cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aggression by Non‐Native Crayfish Deters Breeding in California Newts

Adaptations used to defend against native predators may not be effective against introduced predators. For this reason perturbations caused by introduced species often affect the distribution and abundance of native prey organisms (Diamond & Case 1986). Predation is a strong selection pressure over time and results in antipredator adaptations in prey. Many adaptations are behavioral; these adaptations allow prey to exist in an environment where predation risk varies during ecological time (Lima & Dill 1990). The behavior of an organism reflects a complex of adaptations that have evolved in response to selection pressures from native predators (see Dill 1987; Lima & Dill 1990). When a nonnative organism is introduced, the interactions between the native and introduced species are often unpredictable. Introduced species can affect native organisms in a variety of ways. Resource exploitation, competition, and predation by nonnative species are well studied topics (see Diamond & Case 1986; Simberloff 1981). The current issues surrounding amphibian decline have prompted researchers to examine the effects of introduced predators on native amphibians (Hayes & Jennings 1986; Pechmann & Wilbur 1994). In most studies direct predation on larvae and/or eggs was found to be the primary detrimental effect on native amphibians (Cory 1963; Hayes & Jennings 1986; Bradford 1991; Bradford et al. 1993; Bronmark & Edenhamn 1994; Gamradt & Kats 1996). In southern California, California newts (Taricha torosa) have been declining and have recently been listed as a species of special concern (Jennings & Hayes 1994). In a previous study (Gamradt & Kats 1996), we observed an inverse relationship between the distribution of Cali-
HYPOPITUITARISM AND DIABETES

Anatomically the hypophysis cerebri is divided into three portions, the pars anterior, the pars intermedia and the pars posterior. Clinically, however, the pars intermedia and the pars posterior can not well be separated, as the extract of the pars posterior also contains that of the pars intermedia. The hormone of the pars anterior affects chiefly the osseous and the genital systems, hypersecretion producing gigantism early in life and acromegaly after growth has ceased, with secondary effects on the dermal system, temperature, pulse, blood pressure and mental function. The hormone of the pars posterior chiefly affects metabolism; hyposecretion produces increased carbohydrate tolerance and adiposity; hypersecretion, decreased carbohydrate tolerance with polyuria; it also causes contraction of the unstriped muscle. I am interested chiefly in the relation of carbohydrate metabolism to variations in pituitary activity and therefore shall deal merely with this phase of the subject. Engelbach (1) found that h...
A comparison of statistical techniques to evaluate the performance of the Glucometer Elite blood glucose meter.

Abstract Objectives: The objective of the study was to measure the performance of the Glucometer Elite®, a technique-independent device for self-monitoring of capillary blood glucose. Several potential sources of error were incorporated into the study, including variability between lots, the age of a lot, variability between subjects, and variability between strips. Design and Methods: The Glucometer Elite® was tested using capillary samples from 86 individuals. Duplicate readings with each of 8 sensor lots were done for each participant. Glucometer Elite® readings were compared to YSI capillary plasma equivalent values, and the data was evaluated using a variety of both technical and clinical analysis methods. Results: All evaluation methods showed excellent agreement between the Glucometer Elite® and the YSI plasma equivalent values. Conclusion: The Glucometer Elite® system provides accurate and clinically valuable information to the diabetic home tester.
A Neuroimaging Study of Premotor Lateralization and Cerebellar Involvement in the Production of Phonemes and Syllables

Purpose This study investigated the network of brain regions involved in overt production of vowels, monosyllables, and bisyllables to test hypotheses derived from the Directions Into Velocities of...
In situ measurements of bromine oxide at two high‐latitude boundary layer sites: Implications of variability

[1] Bromine oxide (BrO) was measured in situ during the Arctic Tropospheric Ozone Chemistry (ARCTOC) '96 campaign in Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen (April–May 1996), and during the Alert 2000 Polar Sunrise Experiment in Alert, Nunavut, Canada (April–May 2000). Measurements were made in near-surface air during low-ozone events in early May at both sites. The average of the in situ concentrations of BrO at Ny Alesund is consistent with the path average of near-simultaneous long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy measurements, but there is considerable scatter in a point-by-point comparison. The differences between these observations are consistent with a strong surface influence on reactive bromine. We see similar variability of the in situ measurements at Alert, which reflects the real variability of both surface sources and sinks. The fluctuations of BrO abundances are used to assess the expected loss rates and associated lifetimes of ozone during depletion events. We show that ozone loss will be underpredicted by any temporal or spatial average of BrO.
The Effects of an Environmental Studies Course on Selected Variables Related to Environmentally Responsible Behavior

Abstract Locus of control of reinforcement (LOCR) and perceived knowledge of and skill in using various categories of environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) have been frequently cited as correlates of self-reporting of participation in ERB. What has not been extensively investigated is the impact of various interventions on these variables. A few studies of limited generalizability have attempted such an assessment, reporting findings of no impact. Results of this study appear to refute previous findings. Students completing an environmental studies course displayed statistically significant gains, that is, a more internally oriented LOCR for ERB, a higher perception of their knowledge of and skill in using categories of ERB, and a higher degree of self-report of participation in ERB than did students not completing such a course.
Transition elements based on transfinite interpolation

In this study the transfinite interpolation methodology, a 'blending-function' method in particular, is utilized for the formulation of transition elements. The method offers a formal way of meeting continuity requirements in a transition element. Element shape functions are derived by blending the continuity requirements of individual boundary segments. The blending directions are naturally orthogonal in rectangular domains therefore interpolation of the boundaries over rectangular 2D and 3D elements can be performed with minimal effort. In triangular domains, however, the choice of blending directions and interpolants is not straightforward. For that reason, two interpolation techniques are proposed for blending of the boundaries of triangular domains. A series of transition elements of various classes compatible with elements of different orders and dimensions is developed and the full potential of the transfinite interpolation, as it applies to element formulation, is explored.
Disease transmission dynamics and the evolution of antibiotic resistance in hospitals and communal settings

Despite the tremendous benefits of antibiotics for dealing with a wide range of pathogens, there is by now little doubt that their indiscriminate use has led to the emergence of novel resistant strains and a frightening new set of threats to public health. Hospitals and other community settings provide an especially fertile ground for the spread of those types; in particular, the recent emergence and proliferation of bacteria resistant to both methicillin and vancomycin has engendered serious concern, threatening the effectiveness of the last available options for treatment of potentially fatal Staphylococcus strains.
Erythrocyte fragility in aging.

Abstract Hemolysis experiments were run on normal human whole blood from young and old people. An equation was developed to fit the data and determine the mean erythrocyte fragility and breadth of the fragility distribution. Results indicate an increase in mean fragility and a broadening of the erythrocyte fragility distribution as a function of aging.
On a Gradient-Like Integro-Differential Equation.

Under appropriate conditions on b and a function g with 2 k +1 simple zeros, the equation has a maximal compact invariant set A b,g in C ([−1,0]R), consisting of the zeros of g and the one-dimensional unstable manifolds of these zeros. For k =2, it is shown that there may be a saddle connection in the flow on A b,g for some g. This implies that the zeros of g as elements of the flow on A b,g cannot be given the natural order of the reals.
Adaptive control for multistage machining process scenario—bar turning with varying material properties

This paper discusses the multistage manufacturing scenario in context of progressive machining and demonstrates an adaptive control scheme for turning operation of a partially hardened bar. A nonlinear mechanistic force model-based control framework attempts to control the cutting force at a designated set point, with material properties changing over the cut. The force coefficients for the material are calculated offline using experimental data and Bayesian inference methods. Since the hardened part of the bar will shift the force coefficient values, an online estimation strategy (Bayesian recursive least square estimator) is used to learn the new coefficients as well as satisfying the control objective. With the newly learned coefficients passed downstream, the subsequent operation experiences no compromise of control objective as well as reduces the maximum values of force encountered. Numerical analyses presented show the adaptation and control scheme performance. Finally, the experimental analysis show the open-loop and closed-loop model adaptation and effective force set point regulation using experimental apparatus and partially hardened MS (AISI1045) bar.
Social and emotional self-regulation.

In humans, frontal lesions result in deficits of social and emotional behavior that are often surprising in the presence of intact language and other cognitive skills. The connections between the motivation and memory functions of limbic cortex and the motor planning functions of frontal neocortex must be fundamental to meeting the daily challenges of self-regulation. The connectional architecture of limbic and neocortical networks suggests a model of function. The densely interconnected paralimbic cortices may serve to maintain a global motivational context within which specific actions are articulated and sequenced within frontal neocortical networks. The paralimbic networks represent the visceral and kinesthetic information that is integral to the representation of the bodily self. In a general sense, the implicit self-representation within paralimbic networks may shape the significance of perceptions and the motivational context for developing actions. The network architecture of the frontal lobe reflects the dual limbic origins of frontal cortex, in the dorsal archicortical and ventral paleocortical structures. In this paper, we speculated that these two limbic-cortical pathways apply different motivational biases to direct the frontal lobe representation of working memory. The dorsal limbic mechanisms projecting through the cingulate gyrus may be influenced by hedonic evaluations, social attachments, and they may initiate a mode of motor control that is holistic and impulsive. In contrast, the ventral limbic pathway from the amygdala to orbital frontal cortex may implement a tight, restricted mode of motor control that reflects adaptive constraints of self-preservation. In the human brain, hemispheric specialization appears to have led to asymmetric elaborations of the dorsal and ventral pathways. Understanding the inherent asymmetries of corticolimbic architecture may be important in interpreting the increasing evidence that the left and right frontal lobes contribute differently to normal and pathological forms of self-regulation. Language: en
Selective farnesol toxicity and translocation of protein kinase C in neoplastic HeLa-S3K and non-neoplastic CF-3 cells

Abstract We have reported earlier that farnesol, a 15 carbon isoprenoid, has inhibitory effects on the growth and viability of a variety of cultured cells of neoplastic derivation but is considerably less cytotoxic to cells derived from normal tissue (Cancer Lett., 79, 175–179). As part of our search for the mechanism of this observation, we have studied the effect of 20 μM farnesol on the distribution of protein kinase C (PKC) between cytosolic and membrane fractions of HeLa S3K cells and fibroblasts line CF-3. In HeLa cells farnesol caused translocation of PKC from membrane fraction to cytosol after 1 h of incubation and also prevented PMA-stimulated induction of PKC translocation from cytosol to membranes. Up to 6 h of incubation, there was no effect of farnesol on PKC localization in CF-3 fibroblasts. The results point to possible involvement of PKC in the toxic effect of farnesol which occurs with some degree of selectivity depending on cell origin.
Failure to replicate the deleterious effects of safety behaviors in exposure therapy.

The current study attempted to replicate the finding obtained by Powers, Smits, and Telch (2004; Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 448-545) that both the availability and utilization of safety behaviors interfere with the efficacy of exposure therapy. An additional goal of the study was to evaluate which explanatory theories about the detrimental effects of safety behaviors best account for this phenomenon. Undergraduate students (N=58) with high claustrophobic fear were assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (a) exposure only, (b) exposure with safety behavior availability, and (c) exposure with safety behavior utilization. Participants in each condition improved substantially, and there were no significant between-group differences in fear reduction. Unexpectedly, exposure with safety behavior utilization led to significantly greater improvement in self-efficacy and claustrophobic cognitions than exposure only. The extent to which participants inferred danger from the presence of safety aids during treatment was associated with significantly less improvement on all outcome measures. The findings call into question the hypothesized deleterious effects of safety behaviors on the outcome of exposure therapy and highlight a possible mechanism through which the mere presence of safety cues during exposure trials might affect treatment outcomes depending on participants' perceptions of the dangerousness of exposure stimuli.
Predictors of serious psychological distress in an urban population

While there are state and national estimates of serious psychological distress (SPD), these are not useful for targeting local mental health interventions or for addressing the needs of sub-populations at increased risk for SPD. This cross-sectional study uses data from the population-based 2010 Health of Houston Survey (n = 5,116) to examine (1) the prevalence of SPD and its determinants in Houston area and (2) predictors of the utilization of mental health services among people with SPD. The prevalence of SPD among the Houston area adult population was 7 %, more than twice the national average. Correlates of SPD included: being female, under 65, lacking emotional support, smoking, having poor health status and financial distress. The odds of utilizing health services by those with SPD were affected by financial distress, insurance, employment and perceived need for services, among other factors. Interventions should be tailored to mitigate risk factors for SPD and to improve access to mental health services in the SPD sub-population.
A Rotating Machinery Course at Virginia Tech Developed With Industry Support

This paper describes an undergraduate course on rotating machinery that has been developed at Virginia Tech with the close collaboration of an industry partner, the Bently Nevada Corporation. The course is offered as a technical elective in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for undergraduate students at the senior level. The motivation for the development of the course was to give students the experience of applying some of their basic courses to real engineering scenarios while educating students in additional specialized issues associated with the operation, design, and maintenance of rotating machinery. The development of this course is novel in that multiple academic, industrial, and institutional resources are utilized to create real engineering experiences appropriate for the undergraduate classroom. Creating this type of learning experience at the senior level helps students translate their basic engineering skills into practical engineering skills in order to successfully address real engineering scenarios that are not always straightforward problems based on straightforward information. This paper describes some of the course details and how a diversity of resources is incorporated into an undergraduate course. It is hoped that the information presented here will facilitate more industry and academic collaborations for the benefits of future engineers and the discipline itself.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Ectodermal Smad4 and p38 MAPK Are Functionally Redundant in Mediating TGF-β/BMP Signaling during Tooth and Palate Development

Smad4 is a central intracellular effector of TGF-beta signaling. Smad-independent TGF-beta pathways, such as those mediated by p38 MAPK, have been identified in cell culture systems, but their in vivo functional mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of TGF-beta signaling in tooth and palate development and noted that conditional inactivation of Smad4 in oral epithelium results in much milder phenotypes than those seen with the corresponding receptor mutants, Bmpr1a and Tgfbr2, respectively. Perturbed p38 function in these tissues likewise has no effect by itself; however, when both Smad4 and p38 functions are compromised, dramatic recapitulation of the receptor mutant phenotypes results. Thus, our study demonstrates that p38 and Smad4 are functionally redundant in mediating TGF-beta signaling in diverse contexts during embryonic organogenesis. The ability of epithelium to utilize both pathways illustrates the complicated nature of TGF-beta signaling mechanisms in development and disease.
Lyme disease risk not amplified in a species-poor vertebrate community: similar Borrelia burgdorferi tick infection prevalence and OspC genotype frequencies

The effect of biodiversity declines on human health is currently debated, but empirical assessments are lacking. Lyme disease provides a model system to assess relationships between biodiversity and human disease because the etiologic agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted in the United States by the generalist black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) among a wide range of mammalian and avian hosts. The ‘dilution effect’ hypothesis predicts that species-poor host communities dominated by white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) will pose the greatest human risk because P. leucopus infects the largest numbers of ticks, resulting in higher human exposure to infected I. scapularis ticks. P. leucopus-dominated communities are also expected to maintain a higher frequency of those B. burgdorferi outer surface protein C (ospC) genotypes that this host species more efficiently transmits (‘multiple niche polymorphism’ hypothesis). Because some of these genotypes are human invasive, an additive increase in human disease risk is expected in species-poor settings. We assessed these theoretical predictions by comparing I. scapularis nymphal infection prevalence, density of infected nymphs and B. burgdorferi genotype diversity at sites on Block Island, RI, where P. leucopus dominates the mammalian host community, to species-diverse sites in northeastern Connecticut. We found no support for the dilution effect hypothesis; B. burgdorferi nymphal infection prevalence was similar between island and mainland and the density of B. burgdorferi infected nymphs was higher on the mainland, contrary to what is predicted by the dilution effect hypothesis. Evidence for the multiple niche polymorphism hypothesis was mixed: there was lower ospC genotype diversity at island than mainland sites, but no overrepresentation of genotypes with higher fitness in P. leucopus or that are more invasive in humans. We conclude that other mechanisms explain similar nymphal infection prevalence in both communities and that high ospC genotype diversity can be maintained in both species-poor and species-rich communities.
Grain flow as a fluid-mechanical phenomenon

The behaviour of granular material in motion is studied from a continuum point of view. Insofar as possible, individual grains are treated as the ‘molecules’ of a granular ‘fluid’. Besides the obvious contrast in shape, size and mass, a key difference between true molecules and grains is that collisions of the latter are inevitably inelastic. This, together with the fact that the fluctuation velocity may be comparable to the flow velocity, necessitates explicit incorporation of the energy equation, in addition to the continuity and momentum equations, into the theoretical description. Simple ‘microscopic’ kinetic models are invoked for deriving expressions for the ‘coefficients’ of viscosity, thermal diffusivity and energy absorption due to collisions. The ‘coefficients’ are not constants, but are functions of the local state of the medium, and therefore depend on the local ‘temperature’ and density. In general the resulting equations are nonlinear and coupled. However, in the limit s « d, where s is the mean separation between neighbouring grain surfaces and d is a grain diameter, the above equations become linear and can be solved analytically. An important dependent variable, in this formulation, in addition to the flow velocity u, is the mean random fluctuation (‘thermal’) velocity v of an individual grain. With a sufficient flux of energy supplied to the system through the boundaries of the container, v can remain non-zero even in the absence of flow. The existence of a non-uniform v is the means by which energy can be ‘conducted’ from one part of the system to another. Because grain collisions are inelastic, there is a natural (damping) lengthscale, governed by the value of d, which strongly influences the functional dependence of v on position. Several illustrative examples of static (u = 0) systems are solved. As an example of grain flow, various Couette-type problems are solved analytically. The pressure, shear stress, and ‘thermal’ velocity function v are all determined by the relative plate velocity U (and the boundary conditions). If v is set equal to zero at both plates, the pressure and stress are both proportional to U^2, i.e. the fluid is non-Newtonian. However, if sufficient energy is supplied externally through the walls (v ≠ 0 there), then the forces become proportional to the first power of U. Some examples of Couette flow are given which emphasize the large effect on the grain system properties of even a tiny amount of inelasticity in grain–grain collisions. From these calculations it is suggested that, for the case of Couette flow, the flow of sand is supersonic over most of the region between the confining plates.
Contribution of side-chain chromophores to the optical activity of proteins: Model compound studies. I. α-Methyl-L-tyrosine

The optical rotatory power and the conformational energy of the amino acid α-methyl-L-tyrosine has been calculated as a function of molecular conformation. Comparison of the results of these theoretical calculations with experimental circular dichroism data indicates that the conformational freedom of this molecule is highly restricted. The most heavily populated conformations appear to be those near χ1 = 60°, χ2 = 80°, Ψ = 175°, and χ1 = 300°, χ2 = 80°, Ψ = 5°. The χ1 = 180° conformations are not likely to be populated to a significant extent at ordinary temperatures.
Recoil ranges of nuclei produced in the interaction of 80-164 MeV protons with Ni

Cross sections and effective recoil ranges of nuclei produced in the 80, 136, 153, and 164 MeV proton bombardment of /sup 58/Ni and /sup 62/Ni targets have been measured using the conventional thick target recoil catcher technique. The measured ranges increase monotonically with the number of nucleons removed from the target, and only for the lightest of the product nuclei are they comparable to values expected for compound nucleus formation. This trend is consistent with the picture in which the initial proton-nucleus interactions leave a few intermediate nuclei over a broad range of excitation, from which the bulk of the final nuclei are produced by evaporation. Detailed comparisons of the observations with predictions of the cascade model are presented and discussed.
A comparison of the psychometric properties of the Mini-Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test.

Background The relationships between validated quality of life tools and control tools have not been explored for rhinitis. This study was designed to determine relationships of the Mini-Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniRQLQ) and the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test (RCAT) to each other regarding content and predictive abilities. Methods Participants were adult members of a large integrated care organization with an encounter diagnosis of rhinitis in the prior 2 years. Patients completed mailed questionnaires at baseline that contained the MiniRQLQ and the RCAT and three follow-up questionnaires that contained those tools as well as questions regarding missed work or school because of rhinitis and frequency and effectiveness of medications used for rhinitis. Medications dispensed during the follow-up year were obtained from computerized pharmacy records. Results of allergy tests were retrieved for patients seen in the Allergy Department. Results The final cohort included 1051 patients. Baseline RCAT scores were strongly correlated with baseline MiniRQLQ scores in both allergic (r = -0.80) and nonallergic (r = -0.84) patients. Baseline MiniRQLQ and RCAT scores were significantly related to patient reports of missed school/work, medication use, and effectiveness over the next 3 months and to dispensing during the following year of total and some individual rhinitis medications. Test-retest reliability, responsiveness, and a preliminary minimal important difference (>2.5) were shown for the RCAT, using the MiniRQLQ as an anchor. Conclusion The MiniRQLQ and RCAT are strongly related to each other and both predict subsequent rhinitis outcomes. Determining the comparative usefulness of these tools will require further study.
STUDIES IN ONAGRACEAE I. A REVISION OF THE SUBGENUS CHYLISMIA OF THE GENUS OENOTHERA

In presenting this paper I am offering the first of a series of studies on which I have been working for the past three years and which are directed toward a monograph of the genus Oenothera, sens lat. As the work has progressed, the feeling has grown on me that most of the various segregategenera are best kept together in a rather inclusive group. A discussion of the whole situation is reserved for a later date. For this particular paper some seven hundred sheets have been available, including the material in the herbaria listed below. These herbaria were either visited or the material was borrowed. The abbreviation given with each name is that used in citing specimens:
Assessing the efficacy of tragal pumping: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective. Tragal pumping is the practice of pushing on the tragus to raise pressure in the external auditory canal. This is a study to determine if tragal pumping improves middle ear penetration of ototopical medications via a patent pressure equalization tube.Study Design. Prospective, randomized controlled trial.Setting. Tertiary referral center.Subjects and Methods. Children with chronic otitis media scheduled for routine placement of bilateral pressure equalization tubes were offered enrollment in the study. After pressure equalization tube insertion, an otic preparation of 0.3% ofloxacin solution dyed with methylene blue was applied sequentially to both ear canals by the operating surgeon. Tragal pumping was performed on the experimental ear, and the opposite ear served as a control. A second operator, blinded to the randomization process, used an operating microscope to determine if otic drops had entered the middle ear as demonstrated by methylene blue staining of the promontory mucosa.Results. Tw...
Uncertainty in eddy covariance measurements and its application to physiological models

Summary Flux data are noisy, and this uncertainty is largely due to random measurement error. Knowledge of uncertainty is essential for the statistical evaluation of modeled and measured fluxes, for comparison of parameters derived by fitting models to measured fluxes and in formal data-assimilation efforts. We used the difference between simultaneous measurements from two towers located less than 1 km apart to quantify the distributional characteristics of the measurement error in fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sensible and latent heat (H and LE, respectively). Flux measurement error more closely follows a double exponential than a normal distribution. The CO2 flux uncertainty is negatively correlated with mean wind speed, whereas uncertainty in H and LE is positively correlated with net radiation flux. Measurements from a single tower made 24 h apart under similar environmental conditions can also be used to characterize flux uncertainty. Uncertainty calculated by this method is somewhat higher than that derived from the two-tower approach. We demonstrate the use of flux uncertainty in maximum likelihood parameter estimates for simple physiological models of daytime net carbon exchange. We show that inferred model parameters are highly correlated, and that hypothesis testing is therefore possible only when the joint distribution of the model parameters is taken into account.
Moisture as a determinant of habitat quality for a nonbreeding Neotropical migratory songbird

Identifying the determinants of habitat quality for a species is essential for understanding how populations are limited and regulated. Spatiotemporal variation in moisture and its influence on food availability may drive patterns of habitat occupancy and demographic outcomes. Nonbreeding migratory birds in the neotropics occupy a range of habitat types that vary with respect to moisture. Using carbon isotopes and a satellite-derived measure of habitat moisture, we identified a moisture gradient across home ranges of radio-tracked Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis). We used this gradient to classify habitat types and to examine whether habitat moisture correlates with overwinter mass change and spring departure schedules of Northern Waterthrush over the late-winter dry season in the tropics. The two independent indicators of moisture revealed similar gradients that were directly proportional to body mass change as the dry season progressed. Birds occupying drier habitats declined in body mass over the study period, while those occupying wetter habitats increased in body mass. Regardless of habitat, birds lost an average of 7.6% of their mass at night, and mass recovery during the day trended lower in dry compared with wet habitats. This suggests that daily incremental shortfalls in mass recovery can lead to considerable season-long declines in body mass. These patterns resulted in consequences for the premigratory period, with birds occupying drier habitats having a delayed rate of fat deposition compared with those in wet habitats. Taken together with the finding that males, which are significantly larger than females, are also in better condition than females regardless of habitat suggests that high-quality habitats may be limited and that there may be competition for them. The habitat-linked variation in performance we observed suggests that habitat limitation could impact individual and population-level processes both during and in subsequent periods of the annual cycle. The linkage between moisture and habitat quality for a migratory bird indicates that the availability of high-quality habitats is dynamic due to variation in precipitation among seasons and years. Understanding this link is critical for ascertaining the impact of future climate change, particularly in the Caribbean basin, where a much drier future is predicted.
Variations in normal human laryngeal anatomy and physiology as viewed fiberscopically

Summary The purpose of this study was to observe and document variations in configuration and movement of the lower vocal tract and selected laryngeal structures in a sample of normal speakers. Ten men and ten women, ranging in age from 21 to 33 years, judged to have normal voices, were examined fiber-optically. Each subject engaged in a set protocol of phonatory and nonphonatory tasks and all examinations were videotaped. Judges reviewed these recordings with special attention to the following structures: pharyngeal wall, epiglottis, pyriform sinuses, ventricular folds, true vocal folds and the arytenoid complex. Extensive variability among these normals was observed anatomically and physiologically.
Identification of a Potential Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Gene Expression Profile from Advanced Stage Papillary Serous Ovarian Cancer

Identification of gene expression profiles of cancer stem cells may have significant implications in the understanding of tumor biology and for the design of novel treatments targeted toward these cells. Here we report a potential ovarian cancer stem cell gene expression profile from isolated side population of fresh ascites obtained from women with high-grade advanced stage papillary serous ovarian adenocarcinoma. Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 microarrays were used to interrogate the differentially expressed genes between side population (SP) and main population (MP), and the results were analyzed by paired T-test using BRB-ArrayTools. We identified 138 up-regulated and 302 down-regulated genes that were differentially expressed between all 10 SP/MP pairs. Microarray data was validated using qRT-PCR and17/19 (89.5%) genes showed robust correlations between microarray and qRT-PCR expression data. The Pathway Studio analysis identified several genes involved in cell survival, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis which are unique to SP cells and a mechanism for the activation of Notch signaling is identified. To validate these findings, we have identified and isolated SP cells enriched for cancer stem cells from human ovarian cancer cell lines. The SP populations were having a higher colony forming efficiency in comparison to its MP counterpart and also capable of sustained expansion and differentiation in to SP and MP phenotypes. 50,000 SP cells produced tumor in nude mice whereas the same number of MP cells failed to give any tumor at 8 weeks after injection. The SP cells demonstrated a dose dependent sensitivity to specific γ-secretase inhibitors implicating the role of Notch signaling pathway in SP cell survival. Further the generated SP gene list was found to be enriched in recurrent ovarian cancer tumors.
User subscription dynamics and revenue maximization in communications markets

In order to understand the complex interactions between different technologies in a communications market, it is of fundamental importance to understand how technologies affect the demand of users and competition between network service providers (NSPs). To this end, we analyze user subscription dynamics and revenue maximization in monopoly and duopoly communications markets. First, by considering a monopoly market with only one NSP, we investigate the impact of technologies on the users' dynamic subscription. It is shown that, for any price charged by the NSP, there exists a unique equilibrium point of the considered user subscription dynamics. We also provide a sufficient condition under which the user subscription dynamics converges to the equilibrium point starting from any initial point. We then derive upper and lower bounds on the optimal price and market share that maximize the NSP's revenue. Next, we turn to the analysis of a duopoly market and show that, for any charged prices, the equilibrium point of the considered user subscription dynamics exists and is unique. As in a monopoly market, we derive a sufficient condition on the technologies of the NSPs that ensures the user subscription dynamics to reach the equilibrium point. Then, we model the NSP competition using a non-cooperative game, in which the two NSPs choose their market shares independently, and provide a sufficient condition that guarantees the existence of at least one pure Nash equilibrium in the market competition game.
Adaptive cruise control: hybrid, distributed, and now formally verified

Car safety measures can be most effective when the cars on a street coordinate their control actions using distributed cooperative control. While each car optimizes its navigation planning locally to ensure the driver reaches his destination, all cars coordinate their actions in a distributed way in order to minimize the risk of safety hazards and collisions. These systems control the physical aspects of car movement using cyber technologies like local and remote sensor data and distributed V2V and V2I communication. They are thus cyber-physical systems. In this paper, we consider a distributed car control system that is inspired by the ambitions of the California PATH project, the CICAS system, SAFESPOT and PReVENT initiatives.We develop a formal model of a distributed car control system in which every car is controlled by adaptive cruise control. One of the major technical difficulties is that faithful models of distributed car control have both distributed systems and hybrid systems dynamics. They form distributed hybrid systems, which makes them very challenging for verification. In a formal proof system, we verify that the control model satisfies its main safety objective and guarantees collision freedom for arbitrarily many cars driving on a street, even if new cars enter the lane from on-ramps or multi-lane streets. The system we present is in many ways one of the most complicated cyber-physical systems that has ever been fully verified formally.
Design and testing of a new smoke concentration meter

The design of a new smoke concentration meter based on light-extinction measurements with a He-Ne laser is described. The measurement allows the determination of the mass-generation rate of smoke and smoke yield during a 5re test with little more time or labour than is required for performing heat-release-rate and mass-loss-rate measurements. The new smoke concentration meter was motivated by the 5nding from several studies of a nearly universal value of the speci5c extinction coe7cient of post-6ame smoke produced by over ventilated 5res. Key design features include the use of a stabilized laser, purge 6ow to eliminate smoke deposition on the optics, U channel construction to minimize the e4ect of heating on the optical alignment and beam correction optics. The facility was fabricated almost entirely from commercially available components to allow this design to be easily reproduced by5re research and testing laboratories. The smoke concentration meter was able to measure a smoke yield as small as 0.005 for a propane 5re to as large as 0.10 for a toluene pool 5re. A detailed uncertainty assessment was made. The result for a 50 cm diameter heptane pool 5re agrees well with previous smoke yield measurements made for the same fuel and pool diameter based on 5lter collection and weighing. Copyright ( 2000 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Ring-Resonator-Inspired Power Recycling Scheme for Gain-Enhanced Distributed Amplifier-Based CRLH-Transmission Line Leaky Wave Antennas

We propose a novel power recycling scheme for distributed amplifiers (DAs) integrated with composite-right/left handed transmission line leaky wave antennas (LWAs). This new type of power recycling scheme is essentially inspired by a ring-resonator. By forming a closed-loop on the drain side LWA of the DA, we create the ring-resonator that is actively coupled by the DA from the gate line and hence can obtain a substantial gain enhancement compared to the one directly terminated without the loop. Such enhancement fluctuates with respect to the frequency. At the resonant frequencies of the closed-loop ring-resonator, the enhancement reaches a maximum. The phenomenon will be explained and derived theoretically in detail, and then validated through the real implementation.
Challenges in using rater judgements in medical education.

Changes in the healthcare environment are putting increasing pressure on medical schools to make faculty accountable and to document the quality of the medical education they provide. Faculty’s ratings of students’ performances and students’ ratings of faculty’s teaching are important elements in these efforts to document educational quality. This article discusses selected research related to factors affecting raters’ judgements, analyses how changes in the health care environment are influencing such judgements, offers some suggestions to moderate some of the effects and links these influences to the system that upholds professional standards. Ratings are known to have a positive bias (generosity error), provide limited discrimination and often fail to document serious deficits. The potential sources of these problems relate to the mechanics of the rating task, the system used to obtain ratings and factors affecting rater judgement. As managed care demands reduce the time faculty have for teaching, as system-wide disincentives to provide negative ratings proliferate and as social engineering challenges, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, impose differential standards for students, the natural tendency to avoid giving negative ratings becomes even harder to resist. Ultimately, these forces compromise the capability of faculty to uphold the standards of the profession. The author calls for a national effort to stem the erosion of those standards.
Effectiveness of statins in reducing the rate of severe sepsis: A retrospective evaluation

Study Objectives. To determine whether use of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) is associated with a reduced rate of severe sepsis, and to further characterize the effect of statins on the frequency of organ dysfunction in patients with severe sepsis. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. University-associated teaching hospital. Patients. Fifty-three patients admitted with sepsis; 16 were receiving statins and 37 were not receiving statins (controls) before admission. Measurements and Main Results. Patients were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Patient demographics, vital signs, and laboratory values were collected from their electronic medical records. The primary end point was rate of severe sepsis, defined in accordance with guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Secondary end points were in-hospital mortality rate and rate of five categories of organ dysfunction (cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, hematologic, and metabolic). Preadmission statin therapy, compared with no statin therapy, was associated with a 30% lower rate of severe sepsis (56% vs 86%, p<0.02). In-hospital mortality was not significantly different between groups (38% vs 49%, p=0.33); however, the rate of cardiovascular dysfunction, defined as hypotension requiring vasopressor therapy, was significantly lower in the statin group (38% vs 73%, p<0.02). No significant differences in the other organ dysfunction categories were noted between groups. Conclusion. Statins appear to prevent sepsis from becoming severe, most notably through prevention of sepsis-induced hypotension. This potential role for statins in the prevention and treatment of severe sepsis should be further evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
Neural bases of emotional processing in pediatric bipolar disorder.

Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) presents with severe affect dysregulation characterized by elated mood, irritability and depressive symptoms, often in the form of a mixed episode. Early recognition of the external clinical features and the underlying emotional processing circuitry will help us understand the neurobiological underpinnings of this disorder and offer innovative ideas for early intervention. Methods: A 5-year review was conducted in structural and functional imaging studies in PBD that are potentially relevant to the emotional processing in PBD. Results: The ventral frontolimbic circuitry and the dorsal frontostriatal circuitry appear to be involved in affect regulation, with the ventral circuitry being more directly involved in emotion processing. The associated and interlinked circuits include the facial emotion-processing circuit and the association circuit between the occipital and the limbic regions responsible for automatic processing of emotions. Conclusion: While we are at a prelimin...
Genome-wide Analysis of Gene Expression Regulated by the Calcineurin/Crz1p Signaling Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, is activated by specific environmental conditions, including exposure to Ca(2+) and Na(+), and induces gene expression by regulating the Crz1p/Tcn1p transcription factor. We used DNA microarrays to perform a comprehensive analysis of calcineurin/Crz1p-dependent gene expression following addition of Ca(2+) (200 mm) or Na(+) (0.8 m) to yeast. 163 genes exhibited increased expression that was reduced 50% or more by calcineurin inhibition. These calcineurin-dependent genes function in signaling pathways, ion/small molecule transport, cell wall maintenance, and vesicular transport, and include many open reading frames of previously unknown function. Three distinct gene classes were defined as follows: 28 genes displayed calcineurin-dependent induction in response to Ca(2+) and Na(+), 125 showed calcineurin-dependent expression following Ca(2+) but not Na(+) addition, and 10 were regulated by calcineurin in response to Na(+) but not Ca(2+). Analysis of crz1Delta cells established Crz1p as the major effector of calcineurin-regulated gene expression in yeast. We identified the Crz1p-binding site as 5'-GNGGC(G/T)CA-3' by in vitro site selection. A similar sequence, 5'-GAGGCTG-3', was identified as a common sequence motif in the upstream regions of calcineurin/ Crz1p-dependent genes. This finding is consistent with direct regulation of these genes by Crz1p.
Patient-centered care and adherence: Definitions and applications to improve outcomes

Purpose: The implementation of patient-centered care (PCC) has been hampered by the lack of a clear definition and method of measurement. The purpose of this review is to identify the fundamental characteristics of PCC to clarify its definition, propose a method for measurement of PCC, and recommend effective PCC practices. Data sources: Review of literature related to PCC, adherence and communication from Cinahl, PubMed Academic Search Premier, and Cochrane Library databases. Conclusions: Research has shown that patient-centered interactions promote adherence and lead to improved health outcomes. The fundamental characteristics of PCC were identified as (a) patient involvement in care and (b) the individualization of patient care. The use of a numeric rating scale to measure the presence of these characteristics allows quantification from the patient perspective. Effective PCC practices were related to communication, shared decision making, and patient education. Implications for practice: PCC is a measure of the quality of health care. Understanding the characteristics of PCC facilitates its implementation and measurement. Promoting PCC activities will improve adherence and encourage patient responsibility for health status.