Cephalopods from the stomachs of sperm whales taken off California

Cephalopod remains (beaks, bodies, and parts of bodies) were collected from the stomachs of 157 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) taken off central California (lat. 37°-39°N). At least 24 species representing 14 families were identified. Frequencies of occurrence of the six most numerous taxa were Moroteuthis robusta 72.0%, Gonatopsis borealis 66.2%, Histioteuthis dofleini 36.9%, Galiteuthis spp. (including G. phyllura and G. pacifica) 36.3%, Octopoteuthis deletron 35.0%, and Vampyroteuthis infernalis 27.4%. One find of two Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni beaks strongly suggests transequatorial migration by one large male sperm whale. (PDF file contains 18 pages.

What is a Central City in the United States? Applying a Statistical Technique for Developing Taxonomies

Develops a method that uses cluster analysis to group central cities in the United States. Selection of the candidate cluster solutions; Median characteristics of the clusters; Stressed central cities; Healthy central cities

What is a Central City in the United States? Applying a Statistical Technique for Developing Taxonomies

Develops a method that uses cluster analysis to group central cities in the United States. Selection of the candidate cluster solutions; Median characteristics of the clusters; Stressed central cities; Healthy central cities

Association between Inflammation and Cardiac Geometry in Chronic Kidney Disease: Findings from the CRIC Study.

Background Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and myocardial contractile dysfunction are independent predictors of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The association between inflammatory biomarkers and cardiac geometry has not yet been studied in a large cohort of CKD patients with a wide range of kidney function. Methods Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, high-sensitivity C-Reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen and serum albumin were measured in 3,939 Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study participants. Echocardiography was performed according to the recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography and interpreted at a centralized core laboratory. Results LVH, systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction were present in 52.3%, 11.8% and 76.3% of the study subjects, respectively. In logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, diabetic status, current smoking status, systolic blood pressure, urinary albumin- creatinine ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs-CRP (OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.16, 1.37], p Conclusion In patients with CKD, elevated plasma levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 are associated with LVH and systolic dysfunction

Beyond energy efficiency in evaluating sustainable development in planning and the built environment

The EU has set the policy target of reducing energy use by 20% by the year 2020. Therefore, a substantial consumption decrease is needed in the built environment sector. Despite the great energy efficiency improvements in households, recent energy consumption data analyses show that these targets will unlikely be reached. The general aim of this study is to point out the need to define new indicators and evaluation approaches in urban planning and the built environment which are based on the concept of ‘energy subsidiarity', focusing on local renewable resources rather than on current approaches based on energy efficiency. This concept correlates energy consumption with the energy supply from local renewable resources and is here proposed as the new urban planning evaluation approach toward a sustainable built environment. In the paper, the ‘Jevons Paradox' concept and the ‘energy rebound effect' phenomenon are used to demonstrate how current approaches based on energy efficiency, alone, cannot lead to a remarkable reduction of energy consumption. This is also supported by data on European energy consumption and European energy efficiency in the built environment. Finally, a number of well-known European ecological districts (‘eco-districts') are analysed in terms of sustainable energy strategy as well as energy efficiency and energy balance. This study shows that there is a contradiction between the purpose of some of the eco-districts to be low consumption (or low impacts), and the district renewable energy balance. Only a few of the analysed eco-districts are able to cover energy needs by using renewable energy obtained in the surrounding area. In most of the cases, the focus of the districts' activities is on energy efficiency. According to the ‘Jevons Paradox' and ‘energy rebound effect' paradigm, energy efficiency alone will unlikely lead to an effective reduction in resources' consumption. These results point out the need for a radical shift toward the development of new approaches in the assessment and management of the built environment for sustainabilit

Carbon nanotube-based quantum pump in the presence of superconducting lead

Parametric electron pump through superconductor-carbon-nanotube based molecular devices was investigated. It is found that a dc current, which is assisted by resonant Andreev reflection, can be pumped out from such molecular device by a cyclic variation of two gate voltages near the nanotube. The pumped current can be either positive or negative under different system parameters. Due to the Andreev reflection, the pumped current has the double peak structure around the resonant point. The ratio of pumped current of N-SWNT-S system to that of N-SWNT-N system (I^{NS}/I^N) is found to approach four in the weak pumping regime near the resonance when there is exactly one resonant level at Fermi energy inside the energy gap. Numerical results confirm that in the weak pumping regime the pumped current is proportional to the square of the pumping amplitude V_p, but in the strong pumping regime the pumped current has the linear relation with V_p. Our numerical results also predict that pumped current can be obtained more easily by using zigzag tube than by using armchair tube

Dosing and Monitoring of Trace Elements in Long‐Term Home Parenteral Nutrition Patients

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141314/1/jpen0736.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141314/2/jpen0736-sup-0001.pd

Adverse Cerebral Outcomes after Coronary Bypass Surgery

ABSTRACT Background Acute changes in cerebral function after elective coronary bypass surgery are a difficult clinical problem. We carried out a multicenter study to determine the incidence and predictors of — and the use of resources associated with — perioperative adverse neurologic events, including cerebral injury. Methods In a prospective study, we evaluated 2108 patients from 24 U.S. institutions for two general categories of neurologic outcome: type I (focal injury, or stupor or coma at discharge) and type II (deterioration in intellectual function, memory deficit, or seizures). Results Adverse cerebral outcomes occurred in 129 patients (6.1 percent). A total of 3.1 percent had type I neurologic outcomes (8 died of cerebral injury, 55 had nonfatal strokes, 2 had transient ischemic attacks, and 1 had stupor), and 3.0 percent had type II outcomes (55 had deterioration of intellectual function and 8 had seizures). Patients with adverse cerebral outcomes had higher in-hospital mortality (21 percent of patients with type I outcomes died, vs. 10 percent of those with type II and 2 percent of those with no adverse cerebral outcome; P0.001 for all comparisons), longer hospitalization (25 days with type I outcomes, 21 days with type II, and 10 days with no adverse outcome; P0.001), and a higher rate of discharge to facilities for intermediate- or long-term care (47 percent, 30 percent, and 8 percent; P0.001). Predictors of type I outcomes were proximal aortic atherosclerosis, a history of neurologic disease, and older age; predictors of type II outcomes were older age, systolic hypertension on admission, pulmonary disease, and excessive consumption of alcohol. Conclusions Adverse cerebral outcomes after coronary bypass surgery are relatively common and serious; they are associated with substantial increases in mortality, length of hospitalization, and use of intermediate- or long-term care facilities. New diagnostic and therapeutic strategies must be developed to lessen such injury. (N Engl J Med 1996;335:1857-63.)