cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘Back to the suture’ for laparoscopic‐assisted vaginal hysterectomy and BSO

The high cost of disposable stapling devices for laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oo¨phorectomy (LAVH and BSO) limits the cost effectiveness of the technique. A suture technique is described and the results of the first 45 cases reported. A mean length of postoperative stay of 4 days and an overall complication rate of 11% are similar to those reported for LAVH and BSO using other techniques. This suture technique has cost and safety advantages over other methods using disposable stapling devices or extensive diathermy.
Assessing the Impact of Equipment Aging on System Performance Using Simulation Modeling Methods

The radiological Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) is used to analyze the radioactive samples collected from different radioactive material processing operations at Savannah River Site (SRS). The expeditious processing of these samples is important for safe and reliable operations at SRS. As the radiological (RAD) ICP-MS machine ages, the experience shows that replacement parts and repairs are difficult to obtain on time for reliable operations after 5 years of service. A discrete event model using commercial software EXTEND was prepared to assess the impact on sample turn around times as the ICP-MS gets older. The model was prepared using the sample statistics from the previous 4 years. Machine utilization rates were calculated for the new machine, 5 year old machine, 10 year old machine, and a 12 year old machine. Computer simulations were run for these periods and the sample delay times calculated. The model was validated against the sample statistics collected from the previous 4 quarters. 90% confidence intervals were calculated for the 10th , 25th , 50th , and 90th quantiles of the samples. The simulation results show that if 50% of the samples are needed on time for efficient site operations, a 10 year old machine could take nearly 50 days longer to process these samples than a 5-year old machine.Copyright © 2006 by Westinghouse Savannah River Company
A Simple Immunomagnetic Protocol for the Selective Isolation and Long-Term Culture of Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cells involved in tumor angiogenesis, wound healing, and inflammation are predominantly of microvascular origin and are functionally distinct from large vessel-derived endothelial cells which have been largely used forin vitrovascular research. To overcome the problems commonly involved in the culture of microvascular endothelial cells, including unreliable isolation techniques and low cell yields, we developed a simplified protocol for the selective cultivation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) obtained from neonatal foreskins, based on the transient, endothelial cell-specific induction of E-selectin by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Subconfluent primary cultures, consisting of a mixture of endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes, were treated with TNF-α for 6 h, and HDMEC were isolated by their selective binding to magnetic beads coupled with anti-E-selectin monoclonal antibody. After two immunomagnetic purification steps, a homogenous population of HDMEC was obtained which showed typical cobblestone morphology, expressed CD31 and von Willebrand factor, proliferated in response to vascular endothelial growth factor, upregulated the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular adhesion molecule-1 in response to TNF-α, and formed capillary-like tubes in a three-dimensional collagen type I matrix. This simple technique may facilitate a more widespread use of microvascular endothelial cell cultures obtained from different human or animal organs for functionalin vitrostudies.
On the stability of mappings

I will give an account of some of the main properties of the stability of linear mappings and isometries leading to a number of new research problems. Emphasis is given to the study of the unit distance preserving mappings.
Refractive index measurement of acute rat brain tissue slices using optical coherence tomography

An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system employing a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror was used to measure the refractive index (RI) of anatomically different regions in acute brain tissue slices, in which viability was maintained. RI was measured in white-matter and grey-matter regions, including the cerebral cortex, putamen, hippocampus, thalamus and corpus callosum. The RI in the corpus callosum was found to be ~4% higher than the RIs in other regions. Changes in RI with tissue deformation were also measured in the cerebral cortex and corpus callosum under uniform compression (20-80% strain). For 80% strain, measured RIs increased nonlinearly by up to 70% and 90% in the cerebral cortex and corpus callosum respectively. Knowledge of RI in heterogeneous tissues can be used to correct distorted optical images caused by RI variations between different regions. Also deformation-dependent changes in RI can be applied to OCT elastography or to mechanical tests based on optical imaging such as indentation tests.
Assessing L2 lexical versus inflectional accuracy across skill levels.

This study measures whether number and type of morphemes in an elicited imitation string results in a greater number of modifications with L2 experience. Rationale is drawn from L2 working memory processing limitations at distinct levels of proficiency. 38 subjects (L2 Spanish university students) comprise three proficiency groups: beginning, undergraduate majors and graduate students. Number of morphemes was varied within each syllable count; and responses were either correct or modified (lexemically/inflectionally as deletions or substitutions). Two way ANOVAs determined significance between mean proportions for each group. Findings indicate that increases in number of morphemes yielded significant differences; and that while the lowest proficiency group produced higher proportions of lexical deletions, the more advanced groups’ modifications were inflectional substitutions.
Serum creatine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, and their isoenzymes in the perioperative period

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the normal perioperative variations in the serum concentration of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and its isoenzymes MM, MB, and BB, and of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and its isoenzymes LDH1 to LDH5 to distinguish operation-induced changes in these enzymes from those due to acute myocardial infarction or malignant hyperthermia. In 30 patients, 52 to 75 years of age undergoing elective orthopedic operations, 10 serial blood samples were obtained in the perioperative period: two samples before skin incision and eight samples after the incision over a time span of 70 hours. The preinduction mean serum CPK level of 141 U/L increased gradually and significantly and reached a maximum mean concentration of 809 U/L 34 hours after incision (p less than 0.01). The CPK-MM percent increased after incision, whereas that of CPK-MB and CPK-BB decreased, although their absolute values in terms of U/L rose. The preinduction mean serum LDH value of 173 U/L increased gradually after incision and achieved peak levels at 34 hours (203 U/L) and 58 hours (210 U/L) after incision (p less than 0.05). The LDH1:LDH2 ratio did not change. The LDH5 percent increased and peaked 10 hours after incision (p less than 0.05). There was a significant correlation between severity of operation-induced tissue damage and the serum CPK concentration (p less than 0.001). The large increase in total CPK (primarily MM fraction) occurring after surgery may minimize the percentile effects caused by an increase in MB level due to myocardial infarction.
The Sonographic “Bright Band Sign” of Splenic Infarction

Objectives To evaluate the frequency of the “bright band sign” in patients with splenic infarcts as well as control patients and to thereby assess whether the bright band sign has potential utility as a sonographic sign of splenic infarction. Methods Using an electronic search engine and image review, 37 patients were retrospectively identified with noncystic parenchymal splenic infarcts on sonography. Nineteen abnormal control patients with noninfarcted splenic lesions on sonography and 100 normal control patients with sonographically normal spleens were also identified. The sonographic appearance of each splenic lesion was evaluated by 2 reviewers and assessed for the bright band sign, defined as thin specular reflectors perpendicular to the sound beam within hypoechoic parenchymal lesions, and for the presence or absence of the classic sonographic appearance of splenic infarction. Possible histologic counterparts of the bright band sign were assessed in archival infarct specimens. Results The bright band sign was present in 34 (91.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78.1%–98.3%) of 37 patients with splenic infarcts on sonography, including 12 (85.7%; 95% CI, 57.2%–98.2%) of 14 with classic and 22 (95.7%; 95% CI, 78.1%–99.9%) of 23 with nonclassic infarct appearances. No normal or abnormal control patients had the bright band sign. Histologic sections suggested that preserved splenic trabeculae within infarcts may generate the bright band sign. Conclusions The bright band sign is a potentially useful sonographic sign of splenic infarction, which may confer additional sensitivity and specificity and may be particularly helpful with infarcts having nonclassic appearances.
Independent Component Analysis of fMRI Data: Examining the Assumptions

Independent component analysis (ICA), which separates fMRI data into spatially independent patterns of activity, has recently been shown to be a suitable method for exploratory fMRI analysis. The validity of the assumptions of ICA, mainly that the underlying components are spatially independent and add linearly, was explored with a representative fMRI data set by calculating the log-likelihood of observing each voxel's time course conditioned on the ICA model. The probability of observing the time courses from white-matter voxels was higher compared to other observed brain regions. Regions containing blood vessels had the lowest probabilities. The statistical distribution of probabilities over all voxels did not resemble that expected for a small number of independent components mixed with Gaussian noise. These results suggest the ICA model may more accurately represent the data in specific regions of the brain, and that both the activity-dependent sources of blood flow and noise are non-Gaussian.
The use of flow cytometry in the diagnosis and biological characterization of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Abstract The detection of aneuploidy and the estimation of the fraction of cells in S in DNA histograms from patients with human non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are reviewed. Karyotype studies and DNA histograms each have advantages and disadvantages in the detection and monitoring of aneuploidy. The choice of fluorescent stain, staining artifacts, and the criteria for the detection of aneuploidy by FCM must be considered carefully. In general, the B-cell lymphomas are more frequently aneuploid by FCM than the T-cell lymphomas. When determining S fractions in the lymphomas, care must be taken not to exclude the aneuploid cases on methodological grounds; these cases generally have the highest S fractions and their exclusion would bias the data. Multiparameter studies have shown that the most aneuploid component of a mixed clinical sample generally has the highest S fraction in the sample, favoring the concept of clonal selection and clonal evolution of tumors.
Modelling long-term fire regimes of southern California shrublands

This paper explores the environmental factors that drive the southern California chaparral fire regime. Specifically, we examined the response of three fire regime metrics (fire size distributions, fire return interval maps, cumulative total area burned) to variations in the number of ignitions, the spatial pattern of ignitions, the number of Santa Ana wind events, and live fuel moisture, using the HFire fire spread model. HFire is computationally efficient and capable of simulating the spatiotemporal progression of individual fires on a landscape and aggregating results for fully resolved individual fires over hundreds or thousands of years to predict long-term fire regimes. A quantitative understanding of the long-term drivers of a fire regime is of use in fire management and policy.
Inter-observer Precision and Physiologic Variability of MRI Landmarks Used to Determine Rotational Alignment in Conventional and Patient-Specific TKA

Preoperative planning for patient-specific guides (PSGs) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) requires identification of anatomic landmarks on three-dimensional imaging studies. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and precision with which landmarks commonly used to determine rotational alignment in TKA can be identified on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two orthopedic surgeons and two musculoskeletal radiologists independently reviewed a sequential series of 114 MRIs of arthritic knees. The magnitude of interobserver variability was high, suggesting an inherent risk of inconsistency when these landmarks are used in PSG fabrication. Additionally, there was a high degree of physiologic variation among patients, indicating that assuming standard relationships among anatomic landmarks when placing TKA components may lead to rotational malalignment relative to each patient's native anatomy.
Radial temperature differences during the melt spinning of fibers

In this investigation, a numerical model was developed to predict the temperature distribution in a fiber during melt spinning. This model uses the implicit Crank–Nicolson method to solve the governing differential equation for the problem. The model was applied to a series of numerical experiments on a liquid crystalline fiber which is melt-spun. These simulations used typical sets of operating conditions to determine the effect of various operating parameters on the predicted radius profile, spinline tension, and temperature distribution. The effects of spinneret capillary diameter, mass flow rate, ambient air temperature, spinning temperature, and elongational viscosity were investigated. The results of the various runs showed that ambient air temperature and mass flow rate had a significant effect on the predicted radius profile, spinline tension, and temperature distribution. The spinning temperature was an important parameter, but its only significant effect was on the spinline tension. Spinneret capillary diameter and elongational viscosity had little effect on the predicted results.
Development and Application of Clinical Prediction Rules to Improve Decision Making in Physical Therapist Practice

Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) are tools designed to improve decision making in clinical practice by assisting practitioners in making a particular diagnosis, establishing a prognosis, or matching patients to optimal interventions based on a parsimonious subset of predictor variables from the history and physical examination.1,2 Clinical prediction rules have been developed to improve decision making for many conditions in medical practice, including the diagnosis of proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT),3 strep throat,4 coronary artery disease,5 and pulmonary embolism.6 Clinical prediction rules also have been developed to assist in establishing a prognosis such as determining when to discontinue resuscitative efforts after cardiac arrest in the hospital,7 determining the likelihood of death within 4 years for people with coronary artery disease,7 identifying children who are at risk for developing urinary tract infections,8 and identifying the characteristics of patients who are likely to develop postoperative nausea and vomiting after anesthesia.9 Clinical prediction rules have recently been developed that can improve decision making in physical therapist practice. Examples include prediction rules to improve the accuracy of diagnosing ankle fractures (ie, “the Ottawa Ankle Rules”)10 and knee fractures (ie, “the Ottawa Knee Rules”)11 in people with acute injuries and to determine when to order radiographs in patients with neck trauma.12 Other prediction rules have been developed to diagnose patients with cervical radiculopathy13 and carpal tunnel syndrome.14 A CPR also has been developed to establish the prognosis of patients with neck pain following a rear-end motor vehicle accident.15 With increasing attention focused on the rising costs of health care, CPRs provide practitioners with powerful diagnostic information from the history and physical examination that may serve as an accurate decision-making surrogate for more expensive diagnostic tests. For example, the Ottawa …
Attitude control of space platform/manipulator system using internal motion

The authors formulate the dynamic equations of a system consisting of a 3-degree-of-freedom Puma-like manipulator attached to a space platform (e.g. a space station or a satellite) as an NMP (nonholonomic motion planning) problem and discuss controllability of the system. They describe the application of a simple algorithm for obtaining approximate optimal solutions. They conclude with results of a simulation experiment. >
Polarization properties of retroreflecting right-angle prisms.

The cumulative retardance Δt introduced between the p and the s orthogonal linear polarizations after two successive total internal reflections (TIRs) inside a right-angle prism at complementary angles Φ and 90°−Φ is calculated as a function of Φ and prism refractive index n. Quarter-wave retardation (QWR) is obtained on retroreflection with minimum angular sensitivity when n=(√2+1)1/2=1.55377 and Φ=45°. A QWR prism made of N-BAK4 Schott glass (n=1.55377 at λ=1303.5 nm) has good spectral response (<5° retardance error) over the 0.5-2 μm visible and near-IR spectral range. A ZnS-coated right-angle Si prism achieves QWR with an error of <±2.5° in the 9-11 μm (CO2 laser) IR spectral range. This device functions as a linear-to-circular polarization transformer and can be tuned to exact QWR at any desired wavelength (within a given range) by tilting the prism by a small angle around Φ=45°. A PbTe right-angle prism introduces near-half-wave retardation (near-HWR) with a ≤2% error over a broad (4≤λ≤12.5 μm) IR spectral range. This device also has a wide field of view and its interesting polarization properties are discussed. A compact (aspect ratio of 2), in-line, HWR is described that uses a chevron dual Fresnel rhomb with four TIRs at the same angle Φ=45°. Finally, a useful algorithm is presented that transforms a three-term Sellmeier dispersion relation of a transparent optical material to an equivalent cubic equation that can be solved for the wavelengths at which the refractive index assumes any desired value.
The Relationship of Limb Apraxia Severity to Motor and Language Deficits

Ipsilateral motor and symbolic/linguistic skills were examined in normals and three left hemisphere damaged groups with no, mild, or moderate-severe limb apraxia. When the two apraxic groups were pooled they demonstrated poorer response inhibition and reading relative to the nonapraxic group. There were no significant group differences on motor or language tasks when the three brain damaged groups were separately compared. These results indicate there is a limited relationship between limb apraxia and some motor and linguistic skills, but the relationship was not greater for motor than linguistic skills.
A common relationship between precipitation and grassland peak biomass for East and southern Africa

Summary A compilation of data from East and southern Africa is used to establish a relationship between precipitation and peak biomass aboveground in the herb layer (a crude measure of primary production). The regression equation is: peak biomass (kg ha-1) = 8.488 × precipitation (mm) - 195.768, which predicts a peak biomass of approximately 800 kg ha-1 for every 100 mm of precipitation received above 20 mm. The usefulness and limitations of this result are discussed. Resume Une compilation de donnees d'Afrique du Sud et de l'Est est utilisee pour etablir une relation entre la precipitation et la biomasse maximale du tapis herbace au-dessus du sol (mesure brute de la production primaire). L'equation de regression est: biomass maximale (kg ha-1) = 8,488 × precipitation (mm) - 195,768, qui predit une biomasse maximale d'environ 80 kg ha-1 pour chaque tranche de 100 mm de precipitation au-dela de 20 mm. L'utilite et les limites de ce resultat sont discutes.
Modeling SiO2 Ion Impurities Aging in Insulated Gate Power Devices Under Temperature and Voltage Stress

This paper presents a formal computational methodology to explain how the oxide in semiconductors degrades over time and the dependence of oxide degradation on voltage and temperature stresses. The effects of aging are modeled and quantified by modification of the gate-source capacitance value. The model output is validated using experimental results of a thermally aged power semiconductor device. *
Statistical design of a 3D microarray with position-encoded microspheres

We propose a three-dimensional (3D) microarray device with fixed distance between the microspheres. The microspheres in the new device have controllable positions. To design the layout of our proposed device, we consider an optimal statistical performance analysis for imaging the microspheres. We compute the posterior Cramer-Rao bound on the error in estimating the unknown imaging parameters and use the bound to compute the minimal distance between the microspheres, which provides a desired level of statistical imaging performance. We illustrate our concept using a numerical example. The proposed microarray has high sensitivity, efficient packing density, and guaranteed imaging performance. It identifies targets based on the microspheres' locations, allowing significantly simplified imaging analysis.
Magnetic analyses of soils from the Wind River Range, Wyoming, constrain rates and pathways of magnetic enhancement for soils from semiarid climates

In order to constrain the rate of magnetic enhancement in soils, we investigated modern soils from five fluvial terraces in the eastern Wind River Range, Wyoming. Profiles up to 1.2 m deep were sampled in 5-cm intervals from hand-dug pits or natural riverbank exposures. Soils formed in fluvial terraces correlated to the Sacajawea Ridge (730–610 ka BP), Bull Lake (130–100 ka BP) and Pinedale-age (∼20 ka BP) glacial advances. One soil profile formed in Holocene-age sediment. Abundance, mineralogy, and grain size of magnetic minerals were estimated through magnetic measurements. Magnetic enhancement of the A-horizon as well as an increase in fine-grained magnetic minerals occurred mostly in Bull Lake profiles but was absent from the older profile. Such low rates of magnetic enhancement may limit the temporal resolution of paleosol-based paleoclimate reconstructions in semiarid regions even where high sedimentation rates result in multiple paleosols. A loss of ferrimagnetic and an increase in antiferromagnetic minerals occurred with age. Our findings suggest either the conversion of ferrimagnetic minerals to weakly magnetic hematite with progressing soil age, or the presence of ferrimagnetic minerals as an intermediate product of pedogenesis. Absolute and relative hematite abundance increase with age, making both useful proxies for soil age and the dating of regional glacial deposits. All coercivity proxies are consistent with each other, which suggests that observed changes in HIRM and S-ratio are representative of real changes in hematite abundance rather than shifts in coercivity distributions, even though the modified L-ratio varies widely.
Production of Fission Product 99Mo using High-Enriched Uranium Plates in Polish Nuclear Research Reactor MARIA: Technology and Neutronic Analysis

The main objective of 235 U irradiation is to obtain the 99m Tc isotope, which is widely used in the domain of medical diagnostics. The decisive factor determining its availability, despite its short lifetime, is a reaction of radioactive decay of 99 Mo into 99m Tc. One of the possible sources of molybdenum can be achieved in course of the 235 U fission reac- tion. The paper presents activities and the calculation results obtained upon the feasibility study on irradiation of 235 U targets for production of 99 Mo in the MARIA research reactor. Neutronic calculations and analyses were performed to estimate the fission products activity for uranium plates irradiated in the reactor. Results of dummy targets irradiation as well as irradiation uranium plates have been presented. The new technology obtaining 99 Mo is based on irradiation of high-enriched uranium plates in standard reactor fuel channel and calculation of the current fission power generation. Measurements of temperatures and the coolant flow in the molybdenum installation carried out in reactor SAREMA system give online information about the current fission power generated in uranium targets. The corrective factors were taken into account as the heat generation from gamma radiation from neighbouring fuel elements as well as heat exchange between channels and the reactor pool. The factors were determined by calibration measurements conducted with aluminium mock-up of uranium plates. Calculations of fuel channel by means of REBUS code with fine mesh structure and libraries calculated by means of WIMS-ANL code were performed.
Mistakes allow evolutionary stability in the repeated prisoner's dilemma game.

The repeated prisoner's dilemma game has been widely used in analyses of the evolution of reciprocal altruism. Recently it was shown that no pure strategy could be evolutionarily stable in the repeated prisoner's dilemma. Here I show that if there is always some probability that individuals will make a mistake, then a pure strategy can be evolutionarily stable provided that it is “strong perfect equilibria” against itself. To be a strong perfect equilibrium against itself, a strategy must be the best response to itself after every possible sequence of behavior. I show that both unconditional defection and a modified version of tit-for-tat have this property.
Heterosubtypic immunity to influenza A virus infection requires B cells but not CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Heterosubtypic immunity (HSI), defined as protective cross-reactivity to lethal infection with influenza A virus of a serotype different from the virus initially encountered, is thought to be mediated by cross-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). This study provides direct evidence for the role of effector CTL versus B cells in HSI in mice with a targeted disruption in the a chain of CD8 molecule (CD8 + T cell deficient) or the immunoglobulin m heavy chain (B cell deficient), respectively. CD8 + T cell‐deficient mice developed complete HSI. These mice displayed normal humoral immune responses, as determined by titers of subtype cross-reactive antibodies and virus-neutralizing antibodies specific for the immunizing influenza strain. In contrast, HSI was not observed in B cell‐deficient mice, although these mice could mount cross-reactive CTL responses. These results show that B cells are required for HSI and provide new insight into the mechanisms of HSI, with significant implications in vaccine development. Protection against challenge with the same strain of influenza viruses is normally attributed to neutralizing antibodies specific for viral membrane glycoproteins, hemagglutinin, and neuraminidase. Due to periodic antigenic shifts in these 2 glycoproteins, virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies induced by primary infection fail to protect against secondary infection with a different subtype. However, natural infections, but not immunization with inactivated virus, usually provide complete protection against homologous virus and strong immunity against infection with virus of a different subtype [1]. This cross-protection among different subtypes of influenza A virus is mediated by heterosubtypic immunity (HSI) in the absence of virus-specific antibodies that recognize the outer membrane proteins [2] and is thought to be mediated by subtype cross-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) [3‐6]. These CTL recognize conserved epitopes of internal proteins, such as nucleoprotein (NP) or matrix protein shared by influenza A virus subtypes. Despite intensive studies, the precise effector mechanisms for HSI remain ambiguous. For example, passive transfer of large numbers of in vitro‐activated T cells possessing subtype-specific
Meeting to Find a Way to Let Me Down Easy

Let Me Down Easy is the latest installment in Anna Deavere Smith's docudrama series, On the Road: A Search for the American Character. Opening on Broadway during the height of the 2009 town hall meetings centered on health care reform, Let Me Down Easy affirms the need for cultural events that transform the average citizen's private voice into public discourse.
Ecological genomics in full colour

Colour patterns in animals have long offered an opportunity to observe adaptive traits in natural populations. Colour plays myriad roles in interactions within and among species, from reproductive signalling to predator avoidance, leading to multiple targets of natural and sexual selection and opportunities for diversification. Understanding the genetic and developmental underpinnings of variation in colour promises a fuller understanding of these evolutionary processes, but the path to unravelling these connections can be arduous. The advent of genomic techniques suitable for nonmodel organisms is now beginning to light the way. Two new studies in this issue of Molecular Ecology use genomic sequencing of laboratory crosses to map colour traits in cichlid fishes, a remarkably diverse group in which coloration has played a major role in diversification. They illustrate how genomic approaches, specifically RAD sequencing, can rapidly identify both simple and more complex genetic variation underlying ecologically important traits. In the first, Henning et al. (2014) detect a single locus that appears to control in a Mendelian fashion the presence of horizontal stripes, a trait that has evolved in numerous cichlid lineages. In the second, Albertson et al. (2014) identify several genes and epistatic interactions affecting multiple colour traits, as well as a novel metric describing integration across colour traits. Albertson et al. (2014) go further, by quantifying differential expression of parental alleles at a candidate locus and by relating differentiation among natural populations at mapped loci to trait divergence. Herein lies the promise of ecological genomics – efficiently integrating genetic mapping of phenotypes with population genomic data to both identify functional genes and unravel their evolutionary history. These studies offer guidance on how genomic techniques can be tailored to a research question or study system, and they also add to the growing body of empirical examples addressing basic questions about how ecologically important traits evolve in natural populations.
Increasing fruit, vegetable and water consumption in summer day camps—3-year findings of the healthy lunchbox challenge

The objective of this study was to describe the 3-year outcomes (2011-2013) from the healthy lunchbox challenge (HLC) delivered in the US-based summer day camps (SDC) (8-10 hours day(-1), 10-11 weeks summer(-1), SDC) to increase children and staff bringing fruit, vegetables and water (FVW) each day. A single group pre- with multiple post-test design was used in four large-scale SDCs serving more than 550 children day(-1) (6-12 years). The percentage of foods/beverages brought by children/staff, staff promotion of healthy eating and children's consumption of FVW was assessed via direct observation over 98 days across three summers. For children (3308 observations), fruit and vegetables (>11-16%) increased; no changes were observed for FVW for staff (398 observations). Reductions in unhealthy foods/beverages (e.g. soda/pop and chips) were observed for both children and staff (minus -10% to 38%). Staff role modeling unhealthy eating/drinking initially decreased but increased by 2013. The majority of children who brought fruit/vegetables consumed them. The HLC can influence the foods/beverages brought to SDCs. Enhancements are required to further increase FVW brought and consumed.
Propagation layers for intra-chip wireless interconnection compatible with packaging and heat removal

Inserting an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer which acts as a dielectric propagating medium between a silicon wafer containing integrated antennas and a metal chuck emulating the role of a heat sink improves the antenna power transmission gain by /spl sim/8 dB at 15 GHz. AlN, with its high thermal conductivity, also alleviates the heat removal problem. With a 760-/spl mu/m AlN layer, an on-chip wireless connection is demonstrated over a 2.2-cm distance, which is 3/spl times/ the previously reported separation.
Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health: Task 3 Report The Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Ambient Carbon Monoxide Levels in the Las Vegas Nonattainment Area

This document is the Task 3 report for the NREL "Impacts of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health" study. The objectives of Task 3 are to estimate the impacts of biodiesel fuels on elevated winter carbon monoxide concentrations for an urban area that is not currently in attainment of the CO standard.
Capuchins (Cebus apella) are limited in their ability to infer others' goals based on context.

Recent research suggests that many primate species understand others' actions not only in terms of their physical movements, but also in terms of the actor's underlying goals and intentions. Impressively, apes also have the capacity to incorporate previously acquired contextual information into their goal representations. To date, little work has tested whether other primates demonstrate this level of flexibility when inferring others' goals. To help address this question, we tested capuchin monkeys using a procedure similar to one that Buttelmann, Schutte, Carpenter, Call, and Tomasello (2012) used to test apes. Capuchin subjects were repeatedly shown an experimenter manipulating locking mechanisms on a series of boxes. In an experimental condition, the experimenter gave subjects food retrieved from inside the boxes, whereas in a control condition subjects never received food from inside the boxes. We then explored how capuchin subjects would interpret the experimenter's ambiguous manipulation of a novel box. In contrast to apes, subjects in our experiment showed little evidence of being able to flexibly use temporally dissociated contextual cues to make inferences regarding others' goals. This result may point to a crucial difference in the sophistication with which ape and nonape primates understand others' actions.
Abstract 2698: Immediate Cerebrovascular and Brain Metabolic Effects of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning

Objective: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a phenomenon by which brief periods of sublethal ischemia in one tissue confers immediate and delayed protection from ischemic injury to distant tissues. A better understanding of the effect of RIPC in the target organs in humans is necessary before this technique can be successfully translated into clinical practice. We investigated the immediate cerebral hemodynamic and metabolic effects induced by RIPC in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods: Patients with SAH aged 18-80 received 3 or 4 sessions of RIPC on non-consecutive days, 4-12 days after SAH. Each session consisted of four 5-minute rounds of lower limb ischemia, each followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. During RIPC sessions, continuous ICP and transcranial Doppler (TCD) were recorded. A morphological clustering and analysis algorithm (MOCAIP) of ICP and TCD curves was used to evaluate the vascular changes. Microdialysis was used for brain metabolic assessment. Positive and negative controls for vasoreactivity and non-RIPC SAH microdialysis controls were used for comparison. Results: Seven RIPC sessions were performed in 4 patients (50% male, mean age 52, Fisher 4, H&H 2-4). During RIPC, there were no systemic changes in BP, HR or CVP. ICP increased in all but one session with a mean change of 8 to 15mmHg (p<0.001), not associated with pain or vital changes. TCD showed a tendency for ICA velocity increase (34.5 to 37cm/sec, p=0.61) and a significant MCA velocity decrease (111 to 87cm/sec, p=0.04). The MCA effect was not sustained beyond the RIPC period. ICP and TCD MOCAIP showed 20 and 3 metrics with directional variance consistent with positive controls for vasodilation. Vasodilation did not persist after the RIPC session. Microdialysis showed no significant variation in glucose, lactate or pyruvate. There were significant reductions in L/P ratio (31 to 28, p=0.002) and in glycerol (126 to 113μ g/L, p=0.009) despite TCD and angiographic evidence of vasospasm in 2 patients. Conclusions: In the setting of SAH, RIPC produces immediate, temporary hemodynamic changes characterized by vasodilation of the cerebral circulation. RIPC also reduced brain glycerol levels detected by microdialysis, indicating preservation of the integrity of cellular membranes and potentially reduction of oxidative stress.
"Manufacturing” Community: Solidarity, Profit, and the Bar Owner

This study considers the potential of eight independently-run bars in a small Connecticut seaport city to “manufacture” community. It focuses on the marked tension faced by the seven owners (and one manager) of these establishments, who seek to attract regular “crowds” with whom they respectively identify while also sustaining profit margins. By examining bar activity and functionality, this study contributes to contemporary understandings of “community” within anthropology. Of particular interest are theoretical frameworks that account for the negotiation of identity and potential development of community as these occur within specific localities, especially small businesses. Based on interview and observational data collected over a six-month period, this study finds that the bar may, indeed, be said to “manufacture” community. Each of the establishments reviewed entices patrons to identify (both as individuals and as members of a “crowd”) with a highly personalized bar space and, by extension, to make regular bar visits. This process fosters continuous discourse between owners and patrons concerning various elements of bar environment. Because owners hold greater influence over the bar space
Forced Response of Premixed Flames: Effect of Flow Non- uniformity

*† ‡ This paper describes a computational and analytical study of the response of premixed flames to acoustic waves. Prior analyses of this problem have generally assumed simple mean and perturbation flow fields in order to allow analytic tractability. In reality, however, geometry effects and the jump in temperature across the flame cause substantial variations in mean and perturbation velocity field at the flame. This paper describes the manner in which these non-uniformities affect the flame response. The unsteady, compressible Euler equations coupled to the level-set equation are solved to study the interaction between an acoustically forced unsteady flow field and a premixed flame with varying temperature ratio, T b /T u . The flame transfer function is affected through the resulting effect upon both mean and perturbation flow fields. Gas expansion across the flame causes acceleration of the mean flow velocity along the flame. This causes the effective residence time of wrinkles on the flame to vary with T b /T u , although the flame has the same frequency of forcing, approach flow velocity and mean flame length. In addition, wave reflection and refraction at the flame frame cause spatial non-uniformities in the perturbation field that is exciting the flame, with values that can vary appreciably from that of the incident wave. A companion theoretical analysis of the level- equation is performed; leading to explicit analytical expressions for the effective Strouhal number St 2 ! and reference velocity ! u ref controlling the flame response. These are then used to define a heat release transfer function that can be compared across a range of T b /T u values. The key result of this paper is identification of the relevant physical parameters that describe the variations of flame response with geometry/temperature ratio through their influence upon the perturbation field normal to the flame and mean flow field tangential to the flame.
Predictive Model Development for Adsorption of Aromatic Contaminants by Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

In the present study, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) and Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) techniques were used to develop predictive models for adsorption of organic contaminants by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Adsorption data for 29 aromatic compounds from literature (i.e., the training data) including some of the experimental results obtained in our laboratory were used to develop predictive models with multiple linear regression analysis. The generated QSAR (r(2) = 0.88), and LSER (r(2) = 0.83) equations were validated externally using an independent validation data set of 30 aromatic compounds. External validation accuracies indicated the success of parameter selection, data fitting ability, and the prediction strength of the developed models. Finally, the combination of training and validation data were used to obtain a combined LSER equation (r(2) = 0.83) that would be used for predicting adsorption of a wide range of low molecular weight aromatics by MWCNTs. In addition, LSER models at different concentrations were generated, and LSER parameter coefficients were examined to gain insights to the predominant adsorption interactions of low molecular weight aromatics on MWCNTs. The molecular volume term (V) of the LSER model was the most influential descriptor controlling adsorption at all concentrations. At higher equilibrium concentrations, hydrogen bond donating (A) and hydrogen bond accepting (B) terms became significant in the models. The results demonstrate that successful predictive models can be developed for the adsorption of organic compounds by CNTs using QSAR and LSER techniques.
Relative Effectiveness of Three Behavioral Influence Strategies as Supplements to Persuasion in a Marketing Context

The relative effectiveness of three influence strategies in gaining acceptance of a new service advocated by either a high or low credibility source was determined. Although the influence strategie...
Relating Ability and Personality to the Efficacy and Performance of Dyadic Teams

We examined the extent to which member ability and personality relate to differences in team performance and team efficacy in a task setting that simulated the high degree of role interdependence and human-technology interaction found in many military contexts. 168 male participants were assigned to dyadic teams and trained for two weeks to learn and perform a complex computer task that simulated the demands of a dynamic aviation environment. Participants also completed measures of general mental ability, psychomotor ability, and the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability). Team performance and team efficacy were assessed multiple times throughout training. Results indicated that ability was a critical determinant of both performance and efficacy, and personality traits yielded an incremental contribution to both performance and efficacy. In particular, psychomotor ability and conscientiousness were the strongest and most consistent f...
Role of Counter-substrate Surface Energy in Macroscale Friction of Nanofiber Arrays

The effect of counter-substrate surface energy on macroscale friction of nanofiber array is studied. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) fibrillar array fabricated from silicon nanowire template is tested against glass substrates modified with various self-assembled monolayers, which exhibit a wide range of surface energy. A large drop in friction over a narrow range of surface energy is observed and explained in terms of drastically reduced number of fibers in actual contact, in addition to the reduced surface energy. The relationship between surface energy and fiber engagement is discussed with Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR) and elastic beam models.
Research progress on genetic toxicity of lead and its compounds

Because of the great variety of applications in industry,lead is a common environmental pollutant and occupational hazard.It is well documented that lead and its compounds can cause adverse health effects in variety of systems in the body,and disturb the normal physiological function.However,the data existing with regard to its carcinogenic,clastogenic and mutagenic properties still contradictory.This literature review mainly focuses on the latest research on the genetic toxicity of lead and its compounds.
Jaw lesions resulting from renal hyperparathyroidism in a young dog--a case report

A five-month-old male Labrador retriever presented with massive bilateral jaw and facial swelling. Ulcers were found on the buccal mucosa and palate, and the jaws were flexible on firm palpation. The dog could eat only soft food and was underweight. Renal hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed based on serum chemistry screen, parathormone concentration, radiological findings and histopathology. The dog was euthanatized because of an extremely poor prognosis.
Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs with linewidths at the 1-Hz Level

Femtosecond laser frequency combs (FLFCs) can be phase-locked with sub-Hertz linewidth and a coherence time of 5 s relative to a low-noise reference laser. Thus we are able to detect high contrast spectral interferograms at up to 10 s integration time between two FLFCs sharing a common optical reference. We also establish an upper limit of 4 Hz on the absolute linewidth of the FLFC components.
Introduction: Technology and the Human Psyche

This study examines the startling impact of a unique modern technological construction on the human psyche, together with its accompanying opportunities for political manipulation. Here are interwoven two very different but fundamental aspects of human endeavour. Technology is the logical offspring of scientific study. It proceeds from formulated study towards reasoned practical ends. Politics, by contrast, is not a science to be examined; it is an art to be learned. Bismarck once wrote succinctly: ‘The practitioner of politics seeks power, either for ideological or egotistical support of other causes, or for its own sake, in order to relish the prestige which it bestows’.1 Technology has always been linked with power-seeking, from the great affairs of state to the smallest individual circumstances of one human being pursuing advantage over another. The entire spectrum of this behaviour came into play with the developing technology of the rigid airship between 1890 and 1940. Before beginning with the outlines of that remarkable half-century of lighter-than-air evolution, three basic phenomena of that era require introductory attention.