cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of in utero exposure to 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′‐hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) on somatic growth and endocrine status in rat offspring

ABSTRACT Exposure to polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) mixtures at an early stage of development has been reported to affect endocrine glands; however, little is known about the precise toxicological properties of individual PCB. The present study was undertaken to determine whether prenatal exposure to 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153), a di-ortho-substituted non-coplanar congener, affects postnatal development in rat offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (Crj: CD (SD) IGS) were given PCB 153 (0, 16, or 64 mg/kg/day) orally from gestational day (GD) 10 through GD 16, and developmental parameters in the male and female offspring were examined. We found no dose-dependent changes in body weight, body length (nose–anus length), tail length, or the weights of kidneys, testes, ovaries and uterus in offspring at 1 or 3 weeks of age. Liver weights were increased in the PCB 153–treated groups, although we observed a significant difference only in males. Anogenital distance was unaffected in the PCB 153–treated groups. We observed a significant dose-dependent decrease in the plasma concentrations of thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine, whereas those of thyroid-stimulating hormone were not significantly changed. In addition, there were no dose-dependent changes in plasma concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I in any dose group. These findings suggest that prenatal exposure to PCB 153 (GD 10–16, 16–64 mg/kg/day) may alter the thyroid status in rat offspring to some extent without affecting somatic growth or its related hormonal parameters.
Sulfate adsorption by variable charge soils: effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids

Sulfate (SO4 2–) movement and transport in soils has received considerable attention in recent years. In most soils, SO4 2– coexists with a variety of natural organic compounds, especially organic acids. Studies were conducted to assess the effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids (eight aliphatic and five aromatic acids) on SO4 2– adsorption by variable charge soils from Chile and Costa Rica. The effects of type of organic acid, pH, type of soil, and organic acid concentration were investigated. In one experiment, a 1.0 g soil sample was equilibrated with 25 ml 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, or 6.0 mM K2SO4 in 1 mM NaCl in the presence or absence of 5 mM citric acid. In the second set of experiments, the adsorption of 2 mM SO4 2– in soils at pH 4 or pH 5 in the presence or absence of one of 13 organic acids at a concentration of 2 mM or 5 mM was studied. Results showed that citric acid significantly decreased SO4 2– adsorption by the two soils. Sulfate adsorption decreased with increasing pH of the equilibrium solution. Aliphatic acids, with the exception of cis-aconitic acid, decreased the amount of SO4 2– adsorbed by the two soils, with oxalic, tartaric, and citric acid showing the greatest effect. The differences in pH values of the equilibrium solutions in the presence and absence of organic acids were significantly, but negatively, correlated with the amount of SO4 2– adsorbed, suggesting chemisorption of SO4 2– and the release of hydroxide ions. The ionization fraction values of the organic acids at the equilibrium pH were correlated with the amounts of SO4 2– adsorbed, suggesting that the protonation of surface hydroxyl groups of the mineral phase increased as the strength of the ionization of the acid increased, thus creating more positively charged surfaces.
The Introduced Fish Problem and the Aquarium Fish Industry

Of the 46 species of foreign fishes known to be established as reproducing populations in open waters of the contiguous United States, approximately 65% are known or presumed to have originated from the aquarium fish trade. Many escaped or were released from aquarium fish culture facilities and some were introduced by aquarists. More than 50 additional, non-established fishes, mostly aquarium species, have been collected in the wild. These introductions, with established populations, have not been restricted to the so-called Sun Belt states, but have occurred throughout the U.S. Because many introductions have resulted in serious negative impcts to native fishes, and most have the potential to do so, it is imperative that the aquarium fish industry and trade take measures to curtail such releases. The means of accomplishing this goal are relatively inexpensive. Industry must assist in public education to reduce introductions by aquarists.
Therapeutic intervention scoring as a measure of performance in a helicopter emergency medical services program.

Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), which are both expensive and resource intensive, lack objective measures for system evaluation. We computed the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS) score for all patients during six consecutive months of service in a HEMS program to assess the value of this score for measuring the performance of the program. The TISS assigns values ranging from 1 to 4 for 57 medical and surgical interventions to measure the intensity of care during a 24-hour period. The TISS was recorded for 203 patients beginning at the time HEMS transport was requested. These flights also were classified as appropriate or inappropriate, given the information available, when HEMS care was initiated and days later when diagnostic evaluation was complete. Classification was done on the basis of whether the following criteria (potentially) ensure patient survival or improve outcome: speed of transport, presence of a medically skilled flight team, or the helicopter's ability to overcome hostile environmental conditions. The mean TISS score for all patients was 21.7. One hundred thirty-two of 203 flights (65%) were thought to be medically necessary, both at the time HEMS was requested and later (mean TISS, 28.1; analysis of variance, P
Activity-dependent regulation of inhibitory synapse development by Npas4

Neuronal activity regulates the development and maturation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the mammalian brain. Several recent studies have identified signalling networks within neurons that control excitatory synapse development. However, less is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the activity-dependent development of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-releasing inhibitory synapses. Here we report the identification of a transcription factor, Npas4, that plays a role in the development of inhibitory synapses by regulating the expression of activity-dependent genes, which in turn control the number of GABA-releasing synapses that form on excitatory neurons. These findings demonstrate that the activity-dependent gene program regulates inhibitory synapse development, and suggest a new role for this program in controlling the homeostatic balance between synaptic excitation and inhibition.
A novel primary-secondary user power control game for cognitive radios

In cognitive radio networks, secondary users need to access the licensed spectrum while neither disturbing the transmissions of the primary users nor introducing much interference to other secondary users. Hence, proper power controlling is of paramount importance to ensure efficient system operation. The previous work on power control in cognitive networks mainly focuses on the interactions among a set of secondary users. The primary users' influence is rarely considered. In this paper, a new power control game model is formulated, by including the primary users into the player set of the game. The primary users are rewarded for sharing their licensed spectrum with secondary users by setting a reasonable interference cap for the secondary transmissions. However, we ensure a minimum required Quality of Service (QoS) for primary users by severely penalizing their utility if their required transmission quality is not met. Simultaneously, the secondary users achieve energy efficient transmissions while not introducing much interference to both the primary and other secondary users. We prove that the proposed cognitive power control game has a unique Nash equilibrium (NE). The numerical examples show that the proposed game theoretical power control algorithm can provide the secondary users with energy efficient transmissions and the primary users with reasonable monetary rewards, while not compromising their required QoS.
Cloning and characterization of mariner-like elements in the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura

Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is currently the most important insect pest of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the United States and causes significant economic damage worldwide, but little is known about the aphid at the molecular level. Mariner-like transposable elements (MLEs) are ubiquitous within the genomes of arthropods and various other invertebrates. In this study, we report the cloning of MLEs from the soybean aphid genome using degenerate PCR primers designed to amplify conserved regions of mariner transposases. Two of the ten sequenced clones (designated as Agmar1 and Agmar2) contained partial but continuous open reading frames, which shared high levels of homology at the protein level with other mariner transposases from insects and other taxa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed Agmar1 to group within the irritans subfamily of MLEs and Agmar2 within the mellifera subfamily. Southern blot analysis and quantitative PCR analysis indicated a low copy number for Agmar1-like elements within the soybean aphid genome. These results suggest the presence of at least two different putative mariner-like transposases encoded by the soybean aphid genome. Both Agmar1 and Agmar2 could play influential roles in the architecture of the soybean aphid genome. Transposable elements are also thought to potentially mediate resistance in insects through changes in gene amplification and mutations in coding sequences. Finally, Agmar1 and Agmar2 may represent useful genetic tools and provide insights on A. glycines adaptation.
Simbios Project; 2003 Annual Report

The purpose of this technical report is to provide current documentation of the the Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project activities, NASA Research Announcement (NRA) research status, satellite data processing, data product validation, and field calibration. This documentation is necessary to ensure that critical information is related to the scientific community and NASA management. This critical information includes the technical difficulties and challenges of validating and combining ocean color data from an array of independent satellite systems to form consistent and accurate global bio-optical time series products. This technical report is not meant as a substitute for scientific literature. Instead, it will provide a ready and responsive vehicle for the multitude of technical reports issued by an operational project. The SIMBIOS Science Team Principal Investigators (PIs) original contributions to this report are in chapters four and above. The purpose of these contributions is to describe the current research status of the SIMBIOS-NRA-99 funded research. The contributions are published as submitted, with the exception of minor edits to correct obvious grammatical or clerical errors.
Models and considerations for parallel implementation of Monte Carlo simulation methods for power system reliability evaluation

This paper proposes three topologies for parallelizing the fixed interval Monte Carlo simulation for reliability evaluation of interconnected power systems. The important issue of random number generation for parallel algorithms is also explored in detail. Several studies have been conducted to gain insight into the quantitative and performance results. Extensions of the proposed topologies and random number generation schemes to other simulation techniques are also discussed. >
On the geometry of join and meet calculations for general type-2 fuzzy sets

The union and intersection of general type-2 fuzzy sets (T2 FSs) are fundamental computations for such FSs. In the past, algorithms were developed for the union and intersection computations using vertical-slice and horizontal-slice representations of T2 FSs. The vertical-slice representation of a T2 FS traces its origins back to Zadeh [32] and requires computing the join or meet, whereas the horizontal-slice representation of a T2 FS is very recent, traces its origins to Liu [14], and requires computing the join and meet only for interval T2 FSs that are raised to level alpha, for which closed-form formulas are available [15]. In this paper, by studying the join and meet geometrically for general T2 FSs, we show that for many situations closed-form formulas exist for them. We also show that the formulas for computing the union and intersection of general T2 FSs that were derived from the horizontal-slice representation of a T2 FS [19] can also be obtained directly from geometrical interpretations of formulas that were derived by Karnik and Mendel [12] for the vertical-slice representation of a T2 FS.
All Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients Will Benefit From Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to prolong survival and to decrease infarct size in patients after acute coronary syndromes.1–3 Evidence now exists that ACE inhibitors are effective in decreasing myocardial injury during coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and can reduce the incidence of ischemic events in the years after surgery.4,5 It has been suggested that all CABG patients be started on ACE inhibitors, in addition to a statin, aspirin, and β-blocker, as part of a cardioprotective strategy to reduce recurrent ischemic events in these patients.6 In this issue of Circulation , Rouleau and coworkers7 present data from the Ischemia Management with Accupril post-bypass Graft via Inhibition of the coNverting Enzyme (IMAGINE) trial that question this benefit for all CABG patients. They conclude that in low-risk CABG patients, routine early initiation of ACE inhibitor therapy does not appear to improve clinical outcomes up to 3 years after surgery and may actually increase adverse events in the early postoperative period. They feel that ACE inhibitor therapy should be individualized and reassessed over time. Are the results of this study applicable to the vast majority of CABG patients? Can we accurately identify patients who are at low risk of developing future cardiovascular events at the time of CABG surgery? What is the best method of initiating ACE inhibitor therapy in the post-CABG patient, and were these guidelines followed by the IMAGINE investigators? Here, I will attempt to answer these questions as we try to determine the role of ACE inhibitor therapy in the CABG patient. Article p 24 ACE inhibitors have the potential to benefit CABG patients not only by their antihypertensive effects but also because of their vasculoprotective and antiatherogenic properties. They minimize thrombosis by reducing platelet aggregation and decreasing plasminogen activator-1 and tissue plasminogen …
Analytical modeling of the partially-depleted SOI MOSFET

An analytical model for the partially-depleted (PD) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFET above threshold was developed. In contrast to previous models, this model includes front-back interface coupling with all the possibilities associated with it (accumulated, neutral, and depleted back interface). The model applies to tied-body as well as floating-body devices; however, thermal and edge effects are neglected. Interface coupling and floating-body effects are integrated together in a new "unified" algorithm. The "pseudo-two-dimensional" approach (which was used successfully to model lateral fields in bulk-Si devices) is extended to SOI devices. The model is extremely physical and thus highly predictive. Good agreement with experiment was obtained over a wide range of channel lengths and back gate voltages. Because of the model's neglect of thermal effects, however, disagreement was observed at high current levels. A brief physical interpretation of the results is also presented.
On the system identification convergence model for perceptron learning algorithms

The convergence behavior of perceptron learning algorithms has been difficult to analyze because of their inherent nonlinearity and the lack of an appropriate model for the training signals. In many cases, extensive computer simulations have been the only way of quantifying their performance. Previously we introduced a stochastic convergence model based on a system identification formulation of the training data that allows one to derive closed-form expressions for the stationary points and cost functions, as well as deterministic recursions for the transient learning behavior. We provide an overview of this approach and describe how it is applied to single- and two-layer perceptron configurations. >
Supplier Selection via Tournaments

In this paper, we study the performance of a sourcing mechanism gaining popularity in industrial procurement environments; a tournament. Under a tournament, a buyer initially procures her parts from two suppliers with possibly different quality levels, for T time periods, i.e., she parallel sources. During this time, the buyer is able to observe noisy signals about the suppliers’ quality. At time T, she selects the supplier with the highest observed performance and awards it the remainder of her business. We characterize the optimal duration of the tournament as a function of various market parameters, including information and investment costs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a tournament can be more profitable for the buyer than selecting the highest quality supplier at time T 0 and sole sourcing entirely.
Marginal Loss Pricing for Hours With Transmission Congestion

Nodal electricity prices are designed to send efficient economic signals to market participants for operating and investment decisions. The inherent nonlinearity of transmission losses and the use of marginal loss pricing can obscure the intended economic information in the loss component of nodal prices. As one step in clarifying the determination of the marginal loss price component, this paper discusses the calculation of nodal electricity prices in lossy networks and presents a variety of accepted methods for determining marginal loss. This paper then proposes a method for calculating the marginal loss component of nodal prices during hours with congestion that reflects each market participant's contribution to marginal losses more accurately than current implementations. The proposed method recognizes that increases in incremental energy flows cannot flow across constrained lines, and thus, system-wide marginal losses should not be attributed to generators or loads in the constrained subregions. The objectives of the discussion are to improve the understanding of how marginal losses are determined and also to improve the accuracy of the information conveyed in the marginal loss price component. The ultimate goal is to promote more efficient price signals to electricity market participants for both transmission loss and congestion.
A possible new paradigm? A survey-based assessment of the use of thawed group A plasma for trauma resuscitation in the United States.

BACKGROUND Although evidence supporting this practice is limited, some centers use thawed group A plasma for the initial resuscitation of trauma patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS To better understand the current use of plasma in trauma resuscitation, a survey was developed, validated, and distributed via e-mail to 121 American trauma centers. RESULTS A total of 61 responses were received. Most were from Level 1 trauma centers (56/61, 92%) in urban settings (47/61, 77%). Virtually all centers reported maintaining A thawed plasma inventory (59/61, 97%). Among the 56 Level 1 trauma center respondents, most keep thawed A immediately available (49/56, 88%) and many use group A plasma for trauma recipients of unknown ABO group (34/49, 69%). Half of the surveyed centers implemented this practice within the past year. The majority do not limit the amount of A plasma that can be administered to a patients of unknown ABO group (21/34, 62%), and most do not titer for anti-B (27/34, 79%). CONCLUSION The majority of Level 1 trauma centers maintain thawed plasma inventories and use group A plasma for trauma recipients of unknown ABO group. Most centers do not limit the amount of group A plasma used in this situation or titer the anti-B.
GROWTH, UNEMPLOYMENT AND ENDOGENOUS TECHNICAL PROGRESS: A HICKSIAN RESOLUTION OF HARROD'S KNIFE-EDGE: Growth with Unemploymen

This paper presents a neo-Kaleckian growth model with unemployment, endogenous technical progress, and a steady-state requirement of balanced labor demand and supply growth. There are two key innovations: first, a Marx–Hicks unemployment rate–profit rate channel affecting labor-saving technical progress; second, a Keynesian unemployment rate channel affecting saving and investment. Changes in the unemployment rate change the profit rate, rebalancing effective labor supply and employment growth. This provides a Hicksian resolution of Harrod's knife-edge. The Keynesian unemployment rate channel strengthens the growth benefits of a lower unemployment rate, potentially obviating any growth–unemployment trade-off.
Cognitive Integration: A Study of how Decision Makers Construct Understanding in Evolving Contexts

Technology provides military decision makers with more data than they can possibly use. Commanders and staffs must sort through and combine relevant data to develop understanding. This process, which we call cognitive integration, was investigated in a tactical simulation using 21 experienced active duty Army officers (former battalion commanders) and 21 novice officers (no battalion command experience) as participants. Quantitative and qualitative data yielded significant differences between the experienced and novice groups. In addition, data analysis led to the development of several important design principles that will be used to build a decision aid prototype to assist commanders in integrating data.
Design and Evaluation of Generalized Collective Communication Primitives with Overlap Using ConnectX-2 Offload Engine

Collective communication operations provided by The Message Passing Interface (MPI) are heavily used by scientific applications at large scale. The current MPI standard, MPI-2.2, only defines blocking collective communication calls, which does not allow simultaneous computation and communication. It is expected that MPI-3 will allow for non-blocking collective communication. The newly introduced ConnectX-2 Infini Band adapter from Mellanox features an offload mechanism that enables the Network Interface Card (NIC) to perform a series of communication and reduction operations without the involvement of the host processor. Current generation MPI stacks implement each collective operation using point-to point operations. To take advantage of offload feature in a rapidly changing architectural environment for all MPI collectives, they must be re-designed using flexible and generalized primitives. The primitives can then be used to compose various collective algorithms. The primitives must provide increased overlap with adapters supporting offload capabilities with varying collective group sizes and communication message sizes. In this paper, we take on the challenge of designing collective communication primitives with good overlap characteristics and evaluate their performance using ConnectX-2 offload feature. We also show how collectives such as Barrier can be designed using our communication primitives. Our evaluation reveals that we can achieve near perfect (94% - 100%) overlap of computation and communication by using our primitives. Additionally, we observe performance improvement of up to 5% using the Recv-Replicate primitive for data transfer.
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor: a fine-needle aspiration biopsy study.

Although the histopathologic features of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) have been well-described, the cytologic features are less well-characterized. We retrospectively reviewed 4 aspiration specimens from 3 patients with histologically-proven MPNST. The biopsy specimens were obtained from the primary tumor (1 case), a local recurrence (2 cases), and a pulmonary metastasis (1 case). The patients were women, aged 42, 61, and 70 yr. The primary tumors arose from the left neck and elbow, and from a neurofibroma in the right medial thigh. The latter patient had von Recklinghausen's disease. Cardinal cytomorphologic features included aggregates and single cells with ovoid to elongated, and comma to serpentine shapes, as well as hyperchromatic nuclei surrounded by delicate, tapering cytoplasm. Nuclear pleomorphism ranged from slight to marked. Multinucleated giant cells were seen in 2 cases. In general, the degree of nuclear variability within each individual case exceeded that typically observed with synovial sarcoma or fibrosarcoma. Although the cytomorphologic features may strongly suggest MPNST, clinical correlation is necessary and immunocytochemistry (i.e., S-100 protein) may help to distinguish MPNST from other spindle-cell sarcomas. Origin from a nerve trunk or preexisting neurofibroma, or occurrence in a patient with von Recklinghausen's disease, confirms the diagnosis of MPNST.
Biological agent detection and identification by the Block II Chemical Biological Mass Spectrometer

The Block II Chemical Biological Mass Spectrometer (CBMS) detects and identifies both chemical and biological warfare agents. Biodetection is based upon respirable particle collection by an opposed-jet virtual impactor, liberation of derivatized biomarkers by thermolysis-methylation and their analysis by direct-sampling ion trap mass spectrometry in the full-scan chemical ionization mode. Results from laboratory and field trials demonstrate the capability of the Block II CBMS for biodetection and identification. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Field Analyt Chem Technol 5: 177–184, 2001
Observable effects of convection and gravity waves on the Venus condensational cloud

Abstract We present results of a simple two-dimensional model investigating the observable effects that convective motions and gravity waves can have on the condensational Venus cloud. Gravity waves have been observed in the Venus atmosphere in the form of temperature scintillations in the Magellan and Pioneer Venus occultation data. Multiple in situ probes and long-duration remote observations indicate the presence of convective motions in the Venus clouds. Dynamical studies by others have suggested that gravity waves can exist in the stable regions of the Venus atmosphere above the middle clouds and beneath the middle clouds, and likely are triggered by flow past sub-cloud plumes caused by convective overshooting. We find that a simplified treatment of convective kinematics generates variation in the Venus condensational cloud consistent with the observed variability of optical depth and 1.74 μ m brightness temperature. Specifically, we find that the downdraft regions in our simulated convective cell exhibit a decrease in cloud optical depth of around Δ τ ∼ 10 . The 1.74 μ m brightness temperature ranges from about 460 K in the downdraft regions of the simulated convective cells, to about 400 K in the simulated updrafts. We also find that gravity waves launched by obstacles (such as overshooting convective plumes) near the cloud base exhibit horizontal wavelengths comparable to the separation between convective cells, and generate variations in 1.74 μ m brightness temperature that should be observable by instruments such as VIRTIS on Venus Express. However, a more robust treatment of the atmospheric dynamics is needed to address adequately these interactions between the clouds and the mesoscale dynamics.
GENERALIZED TODA AND VOLTERRA MODELS

The mean procedure of Faddeev-Reshetikhin with non-Abelian automorphism groups is applied to construct generalizations of the open Toda sl(n, C) chain. These models admit a consistent reduction to integrable generalized Volterra models. An example of such models is analyzed: it leads in the continuum limit to the Hirota differential system, associated with two-matrix models of discrete gravity. The continuum limit of the general Volterra models and their relation with discretized versions of Wn-algebra are analyzed.
Assessing the effects of conformal terrain features in advanced head-up displays on pilot performance

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Synthetic Vision System (SVS) and/or Enhanced Vision System (EVS) rendering of terrain features on pilot performance, including path control and situation awareness (SA), when presented in an advanced head-up display (HUD) during various phases of a landing approach under instrument meteorological conditions (IMCs). Results indicated that SVS imagery increase overall SA but degraded flight path control performance due to visual confusion with other display features. EVS increased flight path control accuracy but decreased system awareness by creating visual distractions for pilots (moisture returns), while they were focused on path control. The combination of SVS and EVS generated offsetting effects but there were still decrements in performance in the final landing phase due to overall HUD clutter. In general, display configurations in this study did not affect pilot spatial awareness but there was an influence on awareness of (iconic) system inform...
Blind deconvolution of backscattered ultrasound using sparse sensor arrays

A method for blind deconvolution of ultrasound and other inverse-scattering problems is presented. The method can be applied to one, two or three dimensional backscattered data. This paper focuses on the one and two dimensional cases. The method is based on a subspace-based blind deconvolution algorithm. In the two dimensional case, the blind deconvolution produces an unknown linear mixture of the reflectivity profile. An entropy minimization algorithm is used to retrieve the reflectivity data from the mixture. This method improves the lateral and axial resolution compared to conventional ultrasound B-scans.
IRRADIATED VOLUME AS A PREDICTOR OF BRAIN RADIONECROSIS AFTER LINEAR ACCELERATOR STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY

Purpose To investigate the correlation between volume of brain irradiated by stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and the incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic brain radionecrosis (RN). Methods and Materials A retrospective analysis was performed of patients treated with single-fraction SRS for brain metastases at our institution. Patients with at least 6-month imaging follow-up were included and diagnosed with RN according to a combination of criteria, including appearance on serial imaging and histology. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the predictive value of multiple variables, including volume of brain receiving a specific dose (V8 Gy–V18 Gy). Results Sixty-three patients were reviewed, with a total of 173 lesions. Most patients (63%) had received previous whole-brain irradiation. Mean prescribed SRS dose was 18 Gy. Symptomatic RN was observed in 10% and asymptomatic RN in 4% of lesions treated. Multivariate regression analysis showed V8 Gy–V16 Gy to be most predictive of symptomatic RN (p < 0.0001). Threshold volumes for significant rise in RN rates occurred between the 75th and 90th percentiles, with a midpoint volume of 10.45 cm3 for V10 Gy and 7.85 cm3 for V12 Gy. Conclusions Analysis of patient and treatment variables revealed V8 Gy–V16 Gy to be the best predictors for RN using linear accelerator–based single-fraction SRS for brain metastases. We propose that patients with V10 Gy >10.5 cm3 or V12 Gy >7.9 cm3 be considered for hypofractionated rather than single-fraction treatment, to minimize the risk of symptomatic RN.
Contamination of Distilled Water, HCl, and NH4OH with Amino Acids, Proteins, and Bacteria

Contamination of distilled water with free and bound amino acids and with microbes has been overlooked in most laboratories. Unless special precautions are taken, distilled water will be contaminated with air borne microbes, probably psuedomonads, which multiply in water of conductivity quality. Amino acids and proteins that may be found in the water therefore presumably are derived from these airborne organisms. Chemical reagents such as hydrochloric acid and ammonium hydroxide solutions, which have water as an integral part, also have been found to be contaminated with amino acids. This paper deals with the extent of such contamination and describes means to provide water and hydrochloric acid (6 mol/liter) that would be suitable for determination of amino acids in concentrations of 10-9 mol/liter or less in materials of biological interest as well as rocks, lunar soil, meteorites, etc.
Environmental exposures due to natural disasters

The environmental mobilization of contaminants by "natural disasters" is a subject of much interest, however, little has been done to address these concerns, especially in the developing world. Frequencies and predictability of events, both globally and regionally as well as the intensity, vary widely. It is clear that there are greater probabilities for mobilization of modern contaminants in sediments. Over the past 100 years of industrialization many chemicals are buried in riverine, estuarine and coastal sediments. There are a few studies, which have investigated this potential risk especially to human health. Studies that focus on extreme events need to determine the pre-existing baseline, determine the medium to long term fate and transport of contaminants and investigate aquatic and terrestrial pathways. Comprehensive studies are required to investigate the disease pathways and susceptibility for human health concerns.
Tuning, AVO, and flatspot effects in North Sea Block F3

The F3 block in the North Sea exhibits many largeamplitude reflections at shallow horizons, typically categorized as “brightspots” (Schroot and Schuttenhelm, 2003), mainly because of their bright appearance. In most cases, these bright reflections show a significant “flatness” contrasting with local structural trends. While flatspots can be easy to identify in thick reservoirs, we have often observed apparent flatspot tuning effects at reservoir edges and in thin reservoir beds, while only poorly understanding them. We conclude that many of the shallow largeamplitude reflections in block F3 are dominated by flatspots, and we investigate the thin-bed tuning effects that such flatspots cause as they interact with the reflections from the reservoir upper boundary. There are two effects to be considered: (1) the “wedge-model” tuning effects of the flatspot and overlying brightspots, dimspots, or polarityreversals; and (2) the stacking effects that result from possible inclusion of post-critical flatspot reflections in these shallow sands. We modeled the effects of these two phenomena for the particular stratigraphic sequence in block F3. Our results suggest that stacking of post-critical flatspot reflections can cause similar large-amplitude but flat reflections, in some cases even causing a ‘dimspot’ interface to appear as a ‘brightspot’. It is important to note here that muting based only on the basis of NMO stretch may cause some spurious features in the stacked section; care should be taken while applying muting in such cases.
Fatality Due to Paraquat Intoxication: Confirmation by Postmortem Tissue Analysis

A brief case report is presented describing a patient who unknowingly ingested a fatal amount of paraquat, presumably mixed in some illicit moonshine alcohol. Despite an initial clinical presentation typical of paraquat intoxication, the herbicide was absent upon analysis of multiple urine and blood specimens, and the diagnosis was confirmed only postmortem after determination of high paraquat tissue concentrations in all the major organs. Autopsy results are presented along with a discussion of the histopathologic changes observed in the lungs, liver, and kidneys. Because the combination of toxicologic sequelae attributable to acute paraquat poisoning is fairly unique to this agent, the diagnosis must be suspected highly early in the clinical course of such cases and appropriate therapy initiated, despite the inability to isolate paraquat on preliminary laboratory screening.
The Bull and the Silo: An Application of Curvature

(1998). The Bull and the Silo: An Application of Curvature. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 105, No. 1, pp. 55-58.
Negative regulators of cyclin-dependent kinases and their roles in cancers.

In the past decade, the discovery and characterization of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), the engine cores of the cell cycle machinery, have advanced our understanding of the cell cycle. Both positive and negative regulators of CDKs have been characterized, accelerating the important research to unravel the mechanisms of the cell cycle disease - cancer. Cancer can originate from overexpression of positive regulators, such as cyclins, or from underexpression of negative regulators, such as CDK inhibitors (CKIs). CKIs are the focus of much cancer research because they are capable of controlling cell cycle proliferation - the Holy Grail for cancer treatment. CDKs can be inactivated by several mechanisms:, (i) by association with CKIs including p16 (INK4a), p15 (INK4b), p21 (Cip1), p27 (Kip1), and p57 (Kip2), (ii) by disassociation from their cyclin regulatory unit, (iii) by dephosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue in the T-loop, and (iv) by adding inhibitory phosphate. Here we discuss what is known about each mechanism with a hope that these insights will become useful in developing strategies to eliminate cancer in the future.
Integratable Polarization and Temperature Compensators for WDM Planar Waveguide Demultiplexers

A novel technique for monolithically integrating polarization and temperature compensators in planar waveguide demultiplexers is proposed and demonstrated. They are simple to fabricate, have many advantages over previously reported compensation schemes, and are effective in both etched diffraction grating and arrayed waveguide grating based devices.
A New Formalism for Two-Photon Quantum Optics

In this paper we describe a new formalism for analyzing a particular class of nonlinear optical devices. We call these devices two-photon devices because they operate as follows: several modes of the electromagnetic field are coupled via a nonlinearity in some material; two of the modes are the device’s “signal” modes, the rest are “pump” modes; photons are created or destroyed in the signal modes two at a time. Examples include parametric amplifiers and four-wave mixers. Two-photon devices are to be contrasted with one-photon devices, such as the laser, in which photons are created or destroyed in the signal mode one at a time. The formalism used in one-photon optics uses variables and quantum states suited to describing the output of a one-photon device.
Parental satisfaction of U.S. physicians: associated factors and comparison with the general U.S. working population

Physicians work considerably longer hours and are less satisfied with work-life balance than U.S. workers in other fields. There is, however, minimal data on physicians’ parental satisfaction. To evaluate differences in parental satisfaction among physicians and workers in other fields, we surveyed U.S. physicians as well as a probability-based sample of the general U.S. working population between August 2014–October 2014. Parental satisfaction and the perceived impact of career on relationships with children were evaluated. Among 6880 responding physicians (cooperation rate 19.2 %), 5582 (81.1 %) had children. Overall, physicians were satisfied in their relationships with their children, with 4782 (85.9 %) indicating that they were either very satisfied [n = 2738; (49.2 %)] or satisfied [n = 2044 (36.7 %)]. In contrast, less than half believed their career had made either a major [n = 1212; (21.8 %)] or minor positive [n = 1260; (22.7 %)] impact on their relationship with their children, with a slightly larger proportion indicating a major (n = 2071 [37.2 %]) or minor (n = 501 [9 %]) negative impact. Women physicians were less likely to believe their career had made a positive impact as were younger physicians. Hours worked/week inversely correlated with the belief that career had made a positive impact on relationships with children. Both men (OR: 2.75; p < 0.0001) and women (OR: 4.33; p < 0.0001) physicians were significantly more likely to report that their career had a negative impact on relationships with their children than the sex-matched U.S. working population. U.S. physicians report generally high satisfaction in their relationships with their children. Despite their high satisfaction, physicians have a more negative perception of the impact of their career on relationships with their children than U.S. workers in general.
Ocular biometrics in the visible spectrum: A survey

Abstract Ocular biometrics encompasses the imaging and use of characteristic features extracted from the eyes for personal recognition. Ocular biometric modalities in visible light have mainly focused on iris, blood vessel structures over the white of the eye (mostly due to conjunctival and episcleral layers), and periocular region around eye. Most of the existing studies on iris recognition use the near infrared spectrum. However, conjunctival vasculature and periocular regions are imaged in the visible spectrum. Iris recognition in the visible spectrum is possible for light color irides or by utilizing special illumination. Ocular recognition in the visible spectrum is an important research area due to factors such as recognition at a distance, suitability for recognition with regular RGB cameras, and adaptability to mobile devices. Further these ocular modalities can be obtained from a single RGB eye image, and then fused together for enhanced performance of the system. Despite these advantages, the state-of-the-art related to ocular biometrics in visible spectrum is not well known. This paper surveys this topic in terms of computational image enhancement, feature extraction, classification schemes and designed hardware-based acquisition set-ups. Future research directions are also enumerated to identify the path forward.
Translational Development and Application of (1→3)-β-d-Glucan for Diagnosis and Therapeutic Monitoring of Invasive Mycoses

Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial steps in the management of patients with invasive fungal infections. However, the diagnosis of invasive mycoses remains a major challenge in clinical practice, because presenting symptoms may be subtle and non-invasive diagnostic assays often lack sensitivity and specificity. Diagnosis is often expressed on a scale of probability (proven, probable and possible) based on a constellation of imaging findings, microbiological tools and histopathology, as there is no stand-alone assay for diagnosis. Recent data suggest that the carbohydrate biomarker (1→3)-β-d-glucan may be useful in both the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of invasive fungal infections due to some yeasts, molds, and dimorphic fungi. In this paper, we review recent advances in the use of (1→3)-β-d-glucan to monitor clinical response to antifungal therapy and explore how this assay may be used in the future.
Meat cultures: Lab-grown meat and the politics of contamination

The prospect of lab-grown meat has attracted a lot of attention. The peak of this attention occurred after the public tasting of the first ‘lab-grown burger’ in August 2013. However, the discourse surrounding lab-grown meat is limited, and largely shaped by the technology’s proponents. This limited narrative restricts the potential for public discussions and debates about the details of lab-grown meat’s development. Such restrictions clash with lab-grown meat proponents’ stated goal of openness and complicate some of their ethical claims. To begin to overcome these restrictions, this paper introduces contamination as a method that brings important excluded elements to bear on narratives of technological development, particularly those that emphasize biological immanence and plasticity. Reading proponent’s narrative alongside related discourses – the industrialization of agriculture, the biomedical history of cell culture, and the work of bioartists and science fiction writers – reveals systematically excluded contaminants that could threaten the technology’s viability. The nature of these contaminants is both material (e.g., microorganisms, fetal bovine serum) and semiotic (e.g., associations with factory farming and fictional dystopias), revealing the usefulness of contamination as a tactic that both encourages paying attention to the ways in which discourse and matter coshape each other and broadens the scope of consideration and discussion around technological development.
Review of Global Africa: Into the Twenty-First Century by Hodgson and Byfield

Review of Global Africa: Into the Twenty-First Century , by Dorothy Hodgson and Judith Byfield
Focus and Constituent Order in Haida

Haida is a linguistic isolate spoken on Prince of Wales Island in south-east Alaska and on the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia. Swanton (1911:267) asserts there is one basic order for Haida sentences having noun constituents (Subject-Object-Verb) and another for sentences with pronoun constituents (Object-Subject-Verb). When nouns and pronouns both occur, it is the noun that precedes, regardless of whether it is the syntactic Subject or Object. Eastman claims there is “no one basic order typology in terms of the order of meaningful elements in sentences, although both an SOV and OSV order are common” (1979:148). Edwards (1978:7) suggests that “in Haida linear ordering with respect to Subject is less important than the classification of the element as noun or pronoun and its communicative importance.” In this paper, constituent order will be seen to be a determinant of information focus in Haida utterances from the point of view of the analyst.
New Horizons in Advocacy Engaged Physical Sciences and Oncology Research

To address cancer as a multifaceted adaptive system, the increasing momentum for cross-disciplinary connectivity between cancer biologists, physical scientists, mathematicians, chemists, biomedical engineers, computer scientists, clinicians, and advocates is fueling the emergence of new scientific frontiers, principles, and opportunities within physical sciences and oncology. In parallel to highlighting the advances, challenges, and acceptance of advocates as credible contributors, we offer recommendations for addressing real world hurdles in advancing equitable partnerships among advocacy stakeholders.