cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of a Disk Meter to Evaluate Continuously Grazed Pastures

One of the greatest difficulties in pasture research is accurately measuring quality and quantity of the vegetation. The disk meter may be used to rapidly estimate herbage mass (DM) but its validity depends on a good relationship between disk meter height (DMH) and DM. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between DMH and DM for continuously grazed pastures. Pastures of varied botanical composition were grazed by cows and calves from May through October. Paired data (DMH and DM clipped from under the disk) from seven cool season pastures were subjected to covariance analysis. Prediction equations were developed utilizing data from 2 years for different pastures and dates. Disk meter height accounted for a little over half the variability in DM (R2 of 0.54 and 0.59 for years 1 and 2, respectively). Regression coefficients of DM on DMH differed between dates in both years and between pastures in one year. To accurately predict DM the disk meter must be calibrated for each pasture and date. However, the disk meter can be used where an estimate of herbage mass is required and resources are limiting.
Treatment of Severe Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia With the Applied-Tension Method: Two Adolescent Case Examples

Blood-injection-injury phobias can be so severe that they interfere with receiving necessary medical care. Compared with most other phobias that typically increase heart rate, blood-injection-injury phobias are unique in their association with vasovagal responses. Thus, patients with blood-injection-injury phobias are typically less responsive to relaxation techniques, which in fact may be counterproductive. The current case studies describe use and clinical effectiveness of applied tension for treatment of severe blood-injection-injury phobia in two adolescent patients. Treatment included in vivo gradual exposure to feared stimuli combined with mastery of the tension technique to cope with anxiety, reduce vasovagal responses, and ultimately receive recommended medical treatment. Both patients experienced a significant decrease in anxiety and successfully underwent medical intervention without experiencing syncope. Directions for future research are discussed.
Diagnosis of an aneurysm masquerading as a pancreatic-cyst lesion at EUS

Background EUS-guided FNA is commonly performed for evaluating pancreatic-cyst lesions. However, not all such lesions are true cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. Objective Determine the frequency at which aneurysms mimicking cysts are encountered during EUS evaluation of the pancreas. Study Design Observational study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Consecutive patients found to have pancreatic cyst lesions at EUS. Interventions Patients with a cyst lesion in the pancreas that was suspicious for an aneurysm at EUS underwent abdominal CT imaging for a definitive diagnosis. Main Outcome Measures To determine the frequency at which aneurysms are encountered during EUS while evaluating pancreatic-cyst lesions and to describe the EUS characteristics of an underlying aneurysm. Results Four of 413 lesions (0.97%, 95% confidence interval 0.26%-2.5%) that appeared as pancreatic cysts at EUS were diagnosed to be aneurysms: 2 were splenic artery aneurysms, 1 was an aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery, and another was an infrarenal aortic aneurysm. The aneurysms had a characteristic donut-like appearance at EUS: a thick outer wall with a central anechoic area. Limitations Observational study; small sample size. Conclusions Aneurysms can masquerade as pancreatic-cystic lesions. Awareness of this entity is important because an inadvertent FNA during EUS may potentially lead to serious complications.
Introduction Giving Up the Geist: Power, History and the Culture Concept in the Long Boasian Tradition

For most of the 20th century, American anthropology lacked an adequate theoretical framework for dealing with power. In 1982, Wolf not only provided such a framework but placed power at the top of ...
Semidefinite relaxations for quadratically constrained quadratic programming: A review and comparisons

At the intersection of nonlinear and combinatorial optimization, quadratic programming has attracted significant interest over the past several decades. A variety of relaxations for quadratically constrained quadratic programming (QCQP) can be formulated as semidefinite programs (SDPs). The primary purpose of this paper is to present a systematic comparison of SDP relaxations for QCQP. Using theoretical analysis, it is shown that the recently developed doubly nonnegative relaxation is equivalent to the Shor relaxation, when the latter is enhanced with a partial first-order relaxation-linearization technique. These two relaxations are shown to theoretically dominate six other SDP relaxations. A computational comparison reveals that the two dominant relaxations require three orders of magnitude more computational time than the weaker relaxations, while providing relaxation gaps averaging 3% as opposed to gaps of up to 19% for weaker relaxations, on 700 randomly generated problems with up to 60 variables. An SDP relaxation derived from Lagrangian relaxation, after the addition of redundant nonlinear constraints to the primal, achieves gaps averaging 13% in a few CPU seconds.
Persistence of simian varicella virus DNA in CD4(+) and CD8(+) blood mononuclear cells for years after intratracheal inoculation of African green monkeys.

Abstract Simian varicella virus (SVV) DNA was detected in blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) of adult African green monkeys 7 days to 23 months after intratracheal inoculation with 10 3 plaque forming units. Infectious virus was not detected in MNCs at 14 months postinfection (p.i.), and electron microscopic (EM) analysis of MNCs from two monkeys 21 months p.i. did not reveal virus particles. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of DNA from blood MNCs taken at multiple intervals from SVV-infected monkeys M7 and M8 revealed a 10- to 100-fold decrease, but not clearance of SVV DNA in MNCs between 11 and 17 months p.i. Thereafter, the SVV DNA copy number did not decrease further between 17 and 23 months p.i. PCR analysis of MNCs sorted by flow cytometry revealed SVV DNA in T cells (CD4 + , CD8 + ) and B cells (CD20 + ), but not in monocyte-macrophages (CD14 + ), 10 days p.i. At 11 and 23 months p.i., SVV DNA was found exclusively in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. Whether the detection of SVV DNA in CD4 + and CD8 + MNCs many months after the resolution of acute varicella reflects continued infection of these cells that began at the time of acute varicella or represents infection acquired by MNCs trafficking through infected tissues is unknown.
Knowledge-based and knowledge-lean methods combined in unsupervised word sense disambiguation

Word sense disambiguation (WSD) is an intermediate task within information retrieval and information extraction, attempting to select the proper sense of ambiguous words. For instance, the word cold could either refer to low temperature or viral infection.Due to the scarcity of training data, knowledge-based and knowledge-lean methods receive attention as disambiguation methods. Knowledge-based methods compare the context of the ambiguous word to the information available in a terminological resource, but their main purpose is not word sense disambiguation. Knowledge-lean unsupervised methods rely on term distributions instead of a resource enumerating the possible senses but might be inappropriate when there is a requirement to commit to a terminological resource as a catalog for candidate senses.We present preliminary results of the combination of knowledge-based and knowledge-lean unsupervised methods which improves the performance of knowledge-based methods between 3% and 8%. The evaluation is done on a new word sense disambiguation set which is available to the community.
Cultural Issues and Images in the 1988 Presidential Campaign: Why the Democrats Lost—Again!

How do you explain the outcomes of modern presidential elections? This is the central dilemma of American politics. Why, for instance, did the Democrats, the so-called majority party, lose again in 1988? And why have they gone down to defeat in five of the last six presidential elections? Curiously, there appears to be no dearth of answers to these questions.Many pundits, such as neoconservative William Schneider (1988), have argued that the Democrats are too liberal to win a national election. Others maintain that presidential elections are retrospective referenda on the economy and peace issues. According to this view, the incumbent party never loses when times are prosperous and the nation is at peace. Still others argue that presidential elections are actually beauty contests in which voters select the candidate who demonstrates the most attractive combination of personality traits, leadership qualities, and political credentials (Miller, Wattenberg, and Malanchuk 1986). Yet others contend that most losing Democratic candidates have run notoriously inept campaigns. In the Yiddish vernacular, Dukakis was a “Putz.” Finally, some analysts (Burns, Peltason, and Cronin 1989: 276–77) try to please everyone by advancing umbrella explanations that include all of these arguments.Unfortunately, none of these explanations, taken individually, is particularly persuasive. And most appear to be little more than post hoc rationalizations. Of course, when something cannot be fully understood, we are prone to make fun of our ignorance.
A theoretical model to predict the behavior of glycosylated hemoglobin levels.

Abstract The measurement of glycosylated hemoglobin as a percentage of total hemoglobin is rapidly becoming the standard method of monitoring the average blood sugar level in diabetics for research purposes and may soon become the standard for clinical care and diagnosis. Much speculation exists in the literature about the nature of the glycosylation reaction. Most experimenters expect a linear relationship between the plasma glucose level and percent glycosylated hemoglobin in whole blood; however, a curve of decreasing slope with increasing glucose concentration is found. Here, a reaction model including simple first order kinetics between glucose and hemoglobin and a finite erythrocyte life of 120 days is considered. By carrying out the integration for each erythrocyte cohort followed by an integration combining all cohorts, a curve corresponding to the experimental result is found. In addition, results on expected glycosylated hemoglobin percent as a function of erythrocyte age and plasma glucose concentration are presented as well as a plot of glucose concentration versus glycosylated hemoglobin percent for the 40-day erythrocyte life in mice. All of the results correlate with experimental values in the literature if a rate constant of k = 1·0 × 10 −5 dl mg −1 day is used. The evaluation of a radioactive iron-transferrin experiment in the literature reveals the possibility that the glycosylation reaction begins during erythropoiesis. Finally, a curve is displayed which shows the expected 120-day decay during normoglycemia, of an elevated glycosylated hemoglobin level resulting from a preceding period of constant hyperglycemia.
Endogenous Angiotensin II Regulates Rat Proximal Tubule Transport During Altered States of Extracellular Volume • 1679

Endogenous Angiotensin II Regulates Rat Proximal Tubule Transport During Altered States of Extracellular Volume • 1679
Lithium chloride inactivates the 20S proteasome from WEHI-3B D+ leukemia cells.

Abstract LiCl interacts synergistically with all- trans -retinoic acid, promoting the terminal differentiation of WEHI-3B D + cells, a phenomenon partially due to the ability of the monovalent lithium cation to inhibit the proteasome-dependent degradation of retinoic acid receptor α protein. In this report, the 20S proteasome was purified from WEHI-3B D + cells and the effects of LiCl on chymotrypsin-like (Chtl) activity and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing (PGPH) activity were determined. LiCl functions to inactivate both proteasomal activities in a time-dependent manner, without affecting non-proteasomal proteases. The half-lives for inactivation of Chtl and PGPH hydrolyzing activities were approximately 23 and 36 min, respectively, at 10 mM LiCl. Both SDS and peptide substrate increased the rate of inactivation. Partial enzymatic activity was recovered after dialysis in the absence of SDS, indicating that the off-rate for lithium was extremely slow. The findings suggest that the inactivation of Chtl and PGPH activities by LiCl occurs through a proteasomal conformational change.
Pentagonia lanciloba, a new species of Rubiaceae (Hippotideae) from northwestern Ecuador

Pentagonia lanciloba, a new species of Rubiaceae (Hippotideae) from the wet forests of northwestern Ecuador, is described. This new species is characterized by pinnatifid leaf blades with tapered and long-decurrent subsessile bases, floral bracts with long-acuminate to caudate apices, calyces with narrowly-lanceolate and remarkably long lobes (15–28 mm), and tomentose, orange to red corollas. The new species is illustrated, and its relationship to morphologically similar species is discussed.
Targeted Protein Degradation of Outer Membrane Decaheme Cytochrome MtrC Metal Reductase in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Measured Using Biarsenical Probe CrAsH-EDT2

Development of efficient microbial biofuel cells requires an ability to exploit interfacial electron transfer reactions to external electron acceptors, such as metal oxides; such reactions occur in the facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 through the catalytic activity of the outer membrane decaheme c-type cytochrome MtrC. Central to the utility of this pathway to synthetic biology is an understanding of cellular mechanisms that maintain optimal MtrC function, cellular localization, and renewal by degradation and resynthesis. In order to monitor trafficking to the outer membrane, and the environmental sensitivity of MtrC, we have engineered a tetracysteine tag (i.e., CCPGCC) at its C-terminus that permits labeling by the cell impermeable biarsenical fluorophore carboxy-FlAsH (CrAsH) of MtrC at the surface of living Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 cells. In comparison, the cell permeable reagent FlAsH permits labeling of the entire population of MtrC, including proteolytic fr...
Long-segment ureteral replacement with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts

Abstract Objectives Traumatic loss of significant lengths of ureter all too often results in nephrectomy when vascularized pedicles of bowel or bladder fail or are not available for substitution. Historically, alloplastic replacement of ureters has failed due to obstruction, bioincompatibility, or graft migration. This study was undertaken to test the performance of ringed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube grafts as ureteral replacements in a canine model. Methods Eight female dogs underwent partial ureteral replacement with ringed PTFE tube grafts. An involuting anastomosis was used to anchor the graft to the bladder. The dogs were followed with intravenous urograms and Whitaker infusion pressure tests for up to 12 months. Results Six of 8 animals (75%) had preservation of excellent renal function with normal intravenous urograms and low Whitaker infusion pressures. One animal had mild hydronephrosis with an elevated infusion pressure. One animal died of spontaneous renal rupture secondary to obstruction at the ureteral-graft anastomosis. All other grafts were patent by histologic examination without encrustation or infection. Conclusions Although not suggested as first-line therapy after ureteral loss, expanded PTFE may have a use as a prosthetic ureteral replacement in situations where conventional surgical therapies are unsuccessful. This material appears to be biocompatible and the technique of bladder anastomosis described here prevented migration of the prosthesis.
A model of crystal plasticity based on the theory of continuously distributed dislocations

Abstract This work represents an attempt at developing a continuum theory of the elastic–plastic response of single crystals with structural dimensions of ∼100 μm or less, based on ideas rooted in the theory of continuously distributed dislocations. The constitutive inputs of the theory relate explicitly to dislocation velocity, dislocation generation and crystal elasticity. Constitutive nonlocality is a natural consequence of the physical considerations of the model. The theory reduces to the nonlinear elastic theory of continuously distributed dislocations in the case of a nonevolving dislocation distribution in the material and the nonlinear theory of elasticity in the absence of dislocations. A geometrically linear version of the theory is also developed. The work presented in this paper is intended to be of use in the prediction of time-dependent mechanical response of bodies containing a single, a few, or a distribution of dislocations. A few examples are solved to illustrate the recovery of conventional results and physically expected ones within the theory. Based on the theory of exterior differential equations, a nonsingular solution for stress/strain fields of a screw dislocation in an infinite, isotropic, linear elastic solid is derived. A solution for an infinite, neo-Hookean nonlinear elastic continuum is also derived. Both solutions match with existing results outside the core region. Bounded solutions are predicted within the core in both cases. The edge dislocation in the isotropic, linear theory is also discussed in the context of this work. Assuming a constant dislocation velocity for simplifying the analysis, an evolutionary solution resulting in a slip-step on the boundary of a stress-free crystal produced due to the passage and exit of an edge dislocation is also described.
Repeated cocaine administration does not affect 5-HT receptor subtypes (5-HT1A, 5-HT2) in several rat brain regions

In order to examine whether cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization is modulated by changes in serotonin receptor subtypes, we measured the binding of [3H]8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin ([3H]8-OH-DPAT) to 5-HT1A receptors and of [3H]-ketanserin to 5-HT2 receptors in various brain regions of cocaine-treated and saline-treated (control) rats. As previously reported, repeated administration of cocaine resulted in behavioral sensitization. Stereotypic scores with the cocaine challenge were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in cocaine-pretreated animals than in the saline-pretreated group. Neither acute nor chronic cocaine administration significantly altered the number (Bmax) or the affinity (KD) of either [3H]8-OH-DPAT or [3H]ketanserin binding sites in any of the brain regions examined. These results suggest that the enhanced functional sensitivity of 5-HT1A or 5-HT2 receptor subtypes seen with cocaine may be associated with alterations in processes distal to receptors rather than changes in the number or the affinity of the receptors.
On two conjectures in the fixed membrane eigenvalue problem

In this paper we give conditions sufficient to insure that the following two results hold for eigenfunctions of the fixed membrane problem defined over a bounded region of the plane:
Improved adhesion of Au thin films to SiOx/Si substrates by dendrimer mediation

Quantitative evidence of significantly improved interfacial adhesion between Au films and SiOx/Si substrates induced by an organic dendrimer monolayer was presented. For dendrimer-mediated Au films, nanoscratch tests revealed a critical load that was two times higher than that for films without dendrimer mediation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) examination of nanoindents revealed much constrained lateral flow of metals in the dendrimer-mediated Au films during nanoindentation, indicating enhanced adhesion due to the presence of the dendrimer layer.
Why Do People Become Involved With Archaeology? Some Answers from Alabama’s Black Belt Region

This paper considers a question posed by the organizers of the Dynamics of Inclusion in Public Archaeology symposium: “Why do people become involved?” Based on my own quest for public involvement with Cahawba, a site in Alabama’s Black Belt region, I contend that people are most likely to become involved when an archaeologist communicates interpretively. Furthermore, certain categories of people are just more likely to become actively engaged with archaeology than others. Who are they? What are their characteristics? Where can they be found? The National Survey on Recreation and the Environment has the answers.
Clinical utility of functional magnetic resonance imaging for brain mapping in epilepsy surgery.

Summary Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is commonly used to localize brain function, but its utility in the clinical setting remains unclear. Subdural electrode implantation provides opportunities to correlate the spatial relationship of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response to areas defined by extraoperative electrical stimulation mapping (ESM) in patients undergoing staged epilepsy surgery. 4 subjects underwent pre-operative fMRI using the analogous paradigms to those used for ESM to delineate language and motor function. Coregistration of the pre-operative MRI to a post-operative CT and MRI scan was performed in order to assess the spatial relationship between the BOLD response and the location of electrode contacts used for ESM while accounting for brain shift. fMRI was accurate in predicting the location of motor cortex with sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of 1.0. Specificity was .96 with a positive predictive (PPV) value of .8. In all 4 subjects, a laterality index of the fMRI for language was accurate in predicting lateralization measured by Wada testing. While T -scores over regions where ESM-induced language deficits occurred were significantly higher ( p t -test) than those over regions where there was no ESM-induced deficit, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were poor over a range of threshold criteria. Sensitivity and specificity were improved by excluding sites within 1cm of the base of the frontal and temporal bone and sites where ESM showed motor function of face. Despite this, sensitivity and specificity were .47 and .76, respectively ( T score 2.5, p
A three-hybrid system to detect RNA-protein interactions in vivo

RNA-protein interactions are pivotal in fundamental cellular processes such as translation, mRNA processing, early development, and infection by RNA viruses. However, in spite of the central importance of these interactions, few approaches are available to analyze them rapidly in vivo. We describe a yeast genetic method to detect and analyze RNA-protein interactions in which the binding of a bifunctional RNA to each of two hybrid proteins activates transcription of a reporter gene in vivo. We demonstrate that this three-hybrid system enables the rapid, phenotypic detection of specific RNA-protein interactions. As examples, we use the binding of the iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) to the iron response element (IRE), and of HIV trans-activator protein (Tat) to the HIV trans-activation response element (TAR) RNA sequence. The three-hybrid assay we describe relies only on the physical properties of the RNA and protein, and not on their natural biological activities; as a result, it may have broad application in the identification of RNA-binding proteins and RNAs, as well as in the detailed analysis of their interactions.
Dermatographism Treated with Hydroxyzine and Cimetidine and Ranitidine

Excerpt To the editor: Most patients with dermographism are asymptomatic and require no treatment. When symptoms such as pruritus develop, traditional treatment has been with an H1 antihistamine. H...
A self-consistent Maltsev pulse model

Abstract A self-consistent model for an electron pulse propagating through a plasma is presented. In this model, the charge imbalance between plasma ions, plasma electrons and pulse electrons creates the travelling potential well in which the pulse electrons are trapped.
Alterations in protein kinase C system of colonic epithelium during fasting-refeeding. Evidence for protein kinase C independent pathway of enhanced proliferative activity.

In the present study, we compared (1) incorporation of [3H]dThd into DNA, (2) total protein kinase C (PKC) activity, (3) the subcellular distribution of PKC, and (4) PKC isozyme (α, β and γ) mass in colonic mucosal scrapings and isolated superficial and proliferative colonic epithelial cells from 48-hr fasted, 48-hr fasted-refed, and adlibitum-fed rats. Total colonic mucosal PKC activity and PKC α mass were higher and thein vivo rate of [3H]dThd incorporation into mucosal DNA was markedly depressed in 48-hr fasted rats compared toad libitum-fed or fasted-refed rats. These alterations were localized predominantly to the proliferative pool of colonic epithelial cells. Despite an 11-fold increase in mucosal DNA synthesis, no alterations in total mucosal PKC activity were detected in fasted-refed rats compared to rats fedad libitum. Moreover, no differences in the subcellular distribution of PKC were noted among any of the dietary groups. Intrarectal instillation of deoxycholate activated PKC and increased DNA synthesis 1.5-to 2-fold. Deoxycholate-induced increases in DNA synthesis, but not those induced by refeeding, were inhibited by treatment of rats with the PKC inhibitors H-7, sphingosine, or staurospaurine. The results do not support a role for PKC in the mediation of increased proliferative activity of colonic mucosa induced by refeeding.
The sunspot cycle influence on the solar and lunar daily geomagnetic variations

The relative importance of the sunspot cycle influence on solar and lunar daily geomagnetic variations has been discussed for over a century, but hitherto inconclusively. The problem is re-examined using results from a number of new analyses of data obtained during the IGY/C and the preceding sunspot minimum, as well as results from analyses of longer series of data. Particular attention is paid to the significance of the results. It is shown that the sunspot cycle influence on the lunar variations, measured by the Wolf ratio, is significant, but is only about one third of the sunspot cycle influence on the solar variations. This appears, with moderate spread, in all elements, in all non-polar latitudes, and for different sunspot cycles.
Kinetic study on the hexacelsian-celsian phase transformation

The hexacelsian-celsian transformation from grains of 1/4 in. (0.635 cm) size is slow and erratic. This is because the rate of heterogeneous nucleation in such grains is low and is influenced by contamination present in the furnace. When the grain size is reduced to a −200 mesh powder, heterogeneous nucleation becomes a dominant factor and the transformation is accelerated. The transformation has three stages: the first is controlled by the rate of crystal growth, the second is controlled by the rates of nucleation and crystal growth, and the third is controlled by the rate of nucleation. The activation energy of crystal growth in the first stage of transformation is 20.1 kcal mole−1 ±20%. This suggests that the hexacelsian-celsian transformation does not involve Si-0 and Al-O bond openings, since this would be expected to involve an activation energy of at least 60 kcal mole−1.
Predictive Orthodontics: A New Paradigm in Computer-Assisted Treatment Planning and Therapy

Abstract The current flow of information in orthodontic diagnosis and treatmentplanning begins with the clinical examination, charting, and orthodontic records. Later, the clinician mentally assembles and processes these data and derives a diagnosis for the patient. Treatment planning involves information recalled from the physician's knowledge and clinical experience. From here, treatment alternatives are produced, and after consultation with the patient, a treatment plan is chosen and implemented. The current system, however, contains several identifiable sites of error or assumptions in the diagnostic, treatment planning, consultation, and therapeutic functions. These factors along with the spectrum of biological variation and response to therapy make it particularly challenging to predict exact treatment outcomes for a given patient. Prediction of exact outcomes may be impossible, but through the use of computer modeling and analysis, prediction may be vastly improved. A new paradigm of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning that includes use of the most current diagnostic modalities to gather accurate anatomic and functional data on the patient and to construct a craniofacial model is described. Using this model, alternative treatment planning and hypothesis testing may be performed by using finite element and other analytical approaches.
Resilience of a rocky intertidal fish community in a physically unstable environment

Abstract A 7-year census of intertidal fishes has been made by repeated defaunation of tide pools in the northern Gulf of California. The intertidal fish community showed long-term resilience and hence stability, under a rigorous, unstable physical environment. Although the majority of fishes have tropical affinities (76 %), warm temperate species (24 %) constitute 33 % of total numbers and 69 % of total biomass of the entire intertidal fish community. Short-term seasonal fluctuations in species diversity and population numbers of temperate fishes were in better synchrony with the annual light regime and sea temperature cycles than those of tropical species. A winterkill due to abnormally low sea temperatures in January, 1971, exerted faunal selection by killing several tropical fishes. Warm temperate species tolerated these low temperatures both experimentally and during the 1971 winterkill. Low sea temperatures were judged to be more limiting to diversity than high sea temperatures. The seasonal tidal pattern in the northern Gulf of California moderates summer heating but accentuates winter cooling thus favoring winterkills. We conclude that this intertidal fish community, dominated by r -selected species, is more physically controlled than biologically accommodated and the temperate species play an important role in regulating the stability of this fish assemblage.
Impact of secondary lymphedema after head and neck cancer treatment on symptoms, functional status, and quality of life.

Background Lymphedema may disrupt local function and affect quality of life (QOL) in patients with head and neck cancer. The study aim was to examine the associations among severity of internal and external lymphedema, symptoms, functional status, and QOL in patients with head and neck cancer.
The concept of channel permeability

The one-way fluxes of a certain species of ion through a passive channel in a fixed state are assumed to be well-behaved functions of seven variables only, all of which are macroscopically observable: the cis and trans concentrations of that ion, the charge of the ion, the voltage difference between the cis and trans solutions, the thermodynamic temperature, the ion concentration at half maximal conductance of the channel, and the channel permeability. It is then proved that, if these fluxes are independent and Nernstian, the absolute permeability is uniquely and explicitly defined in terms of the channel current near zero voltage; no assumptions about the detailed workings of the permeation process are necessary. It is also proved that, if the one-way fluxes of the species under consideration are merely unaffected by the other species present, then the channel's absolute permeability can still be uniquely and explicitly defined if a weak constraint on the flux ratio is assumed; again, no assumptions on the inner workings of the channel are necessary.
X-Ray Audio

We present X-Ray Audio, a communication system for creating and navigating geo-located audio conferences. Users elect to participate in hail channels arranged by proximity and intention. As participants pass from one locale to another, they may chat with a changing milieu of users relative to their location and can choose to hear each-others voices emanating from their relative directions, modulated by orientation and distance. We envision this form of communication to be particularly relevant in automotive applications where it can both provide enhanced situational awareness and establish an up to now impossible social bond between drivers, all the while remaining vehicle operation safe. This paper will provide a technical brief of the system as currently implemented and propose use cases for its deployment in automobiles.
In defense of nannobacteria.

Enough! As one of the discoverers of mineralized nannobacteria on Earth ([1][1]), I must come to their defense. They are so abundant in samples I have studied that I believe they may make up most of Earth's biomass. Yet they appear to be nearly unknown to many biologists, hence the questions about
Temperatures and Performance in a Tunnel-Ventilated, High-Rise Layer House

Abstract Temperatures were recorded from winter to summer in a high-rise, bidirectionally tunnel-ventilated commercial layer house. In cool weather, the house was ventilated through side wall baffle inlets and a series of ceiling inlets. The temperature sensors were located in the vicinity of the tunnel inlets (CENTER sites) near the ends of the house where the exhaust fans were located (END sites), and midway between these locations (INTERMEDIATE sites). Hens and eggs were weighed, and eggs samples for specific gravity determinations, once a month at the sites of the temperature sensors. In winter, the CENTER sites were coolest and the INTERMEDIATE sites tended to be warmest. In spring, there were no differences among areas in average daily temperature. During summer, CENTER sensors were again coolest and END sensors were warmest. CENTER sites had the largest eggs during the winter and summer months. INTERMEDIATE sites tended to have the smallest eggs from January to March. Egg size variation among different areas might have been minimized in winter by covering the tunnel curtain inlet, and in summer by using only information from the sensors nearest the fans to control fan operation when in tunnel ventilation mode. Hens in the lowest tier of cages consistently produced the largest eggs.
Assessing quality and completeness of human transcriptional regulatory pathways on a genome-wide scale

Background: Pathway databases are becoming increasingly important and almost omnipresent in most types of biological and translational research. However, little is known about the quality and completeness of pathways stored in these databases. The present study conducts a comprehensive assessment of transcriptional regulatory pathways in humans for seven well-studied transcription factors: MYC, NOTCH1, BCL6, TP53, AR, STAT1, and RELA. The employed benchmarking methodology first involves integrating genome-wide binding with functional gene expression data to derive direct targets of transcription factors. Then the lists of experimentally obtained direct targets are compared with relevant lists of transcriptional targets from 10 commonly used pathway databases. Results: The results of this study show that for the majority of pathway databases, the overlap between experimentally obtained target genes and targets reported in transcriptional regulatory pathway databases is surprisingly small and often is not statistically significant. The only exception is MetaCore pathway database which yields statistically significant intersection with experimental results in 84% cases. Additionally, we suggest that the lists of experimentally derived direct targets obtained in this study can be used to reveal new biological insight in transcriptional regulation and suggest novel putative therapeutic targets in cancer. Conclusions: Our study opens a debate on validity of using many popular pathway databases to obtain transcriptional regulatory targets. We conclude that the choice of pathway databases should be informed by solid scientific evidence and rigorous empirical evaluation.
A Model-free Learning Approach for Coordinated Configuration of Virtual Machines and Appliances

Cloud computing has a key requirement for resource configuration in a real-time manner. In such virtualized environments, both virtual machines (VMs) and hosted applications need to be configured on-the-fly to adapt to system dynamics. The interplay between the layers of VMs and applications further complicates the problem of cloud configuration. Independent tuning of each aspect may not lead to optimal system wide performance. In this paper, we propose a framework, namely CoTuner, for coordinated configuration of VMs and resident applications. At the heart of the framework is a model-free hybrid reinforcement learning (RL) approach, which combines the advantages of Simplex and RL methods and is further enhanced by the use of system knowledge guided exploration policies. Experimental results on Xen-based virtualized environments with TPC-W and TPC-C benchmarks demonstrate that CoTuner is able to drive a virtual server system into an optimal or near optimal configuration state dynamically, in response to the change of workload. It improves the systems throughput by more than 30% over independent tuning strategies. In comparison with the coordinated tuning strategies based solely on Simplex or basic RL algorithm, the hybrid RL algorithm gains 30% to 40% throughput improvement. Moreover, the algorithm is able to reduce SLA violation of the applications by more than 80%.
Influence of zonal dosimetry on prostate brachytherapy outcomes

Purpose: To examine the influence of zone-specific dosimetry on outcomes during permanent prostate implantation (PI), where the peripheral zone (PZ) and transitional zone (TZ) may receive varying radiation doses. Material and methods: Four hundred and sixteen patients treated with I-125 PI (target dose: 144 Gy) between 1996 and 2003 were included in this Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved, retrospective analysis. Whole prostate (WP), TZ, and PZ were contoured, and zone-specific D 90 and V 100 were computed. Their influence on biochemical failure (BF) was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results: The median age and initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 68 years and 6.1 ng/ml, respectively, and the median follow-up time was 8.8 years. There were 329 subjects with Gleason score (GS) 6 disease (79.1%), and 82 subjects had GS 7 disease (19.7%). Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was used in 20.4% of patients. Median D 90 and V 100% in the WP, PZ, and TZ were 141.2 Gy, 156.1 Gy, and 134.5 Gy; and 88.8%, 93.3%, and 84.2%, respectively. Ten-year rates for biochemical recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and prostate cancer-specific mortality were 82.4%, 92.4%, and 0.97% respectively. Only initial PSA, GS7+ disease, ADT, and PSA frequency were significant on multivariate analysis. Ten-year rates of grade 3 or higher GU and GI toxicity was 10.9% and 1.8%, respectively. TZ V 200 and TZ V 300 were significantly associated with late genitourinary toxicity. Conclusions: The TZ received significantly lower doses of radiation compared to the PZ. On multivariate analysis, no dosimetric parameter was associated with efficacy. Higher TZ doses may be associated with higher late GU toxicity without improving efficacy. J Contemp Brachytherapy 2015; 7, 1: 17-22 DOI: 10.5114/jcb.2015.48875
Spatial temperature mapping within polymer nanocomposites undergoing ultrafast photothermal heating via gold nanorods

Heat emanates from gold nanorods (GNRs) under ultrafast optical excitation of the localized surface plasmon resonance. The steady state nanoscale temperature distribution formed within a polymer matrix embedded with GNRs undergoing pulsed femtosecond photothermal heating is determined experimentally using two independent ensemble optical techniques. Physical rotation of the nanorods reveals the average local temperature of the polymer melt in the immediate spatial volume surrounding each rod while fluorescence of homogeneously-distributed perylene molecules monitors temperature over sample regions at larger distances from the GNRs. Polarization-sensitive fluorescence measurements of the perylene probes provide an estimate of the average size of the quasi-molten region surrounding each nanorod (that is, the boundary between softened polymer and solid material as the temperature decreases radially away from each particle) and distinguishes the steady state temperature in the solid and melt regions. Combining these separate methods enables nanoscale spatial mapping of the average steady state temperature distribution caused by ultrafast excitation of the GNRs. These observations definitively demonstrate the presence of a steady-state temperature gradient and indicate that localized heating via the photothermal effect within materials enables nanoscale thermal manipulations without significantly altering the bulk sample temperature in these systems. These quantitative results are further verified by re-orienting nanorods within a solid polymer nanofiber without inducing any morphological changes to the highly temperature-sensitive nanofiber surface. Temperature differences of 70–90 °C were observed over a distances of ∼100 nm.
Internal Control Disclosures, Monitoring, and the Cost of Debt

ABSTRACT: We test the relationship between the change in a firm's cost of debt and the disclosure of a material weakness in an initial Section 404 report. We find that, on average, a firm's credit spread on its publicly traded debt marginally increases if it discloses a material weakness. We also examine the impact of monitoring by credit rating agencies and/or banks on this result and find that the result is more pronounced for firms that are not monitored. Additional analysis indicates that the effect of bank monitoring appears to be the primary driver of these monitoring results. This finding is consistent with the argument that banks are effective delegated monitors for the debt market. The results of this study suggest the need for future research, particularly to test the differential effects of monitoring on the cost of debt compared to the cost of equity.
Sex-Specific Splicing in Drosophila: Widespread Occurrence, Tissue Specificity and Evolutionary Conservation

Many genes in eukaryotic genomes produce multiple transcripts through a variety of molecular mechanisms including alternative splicing. Alternatively spliced transcripts often encode functionally distinct proteins, indicating that gene regulation at this level makes an important contribution to organismal complexity. The multilevel splicing cascade that regulates sex determination and sex-specific development in Drosophila is a classical example of the role of alternative splicing in cell differentiation. Recent evidence suggests that a large proportion of genes in the Drosophila genome may be spliced in a sex-biased fashion, raising the possibility that alternative splicing may play a more general role in sexually dimorphic development and physiology. However, the prevalence of sex-specific splicing and the extent to which it is shared among genotypes are not fully understood. Genetic variation in the splicing of key components of the sex determination pathway is known to influence the expression of downstream target genes, suggesting that alternative splicing at other loci may also vary in functionally important ways. In this study, we used exon-specific microarrays to examine 417 multitranscript genes for evidence of sex-specific and genotype-specific splicing in 80 different genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster. Most of these loci showed sex-biased splicing, whereas genotype-specific splicing was rare. One hundred thirty-five genes showed different alternative transcript use in males vs. females. Real-time PCR analysis of 6 genes chosen to represent a broad range of biological functions showed that most sex-biased splicing occurs in the gonads. However, somatic tissues, particularly adult heads, also show evidence of sex-specific splicing. Comparison of splicing patterns at orthologous loci in seven Drosophila species shows that sexual biases in alternative exon representation are highly conserved, indicating that sex-specific splicing is an ancient feature of Drosophila biology. To investigate potential mechanisms of sex-biased splicing, we used real-time PCR to examine the expression of six known regulators of alternative splicing in males vs. females. We found that all six loci are themselves spliced sex specifically in gonads and heads, suggesting that regulatory hierarchies based on alternative splicing may be an important feature of sexual differentiation.
Depletion of a Cks homolog in C. elegans embryos uncovers a post-metaphase role in both meiosis and mitosis

In eukaryotic cells, the key regulators of cell-cycle transitions are the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). The best studied CDK is a component of the M-phase promoting factor (MPF), which promotes entry into and progression through meiosis and mitosis. One of the enduring mysteries of the MPF complex has been the role of Cks/Suc1, a highly conserved member of the cell-cycle machinery in eukaryotes [1,2]. Cks has been proposed to be involved in activation of MPF [3], general interactions of MPF with its mitotic substrates [4] and/or inactivation of MPF [5,6]. We identified two Cks homologs in the genome of Caenorhabditis elegans and used RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) to investigate their roles in development. Whereas cks-2(RNAi) embryos display no apparent defects, cks-1(RNAi) embryos display defects in both meiosis and mitosis. Specifically, cks-1(RNAi) embryos fail to exit M phase properly. We propose that CKS-1 has an essential role in the inactivation of MPF during early C. elegans embryogenesis.
A performance analysis framework for limited feedback beamforming in correlated fading

Limited or finite rate, feedback is an efficient way to implement beamforming in multiple antenna systems using frequency division duplexing. Unfortunately, closed-form performance analysis of limited feedback beamforming has not been investigated. This paper provides an analytical framework for the correlated limited feedback beamforming problem by treating selection of the beamforming vector from the codebook as a multibranch selection problem.
Strategy for discovering a low-mass Higgs boson at the Fermilab Tevatron

We have studied the potential of the CDF and DOe experiments to discover a low-mass standard model Higgs boson, during run II, via the processes pp(bar sign){yields}WH{yields}l{nu}bb(bar sign), pp(bar sign){yields}ZH{yields} l{sup +}l{sup -}bb(bar sign) and pp(bar sign){yields}ZH{yields}{nu}{nu}(bar sign)bb(bar sign). We show that a multivariate analysis using neural networks that exploits all the information contained within a set of event variables leads to a significant reduction, with respect to any equivalent conventional analysis, in the integrated luminosity required to find a standard model Higgs boson in the mass range 90 GeV/c{sup 2}<M{sub H}<130 GeV/c{sup 2}. The luminosity reduction is sufficient to bring the discovery of the Higgs boson within reach of the Fermilab Tevatron experiments, given the anticipated integrated luminosities of run II, whose scope has recently been expanded. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.