bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Save Us from the Womanly Man”
Authors: White Cameron
Published: July 2007

Over a very short period, between approximately 1905 and 1908, surf bathing on the ocean beaches of Sydney, Australia, was reinvented as a national pastime. The primary focus of this reinvention was the exposed male body, which emerged as a visual symbol of a racially hygienic and pure, virile, militarized, and natural Australian masculinity. The author argues that, far from constituting a natural space, the idealized male body needs to be understood as occupying an impossible space, essentially trapped between an emphasis on the exposed body as a spectacle of masculine virility and the need to repress any pleasure, desire, or eroticism associated with this subject position as the object of the admiring gaze. The surf bather, that is, was emasculated by the need to deny the very existence of the source of his masculinity, the specular idealization of his body.
Masculinities and the Phenomenology of Men's Orgasms
Authors: Lorentzen Jørgen
Published: July 2007

This article looks into the art of male sexuality. Its starting point is the traditional biological focus on male sexuality, which has narrowed the understanding of male sexuality. Through readings of authors such as D. H. Lawrence, Catherine Millet, Susan Bordo, and others, the author seeks to lay out a cultural understanding of sexuality on the basis of positions of masculinity within culture. He also discusses possibilities of a male sexual ethics based on the penis as a bridge from me to you.
Framing [Con]text
Authors: Chmielewska Ella
Published: July 2007

Suggesting that the form of signature graffiti presents a number of vital insights into the complex relationship between place and practices of writing, this paper centers on the visual space of two cities, Montréal and Warsaw. By recovering some neglected and pointing to little-known theoretical references, the essay proposes a framework for studying graffiti, a method of examining urban surface manifestations that supports a close reading of inscriptions in situ. This close reading engages with the iconographic, spatio-temporal and linguistic dimensions of wall writing in its specific locale—within the urban context as well as the discursive and graphic space of writing on graffiti. By foregrounding the place of graffiti in these varied contexts, the essay also aims to reconcile the often separate treatments afforded to images and text, representational and discursive forms.
Rock Climbing
Authors: Rossiter Penelope
Published: July 2007

This article develops some contemporary themes in writing about humans and nature through a focus on the cultures, practices, and representations of rock climbing. Although as people our cultural-conceptual legacy weighs heavily on us, and the human-nature and culture-nature dichotomies are not entirely escapable, it is possible to think differently about our interrelations with nature, as others such as Donna Haraway and Bruno Latour have shown. Reflection on rock climbing offers some routes into thinking differently. It illuminates nondichotomous moments in the exchanges between human and nonhuman natural bodies as they encounter and reciprocally encroach on each other. But human and nonhuman natures do not act alone: Other nonhuman entities (e.g., technologies, texts, and artifacts) are part of the networks that open and close possibilities for humans and for nonhuman nature. These other nonhumans afford chances for the reinvention of our selves and the spaces within which we act.
The Disintegration of a Socialist Exemplar
Authors: Weszkalnys Gisa
Published: July 2007

A large public square in Berlin's eastern part, Alexanderplatz was rebuilt in the 1960s as an exemplar of socialist planning. In the 1990s, it became a problem for urban planners and ordinary Berliners. Drawing on ethnographic material, the author offers a multifaceted account of how disorder is experienced, governed, and materialized in Alexanderplatz. Talk about disorder has provided a way of discussing the dislocations accompanying unification and the vanishing of a socialist ideal. But it may also be understood as a commentary on the perceived failures of government and the social. These discourses involve two distinct conceptions of “society” and “the social.” One is a familiar notion of the social as a problem space; the other is a utopian notion of society as an unattained ideal, characteristic of state socialism. The author suggests how attempts to create order, such as the new design proposed for Alexanderplatz, can appear to produce the disorder they proclaimed to contain.
The “Dead and Their Double Duties”
Authors: Mookherjee Nayanika
Published: July 2007

Memorialization of valor and losses through war memorials unquestioningly presume that material objects stand for and embody memory. In exploring this relationship, this article focuses on the evocation of mourning and melancholia in the annual commemorations at the site of two war memorials dedicated to the Martyred Intellectuals of the Bangladesh War of 1971. Following a discussion of the increased ethnographic reconceptualization of culture in spatialized ways, the article examines the role of the built environment in simulating an emotional experience for its visitors. The article argues that the different evocations of mourning and melancholia at these memorials are a reflection of the middle-class aesthetics and the political trajectory of Bangladesh since the 1971 war and in the present. This highlights the links among memorialization, the current socio-political condition, differing practices and responses of the visitors, and the historicity of the urban spaces in which the memorials are situated.
Symbolic Capital and Material Inequalities
Authors: Wells Karen
Published: July 2007

This article explores the symbolism of three objects that memorialize Brixton as a multiclass and multiracial space while eliding the inequalities that racialized and classed identities are inscribed with. Although each of the three objects were formed to commemorate very different moments in the history of British capitalism and in the struggle against apartheid, they are linked both by their location in this diverse neighborhood and by the ways that they smooth over the contradictions of the persistence, evident in public space, of sharp political and economic inequalities. Despite the very different intentions that lay behind the erection of these commemorative objects, they are inscribed with a shared claim that not only can a particular kind of British capitalism coexist with liberty and (racial) equality, but it is a precondition of both.
Evidence of Television Exposure Effects in AP Top 25 College Football Rankings
Authors: Campbell Noel D. , Rogers Tammy M. , Finney R. Zachary
Published: July 2007

A potential source of bias in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 football rankings is television exposure. Using the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 college football seasons, the authors observe, all else equal, that AP voters change the ranking of teams differently on the basis of television exposure: The more often a team is televised, relative to the total number of own- and opponent-televised games, the greater the change in the number of AP votes that team receives, even after accounting for own and opponent's on-field performance.
The Value of College
Authors: Winfree Jason A. , Molitor Christopher J.
Published: July 2007

This article investigates the decision of high school athletes to pursue college educations or play professional sports immediately after high school. Using salary, draft, and playing data for Major League Baseball, along with minor league playing data, the authors estimate the lifetime earnings of drafted high school baseball players. The results show that players drafted in higher rounds with more ability should enter professional baseball, but players drafted in lower rounds have higher expected earnings if they attend college. The authors also find that in 2003, players' decisions were highly correlated with the difference in expected lifetime earnings.
Preventing Excess Disability in an Elderly Person With Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Yury Craig A. , Fisher Jane E.
Published: July 2007

Staff of an adult day treatment facility reported that a client diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease was exhibiting physical and verbal aggression toward other clients. Direct observation of the client's interactions at the adult day treatment facility revealed that she was neither physically nor verbally abusive but was assertive and used a cane to access social attention. Treatment consisted of three in-service trainings during which staff received information about the symptomatology of dementia, environmental factors contributing to excess disability, and the importance of environmental support for maintaining adaptive behavior in persons with dementia. Results indicate that staff perceived verbal behavior less negatively, and allowed the client to interact with others at a significantly increased frequency.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of an Adolescent Sexual Offender With an Intellectual Disability
Authors: Shenk Chad , Brown Arthur
Published: July 2007

Very little data exist on the treatment of adolescent sexual offenders with an intellectual disability despite evidence suggesting that intellectual deficits play a significant role in sexual offending. This case study describes use of cognitive-behavior therapy with an adolescent sexual offender diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Sexual offenders with an intellectual disability often present with certain skill deficits that require an adaptation of traditional treatments. This case study used a novel application of exposure and response prevention for the purpose of building skills that allow for effective control of sexual arousal and sexually offensive behavior. Results of this case study suggest that exposure and response prevention, as part of traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, may be a useful treatment strategy for adolescent sexual offenders with a noted intellectual disability. Implications of the case are discussed and recommendations to clinicians working with this population are made.
Demographically Corrected Norms
Authors: Callahan Jennifer L.
Published: July 2007

Since the United States Supreme Court ruling in 2002 on the Atkins v. Virginia case, which determined that executing an individual with mental retardation violates the Eighth Amendment, the potential motivation to malinger mental retardation by individuals charged in potential death penalty cases has emerged. The following case illustrates some of the challenges that emerge in such an evaluation, with particular attention on the impact of inequitable standardization for demographically adjusted norms.
Paraprofessional Intervention Utilizing a Cognitive Processing Therapy Protocol
Authors: Plouffe Keith A.
Published: July 2007

The application of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for a client with posttraumatic stress disorder secondary to past physical, psychological, and sexual abuse is presented to include presenting complaint, assessment, course of treatment, and follow-up. The usefulness of CPT with abuse survivors is discussed, focusing on CPT's combination of exposure and cognitive-behavioral techniques. The provider of care in this case was a paraprofessional working at an Air Force outpatient mental health clinic. This case study illustrates how the use of paraprofessionals to support treatment plans can result in successful outcomes. Treatment implications of the case for settings with limited professional staff and managed care settings are discussed, along with recommendations to clinicians and students.
Individuals With Serious Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System
Authors: Lurigio Arthur J. , Fallon John
Published: July 2007

This paper presents a case study that illuminates the clinical and practical challenges that accompany the treatment of people with serious mental illness (SMI) and criminal involvement. We discuss the historical conditions that led to the influx of a large number of people with SMI into the criminal justice system. We discuss the case history of Richard P., which illustrates the use of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) to care for criminally involved people with SMI. We focus on the ACT model that was employed by Thresholds to treat Richard P. It was known as the Thresholds Jail Program. We track his progress in the program and explicate the case management considerations that are most salient in treating offenders with SMI.
A cultural history of the Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco, 1855–1920
Authors: Kraus Hildie V.
Published: July 2007

Against the backdrop of San Francisco's urban and social development, relates the history of the Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco from 1855 to 1920, including issues of membership, book selection, management and purpose. Particular attention is paid to the role of gender and class in the changing identity of the institution. Draws on library literature, contemporary material, primary sources and historical accounts to analyze the evolution and survival of the Institute.
LTR retrotransposons in rice (Oryza sativa, L.): recent burst amplifications followed by rapid DNA loss
Authors: Vitte Clémentine , Panaud Olivier , Quesneville Hadi
Published: July 2007

Background

LTR retrotransposons are one of the main causes for plant genome size and structure evolution, along with polyploidy. The characterization of their amplification and subsequent elimination of the genomes is therefore a major goal in plant evolutionary genomics. To address the extent and timing of these forces, we performed a detailed analysis of 41 LTR retrotransposon families in rice.

Results

Using a new method to estimate the insertion date of both truncated and complete copies, we estimated these two forces more accurately than previous studies based on other methods. We show that LTR retrotransposons have undergone bursts of amplification within the past 5 My. These bursts vary both in date and copy number among families, revealing that each family has a particular amplification history. The number of solo LTR varies among families and seems to correlate with LTR size, suggesting that solo LTR formation is a family-dependent process. The deletion rate estimate leads to the prediction that the half-life of LTR retrotransposon sequences evolving neutrally is about 19 My in rice, suggesting that other processes than the formation of small deletions are prevalent in rice DNA removal.

Conclusion

Our work provides insights into the dynamics of LTR retrotransposons in the rice genome. We show that transposable element families have distinct amplification patterns, and that the turn-over of LTR retrotransposons sequences is rapid in the rice genome.
EDR2 negatively regulates salicylic acid-based defenses and cell death during powdery mildew infections of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Vorwerk Sonja , Schiff Celine , Santamaria Marjorie , Koh Serry , Nishimura Marc , Vogel John , Somerville Chris , Somerville Shauna
Published: July 2007

Background

The hypersensitive necrosis response (HR) of resistant plants to avirulent pathogens is a form of programmed cell death in which the plant sacrifices a few cells under attack, restricting pathogen growth into adjacent healthy tissues. In spite of the importance of this defense response, relatively little is known about the plant components that execute the cell death program or about its regulation in response to pathogen attack.

Results

We isolated the edr2-6 mutant, an allele of the previously described edr2 mutants. We found that edr2-6 exhibited an exaggerated chlorosis and necrosis response to attack by three pathogens, two powdery mildew and one downy mildew species, but not in response to abiotic stresses or attack by the bacterial leaf speck pathogen. The chlorosis and necrosis did not spread beyond inoculated sites suggesting that EDR2 limits the initiation of cell death rather than its spread. The pathogen-induced chlorosis and necrosis of edr2-6 was correlated with a stimulation of the salicylic acid defense pathway and was suppressed in mutants deficient in salicylic acid signaling. EDR2 encodes a novel protein with a pleckstrin homology and a StAR transfer (START) domain as well as a plant-specific domain of unknown function, DUF1336. The pleckstrin homology domain binds to phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate in vitro and an EDR2:HA:GFP protein localizes to endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane and endosomes.

Conclusion

EDR2 acts as a negative regulator of cell death, specifically the cell death elicited by pathogen attack and mediated by the salicylic acid defense pathway. Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate may have a role in limiting cell death via its effect on EDR2. This role in cell death may be indirect, by helping to target EDR2 to the appropriate membrane, or it may play a more direct role.
Effects of high doses of selenium, as sodium selenite, in septic shock: a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, phase II study
Authors: Forceville Xavier , Laviolle Bruno , Annane Djillali , Vitoux Dominique , Bleichner Gérard , Korach Jean-Michel , Cantais Emmanuel , Georges Hugues , Soubirou Jean-Louis , Combes Alain , Bellissant Eric
Published: July 2007

Introduction

Sepsis is associated with the generation of oxygen free radicals and (lacking) decreased selenium plasma concentrations. High doses of sodium selenite might reduce inflammation by a direct pro-oxidative effect and may increase antioxidant cell capacities by selenium incorporation into selenoenzymes. We investigated the effects of a continuous administration of high doses of selenium in septic shock patients.

Methods

A prospective, multicentre, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study was performed with an intention-to-treat analysis in severe septic shock patients with documented infection. Patients received, for 10 days, selenium as sodium selenite (4,000 μg on the first day, 1,000 μg/day on the nine following days) or matching placebo using continuous intravenous infusion. The primary endpoint was the time to vasopressor therapy withdrawal. The duration of mechanical ventilation, the mortality rates in the intensive care unit, at hospital discharge, and at 7, 14, 28 and 180 days and 1 year after randomization, and adverse events were recorded.

Results

Sixty patients were included (placebo, n = 29; selenium, n = 31). The median time to vasopressor therapy withdrawal was 7 days in both groups (95% confidence interval = 5–8 and 6–9 in the placebo and selenium groups, respectively; log-rank, P = 0.713). The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 14 days and 19 days in the placebo and selenium groups, respectively (P = 0.762). Mortality rates did not significantly differ between groups at any time point. Rates of adverse events were similar in the two groups.

Conclusion

Continuous infusion of selenium as sodium selenite (4,000 μg on the first day, 1,000 μg/day on the nine following days) had no obvious toxicity but did not improve the clinical outcome in septic shock patients. Trial Registration = NCT00207844.
Cell-specific microarray profiling experiments reveal a comprehensive picture of gene expression in the C. elegans nervous system
Authors: Von Stetina Stephen E , Watson Joseph D , Fox Rebecca M , Olszewski Kellen L , Spencer W Clay , Roy Peter J , Miller David M
Published: July 2007

Background

With its fully sequenced genome and simple, well-defined nervous system, the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansoffers a unique opportunity to correlate gene expression with neuronal differentiation. The lineal origin, cellular morphology and synaptic connectivity of each of the 302 neurons are known. In many instances, specific behaviors can be attributed to particular neurons or circuits. Here we describe microarray-based methods that monitor gene expression inC. elegansneurons and, thereby, link comprehensive profiles of neuronal transcription to key developmental and functional properties of the nervous system.

Results

We employed complementary microarray-based strategies to profile gene expression in the embryonic and larval nervous systems. In the MAPCeL (Microarray ProfilingC. eleganscells) method, we used fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate GFP-tagged embryonic neurons for microarray analysis. To profile the larval nervous system, we used the mRNA-tagging technique in which an epitope-labeled mRNA binding protein (FLAG-PAB-1) was transgenically expressed in neurons for immunoprecipitation of cell-specific transcripts. These combined approaches identified approximately 2,500 mRNAs that are highly enriched in either the embryonic or larvalC. elegansnervous system. These data are validated in part by the detection of gene classes (for example, transcription factors, ion channels, synaptic vesicle components) with established roles in neuronal development or function. Of particular interest are 19 conserved transcripts of unknown function that are also expressed in the mammalian brain. In addition to utilizing these profiling approaches to define stage-specific gene expression, we also applied the mRNA-tagging method to fingerprint a specific neuron type, the A-class group of cholinergic motor neurons, during early larval development. A comparison of these data to a MAPCeL profile of embryonic A-class motor neurons identified genes with common functions in both types of A-class motor neurons as well as transcripts with roles specific to each motor neuron type.

Conclusion

We describe microarray-based strategies for generating expression profiles of embryonic and larvalC. elegansneurons. These methods can be applied to particular neurons at specific developmental stages and, therefore, provide an unprecedented opportunity to obtain spatially and temporally defined snapshots of gene expression in a simple model nervous system.
Modeling Neisseria meningitidis metabolism: from genome to metabolic fluxes
Authors: Baart Gino JE , Zomer Bert , de Haan Alex , van der Pol Leo A , Beuvery E Coen , Tramper Johannes , Martens Dirk E
Published: July 2007

Background

Neisseria meningitidis is a human pathogen that can infect diverse sites within the human host. The major diseases caused by N. meningitidis are responsible for death and disability, especially in young infants. In general, most of the recent work on N. meningitidis focuses on potential antigens and their functions, immunogenicity, and pathogenicity mechanisms. Very little work has been carried out on Neisseria primary metabolism over the past 25 years.

Results

Using the genomic database of N. meningitidis serogroup B together with biochemical and physiological information in the literature we constructed a genome-scale flux model for the primary metabolism of N. meningitidis. The validity of a simplified metabolic network derived from the genome-scale metabolic network was checked using flux-balance analysis in chemostat cultures. Several useful predictions were obtained from in silico experiments, including substrate preference. A minimal medium for growth of N. meningitidis was designed and tested succesfully in batch and chemostat cultures.

Conclusion

The verified metabolic model describes the primary metabolism of N. meningitidis in a chemostat in steady state. The genome-scale model is valuable because it offers a framework to study N. meningitidis metabolism as a whole, or certain aspects of it, and it can also be used for the purpose of vaccine process development (for example, the design of growth media). The flux distribution of the main metabolic pathways (that is, the pentose phosphate pathway and the Entner-Douderoff pathway) indicates that the major part of pyruvate (69%) is synthesized through the ED-cleavage, a finding that is in good agreement with literature.
Expression and role of CCR6/CCL20 chemokine axis in pulmonary sarcoidosis
Authors: Facco Monica , Baesso Ilenia , Miorin Marta , Bortoli Michela , Cabrelle Anna , Boscaro Elisa , Gurrieri Carmela , Trentin Livio , Zambello Renato , Calabrese Fiorella , Cassatella Marco Antonio , Semenzato Gianpietro , Agostini Carlo
Published: July 2007

We have shown previously that the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CXCR6 are coexpressed by Th1 cells infiltrating the lung and the granuloma of patients with sarcoidosis. In this study, we evaluated the role of CCL20/CCR6 interaction in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic pulmonary sarcoidosis. By flow cytometry and molecular analyses, we have demonstrated that Th1 cells isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of patients with sarcoidosis and T cell alveolitis are equipped with CCR6. Furthermore, CCR6+ T cells coexpressed the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CXCR6. Immunohistochemical analysis of lung specimens has shown that CCR6+ T cells infiltrate lung interstitium and surround the central core of the granuloma. It is interesting that CCR6 was never detected on the alveolar macrophage (AM) surface, and it is observed in the cytoplasm of AMs from patients with sarcoidosis and alveolitis. The CCR6 ligand CCL20 was expressed by macrophages, multinucleated giant cells, and epithelioid cells infiltrating the granuloma. Furthermore, detectable levels of CCL20 protein are seen in the BAL fluid components of patients with active sarcoidosis, and sarcoid AMs release the CCR6 ligand in vitro. From a functional point of view, sarcoid Th1 cells were able to respond to CXCL10, CXCL16, and CCL20 in migratory assays. In vitro kinetic studies demonstrated that CCR6 is induced rapidly by IL-2, IL-18, and IFN-γ. In conclusion, T cells expressing CCR6, CXCR3, and CXCR6 act coordinately with respective ligands and Th1 inflammatory cytokines in the alveolitic/granuloma phases of the disease.
Computing Gaussian derivative waveforms of any order
Authors: Heigl Werner M.
Published: July 2007

The first and second derivatives of a Gaussian, also known as Ricker wavelets, are often used as source waveforms in forward modeling of seismic and electromagnetic wavefields. In applications such as borehole acoustics, the source waveform has more cycles than traditional Ricker wavelets. For such sources, the higher-order derivatives of a Gaussian are a more accurate representation. Such a source waveform can be computed as the product of a Hermite polynomial and the Gaussian; taking the required derivative is not necessary. Explicit expressions for these polynomials are not required because they satisfy a recurrence relation and thus can be computed from the two lowest-order polynomials. The Gaussian is formulated in terms of the dominant frequency of the derivative order of the desired source waveform. Strictly causal waveforms are not possible with a Gaussian because of its infinite length. However, the computed waveform can be made (pseudo-) causal by shifting it along the positive time axis until its amplitude at time zero is less than a user-defined threshold. Numerical tests reveal that amplitudes at zero time are on the order of [Formula: see text] if this shift is equal to the dominant frequency times the square root of the derivative order.
New fault attribute based on robust directional scheme
Authors: Donias Marc , David Ciprian , Berthoumieu Yannick , Lavialle Olivier , Guillon Sebastien , Keskes Noomane
Published: July 2007

We present a steered data-analysis approach to measure coherence for fault detection. In contrast with conventional coherence, which detects discontinuities without distinction, our approach aims to identify faults only. Assuming the local linearity of fault geometry, the method performs a continuity test using a steered data-analysis window over a set of dip/azimuth directions. A robust, selective directional continuity test is achieved by combining measures of coherence computed from a few aligned, steered windows. Finally, fault detection consists of finding the maximum directional response and accumulating it into an attribute volume. A comparison between results obtained on both synthetic and real seismic images indicates the new method is superior to the conventional coherence measure in isolating faults from stratigraphic signature and noise. Undesired scale, staircase, and mislocation effects are reduced noticeably.
Seabed property estimation from ambient-noise recordings: Part 2 — Scholte-wave spectral-ratio inversion
Authors: Muyzert Everhard
Published: July 2007

Having knowledge of the near-surface shear-velocity model is useful for various seismic processing methods such as shear-wave static estimation, wavefield separation, and geohazard prediction. I present a new method to derive a 2D near-surface shear-velocity model from ambient-noise recordings made at the seafloor. The method relies on inverting horizontal- and vertical-amplitude spectra of Scholte waves propagating in the seafloor. I compare the commonly used horizontal-over-vertical spectral ratio with three alternative spectral-ratio definitions through modeling. The modeling shows that the vertical-over-total spectral ratio has some favorable properties for inversion. I describe a nonlinear inversion method for the vertical-to-total spectral ratio of the Scholte waves and apply it to an ambient-noise data set recorded by an ocean-bottom-cable (OBC) system. A 1D near-surface shear-velocity model is derived through a joint inversion of the spectral-ratio and phase-velocity data. A 2D shear-velocity model is obtained through a local inversion of the spectral ratios averaged over small groups of receivers and shows evidence for lateral heterogeneity. The newly developed method for deriving near-surface shear-velocity distribution by inverting the Scholte-wave spectral ratio measured from seabed noise provides great opportunities for estimating the shallow-seabed shear velocity in deep water. Another benefit of the method is that, with the OBC system, no additional hardware is needed; only additional recording time is required. In this case, half an hour is sufficient.
Direct helicopter EM — Sea-ice thickness inversion assessed with synthetic and field data
Authors: Pfaffling Andreas , Haas Christian , Reid James E.
Published: July 2007

Accuracy and precision of helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) sounding are the essential parameters for HEM sea-ice thickness profiling. For sea-ice thickness research, the quality of HEM ice thickness estimates must be better than [Formula: see text] to detect potential climatologic thickness changes. We introduce and assess a direct, 1D HEM data inversion algorithm for estimating sea-ice thickness. For synthetic quality assessment, an analytically determined HEM sea-ice thickness sensitivity is used to derive precision and accuracy. Precision is related directly to random, instrumental noise, although accuracy is defined by systematic bias arising from the data processing algorithm. For the in-phase component of the HEM response, sensitivity increases with frequency and coil spacing, but decreases with flying height. For small-scale HEM instruments used in sea-ice thickness surveys, instrumental noise must not exceed [Formula: see text] to reach ice thickness precision of [Formula: see text] at 15-m nominal flying height. Comparable precision is yielded at 30-m height for conventional exploration HEM systems with bigger coil spacings. Accuracy losses caused by approximations made for the direct inversion are negligible for brackish water and remain better than [Formula: see text] for saline water. Synthetic precision and accuracy estimates are verified with drill-hole validated field data from East Antarctica, where HEM-derived level-ice thickness agrees with drilling results to within 4%, or [Formula: see text].
Efficient FDTD algorithm for plane-wave simulation for vertically heterogeneous attenuative media
Authors: JafarGandomi Arash , Takenaka Hiroshi
Published: July 2007

We propose an efficient algorithm for modeling seismic plane-wave propagation in vertically heterogeneous viscoelastic media using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique. In the algorithm, the wave equation is rewritten for plane waves by applying a Radon transform to the 2D general wave equation. Arbitrary values of the quality factor for [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-waves ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) are incorporated into the wave equation via a generalized Zener body rheological model. An FDTD staggered-grid technique is used to numerically solve the derived plane-wave equations. The scheme uses a 1D grid that reduces computation time and memory requirements significantly more than corresponding 2D or 3D computations. Comparing the finite-difference solutions to their corresponding analytical results, we find that the methods are sufficiently accurate. The proposed algorithm is able to calculate synthetic waveforms efficiently and represent viscoelastic attenuation even in very attenuative media. The technique is then used to estimate the plane-wave responses of a sedimentary system to normal and inclined incident waves in the Kanto area of Japan via synthetic vertical seismic profiles.
Comparison of an optimized resistivity array with dipole-dipole soundings in karst terrain
Authors: Nyquist Jonathan E. , Peake John S. , Roth Mary J. S.
Published: July 2007

We report the results of a field comparison of 2D resistivity data collected using both the traditional dipole-dipole array and a new computer-optimized array recently described in literature. The study was conducted at a karst site in eastern Pennsylvania. Computer simulations suggested that for a given line length, the optimal array and the dipole-dipole array would be equally effective at imaging shallow targets but the optimal array would provide better resolution at depth. Our field test results showed that the two arrays imaged karst bedrock topography equally well. When the full grid of 2D lines were combined and analyzed using 3D inversion, however, the optimal array was able to resolve a crosscutting bedrock fracture system that was not visible in the dipole-dipole data. The existence of the fracture system was confirmed by drilling. Because the optimal array requires roughly three times as many measurements per line, we conclude that the optimal array is preferable to traditional dipole-dipole soundings only when the slight improvement in resolution at depth is more important than rapid data collection.
Simulated annealing for airborne EM inversion
Authors: Yin Changchun , Hodges Greg
Published: July 2007

The traditional algorithms for airborne electromagnetic (EM) inversion, e.g., the Marquardt-Levenberg method, generally run only a downhill search. Consequently, the model solutions are strongly dependent on the starting model and are easily trapped in local minima. Simulated annealing (SA) starts from the Boltzmann distribution and runs both downhill and uphill searches, rendering the searching process to easily jump out of local minima and converge to a global minimum. In the SA process, the calculation of Jacobian derivatives can be avoided because no preferred searching direction is required as in the case of the traditional algorithms. We apply SA technology for airborne EM inversion by comparing the inversion with a thermodynamic process, and we discuss specifically the SA procedure with respect to model configuration, random walk for model updates, objective function, and annealing schedule. We demonstrate the SA flexibility for starting models by allowing the model parameters to vary in a large range (far away from the true model). Further, we choose a temperature-dependent random walk for model updates and an exponential cooling schedule for the SA searching process. The initial temperature for the SA cooling scheme is chosen differently for different model parameters according to their resolvabilities. We examine the effectiveness of the algorithm for airborne EM by inverting both theoretical and survey data and by comparing the results with those from the traditional algorithms.
Interface prediction ahead of the excavation front by the tunnel-seismic-while-drilling (TSWD) method
Authors: Petronio Lorenzo , Poletto Flavio , Schleifer Andrea
Published: July 2007

Predicting geologic interfaces ahead of a tunnel front is of major importance when boring tunnels. Unexpected variations in ground properties can cause problems for tunnel-boring advance and risk for human safety. The tunnel-seismic-while-drilling (TSWD) method utilizes noise produced during mechanical excavation to obtain interpretable seismic data. This passive method uses accelerometers mounted on the advancing tunnel-boring machine (reference signals) together with seismic sensors located along and outside the tunnel. Data recorded by fixed sensors are crosscorrelated with the reference signal and sorted by offset. Similar to reverse vertical seismic profiling, crosscorrelated TSWD data are processed to extract the reflected wavefield. During mechanical excavation of a [Formula: see text] tunnel through upper Triassic dolomite, a survey was performed to predict geologic interfaces. Faults intersecting the tunnel were observed on seismic TSWD data and later were confirmed by geostructural inspection. P- and S-wave interval velocities obtained by TSWD data along the bored tunnel were used to compute dynamic rock moduli to support tunnel completion.
Full-waveform static corrections using blind channel identification
Authors: van Vossen Robbert , Trampert Jeannot
Published: July 2007

Near-surface wavefield perturbations can be very complex and completely mask the target reflections. Despite this complexity, conventional methods rely on parameterizations characterized by simple time and amplitude anomalies to compensate for these perturbations. Determining and compensating for time shifts is generally referred to as (residual) static corrections, whereas surface-consistent deconvolution techniques deal with amplitude anomalies. We present an approach that uses the full waveform to parameterize near-surface perturbations. Therefore, we refer to this method as waveform statics. Important differences from conventional static corrections are that this approach allows time shifts to vary with frequency and takes amplitude variations directly into account. Furthermore, the procedure is fully automated and does not rely on near-surface velocity information. The waveform static corrections are obtained usingblind channel identification and applied to the recordings using multichannel deconvolution. As a result, the method implicitly incorporates array forming. The developed method is validated on synthetic data and applied to part of a field data set acquired in an area with significant near-surface heterogeneity. The source and receiver responses obtained are strongly correlated to the near-surface conditions and show changes, both in phase and frequency content, along the spread. The application of the waveform statics demonstrates that they not only correct for near-surface wavefield perturbations, but also strongly reduce coherent noise. This results in substantial improvements, both in trace-to-trace coherency and in depth resolution. In addition, the procedure delineates reflection events that are difficult to detect prior to our proposed correction. Based on these results, we conclude that complex near-surface perturbations can be successfully dealt with using the multichannel, full-waveform, static-correction procedure.
VSP wavefield separation: Wave-by-wave optimization approach
Authors: Blias Emil
Published: July 2007

Waves propagating across a vertical seismic profiling (VSP) array may be distinguished by their differing arrival times and linear-moveout velocities. Current methods typically assume that the waves propagate uniformly with an unvarying wavelet shape and amplitude. These assumptions break down in the presence of irregular spatial sampling, event truncations, wavelet variations, and noise. I present a new method that allows each event to independently vary in its amplitude and arrival time as it propagates across the array. The method uses an iterative global nonlinear optimization scheme that consists of several least-squares and two eigenvalue problems at each step. Events are stripped from the data one at a time. As stronger events are predicted and removed, weaker events then become visible and can be modeled in turn. As each new event is approximately modeled, the fit for all previously removed events is then revisited and updated. Iterations continue until no remaining coherent events can be distinguished. As VSP data sets are typically not large, the expense of this method is not a significant limitation. I demonstrate with a real-data example that this iterative approach can lead to a significantly better VSP wavefield separation than that which has been available when using conventional techniques.
Management of Ovarian Stromal Cell Tumors
Authors: Colombo Nicoletta , Parma Gabriella , Zanagnolo Vanna , Insinga Alessandra
Published: July 2007

Purpose

To describe the clinical management of ovarian stromal cell tumors, which are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that develop from the sex cords and the ovarian stroma.

Design

We reviewed the current evidence on the clinical management of these relatively rare ovarian malignancies, which are typically detected at an early stage and may recur as late as 30 years following the initial treatment. The overall prognosis is favorable with a long-term survival ranging from 75% to 90% for all stages. Adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) is the most common malignancy among these tumors.

Results

Surgery is the cornerstone of initial treatment. In women of childbearing age and with disease limited to one ovary, a fertility-sparing surgery can be a reasonable approach. Tumor stage represents the most important clinical parameter of prognostic relevance. The value of postoperative adjuvant therapy for high-risk patients has not been proven by prospective randomized studies. Platinum-based chemotherapy is used currently for patients with advanced stages or recurrent disease, with an overall response rate of 63% to 80%. Taxane and platinum combination chemotherapy seems to be a reasonable candidate for future trials. Little evidence exists for the use of radiation or hormonal therapy, and these modalities should be restricted to selected cases. Given the propensity of GCT for late relapse, prolonged follow-up is required.

Conclusion

Surgery remains the most effective treatment for ovarian stromal tumors and, whenever feasible, for relapsing disease. Platinum-based chemotherapy is currently used in metastatic or recurrent tumors.
Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy in Patients With Germline Mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2
Authors: Kauff Noah D. , Barakat Richard R.
Published: July 2007

Women with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 are at tremendously increased lifetime risk of both breast and BRCA-associated gynecologic (ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal) cancer. Because of limitations in the efficacy of available screening and chemopreventive approaches for women with a mutation in one of these genes, surgical risk reduction, particularly risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), has become an important component of the management options in hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome. This article will review the rationale and efficacy of RRSO for prevention of breast and BRCA-associated gynecologic cancer. Surgical technique and methods of pathologic evaluation will be presented. Controversies regarding uterine preservation and post-RRSO hormone replacement therapy will be addressed. Considerations that may impact the appropriate timing of the procedure will be reviewed, and the potential role of RRSO in BRCA-negative hereditary breast cancer families will also be discussed.
Leptin Responsiveness in Chronically Decerebrate Rats
Authors: Harris Ruth B. S. , Bartness Timothy J. , Grill Harvey J.
Published: July 2007

Peripheral infusions of physiological doses of leptin decrease body fat mass, but it is not known whether this results from direct effects on peripheral tissue or activation of central leptin receptors. In this study, we infused chronically decerebrate (CD) rats, in which the forebrain was surgically isolated from the caudal brainstem, with 60 μg leptin/d or PBS for 14 d from ip mini-osmotic pumps. The CD rats were tube fed an amount of food equivalent to the intake of ad libitum-fed intact controls or 75% of this amount to account for their reduced energy expenditure. Control rats fed ad libitum or tube fed 75, 100, or 125% of their ad libitum intake also were peripherally infused with leptin or PBS. CD rats had a lower serum testosterone, energy expenditure, and lean body mass compared with controls but had increased levels of adiponectin and leptin and were obese. Leptin increased body fat and decreased energy expenditure during the light period in 100%-fed CD rats, but not 75%-fed CD rats. Leptin decreased body fat of ad libitum- and 100%-fed but not 75%-fed or 125%-fed intact controls. Energy expenditure did not change in any control group. These results show that leptin can change body fat independent of a change in food intake or energy expenditure, that the forebrain normally prevents leptin from inhibiting energy expenditure through mechanisms initiated in the caudal brainstem or peripheral tissues, and that the leptin response in both intact and CD rats is determined by the energy status of the animal.
Oxytocin Action at the Lactotroph Is Required for Prolactin Surges in Cervically Stimulated Ovariectomized Rats
Authors: McKee De’Nise T. , Poletini Maristela O. , Bertram Richard , Freeman Marc E.
Published: July 2007

Cervical stimulation induces two daily rhythmic prolactin surges, nocturnal and diurnal, which persist for several days. We have shown that a bolus injection of oxytocin initiates a similar prolactin rhythm, which persists despite low levels of oxytocin after injection. This suggests that oxytocin may trigger the cervical stimulation-induced rhythmic prolactin surges. To investigate this hypothesis, we infused an oxytocin antagonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier for 24 h before and after cervical stimulation and measured serum prolactin. We also measured dopaminergic neuronal activity because mathematical modeling predicted that this activity would be low in the presence of the oxytocin antagonist. We thus tested this hypothesis by measuring dopaminergic neuronal activity in the tuberoinfundibular, periventricular hypophyseal, and tuberohypophyseal dopaminergic neurons. Infusion of oxytocin antagonist before cervical stimulation abolished prolactin surges, and infusion of oxytocin antagonist after cervical stimulation abolished the diurnal and significantly decreased the nocturnal surges of prolactin. The rhythmic prolactin surges returned after the clearance of the oxytocin antagonist. Hypothalamic dopaminergic activity was elevated in antiphase with prolactin surges, and the antiphase elevation was abolished by the oxytocin antagonist in the tuberoinfundibular and tuberohypophyseal dopaminergic neurons, consistent with the mathematical model. These findings suggest that oxytocin is a physiologically relevant prolactin-releasing factor. However, the cervical stimulation-induced prolactin surges are maintained even in the absence of oxytocin actions at the lactotroph, which strongly suggests the maintenance of prolactin surges are not dependent upon oxytocin actions at the pituitary gland.