cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hazardous air pollutants and breast cancer risk in California teachers: a cohort study

Studies suggest that higher breast cancer rates in urban areas persist after accounting for the prevalence of known risk factors, leading to speculation that urban environmental exposures, such as air pollution, may play a role in the etiology of breast cancer. Combining modeled ambient air concentrations with data from a large prospective cohort of California women with over 15 years of follow-up, we examined the relationship between breast cancer incidence and modeled concentrations of air pollutants shown to be mammary gland carcinogens (MGCs). The study population of 112,378 California Teachers Study participants included 5,676 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Modeled annual average ambient air concentrations of 24 MGCs from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were linked to participants’ addresses. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals associated with residential MGC levels. MGCs were examined individually and as a combined summary variable for all participants, in selected subsets, and by tumor hormone responsiveness. Initial models yielded some evidence for increased risk for several compounds, including acrylamide, carbon tetrachloride, chloroprene, 4,4'-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline), propylene oxide, and vinyl chloride, but after adjustment for multiple comparisons, only results for propylene oxide and vinyl chloride remained statistically significant. In subset analyses, estrogen-receptor positive or progesterone-receptor positive (ER+/PR+) tumors were associated with higher ambient levels of acrylamide, benzidine, carbon tetrachloride, ethylidene dichloride, and vinyl chloride, while ER-/PR- tumors were associated with higher ambient levels of benzene. Interesting results for different compounds were observed within certain subsets of the population. While our initial models yielded several elevated risk estimates, after adjusting for multiple comparisons and breast cancer risk factors, most hazard ratios were no longer statistically significant. Our subset analyses, however, suggest that elevated risk may be associated with some compounds for certain subgroups of interest. A summary variable for all 24 MGCs did not offer any advantage over the models for individual compounds. Results must be interpreted cautiously, as estimated exposure was limited to modeled annual average ambient air concentrations, and could not account for other sources or routes other than inhalation.
The Impact of Smoking on Recurrence and Survival in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Treated with Radiation and Brachytherapy

respectively. Figure 1 demonstrates relative survival by grade, extent of LN dissection, and radiotherapy treatment. Conclusions: Despite guidelines recommending adjuvant RT for women with endometrial carcinoma with cervical involvement, more than 25% of patients received no adjuvant RT. Vaginal brachytherapy, either alone or in combination with pelvic EB, appears to be an important component of adjuvant treatment.
INDIRECT EFFECTS IN THE PEER VICTIMIZATION‐ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT RELATION: THE ROLE OF ACADEMIC SELF‐CONCEPT AND GENDER

Peer victimization is a concern because victimized youth are more likely to have social, emotional, and academic difficulties. The current study examined the link between peer victimization and academic achievement by exploring the indirect effect of academic self-concept on two variables. The sample consisted of 140 middle school students (40% male, 60% female). Using structural equation modeling, a mediation model revealed a significant indirect effect of victimization on academic achievement through academic self-concept; however, when tested for gender differences, the indirect effect was only significant for girls. Interpretation of these results and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Parties as Procedural Coalitions in Congress: An Examination of Differing Career Tracks

We examine the degree to which parties act as procedural coalitions in Congress by testing predictions from the party cartel theory (Cox and McCubbins 1993, 1994, 2002). We gain leverage on the question of party influence in Congress by focusing on three types of House members: reelection seekers, higher-office seekers, and retiring members. We argue that retiring House members are no longer susceptible to party pressure, making them the perfect means (when compared to higher-office seekers and reelection seekers) to determine the existence of party influence. Results from a pooled, cross-sectional analysis of the 94th through 105th Congresses (1975–98) suggest that party influence is indeed present in Congress, especially where the party cartel theory predicts: on procedural, rather than final-passage, votes. Moreover, we find that procedural party influence is almost exclusively the domain of the majority party. This latter finding is especially important because most prior studies have been limited to investigating interparty influence only.
Theoretical and experimental determination of heat flow into a wheel due to bearing overheating

Heat-transfer calculations of the rate of temperature rise in the hub and hub-plate fillet of a railroad wheel due to journal over-heating during bearing failure are presented. Three cases are analyzed. The first case is that of a journal with a steady-state high temperature. The second case is an attempt to simulate a burnoff. The third case uses a time-temperature history gathered during seizure of a freight car bearing. Results of the calculations indicate minimal temperature increases in the wheel due to journal heat input. An experimental program was carried out to validate the results of the theoretical analysis. The journal of a 70 ton wheelset was heated electrically and the rate of temperature rise in the hub and hub-plate fillet of the wheel was monitored by thermocouples. Results of the experimental program verified the calculated results for case one. The results of this study raise questions as to the efficacy of systems which use wheel-temperature readings to identify bearings progressing toward failure. >
Shacking Up: An Autoethnographic Tale of Cohabitation:

This autoethnography describes the author's experience of cohabitation with her partner of seven years, Sam, and his two children, Mary and Michael. In particular, the author focuses on her troubled relationship with Mary. Using Rambo's "layered account," the author weaves together a multiplicity of scenes during the seven years she and Sam have been dating and then cohabiting to show how their relationships are constructed through daily interaction. The author moves back and forth through time and speak from a variety of perspectives and roles, including girlfriend, cohabiting partner, depressed person, professor, and autoethnographer. By intermingling these time periods and voices through autoethnography, the author endeavors to move beyond her personal experience and comment on the larger social, cultural, and political forces affecting cohabiting families. Finally, the author addresses the relational ethics of autoethnographic research.
A Perfect Match: Partnering with Education Faculty for Pedagogical Professional Development

A persistent challenge for many librarians is a lack of formal training in pedagogical techniques. In addition to lacking academic coursework in this area, librarians seldom look beyond their professional community for opportunities to develop these vital skills. Given the obvious parallels in mission and responsibilities, the field of education seems a natural fit. This chapter explores the benefits of crossdisciplinary professional development in the context of a collaboration between a librarian and an educational studies professor. Through alternating points of view, it presents the motivation for the partnership, the challenges it presented, and the positive outcomes for each participant. It also offers an in-depth look at the instructional development itself.
Feminist Standpoint Theory, Hegel and the Dialectical Self Shifting the Foundations

The claim that theoretical foundations are historically contingent does not draw the same intensity of fire as it did one or especially two decades ago. The aftermath of debates on the political boundaries created by foundations allows for a deeper exploration of the foundations of feminist theory. This article re-examines the (anti)-Hegelian foundations of the feminist standpoint put forward by Nancy Hartsock and argues that the Hegelian subject of the early Phenomenology of Spirit resists gender codification in its experience of ongoing rediscovery and fallibility in knowing. The subject against which the feminist self was constituted does not fit the masculinity thought to be natural. Hegel’s master-slave dialectic and phenomenological subject reveal contradictions that cannot be resolved by an opposing feminist standpoint, and may provide resources that resist the rigid gender categories upon which the standpoint depends.
Robust facial landmark detection for intelligent vehicle system

This paper presents an integrated approach for robustly loca ting facial landmark for drivers. In the first step a cascade of probability learners is used to detect the face edge primitives from fine to coarse, so that faces with variant head poses can be located. The edge density descriptors and skin-tone color features are combined together as the basic features to examine the probability of an edge being a face primitive. A cascade of the probability learner is used. In each scale, only edges with sufficient large probabilities are kept and passed on to the next scale. The final output of the cascade gives the edge primitives that belong to faces, which determine the face location. In the second step, a facial landmark detection procedure is applied on the segmented face pixels. Facial landmark candidates are first detected by learning the posteriors in multiple resolutions. Then geometric constraint and the local appearance, modeled by SIFT descriptor, are used to find the set of facial landmarks with largest matching score. Experiments over high-resolution images (FERET database) as well as the real-world drivers’ data are used to evaluate the performance. A fairly good results can be obtained, which validates the proposed approach.
Geometric Spreading of Pn and Sn in a Spherical Earth Model

Geometric spreading of Pn and Sn waves in a spherical Earth model is different than that of classical headwaves and is frequency dependent. The behavior cannot be fully represented by a frequency-independent power-law model, as is com- monly assumed. The lack of an accurate representation of Pn andSn geometric spread- ing in a spherical Earth model impedes our ability to characterize Earth properties including anelasticity. We conduct numerical simulations to quantify Pn and Sn geometric spreading in a spherical Earth model with constant mantle-lid velocities. Based on our simulation results, we present new empirical Pn and Sn geometric- spreading models in the form Gr;f ��� 10 n3� f� =r0�� r0=rn1� flogr0=r�� n2� fand nif �� ni1� logf=f0�� 2 � ni2 logf=f0 �� ni3, where i � 1 ,2 , or 3;r is epicentral distance; f is frequency; r0 � 1 km; and f0 � 1 Hz. We derive values of coefficients nij by fitting the model to computed Pn and Sn amplitudes for a spherical Earth model having a 40-km-thick crust, generic values of P and S velocities, and a constant-ve- locity uppermost mantle. We apply the new spreading model to observed data in Eur- asia to estimate average Pn attenuation, obtaining more reasonable results compared to using a standard power-law model. Our new Pn and Sn geometric-spreading models provide generally applicable reference behavior for spherical Earth models with con- stant uppermost-mantle velocities.
Electrical Resynchronizing of a Large Cross-Compound Turbine-Generator Set: Part I - Analytical Study

The procedure for returning a cross-compound set to the line following load rejection and loss of excitation is complicated by the diverging "coast-down" characteristics of the two turbine-generators. The first phase of a resynchronizing procedure is to bring the speeds of the two generators to the same per-unit value. This paper presents the analytical study of the resynchronizing process, specifically as it was applied to Commonwealth Edison Company's Will County no. 4 set. The two-pole 332-MVA and four-pole 308-MVA units were successfully resynchronized from a range of speed differentials up to 0.4 pu by applying rated open-circuit field excitation to one unit.
Removal of floating inferior vena cava thrombus with the AngioVac device.

A 35-year-old female with a heterozygous mutation for factor V Leiden, antiphospholipid syndrome, and systemic lupus erythematosus on enoxaparin monotherapy presented with a chronic (>3 months old) 10-cm long floating thrombus attached to the cephalic end of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. A computed tomography angiogram showed the IVC thrombus extending cephalad from an infrarenal IVC filter to the hepatic venous confluence superiorly (Panel A: large arrow – IVC filter; small arrow – thrombus). She had a history of multiple prior arterial and venous thromboemboli and previously required pulmonary artery thromboendarterectomy for chronic pulmonary emboli (PE) with pulmonary hypertension. A Gunther Tulip IVC filter (Cook Medical Inc., Bloomington, IN, USA) had been placed in 2002. She was asymptomatic with no associated intrafilter or deep venous thrombus caudal to the filter. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) demonstrated a large mobile thrombus within the inferior vena cava near the hepatic vein (Panel B: arrow). The lupus anticoagulant was persistently positive by both the dilute Russell viper venom time (dRVVT) assay and platelet neutralization procedure (PNP) using the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) assay platform. Heparin platelet factor 4 testing for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia was negative on two occasions (December 2010 and April 2014). Owing to the risk of embolization, a minimally invasive approach was pursued. After right internal jugular (IJ) and femoral venous access was obtained, an AngioVac cannula (Angiodynamics, Latham, NY, USA) was inserted through the IJ and advanced to the thrombus with TEE guidance (Panel C: narrow arrow – AngioVac; wide arrow – thrombus). To assist with thrombus extraction, the thrombus was amputated at its origin on the IVC filter with an Amplatz GooseNeck snare (Covidien, Plymouth, MN, USA). The thrombus was then removed through the AngioVac device, with solid material observed in the bypass filters (Panel D). Completion studies demonstrated no residual thrombus. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was reinitiated on anticoagulation immediately postoperatively. Images in Vascular Medicine
A spectral algorithm for learning mixtures of distributions

We show that a simple spectral algorithm for learning a mixture of k spherical Gaussians in /spl Ropf//sup n/ works remarkably well - it succeeds in identifying the Gaussians assuming essentially the minimum possible separation between their centers that keeps them unique. The sample complexity and running time are polynomial in both n and k. The algorithm also works for the more general problem of learning a mixture of "weakly isotropic" distributions (e.g. a mixture of uniform distributions on cubes).
Relationship between power loss and network topology in power systems

This paper is concerned with studying how the minimum power loss in a power system is related to its network topology. The existing algorithms in the literature all exploit nonlinear, heuristic, or local search algorithms to find the minimum power loss, which make them blind to the network topology. Given certain constraints on power level, bus voltages, etc., a linear-matrix-inequality (LMI) optimization problem is derived, which provides a lower bound on the minimum active loss in the network. The proposed LMI problem has the property that its objective function depends on the loads and its matrix inequality constraint is related to the topology of the power system. This property makes it possible to address many important power problems, such as the optimal network reconfiguration and the optimal placement/sizing of distributed generation units in power systems. Moreover, a condition is provided under which the solution of the given LMI problem is guaranteed to be exactly equal to the minimum power loss. As justified mathematically and verified on IEEE test systems, this condition is expected to hold widely in practice, implying that a practical power loss minimization problem is likely to be solvable using a convex algorithm.
Advances in single photon detectors

Recently, several applications that benefit from single photon detection have emerged. One area that appears promising is ultra-secure. Key performance parameters for this emerging technology are high single photon detection efficiencies, low dark count rates, and low after pulsing. This paper reviews some of the recent dvances that have been achieved in single photon counting avalanche photodiodes.
Cerebral protection during moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest: Histopathology and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of brain energetics and intracellular pH in pigs

Abstract Objective: We evaluated the effect of antegrade and retrograde brain perfusion during moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest at 28o C. Methods: Phosphorus 31–magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to follow brain energy metabolites and intracellular pH in pigs during 2 hours of ischemia and 1 hour of reperfusion. Histopathologic analysis of brain tissue fixed at the end of the experimental protocol was performed. Fourteen pigs were divided into two experimental groups subjected to antegrade ( n = 6) or retrograde ( n = 8) brain perfusion. Anesthesia ( n = 8) and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass groups (15o C, n = 8) served as control subjects. In the antegrade and retrograde brain perfusion groups, the initial bypass flow rate was 60 to 100 ml · kg -1 · min -1 . In the antegrade group, the brain was perfused through the carotid arteries at a flow rate of 180 to 210 ml · min -1 during circulatory arrest at 28o C. In the retrograde group, the brain was perfused through the superior vena cava at a flow rate of 300 to 500 ml · min -1 during circulatory arrest at 28o C. Results: The intracellular pH was 7.1 ± 0.1 and 7.2 ± 0.1 in the anesthesia and hypothermic bypass groups, respectively. Brain intracellular pH and high-energy metabolites (adenosine triphosphate, phosphocreatine) did not change during the course of the 3.5-hour study. In the antegrade group, adenosine triphosphate and intracellular pH were unchanged throughout the protocol. In the retrograde perfusion group, the intracellular pH level decreased to 6.4 ± 0.1, and adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine levels decreased within the first 30 minutes of circulatory arrest and remained at low levels until the end of reperfusion. High-energy phosphates did not return to their initial levels during reperfusion. Histopathologic analysis of nine regions of the brain showed good preservation of cell structure in the anesthesia, hypothermic bypass, and antegrade perfusion groups. The retrograde perfusion group showed changes in all the regions examined. Conclusions: The study shows that moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest at 28o C with antegrade brain perfusion during circulatory arrest protects the brain but that retrograde cerebral perfusion at 28o C does not protect the brain. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1996;112:1073-80)
Inscribing the Body

▪ Abstract Inscriptions on the body, especially tattoo, scarification, and body paint, have been part of ethnographic literature since before the birth of anthropology as a discipline. Anthropology's origins as the study of the exotic Other can be seen in the early descriptions of the body art of non-Western peoples. Anthropologists have generally focused on how the inscribed body serves as a marker of identity in terms of gender, age, and political status. More recently, scholars interested in this subject have looked also at issues of modernity, authenticity, and representation. The recent focus on the inscribed body responds to postmodern theory, the importance of body art in contemporary Western culture, reflections on the meaning of representations of the exotic, and an interest in the visible surface of the body as the interface between the individual and society. This article reviews recent literature in anthropology and related disciplines pertaining to the cultural construction of the inscribed body.
Angiogenesis in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia

Angiogenesis has been associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in several hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma. In this article, we summarize the rationale for studying angiogenesis in plasma cell disorders including Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM). We also discuss the results of a study of angiogenesis in WM conducted at the Mayo Clinic. Our study shows that only 30% of patients with WM had increased (intermediate- or high-grade) angiogenesis. A weak correlation was found between mean microvessel density (MVD) and marrow infiltration. Unlike multiple myeloma, MVD and angiogenesis grade were not predictive factors for survival. Although these findings suggest that angiogenesis may not be a major factor in WM, it does not exclude a paracrine role for angiogenic cytokines or the study of antiangiogenic agents in this disease.
Prevalence and correlates of local health department activities to address mental health in the United States

Mental health has been recognized as a public health priority for nearly a century. Little is known, however, about what local health departments (LHDs) do to address the mental health needs of the populations they serve. Using data from the 2013 National Profile of Local Health Departments - a nationally representative survey of LHDs in the United States (N=505) - we characterized LHDs' engagement in eight mental health activities, factors associated with engagement, and estimated the proportion of the U.S. population residing in jurisdictions where these activities were performed. We used Handler's framework of the measurement of public health systems to select variables and examined associations between LHD characteristics and engagement in mental health activities using bivariate analyses and multilevel, multivariate logistic regression. Assessing gaps in access to mental healthcare services (39.3%) and implementing strategies to improve access to mental healthcare services (32.8%) were the most common mental health activities performed. LHDs that provided mental healthcare services were significantly more likely to perform population-based mental illness prevention activities (adjusted odds ratio: 7.1; 95% CI: 5.1, 10.0) and engage in policy/advocacy activities to address mental health (AOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 2.7, 5.6). Our study suggests that many LHDs are engaged in activities to address mental health, ranging from healthcare services to population-based interventions, and that LHDs that provide healthcare services are more likely than others to perform mental health activities. These findings have implications as LHDs reconsider their roles in the era of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and LHD accreditation.
Psychometric characteristics of the Parenting Scale in a Vietnamese sample

The Parenting Scale (PS) is a well-established instrument for measuring discipline practices in Western populations. However, whether the PS is a valid and reliable measure in Eastern populations is not known. Thus, this study examined the psychometric properties of the PS in a sample of 433 Vietnamese parents of children aged 2-7 years. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) examined the commonly used Reitman et al.'s two-factor and Rhoades and O'Leary's three-factor solutions. Neither factor structure fit the data. An exploratory factor analysis identified a 12-item one-factor and 14-item two-factor solutions that overlapped substantially with established factor structures. The one-factor solution reflected Lax/Overreactive parenting and the two-factor solution consisted of Lax/Overreactive and Hostile subscales. The factor structures were confirmed via multigroup CFA. Internal consistencies were acceptable and ranged between .70 and .85. Each factor was positively associated with parent anger, dysfunctional cognitions about child behaviour, and externalising child behaviour problems. However, when entered simultaneously in a regression, Hostile discipline was not uniquely associated with child behaviour. Overall, results support the potential utility of the 12-item one-factor PS as a measure of dysfunctional parenting practices for Vietnamese parents.
House of Integrals

Reculer pour mieux sauter! (“Draw back to leap!”) say the French, and we shall bear in mind their good advice. Before we can leap into a higher realm, we must step backwards, in two senses. We must consider more carefully some fundamental principles that we have already met but still do not really know. And we must think a little more about pulling back from a given function to an antiderivative. Does every continuous function, for example, have an antiderivative? We shall see.
Abstract IA1: Modeling pancreatic cancer biology and medicine

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) tumors characteristically contain an abundant desmoplastic stroma that impedes drug delivery and promotes drug resistance. We have found through genetic, cellular and pharmacological approaches that a variety of cell intrinsic and extrinsic pathways promote pancreatic cancer progression and drug resistance, and methods to modulate such processes will be discussed here. These observations were made first in genetically engineered mouse models of PDA, and have prompted multiple translational efforts to seek patient benefit. Finally, methods to accelerate the discovery to translation process using primary tissue organoids will be introduced. Citation Format: David A. Tuveson. Modeling pancreatic cancer biology and medicine. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: The Translational Impact of Model Organisms in Cancer; Nov 5-8, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA1.
A pattern of parity and particularity

In recent years, several highly visible European policies have been more precautionary than their U.S. counterparts. In some cases, the United States has demurred. Morever, Europe has formally adopted the precautionary principle in its treaties and national laws, while the U.S. has not. A close look at the current scenario reveals that greater European precaution is not the whole story. Other cases point in the opposite direction, of greater relative U.S. precaution. In fact, a recent study reveals that it is not the precautionary principle, it is precautionary particularity.
Aggressive Design Under Uncertainty

This paper presents a novel approach for design under uncertainty—aggressive design. For a given objective, aggressive design seeks to minimize the distance between a designs’ PDF under uncertainty and a given target. This target is the probability distribution of the quantity of interest given uncertainty in the model inputs. The objective of aggressive design is to find a design whose PDF most closely resembles the target PDF. The framework outlined here is designed to be computationally cheaper than robust, multi-objective optimization. To evaluate the efficacy of this approach, detailed numerical experiments are carried out on the the Gaussian and beta families of PDFs—both for smooth and discrete PDFs. Finally the approach is applied to the design of an airfoil under Mach number uncertainty and compared with results obtained using robust design.
Spring Populations of the Green Peach Aphid on Peach Trees and the Role of Natural Enemies in Their Control

A 2-year study of the spring population of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) on peach trees showed that the number of surviving fundatrices reaching reproductive maturity represented less than 2% of the overwintering eggs. Colonies established from surviving fundatrices protected from natural enemies by slecve cages displayed a tremendous numerical recovery. For example, in a protected environment (cage) the average number of alate aphids per stem mother was 3596 in 1970, and 1080 in 1971. In contrast, on unprotected twigs the natural enemies, primarily coccinellid and syrphid predators, played a major role in reducing the production of alate aphids by an estimated 95% in both years (based on counts of immature aphids).
Linear Time Series and Optimal Linear Prediction

Optimal linear prediction has been well-studied since the 1940s with the work of A. Kolmogorov and N. Wiener. However, estimating the coefficients of the optimal predictor based on data had—until now—been done using a truncated predictor via a fitted AR(p) model. Here we show how the Model-Free Prediction Principle can be applied to yield a new approximation to the optimal predictor that is not truncated, i.e., uses the complete data history.
Sales Adaptation in Japan; an Expansion of the Contingency Model

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how well our current theoretical constructs of adaptive behavior fit the context of international sales transaction. As a preliminary step, this research provides insight into issues that will need to be considered for future work concerning adaptive behavior in an international context.
Chemoattractant agents and nerve growth factor stimulate human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation

Objective To investigate the ability of N -formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (f-MLP), complement 5a (C5a), and nerve growth factor (NGF) to stimulate human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation in fertile and infertile patients. Design Prospective, controlled study measuring human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation after addition of f-MLP, C5a, or NGF. Setting A large health maintenance organization. Patients, Participants The fertile group consisted of 14 men with established fertility and normal bulk semen parameters. The infertile group was comprised of 8 men who were infertile after >18 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. Interventions: The sperm samples were subjected to four test conditions: f-MLP stimulation, C5a stimulation, NGF stimulation, and no stimulation (control). Main Outcome Measure Reactive oxygen generation was measured over a 15-minute period using the method of chemiluminescence. Results In both the fertile and infertile groups, reactive oxygen species generation was significantly enhanced by f-MLP, C5a, and NGF compared with controls. No significant difference in f-MLP- and C5a-stimulated reactive oxygen production was demonstrated between the infertile and fertile groups; however, there was a significant difference in reactive oxygen generation between infertile and fertile subjects when stimulated with NGF. Conclusions The current study represents the first report of f-MLP-, C5a-, and NGF-stimulated reactive oxygen species generation by human spermatozoa. Nerve growth factor enhanced reactive oxygen species production to a greater extent in infertile subjects compared with fertile subjects. This points to a possible NGF-mediated biochemical defect in the sperm of infertile patients.
Posttranslational processing of surfactant protein C in rat type II cells

Pulmonary surfactant consists of phospholipids and proteins that form a stable monolayer at the surface of the alveoli to prevent lung collapse. Surfactant protein C (SP-C) is a hydrophobic 4-kDa palmitoylated protein derived from a 21-kDa precursor. We determined the membrane insertion, proteolytic processing, and subcellular location of 21-kDa proSP-C. In vitro, proSP-C associated with canine microsomes, and the NH2-terminal of proSP-C was protected from digestion with proteinase K, suggesting that proSP-C was inserted in a type III transmembrane configuration. Treatment of freshly isolated rat type II cells with cerulenin blocked acylation of the 21-kDa precursor. Pulse-chase labeling of type II cells demonstrated proSP-C processing intermediates of 19, 16, and 13 kDa that contained the NH2-terminal of proSP-C. Proteolytic processing of proSP-C was inhibited by incubation at 20 degrees C, suggesting that processing of proSP-C begins in a late Golgi or post-Golgi compartment. Immunogold labeling of rat lung with an antiserum to the NH2-terminal of proSP-C identified proSP-C in the trans-Golgi and multivesicular bodies but not in lamellar bodies. These findings suggest that proSP-C processing takes place in the trans-Golgi and multivesicular bodies before SP-C is incorporated into lamellar bodies.
Thermal variance investigation and scintillation mechanisms of Cs 2 LiLaBr 6−x Cl x :Ce (CLLBC) and Cs 2 LiYBr 6 :Ce (CLYB)

We perform an investigation into the scintillation processes and performance of elpasolites Cs 2 LiLaBr 6−x Cl x :Ce (CLLBC) and Cs2LiYBra:Ce (CLYB) using a thermal cycle over a range of −20 to +50° C. At 10° increments, we acquire data with both a waveform digitizer and charge-integrating electronics. We identify decay components and evaluate decay times, thermal neutron gamma-equivalent energy (GEE), and pulse shape discrimination (PSD) performance. Results are compared to common Cs2LiYCla:Ce (CLYC).
Content-Based Video Indexing and Retrieval

Recent advances in digital video compression and networks have made video more accessible than ever. Several content-based video retrieval systems have been proposed in the past. In this chapter, we first review these existing content-based video retrieval systems and then propose a new framework, called ClassView, to make some advances towards more efficient content-based video retrieval. This framework includes: (a) an efficient video content analysis and representation scheme to support high-level visual concept characterization; (b) a hierarchical video classification technique to bridge the semantic gap between low-level visual features and high-level semantic visual concepts; and (c) a hierarchical video database indexing structure to enable video access Content-Based Video Indexing and Retrieval 111 Copyright © 2004, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of Idea Group Inc. is prohibited. over large-scale database. Integrating video access with efficient database indexing tree structures has provided great opportunity for supporting more powerful video search engines.
Sounding the body in Buddhist Nepal: Neku horns, Himalayan Shamanism, and the transmigration of the disembodied spirit

In rituals following a death in the Kathmandu Valley, members of the Buddhist Manandhar (Oil Presser) caste of Newars sound the neku buffalo horn, a specially venerated, even deified instrument. The horn is likened to a relic of the dead person through mythical and symbolic identification of the buffalo as a person's incarnation. Many practitioners believe that the neku sound is heard and recognized by the dead person as he or she journeys through the murky stages of death, disembodiment, and re-integration into a new mind-body complex. It is recognized as a helpful sound heard during previous transmigrations, when neku rituals also were performed. The dead person, whose progress toward rebirth may be hindered, follows the sound to find advantageous rebirth, and the living find healing, peace, and religious merit. Its mystical familiarity transcends the usually inscrutable boundaries of death and rebirth, and as Manandhars contemplate it, they reconceptualize their own bodies and actualize Buddhist soteriological beliefs.
GL n (R) Action on Pos n (R)

Let G = GLn(R) or SLn(R) and Γn = GLn(Z). Let Posn(R) be the space of positive symmetric real n × n matrices. Recall that symmetric real n × n matrices Z have an ordering, defined by Z ≧ 0 if and only if 〈Zx, x〉 ≧ 0 for all x ∈ Rn. We write Z1 ≧ Z2 if and only if Z1 - Z2 ≧ 0. If Z ≧ 0 and Z is non-singular, then Z ≫ 0, and in fact Z ≧ λI if λ is the smallest, necessarily positive, eigenvalue.
Culturalism as Resistance

Global organizations in the knowledge economy are increasingly adopting packages of “best practices” that include policies that aim to improve the recruitment, retention, and promotion of women. India’s technology industry presents a potent site at which to examine the adoption and adaptation of gender policies, since large Indian-owned companies have rapidly implemented gender inclusivity policies in the last decade. Drawing upon interviews conducted with technologists and human resource directors between 2004 and 2012, this chapter shows that the implementation of gender policies in Indian firms has been a source of conflict because it represents an adaptation of what is widely regarded as “American” norms in an area thought to be quintessentially “cultural” – the careers of women, especially mothers. This chapter argues for the importance of understanding gender policies in relation to the broader cultural, economic, and institutional contexts in which organizations operate.
A macroecological perspective on strategic bat conservation in the U.S. National Park Service

North American bat populations face unprecedented threats from disease and rapid environmental change, requiring a commensurate strategic conservation response. Protected-area networks have tremendous potential to support coordinated resource protection, disease surveillance, and population monitoring that could become a cornerstone of 21st-century bat conservation. To motivate this idea, we develop a macroecological perspective about bat diversity and associated conservation challenges and opportunities on U.S. National Park Service (NPS) lands. We compared occurrence records from parks against published range maps. Only 55 (19%) of parks reported as present ≥90% of the bat species expected based on range maps, highlighting the information-gap challenge. Discrepancies suggest substantial under-reporting and under-sampling of bats on NPS lands; inadequate range maps and habitat specificity are implicated for some species. Despite these discrepancies, 50 species, including several range-restricted and endangered taxa, were reported in at least one park unit, including those in the Caribbean and tropical Pacific. Species richness increased with park area at a rate (z) of ~0.1, a pattern confounded by covariation with latitude, elevation, and habitat. When accounting for these factors, richness decreased predictably at higher latitudes and increased at mid-elevations and with greater numbers of keystone underground habitat structures (caves and mines), reflecting a strong species–energy relationship. The inclusion of covariates that represented percentage of natural vs. human-modified (converted) landscapes and elevation range—a proxy for environmental heterogeneity—was uninformative. White-nose syndrome (WNS) presents a tremendous challenge to the NPS: All 12 species currently known to be affected by the disease or to host the causal fungus are represented in the NPS system. One hundred and twenty-seven NPS parks are in counties currently or likely to become WNS-positive by 2026. All parks are expected to experience increasing temperatures in coming decades; forecasted climate change velocity is particularly high (>1 SD) for 50 parks. Seventeen parks are in the vicinity of high (>1 SD) wind turbine density. Based on these biogeographic patterns, we suggest ways to prioritize NPS parks for additional inventories, monitoring, and resource protection. Our results demonstrate how macroecology and bioinformatics together can guide strategic conservation capacity-building among protected areas.
Ocular Radiation Threshold Projection Based off of Fluoroscopy Time During ERCP.

OBJECTIVES Current international guidelines for ocular radiation exposure suggest a threshold of 20 millisieverts (mSv)/year. Although endoscopists wear lead aprons, use of protective eye wear is optional. This study was conducted to analyze the lens radiation exposure during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for endoscopists to determine the time of fluoroscopy needed to warrant using lens protection during ERCP. METHODS ERCP patients were prospectively enrolled. Indications, interventions, fluoroscopy time, dose, and attending ± fellow involvement were recorded. Radiation exposure was collected from body dosimeters and dosimeters placed between the eyes. Cumulative radiation doses were obtained at study completion and averaged over the total fluoroscopy time to determine the mSv/hour exposure. RESULTS A total of 187 cases were included. Attendings and fellows wore lens dosimeters in 178 and 126 cases, respectively, and body dosimeters in 174 and 128 cases, respectively. Attendings and fellows wore lens dosimeters throughout 15.89 and 11.24 h of fluoroscopy, respectively. The cumulative radiation dose absorbed per lens dosimeters was 5.35 mSv for attendings and 2.55 mSv for fellows. The projected lens absorption by the body dosimeters was 19.03 mSv for attendings and 5.21 mSv for fellows. The hourly fluoroscopy lens exposure was 0.34 mSv/hour for attendings and 0.23 mSv/hour for fellows. CONCLUSIONS The amount of fluoroscopy hours needed to reach the currently suggested lens threshold limit (20 mSv/year) was 59.41 h for attendings and 88.17 h for fellows. Radioprotective eye wear should be worn by physicians with yearly fluoroscopy times in similarly structured practices that meet or exceed these thresholds.
The impact of next-generation sequencing in immunogenetics: current status and future directions.

Purpose of review Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has now been established, and widely recognized, to be the preferred choice for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing. This transformation is based upon the many scientific, operational and economic benefits this technology affords. In this report, we review the major advantages, existing limitations and significant promise derived from adopting this technology in immunogenetics. Recent findings Significant benefits have emerged from the usage of NGS in a relatively short period, whereby we realize that this technology not only helps addressing the technical and operational problems we have had with the legacy methods for HLA typing, but equally important, it also allows for creative applications in stem cell and organ transplantation, new ways to investigate associations of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with many diseases and enhance our understanding regarding the MHC and non-MHC genomic interactions. The emerging picture is one of significant benefits in the diagnostic sphere of immunogenetics and transplantation and one of interconnectivity, integrating the many biological pathways controlled and affected by this unique genomic region. Summary NGS has revolutionized the science and practice of immunogenetics. In this article, we identify the still unresolved issues, the current benefits to transplantation and the potential for dissecting the complexity of the MHC, one of the most fascinating regions of the human genome. Using current trends, an attempt is made to predict future directions and outcomes.
Bladder-Conserving Therapy for Invasive Bladder Cancer Using Transurethral Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation Therapy with Patient Selection by Initial Treatment Response

The Fourth International Consensus Meeting on Bladder Cancer provided updated results of conservative surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic chemotherapy, each as monotherapy, as well as strategies of combined modality treatment with two or three of these modalities as reviewed by a panel of nine urologic oncologists (K. Koiso, W.U. Shipley, S. Keuppen, L. Baert, R.R. Hall, M. Hudson, S. Khoury, Y. Kubota, and H. Van Poppel). Based on this review, ten areas of consensus were reached: 1. The primary goal of bladder preservation treatment for a patient with muscle-invading bladder cancer is survival; bladder preservation in the interest of quality of life is a secondary objective. 2. Only a small proportion of carefully selected patients may be cured by transurethral surgery alone or by partial cystectomy alone. 3. Radiation therapy is currently the standard bladder-preserving therapy against which all other bladder-preserving methods must be compared. 4. Systemic chemotherapy as monotherapy is inadequate and cannot be recommended. 5. The addition of cisplatin-containing systemic chemotherapy to radiation therapy or conservative surgery appears to improve local control. Whilst no multimodality therapeutic regimen has yet been shown to be clearly optimal with regard to local efficacy and minimization of toxicity, monontherapy for bladder-preserving treatment is probably not desirable as a routine approach. 6. Deferring the patient from immediate cystectomy does not appear to compromise survival nor does the addition of primary systemic chemotherapy appear to increase significantly the morbidity of cystectomy or radiotherapy. 7. All patients treated by bladder-preserving therapy must return to the urologist for regular cystoscopic follow-up so that additional therapy may be started at the earliest opportunity, if relapse occurs. 8. Bladder substitution will always be second best and is suboptimal compared with a normally functioning disease-free bladder. 9. If alternatives to cystectomy are not considered, little progress will be made in the treatment of muscle-invading bladder cancer. 10. Randomized phase III trials will have to be performed to establish the role of optimal combined modality treatment for bladder preservation but patient recruitment to such trials may prove difficult unless urologists are prepared to open their minds to the possibility that cystectomy may not be the best treatment for all patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer.
Pulsar timing perturbations from Galactic gravitational wave bursts with memory

Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) are used to search for long-wavelength gravitational waves (GWs) by monitoring a set of spin-stable millisecond pulsars. Most theoretical analyses assume that the relevant GW sources are much more distant from Earth than the pulsars comprising the array. Unlike ground- or solar system-based GW detectors, PTAs might well contain embedded GW sources. We derive the PTA response from sources at any distance, with a specific focus on GW bursts with memory (BWM). We consider supernovae and compact binary mergers as potential Galactic BWM sources and evaluate the signature for an array with pulsars in globular clusters or in the Galactic center. Understanding the response of PTAs to nearby sources of BWM is a step toward investigating other more complex Galactic sources.
Design and cost analysis of integration of fluidic oscillator into a flap structure

Integration of active flow control technology into civil transport aircraft is a highly desired objective due to the potential reductions in part count, weight, and recurring manufacturing costs. T...
Harnessing writers' potential through distributed collaboration: A pedagogical approach for supporting student learning in multimodal composition

Abstract In response to the widely acknowledged challenge of instructor expertise in multimodal composition (MC) teaching, our article discusses a pedagogical approach called distributed collaboration (DC)—an approach that facilitates collaboration among specialists with varied expertise (e.g., new media specialists, software specialists, community members, local professionals, student teams) in an effort to provide L1 and L2 writers with the support required to deepen their multimodal literacies, develop communicative expertise, and enhance the quality of their multimodal texts. To illustrate the ways that students' multimodal writing knowledge, English language learning, and multimodal texts might be improved through distributed collaboration, our article profiles a graduate-level course in which student writers were tasked with composing multimodal texts for an on-campus program. In sharing our findings, we hope to provide instructors of English language teaching (ELT) and L1 composition with a generative pedagogical approach for harnessing writers’ full potential in MC projects.