaluated through a series of ovipositional preference and larval survival experiments in outdoor screenhouses in 2002 and 2003. Hosts examined as trap crops were glossy and waxy collards, Brassica oleracea L. variety acephala; Indian mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Czern; and yellow rocket, Barbarea vulgaris (R. Br.) variety arcuata. More eggs were laid on the potential trap crops, with the exception of waxy collards, than on cabbage. When P. xylostella was offered multiple hosts at the same time, numbers of eggs laid on glossy collards, Indian mustard, and yellow rocket were 3, 18, and 12 times greater than on cabbage, respectively. Similarly, when P. xylostella was offered a single trap crop host and cabbage, numbers of eggs laid on glossy collards, Indian mustard, and yellow rocket were 300, 19, and 110 times greater than on cabbage, respectively. Our studies suggest differences in oviposition between the potential trap crops and cabbage were likely due to host volatiles, leaf morphology and color, or a combination of these factors, rather than to total leaf areas, leaf shape, or plant architecture. Two-choice tests with a Y-tube olfactometer indicated that plant volatiles were major factors in P. xylostella host preference. The percentage larval survival from egg to pupation was 22.2% on cabbage, 18.9% on waxy collards, and 24.4% on Indian mustard, whereas survival was significantly lower on glossy collards (6.7%) and yellow rocket (0%). Based on our tests, it seems that yellow rocket may be the best candidate for use as a trap crop for P. xylostella because it is highly attractive for oviposition, but larvae do not survive on it.
Adaptor proteins involved in polarized sorting

Polarized cells such as epithelial cells and neurons exhibit different plasma membrane domains with distinct protein compositions. Recent studies have shown that sorting of transmembrane proteins to the basolateral domain of epithelial cells and the somatodendritic domain of neurons is mediated by recognition of signals in the cytosolic domains of the proteins by adaptors. These adaptors are components of protein coats associated with the trans-Golgi network and/or recycling endosomes. The clathrin-associated adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) complex plays a preeminent role in this process, although other adaptors and coat proteins, such as AP-4, ARH, Numb, exomer, and retromer, have also been implicated.
The impact of practice guidelines in the management of Barrett esophagus: a national prospective cohort study of physicians.

27% of physicians reported practicing in accordance with the guidelines at baseline; adherence increased modestly to 38% in the 18-month follow-up (P = .04) and was inversely related to fee-for-service reimbursement. Awareness was not associated with an increased likelihood of adherence, but agreement with the guidelines was strongly correlated with adherence (P.001). The most frequent reasons for disagreement were concerns about liability, cancer risk, and inadequate evidence.
Activation of P44/42 Map Kinases within Human Epidermal Neoplasia.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arises from a series of genetic changes that form a clone of keratinocytes with enhanced growth characteristics. The p44/42 Map kinase pathway is a highly conserved growth regulatory pathway that helps relay critical signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus. Evidence demonstrating activation of the p44/42 pathway in the human cutaneous SCC has not been established. This study examined if p44/42 MAP kinase is activated in lesions of keratinocytic neoplasia. Lesions from the defined stages of keratinocytic neoplasia, normal skin, actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma in situ, and squamous cell carcinoma, were randomly selected from archived material and studied. Antibodies that detect human p44/42 (phosphorylated and unphosphorylated) and only phosphorylated, activated, human p44/42 were used. The intensity and prevalence of cytoplasmic and nuclear staining was evaluated in the lesional cells. The results suggest that there is a not a simple linear relationship between the amount of nuclear staining and the type of lesion. The results show that there was a significant increase in the level of nuclear phosphorylated p44/42 staining progressing from an actinic keratoses to a sqaumous cell carcinoma in situ. These findings suggest that p44/42 MAP kinases are activated in keratinocytic neoplasia.
U/He ages as indicators of excess argon in deep sea basalts

Abstract U/He ages of deep sea basalts which show unequivocal evidence of excess Ar are generally higher than the corresponding K/Ar ages, suggesting that this result is diagnostic of the presence of excess rare gases. Concordant U/He and K/Ar ages are indicative of the validity of such ages. U/He ages lower than the corresponding K/Ar ages are not informative.
Ascending serotonin neuron diversity under two umbrellas

Forebrain serotonin relevant for many psychological disorders arises in the hindbrain, primarily within the dorsal and median raphe nuclei (DR and MR). These nuclei are heterogeneous, containing several distinct groups of serotonin neurons. Here, new insight into the afferent and efferent connectivity of these areas is reviewed in correlation with their developmental origin. These data suggest that the caudal third of the DR, the area originally designated B6, may be misidentified as part of the DR as it shares many features of connectivity with the MR. By considering the rostral DR independently and affiliating the B6 to the MR, the diverse subgroups of serotonin neurons can be arranged with more coherence into two umbrella groups, each with distinctive domains of influence. Serotonin neurons within the rostral DR are uniquely interconnected with brain areas associated with emotion and motivation such as the amygdala, accumbens and ventral pallidum. In contrast serotonin neurons in the B6 and MR are characterized by their dominion over the septum and hippocampus. This distinction between the DR and B6/MR parallels their developmental origin and likely impacts their role in both behavior and psychopathology. Implications and further subdivisions within these areas are discussed.
Gambian soil fertility trends, 1991-1998.

The Gambia is a small, densely populated country in West Africa with most of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Groundnut (Arachis hypogea) is the dominant cash crop, with significant areas of other grain crops, such as millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and maize (Zea mays), also present. An initial soil fertility survey of the country was conducted during the 1991 and 1992 cropping seasons. Soil and tissue samples were taken from 1159 fields planted to groundnut, maize and millet to develop a soil fertility database for the country. The data was also summarized using the existing political divisions and districts in the country. Results from this initial survey were used to help guide research and extension programs in The Gambia in addition to being used as a reference for many national reports which discuss soil fertility issues. In 1998, a follow-up survey was conducted to determine if soil fertility was continuing to decline or had stabilized. Soil and tissue samples were taken from 341 fields planted to groundnut, maize and millet. Soil test results indicate that there has been very little change in soil pH, organic matter, available phosphorus, or exchangeable potassium and magnesium. In general, soil test levels in The Gambia have remained quite steady during the past decade.
Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

This is the introductory essay in an electronically published roundtable sponsored by the Vanderbilt Law Review on the Supreme Court's forthcoming consideration of Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a case raising important separation of powers questions and thought by some to foreshadow overruling or limiting of such precedents as Humphrey's Executor v. United States (sustaining independent regulatory commissions) and Morrison v. Olson (sustaining the independent counsel). The PCAOB is an unusual independent government authority appointed by the Commissioners of the SEC and subject to its oversight; PCAOB members are only by the Commission, and only for one of several defined causes. This essay is intended to "set the table" for competing essays by other scholars, that will appear in November.
The Washington Administration's Decision to Crush the Whiskey Rebellion

ONE of the fundamental questions raised in the debates over the Constitution in 1787 and 1788 was on what foundation the ultimate authority of government rested. When they discussed the problem men who differed over the Constitution as much as James Madison and Richard Henry Lee agreed that government was based either on law or on force and that law was the only firm basis on which to build a healthy republican society. And they also agreed that once the law failed, either through individual disobedience or riot and rebellion, force would be necessary to restore order and compel citizens to fulfill their social obligations.' The first test of this doctrine came in 1794 with the Whiskey Rebellion, a clear-cut case of the failure of law and the necessity for coercion, at least to the Federalist leaders who were responsible for executing the laws. Yet a question which had been wholly neglected in the discussion six years earlier was how force should be applied and how physical coercion could restore respect for the law. Historians have also missed this problem. Prevailing interpretations of the rebellion, whether sympathetic to the rebels or to the Washington administration, have presented a picture of a federal executive dominated by the advice and philosophy of Alexander Hamilton moving quickly and eagerly to crush the insurrection with force. The only major historiographic controversy has been over whether Hamilton provoked the rebellion in order to enhance the government's stature with a show of military power.2
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of a Dimeric Cobalt(I) Homoleptic Alkyl and an Iron(II) Alkyl Halide Complex

The homoleptic cobalt(I) alkyl [Co{C(SiMe2Ph)3}]2 (1) was prepared by reacting CoCl2 with [Li{C(SiMe2Ph)3}(THF)] in a 1:2 ratio. Attempts to synthesize the corresponding iron(I) species led to the iron(II) salt [Li(THF)4][Fe2(μ-Cl)3{C(SiMe2Ph)3}2] (2). Both 1 and 2 were characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV–vis spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. The structure of 1 consists of dimeric units in which each cobalt(I) ion is σ-bonded to the central carbon of the alkyl group −C(SiMe2Ph)3 and π-bonded to one of the phenyl rings of the −C(SiMe2Ph)3 ligand attached to the other cobalt(I) ion in the dimer. The structure of 2 features three chlorides bridging two iron(II) ions. Each iron(II) ion is also σ-bonded to the central carbon of a terminal −C(SiMe2Ph)3 anionic ligand. The magnetic properties of 1 reveal the presence of two independent cobalt(I) ions with S = 1 and a significant zero-field splitting of D = 38.0(2) cm–1. The magnetic properties of 2 reveal extensive antiferromagnetic exchange coupli...
Thermodynamics of Ion-Exchange Between Na+/Sr2+ Solutions and the Zeolite Mineral Cinoptilolite

Ion-exchange experiments were conducted at 25{degrees}C between the zeolite mineral clinoptilolite and aqueous solutions of varying equivalent ratios of Na{sup +} and Sr{sup 2+} and total concentrations of 0.005, 0.05, and 0.5 N. The experiments were designed to investigate the effects of changes in total solution concentration and in the relative concentrations of exchangeable cations on the following ion-exchange equilibrium: Sr{sup 2+} + 2NaZ {r_reversible} SrZ{sub 2} + 2Na{sup +}. Using the isotherm data at 0.05 N solution concentration, a thermodynamic model for the ion-exchange reaction was derived using a Margules formulation for the activity coefficients of zeolite components and the Pitzer ion-interaction approach for activity coefficients of aqueous ions. The results of the forward experiments showed that the ion-exchange isotherm strongly depends on the total solution concentration. Additional experiments demonstrated that the above ion-exchange reaction is reversible. The derived equilibrium constant, K, and Gibbs energy of ion-exchange, {Delta}G{sup 0}, are equal to 0.321{+-}0.021 and 2,820 {+-} 170 J/mol, respectively. Using thermodynamic parameters derived from the 0.05 N isotherm experiment, the model was used to predict isotherm values at 0.005 and 0.5 N, which showed excellent agreement with measured data. Because the thermodynamic model used in this study can bemore » easily extended to ternary and more complicated mixtures, it may be useful for modeling ion-exchange equilibria in multicomponent geochemical systems.« less
Abstract P4-06-15: BP1 Upregulates Twist and Induces EMT in Breast Cancer Cells

Background: We have cloned a gene, BP1, which is a member of the homeobox gene family of transcription factors. Our recent studies have shown that BP1 may play a role in breast cancer cell survival, aggressiveness and metastasis. BP1 protein (pBP1) is expressed in 80% of invasive ductal breast tumors, and is associated with estrogen receptor negativity and tumors of African American women, both associated with aggressive tumors. BP1 is also expressed in metastatic tumors, shown by immunostaining of 46 samples of inflammatory breast cancer; all cases were BP1 positive. Nine cases had metastasized, and all nine metastatic lymph nodes were BP1 positive. BP1 positive cells were observed in lymph channels and blood vessels. Here, we demonstrated BP1 induces the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), resulting in increased migratory ability. EMT, a process by which cancer cells lose their epithelial features and gain mesenchymal markers, enables tumor cells become more invasive, migratory and can lead to metastasis. Twist, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor which triggers EMT, is activated by BP1. Materials and Methods: RNA levels of markers of EMT were verified by real-time PCR and their protein levels by Western blotting and, in some cases, by confocal microscopy. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to verify the BP1 binding site on the Twist promoter. A scratch test was used to measure migratory ability. BP1 knockdown by siRNA transfection was also performed. Recombinant BP1 (rpBP1) was produced in E. coli. Results: Increased expression levels of Twist were observed on microarrays after probing with RNA from MCF-7 cell lines overexpressing BP1. We demonstrated that BP1 can upregulate Twist expression in two different breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and Hs578T cells, by binding to the Twist promoter. BP1 upregulates mesenchymal marker expression and down-regulates epithelial marker expression, consistent with EMT. BP1 also promotes breast cancer cell migratory ability, shown by the scratch test. In addition, cells grown in medium supplemented with rpBP1 showed increased Twist expression and migration. Experiments evaluating the effects of siBP1 on EMT are underway. Conclusions: BP1 stimulates Twist expression in MCF-7 and HS578T breast cancer cells, resulting in a more mesenchymal cell phenotype. We therefore hypothesize that BP1 induces EMT by upregulating Twist expression, and may result in metastasis. If BP1 is involved in EMT, it may be a good target for therapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-15.
173 VARIABILITY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS PHYSICAL STATUS CLASS ASSIGNMENT AMONG PEDIATRIC SEDATION PRACTITIONERS.

Objectives The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status Classification Scale was created in 1947. The ASA scale has since been used as a surrogate for anesthetic risk and surgical prognosis. In the 1990s, an increasing number of nontraditional anesthesiology-trained providers have been called upon to provide deep sedation and pain control for patients outside the operating room. We sought to determine the consistency of the ASA scale with respect to different practitioner training, experience, and activity level. Methods A questionnaire of 10 representative scenarios involving pediatric patients for sedation was developed. Practitioners were asked to assign an ASA status to each scenario. Data were also collected on training, length of time in practice, and number of annual sedations performed. The questionnaire was distributed to the respective electronic mailing lists of the practitioners9 disciplines, including pediatric intensivists, anesthesiologists, hospitalists, and pediatric sedation. Fisher9s exact test, ANOVA, and ordinal logistic regression were performed using SAS V8 (Cary, NC), with a p value Results A total of 100 questionnaires were returned. Experience in years as well as annual sedations was ordered among physicians as (1)anesthesiologists, (2) intensivists, and (3) hospitalists. Four of the scenarios varied significantly with respect to type of practitioner (p Conclusions Our results indicate that type of training and amount of experience affect a practitioner9s view of patient severity. ASA scores are frequently used as a surrogate for severity of illness when measuring program quality and outcomes measures. Standardized training needs to be instituted if ASA scales can be used as part of a reliable, valid measure for sedation outcomes across different practices.
Incidence and Predictors of Complications and Mortality in Cerebrovascular Surgery: National Trends From 2007 to 2012.

BACKGROUND Cerebrovascular surgery offers potentially lifesaving treatments for intracranial vascular pathology yet bears substantial risks in the form of perioperative complications and mortality. OBJECTIVE To better characterize the risks associated with cerebrovascular surgery by broadly investigating the incidence of complications, patient-level predictors of complications, and mortality using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, a prospective, audited, national data set. METHODS All cerebrovascular cases were extracted from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program with the use of Current Procedural Terminology codes. Complication and mortality rates were analyzed with univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. RESULTS A total of 1141 cases were analyzed. The rate of complications was nearly twice that of previous estimates: Almost one-third of patients (30.9%) experienced at least 1 complication, which was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 7.76; 95% confidence interval, 4.27-14.10; P 24 hours, preoperative or postoperative ventilator dependence, black or Asian race, and stroke. The most common complications were ventilator dependence (64.5% in patients ventilated preoperatively, 8.4% in patients not ventilated preoperatively), bleeding requiring transfusion (10.2%), reoperation within 30 days (9.6%), pneumonia (7.3%), and stroke (7.3%). CONCLUSION Cerebrovascular surgery is associated with significant risks of morbidity and mortality. Mitigation of these risks requires broader, patient-centered understanding of risk factors and complications specific to cerebrovascular surgery, as presented in this article. These findings pave the way for improving patient safety and outcomes in cerebrovascular surgery. ABBREVIATIONS AVM, arteriovenous malformationCI, confidence intervalNSQIP, National Surgical Quality Improvement ProjectOR, odds ratio.
MR imaging of the midfoot: normal anatomy with cadaveric correlation.

SUMMARY Knowledge of the basic MR anatomy of the foot and ankle is essential for accurate image interpretation and diagnosis. The authors anticipate that the reader has gained a further understanding of the complex anatomy of the midfoot and how its inherent structures relate to those of the hindfoot and forefoot.
Explanatory Models of Genetics and Genetic Risk among a Selected Group of Students.

This exploratory qualitative study focuses on how college students conceptualize genetics and genetic risk, concepts essential for genetic literacy (GL) and genetic numeracy (GN), components of overall health literacy (HL). HL is dependent on both the background knowledge and culture of a patient; and lower HL is linked to increased morbidity and mortality for a number of chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, cancer). A purposive sample of 86 students from three Southwestern universities participated in eight focus groups. The sample ranged in age from 18 to 54 years, and comprised primarily of female (67.4%), single (74.4%), and non-White (57%) participants, none of whom were genetics/biology majors. A holistic-content approach revealed broad categories concerning participants' explanatory models (EM) of genetics and genetic risk. Participants' EM were grounded in highly contextualized narratives that only partially overlapped with biomedical models. While higher education levels should be associated with predominately knowledge-based explanatory models of genetic risk, this study shows that even in well-educated populations cultural factors can dominate. Study findings reveal gaps in how this sample of young adults obtains, processes, and understands genetic/genomic concepts. Future studies should assess how individuals with low GL and GN obtain and process genetics and genetic risk information and incorporate this information into health decision-making. Future work should also address the interaction of communication between health educators, providers, and genetic counselors, to increase patient understanding of genetic risk.
Mid-IR and Infrared Fibers

This chapter focuses on the properties of infrared (IR) optical fibers. There are two IR transmitting glass fiber systems that resemble conventional silica–glass fibers in that they are drawn from glass preforms and they have a core region surrounded by a cladding layer. One is the heavy metal fluoride glasses (HMFGs), or fluoride glass for short, and the other is heavy metal germanate glass fibers based on GeO 2 . The germanate glass fibers generally do not contain fluoride compounds. They also do not contain silica rather they contain heavy metal oxides to shift the IR absorption edge to longer wavelengths. The fabrication of HMFG fiber is similar to any glass fiber-drawing technology except that the preforms are made using some type of melt-forming method rather than by a vapor-deposition process common with silica fibers. Specifically, a casting method based on first forming a clad glass tube and then adding the molten core glass is used to form either multimode or single-mode fluorozirconate-fiber preforms. Chalcogenide glasses are composed of two or more chalcogen elements normally selected from the small group including As, Ge, Sb, P, Te, Se, and S. When these elemental materials are heated and mixed in an oxygen-free environment, some very stable and simple glasses can be developed.
RNA modification in Cajal bodies

Aside from nucleoli, Cajal bodies (CBs) are the best-characterized organelles of mammalian cell nuclei. Like nucleoli, CBs concentrate ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), in particular, spliceosomal small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs) and small nucleolar RNPs (snoRNPs). In one of the best-defined functions of CBs, most of the snoRNPs are involved in site-specific modification of snRNAs. The two major modifications are pseudouridylation and 2'-O-methylation that are guided by the box H/ACA and C/D snoRNPs, respectively. This review details the modifications, their function, the mechanism of modification, and the machineries involved. We dissect the different classes of noncoding RNAs that meet in CBs, guides and substrates. Open questions and conundrums, often raised and appearing due to experimental limitations, are pointed out and discussed. The emphasis of the review is on mammalian CBs and their function in modification of noncoding RNAs.
Daily Life and Digital Reach: Place-based Research and History’s Transnational Turn

Historians’ expanding access to digitized sources means that international research requires less and less international residence. This has been an unacknowledged driver of history’s “transnational” turn. What risks being lost as a result? This chapter suggests ethical, methodological, and interpretive dimensions. The examples of area studies research and international social history suggest that learning about place and learning in place—and through them, being forced to think critically about one’s own place—can provide vital foundations. I argue that an intentional recommitment to fieldwork is necessary to ensure that our discipline’s transnational turn does not become, in practice, a neo-imperial whirl.
Credit Markets for the Poor

(2007). Credit Markets for the Poor. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 877-879.
Division Tenorrhaphy: A Novel Technique for Chronic or Failed Nonoperatively Treated Achilles Tendon Rupture:

Here we describe a modified open technique for the repair of a ruptured Achilles tendon using multiple looped sutures with the creation of interdigitating tendon stumps maximizing surface area for suture application as well as allowing for significant tissue overlay. This technique produces a high strength repair that is useful in cases of extensive degeneration or poor-quality tissue. Degenerative tissue may be encountered with chronic ruptures or failed nonoperative treatment, as well as those ruptures that occur at the proximal myotendinous junction. We present 2 cases in which the technique was utilized: one of a failed nonoperatively treated rupture and another of a chronic rupture. The technique was found to be successful for both patients with improvement in visual analogue scale, Achilles tendon total rupture score, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score, and Foot and Ankle Disability Index. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE Level IV.
Introduction to Cell Phones and Wireless Technologies

Cell phones or mobile phones have unprecedented impact on human lifestyle, and people are busy communicating with each other using such devices.