cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Gambian chieftaincy election

The Setting The rumble of military jeeps throughout the continent has obscured the fact that there are still a few places where lively elections are held from time to time. Before the rash of coups, and even in several countries with a dominant party, there were local opportunities for intensive competition. Where electoral politics still exist today, groups which might not carry much national weight have the chance to win a slice of the political system at the local level. Such a case was the 1975 election of the chief or seyfo for the Lower Saloum District which is part of the McCarthy Island Division on the north bank of the Gambia River. The three largest ethnic groups here are the Olof, the Mandinka, and the Fula.
US-American Comparative Literature and the Study of East-Central European Culture and Literature

In her paper, "US-American Comparative Literature and the Study of East-Central European Culture and Literature," Letitia Guran begins with a short overview of the state of the discipline of comparative literature based on the ACLA Report 2003 (ACLA: American Comparative Literature Assiociation) by Haun Saussy and its responses in order to focus on a recent comparative project of large dimensions, the ICLA: International Comparative Literature Association project History of the Literary Cultures of East-Central Europe, organized and its volumes edited by Marcel Cornis Pope and John Neubauer. The thesis of Guran's paper is that there are many alternatives to the continuous -and current -crisis of comparative literature and that the said ICLA project provides one of such alternative. By engaging in a trans-national, multicultural, and postcolonial perspective, the first two volumes of the History present the highly diverse cultures of Central and East Europe according to decentralized, non-hierarchical categories. As a result, the History destabilizes the power-generated polarity between the hypercanon and the marginalized works and insists instead on the cooperative dimensions of those texts that supported co-habitation between various groups and cultures in the region. Letitia Guran, "US-American Comparative Literature and the Study of East-Central European Culture and Literature" page 2 of 11 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 8.1 (2006):
Elastic and inelastic neutron scattering from /sup 27/Al at 11, 14, and 17 MeV

Fast neutron scattering cross sections have been measured for /sup 27/Al using a neutron time-of-flight facility. Angular distributions were measured at angles from 20/sup 0/ to 160/sup 0/ in 5/sup 0/ increments, at incident neutron energies of 11, 14, and 17 MeV. Data are presented for elastic scattering and for inelastic scattering to the sum of the 0.84 and 1.01 MeV states, the 2.21 MeV state, and the sum of the 2.73, 2.98, and 3.00 MeV states. After correcting for compound nucleus effects, the elastic scattering cross sections are well reproduced by the spherical optical model using a linear energy dependence in the real well depth. The inelastic data are interpreted with a coupled channels calculation and the excited core model.
Interpretation of the propagation of surface altimetric observations in terms of planetary waves and geostrophic turbulence

[1] The interpretation of surface altimetric signals in terms of Rossby waves is revisited. Rather than make the long-wave approximation, the horizontal scale of the waves is adjusted to optimally fit the phase speed predicted by linear theory to that observed by altimetry, assuming a first baroclinic mode vertical structure. It is found that in the tropical band the observations can be fit if the wavelength of the waves is assumed to be large, of order 600 km or so. However poleward of ±30°, it is more difficult to fit linear theory to the observations, and the fit is less good than at lower latitudes: the required scale of the waves must be reduced to about 100 km, somewhat larger than the local deformation wavelength. It is argued that these results can be interpreted in terms of Rossby wave, baroclinic instability, and turbulence theory. At low latitudes there is an overlap between geostrophic turbulence and Rossby wave timescales, and so, an upscale energy transfer from baroclinic instability at the deformation scale produces waves. At high latitudes there is no such overlap and waves are not produced by upscale energy transfer. These ideas are tested by using surface drifter data to infer turbulent velocities and timescales that are compared to those of linear Rossby waves. A transition from a field dominated by waves to one dominated by turbulence occurs at about ±30°, broadly consistent with the transition that is required to fit linear theory to altimetric observations.
Modification by dipyrone (noramidopyrine methanesulphonate) of stone-induced ureteric hyperperistalsis in the dog

Implantation of a stone in the ureter of the dog by ureterotomy results in focal hyperperistalsis which is accentuated by administration of norepinephrine, and reduced by administration of phenoxybenzamine or isoproterenol. Administration of dipyrone reduces the hyperperistalsis, but this action does not appear to be that of either a β-agonist or an α-antagonist.
Liquid crystal methods for studying turbulent heat transfer

Abstract Liquid crystals that can accurately measure temperature and are relatively stable are now available. There are exciting new opportunities to apply these liquid crystals to the investigation of important and interesting heat transfer/fluid flow problems. Five methods of using narrow-band liquid crystals for the measurement of local heat transfer coefficients are reviewed in this paper. These methods have been developed and used at the University of California, Davis and include the heated-coating method, three variations of the transient method (preheated-wall transient, duct-insertion technique, and shroud-heating technique), and a uniform coating method. Some examples of applications for these methods are described. The examples include cylinders in cross-flow, pin fins, impinging jets, turbine blades, smooth and ribbed square ducts, and spirally fluted ducts.
Transaction management in design databases

Abstract Conventional data base systems are not suitable for handling advanced applications encountered in engineering, such as CAD/CAM, CASE, CAE, and VLSI design. The data bases in such environments, also called design data bases, are characterized by the presence of many complex data objects denoted by a large number of small tables, as opposed to a few large tables encountered in conventional data bases. The transaction model used in tracking data bases for banking, inventory control, and other such applications use view serializability as the correctness criterion. While view serializability is appropriate for tracking data bases, it is unnecessarily restrictive for engineering data bases. We propose a transaction model that is suitable for accessing shared design data based on coserializability. The transaction model supports long-duration transactions with intermediate commit points. In addition to the conventional nested transaction hierarchy, the model allows for cooperation between nested design transactions needed in a design environment.
Ethanol Alters Spatial Processing of Hippocampal Place Cells: A Mechanism for Impaired Navigation When Intoxicated

This study describes a new mechanism by which ethanol alters brain function and may impair performance on tasks requiring spatial navigation. Recording electrophysiological activity from single neurons in the awake, freely behaving animal, the present study shows that ethanol impairs the ability of place cells in the hippocampus to process spatial information. The impairment by ethanol in spatial processing of place cells was remarkably similar to the impairment produced by lesions of afferents to the hippocampus, except that the effect of ethanol was reversible. Since lesions to hippocampal afferents that alter spatial processing of place cells concomitantly impair spatial navigation, the present results suggest that ethanol similarly impairs spatial navigation by altering spatial processing of place cells. The present results have implications for the observation that ethanol impairs performance on navigational tasks that require spatial processing, such as automobile driving.
The action principle for generalized fluid motion including gyroviscosity

Abstract A general set of fluid equations that allow for energy-conserving momentum transport by gyroscopic motion of fluid elements is obtained. The equations are produced by a class of action principles that yield a large subset of the known fluid and magnetofluid models, including gyroviscosity. Analysis of the action principle yields broad, model-independent results regarding the conservation laws of energy and linear and angular momenta. The formalism is illustrated by studying fluid models with intrinsic angular momentum that may appear in the contexts of condensed matter, biological, and other areas of physics.
Spectrum analysis and min-cut transformation of communication networks in parallel computers

We present a formal model for the analysis of communication networks in parallel computers. Unlike most others, our model focuses on the transmission delays as opposed to the propagation delays of communication patterns. The model allows all symmetric communication networks to be examined by their spectrums and characterized by their transmission dimensions. A min-cut transformation is introduced as a tool for the spectrum analysis, which reduces any symmetric network to the same canonical form. Parallel architectures with different topologies can then be easily compared and evaluated. >
Analog image processing circuit with 0.25µm CMOS compatible SOS MESFETs

Image processing with Analog Neural Networks, performing horizontal line detection is demonstrated in a single poly, 3-layer metal digital CMOS technology utilizing SOS MESFET devices. Transient characteristics are measured by applying several combinations of grayscale input images. The measured transient response of the ANN array shows good agreement with simulations based on a TOM3 model extracted from the SOS MESFET. A worst case settling time of 4µs is achieved with the line detector.
Pricing and Resource Allocation in Caching Services with Multiple Levels of Quality of Service

Network caches are the storage centers in the supply chain for content delivery-the digital equivalent of warehouses. Operated by access networks and other operators, they provide benefits to content publishers in the forms of bandwidth cost reduction, response time improvement, and handling of flash crowds. Yet, caching has not been fully embraced by publishers, because its use can interfere with site personalization strategies and/or collection of visitor information for business intelligence purposes. While recent work has focused on technological solutions to these issues, this paper provides the first study of the managerial issues related to the design and provisioning of incentive-compatible caching services. Starting with a single class of caching service, we find conditions under which the profit-maximizing cache operator should offer the service for free. This occurs when the access networks' bandwidth costs are high and a large fraction of content publishers value personalization and business intelligence. Some publishers will still opt out of the service, i.e., cache bust, as observed in practice. We next derive the conditions under which the profit-maximizing cache operator should provision two vertically differentiated service classes, namely, premium and best effort. Interestingly, caching service differentiation is different from traditional vertical differentiation models, in that the premium and best-effort market segments do not abut. Thus, optimal prices for the two service classes can be set independently and cannibalization does not occur. It is possible for the cache operator to continue to offer the best-effort service for free while charging for the premium service. Furthermore, consumers are better off because more content is cached and delivered faster to them. Finally, we find that declining bandwidth costs will put negative pressure on cache operator profits, unless consumer adoption of broadband connectivity and the availability of multimedia content provide the necessary increase in traffic volume for the caches.
MLR-Index: An Index Structure for Fast and Scalable Similarity Search in High Dimensions

High-dimensional indexing has been very popularly used for performing similarity search over various data types such as multimedia (audio/image/video) databases, document collections, time-series data, sensor data and scientific databases. Because of the curse of dimensionality , it is already known that well-known data structures like kd-tree, R-tree, and M-tree suffer in their performance over high-dimensional data space which is inferior to a brute-force approach linear scan . In this paper, we focus on an approximate nearest neighbor search for two different types of queries: r-Range search and k-NN search . Adapting a novel concept of a ring structure, we define a new index structure MLR-Index (Multi-Layer Ring-based Index) in a metric space and propose time and space efficient algorithms with high accuracy. Evaluations through comprehensive experiments comparing with the best-known high-dimensional indexing method LSH show that our approach is faster for a similar accuracy, and shows higher accuracy for a similar response time than LSH .
High Rates of Incarceration as a Social Force Associated with Community Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infection

Background. The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Some populations experience both high rates of incarceration and high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Methods. To estimate the strength of this correlation, we calculated age-adjusted Pearson correlation coefficients between rates of incarceration and of reportable STIs in the 100 counties of North Carolina in 1999. Results. Moderately strong correlations were found for chlamydia (r = 0.577) and gonorrhea (r = 0.521). The correlations between rates of incarceration and reported cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and syphilis were weak (r = 0.205 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusions. Hypothetical causes of the stronger associations included incarceration increasing the number of infected prisoners or the infectiousness of released prisoners; an imbalance in the community sex ratio; and the negative influences of high rates of incarceration on social disorganization and collective efficacy. The magnitude of incarceration as a major force in American society, its association with some STIs, and our lack of empirical data on the potential causal connections argue for a new direction in STI research.
Findings from 752,081 clinical breast examinations reported to a national screening program from 1995 through 1998

Background and methods Mammography programs have received extensive study, but little is known about the outcome of clinical breast examinations (CBEs) performed in community settings. Consequently, we analyzed data from the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program on CBEs provided to low-income women from 1995 through 1998 and determined the percentage of CBEs considered to be abnormal, suspicious for cancer; the rates of cancer detection; and the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of CBEs. Results We analyzed data from 752081 CBEs and found that 6.9% of all CBEs were coded abnormal, suspicious for cancer, and that 5.0 cancers were detected per 1000 examinations (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.9-5.2). The values observed for sensitivity (58.8%) and specificity (93.4%) were comparable to those reported for the CBE component of clinical trials. The observed positive predictive value was 4.3%. About 74% of all records also reported mammography results. The cancer-detection rate among records reporting an abnormal CBE and normal mammography was 7.4 cancers per 1000 records (95% CI = 6. 3-8.4). When the CBE was normal but the mammography was abnormal, the rate was 42.0 cancers per 1000 records (95% CI = 39.9-44.1). When both CBE and mammography results were abnormal, the rate was 170.3 cancers per 1000 records (95% CI = 162.7-177.9). Cancer detection could not be attributed entirely to CBE or mammography on 38% of the records in the latter subset because the tests were performed on the same day. Conclusion CBEs performed in community-based screening programs can detect breast cancers as effectively as CBEs performed in clinical trials and may modestly improve early-detection campaigns.
Standardizing compositional data for stock assessment

Stock assessment models frequently integrate abundance index and compositional (e.g. age, length, sex) data. Abundance indices are generally estimated using index standardizationmodels, which provide estimates of index standard errors while accounting for: (i) differences in sampling intensity spatiallyorover time; (ii) non-independence of availabledata; and (iii) the effect of covariates.However, compositional data are not generally processed using a standardizationmodel, so effective sample size is not routinely estimated and these three issues are unresolved. I therefore propose a computationally simple “normal approximation” method for standardizing compositional data and compare this with design-based and Dirichlet-multinomial (D-M) methods for analysing compositional data. Using simulated data from a populationwithmultiple spatial strata, heterogeneity within strata, differences in sampling intensity, and additional overdispersion, I show that the normal-approximation method provided unbiased estimates of abundance-at-age and estimates of effective sample size that are consistentwith the imprecisionof these estimates. A conventional design-basedmethodalso producedunbiasedage compositions estimates but no estimate of effective sample size. TheD-M failed to account for knowndifferences in sampling intensity (the proportion of catch for each fishing trip that is sampled for age) and hence provides biased estimates when sampling intensity is correlatedwith variation in abundance-at-age data. I end by discussing uses for “composition-standardization models” and propose that future research develop methods to impute compositional data in strata with missing data.
A genome-wide scan for linkage to human exceptional longevity identifies a locus on chromosome 4

Substantial evidence supports the familial aggregation of exceptional longevity. The existence of rare families demonstrating clustering for this phenotype suggests that a genetic etiology may be an important component. Previous attempts at localizing loci predisposing for exceptional longevity have been limited to association studies of candidate gene polymorphisms. In this study, a genome-wide scan for such predisposing loci was conducted by using 308 individuals belonging to 137 sibships demonstrating exceptional longevity. By using nonparametric analysis, significant evidence for linkage was noted for chromosome 4 at D4S1564 with a MLS of 3.65 (P = 0.044). The analysis was corroborated by a parametric analysis (P = 0.052). These linkage results indicate the likelihood that there exists a gene, or genes, that exerts a substantial influence on the ability to achieve exceptional old age. Identification of the genes in humans that allow certain individuals to live to extreme old age should lead to insights on cellular pathways that are important to the aging process.
Using an ecosystem-level manipulation to understand host-parasite interactions and how they vary with study venue

We investigated interactions between the virulent trematode Ribeiroia ondatrae, which has been linked to amphibian malformations across the United States, and its amphibian host (Pseudacris regilla) using a hierarchical approach involving multi-year regional field surveys, replicated pond enclosures, and an unreplicated ecosystem manipulation of parasite infection. Results of this multi-tiered approach provide strong evidence of the causal linkage between infection and malformations while offering additional insights about the influence of experimental venue on effect size. Among years and across 18 wetlands in northern California, Ribeiroia infection was a strong predictor of malformation frequency, which ranged from 0 to 77% at all sites (n = 6,511). Correspondingly, the addition of >500 Ribeiroia infected snails to an experimentally divided wetland using a three-year Before After Control Impact (BACI) design caused sharp increases in Ribeiroia infection and severe malformations in P. regilla during the manipulation year (but not pre- or post-manipulation). These results were complemented by the findings from a replicated (n = 16) enclosure/exclosure study conducted on both sides of the divided wetland (Hog Lake), which showed increased infection and malformations only among larvae within cages that allowed parasite entry and only on the manipulated side. No differences in mortality were observed among animals as a function of cage type. A comparison of the slope between observed infection and malformations as a function of venue (previous laboratory work and the two spatial scales of this study (cages and whole-pond)) indicated that small-scale experiments exhibit stronger effects relative to results from larger spatial extents. Multi-year sampling also indicated that malformed frogs were unlikely to return as breeding adults, highlighting the potential for population-level impacts associated with high Ribeiroia infections. Taken together, these results provide support for the causal relationship between Ribeiroia infection and amphibian malformations under realistic conditions while simultaneously emphasizing the influence of study venue on the strength of this relationship.
Applicability of the Reynolds Equation for modeling fluid flow between rough surfaces

Predictions of the Reynolds equation for flow between rough-walled surfaces have been compared to a more exact calculation of Navier-Stokes flow based on a lattice-gas automaton method. Two-dimensional channels were constructed with an idealized sinusoidal roughness on each wall. Flow in the channels was studied by both methods for various amplitude to wavelength ratios of the roughness, surface separations, relative alignment or phase of the sinusoids, and Reynolds numbers. The Reynolds equation overestimates fluid velocity as the surfaces are placed together or the amplitude of the roughness increases relative to its wavelength.
Contribution of ammonium ions to the lethality and antimetamorphic effects of ammonium perchlorate

Ammonium perchlorate (AP) is a widespread military waste product in the United States and is a potent thyroid function disruptor in all vertebrates tested thus far. To determine the relative contribution of ammonium ions to the toxicity of AP, we exposed embryonic and larval Xenopus laevis to various concentrations of sodium perchlorate (SP) or ammonium chloride (AC). Ammonium perchlorate was significantly more lethal than SP; 5-d LC50s were 83 and 2,780 mg/L, respectively. To determine whether ammonium ions contribute to the antithyroid effects of AP, we exposed embryonic and larval X. laevis to two sublethal, environmentally relevant concentrations of AP or identical concentrations of AC or SP. At the smaller concentration, only AP delayed metamorphosis and reduced hindlimb growth. Sodium perchlorate and AP, but not AC, prevented metamorphosis and reduced hindlimb growth at the greater concentration. Although AP was slightly more effective in reducing outward manifestations of thyroid disruption, both perchlorate salts, unlike AC, caused profound histopathologic changes in the thyroid. Exposure to the higher concentration of either perchlorate salt produced a feminizing effect, resulting in a skewed sex ratio. We conclude that ammonium ions contribute significantly to the toxicity of AP but not to the direct antithyroid effects of perchlorate.
Transformational leadership, relationship quality, and employee performance during continuous incremental organizational change

Summary Although transformational leadership has been investigated in connection with change at higher levels of organizations, less is known about its “in-the-trenches” impact. We examined relations among transformational leadership, explicit change reactions (i.e., relationship quality), change frequency, and change consequences (i.e., task performance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)) during continuous incremental organizational change at lower hierarchical levels. In a sample of 251 employees and their 78 managers, analyses revealed that the quality of relationships between leaders and employees mediated the influence of transformational leadership on employee task performance and OCB. We also found that change frequency moderated the positive association of relationship quality with task performance and OCB, such that associations were stronger when change frequency was high. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of face discrimination abilities, and relationship to magnocellular pathway development, between childhood and adulthood

The current study tested the development of face and object processing in young children (mean age = 5.24 years), adolescents (mean age = 15.8 years), and adults (mean age = 21.1 years) using stimuli that were equated for low-level visual characteristics (luminance, contrast, and spatial frequency make-up) and methods that equate for difficulty across ages. We also tested sensitivity to luminance and chromatic contrast (i.e., thought to be mediated primarily by the subcortical Magnocellular (M) and Parvocellular (P) pathways, respectively) to determine whether age-related improvements in face or object discrimination were driven by age-related changes in the M and/or P pathways. Results showed a selective age-related improvement in face sensitivity and a relationship between age-related increases in face sensitivity and luminance contrast sensitivity. These results add to the mounting evidence that the M pathway may influence face processing.
Left Main Coronary Artery Compression following Melody Pulmonary Valve Implantation: Use of Impella Support as Rescue Therapy and Perioperative Challenges with ECMO

The purpose of this case is to describe the complex perioperative management of a 30-year-old woman with congenital heart disease and multiple resternotomies presenting with pulmonary homograft dysfunction and evaluation for percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement. Transvenous, transcatheter Melody valve placement caused left main coronary artery occlusion and cardiogenic shock. An Impella ventricular assist device (VAD) provided rescue therapy during operating room transport for valve removal and pulmonary homograft replacement. ECMO support was required following surgery. Several days later during an attempted ECMO wean, her hemodynamics deteriorated abruptly. Transesophageal and epicardial echocardiography identified pulmonary graft obstruction, requiring homograft revision due to large thrombosis. This case illustrates a role for Impella VAD as bridge to definitive procedure after left coronary occlusion and describes management of complex perioperative ECMO support challenges.
Dihydrotestosterone secretion in pregnant and pseudopregnant rats.

AbstractThe objective of this study was to determine levels of dihydrotestosterone in the peripheral circulation and the source of its secretion throughout pregnancy and pseudopregnancy. Rats were bled from the jugular vein and ovarian or uterine vein from Day 8 through Day 22 of pregnancy and from Day 8 through the end of pseudopregnancy in various types of pseudopregnant rats. Jugular vein samples alone were obtained on the day of parturition and every fourth day thereafter during the lactational period. Our results indicate that the levels of dihydrotestosterone in the peripheral circulation were high throughout pregnancy and pseudopregnancy then declined during the lactational period. The sources of dihydrotestosterone were primarily the ovary in pseudopregnant rats and the ovary plus uterus in pregnant rats.
Additive versus multiplicative models in ecologic regression

Much research in environmental epidemiology relies on aggregate-level information on exposure to potentially toxic substances and on relevant covariates. We compare the use of additive (linear) and multiplicative (log-linear) regression models for the analysis of such data. We illustrate how both additive and multiplicative models can be fit to aggregate-level data sets in which disease incidence is the dependent variable, and contrast these results with similar models fitted to individual-level data. We find (1) that for aggregate-level data, multiplicative models are more likely than additive models to introduce bias into the estimation of rates, an effect not found with individual-level data; and (2) that under many circumstances multiplicative models reduce the precision of the estimates, an effect also not found in individual-level models. For both additive and multiplicative models of aggregate-level data, we find that, in the presence of covariates, narrow confidence interval are obtained only when two or more antecedent factors are strongly related to the measured covariate and/or the exposure of primary substantive interest. We conclude that the equivalency of fitting additive versus multiplicative models in studies with individual-level binary data does not carry over to studies that analyze aggregate-level information. For aggregate data, we strongly recommend use of additive models.
Ionizing Radiation Changes the Electronic Properties of Melanin and Enhances the Growth of Melanized Fungi

Background Melanin pigments are ubiquitous in nature. Melanized microorganisms are often the dominating species in certain extreme environments, such as soils contaminated with radionuclides, suggesting that the presence of melanin is beneficial in their life cycle. We hypothesized that ionizing radiation could change the electronic properties of melanin and might enhance the growth of melanized microorganisms. Methodology/principal findings Ionizing irradiation changed the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal of melanin, consistent with changes in electronic structure. Irradiated melanin manifested a 4-fold increase in its capacity to reduce NADH relative to non-irradiated melanin. HPLC analysis of melanin from fungi grown on different substrates revealed chemical complexity, dependence of melanin composition on the growth substrate and possible influence of melanin composition on its interaction with ionizing radiation. XTT/MTT assays showed increased metabolic activity of melanized C. neoformans cells relative to non-melanized cells, and exposure to ionizing radiation enhanced the electron-transfer properties of melanin in melanized cells. Melanized Wangiella dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans cells exposed to ionizing radiation approximately 500 times higher than background grew significantly faster as indicated by higher CFUs, more dry weight biomass and 3-fold greater incorporation of (14)C-acetate than non-irradiated melanized cells or irradiated albino mutants. In addition, radiation enhanced the growth of melanized Cladosporium sphaerospermum cells under limited nutrients conditions. Conclusions/significance Exposure of melanin to ionizing radiation, and possibly other forms of electromagnetic radiation, changes its electronic properties. Melanized fungal cells manifested increased growth relative to non-melanized cells after exposure to ionizing radiation, raising intriguing questions about a potential role for melanin in energy capture and utilization.
A case report of elevated blood cadmium

A 45-year-old male paint technician was identified as having an elevated whole-blood cadmium of 5.9 microg/l (Occupational and Safety Health Administration reference range for workers: <or=5.0 microg/l) through a routine workplace biological monitoring programme. Other than smoking 1.5-2 packs of cigarettes daily for 23 years, no additional non-occupational exposures to cadmium were identified. Whole-blood cadmium results taken 5, 4 and 2 years earlier were 3.1, 4.0 and 4.3 microg/l, respectively. After reassignment to a position without cadmium exposure, his whole-blood cadmium level 7 weeks later was 6.1 microg/l. A careful exposure history revealed that he had recently changed the brand of cigarettes he smoked. When he switched back to his original brand and reduced his consumption to one pack per day, his cadmium level fell to 2.9 microg/l taken 12 weeks after the initial elevated result. Eight weeks after returning to his original position with cadmium exposure, the value was 3.4 microg/l. No elevation in urine cadmium was noted at any point. An analysis of the tobacco revealed that the cadmium content of the new brand was almost 1.5-fold greater than the original brand. These results suggest that the consumption of different brands of cigarettes can lead to marked variations in whole-blood cadmium levels.
Use of a Nuclear Marker to Assess Population Structure in Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), the Hessian fly, is distributed across most of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-growing areas of the world and can cause significant yield losses in wheat production. Native to the Old World, Hessian fly reportedly came to the United States in a single introduction during the Revolutionary War and has since spread across North America. Using a nuclear marker, the population structure of North American Hessian fly was examined with regard to collections from the Old World. White intron 1 (wint1) showed insignificant recombination within collections and a large number of informative characters, allowing its use as a phylogenetic marker. Thirty-three alleles of wint1 were identified. Population structure analyses divided the collections into four populations: Middle East, Old World I, Old World II, and New World. More variation was found within populations than between populations, indicating that gene flow exists between local areas. However, shared ancestral characteristics resulted in mixing of Hessian fly collections into more than one population as revealed by the population structure reconstruction. North American and Spanish collections were a mixture of the Old and New World populations. With the sharing of ancestral characters as well as wint1 alleles, this study indicates that the North American lineage may actually be associated to an unsampled location, perhaps northern Europe. If the single introduction hypothesis were correct, then both lineages would have to have been present at the time of introduction.
Concealment and Exposure

Soulevant la question de la dissimulation comme condition de la civilisation a travers l'exemple de l'exposition publique de la vie privee des hommes politiques aux Etats-Unis, l'A. etablit une analogie entre le probleme liberal de la balance des interets individuels et collectifs, d'une part, et le probleme social de la juste mesure entre la reserve de la vie privee et l'interaction publique, d'autre part. Defendant l'idee de restrictions fonctionnelles en faveur de la protection de la vie privee dans une culture paradoxalement tres tolerante envers la sexualite, l'A. montre que le probleme reside dans la frontiere normative entre ce qui doit etre cache et ce qui doit etre montre, entre la reticence et la reconnaissance, la politesse et la deference, l'interiorite et l'exteriorite, au regard de ce qui est acceptable du point de vue de l'individu et de la societe appartenant a une culture pluraliste
Biological fly control in deep-pit poultry houses.

Synopsis It was found that the accumulating manure in deep‐pit poultry houses became naturally colonised by the histerid Carcinops pumilio, a recognised predator of fly larvae. Although no serious fly infestations occurred where C. pumilio had become established, houses were at greatest risk when stocking was carried out at the beginning of the summer.
Affinity Hybrid Tree: An Indexing Technique for Content-Based Image Retrieval in Multimedia Databases

A novel indexing and access method, called Affinity Hybrid Tree (AH-Tree), is proposed to organize large image data sets efficiently and to support popular image access mechanisms like Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) by embedding the high-level semantic image-relationship in the access mechanism as it is. AH-Tree combines Space- Based and Distance-Based indexing techniques to form a hybrid structure which is efficient in terms of computational overhead and fairly accurate in producing query results close to human perception. Algorithms for similarity (range and k-nearest neighbor) queries are implemented. Results from elaborate experiments are reported which depict a low computational overhead in terms of the number of I/O and distance computations and a high relevance of query results. The proposed index structure solves the existing problems of introducing high-level image relationships in a retrieval mechanism without going through the pain of translating the content-similarity measurement into feature-level equivalence and yet maintaining an efficient structure to organize the large sets of images.
DISCORDANCE OF CHLOROPLAST AND NUCLEAR RIBOSOMAL DNA DATA IN OSMORHIZA (APIACEAE)

Phylogenetic studies were conducted to evaluate interspecific relationships in Osmorhiza (Apiaceae: Apioideae) using sequences of the ITS regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA, the chloroplast ndhF gene, and two noncoding regions (trnL intron, and trnL [UAA] 3' exon-trnF [GAA] intergenic spacer). All data sets suggest the monophyly of the New World taxa and showed that Osmorhiza aristata from Asia is relatively divergent from other members of the genus, even though it is morphologically similar to the eastern North American O. claytonii and O. longistylis. The ITS and chloroplast DNA trees differ in the relationships among the New World taxa, especially the phylogenetic position of O. occidentalis, O. glabrata, and O. depauperata. The lack of congruence between the two data sets may be a result of hybridization or introgression. Although there is high discordance between nrITS and two chloroplast DNA data sets, the latter two show similar topologies.
Choice of a Vertical Grid in Incorporating Condensation Heating into an Isentropic Vertical Coordinate Model

Abstract Advantages of using an isentropic vertical coordinate in atmospheric models are well recognized. In particular, the use of an isentropic coordinate virtually eliminates discretization errors for vertical advection since isentropic surfaces are material surfaces under dry-adiabatic processes. This is also advantageous for predicting moist-adiabatic condensation processes because their occurrence and maintenance largely depend on the converging moisture transport through the surrounding unsaturated regions. In this paper, a basic problem in incorporating condensation heating into an isentropic coordinate model is discussed: that is, the problem of choosing a proper vertical grid for predicting moisture and computing condensation amount and condensation heating. Two different vertical grids are described, one of which predicts moisture for each model layer (M grid) and the other predicts it at each interface separating the model layers (N grid). The models based on these two vertical grids become id...
Life satisfaction following spinal cord injury: long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE To determine the course of self-reported life satisfaction in a spinal cord injury (SCI) cohort. DESIGN Prospective study using longitudinal data from the Injury Control Research Center. PARTICIPANTS Adult persons with traumatic-onset SCI (n = 207) evaluated at 1, 2, 4, and 5 years postinjury using the Life Satisfaction Index-A. RESULTS A nonsignificant (P > 0.05) main effect of time was found using a repeated-measures analysis controlling for education and employment status. Several methods were used that provided a range of liberal to conservative estimates for missing data (ie, 38% retention rate at year 5). Subsequent missing data analyses tended to corroborate the finding of a nonsignificant effect of time, although the most conservative methods showed a significant decrease in life satisfaction between year 1 and year 5 postinjury (P < 0.05). Examination of numerous demographic, injury, and treatment-related characteristics at each follow-up time point suggested that the main findings of the study were not merely the result of differential dropout rates. CONCLUSION Life satisfaction after the first year of injury remains largely the same over the next 4 years. Methodologic and analytic recommendations are discussed.
Role of Interfaces in Coarsening and Grain Growth

Theories of late-stage phase separation are discussed from the perspective of statistical mean-field approaches, whereby the material interfaces are assumed to interact with the appropriate average microstructural environment. For coarsening of two- and three-dimensional phases, recent progress is presented for selecting the most appropriate averages that characterize the microstructural environment surrounding a domain. The effective mean field, as well as the average interaction distance over which transport occurs, may be determined self-consistently by imposing global constraints that reflect the microstructural phase fractions and by using explicit spatial and ensemble averages of the matrix transport fields. Comparison of new theoretical coarsening rates with liquid-phase sintering experiments show good agreement over a wide range of phase fractions. Extension of this approach to grain growth, which involves more complex topological interactions, is also discussed.
School Segregation and Resegregation in Charlotte and Raleigh, 1989-2010:

Desegregated schools are linked to educational and social advantages whereas myriad harms are connected to segregated schools, yet the emphasis on school desegregation has recently receded in two North Carolina city-suburban school districts historically touted for their far-reaching efforts: Charlotte and Raleigh. In this article, we use cross-case analysis to explore segregation outcomes associated with policy changes by analyzing enrollment and segregation trends from 1989 to 2010 in metro Charlotte and metro Raleigh. Both Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Wake County school systems are experiencing a growing share of intensely segregated schools, decreasing exposure of Black and Latino students to White students, disproportionately large exposure of Black and Latino students to poor students, and an increase in segregated charters. Segregation in the districts surrounding Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Wake County is less extreme. An understanding of how policies have contributed to segregation patterns in both me...
An analysis of antibody level of measles,diphtheria,meningitis B and hepatitis B of healthy population in Dali in 2009

Objective:To investigate the levels of measles,diphtheria,Japanese encephalitis(JE),and hepatitis B(HBV) antibody in healthy people in Dali and to evaluate the effects of vaccination and the immune status of populations.They provide basis on the formulation of immunization strategies and preventive measures.Methods:463 healthy people were selected with stratified random sampling method.It was detected for measles IgG,diphtheria IgG,Japanese encephalitis,and hepatitis B surface antibody IgG of these people by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results:During the 463 serum samples,measles IgG positive rate was 99.14%,diphtheria IgG positive rate was 70.54%,JEV IgG positive rate was 64.95%,and hepatitis B surface antibody positive rate was 54.84%.Conclusion:In Dali,the rate of measles IgG antibody with healthy population is high,the positive rates of Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B surface antibody IgG antibody are low.Along with the growth of the age,the protection rates of diphtheria and Japanese encephalitis antibody trend to reduce.It is suggested that we should strengthen the vaccination rates of diphtheria,Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B and the vaccine quality.
Comparison of Type A and nutrient standard menus for school lunch. II. Management aspects.

School lunch menu planners tested the method described in the preceding paper. Comparisons with Type A menu planning for food and labor costs are reported.
GPCR sorting at multivesicular endosomes

The lysosomal degradation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is essential for receptor signaling and down regulation. Once internalized, GPCRs are sorted within the endocytic pathway and packaged into intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) that bud inward to form the multivesicular endosome (MVE). The mechanisms that control GPCR sorting and ILV formation are poorly understood. Quantitative strategies are important for evaluating the function of adaptor and scaffold proteins that regulate sorting of GPCRs at MVEs. In this chapter, we outline two strategies for the quantification and visualization of GPCR sorting into the lumen of MVEs. The first protocol utilizes a biochemical approach to assay the sorting of GPCRs in a population of cells, whereas the second strategy examines GPCR sorting in individual cells using immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Combined, these assays can be used to establish the kinetics of activated GPCR lysosomal trafficking in response to specific ligands, as well as evaluate the contribution of endosomal adaptors to GPCR sorting at MVEs. The protocols presented in this chapter can be adapted to analyze GPCR sorting in a myriad of cell types and tissues, and expanded to analyze the mechanisms that regulate MVE sorting of other cargoes.
Pictures, patience, and practicalities: lessons learned from using photovoice in applied communication contexts

ABSTRACTThe unforeseen trials of arts-based research may suppress creative and innovative explorations. Photovoice, a visual method of investigation employing participatory photography, presents a host of apprehensions. Yet, photovoice is both a valid and rich methodology that can greatly expand the reach and scope of applied communication research. In this essay, we – three applied communication researchers – discuss the complexities of photovoice, highlighting areas of consideration that interested researchers should contemplate before utilizing this methodology. Briefly exploring three of our research studies and their varying topics (i.e. long-term cancer survivors, domestic violence organizational advocacy, male body culture), we discuss three broad areas of difficulty in photovoice research: analysis, control, and exposure. Despite the unique obstacles that photovoice presents, we argue that it, along with other forms of arts-based research, are profitable and definitely worth the challenge.
Communication Challenges During the Perioperative Period

Effective communication on the part of the physician is an intrinsic component of high-quality medical care. The ability to “listen and communicate effectively” is recognized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) as an essential skill, yet only recently has the need for training and assessment of communication been recognized for encounters beyond the physician–patient setting. In the hospital environment, interactions with nurses, peers, and various members of a health-care team are central to patient care. As the acuity of patient care increases, particularly in the specialized, high-acuity operating room and ICU environments, the consequences of ineffective communication among members of the health-care team pose a greater threat to patient safety.