cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IF1 Function in Situ in Uncoupler-challenged Ischemic Rabbit, Rat, and Pigeon Hearts

Rabbit, rat, and pigeon are species representative of three cardiac muscle mitochondrial ATPase regulatory classes, a, b and c, respectively. Class a species contain a full complement of higher affinity ATPase inhibitor subunit, IF1, in their cardiac muscle mitochondria and show marked IF1-mediated mitochondrial ATPase inhibition during myocardial ischemia. Class b species contain low levels of higher affinity IF1 and show very little IF1-mediated ATPase inhibition during ischemia. Class c species contain a full complement of a lower affinity form of IF1 and show a low-to-moderate level of IF1- mediated ATPase inhibition during ischemia. In the present study we perfused hearts of a member of each regulatory class through the coronary arteries with the uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP), before making them ischemic. We then compared net rates of cell ATP depletion during ischemia in the FCCP-treated hearts to identically treated FCCP-free hearts. Thus, we tested the relative capacities of cardiac muscle mitochondria of the three species to avert a potentially greatly increased net rate of cell ATP depletion due to ATP hydrolysis by the fully uncoupled mitochondrial ATPase. We found that FCCP-uncoupling in situ had a relatively small effect on ATP depletion during ischemia in rabbit hearts, that it dramatically accelerated ATP depletion in ischemic rat hearts, and that it had an intermediate effect on ATP depletion in ischemic pigeon hearts. These results demonstrate for the first time the relative extents to which IF1-mediated mitochondrial ATPase inhibition can slow cell ATP depletion due to the fully uncoupled mitochondrial ATPase in these three classes of hearts. They show that, in contrast to the situation in rabbit hearts, the low level of higher affinity IF1 present in the cardiac muscle mitochondria of the rat is, under these conditions, essentially nonfunctional, while the full complement of the lower affinity form of IF1 present in the cardiac muscle mitochondria of the pigeon is partially functional in that it appeared to provide an intermediate level of protection against rapid cell ATP depletion.
The role of microglia and myeloid immune cells in acute cerebral ischemia

The immune response to acute cerebral ischemia is a major contributor to stroke pathobiology. The inflammatory response is characterized by the participation of brain resident cells and peripheral leukocytes. Microglia in the brain and monocytes/neutrophils in the periphery have a prominent role in initiating, sustaining and resolving post-ischemic inflammation. In this review we aim to summarize recent literature concerning the origins, fate and role of microglia, monocytes and neutrophils in models of cerebral ischemia and to discuss their relevance for human stroke.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF CHROMOSOMES IN THE MEIOTIC PROPHASE OF VERTEBRATE SPERMATOCYTES

The prophase chromosomes of the first meiotic division in pigeon, cat, and man contain a central structure or core consisting of a pair of dense fibrils (450 A) that are parallel to one another and equidistant from a delicate linear region of increased density midway between them. These parallel strands are present early in prophase and the chromosomes seem to arise by congregation and organization of the chromatin granules around them. They have not been observed in mitosis or in other stages of meiosis.
Differential effects of activation of liver X receptor on plasma lipid homeostasis in wild-type and lipoprotein clearance-deficient mice

The effects of liver X receptor (LXR) agonists on plasma lipid homeostasis, especially triglyceride metabolism are controversial. Here we examined the effect of long-term activation of LXR on plasma lipid homeostasis in wild-type C57BL/6 and LDL receptor deficient (LDLR−/−) mice given the LXR agonist T0901317 for 4 weeks. LXR agonist treatment of wild-type mice decreased plasma total triglycerides by 35% due to a significant reduction of plasma VLDL triglycerides. In contrast, in LDLR−/− mice T0901317 treatment increased plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides. An increase in the level of smaller VLDL particles was also observed in T0901317-treated LDLR−/− mice. The changes in circulating lipoprotein profiles in response to T0901317 treatment in these two animal models reflect the balance between synthesis and secretion on the one hand and lipolysis and clearance on the other. In both models there was both an increase in VLDL production and secretion and in an increase in LPL production and activity in T0901317-treated animals. In wild-type mice lipolysis and clearance predominates, while in the absence of the LDLR, which plays a major role in the clearance of apoB-containing lipoproteins, the increased output predominates. The generation of elevated levels of small VLDL particles due to increased lipolysis may represent an additional risk factor for atherosclerosis.
Chemically Reacting, Turbulent Shear Layer

A chemically reacting, turbulent shear layer between two streams was investigated in a new, blowdown water tunnel. The two streams contained dilute, aqueous solutions of diffusion-limited reactants (phenolphthalein and sodium hydroxide, respectively) which mixed in the layer and reacted to form a visible reaction product. Using optical densitometry techniques, the amount of product was measured as a function of Reynolds number. These results for water (Schmidt No. = 600) are compared with the previous mixing measurements of Konrad in a gaseous shear layer (Sc = 0.7) and the simple mixing method of Broadwell. The unique flow visualization provided by the visible reaction product revealed a remarkable spanwise instability (superimposed on the large coherent vortices) which appears to be important in introducing three-dimensional motions into the flow.
Fire in the Brazilian Amazon: 1. Biomass, nutrient pools, and losses in slashed primary forests.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has resulted in the conversion of >230,000 km2 of tropical forest, yet little is known on the quantities of biomass consumed or the losses of nutrients from the ecosystem. We quantified the above-ground biomass, nutrient pools and the effects of biomass burning in four slashed primary tropical moist forests in the Brazilian Amazon. Total above-ground biomass (TAGB) ranged from 292 Mg ha-1 to 436 Mg ha-1. Coarse wood debris (>20.5 cm diameter) was the dominant fuel component. However, structure of the four sites were variable. Coarse wood debris comprised from 44% to 69% of the TAGB, while the forest floor (litter and rootmat) comprised from 3.7 to 8.0% of the TAGB. Total biomass consumption ranged from 42% to 57%. Fires resulted in the consumption of >99% of the litter and rootmat, yet <50% of the coarse wood debirs. Dramatic losses in C, N, and S were quantified. Lesser quantities of P, K, and Ca were lost by combustion processes. Carbon losses from the ecosystem were 58–112 Mg ha-1. Nitrogen losses ranged from 817 to 1605 kg ha-1 and S losses ranged from 92 to 122 kg ha-1. This represents losses that are as high as 56%, 68%, and 49% of the total above-ground pools of these nutrients, respectively. Losses of P were as high as 20 kg ha-1 or 32% of the above-ground pool. Losses to the atmosphere arising from primary slash fires were variable among sites due to site differences in concentration, fuel biomass, and fuel structure, climatic fluctuations, and anthropogenic influences. Compared to fires in other forest ecosystems, fires in slashed primary tropical evergreen forests result in among the highest total losses of nutrients ever measured. In addition, the proportion of the total nutrient pool lost from slash fires is higher in this ecosystem compared to other ecosystems due to a higher percentage of nutrients stored in above-ground biomass.
Intrinsic Lymphotoxin-β Receptor Requirement for Homeostasis of Lymphoid Tissue Dendritic Cells

The factors regulating dendritic cell (DC) development and homeostasis are incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that DCs express the lymphotoxin (LT)-beta receptor (LT beta R) and that in mice lacking the LT beta R in hematopoietic cells, spleen, and lymph node, CD8- DC numbers are reduced. B cells are a key source of LT alpha 1 beta 2 for splenic DC homeostasis, and transgenic overexpression of LT alpha 1 beta 2 on B cells leads to expansion of the CD8- DC compartment. Furthermore, we find that about 5% of splenic DCs are undergoing cell division, and the number of dividing CD8- DCs is disproportionately reduced in the absence of the LT beta R. In parabiosis experiments, splenic DCs were only partially replaced by circulating precursors over a 6 week period. We conclude that LT alpha 1 bet a2 acts on DCs or DC precursors to promote DC homeostasis, and we suggest that DC proliferation is an important pathway for locally maintaining these cells in the steady state.
Methodological issues in the quantification of respiratory sinus arrhythmia

Although respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a commonly quantified physiological variable, the methods for quantification are not consistent. This manuscript questions the assumption that respiration frequency needs to be manipulated or monitored to generate an accurate measure of RSA amplitude. A review of recent papers is presented that contrast RSA amplitude with measures that use respiratory parameters to adjust RSA amplitude. In addition, data from two studies are presented to evaluate empirically both the relation between RSA amplitude and respiration frequency and the covariation between RSA frequency and respiration frequency. The literature review demonstrates similar findings between both classes of measures. The first study demonstrates, during spontaneous breathing without task demands, that there is no relation between respiration frequency and RSA amplitude and that respiration frequency can be accurately derived from the heart period spectrum (i.e., frequency of RSA). The second study demonstrates that respiration frequency is unaffected by atropine dose, a manipulation that systematically mediates the amplitude of RSA, and that the tight linkage between the RSA frequency and respiration frequency is unaffected by atropine. The research shows that the amplitude of RSA is not affected by respiration frequency under either baseline conditions or vagal manipulation via atropine injection. Respiration frequency is therefore unlikely to be a concern under these conditions. Research examining conditions that produce (causal) deviations from the intrinsic relation between respiratory parameters and the amplitude of RSA combined with appropriate statistical procedures for understanding these deviations are necessary.
Bond-orientational order in liquids and glasses

Bond-orientational order in molecular-dynamics simulations of supercooled liquids and in models of metallic glasses is studied. Quadratic and third-order invariants formed from bond spherical harmonics allow quantitative measures of cluster symmetries in these systems. A state with short-range translational order, but extended correlations in the orientations of particle clusters, starts to develop about 10% below the equilibrium melting temperature in a supercooled Lennard-Jones liquid. The order is predominantly icosahedral, although there is also a cubic component which we attribute to the periodic boundary conditions. Results are obtained for liquids cooled in an icosahedral pair potential as well. Only a modest amount of orientational order appears in a relaxed Finney dense-random-packing model. In contrast, we find essentially perfect icosahedral bond correlations in alternative "amorphon" cluster models of glass structure.
Future‐search conferences at Cornell University

A future-search conference is a participatory planning and decision-making process in which a group of individuals with diverse perspectives come together; engage in a process of data collection, discussion, and learning; and decide on an appropriate course of action. The competencies, skills, and intellectual capital developed as part of this search conference had a significant impact on the faculty.
Nuclear Envelope Dispersion Triggered by Deregulated Cdk5 Precedes Neuronal Death

Nuclear fragmentation is a common feature in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we show that nuclear lamina dispersion is an early and irreversible trigger for cell death initiated by deregulated Cdk5, rather than a consequence of apoptosis. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity is significantly increased in AD and contributes to all three hallmarks: neurotoxic amyloid-β (Aβ), neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and extensive cell death. Using Aβ and glutamate as the neurotoxic stimuli, we show that deregulated Cdk5 induces nuclear lamina dispersion by direct phosphorylation of lamin A and lamin B1 in neuronal cells and primary cortical neurons. Phosphorylation-resistant mutants of lamins confer resistance to nuclear dispersion and cell death on neurotoxic stimulation, highlighting this as a major mechanism for neuronal death. Rapid alteration of lamin localization pattern and nuclear membrane change are further supported by in vivo data using an AD mouse model. After p25 induction, the pattern of lamin localization was significantly altered, preceding neuronal death, suggesting that it is an early pathological event in p25-inducible transgenic mice. Importantly, lamin dispersion is coupled with Cdk5 nuclear localization, which is highly neurotoxic. Inhibition of nuclear dispersion rescues neuronal cells from cell death, underscoring the significance of this event to Cdk5-mediated neurotoxicity.
Quantitative high-throughput screening for chemical toxicity in a population-based in vitro model

A shift in toxicity testing from in vivo to in vitro may efficiently prioritize compounds, reveal new mechanisms, and enable predictive modeling. Quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) is a major source of data for computational toxicology, and our goal in this study was to aid in the development of predictive in vitro models of chemical-induced toxicity, anchored on interindividual genetic variability. Eightyone human lymphoblast cell lines from 27 Centre d’Etude du Polymorphisme Humain trios were exposed to 240 chemical substances (12 concentrations, 0.26nM‐46.0mM) and evaluated for cytotoxicity and apoptosis. qHTS screening in the genetically defined population produced robust and reproducible results, which allowed for cross-compound, cross-assay, and crossindividual comparisons. Some compounds were cytotoxic to all cell types at similar concentrations, whereas others exhibited interindividual differences in cytotoxicity. Specifically, the qHTS in a population-based human in vitro model system has several unique aspects that are of utility for toxicity testing, chemical prioritization, and high-throughput risk assessment. First, standardized and high-quality concentration-response profiling, with reproducibility confirmed by comparison with previous experiments, enables prioritization of chemicals for variability in interindividual range in cytotoxicity. Second, genome-wide association analysis of cytotoxicity phenotypes allows exploration of the potential genetic determinants of interindividual variability in toxicity. Furthermore, highly significant associations identified through the analysis of population-level correlations between basal gene expression variability and chemical-induced toxicity suggest plausible mode of action hypotheses for follow-up analyses. We conclude that as the improved resolution of genetic profiling can now be matched with high-quality in vitro screening data, the evaluation of the toxicity pathways and the effects of genetic diversity are now feasible through the use of human
A comparative analysis of demographic and academic characteristics

A retrospective study was initiated to determine: (1) the predictive relationship between demographic and academic variables and NCLEX-RN success; and (2) if there were significant differences between urban and rural nursing students that could account for an increased percentage of rural NCLEX-RN failures. A convenience sample was comprised of 398 graduates in 2005-2008, of an associate degree nursing program in the Midwest. Student age group, campus enrolled, Anatomy and Physiology GPA, number of practical nursing terms attempted, Practical Nursing GPA, and the number of associate degree nursing terms attempted were analyzed for predictive value of first-attempt NCLEX-RN success. Descriptive analyses indicated urban and rural students were homogenous in nature. Means, standard deviations and the independent means t-test of significance determined there were no significant differences between urban and rural nursing students. A logistic regression analysis predicted 87.4% of the students who would pass the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. Campus and the practical nursing core GPA were found to be significant predictors of NCLEX-RN success. Rural students were found to have less than a 30% chance of probability of passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt, compared to urban students, who had a 70% chance of passing the exam. Student age group, number of PN terms, Anatomy and Physiology GPA and the number of ADN terms were not significant predictors. The study supported the relationship between GPA and NCLEX-RN success, and the need to analyze environmental variables that influence success.
Microwave induced thermal acoustic imaging modeling for potential breast cancer detection

In this work, we develop a complete microwave induced thermal acoustic imaging (TAI) model for potential biomedical imaging applications. Acoustic pressure generated by spherical breast tumor target is investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations of the electromagnetic (EM) and acoustic models. Simulation results achieve quantitative relationship between the input power and the output acoustic pressure. Microwave frequency dependence of the acoustic pressure is established in a broadband frequency range. This model will enable design and optimization of microwave induced thermal acoustic imaging and spectroscopy.
Choices of curative and palliative care for cancer patients

Decision-making in cancer treatment is a complex art that requires specific attention by the physician who is principally responsible for the patient. Whenever possible, the aim should be to advance the patient's interests as the patient defines them. To achieve this, the patient must understand the situation and the likely outcomes of treatment options that might be of benefit, must be free of coercion and manipulation and capable of self-determination, and must be capable of reasoning. When a patient cannot collaborate in the decision-making, the physician needs to recognize this and a surrogate should be chosen to speak on the patient's behalf. The range of treatment options must not be unduly narrowed by lack of consideration, incorrect understanding of the governing moral and legal prohibitions, or unreflective use of imprecise categories.
Patterns of nutrient exchange in a riverine mangrove forest in the Shark River Estuary, Florida, USA

This study aimed to evaluate tidal and seasonal variations in concentrations and fluxes of nitrogen (NH4 +, NO2+NO3, total nitrogen) and phosphorus (soluble reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus) in a riverine mangrove forest using the flume technique during the dry (May, December 2003) and rainy (October 2003) seasons in the Shark River Estuary, Florida. Tidal water temperatures during the sampling period were on average 29.4 (± 0.4) oC in May and October declining to 20 o C (± 4) in December. Salinity values remained constant in May (28 ± 0.12 PSU), whereas salinity in October and December ranged from 6?21 PSU and 9?25 PSU, respectively. Nitrate + nitrite (N+N) and NH4 + concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 3.5 µM and from 0 to 4.8 µM throughout the study period, respectively. Mean TN concentrations in October and December were 39 (±0.8) µM and 37 (±1.5) µM, respectively. SRP and N+N concentrations in the flume increased with higher frequency in flooding tides. TP concentrations ranged between 0.2?2.9 µM with higher concentrations in the dry season than in the rainy season. Mean concentrations were <1. 5 µM during the sampling period in October (0.75 ± 0.02) and December (0.76 ± 0.01), and were relatively constant in both upstream and downstream locations of the flume. Water residence time in the flume (25 m2 ) was relatively short for any nutrient exchange to occur between the water column and the forest floor. However, the distinct seasonality in nutrient concentrations in the flume and adjacent tidal creek indicate that the Gulf of Mexico is the main source of SRP and N+N into the mangrove forest.
How well can (renormalized) perturbation theory predict dark matter clustering properties

There has been some recent activity in trying to understand the dark matter clustering properties in the quasilinear regime, through resummation of perturbative terms, otherwise known as the renormalized perturbation theory [M. Crocce and R. Scoccimarro, Phys. Rev. D 73, 063519 (2006).], or the renormalization group method [P. McDonald, astro-ph/0606028.]. While it is not always clear why such methods should work so well, there is no reason for them to capture nonperturbative events such as shell-crossing. In order to estimate the magnitude of nonperturbative effects, we introduce a (hypothetical) model of sticky dark matter, which only differs from collisionless dark matter in the shell-crossing regime. This enables us to show that the level of nonperturbative effects in the dark matter power spectrum at $k\ensuremath{\sim}0.1\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, which is relevant for baryonic acoustic oscillations, is about a percent, but rises to order unity at $k\ensuremath{\sim}1\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Anterior-Posterior Direction Opponency in the Superficial Mouse Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

We show functional-anatomical organization of motion direction in mouse dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) using two-photon calcium imaging of dense populations in thalamus. Surprisingly, the superficial 75 μm region contains anterior and posterior direction-selective neurons (DSLGNs) intermingled with nondirection-selective neurons, while upward- and downward-selective neurons are nearly absent. Unexpectedly, the remaining neurons encode both anterior and posterior directions, forming horizontal motion-axis selectivity. A model of random wiring consistent with these results makes quantitative predictions about the connectivity of direction-selective retinal ganglion cell (DSRGC) inputs to the superficial dLGN. DSLGNs are more sharply tuned than DSRGCs. These results suggest that dLGN maintains and sharpens retinal direction selectivity and integrates opposing DSRGC subtypes in a functional-anatomical region, perhaps forming a feature representation for horizontal-axis motion, contrary to dLGN being a simple relay. Furthermore, they support recent conjecture that cortical direction and orientation selectivity emerge in part from a previously undescribed motion-selective retinogeniculate pathway.
Cataract after vitrectomy in young patients

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of cataract in young patients after pars plana vitrectomy. Design: The authors reviewed the medical records for previtrectomy and postvitrectomy lens changes in patients younger than 30 years of age at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan. Participants: Forty-nine patients (50 eyes) younger than 30 years of age (mean age, 23.5 years; range, 5 months–30 years) underwent phakic vitrectomy over a 12-year period. Main Outcome Measures: Cataracts were categorized as posterior subcapsular, nuclear sclerotic, or cortical. Cataracts also were graded as mild (1+), moderate (2+), or severe (3+). Results: In this series of young patients, vitrectomy was performed for a wide range of ocular conditions, including trauma and complicated retinal detachment. Postvitrectomy cataract developed in 29 patients (60%). Eighteen patients (36%) had visually significant cataract on long-term follow-up (mean follow-up, 29.7 months; range, 6 months-13 years). The most common cataract was posterior subcapsular (57%), followed by nuclear sclerosis (23%), a combination of both (17%), and cortical cataract (3%). Patients with gas-filled eyes had a significantly higher rate of cataract formation than patients with fluid-filled eyes ( P Conclusions: Postvitrectomy cataracts were more common in the authors' series compared with those of previous reports on young patients. Cataracts were most often posterior subcapsular and were significantly associated with the use of intraocular gas. The occurrence of postvitrectomy cataract appears to be higher in patients undergoing vitrectomy for complex ocular conditions, regardless of age.
Taxes, Investment, and Capital Structure: A Study of U.S. Firms in the Early 1900s

We analyze capital structure decisions of U.S. firms during 1905-1924, a period characterized by two relevant shocks: (i) the introduction of corporate and individual taxes, and (ii) the onset of World War I, which resulted in large, transitory increases in investment outlays by U.S. firms. Although we find little evidence that shocks to corporate and individual taxes have a meaningful influence on observed leverage ratios, we find strong evidence that changes in leverage are positively related to investment outlays and negatively related to operating cash flows. Moreover, the transitory investments made by firms during World War I are associated with transitory increases in debt, especially by firms with relatively low earnings. Our findings do not support models that emphasize taxes as a first-order determinant of leverage choices, but do provide support for models that link the dynamics of leverage with dynamics of investment opportunities.
The syndrome of pancreatic insufficiency and bone marrow dysfunction

A new entity characterized by pancreaatic insufficiency and bone marrow hypoplasia is described. The first three patients presented in this report had been followed in our cystic fibrosis clinic because of pancreatic insufficiency. These children did not develop respiratory tract difficulties and had normal sweat tests. The hematologic features included anemia; thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. Attempts to correct all the hematologic abnormalities were unsuccessful. A biopsy of the pancreas in one case revealed intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. This entity should be suspected in infants who fail to gain weight, have abnormal stools, and neutropenia, as well as those children who are thought to have cystic fibrosis diagnosed on the basis of pancreatic insufficiency with normal sweat electrolytes. Since three patients were observed from one family, it is felt that this is a genetically determined entity.
Virtual Segments: The Hexachordal System in the Late Middle Ages

ABSTRACT Music-theoretical writings from the 13th to the 15th centuries maintained a basic distinction between two types of major sixth, customarily labeled hexachordum and deductio (or proprietas ). The term hexachordum , more frequently called tonus (or semitonus) cum diapente , designated the interval of a major of minor sixth, frequently expressed by pitch letters only (such as G-e and A-F) and discussed independently of Guidonian solmization. On the other hand, proprietas and deductio indicated a ““virtual segment”” (the set of six syllables ut-la ) that could be employed for the purpose of sight singing. Neither set challenged the conceptual primacy of the seven claves , expressed by the letters A-G. Hexachordum was routinely described as a portion of the octave, and the late-medieval notion of proprietas still reflected the principle of octave duplication, which had regulated musical practice since pre-Guidonian times. The ““two-tier”” model of diatonic space encountered in medieval music theory, based on the superimposition of Guido9s six syllables onto the seven pitch letters, came to an end in the late 15th century, when authors such as Ramos de Pareja and Franchino Gafori began describing the Guidonian deductio ——which they called hexachordum ——as the primary mode of organization of the gamut that had superseded the Greek tetrachordum .
Stratigraphical and geographical distribution of Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) Crinoidea from Scotland

A total of 47 genera, in 80 species, of Mississippian, or Lower Carboniferous, crinoids are evaluated from 61 localities in Scotland based on a modern update of the literature, study of museum collections, and new field work. Among the 80 species, 76 are considered valid, with eight requiring new combinations of genus and species names. In addition, one species is considered a nomen dubium, and three can only be assigned at the generic level. Asbian faunas have a moderate generic richness of 13. Brigantian faunas have the highest generic richness at 40. Arnsbergian faunas have the lowest generic richness at three. There are no Mississippian crinoid faunas in Scotland older than Asbian. The dominant Brigantian crinoid faunas occur in limestones and shales in the shallow shelf marine intervals of Yoredale-style cyclothems. The Asbian faunas occur in shallower, nearshore mudstones and limestones of Yoredale-style cyclothems. The late Visean (Brigantian) fauna is more similar in overall taxonomic composition to the global record for the Serpukhovian rather than the Visean. This reflects the establishment of the Late Palaeozoic Crinoid Macroevolutionary Fauna, dominated by advanced cladid crinoids, by the end of the Visean in Scotland.
High Resolution Far-Infrared Maps of HII Regions and the Galactic Center

The Center for Astrophysics — University of Arizona 102-cm balloon-borne telescope was used to produce high resolution (l’) maps of the HII regions M17, M20, NGC 7538, and the Galactic Center. These maps will be presented and their relationship to ground-based infrared and radio observations will be discussed.
L. C. Dunn and Donald Charles on Quantitative Traits in the Mouse.

![Figure][1] DUNN and Charles (1937, p. 14) opens with an understated assessment on the state of developmental genetics at the time: “The processes which lead to the formation of patterns during ontogeny in animals are at present very imperfectly understood.” This was the first in a
Optical tracking of nanoscale particles in microscale environments

The trajectories of nanoscale particles through microscale environments record useful information about both the particles and the environments. Optical microscopes provide efficient access to this information through measurements of light in the far field from nanoparticles. Such measurements necessarily involve trade-offs in tracking capabilities. This article presents a measurement framework, based on information theory, that facilitates a more systematic understanding of such trade-offs to rationally design tracking systems for diverse applications. This framework includes the degrees of freedom of optical microscopes, which determine the limitations of tracking measurements in theory. In the laboratory, tracking systems are assemblies of sources and sensors, optics and stages, and nanoparticle emitters. The combined characteristics of such systems determine the limitations of tracking measurements in practice. This article reviews this tracking hardware with a focus on the essential functions of nanoparticles as optical emitters and microenvironmental probes. Within these theoretical and practical limitations, experimentalists have implemented a variety of tracking systems with different capabilities. This article reviews a selection of apparatuses and techniques for tracking multiple and single particles by tuning illumination and detection, and by using feedback and confinement to improve the measurements. Prior information is also useful in many tracking systems and measurements, which apply across a broad spectrum of science and technology. In the context of the framework and review of apparatuses and techniques, this article reviews a selection of applications, with particle diffusion serving as a prelude to tracking measurements in biological, fluid, and material systems, fabrication and assembly processes, and engineered devices. In so doing, this review identifies trends and gaps in particle tracking that might influence future research.
On the Black-Tipped Hangingfly (Mecoptera, Bittacidae)

Near my home in Ashland, Ohio, there is a small glen where I used to collect mosquitoes. The glen is shaded by elm, black walnut, basswood, and box elder trees; a tangle of raspberry bramble and pea vine contains isolated clumps of jewelweed, bur-marigold, or boneset; and mosses, grasses, violets, and bedstraw cover the ground. A well is located on a hillside, and a creek flows periodically through the glen.
Response of Cotton and Cotton Pests to Thimet Seed-Treatment

Coker 100W cottonseed treated with Thimet® (O,O-diethyl S-(ethylthio) methyl phosphorodithioate) was evaluated in replicated field tests at four widely separated locations in North Carolina during 1955-56. Thimet exhibited pronounced effects both upon the cotton plant and pests which attack cotton. Thimet seed-treatments were particularly effective in controlling thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), F. exigua Hood, F. tritici (Fitch), Thrips tabaci Lind., and the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glov., until the time of squaring. This material afforded seasonal protection from spider mites, Telranychus cimabarinus (Bois.) and T. tearius (L.). Thimet was partially effective in reducing( boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boh., infestations throughout the season, but the use of this material favored the development of bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm, II virescens (F.), infestations. Delayed fruiting of cotton appeared to be the most detrimental characteristic associated with the use of Thimet. However, certain adverse effects upon the germination, emergence, and vegetative growth of cotton were also noted.
Effect of antenna correlation on MIMO correlated channel capacity under Rice fading

Rice channel was constructed by using LOS and Rayleigh channel models,the calculation formula of MIMO ergodic capacity was derived in the case of Rice fading,simulation results shows that the larger the antenna interval is,the wider is the extension of the angle of arrival,and the more the average angle of arrival is close to the perpendicular direction of array,the smaller is the correlation coefficient,and the weaker the spatial correlation is,the larger the ergodic capacity of the channel is and vice versa.With the increase of the fading factor,the channel capacity decreases gradually.
Analysis on HBsAg Detection among Workers in Public Places and Catering Trade in Shunyi District of Beijing City in 2009

[Objective]To learn the HBsAg carrying status among workers in public places and catering trade in Shunyi district of Beijing city,strengthen the management in HBsAg carriers.[Methods]HBsAg was detected in 65 308 workers in public places and catering trade by ELISA.[Results]Among 65 308 workers,the positive rate of HBsAg was 1.26%,that of male and female was 1.36% and 1.17% respectively,and the difference was significant(χ2=4.989,P0.05).The positive rate in 21～30 years old group was the highest(1.72%),and that in over 50 years old group was the lowest(0.36%).There was significant difference in HBsAg positive rate among different age groups(χ2=101.001,P0.01).[Conclusion]The carrier rate of HBsAg is low among workers in public places and catering trade in Shunyi district.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should strengthen the propaganda of hepatitis B vaccination in low age population and improve the health training.
Tissue Segmentation by Multiparameter Full-Color Composite Techniques: Clinical Application in Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Adnexal Masses

Ovarian neoplasms represent a significant cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Since most women present with advanced stage disease, substantial diagnostic advances must take place to achieve improvement in survival. Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging has been shown to exhibit greater sensitivity and specificity than computed tomography or ultrasound for the detection of certain adnexal masses, and has the potential to become an important tool in the diagnosis and characterization of ovarian neoplasms (1). A simple algorithm for tissue segmentation by multiparameter color composite generation (2,3) was applied to a variety of adnexal mass cases to determine the feasibility of this application. The pathologic diversity of adnexal masses provides a useful model for tissue segmentation and tumor characterization (4,5).
Identifying Authoritative and Reliable Contents in Community Question Answering with Domain Knowledge

Community Question Answering (CQA) has emerged as a popular forum for users to ask and answer questions. Over the last few years, CQA portals such as Yahoo answersand Baidu Zhidao have exploded in popularity, and now provide a viable alternative to general purpose Web search. A number of answers submitted to address questions on CQA sites compose a valuable knowledge repository, which could be a gold mine for information retrieval as well as text mining. Two important questions in CQA research are focused on the quality of contents and the reputation of the answerers. Previous approaches for retrieving relevant and high quality content have been proposed, but not much work has been done on providing an integrated framework to solve these two problems. Besides, no research work has used both text and link information in their methods via leveraging existing ratings of answers and questions. In this paper, we present a novel approach to analyze questions and answers based on the topic modeling framework with Dirichlet forest priors (LDA-DF)[8]. We utilize information obtained from LDA-DF to construct a joint topical and link model to identify authorities and reliable answers on a CQA site.We evaluate our methods in a dataset obtained from Yahoo! Answers. With the new representation of topical structures on CQA datasets, using a limited amount of web resource, we show significant improvements over the state-of-art methods LDA-DF, LDA, and HLDA on performance of authority identification and answer ranking.
Variation in Medicare Expenditures for Treating Perioperative Complications: The Cost of Rescue.

Importance Treating surgical complications presents a major challenge for hospitals striving to deliver high-quality care while reducing costs. Costs associated with rescuing patients from perioperative complications are poorly characterized. Objective To evaluate differences across hospitals in the costs of care for patients surviving perioperative complications after major inpatient surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study using claims data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files. We compared payments for patients who died vs patients who survived after perioperative complications occurred. Hospitals were stratified using average payments for patients who survived following complications, and payment components were analyzed across hospitals. Administrative claims database of surgical patients was analyzed at hospitals treating Medicare patients nationwide. This study included Medicare patients aged 65 to 100 years who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (n = 69 207), colectomy for cancer (n = 107 647), pulmonary resection (n = 91 758), and total hip replacement (n = 307 399) between 2009 and 2012. Data analysis took place between November 2015 and March 2016. Exposures Clinical outcome of surgery (eg, no complication, complication and death, or complication and survival) and the individual hospital where a patient received an operation. Main Outcomes and Measures Risk-adjusted, price-standardized Medicare payments for an episode of surgery. Risk-adjusted perioperative outcomes were also assessed. Results The mean age for Medicare beneficiaries in this study ranged from 74.1 years (pulmonary resection) to 78.2 years (colectomy). The proportion of male patients ranged from 37% (total hip replacement) to 77% (abdominal aortic aneurysm repair), and most patients were white. Among patients who experienced complications, those who were rescued had higher price-standardized Medicare payments than did those who died for all 4 operations. Assessing variation across hospitals, payments for patients who were rescued at the highest cost-of-rescue hospitals were 2- to 3-fold higher than at the lowest cost-of-rescue hospitals for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair ($60 456 vs $23 261; P P P P Conclusions and Relevance After 4 selected inpatient operations, substantial variation was observed across hospitals regarding Medicare episode payments for patients rescued from perioperative complications. Notably, higher Medicare payments were not associated with improved clinical performance. These findings highlight the potential for hospitals to target efficient treatment of perioperative complications in cost-reduction efforts.
Hybrid PEDOT/MnOx nanostructured electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction

A series of hybrid poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/manganese oxide (PEDOT/MnOx) thin films have been prepared via a stepwise approach: electrodeposition of PEDOT, followed by formation of MnOx particles by a spontaneous redox reaction between PEDOT and KMnO4. Electrocatalytic characterization of the PEDOT/MnOx thin films demonstrates high activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with a shift in intrinsic ORR onset and half-wave potentials by ca. 0.2 V to lower overpotential relative to the PEDOT thin film. The most active PEDOT/MnOx thin film electrocatalyst, P-MnOx-20, demonstrates superior activity relative to the commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst in the half-wave region of the ORR potential window at equal mass loading, with a half-wave potential of 0.83 V (20% Pt/C, 0.81 V) and charge transfer resistance of 479 Ω (20% Pt/C, 862 Ω). The P-MnOx-20 film also demonstrates preference to a pseudo-four electron ORR pathway (n = 3.8) and high specific ORR activity, when considered on both a total mass (−96 mA mgtotal−1; 20% Pt/C: −108 mA mgtotal−1) and metal (or metal oxide) mass basis (−296 mA mgMnOx−1; 20% Pt/C: −540 mA mgPt−1). The P-MnOx-20 film has been identified as the most active PEDOT/ceramic composite electrocatalyst reported to date, which is rationalized by the high surface concentration of Mn(III), strong electronic coupling between PEDOT and MnOx, as well as a high active site density and efficiency achieved by the stepwise electrodeposition-redox approach.
Comparison of Continuous Proximal Versus Distal Adductor Canal Blocks for Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Noninferiority Trial

Background and Objectives Adductor canal blocks (ACBs) are associated with improved analgesia, preserved quadriceps strength, and decreased length of hospitalization after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, controversy remains regarding the ideal location of a continuous block within the adductor canal, and it remains unclear whether similar clinical benefits are obtained irrespective of block location. In this randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study, we hypothesized that a continuous proximal ACB provides postoperative analgesia that is no worse than a continuous distal ACB. Methods Subjects presenting for unilateral TKA were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either a continuous proximal or distal ACB group. The primary outcome of this noninferiority study was opioid consumption within the first 24 hours following surgery. Secondary outcomes included quadriceps strength, pain scores, distance ambulated, and patient satisfaction. Results Seventy-three subjects, 36 from the proximal group and 37 from the distal group, completed the study per protocol. The intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated a cumulative mean intravenous morphine equivalent consumption difference between the proximal and distal groups of −7.2 mg (95% confidence interval, −14.8 to 0.4; P Conclusions This study demonstrates that a continuous proximal ACB offers noninferior postoperative analgesia compared with a distal continuous ACB in the first 24 hours after TKA. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02701114).
Compact Extragalactic Star Formation: Peering through the Dust at Centimeter Wavelengths

We summarize results of arcsecond and milliarcsecond-resolution radio imaging of starbursts. Thermal radio emission from young super star clusters (SSCs) indicates that they are powered by the equivalent of hundreds to thousands of O7 stars. Milliarcsecond imaging of Arp 299 reveals individual young supernovae that are factors of ∼ 100 more powerful than Cas A, and that may show the locations of older SSCs in which the most massive stars already have gone supernova.
Pupil response to quality and content transitions in videos

Real-time human eye recognition and tracking systems with human-computer interaction mechanism are being adopted to advance user experience in smart devices and consumer electronic systems. Eye tracking systems measure eye gaze and pupil response non-intrusively. This paper presents an analysis of pupil response to video structure and content. A consumer device that can assess user response to a video can provide better experiences with approaches such as real-time content adaptation. The first set of experiments involved presenting different video content to subjects and measuring eye response with an eye tracker. Results show that pupil constrictions and magnitude of constrictions vary with content. Significant changes in video and scene cuts led to sharp constrictions. User response to videos can provide insights that can improve subjective quality assessment metrics. This paper also presents an analysis of the pupillary response to quality changes in videos with the second set of experiments. The results of the tests show pupil constrictions for noticeable changes in perceived quality. Using real-time eye tracking systems for video analysis and quality evaluation can open a new class of applications for consumer electronic systems.
Theming for terror: Organizational adornment in terrorist propaganda

Abstract Research has shown that adornment strategies such as “theming” are a prominent and patterned phenomenon in institutional organizational life. Scholars have yet to investigate if, and how, extra-institutional organizations such as terrorist organizations similarly utilize theming as a strategy to signal to their primary consumer base: recruits. To remedy this, we utilize a variety of computational topic modeling techniques built from Latent Dirichlet Analysis (LDA) to analyze a corpus of propaganda aimed at Western audiences. Drawing on the markets-as-politics paradigm we show how Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State organization (ISIS) maintain similar strategies of signaling global illegitimacy while cultivating distinct themes of terrorism in an effort to differentiate themselves from one another. We argue that terrorist organizations use propaganda to signal distinct organizational identity, even while broadly operating under the umbrella identity of Islamic fundamentalism. This focus on extra-legal organizations elaborates upon fundamental assumption of markets-as-politics and problematizes prior research asserting that strategies utilized by terrorist organizations to convey meaning are fundamentally the same.