cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Particulate DNA in subtropical oceanic and estuarine planktonic environments

Particulate DNA was measured in estuarine, coastal, and oligotrophic oceanic environments near the southwest coast of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico. Particulate organic carbon and nitrogen (POC and PON), chlorophyll a, bacterial direct counts, DNA, and bacterial activity as determined by thymidine incorporation all showed a high degree of intercorrelation. Normalization of the data for offshore/onshore similarities by dividing by POC yielded significant correlations only for DNA, direct counts, and bacterial activity. Most (70–99%) of the particulate DNA in offshore samples was in the 0.2- to 1-μm fraction, while DNA in nearshore and estuarine samples was associated with larger particles. Cellular DNA contents obtained by dividing DNA by direct counts in the 0.2- to 1-μm fraction were in the range of reported bacterial genome weights. However, DNA nitrogen comprised a greater proportion of the PON than reported for microorganisms in culture. Collectively, these results suggest that (1) most of the particulate DNA in oceanic environments is contained in bacterioplankton; (2) DNA is a significant proportion of the cell biomass, possibly due to growth under nutrientlimiting conditions.
Budget ax may fall on a model water resources program

In an almost casual note in “U.S. Geological Survey Flies High For Now,”(Eos, Feb. 21, 1995, p. 78), the loss of a very significant program was brushed under the rug. The article reads, “However to save about $4.6 million, the survey would shut down 54 water resources research institutes across the United States.” The AGU membership should be aware of the magnitude of this loss. The water resources research institute (WRRI) program was established in 1964. Each institute conducts basic water resources research, technology transfer, and educates new water professionals. In the past 5 years covered by the congressionally mandated program review (whose conclusions underscored the value of the program), the federally appropriated funds for this program provided support for 2089 faculty and 2593 students. And just this year, the number of publications listed in the program's database (1984–1995) climbed to over 10,000. For programs to be classified as cost effective, legislation only requires a dollar match of two to one. The institute program currently matches each federally appropriated dollar by more than ten dollars! This program is the model for how the new Congress wants government to work: the federal appropriation is sent directly to the states and each state decides the agenda for its share. All institutes are networked to provide national access for help in resolving local problems.
Candy twists as an alternative to the glucola beverage in gestational diabetes mellitus screening

Objective Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus commonly uses an oral glucose challenge test with a 50-g glucola beverage and subsequent venous puncture. However, up to 30% of pregnant women report significant side-effects, and the beverage is costly. We hypothesized that equivalent glucose loads could be achieved from a popular candy twist (Twizzlers; The Hershey Company, Hershey, PA) and tested it as cost-effective, tolerable alternative with a test of equivalency. Study Design The glucose equivalent of the 50-g glucola was calculated as 10 candy twists. We initially used a triple crossover design in nonpregnant patients whereby each subject served as her own control; this ensured the safety and equivalency of this load before using it among pregnant subjects. We then recruited pregnant women with an abnormal screening at 1 hour (glucose challenge test) in a double crossover design study. Subjects consumed 10 candy twists with a 1-hour venous blood glucose assessment. All subjects subsequently completed the confirmatory 3-hour glucose tolerance test. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values, false-referral rates, and detection rates were calculated. Results At ≥130 mg/dL, the sensitivity (100%) was the same for candy twists and glucola. However, the false-referral rate (82% vs 90%), positive predictive value (18% vs 10%), and detection rate (18% vs 10%) were improved for candy twists when compared with the 50-g glucola beverage. Conclusion Our results indicate that strawberry-flavored candy twists are potentially an equally effective screening test, compared with the gold standard glucola beverage but lead to fewer false-positive screens and therefore could be a cost-effective alternative.
Interfering with nitric oxide measurements: 4,5-diaminofluorescein reacts with dehydroascorbic acid and ascorbic acid

4,5-Diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) is widely used for detection and imaging of NO based on its sensitivity, noncytotoxicity, and specificity. In the presence of oxygen, NO and NO-related reactive nitrogen species nitrosate 4,5-diaminofluorescein to yield the highly fluorescent DAF-2 triazole (DAF-2T). However, as reported here, the DAF-2 reaction to form a fluorescent product is not specific to NO because it reacts with dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) and ascorbic acid (AA) to generate new compounds that have fluorescence emission profiles similar to that of DAF-2T. When DHA is present, the formation of DAF-2T is attenuated because the DHA competes for DAF-2, whereas AA decreases the nitrosation of DAF-2 to a larger extent, possibly because of additional reducing activity that affects the amount of available N2O3 from the NO. The reaction products of DAF-2 with DHA and AA have been characterized using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection and electrospray mass spectrometry. The reactions of DAF-2 with DHA and AA are particularly significant because DHA and AA often colocalize with nitric-oxide synthase in the central nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems, indicating the importance of understanding this chemistry.
A compact wireless charging system for electric vehicles

In this paper, a compact high efficiency wireless power transfer system has been designed and developed. The detailed gate drive design, cooling system design, power stage development, and system assembling are presented. The successful tests verified the feasibility of wireless power transfer system to achieve over-all 90% efficiency.
Cluster kinetics for glassforming materials

Abstract We propose that cluster kinetics based on monomer–cluster, addition–dissociation and cluster fission–fusion provide a way to understand glassforming behavior. The four rate coefficients for the transformations are Arrhenius functions of temperature. Local equilibrium relations for the reversible rates provide expressions for monomer and amorphous cluster concentrations that are related to the Kauzmann temperature and supercooled liquid viscosity. Cluster dynamics are related to observable vitrification kinetics through free volume theory. With a single fitting parameter representing phase transformation energies, the double exponential (nonArrhenius) temperature dependence for viscosity and dielectric relaxation time compares well with experimental data. The one energy parameter alone provides an interpretation for strong and fragile glass materials.
Age and strain differences in some behavioral effects of intracranial substance P.

Abstract Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of substance P (SP) induce a vigorous reciprocal hindlimb scratching (RHS) syndrome, accompanied by extensive grooming behavior. There is a significant (approximately 1000×) difference in responsiveness to SP, as measured by RHS and grooming, in mice as a function of genetic strain (Swiss/Webster, C57 or DBA) and age. There was considerable specificity in the ability of drugs to increase responsiveness in the least responsive type of mouse (aged DBA/2J). Responding in old DBAs was enhanced by high doses of naloxone, suggesting the involvement of opioid peptides. Significant enhancement of responding by α-methyl tyrosine and propranolol, but not by phenoxybenzamine or haloperidol, indicated that β-adrenergic systems are also involved. Similar manipulations of serotonergic systems were without effect.
First beam test results from a monolithic silicon pixel detector

Abstract We have tested a telescope of four monolithic pixel detectors in a 300–600 GeV muon beam at Fermilab. The detectors were 300 μm thick and had 30 × 10 pixels of 34 by 125 μm2. The signal to single channel noise was 55 to 1 in the beam test. The position resolution in the 34 μm direction had a σ = 2.2 μm. In an efficiency test the detectors did not miss any of 2665 minimum ionizing particle hits.
Distributed operation of multiple shunt active power filters considering power quality improvement capacity

A decentralized control strategy is proposed to coordinate multiple shunt active power filters (APFs) to improve power quality at the point of common coupling (PCC) in terms of power factor correction and harmonic elimination. Under the proposed control strategy, each APF uses locally measured current signals to decide the amount of power quality improvement task, which is limited to its power rating. In this way, the overall power quality improvement task is automatically distributed to the APFs without control communications. Simulation results verify the performance of the proposed control strategy.
An allometric approach to population cycles of mammals

Abstract The periodic cycles in populations of microtine rodents (3–4 years) and hares (8–10 years) have been treated separately in the past. Attempts to explain them have centered on exogenous factors. Considered together, they provide the suggestion that the natural period is endogenous and size-dependent, and may be a consequence of the physiological and reproductive pace of the life cycle that scales as the fourth root of body mass.
Comparative structural analysis of tonb-dependent outer membrane transporters : Implications for the transport cycle

TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters (TBDTs) transport organometallic substrates across the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. Currently, structures of four different TBDTs have been determined by X-ray crystallography. TBDT structures consist of a 22-stranded beta-barrel enclosing a hatch domain. Structure-based sequence alignment of these four TBDTs indicates the presence of highly conserved motifs in both the hatch and barrel domains. The conserved motifs of the two domains are always in close proximity to each other and interact. We analyzed the very large interfaces between the barrel and hatch domains of TBDTs and compared their properties to those of other protein-protein interfaces. These interfaces are extensively hydrated. Most of the interfacial waters form hydrogen bonds to either the barrel or the hatch domain, with the remainder functioning as bridging waters in the interface. The hatch/barrel interfacial properties most resemble those of obligate transient protein complexes, suggesting that the interface is conducive to conformational change and/or movement of the hatch within the barrel. These results indicate that TBDTs can readily accommodate substantial conformational change and movement of their hatch domains during the active transport cycle. Also, these structural changes may require only modest forces exerted by the energy-coupling TonB protein upon the transporter.
Both exogenous and endogenous target salience manipulations support resource depletion accounts of the attentional blink: A reply to Olivers, Spalek, Kawahara, and Di Lollo (2009)

Input control theories of the attentional blink (AB) suggest that this deficit results from impaired attentional selection caused by the post-Target 1 (T1) distractor (Di Lollo, Kawahara, Ghorashi, & Enns, 2005; Olivers, van der Stigchel, & Hulleman, 2007). Accordingly, these theories predict that there should be no AB when no distractors intervene between the targets. Contrary to these hypotheses, Dux, Asplund, and Marois (2008) observed an AB (T3 deficit) when three targets, from the same attentional set, were presented successively in a rapid stream of distractors, if subjects increased the resources they devoted to T1 processing. This result is consistent with resource depletion accounts of the AB. However, Olivers, Spalek, Kawahara, and Di Lollo (2009) argue that Dux et al.’s results can be better explained by the relationship between T1 and T2, and by target discriminability effects, rather than by the relationship between T1 and T3. Here, we find that manipulating the resources subjects devote to T1, either exogenously (target perceptual salience) or endogenously (target task relevance), affects T3 performance, even when T2 and target discriminability differences are controlled for. These results support Dux et al.’s conclusion that T1 resource depletion underlies the AB.
Apparent coordination and collaboration in cooperatively hunting crocodilians

Coordinated hunting, in which individual predators relate in time and space to each other’s actions, is a complex form of cooperative hunting (Bailey et al. 2012), considered to be very rare in ver...
ACR-NEMA Standard: The Reality Vs. The Ideal

We have designed and installed ACR-NEMA communications capability on an IBM PC AT personal computer. Our implementation consists of an IBM PC AT bus compatible interface board with a custom device driver running under the MS DOS operating system. The interface board, which occupies one 16 bit bus slot, is capable of sending or receiving single data frames at rates in excess of the 8 MBytes/sec target specified in the standard. A full implementation (including multiple virtual channels) of all communication protocol layers from the physical layer through the session layer are operational in the driver. Sustained transmission rates between two AT computers equipped with this interface have been measured to be 750 KBytes per second for buffer-to-buffer transmission in "data acknowledge" service class. We have identified several difficulties inherent in the ACR/NEMA standard. These and the question of whether the overall philosophy of the standard optimally meets the needs of a real radiology department are discussed.
The local ergodic theorem and semigroups of nonpositive operators

Letting (T(t): t ⩾ 0) be a strongly continuous semigroup of contraction operators on L1(X,M,λ) we consider the question of the almost-everywhere convergence of (1α) ∝0α T(t)ƒ dt as α → 0 + (the local ergodic theorem). The limit is known to exist in the case where the semigroup is positive. In this paper we consider the question for general semigroups which may contain nonpositive elements. We show that a maximal ergodic inequality is equivalent to the local ergodic theorem. We also present some extensions to the local ergodic theorem. All the results of this paper also hold for N-parameter semigroups.
Additional evidence about an early intense flux of C asteroids and the origin of Phobos

Abstract The preponderance of CM clasts among the foreign fragments in polymict meteoritic breccias, including basaltic achondritic hosts, indicates collisions of CM carbonaceous parent bodies (believed to be C-class asteroids) with noncarbonaceous asteroids after differentiation of some of the latter. This supports the suggestion developed in an earlier paper that a flux of predominantly C-like asteroids was scattered around the solar system as Jupiter approached its present mass. Together with the low-density measured for Phobos, this supports a hypothesis of origin for Phobos and certain other satellites as captured carbonaceous, C-like asteroids.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol as a representative model

Using a socio‐historical analytical approach, explains the emergence and evolutionary iterations of the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) as it developed into a virtual state police organization. The legal history of the MSHP is chronicled, and the cultural opposition to a state police department in Missouri is explained. Despite the show‐me states’ long‐standing opposition to state‐level policing authority, the evolution of the MSHP into a state‐police‐like organization is developed as a model that is representative of numerous other state‐level police organizations across the nation. The evolutionary patterns in the development of the MSHP are foreshadowed by other state‐level police organizations, like the Illinois State Police.
The synthesis and structural characterization of [η-C5H5Mo(CO)2]2[μ-catena-(CH3As)5]. An example of a ring → chain conversion upon coordination

Abstract Pentamethylcyclopentaarsine, cyclo -(CH 3 As) 5 , upon combination with [CpMo(CO) 3 ] 2 (Cp = η-C 5 H 5 ) undergoes a simple ring-opening reaction to form [CpMo(CO) 2 ] 2 [μ- catena (CH 3 As 5 ]. This complex crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric orthorhombic space group Pna 2 1 [No. 33, C 9 2υ ] with a 10.901(3), b 15.279(3), c 15.985(4) A, V 2662.51(2) A 3 , and Z = 4. The structure was refined to R F = 4.6% and R wF = 4.5% for 3961 reflections ¦ F 0 ¦> 3σ(¦ F 0 ¦). The complex possesses a near mirror plane defined by Mo(1), Mo(2), and As(3). The five arsenic atoms form an open chain (As(1) … As(5) 2.835(2) A) with the terminal atoms bridging both molybdenum atoms. The Mo(1) … Mo(2) bond distance, 4.169(1) A, precludes any metalmetal bonding, in accord with expectations based upon 18-electron Mo atom environments; the terminal As atoms are treated as three-electron donors. The Cp rings and CO groups adopt a mutually trans -configuration.
Metabolism of 3H- and 14C-labeled glutamate, proline, and alanine in normal and adrenalectomized rats using different sites of tracer administration and sampling.

Alanine, glutamate and proline labeled with 14C and 3H were infused into fasted normal and adrenalectomized rats. Alanine was administered by the A-V mode (arterial administration-venous sampling), and glutamate and proline by both the A-V and V-A (venous administration-arterial sampling) modes. The kinetics of 14C alanine and 14C glutamate differed markedly from those of the tritium-labeled compounds, but there was little difference in the kinetics of 3H and 14C proline. The replacement rate calculated from the A-V mode for glutamate was about half that obtained in the V-A mode, but there was little difference with proline. The masses of the amino acids (total content of amino acids in the body) were calculated from the washout curves of the tritium-labeled compounds after the infusion of tracer was terminated. The masses for the normal rats were 407 μmol/kg for alanine, 578 μmol/kg for glutamate and 296 μmol/kg for proline. The so-called distribution spaces calculated conventionally from total masses and the amino acid concentrations in plasma are much greater than the volume of the body, reflecting the fact that amino acid concentrations in tissues greatly exceed those in plasma. Adrenalectomy markedly affected the kinetics of the three amino acids, and their replacement rates were greatly reduced. The proline and glutamate masses were reduced by at least one half, while that of alanine was unchanged. Adrenalectomy markedly reduced the conversion of proline to glutamate. The hydrocortisone regimen used in this study restored the metabolism of alanine and glutamate to normal, but had no effect on that of proline.
Theory of the Damping of Alfvén Waves in Bismuth Metal

The theory of the relaxation frequency tensor for an ellipsoidal conduction band is developed, and calculated for the case of the electron and hole bands in bismuth assuming ionized impurity scattering. The theory of Alfv\'en-wave propagation is developed, and the ratios of relaxation times for several different field orientations are calculated. The results are compared with McLachlan's data. Possible mechanisms for the damping, including Frenkel defects, are discussed.
Low-temperature electroluminescence from an ordered nanopore array diode laser

We report the first study of spontaneous emission from an ordered nanopore array diode laser at 77K. The presence of gaps in the spontaneous emission spectrum supports the theoretically predicted formation of a subband structure in the valence and conduction bands.
Peer-concept ratings in rural children.

Comparison of peer perceptions of 95 rural Negro and 95 white elementary level students shows substantial differences across race in the factor structure on a form of Osgood's Semantic Differential. Caste, class, race, grade level, poverty level, or other factors should, in further studies, be related to the depressed peer evaluation of Negro samples should this low evaluation reappear.
Comparison of pilcher bag technique with standard suprapubic prostatectomy

A total of 930 cases of open prostatectomies done at Lenox Hill Hospital from 1965 to 1974 are reviewed. The Pilcher bag technique utilized in 830 cases is compared with 100 cases of suprapublic prostatectomy with suturing of the bladder neck. Operating time, intra- and postoperative blood transfusions, hospital stay, and complications are compared. Operative time and intra- and postoperative blood loss are significantly less with the Pilcher bag technique.
Multigrid solution of the Navier-Stokes equations on triangular meshes

A Navier-Stokes algorithm for use on unstructured triangular meshes is presented. Spatial discretization of the governing equations is achieved using a finite element Galerkin approximation, which can be shown to be equivalent to a finite volume approximation for regular equilateral triangular meshes. Integration steady-state is performed using a multistage time-stepping scheme, and convergence is accelerated by means of implicit residual smoothing and an unstructured multigrid algorithm. Directional scaling of the artificial dissipation and the implicit residual smoothing operator is achieved for unstructured meshes by considering local mesh stretching vectors at each point. The accuracy of the scheme for highly stretched triangular meshes is validated by comparing computed flat-plate laminar boundary layer results with the well known similarity solution, and by comparing laminar airfoil results with those obtained from various well-established structured quadrilateral-mesh codes. The convergence efficiency of the present method is also shown to be competitive with those demonstrated by structured quadrilateral-mesh algorithms.
Discretization methods of the breakup continuum in deuteron-nucleus collisions

Two methods of discretization of the s-wave n-p breakup continuum are compared, and their effect on the elastic deuteron-nucleus scattering matrix elements is numerically investigated. In one of the methods, the continuum eigenstates of the n-p Hamiltonian are averaged over discretized momentum bins of size \ensuremath{\Delta}k. In the other, which is a form of the ${L}^{2}$ diagonalization method, the continuum is expanded in a set of normalizable basis functions, which physically correspond to placing the n-p potential into a box. It is found, in the case of $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$(d,d) at incident deuteron energies ${E}_{d}$=21.6 and 45 MeV, that those two discretization techniques consistently display the same physics and yield the same results. However, the lower the incident deuteron energy, the less well do the momentum discretized answers converge to a final result. The diagonalization method is found to perform better in this respect. The theoretical expectation that the long range tails of the potentials in breakup space do not sensitively affect the elastic S-matrix elements is demonstrated numerically. This result provides the mathematical reason why the discretization of the breakup continuum is a viable and practical procedure of including the breakup effects.
Effect of inhomogeneities on high precision measurements of cosmological distances

We study effects of inhomogeneities on distance measures in an exact relativistic Swiss-cheese model of the Universe, focusing on the distance modulus. The model has $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ background dynamics, and the ``holes'' are nonsymmetric structures described by the Szekeres metric. The Szekeres exact solution of Einstein's equations, which is inhomogeneous and anisotropic, allows us to capture potentially relevant effects on light propagation due to nontrivial evolution of structures in an exact framework. Light beams traversing a single Szekeres structure in different ways can experience either magnification or demagnification, depending on the particular path. Consistent with expectations, we find a shift in the distance modulus $\ensuremath{\mu}$ to distant sources due to demagnification when the light beam travels primarily through the void regions of our model. Conversely, beams are magnified when they propagate mainly through the overdense regions of the structures, and we explore a small additional effect due to time evolution of the structures. We then study the probability distributions of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\mu}={\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\text{CDM}}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{SC}}$ for sources at different redshifts in various Swiss-cheese constructions, where the light beams travel through a large number of randomly oriented Szekeres holes with random impact parameters. We find for $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\mu}$ the dispersions $0.004\ensuremath{\le}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{\le}0.008$ mag for sources with redshifts $1.0\ensuremath{\le}z\ensuremath{\le}1.5$, which are smaller than the intrinsic dispersion of, for example, magnitudes of type Ia supernovae. The shapes of the distributions we obtain for our Swiss-cheese constructions are peculiar in the sense that they are not consistently skewed toward the demagnification side, as they are in analyses of lensing in cosmological simulations. Depending on the source redshift, the distributions for our models can be skewed to either the demagnification or the magnification side, reflecting a limitation of these constructions. This could be the result of requiring the continuity of Einstein's equations throughout the overall spacetime patchwork, which imposes the condition that compensating overdense shells must accompany the underdense void regions in the holes. The possibility to explore other uses of these constructions that could circumvent this limitation and lead to different statistics remains open.
Acute kidney injury in the elderly: pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy

Elderly patients, especially those with chronic kidney disease, are at least a 3.5-fold higher risk for the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). With aging, renal functional reserve is lower owing to specific cellular changes that affect function. Molecular studies are elucidating these cellular changes and offer the prospect of designing novel therapeutics. The spectrum of AKI in elderly patients is wide but is over-represented by prerenal and postrenal (obstructive) etiologies. This reflects potentially nephrotoxic clinical variables, such as combordid states, impaired baseline renal function, polypharmacy and an increase in high-risk procedures. In this population, the development of AKI can lead to longer hospital stays, higher mortality rates and an increased risk for the development of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Careful attention to clinical risk factors, avoidance of nephrotoxic insults and meticulous supportive care for patients who develop AKI is critical in alleviat...
The effects of proteolytic enzymes on in vitro ovulation in the rabbit.

The involvement of proteolytic enzymes in follicle rupture was assessed by use of the in vitro perfused rabbit ovary. Streptokinase (10 and 100 units/ml) induced ovulation in the absence of gonadotropin. Ovulation failed to occur in contralateral control ovaries. The time of ovulation in streptokinase- and human chorionic gonadotropin-treated ovaries was similar, but significantly more ova from streptokinase-treated ovaries were immature (p
Underwater Breathing Device utilizing Oxygen dissolved in Water

THE respiration of an animal can be supported if its expired air is re-oxygenated, freed of carbon dioxide, and re-inhaled. At the water's surface dissolved gases equilibrate with the air above, providing a partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) of approximately 150 mm Hg. The thickness of the water layer with an oxygen concentration approximating that at the surface varies widely in the oceans; in the Atlantic south of 50° S. it extends to about 50 m depth, and at 100 m the water is still 90–95 per cent saturated1. In expired air of man pO2 is 116 mm Hg (ref. 2). Thus, for a considerable distance from the surface there exists a pO2 gradient of roughly 35 mm Hg from water to expired air. Since the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in water is negligible, a gradient exists for the diffusion of CO2 from expired air to water.
Perceptual-motor skill learning in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: Evidence for multiple procedural learning and memory systems

Procedural learning and memory systems likely comprise several skills that are differentially affected by various illnesses of the central nervous system, suggesting their relative functional independence and reliance on differing neural circuits. Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a movement disorder that involves disturbances in the structure and function of the striatum and related circuitry. Recent studies suggest that patients with GTS are impaired in performance of a probabilistic classification task that putatively involves the acquisition of stimulus-response (S-R)-based habits. Assessing the learning of perceptual-motor skills and probabilistic classification in the same samples of GTS and healthy control subjects may help to determine whether these various forms of procedural (habit) learning rely on the same or differing neuroanatomical substrates and whether those substrates are differentially affected in persons with GTS. Therefore, we assessed perceptual-motor skill learning using the pursuit-rotor and mirror tracing tasks in 50 patients with GTS and 55 control subjects who had previously been compared at learning a task of probabilistic classifications. The GTS subjects did not differ from the control subjects in performance of either the pursuit rotor or mirror-tracing tasks, although they were significantly impaired in the acquisition of a probabilistic classification task. In addition, learning on the perceptual-motor tasks was not correlated with habit learning on the classification task in either the GTS or healthy control subjects. These findings suggest that the differing forms of procedural learning are dissociable both functionally and neuroanatomically. The specific deficits in the probabilistic classification form of habit learning in persons with GTS are likely to be a consequence of disturbances in specific corticostriatal circuits, but not the same circuits that subserve the perceptual-motor form of habit learning.
High-Resolution Observations and Model Simulations of the Life Cycle of an Intense Mesoscale Snowband over the Northeastern United States

Abstract This paper investigates the structural and dynamical evolution of an intense mesoscale snowband occurring 25–26 December 2002 over the northeastern United States. Dual-Doppler, wind profiler, aircraft, and water vapor observations in concert with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model run at 4-km grid spacing are used to highlight evolutionary aspects of a snowband unresolved by previous studies. The high-resolution observations and model simulations show that band formation was coincident with a sharpening of a midlevel trough and associated increase in frontogenesis in an environment of conditional and inertial instability. Band maturity was marked by increasing conditional stability and a threefold increase in frontogenetical forcing. Band dissipation occurred as the midlevel trough and associated frontogenetical forcing weakened, while the conditional stability continued to increase. The effect of changing ascent is shown to dominate over changing moisture in ...
Quality of inpatient care for asthma: challenges and opportunities.

Evidence-based guidelines for the management of asthma have been available for almost 2 decades. Despite the existence of guidelines and attempts to disseminate them, there remains a significant gap between accepted practices for asthma care and actual practice. The gap is widest in low-income urban communities where asthma morbidity is greatest.1 Quality improvement initiatives have been designed to change the behavior of patients or their caretakers or health care providers. Asthma education and self-management programs aimed at patients and their families have achieved varying degrees of success in improving asthma outcome.2 Changing provider behavior has proved more difficult. Lectures, continuing medical education programs, and industry-sponsored detailing have not had a major impact on changing practice.3 Multifaceted clinician education interventions with feedback are more likely to achieve positive results.4,5 An essential part of this process is to evaluate the quality of care. There is little information on quality of care for children hospitalized for asthma. As detailed in the November issue of Pediatrics , Nkoy et … Address correspondence to Meyer Kattan, MD, CM, Columbia University Medical Center, Pediatric Pulmonary Division, CHC 7-701, 3959 Broadway, New York, NY 10032. E-mail: mk2833{at}columbia.edu
Selective frame dropping based on hypothetical reference decoder buffer model for initial buffering delay reduction

We propose a method for selective frame dropping based on hypothetical reference decoder buffer model for initial buffering delay reduction. The client side buffering consists of two logical buffers: a de-jitter buffer and a pre-decoder buffer. To playback an encoded bit-stream without underflow the client must do a minimum initial buffering. This minimum initial buffering is a property of the bit-stream. The minimum initial buffering relates to the pre-decoder buffer. In addition the client can do additional initial buffering to handle network jitter and other bandwidth variations. Our proposed approach relates to reducing the minimum initial buffering delay for an already encoded bit-stream. We propose a method for selectively dropping frames to reduce the amount of initial buffering the client needs to do to avoid underflow during the streaming. Our proposed method is especially applicable to pre-stored content. The method is also particularly useful for variable bit-rate (VBR) encoded media. The method can be used by a streaming server. Alternatively the method can be implemented by a trans-rater/ transcoder. In a preferred embodiment our method can be applied in advance on a pre-stored bit-stream to decide which frames to drop to reduce the required minimum initial buffering.
Creating and Controlling a Medical Market: Abortion in Los Angeles After Liberalization

This paper is drawn from a larger study of physicians in Los Angeles who were heavily involved with abortion immediately after it was liberalized in 1967. I look at the 12 physicians who owned andtor operated abortion facilities and who employed other physicians. These physician entrepreneurs dominated the emerging market for abortions. I describe their perception of medical care as an economic commodity, their efforts to mass produce abortions through dominance over hospitals; their efforts to control price competition; their efforts to maintain group solidarity, and the success of their efforts. I also discuss the implications of these findings for the study of other aspects of health care services.
Palladium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenolysis of benzyl acetate with ammonium formate

Abstract Transfer hydrogenolysis of benzyl acetate, a model reaction for CO hydrogenolysis, was achieved by ammonium formate and Pd C at 20°C. Hydrogen-donating abilities of various formate salts were found to depend on the counter-ion: K+ > NH4+ > Na+ > NHEt3+ > Li+ > H+. Kinetic studies using HCOONH4 revealed that the rate of transfer hydrogenolysis was independent of the substrate (benzyl acetate) concentration. First order dependence was exhibited by both hydrogen donor (HCOONH4) and the catalyst (10% Pd C ). The initial reaction rate dropped from 46.9 × 10−3 mol L−1 min−1 to 26.8 × 10−3 mol L−1 min−1 when HCOONH4 was replaced with DCOOND4 giving a calculated primary kinetic isotope effect of 1.75. From the kinetic and isotope effect data, a mechanism has been proposed involving abstraction of formyl hydrogen by the catalyst as the rate-limiting step. The rate law derived was R = k′ [HCOONH4] [ Pd C ]. Hydrogen isotope labeling studies using DCOOND4 as hydrogen donor disclosed that the expected monodeuterated toluene (C6H5CH2D) was not formed exclusively. Instead, a mixture of deuterated toluenes (C6H5CHxD3−x) was obtained, demonstrating that benzylic hydrogens are highly labile on the catalyst surface and exchange with the solvent.
Cryptococcus gattii Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics: A NIH/NIAID White Paper

Cryptococcus gattii is an emerging global pathogen. Recent reports suggest that C. gattii cryptococcosis is more common in immunocompetent as well as HIV-infected AIDS patients than earlier estimated. An ongoing outbreak of C. gattii in Vancouver, Canada, and the US Pacific Northwest has heightened public health awareness in North America. We have few clues as to what causes emergence or re-emergence of highly pathogenic strains, why C. gattii split up from its sibling pathogen C. neoformans, why it thrives in trees instead, and why immunocompetent individuals are vulnerable to this pathogen? C. gattii comprises of four distinct lineages, but the information on the genome of C. gattii is inadequate and unrepresentative as it is limited to two strains, R265 and WM276, which are MATα, serotype B, genotype VGII/VGI from Canada and Australia, respectively. There is a wide gap in knowledge about the genomes of VGIII and VGIV strains, serotype C strains, and MATa strains. The geographical representation is inadequate in the absence of strains from California, South America, Asia, and Africa. Additional obstacles to work with this pathogen are the following: (a) complex molecular typing schemes and (b) lack of functional genomics analyses. We propose to complete genome sequencing of 12 reference strains by next-generation sequencing technology and to map their transcriptomes by RNA-Seq technology. This effort would lead to new resources for the scientific community including (1) insight from additional C. gattii genomes to anchor future research studies, (2) validation of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for molecular typing to improve epidemiology studies, and (3) transcript analyses from strains under relevant pathogenic and non-pathogenic conditions to accelerate the discovery of proteins for diagnostics, drug targets, and vaccines.
Blood Cell Interactions and Segregation in Flow

For more than a century, pioneering researchers have been using novel experimental and computational approaches to probe the mysteries of blood flow. Thanks to their efforts, we know that blood cells generally prefer to migrate to the axis of flow, that red and white cells segregate in flow, and that cell deformability and their tendency to reversibly aggregate contribute to the non-Newtonian nature of this unique fluid. All of these properties have beneficial physiological consequences, allowing blood to perform a variety of critical functions. Our current understanding of these unusual flow properties of blood have been made possible by the ingenuity and diligence of a number of researchers, including Harry Goldsmith, who developed novel technologies to visualize and quantify the flow of blood at the level of individual cells. Here we summarize efforts in our lab to continue this tradition and to further our understanding of how blood cells interact with each other and with the blood vessel wall.
Rare Cause of Dyspnea: Yin–Yang Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Aortic aneurysmal diseases, mostly found incidentally, have high mortality and morbidity. Complications mostly are associated with and accelerated in the presence of systemic hypertension, aortic valve disease, or aortic atherosclerosis. Presenting signs and symptoms can be nonspecific and need immediate and accurate recognition. We present a case of incidental finding of a large descending aortic aneurysm with "yin-yang" sign and discuss the importance of differentiating pseudoaneurysm versus intramural thrombus.
Gendered Aspects of Scientific Knowledge: A Multidisciplinary Annotated Bibliography of Selected Sources

ABSTRACT This annotated bibliography focuses on multidisciplinary works since 1995 dealing with the intersection of gender, science, and knowledge. The selected works emphasize the feminist critique of science and are primarily drawn from women's studies, social epistemology, and science. That so much scholarship has been produced in the past decade demonstrates that this issue remains current and relevant today.
Handtool-task strength comparison between younger and older tractor operators using adjustable rollover protective structures

A fault tree analysis indicates that human strength limitations when using hand tools could lead to misuse of adjustable-type rollover protective structures (ROPS) for farm tractors. Manually adjustable designs for ROPS offer one way to provide wider protection against the hazard of farm tractor rollover. A task-strength study of working orchard farmers (n = 23) ranging in age from 21 to 70 was undertaken. Two age groups of working orchardists were studied: younger than 5.5 years of age (n = 12), and 55 and older (n = 11). Pulling tasks similar to those used for adjusting ROPS using wrenches with 12-, 18-, and 24-inch handles were evaluated. The torque (applied force at a given wrench handle length) and consequently the human strength needed to adequately tighten threaded fasteners, becomes easier as threaded-fastener-diameter decreases. For overhead pulling tasks, the older group's mean strength (133.8 lb) was 97% of the younger group's strength (137.4 lb). However, when the pull was shoulder-height, there was a statistically significant difference in capabilities. The older group's mean strength was 78% of the younger group's mean. Results of the study suggest that for working men between the ages of 55 and 70, (1) easy to use coarse-threaded fasteners no larger than 1/2-inch diameter/ 13 threads per inch will not compromise safety when the expected handtool is a 12-inch wrench and (2) fine-thread fasteners should be no larger than 1/2inch diameter/20 threads per inch for the same expected wrench. Larger diameter fasteners would be appropriate if it is expected that longer wrench handle extensions will be used.
ENTERTAINMENTS BY FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES

Author's summary.— A suggestion for little plays preserving some foreign flavor that may be given with a minimum of trouble and a maximum of entertainment by language classes before audiences who know little or nothing of the foreign language.
Frailty and risk in proximal aortic surgery

Objectives Although frailty has recently been examined in various populations as a predictor of morbidity and mortality, its effect on thoracic aortic surgery outcomes has not been studied. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the role of frailty in predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing proximal aortic replacement surgery. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was performed for all patients undergoing elective and nonelective proximal aortic operations (root, ascending aorta, and/or arch) at a single-referral institution from June 2005 to December 2012. A total of 581 patients underwent proximal aortic surgery, of whom 574 (98.8%) were included in the present analysis; 7 were excluded because of incomplete data. Frailty was evaluated using an index consisting of age >70 years, body mass index 2 , anemia, history of stroke, hypoalbuminemia, and total psoas volume in the bottom quartile of the population. One point was given for each criterion met to determine a frailty score of 0 to 6. Frailty was defined as a score of ≥2. Risk models for length of stay >14 days, discharge to other than home, 30-day composite major morbidity, 30-day composite major morbidity/mortality, and 30-day and 1-year mortality were calculated using multivariate regression modeling. Results Of the 574 patients, 148 (25.7%) were defined as frail (frailty score ≥2). The unadjusted 30-day/in-hospital and long-term outcomes were significantly worse for the frail versus nonfrail patients in all but 1 of the outcomes analyzed; no difference was found in the 30-day readmission rates between the 2 groups. In the multivariate model, a frailty score of ≥2 was associated with discharge to other than home and 30-day and 1-year mortality. Conclusions Frailty, as defined using a 6-component frailty index, can serve as an independent predictor of discharge disposition and early and late mortality risk in patients undergoing proximal aortic surgery. These frailty markers, all of which are easily assessed preoperatively, could provide valuable information for patient counseling and risk stratification before proximal aortic replacement.
Dimethylmercury in coastal upwelling waters, Monterey Bay, California

Depth profiles of dimethylmercury (DMHg) concentration were determined at nearshore to offshore sites in Monterey Bay, California. The onset of spring upwelling in the bay was accompanied by increases in DMHg concentrations. Profiles show DMHg increasing gradually with depth in fall and winter from <0.03 pM at the surface to 0.5 pM at 200 m. During the spring, DMHg concentrations increased between 30 and 100 m, first within Monterey Bay, then offshore. This change was accompanied by an increase in DMHg concentrations in the surface water DMHg between fall/winter (<0.03 pM) and spring (0.06-0.29 pM). Microbial activity associated with the remineralization of sinking organic matter produced by the high primary production in the bay may result in the relatively high DMHg in subsurface water in the bay, which when upwelled may facilitate the incorporation of organomercury into biota. As a result, productive coastal upwelling areas may represent an important source of methylated mercury to surface waters, and thus be an important source of mercury to marine ecosystems.
Photoexcitation of M1 and E2 levels in O16

Abstract The 1+ and 2+ states in O16 have been studied using the particle-hole model, in an attempt to understand better the structure in the giant resonance region. A plausible unperturbed spectrum was obtained from data on the excited states of O17 and O15. The calculation used a zero-range approximation for the residual interaction. The results are compared with experiment where possible.
Who Wants to Have a Tea Party? The Who, What, and Why of the Tea Party Movement

In the wake of the 2008 election, disgruntled conservatives organized opposition to President Obama's policies under a new movement dubbed the Tea Party. As an emerging force in American politics, we seek to understand who supports the Tea Party and the political attitudes these individuals hold. Using a nationally representative survey of respondents during the 2010 midterm elections, we examine whether the emerging narrative surrounding the Tea Party is accurate. The survey included a novel embedded experiment designed to investigate claims that animosity toward racial minorities drives Tea Party opposition to welfare. We find support for the contention that the Tea Party is predominately white, male, conservative, and strongly opposed to tax increases. Tea Party supporters, however, are not simply libertarians. In spite of appeals to freedom and liberty common in Tea Party rhetoric, a strong authoritarian pulse exists among its most ardent supporters. Furthermore, although we find evidence that racial resentment colors Tea Party members' judgments about government aid to the poor, racial animus does not appear to be the primary force behind their opposition to government aid. Lastly, we uncover some evidence of heterogeneity within the movement, with a small minority of Tea Party supporters voicing less-extreme political attitudes and evincing a rejection of negative racial stereotypes.