cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for Widespread 26Al in the Solar Nebula and Constraints for Nebula Time Scales

A search was made for ^(26)Mg (^(26)Mg^*) from the decay of ^(26)Al (half-life = 0.73 million years) in Al-rich objects from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. Two Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) and two Al-rich chondrules (not CAIs) were found that contained ^(26)Al when they formed. Internal isochrons for the CAIs yielded an initial ^(26)Al/^(27)Al ratio [(^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0] of 5 x 10^(-5), indistinguishable from most CAIs in carbonaceous chondrites. This result shows that CAIs with this level of ^(26)Al are present throughout the classes of chondrites and strengthens the notion that ^(26)Al was widespread in the early solar system. The two Al-rich chondrules have lower ^(26)Mg^*, corresponding to a (^(26)Al/^(27)Al)_0 ratio of approximately 9 x 10^(-6). Five other Al-rich chondrules contain no resolvable ^(26)Mg^*. If chondrules and CAIs formed from an isotopically homogeneous reservoir, then the chondrules with ^(26)Al must have formed or been last altered approximately ~2 million years after CAIs formed; the ^(26)Mg^*-free chondrules formed >1 to 3 million years later still. Because ^(26)Mg^*-containing and ^(26)Mg^*-free chondrules are both found in Chainpur, which was not heated to more than approximately ~400oC, it follows that parent body metamorphism cannot explain the absence of ^(26)Mg^* in some of these chondrules. Rather, its absence indicates that the lifetime of the solar nebula over which CAIs and chondrules formed extended over approximately ~5 million years.
Successful simultaneous unipolar radiofrequency ablation of septal ventricular tachycardia using 2 ablation catheters

Case report A 56-year-old man was transferred to our institution with incessant ventricular tachycardia (VT). He had been diagnosed with nonischemic cardiomyopathy and New York Heart Association class I congestive heart failure 15 years previously, and he had a single-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placed for primary prevention. He had been maintained on sotalol 80 mg twice a day for several episodes of VT in the previous 2 years. One month before admission, he suffered an ICD shock for polymorphic VT/ventricular fibrillation, and amiodarone was added. At that time, an echocardiogram showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.20 with global hypokinesis and an end-diastolic diameter of 7.2 cm and an interventricular septum thickness of 1.0 cm. One week before the transfer, he presented to the hospital after suffering 3 ICD shocks for VT at 188–194 beats/min that was unresponsive to antitachycardia pacing, in the setting of an argument with his brother. Intravenous amiodarone and lidocaine were administered in addition to sotalol, but he continued to experience VT episodes, resulting in 7 more shocks for VT. He was transferred to our hospital for further management. On arrival to our intensive care unit, the patient’s rhythm was sinus with a left bundle branch block pattern, but multiple sustained episodes of monomorphic VT occurred with a rate of 140–150 beats/min. The VTwas not tolerated hemodynamically, frequently accelerated with antitachycardia pacing, and resulted in more ICD shocks. A representative 12-lead electrocardiogram
Environmental enrichment delays pup-induced maternal behavior in rats.

Adult, virgin rats do not spontaneously display maternal behavior when exposed to foster pups. However, continuous daily exposure of the female to foster pups for about 5–7 days can induce a set of maternal behaviors similar to those shown by postpartum dams. Induction latencies depend upon a number of factors, including the stress and anxiety levels of the female. The goal of this study was to attempt to mitigate the likely stressfulness of being singly housed during testing by enriching the rat's home cage environment and to determine if the concomitant environmental change would alter the latency to express maternal behavior. In addition, the effect of varying the number of test pups used for testing was examined. Two groups of virgin Sprague–Dawley rats were first tested on the elevated plus maze after 1 week of exposure to either control (standard housing) or enriched conditions. One week later, maternal behavior testing began using one or three pups. Upon completion of maternal behavior testing, plasma corticosterone concentrations were determined following a mild stressor. The data indicate that enrichment tends to increase anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze. In addition, enrichment delayed the onset of maternal behavior irrespective of the number of test pups. There were no effects of environmental enrichment on plasma corticosterone levels following exposure to a stressor. These results indicate that what is considered a modestly enriched environment delays the expression of pup-oriented responses and does not apparently reduce stress or improve performance on all behavioral tasks. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 53:371–382, 2011.
Nonstomatal inhibition of photosynthesis by water stress. Reduction in photosynthesis at high transpiration rate without stomatal closure in field-grown tomato

Large underestimates of the limitation to photosynthesis imposed by stomata can occur because of an error in the standard method of calculating average substomatal pressures of carbon dioxide when heterogeneity of those pressures occurs across a leaf surface. Most gas exchange data supposedly indicating nonstomatal inhibition of photosynthesis by water stress could have this error. However, if no stomatal closure occurs, any reduction in photosynthesis must be due to nonstomatal inhibition of photosynthesis. Net carbon dioxide exchange rates and conductances to water vapor were measured under field conditions in upper canopy leaves of tomato plants during two summers in Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Comparisons were made near midday at high irradiance between leaflets in air with the ambient water vapor content and in air with a higher water content. The higher water content, which lowered the leaf to air water vapor pressure difference (VPD), was imposed either one half hour or several hours before measurements of gas exchange. In both seasons, and irrespective of the timing of the imposition of different VPDs, net photosynthesis increased 60% after decreasing the VPD from 3 to 1 kPa. There were no differences in leaf conductance between leaves at different VPDs, thus transpiration rates were threefold higher at 3 than at 1 kPa VPD. It is concluded that nonstomatal inhibition of photosynthesis did occur in these leaves at high transpiration rate.
Biosynthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid: Two pathways in higher plants

Abstract If etiolated barley leaves are treated in darkness with 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid (DA), an inhibitor of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) metabolism, they accumulate ALA. Etiolated leaves were incubated with various 14C-labeled substrates in the presence of DA for 5 h in darkness or in the light, and the resulting radiolabeled ALA was isolated. 2-[14C]Ketoglutarate and [14C]-glutamate were the most effective precursors. Degradation of [14C]ALA indicated that the C1 of glutamate was a less effective precursor of the C5 of ALA in the dark when compared to incubation under illumination. These results indicate that both the succinyl CoA-glycine pathway and the 5-carbon pathway contribute to ALA biosynthesis in etiolated leaves in the dark.
Critical evaluation of the age of the Deccan Traps, India: Implications for flood-basalt volcanism and faunal extinctions

Attempts to evaluate the possible link between flood-basalt volcanism and the faunal extinctions observed at the K/T boundary must rely on precise knowledge of the amount of such volcanism that took place ∼65 Ma. The current geochronological data do not permit close resolution of either the timing or the duration of Deccan volcanism; the age of the bulk of the material is placed in the range ∼70-60 Ma. Further resolution of this hypothesis awaits acquisition of high-quality 40 Ar- 39 Ar plateau ages on key sections of the Deccan Traps.
On the validation of descriptive models of decision-making

Abstract A methodological procedure is outlined which addresses several issues concerning descriptive models of individual human decision-making: whether or not the focal model is ‘adequate’, ‘too complex’, and ‘acceptable’. This methodology for iterative model development and validation is illustrated on three successive computer simulation models of three subjects each making nine different decisions under uncertainty. The methodology demonstrates why the third model is judged to be adequate, not too complex, and acceptable.
The uncertainty of it all

Two studies in this issue report the discovery of different types of uncertainty signals in little-studied, but critical, regions of the forebrain: decision confidence in the pulvinar and reward risk in the anterodorsal septum.
Tests on oil-impregnated paper — IV: Mechanism of breakdown

IN three previous papers1,2,3 we have presented some of the results of our studies on miniature cable specimens started in 1934. In the first two papers the relative life histories and the results of post-mortem examinations were given for (a) specimens saturated with gas at one atmosphere pressure, (b) specimens saturated with gas at 200 pounds per square inch pressure, and (c) specimens, gas free but under one atmosphere liquid pressure. In the third paper we presented data on fluid flow through cable paper and showed that even with high-viscosity impregnants and low-permeability papers there was sufficient flow through our specimens to prevent void formation.
Global parameter estimation for thermodynamic models of transcriptional regulation.

Deciphering the mechanisms involved in gene regulation holds the key to understanding the control of central biological processes, including human disease, population variation, and the evolution of morphological innovations. New experimental techniques including whole genome sequencing and transcriptome analysis have enabled comprehensive modeling approaches to study gene regulation. In many cases, it is useful to be able to assign biological significance to the inferred model parameters, but such interpretation should take into account features that affect these parameters, including model construction and sensitivity, the type of fitness calculation, and the effectiveness of parameter estimation. This last point is often neglected, as estimation methods are often selected for historical reasons or for computational ease. Here, we compare the performance of two parameter estimation techniques broadly representative of local and global approaches, namely, a quasi-Newton/Nelder-Mead simplex (QN/NMS) method and a covariance matrix adaptation–evolutionary strategy (CMA–ES) method. The estimation methods were applied to a set of thermodynamic models of gene transcription applied to regulatory elements active in the Drosophila embryo. Measuring overall fit, the global CMA–ES method performed significantly better than the local QN/NMS method on high quality data sets, but this difference was negligible on lower quality data sets with increased noise or on data sets simplified by stringent thresholding. Our results suggest that the choice of parameter estimation technique for evaluation of gene expression models depends both on quality of data, the nature of the models [again, remains to be established] and the aims of the modeling effort.
Workload models for DBMS performance evaluation

A hierarchy of workload models to support Database Management System Performance Measurement and Evaluation studies is defined herein. The hierarchy is structured so that each successive layer represents database design, DBMS functionality and workload characterization in progressively greater detail. The design of the hierarchy was influenced by the ANSI/X3/SPARC (3) model for DBMS architecture, by Senko's DIAM (20), by Scheuermann's DBMS model (19) and by Sevcik's layered model for database system performance evaluation (21). The hierarchical layers clearly isolate DBMS functionality from organizational activities and underlying machine characteristics.Specific modeling techniques for deriving both database design and workload models at each level of the hierarchy are identified. The database design models form the basis for defining certain critical components of the workload models. The hierarchy of workload models facilitates a clear separation of the relevant performance measurement and evaluation issues and objectives based upon an increasingly detailed view of the total computing environment.Figure 1 illustrates the major layers of the hierarchy. The remainder of this paper defines the workload models developed at each layer and the measurement parameters and performance metrics derived therein.
Biochemical aspects of flight and flightlessness in Gryllus: flight fuels, enzyme activities and electrophoretic profiles of flight muscles from flight-capable and flightless morphs.

Abstract Female Gryllus assimilis subjected to 4.5–7.7 h continuous tethered flight had significantly lower amounts of total lipid, triglyceride and total soluble carbohydrate compared with unflown controls. A much greater amount of total lipid (6.3 mg) was used during flight compared with carbohydrate (0.14 mg). Flown individuals also had substantially reduced amounts of injected, radiolabeled [ 14 C]-oleic acid. Activities of lipid, carbohydrate and amino acid catabolizing enzymes in flight muscles of G. assimilis and its wing-polymorphic congener, G. firmus , were very similar to activities in insects which primarily utilize lipid to power flight. By contrast, enzyme activities were very different from those in insects which primarily or exclusively use carbohydrate or proline as a flight fuel. These results strongly implicate lipid as the major flight fuel in Gryllus . Previous studies have shown that lipid levels are higher in flight-capable (long-winged) G. firmus that have small ovaries compared with flightless (short-winged) females that have large ovaries. Results of the present and previous studies collectively indicate that elevated lipid in long-winged G. firmus represents an energetic cost of flight capability which reduces (trade-offs with) reproduction in Gryllus . In G. firmus , mass-specific activities of nearly all enzymes were considerably reduced in underdeveloped, and to a lesser degree in histolyzed muscle, compared with fully-developed flight muscle. An important exception was alanine aminotransferase, whose activity was the highest in histolyzed muscle, and which may be involved in the catabolism of amino acids derived from muscle degradation. Despite the dramatic differences in enzyme activity, electrophoretic profiles of soluble flight-muscle proteins differed only subtly between fully-developed and underdeveloped or histolyzed flight muscles.
Dynamics of neuronal sensitivity in visual cortex and local feature discrimination

A striking aspect of natural scenes is that image features such as line orientation are strongly correlated at neighboring spatial locations but not at distant locations. Thus, during the viewing of a scene, eye movements are often accompanied by a change in the orientation structure of the image. How does this behavior influence the discrimination of local features and their encoding by visual cortical neurons? Here we examined the perceived changes in orientation induced by brief exposure to oriented image patterns in monkeys and humans, and then used reverse correlation to investigate dynamic changes in neuronal sensitivity in the primary visual cortex (V1) of behaving monkeys. Whereas brief adaptation to an oriented grating impaired identification of nearby orientations by broadening orientation selectivity and changing the preferred orientation of individual V1 neurons, it actually enhanced the identification of orthogonal orientations by sharpening neuronal selectivity. Hence, successive exposure to image patches of dissimilar spatial structure enhances both the ability to discriminate local features and the encoding of these features by V1 neurons.
ROVIBRATIONAL QUENCHING RATE COEFFICIENTS OF HD IN COLLISIONS WITH He

Along with H2, HD has been found to play an important role in the cooling of the primordial gas for the formation of the first stars and galaxies. It has also been observed in a variety of cool molecular astrophysical environments. The rate of cooling by HD molecules requires knowledge of collisional rate coefficients with the primary impactors, H, He, and H2. To improve knowledge of the collisional properties of HD, we present rate coefficients for the He-HD collision system over a range of collision energies from 10–5 to 5 × 103 cm–1. Fully quantum mechanical scattering calculations were performed for initial HD rovibrational states of j = 0 and 1 for v = 0-17 which utilized accurate diatom rovibrational wave functions. Rate coefficients of all Δv = 0, –1, and –2 transitions are reported. Significant discrepancies with previous calculations, which adopted a small basis and harmonic HD wave functions for excited vibrational levels, were found for the highest previously considered vibrational state of v = 3. Applications of the He-HD rate coefficients in various astrophysical environments are briefly discussed.
Regulation of androgen synthesis: the late steroidogenic pathway.

Abstract Studies of the regulation of androgen synthesis in steroidogenic cells have focused on both transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the proteins that catalyze these reactions: the P450c17 that catalyzes the production of DHEA or androstenedione in consecutive hydroxylase and lyase activities, and the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) that catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone. Our studies of the regulation of the CYP17 lyase activity at the molecular level have utilized species- and tissue-specific differences to identify target regulatory sequences. Adenovirus infection of rat CYP17 promoter/luciferase reporter gene constructs in primary cultures of rat adrenal and rat Leydig cells revealed a rat-specific domain between −1 and −108 bp that cause inhibition of both basal and cAMP-induced CYP17 transcription in the adrenal, but not the Leydig cell. In contrast, similar promoter constructs from other species exhibited substantial cAMP-induced transcriptional activity in the rat adrenal. Mutagenesis of the conserved region of the rat and human proteins reveals significant differences in the amino acid domains required for hydroxylase and lyase activities within and between the two species, consistent with their differential regulation of lyase activity. The 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) reaction requires a viable glucose transporter system for optimal activity, and a high-energy phosphate was discovered to be the requisite product of glucose metabolism in 17β-HSD activation. These studies have provided insight into potential mechanisms of control of androgen synthesis in the late steroidogenic pathway, at the transcriptional and post-translational levels.
RF Localization for Wireless Video Capsule Endoscopy

RF localization science and technology started with the global positioning systems for outdoor areas, and it then transformed into wireless indoor geolocation. The next step in the evolution of this science is the transformation into RF localization inside the human body. The first major application for this technology is the localization of the wireless video capsule endoscope (VCE) that has been in the clinical arena for 12 years. While physicians can receive clear images of abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract with VCE devices, they have little idea of their exact location inside the GI tract. To localize intestinal abnormalities, physicians routinely use radiological, endoscopic or surgical operations. If we could use the RF signal radiated from the capsule to also locate these devices, not only can physicians discover medical problems, but they can also learn where the problems are located. However, finding a realistic RF localization solution for the endoscopy capsule is a very challenging task, because the inside of the human body is a difficult environment for experimentation and visualization. In addition, we have no-idea how the capsule moves and rotates in its 3D journey in this non-homogeneous medium for radio propagation. In this paper, we describe how we can design a cyber physical system (CPS) for experimental testing and visualization of interior of the human body that can be used for solving the RF localization problem for the endoscopy capsule. We also address the scientific challenges that face and the appropriate technical approaches for solving this problem.
Monolithically integrated dual-band quantum well infrared photodetector

A monolithic quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) structure has been presented that is suitable for dual bands in the two atmospheric transmission windows of 3 - 5.3 fum and 7.5 - 14fum, respectively. The proposed structure employs dual stacked, strain InGaAs/AlGaAs and latticematched GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector for mid wavelength and long wavelength detection. The response peak of the strain InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well is at 4.9 fum and the lattice-matched GaAs/AlGaAs is at 10.5fum; their peak sensitivities are in the spectral regions of 3 - 5.3fum and 7.5 - 14fum. The peak responsivity when the dual-band QWIP is biased at 5 Volts is ∼0.065A/W at 4.9fum and ∼0.006A/W at 10.5fum; at this voltage the dual-band QWIP is more sensitive at the shorter wavelengths due to its larger impedance thus exhibiting wavelength tunability characteristics with bias. Additionally, single colored 4.9 and 10.5fum QWIPs were fabricated from the dual-band QWIP structure to study the bias-dependent behavior and also to understand the effects of growing the strain layer InGaAs/AlGaAs QWIP on top of the lattice-matched GaAs/AlGaAs QWIP. In summary, two stack dual-band QWIPs using GaAs/AlGaAs and strained InGaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum wells have been demonstrated with peak spectral sensitivities in the spectral region of 3 - 5.3fum and 7.5 - 14fum. Also, the voltage tunable dual-band detection have been realized for this kind of QWIP structure.
Switching Places and Looking to Adolescents for the Practices that Shape School Literacies.

This study investigated how three adolescents who struggled to meet school-based standards for reading achievement used popular culture texts both in and out of school. Specifically, we focused on how the adolescents' uses of popular culture shaped and were shaped by adult expectations for literate practice. The adults in our study included two English/language arts teachers, the librarian in the Young Adult Section of a local public library, and the three authors of this article, who acted as the facilitators for an after-school media club. Using resistance theory, we analyzed the conflicts that arose when the adolescents' uses of popular culture differed from the adults', our objective being to locate opportunities for productive inquiry and shared meaning. Our findings suggest that adult-youth conflict over popular culture can provide young people with opportunities to investigate sociocutural and sociopolitical issues. Such conflict can also provide adults who work with adolescents opportunities to re...
On-Chip Preconcentration and Separation of Simple and Complex Analytes Using Isotachophoresis

We present a theoretical model and parametric study of isotachophoresis based preconcentration of trace analytes in microfluidic devices. We use a simple semi-analytical model to capture the self-sharpening effect of isotachophoretic boundaries and solve the unsteady problem of fluorescent analytes preconcentration inside these boundaries. We evaluate the influence of various experimental conditions to achieve rapid preconcentration of these simple analytes. We also experimentally demonstrate the non-ideal complexities exhibited by biological samples such as proteins and DNA. These higher molecular weight species, due to additional steric hindrance and wall interactions, exhibit more complicated electromigration behavior and preconcentration.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Cross-layer scheduling and routing for unstructured and quasi-structured wireless networks

Novel and conceptually simple scheduling and routing algorithms are proposed for unstructured (ad hoc) networks. These algorithms are based on an intelligent interference and power management paradigm that borrows notions from successive decoding and cancellation and transmission power control in order to exploit and thereby (or otherwise) suppress interference (thus departing from the "collision-avoidance" objective and its attendant burdens of eliminating hidden nodes) while supporting differential services based on preassigned traffic priorities. The application of the proposed algorithms to quasi-structured networks - where certain nodes may possess additional capabilities and thus alleviate any processing overheads - is also considered
Aspirin impairs reverse myocardial remodeling in patients with heart failure treated with beta-blockers.

Abstract OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that aspirin (ASA) might alter the beneficial effect of beta-blockers on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with chronic heart failure. BACKGROUND Aspirin blunts the vasodilation caused by both angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers in hypertensive patients and in patients with heart failure. Several studies suggest that ASA also blunts some of beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors on mortality in patients with heart failure. To our knowledge, there have been no data evaluating the possible interaction of ASA and beta-blockers on left ventricular remodeling in patients with heart failure. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated patients entered into the Multicenter Oral Carvedilol Heart failure Assessment (MOCHA) trial, a 6-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, dose-response evaluation of carvedilol in patients with chronic stable symptomatic heart failure. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine if aspirin independently influenced the improvement in LVEF. RESULTS Over all randomized patients (n = 293), LVEF improved 8.2 ± 0.8 ejection fraction (EF) units in ASA nonusers and 4.5 ± 0.7 EF units in ASA users (p = 0.005). In subjects randomized to treatment with carvedilol (n = 231), LVEF improved 9.5 ± 0.9 EF units in ASA nonusers and 5.8 ± 0.8 EF units in ASA users (p = 0.02). In subjects randomized to treatment with placebo (n = 62), LVEF improved 2.8 ± 1.2 EF units in ASA nonusers and 0.5 ± 1.4 EF units in ASA users (p = 0.20). Aspirin did not significantly affect the heart rate or systolic blood pressure response in either the placebo or carvedilol groups. The effect of ASA became more significant on multivariate analysis. The change in LVEF was also influenced by carvedilol dose, etiology of heart failure, baseline heart rate, EF and coumadin use. The detrimental effect of ASA on the improvement in LVEF was dose-related and was present in both placebo and carvedilol groups, although the effect was statistically significant only in the much larger carvedilol group. CONCLUSIONS Aspirin significantly affects the changes in LVEF over time in patients with heart failure and systolic dysfunction treated with carvedilol. The specific mechanism(s) underlying this interaction are unknown and further studies are needed to provide additional understanding of the molecular basis of factors influencing reverse remodeling in patients with heart failure.
Yolk steroids and the development of the hatching muscle in nestling European Starlings

Hatching asynchrony in avian species often leads to the establishment of a size hierarchy among nestlings. Because the youngest nestlings in a brood are often at a significant disadvantage with respect to competition for parentally-delivered food, one might expect to find that mechanisms have evolved to alleviate the detrimental effects of hatching asynchrony and enhance the survival of last-hatched offspring. The musculus complexus, or hatching muscle, is responsible for breaking the shell during hatching and for dorsal flexion and extension of the neck during begging. An increase in its strength in last-hatched nestlings could therefore reduce the duration of hatching or enhance the ability to beg for parentally-delivered food, thereby enhancing the competitive abilities of those nestlings. I previously found in the Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus that the mass of the complexus increases with laying order and that its development is mediated by the actions of yolk testosterone. I investigated the hypothesis that yolk steroids also affect the development of the complexus in the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris. I asked, first, whether the mass of the complexus increases with laying order and, if so, whether this increase is at least partially attributable to a corresponding increase in the concentration of yolk testosterone. Because exogenous progesterone increases the water content of the complexus in the domestic fowl Gallus gallus I also asked whether an increase in complexus mass, if present, could be partially attributable to an increase in progesterone concentration across the laying order. I found that both yolk testosterone concentration and the mass of the complexus increased with laying order; however, there was no variation in the concentration of either yolk progesterone or the proportion of water in the complexus across the laying order. There were no differences in the concentrations of either androstenedione or 5α-dihydrotestosterone across the laying order.
Upper Wisconsinan submarine end moraines off Cape Ann, Massachusetts

Seismic profiles across the southwest end of Jeffreys Ledge, a bathymetric high north of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, reveal two end moraines. The moraines overlie upper Wisconsinan glacialmarine silty clay and are composed mostly of subaqueous ice-contact deposits and outwash. They were formed below sea level in water depths of as much as 120 m during fluctuations of a calving ice front. The moraines are late Wisconsinan in age and were formed after the Cambridge readvance, about 14,000 yr B.P., and before the Kennebunk readvance, about 13,000 yr B.P. They represent fluctuations of the ice front during overall retreat of Laurentide ice from the Gulf of Maine and New England.
The Effect of Home-Delivered Meals on Length of Hospitalization for Elderly People

Abstract This prospective study investigated whether subjects' participation in a home-delivered meal program was associated with reduced length of hospitalization (LOH) and better nutritional status compared to controls matched for age (±5 years), gender, race and ICD9 Code. Thirty recipients of home-delivered meals and 30 non-recipients (ages 62-96 years) were recruited from three hospitals. Medical records and subject interviews were used to obtain lifestyle, dietary intake, functional abilities, laboratory values, and LOH data. Heights and weights were taken using a portable digital scale and stadiometer. T-tests revealed no significant differences between the two groups for demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Two highly significant differences (p = 0.005) emerged for LOH (8.6±4.3 days versus 15.8±13.8 days) and total lymphocyte count (TLC) (2058.9±1321.0m 3 versus 1675.9±1110.3m 3 ) for recipients and controls, respectively. Serum hematocrit varied significantly (p=0.02), but hemoglobin (p=0.29), serum albumin and total cholesterol (p=0.23) did not. Mean values for recipients were higher. Disease severity had no significant differences in number of medications (8.07 vs. 8.40; p=0.79), body mass index (25.2 vs. 24.9, p=0.84) and exercise level (p=0.16). Home-delivered meals programs appear beneficial in reducing hospital costs by shortening LOH and in supporting the immune system (reflected by TLC) for chronically ill elderly.
ceftobiprole: An emerging Therapeutic Option for Resistant and complicated Infections

Ceftobiprole is a new parenterally administered fifth generation cephalosporin which has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacteria, and specifically against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSIs), with a cure rate non-inferior to vancomycin and ceftazidime. It has increased stability against β-lactamases and an increased affinity for PBP2 in MRSA strains. Ceftobiprole has shown a low tendency to select for resistance, and because it is excreted mainly in the urine, a low potential for adverse drug interactions. It has been shown to cause few mild to moderate adverse effects in patients. The broad-spectrum of activity makes it an excellent choice for initial monotherapy in cSSSIs. There is also promise for use in all types of pneumonia, and synergistic possibilities with aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone drugs. It is awaiting final approval by the FDA.
Avoiding predation by army ants: Defensive behaviours of three ant species of the genus Camponotus

Abstract Antipredation behaviours of three ant species of the genus Camponotus were investigated in field and laboratory studies. Contact with the army ant Neivamyrmex nigrescens was shown to produce nest evacuation and removal of brood by colonies of Camponotus festinatus . Colonies of Camponotus ocreatus and Camponotus vicinus defended their nests through recruitment of the major caste. The initiation of evacuation or aggressive recruitment was dependent upon tactile contacts between Camponotus nestmates. Other sorts of disturbance which did not involve army ant contact did not produce evacuation or recruitment, indicating a high degree of enemy specification by Camponotus . The comparison of worker morphology revealed a close relationship between each species' strategy for nest defence and the degree of worker polymorphism exhibited. These findings suggest that interspecific ant predation has been a significant factor in the evolution of colony defence systems and caste polymorphism.
Improved left ventricular contractility with cool temperature hemodialysis

Improved left ventricular contractility with cool temperature hemodialysis. Cool temperature dialysis (CTD) has been shown to sharply decrease the frequency of intradialytic hemodialysis hypotension, but the mechanism of this hemodynamic protection is unknown. Therefore, we performed two-dimensional echocardiographic studies of left ventricular contractility in six stable hemodialysis patients before and after hemodialysis at 37°C (RTD) and 35°C (CTD). Left ventricular function was assessed by plotting the rate-corrected velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (Vcf c ) against end-systolic wall stress (σ es ) at four different levels of afterload. Linear regression was used to calculate Vcfc at a common afterload of 50 g/cm 2 . Changes in weight and dialysis parameters were similar following RTD and CTD. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate did not change significantly following RTD or CTD. The Vcf c – σ es relation was shifted upward in each patient after CTD, indicating increased contractility as compared to RTD or pre-dialysis baseline. Pre-dialysis Vcf c at an afterload of 50 g/cm 2 was similar during RTD and CTD (0.94 ± 0.24 circ/sec vs. 0.92 ± 0.22 circ/sec). Post-dialysis Vcf c at an afterload of 50 g/cm 2 was significantly higher for CTD than for RTD (1.13 ± 0.29 circ/sec vs. 0.98 ± 0.30 circ/sec, P=0.0004). Thus, cool temperature dialysis increases left ventricular contractility in hemodialysis patients, which may be a potential mechanism whereby hemodynamic tolerance to the dialysis procedure is improved.
A new technique of solution crystal growth

A new method of growing single crystals of triglycine sulfate (TGS) from aqueous solution is developed. The technique utilizes heat extraction from the seed crystal through a semi-insulating sting, thereby creating the desired supersaturation near the growing crystal. This is especially useful in growth in a low-gravity environment. Es wird eine neue Methode zur Zuchtung von Triglyzinsulfateinkristallen (TGS) entwickelt. Diese Technik benutzt die Warmeableitung vom Kristallkeim durch einen halbisolierenden Stachel und schafft dadurch die geforderte Ubersattigung in der Nahe des wachsenden Kristalls. Diese Methode ist besonders zweckdienlich fur Kristallwachstum in einer Umgebung mit niedriger Gravitation.
Multidisciplinary eHealth survey evaluation methods

This paper describes the development process of an evaluation framework for describing and comparing web survey tools. We believe that this approach will help shape the design, development, deployment, and evaluation of population-based health interventions. A conceptual framework for describing and evaluating web survey systems will enable the developers of health interventions to identify, select, and use the most appropriate and relevant survey tools. The primary contributors included survey methodologists, computer scientists, informaticians, technical communications specialists, educators, evaluators, clinical practitioners, and health services researchers, who together developed a comprehensive ontology to describe the electronic survey domain. This paper will describe the survey ontology development process and detail lessons learned in the creation of the web survey system evaluation framework.
The control of the post-buckling response in thin composite plates using smart technology

Restoration forces, associated with embedded activated pre-strained shape memory alloy wires, have successfully been employed to enhance the post-buckling behaviour of various laminated plate structures. An extensive experimental and numerical programme has been conducted, the results of which will be presented. The manufacturing methodology of the hybrid SMA/carbon/epoxy plates is outlined. Such specimens feature 0.4-mm diameter shape memory alloy wires located within tubing at desired locations. Numerical thermal analysis has been employed to predict the non-uniform temperature profile, attributed to shape memory alloy activation through resistive heating, within the laminates. Structural finite element analysis has been employed to determine the hybrid plates' adaptive response while under the influence of a uniaxial compressive load in excess of its critical buckling value. It is shown that, utilising the considerable control authority generated, even for a small actuator volume fraction, the out-of-plane displacement of the post-buckled laminates can be significantly reduced. Such displacement alleviation allows for load redistribution away from the specimens' unloaded edges. With the increase in use of composite materials within aerospace platforms, it is envisaged that the hybrid adaptive SMA/laminate configuration will extend the operational performance over conventional materials and structures, particularly when the structure is exposed to an elevated temperature.
Identity, deep structure and the development of leadership skill

Abstract A theory of leadership development is advanced, suggesting that changes in leadership skills may be viewed from the perspective of a general theory of learning and expertise, with consideration of the associated changes in information processing and underlying knowledge structures that occur as skill develops. More specifically, we propose that leadership performance is organized in terms of a progression from novice to intermediate to expert skill levels. At each skill level, the emphasis is on qualitatively different knowledge and information processing capabilities. In addition, because leadership skill development requires proaction on the part of the leader, we propose that identity, meta-cognitive processes, and emotional regulation are critical factors in developing the deeper cognitive structures associated with leadership expertise. Finally, expert leaders may develop unique skills in grounding their identities and leadership activities in coherent, self-relevant, authentic values.
Comparison of simultaneous rain drop size distributions estimated from two surface disdrometers and a UHF profiler

In support of the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measur- ing Mission (TRMM) Ground Validation Program, a suite of surface instruments and vertical pointing Doppler radar profilers were deployed in central Florida to quantify the number and size of the rain drops reaching the surface. Analyzing 276 minutes of simultaneous observations from two surface disdrometers and one profiler revealed good agreement among the instruments for drop sizes > 1.5 mm diameter but poor agreement for smaller drop sizes. The magnitude of the difference in small drop estimation was proportional to the reflectivity (and rainrate). At reflectivities greater than 40 dBZ, the differences in the estimation of the number of small drops yielded differences in estimates of mass-weighted diameter of > 13% and of rainrate > 25%. The combined effect of these uncertainties impact the interpretation of the precipitation processes and the development and validation of space-based precipitation retrieval algorithms. These instruments were deployed in the TRMM Ground Validation Field Campaigns to quantify the rain drop size distribution near the surface.
Support vector machines improve the accuracy of evaluation for the performance of laparoscopic training tasks

Background Despite technological advances in the tracking of surgical motions, automatic evaluation of laparoscopic skills remains remote. A new method is proposed that combines multiple discrete motion analysis metrics. This new method is compared with previously proposed metric combination methods and shown to provide greater ability for classifying novice and expert surgeons. Methods For this study, 30 participants (four experts and 26 novices) performed 696 trials of three training tasks: peg transfer, pass rope, and cap needle. Instrument motions were recorded and reduced to four metrics. Three methods of combining metrics into a prediction of surgical competency (summed-ratios, z-score normalization, and support vector machine [SVM]) were compared. The comparison was based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the predictive accuracy with a previously unseen validation data set. Results For all three tasks, the SVM method was superior in terms of both AUC and predictive accuracy with the validation set. The SVM method resulted in AUCs of 0.968, 0.952, and 0.970 for the three tasks compared respectively with 0.958, 0.899, and 0.884 for the next best method (weighted z-normalization). The SVM method correctly predicted 93.7, 91.3, and 90.0% of the subjects’ competencies, whereas the weighted z-normalization respectively predicted 86.6, 79.3, and 75.7% accurately (p \ 0.002). Conclusions The findings show that an SVM-based analysis provides more accurate predictions of competency at laparoscopic training tasks than previous analysis techniques. An SVM approach to competency evaluation should be considered for computerized laparoscopic performance evaluation systems.
Mismatch Repair Proteins Regulate Heteroduplex Formation during Mitotic Recombination in Yeast

Mismatch repair (MMR) proteins actively inhibit recombination between diverged sequences in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although the molecular basis of the antirecombination activity exerted by MMR proteins is unclear, it presumably involves the recognition of mismatches present in heteroduplex recombination intermediates. This recognition could be exerted during the initial stage of strand exchange, during the extension of heteroduplex DNA, or during the resolution of recombination intermediates. We previously used an assay system based on 350-bp inverted-repeat substrates to demonstrate that MMR proteins strongly inhibit mitotic recombination between diverged sequences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The assay system detects only those events that reverse the orientation of the region between the recombination substrates, which can occur as a result of either intrachromatid crossover or sister chromatid conversion. In the present study we sequenced the products of mitotic recombination between 94%-identical substrates in order to map gene conversion tracts in wild-type versus MMR-defective yeast strains. The sequence data indicate that (i) most recombination occurs via sister chromatid conversion and (ii) gene conversion tracts in an MMR-defective strain are significantly longer than those in an isogenic wild-type strain. The shortening of conversion tracts observed in a wild-type strain relative to an MMR-defective strain suggests that at least part of the antirecombination activity of MMR proteins derives from the blockage of heteroduplex extension in the presence of mismatches.
A Perceptron Based Classifier for Detecting Malicious Route Floods in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless mesh networks (WMN) are evolving as a new paradigm for broadband Internet, in which a group of static mesh routers employ multihop forwarding to provide wireless Internet connectivity. All routing protocols in WMNs naively assume nodes to be non- malicious. But, the plug-in-and-play architecture of WMNs paves way for malicious users who could exploit some loopholes of the underlying routing protocol. A malicious node can inundate the network by conducting frequent route discovery which severely reduces the network throughput. In this paper, we investigate the detection of route floods by incorporating a machine learning technique. We use a perceptron training model as a tool for intrusion detection. We train the perceptron model by feeding various network statistics and then use it as a classifier. We illustrate using an experimental wireless network (ns-2) that the proposed scheme can accurately detect route misbehaviors with a very low false positive rate.
Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Improving Expository Text Comprehension of Students with Learning Disabilities: The Quality of Evidence

Educators have widely used cognitive strategy instruction to address reading comprehension deficits evidenced by students with learning disabilities. However, no one has yet conducted a review of the quality of this literature. This review applies the quality indicators advocated by Gersten et al. (2005) and Horner et al. (2005) to evaluate the quality of published group and single-subject design studies that support cognitive strategy instruction. The authors analyzed 18 group studies and 7 single-subject design studies and calculated average weighted effect sizes and percentage of nonoverlapping data (PND). Only group design studies met the criteria for cognitive strategy instruction as an evidence-based practice. The authors also discuss implications for future research and practice.
The Use of Simulation as a Pedagogical Device

A general simulator of production-inventory systems was developed and used in the classroom to present the student with symptoms and data rather than well-formulated problems. Students were required to analyze and diagnose the situation, formulate the problem, construct appropriate models, organize raw data, and find a solution to the problem. They were permitted to test and evaluate their solutions experimentally. In this way an effort was made to provide students with experience in all phases of operations research, not merely with mathematical exercises in constructing and solving models. The simulator, which was programmed for a computer, presented situations of increasing complexity under direction from the instructor.