cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of electrophysiological auditory measures in fishes

Sounds provide fishes with important information used to mediate behaviors such as predator avoidance, prey detection, and social communication. How we measure auditory capabilities in fishes, therefore, has crucial implications for interpreting how individual species use acoustic information in their natural habitat. Recent analyses have highlighted differences between behavioral and electrophysiologically determined hearing thresholds, but less is known about how physiological measures at different auditory processing levels compare within a single species. Here we provide one of the first comparisons of auditory threshold curves determined by different recording methods in a single fish species, the soniferous Hawaiian sergeant fish Abudefduf abdominalis, and review past studies on representative fish species with tuning curves determined by different methods. The Hawaiian sergeant is a colonial benthic-spawning damselfish (Pomacentridae) that produces low-frequency, low-intensity sounds associated with reproductive and agonistic behaviors. We compared saccular potentials, auditory evoked potentials (AEP), and single neuron recordings from acoustic nuclei of the hindbrain and midbrain torus semicircularis. We found that hearing thresholds were lowest at low frequencies (~75-300 Hz) for all methods, which matches the spectral components of sounds produced by this species. However, thresholds at best frequency determined via single cell recordings were ~15-25 dB lower than those measured by AEP and saccular potential techniques. While none of these physiological techniques gives us a true measure of the auditory "perceptual" abilities of a naturally behaving fish, this study highlights that different methodologies can reveal similar detectable range of frequencies for a given species, but absolute hearing sensitivity may vary considerably.
Teaching radiology residents, and radiology residents as teachers.

The purpose of a radiology residency program is to teach physicians to be radiologists. Although clinical and educational facilities are essential to any radiology residency, no program could exist without teaching. This article reviews many techniques for teaching radiology residents, including the case conference, the didactic conference, clinical teaching, and the role of residents as teachers. These techniques are used in the context of a 4-year residency during which residents are exposed to multiple learning opportunities.
An Interview with James J. Heckman

This is the publisher's version. It can also be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1365100510000611
Driving force for structural relaxation in FeB metallic glasses

The effects of annealing on Curie temperature of three different amorphous Fe100−xBx alloys (14.3 < x < 19) have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry. Our results suggest that the change of TC with annealing becomes vanishingly small near the composition Fe75B25. We have therefore proposed that the Curie temperature of the FeB glasses is a fuction of the degree of the Fe3B-like short-range ordering (SRO) and that the driving force for structural relaxation in the FeB glasses is the composition deviation from Fe75B25 stoichiometry.
Multicomponent Adsorption of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Manufactured Gas Plant Soils

Abstract Adsorption is an important process in the bioremediation of Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) soils contaminated with high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Over 2,000 sites nationwide exist that are contaminated with complex mixtures of PAH and other pollutants. Many PAH are classified as EPA priority pollutants. The adsorption properties of weathered contaminated soils are difficult to measure using pulse or step perturbations due to heterogeneous contaminant distributions and heterogeneous soil physical structure. This study compares the use of cyclical perturbations with step change perturbations to analyze these complex soil systems. The sinusoidal method proved to be more robust than the step perturbation method. Sinusoidal response was easier to interpret and was continuous. The step change method produced a transient response that was more difficult to interpret. Two parameters, period and amplitude, were available when using sinusoidal perturbation methods while only one param...
Monotone Reducibility and the Family of Infinite Sets

Let A and B be subsets of the space 2N of sets of natural numbers. A is said to be Wadge reducible to B if there is a continuous map Φ from 2N into 2N such that A = Φ−1 (B); A is said to be monotone reducible to B if in addition the map Φ is monotone, that is, a ⊂ b implies Φ(a) ⊂ Φ(b). The set A is said to be monotone if a ∈ A and a ⊂ b imply b ∈ A. For monotone sets, it is shown that, as for Wadge reducibility, sets low in the arithmetical hierarchy are nicely ordered. The sets are all reducible to the ( but not ) sets, which are in turn all reducible to the strictly sets, which are all in turn reducible to the strictly sets. In addition, the nontrivial sets all have the same degree for n ≤ 2. For Wadge reducibility, these results extend throughout the Borel hierarchy. In contrast, we give two natural strictly monotone sets which have different monotone degrees. We show that every monotone set is actually positive. We also consider reducibility for subsets of the space of compact subsets of 2N. This leads to the result that the finitely iterated Cantor-Bendixson derivative Dn is a Borel map of class exactly 2n, which answers a question of Kuratowski.
The AMSOC hole to the Earth's mantle

It was July 1957 in Washington, D. C., when the Earth Sciences panel of the National Science Foundation (NSF) had just completed two days of hard work evaluating some 60 odd projects requesting research grants. The difficult job completed we relaxed to reflect on our work. Many of the suggested projects were excellent and most were of high callibre. Walter Munk remarked, however, that not a single one of them was of such a nature that a really major advance in Earth Science would result. He suggested the panel invent a project which might strike directly at the roots of a major problem and forthwith suggested a hole to the Moho. If the writer deserves any credit for past or future association with this project, it is that he took Munk seriously and prevented momentarily adjournment of the panel. In the few minutes remaining he proposed referring the project to the American Miscellaneous Society (AMSOC) for action. This was not a joke. It was done for several very good reasons.
Big Pharma's new model in orphan drugs and rare diseases

For many years the highly profitable pharmaceutical companies had no interest in the rare disease community or its need for orphan product development. The collective rare disease market by definit...
THE RELATION OF THE LIVER TO FAT METABOLISM : I. EFFECT OF LIVER LACK ON FAT COMBUSTION AND THE RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT.

Fat combustion is carried on adequately in rabbits deprived of the liver or brought into a condition of extreme liver insufficiency. Even 24 hours after hepatectomy fat combustion goes on as well as in the normal animal. Evidently the liver plays no essential part in the breaking down of fat.
Electrophysiological studies of the septal nuclei: I. The lateral septal region

Abstract The medial septal region was found to have two distinct zones: the medial septal nucleus and the nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca. The medial septal nucleus projects out of the septal region in both dorsal and ventral directions. This, together with short durations of response suppression, gives this region the appearance of a relay center. The nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca also projects out in both dorsal and ventral directions. But, in contrast to the medial nucleus, the durations of test response suppression were highly variable. Therefore, in addition to performing relay-like functions, the nucleus of the diagonal band gives the impression of being capable of “higher” orders of integration.
A convenient synthesis of [11C]paraquat and other [N-methyl-11C]bisquaternary ammonium compounds

[11C]Paraquat was synthesized by the reaction of [11C]methyl triflate with the mono-triflate salt of 1-methyl-[4,4′]bipyridinyl. The product was selectively separated from the precursor by a microcolumn of Chelex 100 ion exchange resin. The method was applied to the synthesis of a variety of [N-methyl-11C]bisquaternary ammonium compounds. This is the first reported use of a chelating cation exchange resin for the selective purification of organic dications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lack of discrimination by agonists for D2 and D3 dopamine receptors

The affinities of D3 dopamine receptors for antagonists are similar to those of D2 receptors. D3 receptors have been reported, however, to have affinities nearly 100-fold higher than those of D2 receptors for some agonists, including (±)-7-hydroxy-n,n-dipropyl-aminotetralin (7-OH-DPAT) and quinpirole. This has led to the use of these agonists to try to identify functional responses mediated by D3 receptors in vivo. However, d2 receptors exist in multiple states having high and low affinities for agonists. The G protein-coupled state of D2 receptors is believed to be the functional state of these receptors. When receptors were labeled with the D2 receptor antagonist [125I]-(S)-3-iodo-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]-5,6-dimethoxysalicylamide ([125I]-NCQ-298) under conditions that promote uncoupling of receptors from G proteins, the affinities of D3 receptors were approximately 130-fold higher than those of D2 receptors for 7-OH-DPAT and quinpirole. When receptors were labeled with the d2 receptor agonist [125I]-(R) trans-7-hydroxy-2-[N-propyl-N-(3′-iodo-2′-propenyl)-amino]tetralin ([125I]-7-OH-PIPAT) under conditions that favor interactions of receptors with G proteins, the affinities of D3 receptors were less than sevenfold higher than the affinities of D2 receptors for the same drugs. Similarly, small differences in the affinities of D2 and D3 receptors for other agonists were seen when receptors were labeled with [125I]-7-OH-PIPAT. These data demonstrate that putative D3 receptor-selective agonists also interact with a highaffinity, G protein-coupled state of D2 receptors. The similarities in affinities of the agonist-preferring state of D2 and D3 receptors means that currently available agonists cannot be used to discriminate between behavioral effects mediated by D2 and D3 receptors.
The Pressure Equations in Zone-Fire Modeling

The nonadiabatic nature of low-speed combustion and fire, in which strongly exothermic reactions produce large temperature variations but only mild pressure variations, can cause difficulty when integrating zone models of enclosure fires. Examples of simple zone fire models are examined to illustrate the analytical nature of the problems encountered. These difficulties arise in the solution of the equations for the pressure in general enclosures because the pressure equilibrates much more rapidly than other dynamical variables. Singular perturbation methods and phase plane analyses, together with numerical integration of the nondimensionalized equations, are employed to study the stiff nature of the equations. We conclude that many of the difficulties associated with numerical integration of zone fire models may be circumvented by appropriate analysis of the zone fire model equations.
Quantitative Three-Dimensional Dynamic Imaging Of Structure And Function Of The Cardiopulmonary And Circulatory Systems In All Regions Of The Body

The first and second generation computer assisted cross-sectional reconstruction systems, such as the EMI, ACTA and DELTA brain and whole-body scanners, because of their excellent density resolution have produced accurate cross-sectional reconstructions of the anatomical structure of stationary organs, particularly the brain, the latter of which have revolutionized clinical neuroradiology (1-4).© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Towards the prediction of complete protein--protein interaction networks.

We present a statistical method for the prediction of protein—protein interactions within an organism. This approach is based on the treatment of proteins as collections of conserved domains, where each domain is responsible for a specific interaction with another domain. By characterizing the frequency with which specific domain—domain interactions occur within known interactions, our model can assign a probability to an arbitrary interaction between any two proteins with defined domains. Domain interaction data is complemented with information on the topology of a network and is incorporated into the model by assigning greater probabilities to networks displaying more biologically realistic topologies. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques for the prediction of posterior probabilities of interaction between a set of proteins; allowing its application to large data sets. In this work we attempt to predict interactions in a set of 40 human proteins, known to form a connected network, and discuss methods for future improvement.
Physician duties in the conduct of human subject research

In this article, I examine a skeptical argument against the possibility of ethically justifying risky human subject research (rHSR). That argument asserts that such research is unethical because it holds the possibility of wronging subjects who are harmed and whose consent to participate was less than fully voluntary. I conclude that the skeptical argument is not in the end sufficient to undermine the ethical foundation of rHSR because it fails to take account of the special positive duty researchers owe their clients and future patients. Although the skeptical argument is defeated, it exacts certain novel concessions from the pro‐research position. Of particular importance are the admissions (a) that researchers presumptively owe a fiduciary duty to research subjects, (b) that because the most important risks of rHSR are unknown and unquantifiable that duty must be explicitly waived by all subjects before they participate in any protocol, and (c) that such waivers must be made by individuals who satisfy ...
Building Conflict-Free FFT Schedules

A conflict-free schedule lets an FFT run to completion without ever having to pause for memory-conflict resolution. We show how to build such schedules for FFTs having any number of butterfly units $B$ operating at any radix $R$ , transforming any number of datapoints $D$ . Our algorithm works for FFT datapaths with or without pipeline overlap, and for memory banks having any number of access ports. Specifically, it enables construction of conflict-free schedules using single-ported memory banks, which require less area than more traditional multi-ported designs.
Predictors of sexual functioning and satisfaction 1 year following traumatic brain injury: a TBI model systems multicenter study.

Objective To investigate predictors of sexual functioning 1 year following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Community. Participants A total of 255 persons with TBI (187 males; 68 females) who had been treated at 1 of 6 TBI Model Systems inpatient rehabilitation units and were living in the community. Main measures Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning-Self-Report (DISF-SR); Global Satisfaction With Sexual Functioning (Global Sexual Satisfaction Index); Participation Assessment With Recombined Tools-Objective; Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results Older age, female gender, and more severe injury were associated with greater sexual dysfunction 1 year following injury. As age increased from 24 to 49 years, the odds of sexual impairment increased more than 3-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.82-5.88). Females had a 2.5 increase in odds of sexual impairment compared with males (95% confidence interval: 1.23-5.26). Greater social participation was predictive of better sexual functioning. Dissatisfaction with sexual functioning was predicted by older age and depression. Conclusions and implications Older persons and females appear to be at greater risk for sexual dysfunction after TBI and may benefit from specialized assessment and treatment services. Relationships were identified between social participation and sexual function and between depression and sexual satisfaction that may serve as clinical indicators for further assessment and intervention. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and identify effective clinical approaches.
Reinnervation of motor endplate-containing and motor endplate-less muscle grafts

Abstract Damaged muscle fibers degenerate and are phagocytosed, but their connective tissue sheaths and myogenic cells survive. New myofibers regenerate within the connective tissue sheath and functional reinnervation is restored. The present study compared regenerating myofibers and their reinnervation in muscle grafts where the original motor endplates were removed and when they were present. In regenerating muscles, where the endplates were present, axons made neuromuscular connections with the myofibers. High levels of CAT activity, characteristic of cholinergic innervation, were reached and maintained in these muscles. Also, motor endplate-containing grafts developed characteristic muscle fiber types and nerve-evoked muscle contraction was observed. In preparations lacking the original endplate region, CAT activity initially rose to high levels, but with time diminished to 17% of control, and muscle fiber types did not develop. Muscle contraction after nerve stimulation was not observed in these grafts. It was concluded that, although a small number of motor endplates are formed in grafts devoid of original motor endplates, the presence of the motor endplate region in regenerating muscle is critical for development and maintenance of myofibers and the axons that contact them.
Impacts of Nucleating Aerosol on Florida Storms. Part I: Mesoscale Simulations

Abstract Toward the end of the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layer–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL–FACE) field campaign held during July 2002, high concentrations of Saharan dust, which can serve as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), giant CCN (GCCN), and ice-forming nuclei (IFN) were observed over the peninsula of Florida. To investigate the impacts of enhanced aerosol concentrations on the characteristics of convective storms and their subsequent anvil development, sensitivity tests are conducted using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) model, in which the initialization profiles of CCN, GCCN, and IFN concentrations are varied. These variations are found to have significant effects on the storm dynamics and microphysical processes, as well as on the surface precipitation. Updrafts are consistently stronger as the aerosol concentrations are increased. The anvils cover a smaller area but are better organized and have larger condensate mixing ratio maxima in the cas...
Long Term Outcomes after Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Long term outcomes after liver transplantation are major determinants of quality of life and of the value of this heroic treatment. As short term outcomes are excellent, our community is turning to take a harder look at long term outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to review these outcomes, and highlight proposed treatments, as well as pressing topics needing to be studied. A systemic review of the English literature was carried in PubMed, covering all papers addressing long term outcomes in pediatric liver transplant from 2000-2013. Late outcomes after pediatric liver transplant affect the liver graft in the form of chronic liver dysfunction. The causes include rejection particularly humoral rejection, but also de novo autoimmune hepatitis, and recurrent disease. The metabolic syndrome is a major factor in long term cardiovascular complication risk. Secondary infections, kidney dysfunction and malignancy remain a reality of those patients. There is growing evidence of late cognitive and executive function delays affecting daily life productivity as well as likely adherence. Finally, despite a good health status, quality of life measures are comparable to those of children with chronic diseases. Long term outcomes are the new frontier in pediatric liver transplantation. Much is needed to improve graft survival, but also to avoid systemic morbidities from long term immunosuppression. Quality of life is a new inclusive measure that will require interventions and innovative approaches respectful not only on the patients but also of their social circle.
Green Aqueous Wittig Reaction: Teaching Green Chemistry in Organic Teaching Laboratories

Green experiments in the organic teaching lab are a vital part of training a new generation of scientists. Not only do they make the lab experience safer and produce less costly waste, they allow students an opportunity to examine and consider potentially hazardous chemical methodologies and develop alternatives. The work discussed here focuses on a series of Wittig reactions that are carried out in aqueous conditions, at room temperature, and in less than one hour. The reactions have been applied to a variety of starting aldehydes. Results for this work and strategies for implementing a green chemistry case study into the laboratory curriculum are presented.
The effect of ACTH on the immediate skin reaction and passive transfer test in man.

Abstract 1.1. Ten hay fever patients were given 20 mg. of ACTH intramuscularly every 6 hours for 8 doses. 2.2. Discomfort of hay fever in the 4 patients with active symptoms disappeared temporarily. 3.3. ACTH in the dosage and time interval outlined did not significantly alter the positive scratch or passive transfer skin tests. 4.4. Adrenal response to ACTH was demonstrated by a fall in circulating eosinophils in all of the 10 patients and by a rise in urinary 17-ketosteroids in 6 cases.
From Europe to North America into the world and atmosphere: a short review of global footprints and their impacts and predictions

Humans are now virtually found everywhere in the world. They changed the global nitrogen and phosphate cycles, create light pollution and affect the soundscapes, even in remote wilderness areas. The destruction of the earth and its original habitat is found on land, in the ocean and now, in the atmosphere. Of note are the big impacts from the many small contaminations (e.g., Ott in Sound truth and corporate myths: the legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Dragonfly Sisters Press, Cordova, 2005). The global magnitude of this man-made impact is virtually unprecedented in human history. Indigenous populations lived within earth’s carrying capacity for easily over 10,000 years, and they never caused such global impacts. It is obvious from most metrics that these problems steeply increased during the last 50 years. This suggests that global procedures and policies, and arguably driven by western industrialized countries, cultures and institutions setting the global framework, are affecting sustainability in dramatic ways. Based on documented and public sources, here I show the brief history, European thought, its global expansion, successes and global sustainability failures. There is an inherent and widely acknowledged conflict between growing the gross domestic product (GDP) and biodiversity, and when considering that we all live on one finite world. Works by Daly, Diamond, Flannery, Shtilmark, Leopold and many others make that already widely clear. Our land- and seascapes are currently overcommitted. With an increase of the human population of over 9 billion people in the next 100 years—likely earlier—we are at the very brink of biodiversity and humanity, and of the earth as we know it. Business as usual, and purely technical and industrial environmental efforts will not help us, and instead, we need a sustainability reform of institutions, education, funding schemes, cultures and society if we want to keep striving, or at least maintain the status quo.
How the tobacco industry responded to an influential study of the health effects of secondhand smoke

In 1981 an influential Japanese study showed an association between passive smoking and lung cancer. This article documents the tobacco industry's attempts to refute this study by producing a credible alternative study In 1981 Japanese investigator Takeshi Hirayama published a cohort study examining the association of passive smoking and lung cancer among non-smoking wives of smokers in Japan.1 The study concluded that wives of heavy smokers had up to twice the risk of developing lung cancer as wives of non-smokers and that the risk was dose related. The Hirayama study was influential because it launched an extraordinary amount of critical debate 2 3 and has been one of the most frequently cited studies in regulatory proceedings, 4 5 risk assessments,6 and the media.7 The tobacco industry has used a variety of tactics to maintain scientific debate about whether secondhand smoke has any harmful effects. 5 6 8–14 We identify and analyse internal tobacco industry documents that describe the industry's response to the Hirayama study. #### Summary points The tobacco industry generated a study, the “Japanese spousal study,” in an attempt to refute the findings of a 1981 cohort study showing an association between secondhand exposure to tobacco smoke and lung cancer Internal tobacco industry documents describe how the tobacco industry considered multiple strategies to conceal its involvement in the Japanese spousal study The tobacco industry considered funding the study through the Center for Indoor Air Research, a research organisation supported by the tobacco industry, in order to hide industry involvement The parties involved in conducting the study included a tobacco industry scientist, a tobacco industry consultant, an industry law firm, and two Japanese investigators. The consultant was the sole author of the final publication We retrieved documents from the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (www.legacy.library.ucsf.edu/) and tobacco industry websites …
Ultrasound Enhanced Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Triggered Release of Contents from Echogenic Liposomes

The extracellular enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is overexpressed in atherosclerotic plaques and in metastatic cancers. The enzyme is responsible for rupture of the plaques and for the invasion and metastasis of a large number of cancers. The ability of ultrasonic excitation to induce thermal and mechanical effects has been used to release drugs from different carriers. However, the majority of these studies were performed with low frequency ultrasound (LFUS) at kilohertz frequencies. Clinical usage of LFUS excitations will be limited due to harmful biological effects. Herein, we report our results on the release of encapsulated contents from substrate lipopeptide incorporated echogenic liposomes triggered by recombinant human MMP-9. The contents release was further enhanced by the application of diagnostic frequency (3 MHz) ultrasound. The echogenic liposomes were successfully imaged employing a medical ultrasound transducer (4-15 MHz). The conditioned cell culture media from cancer cells (secreting MMP-9) released the encapsulated dye from the liposomes (30-50%), and this release is also increased (50-80%) by applying diagnostic frequency ultrasound (3 MHz) for 3 min. With further developments, these liposomes have the potential to serve as multimodal carriers for triggered release and simultaneous ultrasound imaging.
Dosage Variation in Tablets

Abstract Tablet granulations of phenobarbetal and reserpine were prepared on a routine manufacturing basis and compressed on a single-punch tablet press. The tablets were collected in small groups in the order of compression, weighed, and analyzed individually. Statistical quality control charts were prepared for weight variation and per cent composition, the main variables affecting the dosage variation. Inspection of the control charts and results obtained by application of the F-test indicated that some disruption of uniformity occurred during the compression of the tablets.
Antiphase domain growth in Cu3Au: Quantitative comparison between theory and experiment

Abstract The Hillert theory of normal grain growth has been modified for antiphase domain (APD) growth in Cu3Au. A semi-empirical correction factor, β, is introduced into the theory in order to incorporate the effect of the extreme breadth of the experimentally observed APD size distributions on the rate of APD growth. The mobility. M, of APD boundaries in an ordered alloy, which is proportional to the chemical diffusion coefficient, \ tD, is shown to be inversely proportional to the long-range order parameter, S. The theory is compared with literature data on APD growth in Cu3Au, as well as our own measurements made at 325, 350 and 375°C for times up to 10 h on pure Cu3Au and Cu3Au-Co alloys containing 1.5 and 2.5 at.%Co. Using estimated values of \ tD, measured values of S, values of β determined by fitting the theory to existing APD distributions and another parameter 〈u〉 which is a measure of the relative values of the average and ‘critical’ APD sizes, the experimentally measured rate constants for APD growth were used to calculate values of the APD boundary interfacial energy, σ, for comparison with recently derived theoretical values. The quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is satisfactory, considering the uncertainty in \ tD. The theory also predicts that APD growth should increase in the Co-containing alloys. Such an effect is observed experimentally, but is greater in magnitude than predicted by the theory, for reasons that are not understood.
Role of Arthropods in Maintaining Soil Fertility

In terms of species richness, arthropods may represent as much as 85% of the soil fauna. They comprise a large proportion of the meso- and macrofauna of the soil. Within the litter/soil system, five groups are chiefly represented: Isopoda, Myriapoda, Insecta, Acari, and Collembola, the latter two being by far the most abundant and diverse. Arthropods function on two of the three broad levels of organization of the soil food web: they are plant litter transformers or ecosystem engineers. Litter transformers fragment, or comminute, and humidify ingested plant debris, which is deposited in feces for further decomposition by micro-organisms, and foster the growth and dispersal of microbial populations. Large quantities of annual litter input may be processed (e.g., up to 60% by termites). The comminuted plant matter in feces presents an increased surface area to attack by micro-organisms, which, through the process of mineralization, convert its organic nutrients into simpler, inorganic compounds available to plants. Ecosystem engineers alter soil structure, mineral and organic matter composition, and hydrology. The burrowing by arthropods, particularly the subterranean network of tunnels and galleries that comprise termite and ant nests, improves soil porosity to provide adequate aeration and water-holding capacity below ground, facilitate root penetration, and prevent surface crusting and erosion of topsoil. Also, the movement of particles from lower horizons to the surface by ants and termites aids in mixing the organic and mineral fractions of the soil. The feces of arthropods are the basis for the formation of soil aggregates and humus, which physically stabilize the soil and increase its capacity to store nutrients.
Integrating Environmental, Molecular, and Morphological Data to Unravel an Ice-age Radiation of Arctic-alpine Campanula in Western North America

Many arctic-alpine plant genera have undergone speciation during the Quaternary. The bases for these radiations have been ascribed to geographic isolation, abiotic and biotic differences between populations, and/or hybridization and polyploidization. The Cordilleran Campanula L. (Campanulaceae Juss.), a monophyletic clade of mostly endemic arctic-alpine taxa from western North America, experienced a recent and rapid radiation. We set out to unravel the factors that likely influenced speciation in this group. To do so, we integrated environmental, genetic, and morphological datasets, tested biogeographic hypotheses, and analyzed the potential consequences of the various factors on the evolutionary history of the clade. We created paleodistribution models to identify potential Pleistocene refugia for the clade and estimated niche space for individual taxa using geographic and climatic data. Using 11 nuclear loci, we reconstructed a species tree and tested biogeographic hypotheses derived from the paleodistribution models. Finally, we tested 28 morphological characters, including floral, vegetative, and seed characteristics, for their capacity to differentiate taxa. Our results show that the combined effect of Quaternary climatic variation, isolation among differing environments in the mountains in western North America, and biotic factors influencing floral morphology contributed to speciation in this group during the mid-Pleistocene. Furthermore, our biogeographic analyses uncovered asynchronous consequences of interglacial and glacial periods for the timing of refugial isolation within the southern and northwestern mountains, respectively. These findings have broad implications for understanding the processes promoting speciation in arctic-alpine plants and the rise of numerous endemic taxa across the region.
Building government's capacity for big data analysis

"Big data" has emerged as a compelling topic for e-government practitioners who have the opportunity to develop strategies for exploiting the data streams they currently possess or can access in an effort to make government organizations smarter and more responsive to their constituencies. This panel brings together researchers who are exploring big data analytic capabilities and opportunities in government organizations as well as the technical, organizational and ethical constraints that government practitioners are likely to face.
Rapid in vivo localization of a lost brachytherapy seed

We adapted a small sodium iodide scintillation detector for rapid, i n v i v o localization of a lost brachytherapy seed. Using the detector, we were able to locate and remove an Ir‐192 seed that was not visible to the unaided eye.
Causes of emergency department visits following thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

Importance With reimbursement being increasingly tied to outcome measures, minimizing unexpected health care needs in the postoperative period is essential. This article describes reasons for emergency department (ED) evaluation, rates of readmission to the hospital, and significant risk factors for readmission during the postoperative period. Objective To describe the subset of patients requiring ED evaluation within 30 days of thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy and their associated risk factors. Design, Setting, and Patients Retrospective chart review in a tertiary care center of adult patients who underwent thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy between January 1, 2009 and October 7, 2010. Patients were identified from an institutional review board–approved database. Postoperative patients who visited the emergency department (ED) within the first 30 days following surgery were selected and compared with the postoperative patients who did not visit the ED. Exposures Thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures Statistical analysis evaluated the association of demographic and clinical characteristics between the patients who required ER evaluation and those who did not. Clinical characteristics evaluated included type of surgery, medical comorbidities, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) usage. Multiple logistic regression predicted the odds of an ED visit based on presence of diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or PPI use. Results Of the 570 patients identified, 64 patients required a visit to the ER a total of 75 times for issues including paresthesias (n = 28), wound complications (n = 8), and weakness (n = 6). Fifteen hospital admissions occurred for treatment of a variety of postoperative complications. A significant association was found between the presence of diabetes ( P = .03), GERD ( P = .04), and the current use of PPIs ( P = .03). When controlling for diabetes and GERD, we found that patients taking PPIs were 1.81 times more likely to visit the ED than patients not taking PPIs ( P = .04). Conclusions and Relevance Patients taking PPIs are 1.81 times more likely to require ED evaluation than those who are not taking PPIs.
Caring in the dynamics of design and languaging: exploring second language learning in 3D virtual spaces

Abstract This study provides concrete evidence of ecological, dialogical views of languaging within the dynamics of coordination and cooperation in a virtual world. Beginning level second language learners of Chinese engaged in cooperative activities designed to provide them opportunities to refine linguistic actions by way of caring for others, for the world, and for themselves. Increased target language use in highly-aligned co-ordinations was traced in the non-linear design of problem-solving spaces by looking at how meaning making and values-realizing trajectories were co-developed with semiotic resources and sociocultural material artifacts in goal-directed activities. More significantly, the non-linear design gives rise to two new problem spaces: coordinating problems and emergent problems, both of which promoted caring and individualized values-realization. Consequently, learners’ diverse identity development occurs in connection with localized values-realization and through sociohistorical experiences. Reciprocally, this development allows language learners to discover and create new affordances in coordinating their thoughts, feelings, actions, and values with others in an ongoing cycle of problem solving.
Perioral and cutaneous umbilicated papular lesions in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 27-year-old African-American man presented with a 2-week history of headache, fever, cough, hemoptysis, and cutaneous skin lesions. Five months earlier, the patient had been found to be HIV-seropositive. The patient's CD4 count was 31/ram 3 1 month before when he was admitted for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. He was noncompliant with medications. The patient was lethargic, tachycardic, and had an increased respiratory rate, suggestive of recurrent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. A chest x-ray showed a right middle lobe infiltrate. In addition, numerous raised papular facial, perioral, and lip cutaneous lesions with central mnbilication were noted (Fig. 1). The clinical impression of the primary care physician was Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with molluscum contagiosum. The dermatology service curetted one of the cutaneous lesions, and a cytologic smear was prepared for rapid microscopic examination. A separate lesion was biopsied for routine histopathologic examination, and tissue was also sent for microbiologic culture. Further medical work-up included a lumbar puncture for analysis of cerebrospihal fluid and collection of sputum for cytologic evaluation and culture.
Vaginal pressure during lifting, floor exercises, jogging, and use of hydraulic exercise machines

We recorded vaginal pressure in 12 women without risk factors for prolapse during two activity and exercise sessions, compared exercise and cough pressure, and evaluated method reproducibility and patterns of relative pressure. Portable urodynamic equipment, repeated measures descriptive design, and purposeful sampling were used with nonparametric analysis and visual comparison of pressure graphs. Mean participant age was 31.1 years (range 20–51), and mean body mass index was 22.7 (range 18.5–29.3). Mean pressures (in cm H2O): cough, 98.0 (48.0–133.7); standing, 24.0 (15.9–28.5); supine exercise, 34.0 (6.3–91.9); exercise machines, 37.0 (20.3–182.3). Repeated measures correlations for selected measures ranged from 0.66 (p ≤ 0.05) to 0.91 (p ≤ 0.01), and median within-woman coefficients of variation ranged from 3.8% to 7.2%. Individual pressure patterns were not consistent with patterns of group medians. We concluded that vaginal pressure measurement is reproducible in women without prolapse and that studied exercises generally produced lower pressure than cough, but individuals varied in pressure exerted. Individual variations warrant further study.
MBE growth and characterization of semiconductor laser coolers

Laser cooling of a semiconductor has been an elusive but highly desirable goal for several years. Although it is theoretically possible, tedious and often time-consuming sample preparation, processing and testing has slowed the progress on the experimental end. The work presented here focuses on a new approach to the first step, the growth of high quality starting samples by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). MBE is believed to have an inherent advantage over chemical vapor deposition techniques since typically material with higher purity can be grown by MBE, thereby reducing the chance for parasitic absorption and nonradiative recombinations to occur. Additionally, with MBE very precise control over interfaces is possible, where a significant portion of the non-radiative traps are usually located. The most promising material for laser cooling is the binary compound GaAs. The lattice-matched material Ga 0.515 In 0.485 P is chosen for passivating the surface as it has shown much longer radiative lifetimes in GaAs than, for example, Al x Ga 1-x As. The present study focuses on growth optimization of Ga 0.515 In 0.485 P/GaAs/Ga 0.515 In 0.485 P heterostructures and the influence of growth conditions on sample suitability for laser cooling as measured by non-radiative lifetimes in GaAs. In particular, parameters such as growth temperature, group V:III overpressure, substrate orientation, doping, and interface composition on a monolayer length scale are varied and analyzed. The suitability of an optimized sample for semiconductor laser cooling is discussed.
Stability constant for the lanthanide fluoride complexes in aqueous solution at 25°C

Stability constants for the mono- and difluoride complexes of fourteen lanthanides in aqueous solution 25°C and an ionic strenght of 0.5 M have been measured using the newly developed Orion expandable and digital ion analyzer and their fluoride specific ion electrode. A simplified potentiometric procedure was employed to measure the stability constant for the monofluoride complex and this value was used to compute analytically the stability constant for the difluoride complex in separate experiments. In the case of heavy lanthanides a linear regression method was also used to compute simultaneously the stability constant for both complexes. The stability constant for the monofluoride complexes may be arranged into four groups that shows the tetrad effect with maxima at Pr, Sm, Dy and Er. There is a gradual but unsystematic increase in the stability constant for the monofluoride complex with atomic number of the lanthanides.
A computer-controlled matrix system for presentation to the skin of complex spatiotemporal patterns

A system for presenting complex spatiotemporal patterns to the skin is described. The computer-controlled device consists of a matrix of 64 piezoceramic benders mounted in a support system that can be fitted to steeply contoured skin surfaces such as the thigh. Vibrotactile patterns that include movement across the skin’s surface and/or intensitive variation within or across display epochs are programmed and presented in a frame-by-frame manner, similar to the production of motion pictures. Patterns can be predefined, or modified by observers’ responses to allow for an interactive haptographic display. Design considerations for the construction of the tactile matrix, computer interface, and software are discussed.
Addressing the gaps in preparation for quarantine.

IntroductionIn the event of an outbreak of a communicable respiratory illness, quarantine may become necessary. The New York Institute for All Hazard Preparedness (NYIAHP) of the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, in cooperation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program, (NYC DOHMH-HEPP) quarantine working group, has developed a series of clinical protocols to help health care facilities respond to such an event.ProblemTwo full-scale exercises (FSEs) were designed and conducted a year apart in the quarantine unit at Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) to test the efficacy and feasibility of these quarantine protocols. The goal of these exercises was to identify the gaps in preparedness for quarantine and increase hospital readiness for such an event.MethodsEvaluators monitored for efficient management of critical physical plants, personnel and material resources. Players were expected to integrate and practice emergency response plans and protocols specific to quarantine. In developing the exercise objectives, five activities were selected for evaluation: Activation of the Unit, Staffing, Charting/Admission, Symptom Monitoring and Infection Control, and Client Management.ResultsThe results of the initial FSE found that there were incomplete critical tasks within all five protocols: These deficiencies were detailed in an After Action Report and an Improvement Plan was presented to the KCHC Disaster Preparedness Committee a month after the initial FSE. In the second FSE a year later, all critical tasks for Activation of the unit, Staffing and Charting/Admission were achieved. Completion of critical tasks related to Symptom Monitoring and Infection Control and Client Management was improved in the second FSE, but some tasks were still not performed appropriately.ConclusionIn short, these exercises identified critical needs in disaster preparedness of the KCHC Quarantine Unit. The lessons learned from this logistical exercise enabled the planning group to have a better understanding of leadership needs, communication capabilities, and infection control procedures. Kings County Hospital Center performed well during these exercises. It was clear that performance in the second exercise was improved, and many problems noted in the first exercise were corrected. Staff also felt better prepared the second time. This supports the idea that frequent exercises are vital to maintain disaster readiness.NathawadR, RoblinPM, PruittD, ArquillaB. Addressing the Gaps in Preparation for Quarantine. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(2):1-7.
Sup-picosecond, transform limited pulse generation in fiber CPA systems utilizing spectral pulse shaping with adaptive feedback loop

Fiber chirped pulse amplification (CPA) systems have many advantages such as size compactness and significant simplification of complex optical components over bulk solid state amplifiers. Moreover, precise optical alignment in free space is not required. However, fiber CPA systems are also much more vulnerable to nonlinear effects due to their small mode areas and long interaction length, resulting in pulse distortion, and consequently, degradation of pulse quality. Pulse with parabolic intensity profile appears to be a very good candidate to mitigate such degradation effects and wave-breaking. [1] Furthermore, its linear chirp allows efficient pulse compression to achieve high peak power, making it highly attractive to CPA systems. CPA systems with parabolic pulses therefore can have widespread use in applications such as super-continuum generation, optic fiber communications, thermal ablation, and ultrafast all-optical signal processing. [2]