cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of dispersal and selection on stochastic assembly in microbial communities

Stochastic processes can play an important role in microbial community assembly. Dispersal limitation is one process that can increase stochasticity and obscure relationships between environmental variables and microbial community composition, but the relationship between dispersal, selection and stochasticity has not been described in a comprehensive way. We examine how dispersal and its interactions with drift and selection alter the consistency with which microbial communities assemble using a realistic, individual-based model of microbial decomposers. Communities were assembled under different environmental conditions and dispersal rates in repeated simulations, and we examined the compositional difference among replicate communities colonizing the same type of leaf litter ('within-group distance'), as well as between-group deterministic selection. Dispersal rates below 25% turnover per year resulted in high within-group distance among communities and no significant environmental effects. As dispersal limitation was alleviated, both within- and between-group distance decreased, but despite this homogenization, deterministic environmental effects remained significant. In addition to direct effects of dispersal rate, stochasticity of community composition was influenced by an interaction between dispersal and selection strength. Specifically, communities experiencing stronger selection (less favorable litter chemistries) were more stochastic, possibly because lower biomass and richness intensified drift or priority effects. Overall, we show that dispersal rate can significantly alter patterns of community composition. Partitioning the effects of dispersal, selection and drift based on static patterns of microbial composition will be difficult, if not impossible. Experiments will be required to tease apart these complex interactions between assembly processes shaping microbial communities.
Best practices in ensuring the safe use of insulin pens in the hospital: Introduction

Hyperglycemia is common in hospitalized patients, and insulin is the preferred antihyperglycemic treatment in the inpatient setting.[1][1],[2][2] Insulin is a high-alert medication associated with a significant risk for patient harm when used incorrectly or inappropriately.[3][3] Numerous reports
VIBRIO PARAHAEMOLYTICUS METHODOLOGY FOR ISOLATION FROM SEAFOODS AND EPIDEMIC SPECIMENS1

The newly revised procedure in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual of the Food and Drug Administration for the analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood samples and epidemic specimens is reviewed. Details of Sample preparation of seafoods and epidemic specimens, media and test reagent formulations, enrichment and isolation procedures, and the biochemical and serological diagnostic criteria of V. parahaemolyticus are presented. The biochemical schema for the separation of other interfering marine vibrios is included.
Exchange of Dissolved Substances between Soil and Water

Pond soil can be a sink or a source of dissolved substances for pond water. An equilibrium exists between the concentration of a substance in the soil and its concentration in the water. If the concentration in the water increases, the soil will adsorb the substance until equilibrium is reestablished. Conversely, if the concentration in water decreases, the soil will desorb the substance until the aqueous concentration is again at equilibrium. In its simplest form, exchange of dissolved substances between soil and water can be expressed as $$ {C_{{(W)}}} = {C_{{(S)}}} $$ (4.1) and $$ \frac{{{C_{{(S)}}}}}{{{C_{{(W)}}}}} = {K_{{SD}}} $$ (4.2) where C (s) = amount of substance adsorbed per unit weight of dry soil (g g-1) C (w) = concentration of substance dissolved in water (g m-3) K SD = soil distribution coefficient (m3 g-1) Exchange processes are usually more complex than indicated by the soil distribution coefficient equation (4.2). In ponds, they involve inputs and loses of substances, movements of substances within pond water and soil, transfer of substances across the soil-water interface, and uptake or release of substances by the soil (Fig. 4.1).
Designing a hybrid approach with computational analysis and visual analytics to detect network intrusions

As network traffic has become more prevalent and complex, understanding network traffic patterns is vital to design innovative detection methods. Researchers have proposed various intrusion detection techniques by integrating different machine learning algorithms, but these techniques commonly share a high false-positive rate problem. In this study, we propose a hybrid approach of integrating computational analysis with visual analytics to detect network intrusions. For the computational analysis, both Multi-Resolution Analysis (MRA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are applied to analyze network traffic data. First, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is utilized as the MRA approach to extract features from the network traffic data. After determining statistically significant features from a statistical validation, PCA is applied to transform the extracted features for identifying principal components in eigenspace. Lastly, a visual analytics tool is designed to help the user conduct an interactive visual analysis on detected network intrusions by initiating interactive visual validation and verification. We found that our approach is useful to detect the network intrusions as well as to understand their patterns.
Antimicrobial Stewardship for Newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Overuse of antibiotics causing antibiotic resistance, an increase in Clostridium difficile infections, and increased adverse drug reactions is a growing problem. To combat this growing threat, the Centers for Disease Control started a program to improve the appropriate use of antimicrobials that focuses on antimicrobial stewardship. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) medically fragile infants are commonly exposed to antibiotics resulting in a growing interest in applying antimicrobial stewardship principles in this patient population. The lack of treatment guidelines and the relatively narrow spectrum of individual antibiotics used to make the NICU a unique environment requiring a specialized approach to antimicrobial stewardship. This article examines the current antibiotic treatment data for common NICU illnesses including early and late-onset sepsis, pneumonia, and necrotizing enterocolitis, then reviews current recommendations for antimicrobial stewardship.
Non-neoplastic/Inflammatory Lesions in the Mediastinum

Main non-neoplastic/inflammatory lesions subjected to mediastinal biopsies include fibrosing (sclerosing) mediastinitis, thymic hyperplasia, various cysts, normal or abnormal ectopic tissues within the mediastinum. Increasingly, limited approaches such as core needle and fine needle aspiration biopsies have been used in lieu of surgical biopsies in the evaluation of mediastinal pathology. However, it is extremely difficult to reach a definite diagnosis of non-neoplastic/inflammatory mediastinal lesions based on small biopsies and cytology specimens partly due to the nonspecific nature of their findings typically seen in those specimens. Oftentimes, the histopathologic features in these non-neoplastic conditions may overlap with those of various neoplastic diseases such as Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas, thymic tumors, and germ cell tumors. Also, one should consider a sampling issue; in any given biopsy, it is important to question whether the observed findings account for the real lesion or simply represent a nonspecific reactive change at the periphery of the targeted lesion that is missed. Thus, the importance of careful clinical and radiologic correlation is paramount and a re-biopsy should be considered whenever there is a significant gap between the clinical and pathologic findings. In this chapter, salient features of the main non-neoplastic/inflammatory mediastinal lesions are discussed including a newly described IgG4-related disease involving the mediastinum as fibrosing mediastinitis. A better understanding of the protean clinical and histopathologic manifestations of these conditions should aid in the interpretation of small mediastinal biopsies.
Validity and Responsiveness of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score: A Comparative Study Among Total Knee Replacement Patients

Objective To evaluate validity and responsiveness of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) in relation to other patient-reported outcome measures before and after total knee replacement (TKR). Methods Pre-TKR and 6-month post-TKR data from 1,143 patients in a US joint replacement cohort were used to compare the KOOS, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Validity was evaluated with multiple methods, including correlations of pre-TKR scale scores and analysis of variance models that used pre-TKR data to compare the relative validity of scales in discriminating between groups differing in assistive walking device use and number of comorbid conditions. Validity was also evaluated by using post-TKR minus pre-TKR change scores to assess relative validity of scales in discriminating between groups rating themselves as better, same, or worse (BSW) in their capability to do activities at 6 months. Responsiveness also was described using effect sizes and standardized response means. Results In support of convergent and discriminant validity, KOOS scale scores were worse for patients using an assistive device but only declined weakly with increasing comorbid conditions. While all knee-specific scales discriminated between BSW groups, the KOOS quality of life (QOL) scale was significantly better (P < 0.05) than all measures except the SF-36 physical component summary. KOOS QOL also had the highest effect size, while SF-36 measures had lower effect sizes and standardized response means. KOOS pain and symptoms scales discriminated better than WOMAC pain and stiffness scales among BSW groups. Conclusion KOOS scales were valid and responsive in this cohort of US TKR patients. KOOS QOL performed particularly well in capturing aggregate knee-specific outcomes.
A fast 4D IMRT/VMAT planning method based on segment aperture morphing.

Purpose Four-dimensional volumetric modulated arc therapy (4D VMAT) and four-dimensional intensity-modulated radiotherapy (4D IMRT) are developing radiation therapy treatment strategies designed to maximize dose conformality, minimize normal tissue dose, and deliver the treatment as efficiently as possible. The patient's entire breathing cycle is captured through 4D imaging modalities and then separated into individual breathing phases for planning purposes. Optimizing multiphase VMAT and IMRT plans is computationally demanding and currently impractical for clinical application. The purpose of this study is to assess a new planning process decreasing the upfront computational time required to optimize multiphased treatment plans while maintaining good plan quality. Methods Optimized VMAT and IMRT plans were created on the end-of-exhale (EOE) breathing phase of 10-phase 4D CT scans with planning tumor volume (PTV)-based targets. These single-phase optimized plans are analogous to single-phase gated treatment plans. The simulated tracked plans were created by deformably registering EOE contours to the remaining breathing phases, recalculating the optimized EOE plan onto the other individual phases and realigning the MLC's relative positions to the PTV border in each of the individual breathing phases using a segment aperture morphing (SAM) algorithm. Doses for each of the 10 phases were calculated with the treatment planning system and deformably transferred back onto the EOE phase and averaged with equal weighting simulating the actual delivered dose a patient would potentially receive in a tracked treatment plan. Results Plan DVH quality for the 10-phase 4D SAM plans were comparable with the individual EOE optimized treatment plans for the PTV structures as well as the organ at risk structures. SAM-based algorithms out performed simpler isocenter-shifted only approaches. SAM-based 4D planning greatly reduced plan computation time vs individually optimizing all 10 phases. In addition, since this technique allows irradiation during all 10 breathing phases it will also decrease the treatment times required to treat each fraction in comparison to the gated treatment planning approach. Conclusions Segment aperture morphing (SAM) can successfully be used to transfer radiation therapy plans originally planned on a single breathing phase image set to other patient breathing phase image sets. SAM is a useful tool for the fast creation of 4D, multibreathing phase radiation therapy treatment plans.
The Fabric of the Indian Ocean World: Reflections on the Life Cycle of Cloth

This chapter explores the dynamism of cloth as an object imagined, fabricated and creatively adapted. Referencing contributions to the volume and other recent work, it promotes a holistic view of cloth as both cultural and economic object, a perspective that acknowledges the ways in which niche markets and complementary processes of alteration have augmented cloth’s socio-economic value and importance as a medium of transregional engagement. As evidenced by the chapters in this collection, a consideration of the long production chains and myriad uses of textiles offers a deeper understanding of the world of the Indian Ocean, the world from the perspective of the Indian Ocean and processes of global integration over many centuries.
Role of prostanoids in gastrointestinal cancer

Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for gastrointestinal cancer and other diseases. Most studies have focused on cytokines and chemokines as mediators connecting chronic inflammation to cancer, whereas the involvement of lipid mediators, including prostanoids, has not been extensively investigated. Prostanoids are among the earliest signaling molecules released in response to inflammation. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that prostanoids are involved in gastrointestinal cancer. In this Review, we discuss how prostanoids impact gastrointestinal cancer development. In particular, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of how prostaglandin E2 induces the immunosuppressive microenvironment in gastrointestinal cancers.
From the CFO to the Bed Side: An Examination of Nursing Home Financial Distress on Quality

Motivation: The financial viability of a nursing home may have a direct impact on resident’s health and contribute to health disparities. Altman’s Z-Score Bankruptcy Model is used to predict group ...
Nutritional concepts in the treatment of cancer.

Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy predictably increase nutrient requirements and at the same time interfere with the patient’s abihty to eat. Surveys of protein-calorie malnutrition in major metropolitan hospitals have indicated that 40% of the malnourished patients have cancer.1 Because of this high incidence, the practicing oncologist must not only recognize the malnourished patient who presents for oncologic therapy and be able to initiate measures to replenish the patient before proceeding with therapy but must also attempt to prevent further nutritional depletion during treatment.
Banned Objects Week: A Preemptive Defense of Intellectual Freedom in Twenty-First-Century Libraries

The rapid proliferation of 3D printing technologies across all types of libraries has put information professionals in a somewhat precarious position. Despite a rich history of defending intellectual freedom, and numerous programs that promote accessibility of potentially controversial textual material, little has been written or codified with respect to the librarian’s role as 3D printing gatekeeper. Yet freely available 3D models abound which might be deemed inappropriate, politically sensitive, or even illegal. This commentary proposes a proactive solution to the issue of taboo print requests: “Banned Objects Week”. Banned Objects Week—which can be implemented as a fully interactive online display of controversial 3D models—serves to demonstrate the power of this emerging technology while exposing practicing librarians and their patrons to a range of controversial but oftentimes legitimate (and definitely printable) physical artifacts.
A Wearable IoT with Complex Artificial Perception Embedding for Alzheimer Patients

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is categorized as a progressive loss of cognitive functions such as impaired short-term memory and spatial cognition. In addition to memory difficulties, people with Alzheimer's experience challenges with visual perception and even recognizing loved ones. This study attempts to develop a platform to support patients who suffer from face perception impairment with an assistive intelligence device. Until recently, the development of wearable IoT devices has been hindered by the lack of their computational power. To achieve this goal, we develop a wearable assistive IoT with complex embedded artificial perception using deep learning for Alzheimer's patients. The experiments show the capability of the proposed system in identifying known faces in a near real-time manner.
Nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) activity is a therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating and fatal motor neuron disease. Diagnosis typically occurs in the fifth decade of life and the disease progresses rapidly leading to death within ~ 2–5 years of symptomatic onset. There is no cure, and the few available treatments offer only a modest extension in patient survival. A protein central to ALS is the nuclear RNA/DNA-binding protein, TDP-43. In > 95% of ALS patients, TDP-43 is cleared from the nucleus and forms phosphorylated protein aggregates in the cytoplasm of affected neurons and glia. We recently defined that poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) activity regulates TDP-43-associated toxicity. PAR is a posttranslational modification that is attached to target proteins by PAR polymerases (PARPs). PARP-1 and PARP-2 are the major enzymes that are active in the nucleus. Here, we uncovered that the motor neurons of the ALS spinal cord were associated with elevated nuclear PAR, suggesting elevated PARP activity. Veliparib, a small-molecule inhibitor of nuclear PARP-1/2, mitigated the formation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregates in mammalian cells. In primary spinal-cord cultures from rat, Veliparib also inhibited TDP-43-associated neuronal death. These studies uncover that PAR activity is misregulated in the ALS spinal cord, and a small-molecular inhibitor of PARP-1/2 activity may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of ALS and related disorders associated with abnormal TDP-43 homeostasis.
Bending and Twisting Tests for RF Performances of Textile Transmission Lines

The RF performances of smart textiles upon bending and twisting are considered in this work. Two textile-based transmission lines (TTLs) were fabricated on denim and organza, and loss-performance comparison was made based on two mechanical deformations such as bending and twisting. The measurements suggested that organza-based TTLs exhibited the least loss (0.6 dB/cm) for frequency up to 10 GHz when considered parameters like embroidery patterns, stitching density and tension, as well as microstructure of the substrates. The validation of the proof-of-concept was realized by fabricating a patch antenna, which measurements have very close agreement with simulation. These results can be used as guidelines for future textile fabrication for wearable applications.
COVID-19 Psychosis: A Potential New Neuropsychiatric Condition Triggered by Novel Coronavirus Infection and the Inflammatory Response?

Abstract Background A growing literature documents psychological distress related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19 or SARS-CoV2) pandemic. Method We describe new-onset psychotic symptoms in three patients with no prior history of psychosis who tested positive in the Emergency Department for COVID-19 and who were otherwise asymptomatic. Results Patients had similar presentations of agitation, disorganization, paranoid ideation and auditory hallucinations, with concurrent evidence of systemic inflammation as indicated by elevated C-reactive protein and other inflammatory markers. Conclusion In addition to the possibility of a stress-related trigger, based on evidence of immune activation, we postulate a potential immune-mediated neuropsychiatric trigger to these new-onset psychotic symptoms that warrants further investigation.
University Startup Accelerators: Startup Launchpads or Vehicles for Entrepreneurial Learning?:

Over the past decade, universities have invested heavily in startup accelerator programs; however, their role in the university entrepreneurial ecosystem is ambiguous. Are university startup accele...
Evaluation of Primary and Secondary Free Flap Desyndactylization Techniques in Hand and Digit Reconstruction: A Systematic Review

Objective Injuries of the hand often require free flap reconstruction. To minimize flap loss, evidence exists to surgically syndactylize digits when repairing multiple injuries, with delayed flap division, or desyndactylization. However, evidence suggests that division of the flap at the time of inset can be accomplished with minimal negative effect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes, following hand reconstruction with free flaps utilizing either acute or staged desyndactylization techniques. Methods A systematic review utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed. Articles that described the use of a free flap for surgically syndactylized digits or multilobed flaps for coverage of multiple digits were included. Results One hundred sixty-one articles were reviewed with 34 fulfilling inclusion criteria. One hundred seventeen patients underwent 145 free flap reconstructions. Traumatic avulsions (49%) were the most common injuries, followed by burns (11%). Twenty-one (62%) papers described surgical syndactylization of digits, which were later desyndactylized and five (15%) papers included reconstruction of more than one digit with multilobed free flaps. Eight papers (24%) described both techniques. Overall, 100% of included flaps survived. Total complication rate was 6%, with six complications (67%) occurring in flaps with primary syndactylization. Conclusion Hand defects often require free flaps for reconstruction. Although free flaps for the reconstruction of digital defects is technically demanding, they result in better outcomes. With available evidence indicating complications rates less than those of staged desyndactylization, multidigit reconstruction with multilobed free flaps may be a more desirable technique.
Abstract SP057: Mechanisms Controlling Expression of the Breast Cancer Genomic DNA Deaminase APOBEC3B

Introduction: APOBEC3B (A3B)-catalyzed DNA cytosine deamination contributes to the overall mutational landscape in primary and metastatic breast cancer. While low in normal tissues, A3B expression and activity are elevated in many primary tumors and increase further in metastases. Prior studies have implicated the RB/E2F signaling pathway in A3B overexpression in breast cancer but a detailed molecular mechanism has yet to be described. Methods: A combination of genetic, biochemical, proteomic, and bioinformatic approaches were used to investigate whether dysregulation of the RB/E2F signaling pathway is a molecular trigger for A3B overexpression in breast cancer. Results: First, an A3B promoter-driven luciferase reporter was used to demonstrate functional repression by one of five predicted E2F binding sites. Disruption of this single E2F site both phenocopied and prevented further induction by BK polyomavirus T antigen, which was known from prior studies to induce A3B expression. Second, targeted disruption of the endogenous E2F binding site caused strong A3B upregulation and confirmed the importance of this cis-regulatory element. Third, proteomics experiments showed that members of the DREAM and PRC1.6 complexes are able to bind to wildtype but not to mutant E2F promoter sequences. Additional biochemical, genetic, and cell biological studies implicated both the E2F4/DREAM complex and E2F6/PRC1.6 complex in endogenous A3B repression. Last, bioinformatic analyses of breast cancer data sets showed A3B overexpression and higher levels of APOBEC signature mutations in tumors with coordinately overexpressed E2F target genes. Conclusions: These studies combine to demonstrate that A3B expression is suppressed in normal cells by repressive E2F complexes and that disruption of this regulatory network triggers overexpression in breast cancer and provides fuel for tumor evolution. These studies raise the possibility that overexpression of an E2F gene set in breast tumors may be a biomarker for APOBEC mutability. Citation Format: R Harris. Mechanisms Controlling Expression of the Breast Cancer Genomic DNA Deaminase APOBEC3B [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr SP057.
Impact of the 2018 Change in US Allocation Policy on Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract BACKGROUND The US adult heart allocation policy was changed on October 18, 2018. This study aims to evaluate its impact on orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) for adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). METHODS The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to perform two comparisons: waitlist outcomes among listed ACHD candidates, and post-transplant outcomes in those transplanted. Waitlisted candidates were stratified by date of waitlisting: Period 1: 2010 to 2013; Period 2: 2014 to October 17, 2018 and Period 3: October 18, 2018 to March 20, 2020. Transplanted ACHD patients were similarly stratified but by date of transplantation. Competing risk regression for waitlist outcomes was performed. Post-transplant survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS 976 patients with ACHD were waitlisted for OHT in our study: 343(35.1%), 466(47.8%), and 167(17.1%) in periods 1, 2 and 3. Post-policy change, 1-year cumulative incidence of waitlist mortality or deterioration decreased (p=0.02). 648 patients were transplanted: 221(34.1%), 329(50.8%) and 98(15.1%) respectively. In those transplanted, post-policy median waitlist time (174, 161 and 38 days, p CONCLUSIONS The recent US allocation policy change may have resulted in reduced waitlist times and 1-year waitlist mortality for OHTs in ACHD patients. Early post-transplant outcomes appear comparable post-policy change.
Thermal Diffusivity Measurements in Carbon-Carbon Composites

In recent years, carbon-carbon composite materials have come into widespread use in aerospace industries. These materials are particularly attractive for high temperature applications due to their thermal and mechanical behavior. Few quantitative measurements, however, have been made to characterize these materials. One problem encountered with carbon-carbon composites is porosity. Materials engineers have determined that degree of porosity is correlated to inter-laminar shear strength in carbon-carbon composites. Since repetition of the carbon-carbon processing cycle reduces porosity, a technique for assessing porosity between processing cycles that is non-contacting and does not contaminate the material would be of value. A material property which is related to density and therefore to porosity, is thermal diffusivity. Thermal diffusivity is easily measured non-contactingly and remotely with infrared techniques and is therefore an attractive candidate measurement for assessing porosity between processing cycles of carbon-carbon composites.
Hydrogen Injection and Migration in Silicon

Resonance depth profiling with 15N beams and in-situ capacitance-voltage profiling techniques were used to measure hydrogen concentration and migration in the near-surface of silicon. Spontaneous hydrogen injection into silicon has been discovered in samples exposed to room air, and also in the samples annealed in the vacuum of about 2×10E-6 Torr. Electric field drift experiments have shown a very fast in-bulk migration of positively charged hydrogen species. Short term reverse bias annealing results in shallow acceptor neutralization. The observed hydrogen injection appears to be a general effect and intrinsic property of the near-surface of silicon, and probably other semiconductors.
Perception of Human and Nonhuman Facial Age by Developmentally Disabled Children

Human and nonhuman faces were shown to clinical controls, autistic, mentally retarded, and language-disordered children to assess their ability to detect and draw inferences about facial age. Children were asked to select from sets of three faces the one that appeared youthful or to select faces that would be associated with some age-related characteristic. In two studies, it was found that, relative to other children, autistic children had more difficulty perceiving youthfulness in nonhuman faces compared with human faces. These data are discussed with respect to differences in mechanisms and processes that may underlie facial information processing in autistic and nonautistic children.
Slide Presentation: Reconsidering and Improving Existing Tax Subsidies for Housing

Slides used to accompany a testimony of the same name (also on SSRN) given before a Joint Informational Hearing of the California Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development and Committee on Revenue and Taxation on March 18, 2013. The presentation provides a framework to assist the Committees in thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of using the tax system to subsidize aspects of housing policy in California. Chief among his recommendations, Professor Ventry urged the committees to redesign all of the state’s tax expenditures purporting to promote homeownership. In particular, he advocated (i) abandoning federal adjusted gross income (AGI) as the starting point for determining state income tax liability, a move that would add billions of dollars in revenue to California’s coffers; (ii) eliminating usage of tax deductions as a delivery mechanism for housing tax benefits; (iii) restricting basis step-up on inherited property to cases of hardship; (iv) limiting the exclusion for capital gains on home sales by accounting for built-in gains due to inflation (in order to tax only real gains and not nominal gains); and (v) enacting a “Homeownership Tax Credit” in lieu of both the mortgage interest deduction and the property tax deduction.
Evolutionary convergence in Neotropical cichlids and Nearctic centrarchids: evidence from morphology, diet, and stable isotope analysis

Despite divergent evolutionary histories, Neotropical cichlids (Cichlidae) and Nearctic sunfishes (Centrarchidae) appear to have similar functional morphotypes and occupy similar ecological niches. We applied an integrative approach analyzing morphological traits, stomach contents, and stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N) to investigate whether local assemblages of cichlids (Venezuela, Peru) and centrarchids (Texas) reveal one-to-one patterns of morphological and ecological convergence. Multivariate ordinations performed on diet and morphology datasets identified a broad overlap between cichlid and centrarchid assemblages. The functional morphology of the two groups has diversified in a convergent manner within the confines of ram-suction modes of prey ingestion. Both groups had the same set of ecomorph types that corresponded to the same trophic niches, including substrate-sifting invertivores, epibenthic invertebrate gleaners, and piscivores; the one exception was a molluscivorous sunfish, comprising a niche that was not represented in the two cichlid assemblages. Estimates of trophic positions based on stable isotope analysis revealed convergent vertical trophic structure; with few exceptions, fishes with similar morphologies had similar trophic positions. Large-bodied piscivores had highest trophic positions, whereas small and medium-bodied generalists and invertivores had low to intermediate trophic positions. Consistent patterns of ecomorphological convergence in these two perciform groups provide strong evidence for adaptation involving constrains in functional morphology associated with feeding. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 109, 146–164.
Technology and autonomous mechanisms in the mediterranean: From ancient Greece to Byzantium

The paper aims at presenting technology and automation advances in the ancient Greek World, offering evidence that feedback control as a discipline dates back more than twenty five centuries.
Higher-Order and Semantic Unification

We provide a complete system of transformation rules for semantic unification with respect to theories defined by convergent rewrite systems. We show that this standard unification procedure, with slight modifications, can be used to solve the satisfiability problem in combinatory logic with a convergent set of algebraic axioms R, thus resulting in a complete higher-order unification procedure for R. Furthermore, we use the system of transformation rules to provide a syntactic characterization for R which results in decidability of semantic unification.
GFP fusions to a microtubule motor protein to visualize meiotic and mitotic spindle dynamics in Drosophila.

Publisher Summary Despite intense studies for more than a century, the basis of the movements of the spindle and chromosomes during cell division is still not clearly established. A major breakthrough in recent years has been the discovery that microtubule motors are intimately involved in all aspects of chromosome and spindle movement during meiosis and mitosis. One of the microtubule motors now known to be required for spindle assembly and maintenance during meiosis in Drosophila oocytes is Ncd. Ncd also functions during mitosis in early embryos to maintain attachment of centrosomes to spindle poles and chromosomes to spindle fibers, preventing loss of chromosomes at the metaphase–anaphase transition. The use of ncd-gfp (green fluorescent protein) to visualize spindles is minimally perturbing to the cells and represents an advance over previous methods that have been used to label spindle microtubules. These have involved the injection into live cells of fluorescently labeled tubulin that is incorporated into the spindles.
THE EFFECT OF PREGNANCY AND NORETHYNODREL WITH MESTRANOL (ENOVID) ON LENGTH-TENSION RELATIONSHIP IN THE RABBIT AORTA.

Abstract Length-tension responses of the rabbit aorta were tested by constantly stretching spiral aortic strips, and continuously recording the tension produced. No differences were found between control nonpregnant animals, pregnant animals, and animals treated with Enovid.
Brief Encounters with a Random Key Graph

The notion of the random key graph, which originally appeared in models of secure communication in wireless sensor networks, has been used in other applications, some of which are unrelated to cryptographic-key predistribution or sensor networks. In this presentation, I will outline some of these applications, which exploit the connectivity property of random key graphs and its similarity with that of random graphs. I’d like to start with the zero-one law for randomgraph connectivity, then explain how (i.e., for what graph parameters) this law appears in random key graphs. Then, I will present three brief encounters with random-key-graph properties in new settings and perhaps speculate on other types of useful properties they might have.
A Review of: “Health Information in a Changing World: Practical Approaches for Teachers, Schools and School Librarians. Lukenbill, W. Bernard, and Immroth, Barbara Froling.”

Health Information in a Changing World: Practical Approaches for Teachers, Schools, and School Librarians addresses the interests of schools in providing health education to youth. Authors W. Berna...
Calculation of the electron-phonon spectral function of niobium

The electron-phonon spectral distribution function, α2 (ω) F(ω), has been calculated for niobium. The energy bands and wavefunctions were obtained from a self-consistent APW muffin-tin potential, and the matrix elements were evaluated using the so called rigid ion approximation. The details of the calculation are presented and the results are compared with recent tunneling experiments, which confirm that the electron-phonon interaction is nearly three times larger for transverse phonons compared to the longitudinal phonons. It is shown that screening is of great significance and evidence is given which suggests that the same screening by d-electrons which causes the dips in the phonon dispersion curves of Nb is responsible for enhancing the electron phonon matrix elements and hence, Tc. An omission in the formulas of Gaspari and Gyorffy is pointed out.
Pain, ethics, and public policy.

Pain Medicine is a journal that has, perhaps more than any other, affirmed the significance and relevance of ethical principles and analysis to competent and compassionate pain relief in clinical practice. It is the only medical journal with a section specifically devoted to ethical issues in pain management. Consequently, we are pleased to be able to include in this issue of the journal an analysis of preliminary data from “The Pain Action Initiative: A National Strategy (PAINS),” a project undertaken by staff members of the Center for Practical Bioethics with support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Rx Action Alliance, and Purdue Pharmaceuticals. The article “Defining the Landscape for Chronic Pain Ethics” is for the most part a comprehensive list of what is wrong with pain care, research, and education. The issues raised are not all normative, but rather encompass political, social, and economic factors that have a negative impact on the quality and accessibility of pain care. Nevertheless, the report does provide the background conditions upon which to ground further development and articulation of the ethical issues. As the authors note, remarkably, despite the pervasive perception among these focus groups that ethical issues permeate the range of concerns on chronic pain relief, there is a dearth of articles in the clinical literature on the ethics of pain management—249 in a recent PubMed search, and only 75 when palliative care and basic neuroscience are excluded. It is even more surprising, but worth noting …
Bank Capital and Portfolio Management: the 1930's Capital Crunch and Scramble to Shed Risk

Recent models of banking under asymmetric information argue that depositors penalize banks that offer high-risk deposits. Focusing on New York City banks in the 1920's and 1930's, this study examines how banks manage risk during normal times and in response to severe shocks. We develop and apply a simple framework that identifies the tradeoffs among alternative means of satisfying depositors' preferences for low-risk deposits (i.e. low asset risk versus high capital). During the 1920's profitable lending opportunities and low costs of raising capital prompted banks to increase their asset risk, while increasing capital to maintain low default risks on deposits. Cross-sectional differences in the cost of raising equity explain differences in banks' choices of asset risk and capital ratios. In the wake of the loan losses produced by the Depression, high default risk was penalized with deposit withdrawals. To reduce deposit risk, banks increased their riskless assets and cut dividends, but avoided costly equity issues. Banks with high default risk or with high costs of raising equity contracted dividends the most during the 1930's.
A finite element based method for identification of switched linear systems

Non-stationary time series analysis is important in the study of complex systems. Finding mathematical models for such complex systems with transitions between different phases is an ill-posed problem. This paper brings the problem of time series analysis into the context of hybrid modeling. Approximating the hybrid system by a switched linear system, the problem is reduced to identifying the switching times and model parameters. To address this problem, the non- stationary time series clustering technique based on Finite Elements is used for modeling of switched linear systems. The advantage of this method is that it is not necessary to add restrictive statistical assumptions on system variables. Illustrative examples have been provided to verify the proposed algorithm.
Cytokine regulation of substance P expression in sympathetic neurons.

Abstract The nervous and immune systems interact in a bidirectional fashion. For example, the neuropeptide substance P (SP) has been implicated in a variety of immune responses. Conversely, cytokines, a class of immunoregulatory glycoproteins, affect the synthesis of neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors. This paper examines the role of cytokines in regulating neuropeptide expression in sympathetic neurons. Exposure of cultured explants of the rat superior cervical ganglion to the cytokine interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) increased levels of SP. IL-1 beta increased neuronal SP expression in dissociated cultures of ganglion neuronal and nonneuronal cells but had no effect on peptide content in pure neuronal cultures. By contrast, treatment with a differentiation-promoting protein, leukemia inhibitory factor, increased SP in both pure neuronal and mixed cultures, indicating a different mechanism of action for the two molecules. The specificity of the IL-1 beta effect was further demonstrated by the lack of response to treatment with other cytokines, including interleukin 2, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The cell type necessary for the IL-1 beta activity is probably the ganglion Schwann cell. Treatment with a synthetic immunosuppressant glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, blocked the increase in SP after treatment with IL-1 beta. These observations support the hypothesis that neuropeptide expression is regulated, in part, by interactions with specific immunoregulators. In addition, the data suggest a role for SP in mediating the response of the superior cervical ganglion to injury of the ganglion itself or to the fibers innervating it.
Do Adolescents with Emotional or Behavioral Problems Respond to Cigarette Prices

Adolescents with mental health problems have much higher rates of smoking than those without such problems. Although a large body of evidence suggests that higher cigarette prices reduce smoking prevalence and the quantity smoked, little is known about the interaction between mental health or behavioral problems and tobacco consumption in the general population or among adolescents. Using a national representative sample of adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and employing validated psychiatric measures of emotional distress and behavioral problems, we estimate the price elasticity of cigarette demand for adolescents who have behavioral or emotional problems. The results indicate that these adolescents are at least as responsive to cigarette prices as adolescents with no emotional or behavioral problems.
A new broadband homonuclear mixing pulse for NMR with low applied power.

Broadband homonuclear mixing pulses with low radiofrequency power are essential for NMR spectroscopy of proteins and small molecules, especially for emerging applications in high field NMR. We have analytically designed a mixing pulse with high bandwidth-to-power ratio, using our recently developed multi-frame method. Here, we compare the new pulse, NF4 (mixing in the fourth nutating frame), to the best currently available sequence, focusing on the low-power regime. We use simulations and experiments to compare the two pulses’ relaxation properties and bandwidth, and demonstrate that NF4 has approximately 1.35 times higher bandwidth, with similar effective relaxation. Therefore, NF4 is a good choice for broadband homonuclear mixing, particularly when the available radiofrequency power is limited.
Electrochemical synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of a mercury–platinum–hydride complex

Abstract Controlled potential bulk reductive electrolysis of trans -[PtI 2 (PEt 3 ) 2 ] in 5:2 C 6 H 5 CN:C 6 H 6 (saturated with NaClO 4 ) at a Hg pool electrode at −1.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and at approximately 0°C, yielded two compounds detectable by 31 P{ 1 H} NMR spectroscopy. One compound was the starting material, trans -[PtI 2 (PEt 3 ) 2 ], while the other displayed a complex spectrum. Analysis of the 1 H, 31 P{ 1 H} and 195 Pt{ 1 H} NMR spectra suggested that the compound contained an unaccounted for spin one-half nucleus. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy indicated that the compound contained mercury and the spectra could be satisfactorily interpreted in terms of a mercury–platinum–hydride structure.
Intermittent Cardiac Troponin-I Screening is an Effective Means of Surveillance for a Perioperative Myocardial Infarction

Objective: Several studies suggest that cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) is a more sensitive indicator of cardiac injury compared with other biochemical markers of injury, but the strategy with the highest diagnostic yield (true positive and true negative) for perioperative surveillance is unknown. The authors undertook a prospective evaluation of the perioperative incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) and evaluated surveillance strategies for the diagnosis of MI. Design: Prospective, cohort study. Setting: Two university hospitals. Participants: Four hundred sixty-seven high-risk patients requiring noncardiac surgery. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: The diagnosis of myocardial injury was determined by cardiac protein markers combined with either postoperative changes on 12-lead electrocardiography or 1 of 3 clinical symptoms consistent with MI (chest pain, dyspnea, requirement for hemodynamic support). A receiver operating characteristic curve evaluating troponin in the diagnosis of MI revealed a value of 2.6 ng/mL as having the highest sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity and specificity of cTn-I value ≥2.6 ng/mL, troponin ≥1.5 ng/mL, total creatine kinase (CK) ≥170 IU/L with MB ≥5%, and CK-MB ≥8 ng/mL were compared. Surveillance strategies were determined on a subset of patients (n = 257). The incidence of MI was 9.0% by cTn-I ≥2.6 ng/mL criteria, 19% by cTn-I ≥1.5 ng/mL, 13% by CK-MB mass, and 2.8% by CK-MB%. The specificity of cTn-I ≥2.6 ng/mL as an indicator of MI was 98%, and its positive predictive value (PPV) was 85%. Cardiac troponin-I ≥2.6 ng/mL had equal specificity but greater PPV than the cTn-I ≥1.5 ng/mL (specificity 98% and PPV 79%). If surveillance of cTn-I ≥2.6 ng/mL was used to detect MI, then the strategy with the highest diagnostic yield was surveillance on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions: Perioperative cardiac injury continues to occur frequently after noncardiac surgery, as detected by cTn-I. Serial monitoring of cardiac troponin-I on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 provides the strategy with the highest diagnostic yield for surveillance of MI.
Comment on “Signal of Quark Deconfinement in the Timing Structure of Pulsar Spin-Down”

A Comment on the Letter by Norman K. Glendenning, S. Pei, and F. Weber, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 1603 (1997). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.