cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Median nerve compression in the carpal tunnel--functional response to experimentally induced controlled pressure.

Controlled external compression was applied to the median nerve of 16 volunteer subjects. Tissue fluid pressure in the carpal canal was monitored with a wick catheter and pressures of 30, 60 and 90 mm Hg were induced for periods varying from 30 to 90 minutes. Sensory and motor conduction and two-point discrimination were continuously monitored. Tissue compression at 30 mm Hg caused mild neurophysiological changes and symptoms of hand paresthesias. Compression at both 60 and 90 mm Hg induced a rapid, complete sensory conduction block which consistently preceded a motor block by 10 to 30 minutes. Frequently, two point discrimination remained normal until the last stages of preserved sensory fiber conduction. In three cases, a modification of the model utilizing an arm tourniquet, demonstrated that ischemia rather than mechanical deformation was the primary cause of the functional deterioration. It was concluded that there is a critical pressure level between 30 and 60 mm Hg where nerve fiber viability is acutely jeopardized.
Saturable absorptive transport of the hydrophilic organic cation ranitidine in Caco-2 cells: role of pH-dependent organic cation uptake system and P-glycoprotein.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the involvement of carrier-mediated apical (AP) uptake and efflux mechanisms in the absorptive intestinal transport of the hydrophilic cationic drug ranitidine in Caco-2 cells. Absorptive transport and AP uptake of ranitidine were determined in Caco-2 cells as a function of concentration. Permeability of ranitidine in the absorptive and secretory directions was assessed in the absence or presence of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor, GW918. Characterization of the uptake mechanism was performed with respect to inhibitor specificity, pH, energy, membrane potential, and Na+ dependence. Efflux from preloaded monolayers was evaluated over a range of concentrations and in the absence or presence of high extracellular ranitidine concentrations. Saturable absorptive transport and AP uptake of ranitidine were observed with K m values of 0.27 and 0.45 mM, respectively. The ranitidine absorptive permeability increased and secretory permeability decreased upon inhibition of P-gp. AP ranitidine uptake was inhibited in a concentration-dependent fashion by a diverse set of organic cations including tetraethylammonium, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, famotidine, and quinidine. AP ranitidine uptake was pH and membrane potential dependent and reduced under conditions that deplete metabolic energy. Efflux of [3H]ranitidine across the basolateral membrane was neither saturable as a function of concentration nor trans stimulated by unlabeled ranitidine. Saturable absorptive transport of ranitidine in Caco-2 cells is partially mediated via a pH-dependent uptake transporter for organic cations and is subject to attenuation by P-gp. Inhibition and driving force studies suggest the uptake carrier exhibits similar properties to cloned human organic cation transporters. The results also imply ranitidine transport is not solely restricted to the paracellular space.
Local Topology vs. Atomic-Level Stresses as a Measure of Disorder: Correlating Structural Indicators for Metallic Glasses

This brief overview presents a critical assessment of the choice of structural parameters that may be used to describe the degree of local order/disorder in metallic glasses (MGs) and to establish the relationship between the amorphous structure and the properties of an MG. By summarizing our own quantitative analysis of representative MG models, we compare, and relate to one another, several measures of structural disorder in amorphous alloys, including the topology of quasi-equivalent clusters, the concept of free volume, and the atomic-level stresses. The model systems used for demonstrating the correlations are characterized by two different and prototypical types of short-range order (SRO): a Cu64Zr36 MG exhibiting pronounced icosahedral SRO, and a Pd82Si18 MG representative of a metal–metalloid system, with solute-centered tri-capped trigonal prisms as the dominant local motif. Also outlined are some ideas in terms of the relationship between the glass structures and properties, including the challe...
Abortion and harm to children: Limits on television political advertisements

Candidates wanting to air advertisements containing graphic depictions of aborted fetuses presented television stations with a dilemma. Sections 312(a)(7) and 315(a) of the Communications Act prevent broadcasters from censoring or restricting the political advertisements of legally qualified candidates seeking federal office. Under the United States Criminal Code, broadcasting material deemed indecent may result in penalties. Also, the Federal Communications Commission and courts have expressed concern about “harm to children”; caused by televised material. While the FCC disagreed with a district court judge's ruling that political ads containing depictions of aborted fetuses were indecent, it did affirm a broadcast licensee's right to “channel”; such ads to a time of day when children are less likely to be in the audience. This provides broadcasters, for the first time, with some editorial discretion during federal election seasons. However, by not giving broadcasters control over advertising enjoyed by ...
UNESCO and the Academic Community: An Analysis of the Ethics of Academic Boycotts.

Abstract A case study of a professional ethical dilemma is explored for its relevance and implications for the social studies education field as a whole. The case study involves the controversy about a UNESCO conference held in East Lansing, Michigan during 1976. Dimensions of the relationship between ethics and education used in the analysis include sources of ethical authority and an evolving international morality. Academic freedom, consistency in the use of reflective thought, and responsibilities of the mass media in dealing with controversial educational issues are three implications, for the social studies profession, which result from the analysis.
Heart rate responses of the curarized rat.

Heart rate of curarized and non-curarized rats was recorded while both groups were exposed to classical conditioning procedures with tone as the conditional stimulus (CS) and shock as the unconditional stimulus (UCS). The unconditional HR response of curarized animals to the tone was significantly greater than that of the non-curarized animals, while the HR response to shock of the curarized animals was significantly less than that of the non-curarized group. Both groups showed evidence of conditioning over 30 conditioning trials.
Influence of oxygen on defect densities in nanocrystalline Si

Abstract A differential capacitance vs. frequency technique for determining trap densities as a function of energy in amorphous and nanocrystalline Si devices is presented. Through differential capacitance measurements, trap states can be accurately measured and profiled within the bandgap as a function of energy. Defects for amorphous silicon were shown to be Gaussian approximately 0.7 eV below the conduction band, on the order of 1015–1016 cm− 3 depending on deposition. This agrees with both external a-Si measurements and C–V defect measurements. Defects in nano-crystalline silicon were studied as a function of oxygen present in the material. Five different depositions were carried out with varying amounts of oxygen. The defect densities of each device were then measured. A large increase in defect densities corresponding to an increase in oxygen content is observed.
INVESTIGATING A WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK OPTIMAL LIFETIME SOLUTION FOR LINEAR TOPOLOGIES

We investigate a known optimal lifetime solution for a linear wireless sensor network through simulation, and propose alternative solutions where a known optimal solution does not exist. The network is heterogeneous in the sensors' energy distribution and also in the amount of data each sensor must communicate. As a basis for comparison, we analyze the lifetime of a network using a simple, nearest-neighbor routing algorithm, and an analytic solution to the optimal lifetime of networks meeting certain constraints. Alternative solutions considered range from those requiring global knowledge of the network to solutions using only next-neighbor knowledge. We compare the performance of all the routing algorithms in simulation.
Growing alliums and brassicas in selenium-enriched soils increases their anticarcinogenic potentials

The concentrating of essential minerals, vitamins, and bioactive phytochemicals into human foodstuffs is of vital importance in our rapidly expanding world. Selenium is an essential micronutrient which is currently receiving much publicity for its anticarcinogenic potentials. Unfortunately, this mineral is deficient in most soils worldwide, and as a result most geographical food chains contain highly inadequate amounts of selenium. Scientific evidence in now available which shows that common vegetable members of the allium genus, especially garlic, are seleniferous in that they readily uptake inorganic selenium from the soil and incorporate it into bioactive organic chemicals. The brassicas have also been found to be highly seleniferous in nature and to produce various seleno amino acids and potentially bioactive organic selenium-containing phytochemicals. Upon consumption by humans, these selenium phytochemicals, derived from both plant genus, show anticarcinogenic potentials. Due to the high concentrations of natural phytochemicals, and the additional assimilation of selenium, the commercial or small scale production of selenium-enriched brassicas and garlic is an excellent way of introducing anticarcinogenic phytochemicals into the human diet.
Status of optics on the OMEGA laser after 18 months of operation

The 60-beam OMEGA laser has sustained approximately 1000 target shots without significant damage to the optics. Approximately 3000 optics on the OMEGA laser system were closely monitored during their installation, and inspections continue throughout the operation of the system. A review of the condition of these optics at each stage of the laser and a summary of the peak incident fluences are presented. The most severe damage on OMEGA is seen on the input, fused- silica, spatial filter lenses. Since these optics are under vacuum, inspection of damaged lenses occurs on a more frequent cycle to track the growth of the defect and to maintain the system's safety. An optic is replaced well before massive failure is expected to occur. Other optics on the system that exhibit different types of damage are BK7 spatial filter lenses, focus conversion crystals, primary pickoff lenses, calorimeters, and liquid-crystal optics. Laser glass and development optics such as distributed phase plates are not covered in this review.
Law, Religion, and “Public Health” in the Republic of Brazil

The essay evaluates the general problem that, while most modern republican constitutions follow the U.S. and French models in declaring religious freedom, absolute religious freedom is impossible and undesirable. How are religious freedoms constrained, and how much should they be? The essay evaluates the strategies by which limitations on freedoms of religion are constructed and imposed, especially the powerful isomorphism of law and science described by Boaventura de Sousa Santos. Taking the example of Afro-Brazilian religions in relation to the Brazilian state since 1890, post-emancipation, the essay argues that pseudo-scientific discourses of “public health” constrained the religious practice of former slaves, thus allowing the trompel'oeil of religious freedom to continue in the new republic, even as freedoms were in fact constrained by the state.
The path to war: Exploring a second-level agenda-building analysis examining the relationship among the media, the public and the president

This study combines both the agenda-building and the second-level agenda approaches. It proposes an expansion of agenda-building research by examining the interaction among the president, the media and the public for an event that was not considered an existing ‘real-world’ condition. Specifically, this study uses former President Bush’s five most prominent rationales for invading Iraq to explore the three-way reciprocal relationship among the media, the public and the president on attributes related to the pre-emptive strike on Iraq. The study found evidence of the information subsidies approach as Bush influenced media coverage of the Iraq War. The research also found more evidence of a linear model of agenda-building. The media and presidential agenda had only a limited influence on public concern about the war. Public concern influenced how much space the president devoted to the five issues on his Iraq War agenda and the press also had some limited influence on the issues stressed by the former presi...
Semantic modeling for dialog systems in a pattern recognition framework

In this paper, we describe a multimodal dialog system based on the pattern recognition framework that has been successfully applied to automatic speech recognition. We treat the dialog problem as to recognize the optimal action based on the user's input and context. Analogous to the acoustic, pronunciation, and language models for speech recognition, the dialog system in this framework has language, semantic, and behavior models to take into account when it searches for the best result. The paper focuses on our approaches in semantic modeling, describing how semantic lexicon and domain knowledge are derived and integrated. We show that, once semantic abstraction is introduced, multimodal integration can be achieved using the reference resolution algorithm developed for natural language understanding. Several applications developed to test various aspects of the proposed framework are also described.
Attention shifts during matching-to-sample performance in pigeons

Two pigeons performed a matching-to-sample task in which a color, a line orientation, or both, might appear on the sample. Stimulus control by (attention to) the color and line components of a compound sample was measured when (a) either component might be relevant (i.e., appear as a comparison stimulus on that trial), and (b) when only one component was relevant. Degree of stimulus control by a given component of the compound sample was higher when only it was relevant than when either component might be relevant. Because the matching-to-sample task separated sample inspection from response choice, interpretation of the results in terms of response competition was ruled out. Because the training procedure led to shifts in stimulus control by the components of the compound sample, explanation of previous matching-to-sample results in terms of reduced perceptual clarity of compound samples was also ruled out. Thus, variations in stimulus control by components of the compound sample were interpreted as showing shifts in attention to the components of the compound sample.
A Complementary Problem on Nonplanar Graphs

Abstract : It has been found empirically by John L. Selfridge, in work with networks to be used as printed circuits, that for every network with nine nodes which was encountered, either it or its complementary network could not be printed with no intersecting arcs. In terms of graph theory this conjecture asserts that for every graph G with p = 9 points, either G or its complementary graph G is nonplanar. If this conjecture holds for graphs with 9 points, it clearly also holds for graphs with p > 9 points. It was remarked in the problem that a simple argument using Euler's polyhedron formula readily demonstrates the conjecture for all graphs having p > 11 points. The purpose of this miscellaneous note is to supply that argument.
Identity, Culture, Land, and Language: Stories of Insurgent Planning in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia:

Indigenous peoples have been struggling to maintain or regain rights to land, identity, and culture in the face of colonialism. In Russia, government policies have pushed European Russian/Soviet nationalism in an attempt to diminish or erase non-European identity. But there has been insurgency. We present the case of Buryat historical and contemporary insurgent planning. We contextualize indigenous insurgent planning using colonialism and identity as backdrops. Drawing on sixteen months of ethnographic study and review of historical sources, we tell the stories of how many Buryats use dynamic indigenous identities combined with appropriated Russian nomenclature to resist and negotiate postmodern imperialism.
On the Use of Residence Time Moments in the Statistical Analysis of Age-Dependent Stochastic Compartmental Systems

Most of the present compartmental modeling and analysis found in the applied literature is based on a classical deterministic formulation (1–4). An alternative stochastic formulation has developed rapidly in the mathematical modeling literature (5–7), but the practical application of this formulation to experimental data analysis has developed at a much slower pace. Two recent reviews have now shown that the stochastic model may be useful in practical applications for several reasons related to the statistical analysis of data (8,9).
Point target detection in spatially varying clutter

The authors develop and analyze high-speed algorithms for the detection of point targets in infrared (IR) images with spatially varying clutter. Current target detection systems are effective in detecting bright targets in a uniform sky, but in areas of strong clutter are either unable to detect targets reliably or are limited by high false alarm rates. The authors assume that target and sensor models are available. Clutter is considered to be poorly characterized and spatially varying. Target detection algorithms are based on filtering to enhance the target signal relative to the background, followed by an adaptive threshold. Statistical analysis of the algorithms is provided to quantify algorithm performance. The system implements a spatially adaptive algorithm that maximizes probability of target detection while maintaining a fixed false alarm rate. The algorithms are robust in the presence of spatially varying clutter. The authors include experimental results to illustrate this. >
Nonrandom Shuffling with Applications to the Game of Faro

Abstract De Moivre, Euler, and Montmort analyzed a predecessor of Faro. We consider the modern game first under the assumption of random shuffling, then with nonrandom shuffling. With random shuffling we find the house edge can be less than 0.0006 percent, but it is at least 0.526 percent if the player is limited to negative expectation bets. Human shuffling is nonrandom and a simple model for it indicates that, in principle, the player can achieve significant positive expectation. The ideas used to apply nonrandom shuffling to Faro also extend to other games. We illustrate with casino Blackjack. An appendix discusses previous work on modern Faro.
Response of potato tuber yield to stem injury by European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

Abstract The response of potato, Solanum tuberosum L., tuber yield to stem injury by European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), larvae was investigated in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States for 3 yr. This response was described for ‘Superior’, ‘Atlantic’, and ‘Snowden’ potato, which are early-season, midseason, and late-season maturing cultivars, respectively. To model the yield/injury relationship, a range of corn borer injury levels was established in the field by augmenting the natural infestation with varying densities of laboratory-reared larvae. Linear and nonlinear regression analyses (plateau and second-order polynomial models) were used to describe the relationship between yield of U.S. No. 1 grade tubers and the percentage of stems injured by corn borer larvae. The maturity of the cultivar did not affect the response of potato yield to stem injury. In nine of 14 experiments, potato tolerated high levels of corn borer injury (55–90% of stems injured) without yield loss, suggestin...
From Fish Soup to Fish Tank: Rhetoric, Politics, and Dialectic in the Polish Revolution of 1989

The article offers a rhetorical account of the “leap into politics” by the Polish Communist authorities that led to the political transition of 1989. In contrast to accounts of the transition focused on “dialogue” between the authorities and the opposition, this article examines the move toward dialogue from a dramatistic and dialectical perspective—that is, in terms of the shifting principles of motivation, changing rhetorical identities of the key actors, and associated transformations of terms that characterized the transition from a monocentric ideal of the state to a “political” one.
Preparation and characterization of chemically derived (Pb,La)TiO/sub 3/ thin films

Ferroelectric lead lanthanum titanate (PLT) thin films with composition varying from pure PbTiO/sub 3/ to PLT 25/100 (0 to 25 mol.% La) were prepared by spin-casting 0.25M solutions containing metallo-organic precursors of Pb, La, and Ti. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the thin (410-nm) films were characterized. The dielectric constants of the films varied from approximately 80 to approximately 690 for La contents varying from 0 to 25 mol%, respectively. Dissipation factors varied from approximately 0.03 to approximately 0.09 over the same compositional range. The temperature dependence of the dielectric properties was also studied to determine the effects of La content on the Curie point (T/sub c/). As expected, T/sub c/ was found to decrease with increasing La concentration. Coercive field and remanent polarization also decreased with increased La concentration. >
Coral-algae metabolism and diurnal changes in the CO2-carbonate system of bulk sea water

Precise measurements were conducted in continuous flow seawater mesocosms located in full sunlight that compared metabolic response of coral, coral-macroalgae and macroalgae systems over a diurnal cycle. Irradiance controlled net photosynthesis (P net), which in turn drove net calcification (G net), and altered pH. P net exerted the dominant control on [CO3 (2-)] and aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) over the diel cycle. Dark calcification rate decreased after sunset, reaching zero near midnight followed by an increasing rate that peaked at 03:00 h. Changes in Ωarag and pH lagged behind G net throughout the daily cycle by two or more hours. The flux rate P net was the primary driver of calcification. Daytime coral metabolism rapidly removes dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from the bulk seawater and photosynthesis provides the energy that drives G net while increasing the bulk water pH. These relationships result in a correlation between G net and Ωarag, with Ωarag as the dependent variable. High rates of H(+) efflux continued for several hours following mid-day peak G net suggesting that corals have difficulty in shedding waste protons as described by the Proton Flux Hypothesis. DIC flux (uptake) followed P net and G net and dropped off rapidly following peak P net and peak G net indicating that corals can cope more effectively with the problem of limited DIC supply compared to the problem of eliminating H(+). Over a 24 h period the plot of total alkalinity (AT ) versus DIC as well as the plot of G net versus Ωarag revealed a circular hysteresis pattern over the diel cycle in the coral and coral-algae mesocosms, but not the macroalgae mesocosm. Presence of macroalgae did not change G net of the corals, but altered the relationship between Ωarag and G net. Predictive models of how future global changes will effect coral growth that are based on oceanic Ωarag must include the influence of future localized P net on G net and changes in rate of reef carbonate dissolution. The correlation between Ωarag and G net over the diel cycle is simply the response of the CO2-carbonate system to increased pH as photosynthesis shifts the equilibria and increases the [CO3 (2-)] relative to the other DIC components of [HCO3 (-)] and [CO2]. Therefore Ωarag closely tracked pH as an effect of changes in P net, which also drove changes in G net. Measurements of DIC flux and H(+) flux are far more useful than concentrations in describing coral metabolism dynamics. Coral reefs are systems that exist in constant disequilibrium with the water column.
Attachment as a Moderator Between Intimate Partner Violence and PTSD Symptoms.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been linked to traumatic experiences, including intimate partner violence. However, not all battered women develop PTSD symptoms. The current study tests attachment style as a moderator in the abuse–trauma link among a community sample women in violent and non-violent relationships. Both attachment anxiety and dependency were found to moderate the relation between intimate partner violence and PTSD symptoms. However, attachment closeness did not function as a moderator. Differences in attachment may help to explain why certain victims of domestic abuse may be more susceptible to experiencing PTSD symptoms. Clinically, these findings may aid in the prediction and prevention of PTSD symptoms in women victimized by intimate partner abuse.
Silicon‐Free Oxynitride Glasses Via Nitridation of Aluminate Glassmelts

Aluminate-oxynitride glasses were synthesized by melting calcium-aluminate-based compositions with various amounts of AlN in a nitrogen atmosphere. X-ray amorphous Ca-Al-Mg-Ba-O-N oxynitride glasses free of metallic inclusions containing up to ∼1 at. % N were obtained. Nitride additions increased the glass transition temperatures while decreasing thermal expansion, as in other Sicontaining oxynitride systems.
Light Field Estimation and Control Using a Graphical Rendering Engine

State-of-the-Art feedback control of lighting depends on point sensor measurements for light field generation. However, since the occupant’s perception depends on the entire light field in the room instead of the illumination at a limited set of points, the performance of these lighting control systems may be unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is critical to reconstruct the light field in the room from point sensor measurements and use it for feedback control of lights. This paper presents a framework for using graphical rendering tools along with point sensor measurements for the estimation of a light field and using these estimates for feedback control. Computer graphics software is used to efficiently and accurately model building spaces, while a game engine is used to render different lighting conditions for the space on the fly. These real-time renderings are then used together with sensor measurements to estimate and control the light field in the room using an optimization-based feedback control approach. We present a set of estimation algorithms for this purpose and analyze their convergence and performance limitations. Finally, we demonstrate closed loop lighting control systems that use these estimation algorithms and compare their relative performance, highlighting their benefits and disadvantages.
Five-Year Prospective Clinical Evaluation of Highly Crystalline HA MP-1–Coated Dental Implants

Contemporary plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite (HA) coatings with high crystalline content are much more resistant to in vivo degradation than HA coatings of a decade ago but reportedly exhibit reduced wettability, which could potentially negatively affect tissue adhesion and long-term clinical outcome. The present prospective study was undertaken to determine if highly crystalline HA MP-1-coated implants could meet a minimum 5-year implant success rate standard of 85% in view of their previously reported decreased wettability. Study subjects were consecutive patients with 1 or more missing teeth in the maxillary and/or mandibular jaw who presented in 3 university dental clinics and 1 private dental practice. A total of 120 patients were treated per protocol and successfully restored with implant-supported prostheses. Four implants failed in 3 patients and were withdrawn from the study. There were no other irresolvable adverse events. Cumulative implant success at 5 years was 97% (n = 184 implants in 88 patients), which exceeded the 85% standard for implant success after 5 years of clinical function.
Impact of an Antibiotic-specific Sepsis Bundle on Appropriate and Timely Antibiotic Administration for Severe Sepsis in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Background Guidelines recommend initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy within 1 h of severe sepsis diagnosis. Few sepsis bundles exist in the literature emphasizing initiation of specific antibiotic therapy. Objective To determine the impact of an antibiotic-specific sepsis bundle on the timely initiation of appropriate antibiotics. Methods For this before-and-after interventional study, the sepsis bundle at this 803-bed academic tertiary-care facility was redesigned to include specific antibiotic selection and dosing, based on suspected source of infection and susceptibility patterns. Protocol education and advertising was completed and bundle-specific antibiotics were put in the automated medication cabinet. Results Stepwise analysis of timely initiation of appropriate antibiotics included: 1) Was the initial antibiotic appropriate? 2) If so, was it initiated within 1 h of diagnosis? 3) If so, were all necessary appropriate antibiotics started? and 4) If so, were they started within 3 h of diagnosis? In comparing the 3-month-before group and 3-month-after group (n = 124), the appropriate initial antibiotic was started in 33.9% vs. 54.8% of patients (odds ratio [OR] 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19–0.93, p = 0.03) and within 1 h in 22.6% vs. 14.5% of patients (OR 1.71, 95% CI 0.62–4.92, p = 0.36), respectively. All necessary appropriate antibiotics were initiated in 16.1% vs. 12.9% of patients (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.42–4.10, p = 0.80), and within 3 h in 14.5% vs. 9.7% of patients, respectively (OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.46–5.78, p = 0.58). Conclusions An updated antibiotic-specific sepsis bundle, with antibiotics put in an automated medication cabinet, can result in improvements in the initiation of appropriate initial antibiotic therapy for severe sepsis in the emergency department.
A Simplified Radioimmunoassay for Human Pituitary Luteinizing Hormone in Serum

A simplified radioimmunoassay is described for human pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH). The principal modification over existing methods is that talc is used to separate antibody-bound hormone from free hormone by adsorption of the latter. Serum concentrations of LH in normal males, ovulatory females (follicular phase), postmenopausal females, patients with primary gonadal failure, and patients with hypopituitarism averaged 4.7, 4.6, 26.4, 30.8, and 1.9 µg of reference std. LER 907 per 100 ml of serum, respectively (10.3, 10.1, 57.8, 67.5, 4.2 milli-int. units/ml, respectively). These values are consistent with the clinical diagnoses.
Impact of pulmonary function on cardiovascular disease events in persons with metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Objective: Reduced pulmonary function (PFT), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and diabetes (DM) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; it is unclear if the risk of PFT is similar across these conditions. We compared the impact of reduced PFT on CVD event risk in persons with MetS, DM or neither condition. Method: We examined 4289 adults aged 65-98 (61.3% female, 15% African American, 11.2 years mean follow up time) without prior CVD from the Cardiovascular Health Study with forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and CVD risk factors measured at baseline. Cox regression examined whether PFT was associated with risk of new coronary heart disease (CHD) and CVD events in all disease categories. Results: Hazard ratios (HR) for CHD and CVD events compared persons in the 4th (Q4) vs. 1st quartile of FEV1 and FVC, and continuously (per SD). The inverse association of FEV1 and FVC with CVD and CHD events was strongest in those with neither condition, but weaker in those with DM and MetS. Results were similar for continuous analyses except both FVC and FEV1 also significantly predicted CVD events in those with MetS. Conclusion: Reduced lung function is less strongly associated with incident CHD and CVD in persons with MetS and DM.
Myocardial blood flow and flow reserve in coronary artery disease: Value and challenges

1228 Learning Objectives 1. To illustrate the need and usefulness of quantitative myocardial blood flow (MBF) and cardiac flow reserve (CFR) in the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). 2. To discuss the clinical and prognostic impact of quantitative MBF and CFR in patients with myocardial disease. ECG-gated positron emission tomography /computed tomography (PET/CT) myocardial perfusion imaging has increasingly being recognized as an important imaging modality for the evaluation of myocardial disease. The interpretation of cardiac PET studies has traditionally been based on the presence of relative regional perfusion defects, similar to cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). This leads to lower sensitivity for the detection of multi-vessel CAD as compared with single-vessel disease. Quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) is desirable. Content Organization: 1. Limitations of traditional perfusion cardiac PET/CT 2. Need for myocardial blood flow quantification 3. Clinical impact of quantitative MBF and CFR in patients with myocardial disease 4. Prognostic value of quantitative MBF and CFR in patients with myocardial disease Determination of MBF and CFR is clinically relevant. Quantitative estimation of these parameters has been proven to have prognostic value in categorizing patients with myocardial disease. Reader reliability and inter software variations are challenges that need to be resolved for clinical translation.
Population Based Trends in the Incidence of Hospital Admission for the Diagnosis of Hepatorenal Syndrome: 1998–2011

Background and Objectives. Hepatorenal syndrome carries a high risk of mortality. Understanding the incidence and mortality trends in hepatorenal syndrome will help inform future studies regarding the safety and efficacy of potential therapeutic interventions. Design and Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. We identified hospitalizations from January 1998-June 2011 with a primary diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome. To characterize the incidence trends in monthly hepatorenal syndrome hospitalizations, we fit a piecewise linear model with a change point at January 2008. We examined hospital and patient characteristics before and after the change point. Results. Hospital admissions with a diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome increased markedly between September of 2007 and March of 2008. Comparing patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome prior to 2008 with those after 2008, we found that length of stay increased while the mortality of patients admitted for hepatorenal syndrome decreased. Conclusion. The revision of the diagnostic criteria for hepatorenal syndrome may have contributed to the increase in the incidence of admissions for hepatorenal syndrome. However, the changes in the principles of hepatorenal syndrome management may have also contributed to the increase in incidence and lower mortality.
Social Class and Agrarian Political Ideology: A Note on Determinants of Political Attitudes Among Full- and Part-Time Farmers

Farmers in the U.S. have had an uneven, elusive political history. On the one hand, farmers have historically been the bulwark of support for largely leftist movements such as Populism and the Southern Farmers' Alliance. However, farmers have traditionally been members and supporters of conservative organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation and are often regarded as the center of gravity of traditional rural conservatism. Finally, observers such as Angus Campbell and his Michigan Survey Research Center colleagues have painted a picture of farmer politics as being alternatively apathetic and volatile. The highly influential Campbell et al. account of agrarian politics depicted agrarian political behavior as shortterm and transient-prone to evaporate on solution of immediate grievances. The focus of this paper is on extending the debate over the proper categoric designation (e.g., conservative vs. liberal, stable vs. volatile) of agrarian political behavior by exploring the factors that shape politicalideological differences among farmers. While there have been a number of important changes in U.S. agriculture during the post-World War II period, two structural changes appear to be of particular relevance to this inquiry into agrarian political ideology. First, there has been a growing degree of differentiation among farmers as some farms have grown in size and scale while others have remained relatively small. Related to this trend toward differentiation is the growing prominence of part-time farming in which one or more farm family mem-
We Still Don't Know If Christianity "Works," Much Less Why: Response to Smith*

In "Why Christianity Works," Christian Smith (2007) argues that to under stand the persistence of faith traditions in general, and Christianity in particular, one must stand traditional sociological reasoning on its head. Instead of looking for sources of variation over time and place, one should look for a common or universal human need that makes the tradition "internally compelling" across contexts and across millennia. There is precedent in this approach, and although Smith does not cite Geertz's famous essay "Religion as a Cultural System," his article has some things in common with this influential work (Geertz 1973). In this view, religion provides symbols, rituals, and an ethic that, taken together, give deeply satisfying answers to core ontological questions about the coherence of the universe, the purpose of human life, the nature of evil, and the reasons for suffering and death. Smith argues that Christianity provides a set of answers to these ontological questions that is deeply satisfying on an emotional level, and that is why it has been so successful across the span of history. Questions about the "why" of religious belief are as important as questions about the "how" of it. However, Smith's article shows fundamental weaknesses and ultimately serves to obscure more than it clarifies about the "why" of Christian religious belief. Below, I outline my three main critiques of Smith's approach: the functionalist treatment of what is in fact an essentially compara tive question, the reversal of the likely causal direction between the Christian narrative and emotional satisfaction, and the false universalization of a particu lar historically rooted experience of Christianity (Smith 1990).
Die minimal invasive Lungenresektion im Tierversuch: Technik und erste Ergebnisse der thorakoskopischen Pneumonektomie

Minimal invasive Methoden in der Lungenresektion versprechen postoperative Vorteile durch eine geringere Beeintrachtigung der Atemmechanik, ertraglichere Schmerzen und raschere Genesung. Vor allem die Vermeidung der Aufdehnung von Rippen tragt zur postoperativen Erhaltung der physiologischen Brustwandfunktion bei. Der Einsatz der Thorakoskopie ist gerechtfertigt, wenn Mortalitats- und Morbiditatsrisiken mit herkommlichen Methoden vergleichbar sind und die Radikalitat onkologischer Eingriffe nicht beeintrachtigt wird. Zuruckhaltung besteht gegenwartig gegenuber thorakoskopischen Resektionen, die eine Kontrolle der Hilusstrukturen voraussetzen. Grunde fur diese Vorsicht sind die geringe klinische Erfahrung, das unbekannte Risiko von Blutungen und das Fehlen eines manuellen Zugangs und ublicher Nahttechnik. Wir untersuchten deshalb in einem Tiermodell die Anwendbarkeit thorakoskopischer Methoden auf die Pneumonektomie mit dem Ziel, eine Operation mit reproduzierbarer Kontrolle der Hilusgefase zu entwickeln und Aussagen uber den postoperativen Heilungsverlauf zu machen.
Design, synthesis, and in vitro evaluation of a fluorescently labeled irreversible inhibitor of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKACα)

The design and development of irreversible kinase inhibitors is an expanding frontier of kinase drug discovery. The current approach to develop these inhibitors utilizes ATP-competitive inhibitor scaffolds to target non-catalytic cysteines in the kinase ATP-binding site. However, this approach is limited as not all kinases have a cysteine in the ATP-binding site that can be targeted. In this work, we report a complementary approach to developing irreversible kinase inhibitors that utilizes the substrate-binding site. Using the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKACα) as a model system, we have designed and synthesized an irreversible inhibitor based on the substrate-competitive inhibitor scaffold PKI(14-22) that covalently modifies non-catalytic Cys199 in the PKACα substrate-binding site. The new compound inhibits PKACα (IC50 = 11.8 ± 1.1 nM), is ∼100-fold selective for PKACα in a kinase panel, and covalently labels the kinase as demonstrated by fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and kinetics experiments. This study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing this new approach to develop irreversible inhibitors for any of the eighty-nine kinases that possess a similar non-catalytic cysteine in their substrate-binding sites.
Encoding Data Using Biological Principles: The Multisample Variant Format for Phylogenomics and Population Genomics

Rapid progress in the fields of phylogenomics and population genomics has driven increases in both the size of multi-genomic datasets and the number and complexity of genome-wide analyses. We present the Multisample Variant Format, specifically designed to store multiple sequence alignments for phylogenomics and population genomic analysis. The signature feature of MVF is a distinctive encoding of aligned sites with specific biological information content (e.g., invariant, low-coverage). This biological pattern-based encoding of sequence data allows for rapid filtering and quality control of data and speeds up computation for many analyses. Similar to other modern formats, MVF has a simple data structure and flexible header structure to accommodate project metadata, allowing to also serve as an effective data publication and sharing format. We also propose several variants of the MVF format to accommodate protein and codon alignments, quality scores, and a mix of de novo and reference-aligned data. Using the MVFtools package, MVF files can be converted from other common sequence formats. MVFtools completes tasks ranging from simple transformation and filtering operations to complex genome-wide visualizations in only a few minutes, even on large datasets. In addition to presentation of MVF and MVFtools, we also discuss the application both in MVF and other existing data formats of the broader concept of using biological principles and patterns to inform sequence data encoding.
Cost of palliative external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) use for bone metastases secondary to prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Evaluations of the costs of palliative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for treatment of bone metastases are limited. OBJECTIVE To summarize EBRT lifetime care patterns in deceased men with metastatic prostate cancer treated in a cancer hospital in the United States. METHODS A retrospective review of electronic health records identified deceased adult prostate cancer (ICD-9 185.xx) patients with bone metastases (ICD-9 198.5) and who were treated for bone pain and metastasis management with EBRT between January 1, 1995 and December 17, 2012. Common Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify all EBRT episodes (total billed EBRT services; initial and final evaluation) to calculate length of EBRT treatments and per episode costs (2011 US$). Bootstrapping approximated the 95% confidence interval for final cost estimates. RESULTS 176 men were identified; 19 (10.8%) had bone metastases in >1 site. Eighty-nine men (50.6%) received >1 EBRT episode (range, 1-6; median, 2), with first episode length ranging from 1-44 calendar days (mean, 13.4; SD, 8.4) at a mean cost of $7,084 (SD, $4,028). About 70% of costs were attributable to hospital charges and 30% to physician charges. LIMITATIONS Small sample size limits broad applicability to large populations of men with prostate cancer. CONCLUSION Care costs for EBRT constitute one of many costs that should be taken into account when planning for palliative care of prostate cancer and bone metastasis.
Evaluating risk factors and predicting complications in head and neck reconstructive surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Complications in head and neck reconstructive surgery can have devastating effects. There is a tremendous body of literature examining risk factors that may predict complications in this patient population, thereby minimizing or avoiding adverse outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Rotational thromboelastometry may provide a mechanism to predict coagulopathy in patients undergoing microvascular reconstruction. Surveillance of serum C-reactive protein levels may provide an additional tool for early intervention in wound complications Controversy persists in the literature regarding specific risk factors and associated perioperative complications. SUMMARY Perioperative medical and surgical complications are commonplace in the management of complex oncologic disease and attendant defect reconstructions. Potential risk factors have been examined exhaustively in the literature without a consensus being established.
Optical constants of synthetic potassium, sodium, and hydronium jarosite

The hydroxy sulfate jarosite [(K,Na,H 3 O)Fe 3 (SO 4 ) 2 (OH) 6 ] has both been discovered on Mars, and is associated with areas of highly acidic runoff on Earth. Because jarosite is extremely sensitive to formation conditions, it is an important target mineral for remote sensing applications. Yet at visible and near infrared (VNIR) wavelengths, where many spacecraft spectrometers collect data, the spectral abundance of a mineral in a mixture is not linearly correlated with the surface abundance of that mineral. Radiative transfer modeling can be used to extract quantitative abundance estimates if the optical constants (the real and imaginary indices of refraction, n and k ) for all minerals in the mixture are known. Unfortunately, optical constants for a wide variety of minerals, including sulfates like jarosite, are not available. This is due, in part, to the inherent difficulty in obtaining such data for minerals that tend to crystallize naturally as fine-grained (~10 μm) powders, like many sulfates including jarosite. However, the optical constants of powders can be obtained by inverting the equation of radiative transfer and using it to model laboratory spectra. In this paper, we provide robust n and k data for synthetic potassium, hydronium, and sodium jarosite in the VNIR. We also explicitly describe the calculation procedures (including access to our Matlab code) so that others may obtain optical constants of additional minerals. Expansion of the optical constants library in the VNIR will facilitate the extraction of quantitative mineral abundances, leading to more in-depth evaluations of remote sensing target locations.
Evolution of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Plan

Development of lower Mississippi Valley flood control from its beginning with local levee construction at New Orleans to comprehensive plan now being prosecuted by Corps of Engineers; method proposed for controlling Mississippi analyzed in light of present knowledge.
Feeding-site selection and foraging strategies of American woodcock

Etude en laboratoire des reperes permettant a Scolopax minor adulte de selectionner le site d'alimentation et precisions sur la strategie de capture des vers de terre