cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PCBs, mercury, and organochlorine concentrations in lake trout, walleye, and whitefish from selected tribal fisheries in the Upper Great Lakes region

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of environmental contaminants in the edible portion of fish tissue consumed by Ojibwa residing in the Upper Great Lakes region. Lake trout, whitefish, and walleye were collected from Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and selected inland lakes. These fish were harvested by either commercial fishing or spearfishing techniques and analyzed for environmental contaminants. Samples were pooled by species and location of collection and were analyzed as composites. The concentrations of congener-specific polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), total mercury, and 17 other organochlorine compounds of the pooled samples were determined using gas chromatographic and atomic absorption techniques. Differences were noted in both the concentration and composition of contaminants depending on the geographic location of collection and the species examined. Lake trout and whitefish contained higher concentrations of organochlorine compounds than did walleye; and samples from Lakes Michigan and Huron had much higher concentrations than did Lake Superior fish. Conversely, mercury was much higher in walleye (580 ppb) when compared with lake trout (117 ppb) and whitefish (10 ppb). Several PCB congeners were commonly found in all fish samples; these included PCBs 138 + 163, 153, 66 + 95, 118, 77 + 110, 180, and 101. Lake trout accumulated the highly chlorinated PCB congeners, whereas walleye and whitefish accumulated certain lower tri- and tetrachlorobiphenyl congeners. In conclusion, the fish harvested and consumed by Ojibwa tribal members contained both mercury and organochlorine compounds. The concentrations of contaminants found in fish tissue differed among species and sampling sites. Consequently, it is imperative to sample fish that best represent those being consumed by tribal members and to continue long-term monitoring of fish from ceded waters. Therefore, risk assessment and risk management strategies need to take into account geographic location of the fish and unique preparation methods and to be directed at the contaminant(s) of concern for given locations.
Hyperthermic effects on behavior.

This review focuses upon the past 8 years of research on hyperthermic effects on behavior. Heat stress and heat stoke become severe conditions when body temperatures exceed 40°C as this can lead to delirium, convulsions, coma, and death. The animal literature indicates that hyperthermia can increase glutamatergic and decrease GABAergic neurotransmission. Interestingly, µ-opiate receptor antagonists can attenuate the morphological and biochemical changes in brain, as well as, ameliorate some behavioral deficits induced by heart stress. In humans, heat stress can produce detrimental effects on motor and cognitive performance. Since most cognitive tasks require a motor response, some cognitive deficiencies may be attributed to decreased motor performance. Although hyperthermia may exert more deleterious effects on complex than simple cognitive tasks, systematic studies are needed to examine the effects of different levels and durations of hyperthermia (irrespective of dehydration) on cognition. Additionally,...
Changes in glycosylated hemoglobin after initiation of hydroxychloroquine or methotrexate treatment in diabetes patients with rheumatic diseases.

Objective Prior research demonstrates that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) lowers glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in diabetes patients without rheumatic disease. We examined medical records of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and concomitant rheumatic illness to measure changes in HbA1c after starting HCQ or methotrexate (MTX). Methods We used electronic medical records to identify patients beginning treatment with either HCQ or MTX who had a diagnosis of DM (or a pretreatment HbA1c value of ≥7%) and at least 1 HbA1c measurement both before and within 12 months after initiation of treatment. Using a structured medical record abstraction, we examined rheumatic disease diagnosis, cumulative steroid use, duration (months) between drug initiation and lowest HbA1c value, a change in DM medication, body mass index (BMI), age, and sex. Adjusted linear regression models determined changes in HbA1c from pretreatment values to the lowest posttreatment values within 12 months. Results We identified 45 patients taking HCQ and 37 patients taking MTX who met the inclusion criteria. Rheumatoid arthritis had been diagnosed in approximately half of the patients in each group. Age, sex, and mean pretreatment HbA1c levels were similar across groups. The mean BMI of those taking HCQ (35.4 kg/m2) was slightly higher than that of those taking MTX (32.2 kg/m2) (P = 0.13). Glucocorticoid use appeared more common in those taking MTX (46%) than in those taking HCQ (29%) (P = 0.17). The mean reduction in HbA1c from pretreatment values to the lowest posttreatment values was 0.66% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.26, 1.05) in those taking HCQ compared with 0.11% (95% CI −0.18, 0.40) in those taking MTX. In fully adjusted analyses, the reduction in HbA1c among those taking HCQ was 0.54% greater than the reduction among those taking MTX (P = 0.041). Conclusion HCQ initiation was associated with a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c as compared with MTX initiation among diabetes patients with rheumatic disease.
Early first-language reading and spelling skills predict later second-language reading and spelling skills

This prospective study examined early first-language (L1) predictors of later second-language (L2) reading (word decoding, comprehension) and spelling skills by conducting a series of multiple regressions. Measures of L1 word decoding, spelling, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, receptive vocabulary, and listening comprehension administered in the 1st through 5th grades were used as predictors of L2 reading (word decoding, comprehension) and spelling skills in high school. The best predictor of L2 decoding skill was a measure of L1 decoding, and the best predictors of L2 spelling were L1 spelling and L1 phonological awareness. The best predictor of L2 reading comprehension was a measure of L1 reading comprehension. When L2 word decoding skill replaced L1 word decoding as a predictor variable for L2 reading comprehension, results showed that L2 word decoding was an important predictor of L2 reading comprehension. The findings suggest that even several years after students learn to read and spell their L1, word decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension skills transfer from L1 to L2.
Built Like Bridges: Iron, Steel, and Rivets in the Nineteenth-century Skyscraper

Thomas Leslie explains that the wind-induced collapse of the Tay Bridge in Scotland in 1879 illustrated the vulnerability of tall metal frames to lateral forces. Built Like Bridges: Iron, Steel, and Rivets in the Nineteenth-century Skyscraper recounts the revolution in structural methods that followed, culminating in the mid-1890s with the invention of the riveted all-steel skeleton frame and the elimination of thick masonry shear walls. The first generation of wind-braced skyscraper metal frames relied on bridgelike systems of cross bracing or shiplike systems of knee bracing, but these structures intruded into rentable spaces. The second generation of frames better exploited the material properties of steel, making stiff connections between girders and columns that, when multiplied throughout the building, could collectively resist lateral forces without such intrusions. Steel——which had replaced cast iron as a structural material by 1895——excelled in this role because it could be rolled into efficient, workable shapes and riveted to form tight connections.
The chicken gastrointestinal microbiome

The domestic chicken is a common model organism for human biological research and of course also forms the basis of a global protein industry. Recent methodological advances have spurred the recognition of microbiomes as complex communities with important influences on the health and disease status of the host. In this minireview, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of the chicken gastrointestinal microbiome focusing on spatial and temporal variability, the presence and importance of human pathogens, the influence of the microbiota on the immune system, and the importance of the microbiome for poultry nutrition. Review and meta-analysis of public data showed cecal communities dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroides at the phylum level, while at finer levels of taxonomic resolution, a phylogenetically diverse assemblage of microorganisms appears to have similar metabolic functions that provide important benefits to the host as inferred from metagenomic data. This observation of functional redundancy may have important implications for management of the microbiome. We foresee advances in strategies to improve gut health in commercial operations through management of the intestinal microbiota as an alternative to in-feed subtherapeutic antibiotics, improvements in pre- and probiotics, improved management of polymicrobial poultry diseases, and better control of human pathogens via colonization reduction or competitive exclusion strategies.
TIME‐TEMPERATURE INFLUENCE ON MUSCADINE GRAPE JUICE QUALITY

Muscadine grape juice was heated in water baths or an autoclave at temperatures of 21, 46, 71, 96 and 121°C for times varying from 0–360 min. The ratio of spectrophotometric absorbances at 520 and 420 nm and tristimulus “a” correlated highly with panel scores (r = 0.982 and 0.953, respectively). Anthocyanin content, A520/A420 ratio, and tristimulus “a” value of juices decreased while lightness (“L”) and tristimulus “b” value increased with prolonged heating. Juice color became unacceptable as A520/A420 dropped below 3.4 or tristimulus “a” dropped below −22. Color damage from heating progressed in a roughly logarithmic fashion from 46°C to 121°C with a Q10 rate change factor of approximately 1.4. Temperature rather than total heat Input had the greater effect on color changes. Aroma changes preceded unacceptable color changes In the heated juices.
Mating behaviour in the chinchilla.

Abstract Guinea pigs and chinchillas belong to the same suborder of rodents—the Hystrichomorpha; and their mating patterns have several significant similarities. In these common traits the two species differ from representatives of the Myomorpha such as the laboratory rat and mouse, deermouse and hamster. The differences have to do with inter relations between the male and female which result in the male's ejaculation. For the four myomorphic species ejaculation is preceded by a series of brief, closely-spaced penile insertions (rat, hamster, deermouse), or by a very large number of copulatory thrusts during a smaller number of intromissions (mouse). Female myomorphs in full behavioural oestrus are not often resistant to the male. Characteristically they receive multiple insertions and, in the rat, mouse and deermouse, successive ejaculations from the same or different males before losing their receptivity. Male chinchillas and guinea pigs frequently ejaculate during their first insertion after a few seconds of thrusting. It appears that when males take more than one intromission to ejaculate it is usually because the female has forced premature termination of coitus upon preceding insertions. The evidence reveals that many female chinchillas and guinea pigs are characteristically inonsistent in their willingness to receive the male. They often permit him to mount and then dislodge him just before or after the penis enters the vagina. In chinchillas and possibly in guinea pigs one ejaculation by the male frequently terminates the female's receptivity for several hours if not for the remainder of the oestrous period. It is here suggested that these differences in coital patterns may bear a functional relation to differences in female reproductive cycles. The guinea pig and chinchilla spontaneously exhibit a post-ovulatory luteal phase during which corpora lutea secrete progesterone and the uterus is prepared for implantation. Therefore insemination is the principal requirement for successful pregnancy. In contrast, for the rat, and probably for the other Myomorpha mentioned, secretion of effective amounts of progesterone depends upon cervicovaginal stimulation derived from the male's intromissions. Insemination without adequate stimulation leads to fertilization but not to pregnancy since secretion of progesterone is inadequate to permit implantation. It is proposed that consistent receptivity in myomorph females is essential for the male's successive pre-ejaculatory intromissions and these in turn are essential for successful impregnation. Since hystrichomorph females can be impregnated without extensive cervicovaginal stimulation there is in their case no obvious functional value to prolonged or persistent receptivity.
The Association of Increasing Body Mass Index and Kidney Stone Disease

Purpose: Previous epidemiological works have reported that obesity is a risk factor for kidney stone disease. However, the effect of increasing degrees of obesity on stone formation has yet to be defined. To address this question we examined how an increasing body mass index affects the risk of kidney stone disease.Materials and Methods: We evaluated claims from a 5-year period (2002 to 2006) in a national private insurance database to identify subjects diagnosed with or treated for kidney stones. From a data set of 95,598 patients, subjects were identified by ICD-9 or CPT codes specific to kidney stone disease. Descriptive analyses were performed and odds ratios were calculated.Results: Gender distribution of the 3,257 stone formers was 42.9% male and 57.1% female. Obesity (body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2) was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of being diagnosed with a kidney stone. However, when obese patients were stratified by body mass index there were no significant difference...
Surface Reconstruction for Interactive Modeling of Freeform Solids by Virtual Sculpting

This paper presents a new method for surface reconstruction from dexel data for virtual sculpting. This is part of our research efforts to develop a dexel model based sculpting system with the capability of interactive solid modeling with haptics interface. Dexel data are converted to a series of planar contours in parallel slices (i.e. cross sections). Then triangular meshes are created by connecting the contour points in adjacent slices. Examples are given to demonstrate the ability of the described method to convert from dexel data to triangular meshes for the viewing of a sculpted model in different directions.
A Preliminary Study of the Use of Kynar® Piezoelectric Film to Measure Peel Stresses in Adhesive Joints

Abstract A variety of test techniques have been developed to test the performance of adhesives bonded in situ within joints. Most of these techniques measure strength, fracture toughness, or adhesive modulus of the bonded joint. Techniques to measure actual stress or strain values within a bonded joint are quite few in number. The Krieger gage1 is able to measure the average shear displacement along a 12.5 mm. gage length of a thick adherend joint. It has been used primarily to measure in situ shear moduli of adhesives. Brinson and his colleagues2 proposed bonding strain gages within adhesive joints to measure strains within the adhesive. Unfortunately, these gages are only sensitive to the lateral strains and not shear or peel strains. Because the lateral strains are dominated by the behavior of the adherends rather than the adhesive, the information which can be gained is incomplete.
Periodic solutions of nerve impulse equations

This paper continues the discussion of singular perturbation solutions of nerve impulse equations begun in [1]. Phase space analysis is used to study a general model of a biological process (e.g., nerve impulse, heartbeat, muscle contraction) consisting of a differential equation coupled with / "slow" and m "fast" equations (Eq. 4.1). The slow [fast] equations correspond to subprocesses whose rates are slow [fast] relative to the rate of the primary phenomenon. We develop a method of studying the principal, slow, and fast equations separately; piecing together the resulting solutions; and showing that these singular solutions correspond to true solutions of the system for certain parameter values. The Hodgkin-Huxley [9] equations of nerve impulse transmission consist of a nonlinear diffusion equation coupled with one fast and two slow equations:
African Americans and Jews in the Twentieth Century: Studies in Convergence and Conflict

African Americans and Jews in the Twentieth Century: Studies in Convergence and Conflict. Edited by V. P. Franklin, Nancy L. Grant, Harold M. Kletnick, and Genna Rae McNeil. (Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, c. 1998. Pp. x, 366. $34.95, ISBN 0-8262-1197-6.) An addition to the growing literature on the subject of black-Jewish relations, this eclectic collection of thirteen essays grew out of a conference on "Blacks and Jews: An American Historical Perspective" at Washington University in St. Louis in December 1993. The volume's unremarkable thesis is that the history of black-Jewish relations was marked "by significant conflicts of interest between Jewish Americans and African Americans" (p. 2) and that while Jews have united with blacks "to pursue issues and objectives important to both groups," the two groups also had "public disagreements and overt conflicts" at various times (p. 3). Awkwardly invoking the themes of "convergence" and "conflict" as organizing principles, one editor concludes that black-Jewish relations have exhibited "more convergences in experiences and ideologies than conflicts" (p. 12). Yet to the extent that the volume's essays fit into this framework, they seem to place greater stress on conflictive relations. A number of essays emphasize Jewish sympathy towards African Americans or Jewish contributions to civil rights struggles. Hasia R. Diner explores the early-twentieth-century Yiddish and English-language Jewish press and discovers that, regardless of their political orientation, these papers offered considerable critical coverage of American race relations. In an excerpt from his earlier book, What Went Wrong? (New York, 1995), Murray Friedman traces the involvement of Jewish leftist Stanley David Levison in a broader coalition of black activists including Bayard Rustin, Ella Baker, and Martin Luther King Jr. Without offering examples, Friedman asserts that "Until Montgomery, Jews had dominated the alliance; after Montgomery, Blacks would do so" (p. 107). In his case study on Detroit between 1920 and 1950, Marshall F. Stevenson Jr. rightly stresses the need to explore not merely black-white but racial-ethnic relations within trade unions. Although relatively few Jews worked in the auto industry, many of those who did were attracted to the Communist Party and actively supported black demands. Numerous essays explore Jewish ambivalence or opposition to black demands. Reprising a number of his earlier articles, Herbert Hill rehearses at length his account of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union's discrimination against black and Hispanic members in the 1950s and 1960s. In "Black Sacrifice, Jewish Redemption," Michael Rogin contends that Jews "had their own stain of shame ...: burnt cork," (p. 87) with Jewish entertainers playing a key role as blackface performers by the early twentieth century. …
Requirement for CD1d expression by B cells to stimulate NKT cell-enhanced antibody production.

Activation of natural killer-like T (NKT) cells with the CD1d ligand α-galactosylceramide enhances T-dependent humoral immune responses against coadministered T-dependent Ag. At present, there is little information on the mechanisms involved other than a dependence on CD1d expression by antigen-presenting cells and/or development of the NKT subset. We therefore tested the hypothesis that direct presentation of α-GC by B cells was required for NKT-enhanced Ab responses against T-dependent Ag. We reconstituted B cell–deficient μMT mice with B cells from C57Bl/6 donors or CD1d−/− donors before immunization with NP-KLH alone or NP-KLH mixed with α-GC. We made the surprising observation that B-cell expression of CD1d is absolutely required for the NKT-enhanced Ab response. Our data show that the mechanism by which NKT cells enhance humoral immune responses involves interaction with CD1d-expressing B cells.
Relating Autonomy to a Task - Can It Be Done?

Abstract : There are currently countless methods touting being the best at autonomous control. whether it is emergent behavior or dynamic programming, fuzzy logic or Bayesian Belief Networks, each technology has its phalanx of zealots that proclaim it to be superior for the job and the rest rotten, or at least trivialized. In this paper, we step back and look at the big picture in autonomous control, developing the idea that what will drive the choice of the particular technology is the task, or tasks, that the autonomous system must do, and not the merits of any particular technology by itself. The optimal technology for any task in inexorably intertwined with the task - they cannot be separated.
Induction of Cell Death in Renal Cell Carcinoma With Combination of D-Fraction and Vitamin C

Hypothesis. Although several conventional therapeutic options for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are currently available, the unsatisfactory outcomes demand establishing more effective interventions. D-fraction (PDF), a bioactive proteoglucan of Maitake mushroom, demonstrates anticancer and immunomodulatory activities, which are also shown to be potentiated by vitamin C (VC). We thus hypothesized that a combination of PDF and VC (PDF + VC) could be an alternative approach to more effectively inhibit the growth of RCC. Study design. We examined the dose-dependent effects of PDF + VC on RCC cell viability and also performed biochemical assays to explore the growth regulatory mechanism. Methods. Human RCC, ACHN cell line, was employed and exposed to varying concentrations of PDF or VC and their combinations. Cell viability at specified times was determined by MTT assay. Lipid peroxidation assay, cell cycle analysis, and Western blot analysis were also performed. Results. PDF or VC alone led to the signi...
Testing the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis

Aims There remains considerable debate about the best way to assess adrenal function. In our unit, adrenal function in children with suspected pituitary disease is initially tested using dynamic testing of the HPA axis (insulin tolerance test (ITT) or glucagon stimulation test (GST)), with failures (peak cortisol Methods This study took place in a single paediatric endocrinology unit. Endocrine records from November 1999– March 2010 identified patients having anterior pituitary function testing with ITT or GST, and also subsequent SST. Demographic, clinical and endocrine data were subsequently extracted from clinical and laboratory records. Results Over the 11 year collection period 509 ITTs and 164 GSTs were performed. Subsequent SSTs for failed tests were performed in 11 (2.2%) ITTs and 18 (11.0%) GSTs. Overall 42 children with paired tests were identified; 19 underwent ITT (median age 15.2 years, 12 males) and 23 GST (median age 8.8 years, 12 males), followed by SST within one year. The correlation coefficient between baseline (9 am) cortisols on the 2 consecutive tests was 0.36 (p=0.02); using a cutoff of ≥200 nmol/L there was concordance in 29/42 (69%). For ITTs there was a correlation coefficient of 0.34 (p=0.15) between the peak ITT cortisol compared to the 30 minute SST value. Using cutoffs of a peak ITT/GST cortisol level of ≥500 nmol/l and ≥550 nmol/l for the 30 minute SST cortisol level there was concordance in 14/19 (73.7%) ITTs. For GST the correlation coefficient was 0.56 (p=0.0057), and concordance in 11/23 (47.8%). Conclusion There is considerable variation in baseline cortisol levels, making its use and also that of incremental cortisol levels unhelpful in the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. Whilst there is a better correlation between the SST cortisol levels at 30 minutes and peak cortisol levels during the GST compared to the ITT concordance between tests is better in the latter. It would appear that the ITT is a good diagnostic test for the HPA axis; the GST less so. For patients having a subnormal cortisol response during the GST we would recommend SST testing.
Need for achievement and performance on measures of behavioral fluency.

Summary.-This inves~~gat~on was designed to assess the relationship between a validated personality charairer~sr~c, need for achievement (nAch), and performance on measures of behavioral fluency. To infer this relationship, 50 neurologically intact college undergraduates were administered a questionnaire assessing nAch and a battery of tests inchding a short form of the WAIS and measures of behavioral fluency (i.e., verbal fluency). Statistical analysis indicated that subiects high on nAch obtained higher scores than subjects low on nAch on the measures of figural fluency and the WAIS Verbal Scale. No significant difference on verbal fluency was seen between the two groups. Secondly, the group high on nAch also had a higher mean Verbal IQ but not a higher mean Performance IQ as measured by a short form of the WAIS than did subjects scoring low on nAch. While the effect of motivational defects on neuropsychological performance has been addressed (Lezak, 1978; Walsh, 1978; Lishman, 1973), the related issue of need for achievement (nAch) has been ignored. Historically, need for achievement has been investigated using projective methods (i.e., Thematic Apperception Test). Further, intellectual and neur~ps~chological tasks have not been included in the test batteries of such studies. Research done to evaluate the effects of varying motivational levels on neuropsychological performance has targeted only neurologically impaired subjects (Lishman, 1973; Oscar-Berman, 1980). While these clinical studies provide valuable information on impaired motivation of neurologic patients, they tell very little about motivational effects on the neuropsychological task performance of intact subjects. It is likely that the inclusion of measures sensitive to motivational and attitudinal states could greatly increase the predictive power of both intellectual and neuropsychologicaI tests. Human nAch and behavior in achievement situations has been given a great deal of attention by Atkinson and McClelland (Atkinson & Birch, 1978; McClelland, 1961). For Atkinson, the amount of achievement motive present determines the ease and rate of activation of achievement thoughts by situations containing achievement cues. People with hgh achievement motive will think and fantasize about achievement more often than those with low motive (Atkinson & Raynor, 1974). Persons who obtain high nAch scores under controlled conditions are normally more intensely motivated to
Dynamics of the soil nematode food web and nutrient pools under tall fescue lawns established on soil matrices resulting from common urban development activities.

Human activity in urbanizing areas often disturbs the soil profile, but little is known of its effects on subsequent soil food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycling. We assessed dynamics of the soil nematode food web and nutrient pools in tall fescue lawns created on either disturbed topsoil or subsoil, with or without compost amendment, and managed under three nitrogen fertilizer rates for one year. Overall, total nematodes and number of nematode genera were higher in topsoil than subsoil plots throughout the study. Compost amendment temporarily reduced number of nematode genera and this effect lasted for six months. Total number of nematodes also initially declined in the compost-amended plots, but increased within two months and remained high thereafter. The nematode food web enrichment index was initially lower in subsoil compared with topsoil plots and steadily increased overtime, but structure remained low in subsoil throughout the study period. The food web structure declined even in topsoil under turfgrass over time. Compost amendment only increased food web enrichment temporarily, but had little effect on structure. Nitrogen fertilizer had no effect on either enrichment or structure of the food web. Temporal faunal profile analysis indicated that the soil food webs under turfgrass in all treatments converged over time, representing a highly enriched but poorly structured food web, and a strong bottom-up control on the soil food web. Soil macronutrients Ca, P, K, total N, total C, microbial biomass, and soil organic matter contents were higher in topsoil than subsoil, and were increased by compost amendment in both substrates. Soil P was only 18 μg/g in subsoil and it further declined by about 20% during the year. During the first two months after seeding, topsoil plots had lower turfgrass cover than subsoil plots (63 ± 5% and 95 ± 0%, respectively), but had higher weed cover (29 ± 5% and 2 ± 0%, respectively). After one year, turfgrass quality (greenness) was higher in topsoil than subsoil plots, in plots with compost amendment than those without, and in high N than low and no N plots. We conclude that anthropogenic activities, resulting in the loss of topsoil, can have a profound effect on the structure of the soil food web, which may severely limit its capacity to support optimal nutrient cycling, plant growth, and other essential functions.
An integrated analysis of flexible assembly systems

An attempt to define the requirements for a flexible automated assembly system is discussed. The system's flexibility is a structural characteristic that depends on the physical design of the system and the product. The author addresses three critical questions: (i) what is flexible assembly, (ii) what is design for assembly, and (iii) how is it possible to economically analyze assembly lines? The mathematical modeling and a detailed analysis using industrial robots are also introduced. >
Gene-Environment Interactions and Airway Disease in Children

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States, affecting nearly 6.5 million children. The prevalence and severity of childhood asthma have continued to increase over the past 2 decades, despite major advances in the recognition and treatment of this condition. Representing a heterogeneous collection of airway diseases, asthma has multiple pathologic processes resulting from the interactions of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. Preventing and treating airway disease in children will require new research approaches to understanding these complex interactions.
MARO as the Partial Operationalization of R2P

Introduction The authors of MARO: Mass Atrocity Response Operations; A Military Planning Handbook, Sarah Sewall, Dwight Raymond, and Sally Chin, emphasize more than once in their proposed manual that while MARO is not currently US military doctrine ‘‘ it should be.’’ Clearly favoring the idea that the US military should be prepared to carry out missions other than traditional warfare and counter-terrorism, MARO ’s authors give us a reasonably solid first crack at how military force might be profitably used to deter and stop genocide and other atrocities. Although the authors contend, correctly, that the MARO project is different from many elements of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, the rationale for and content of the handbook are in fact grounded firmly in R2P’s overarching principle of protecting populations at risk of serious harm. It is more accurate to say that MARO, while not the operationalization of all of the R2P doctrine, is the operationalization of one specific aspect of R2P: the responsibility to react through military intervention. While the step from principle to planning is an important and worthwhile exercise, we should not assume that this step will necessarily lead to effective intervention when the world is confronted with mass atrocities in the future. Instead, MARO simply offers a preliminary blueprint for how the United States and other would-be coalition forces could carry out different kinds of humanitarian missions to stop or deter atrocity crimes should they be asked to do so by their political masters. And the latter, of course, is the rub. Without the political will to live up to their international responsibility to protect, the United States and other governments will not assign to their armed forces the mission of saving lives in distant places, thus leaving the prospects for effective intervention and prevention as uncertain as ever. In the most optimistic but unlikely scenario, the adoption of the MARO project or something like it into US military doctrine might serve to embolden political leaders to sanction humanitarian military missions. With a plan in the drawer, so to speak, political leaders might feel more confident that they can use military force to protect vulnerable populations since they would have a set of options for how to use that force effectively available to them from the start. Having this capability may in turn reduce the fear of failure or of being drawn into a humanitarian quagmire. Whether or not MARO will become US military doctrine or serve to deter and stop atrocities, the handbook is worthy of serious consideration. The present commentary will begin by briefly suggesting that MARO is the operationalization of some of the principles underpinning military intervention formulated in the R2P doctrine and then discuss the degree to which Sewall, Raymond, and Chin have succeeded in this task. On the positive side, they have produced a nuanced document that takes into consideration many of the complexities of mass atrocity crises includ-
Integration of miniaturized patch antennas with high dielectric-constant multilayer packages and soft-and-hard surfaces (SHS)

The soft-and-hard surface (SHS) is employed to suppress the surface wave generated by a patch antenna integrated with high dielectric-constant LTCC multilayer packages. Two antenna structures are investigated to demonstrate the potential capability of the SHS in surface-wave suppression. The fmt is a stacked patch antenna on a large-size substrate. It is shown that using SHS can increase the gain at broadside of the patch antenna by almost 10 dB. The second antenna structure is a circularly polarized (CP) patch antenna designed for GPS applications. It is found that the SHS can reduce the backside radiation of the CP antenna nn a small-size substrate by more than 14 dB. An observation to near-field distributions shows that the SHS can effectively block the surfacewave propagation on the substrate, therefore alleviating the electromagnetic coupling to the RF circuits
Optimal Equalizers and Targets for Detection in ISI Channels

In this paper we consider the alternate approach of designing the equalizer and target jointly so that they minimize the overall bit-error rate in the system. Our main result is theoretical analysis that shows that the MMSE equalizer and the monic GPR target do indeed perform the best (compared to other designs) for uncoded inputs. However, for spectrally shaped coded inputs, the proposed design produces filters that are different from those GPR design. Thus, we predict a gain with the new design over the monic GPR design for coded signals.
Efficient similarity search and classification via rank aggregation

We propose a novel approach to performing efficient similarity search and classification in high dimensional data. In this framework, the database elements are vectors in a Euclidean space. Given a query vector in the same space, the goal is to find elements of the database that are similar to the query. In our approach, a small number of independent "voters" rank the database elements based on similarity to the query. These rankings are then combined by a highly efficient aggregation algorithm. Our methodology leads both to techniques for computing approximate nearest neighbors and to a conceptually rich alternative to nearest neighbors.One instantiation of our methodology is as follows. Each voter projects all the vectors (database elements and the query) on a random line (different for each voter), and ranks the database elements based on the proximity of the projections to the projection of the query. The aggregation rule picks the database element that has the best median rank. This combination has several appealing features. On the theoretical side, we prove that with high probability, it produces a result that is a (1 + e) factor approximation to the Euclidean nearest neighbor. On the practical side, it turns out to be extremely efficient, often exploring no more than 5% of the data to obtain very high-quality results. This method is also database-friendly, in that it accesses data primarily in a pre-defined order without random accesses, and, unlike other methods for approximate nearest neighbors, requires almost no extra storage. Also, we extend our approach to deal with the k nearest neighbors.We conduct two sets of experiments to evaluate the efficacy of our methods. Our experiments include two scenarios where nearest neighbors are typically employed---similarity search and classification problems. In both cases, we study the performance of our methods with respect to several evaluation criteria, and conclude that they are uniformly excellent, both in terms of quality of results and in terms of efficiency.
Low threshold CW operation of circular-grating surface-emitting DBR lasers using MQW and a self-aligned process

In this letter, we present the first room temperature continuous wave operation of circular-grating surface-emitting DBR lasers. The structure is an InGaAs/GaAs strained multiquantum-well. A modified fabrication process with a better control on the steps is used. A CW threshold current as low as 26 mA at a lasing wavelength of about 977 mm are reported. This is the first demonstration of CW operation for these lasers in any material system. >
Relationship between pH and stream water total mercury concentrations in Shenandoah National Park.

The purpose of this study was to gather information on the spatial and temporal variation of stream water total mercury concentrations ([THg]) and to test the hypothesis that stream water [THg] increases as stream pH decreases in the Shenandoah National Park (SNP). We based our hypothesis on studies in lakes that found mercury methylation increases with decreasing pH, and studies in streams that found total mercury and other trace metal concentrations increase with decreasing pH. Stream water was collected at baseflow in SNP in April, July, and October 2005 and February 2006. Contrary to our hypothesis, stream water [THg] decreased with decreasing pH and acid neutralizing capacity. In SNP, stream pH and acid neutralizing capacity are strongly influenced by bedrock geology. We found that bedrock also influences stream water [THg]. Streams on basaltic bedrock had higher [THg] (0.648 ng L−1 ± 0.39) than streams on siliciclastic bedrock (0.301 ng L−1 ± 0.10) and streams on granitic bedrock (0.522 ng L−1 ± 0.06). The higher pH streams on basaltic bedrock had the highest [THg]. The variation in stream water [THg] occurred despite no known variation in wet deposition of mercury across the SNP. The findings of this study indicate that the SNP can be an important area for mercury research with significant variations in mercury concentrations across the park.
DO NEARCTIC MIGRANT BIRDS COMPETE WITH RESIDENTS AT ARMY ANT RAIDS? A GEOGRAPHIC AND SEASONAL ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT Army ant swarm raids in Neotropical montane forest are attended by diverse flocks of foraging birds that can include residents year-round and overwintering Nearctic migrants. We asked whether migrants and residents affect each other's ability to forage at army ant raids. We quantified variation in raid attendance by three guilds of birds: wintering migrants, regular and obligate raid attending residents (ant-following residents), and facultative raid attending residents. To test whether wintering migrants and residents were negatively associated at raids, we collected data on raid attendance in four adjacent life zones in the Tilaran Mountains of Costa Rica and in different seasons (when migrants were present and absent). We first compared the guilds' raid attendance among life zones. There was little geographic overlap of migrants and ant-following residents at raids, and raid attendance frequencies were strongly correlated with the estimated local abundances of these bird guilds in each life zo...
Bandgap-assisted surface-plasmon sensing

Surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) is a sensing technique widely used for its label-free feature. However, its sensitivity is contingent on the divergence angle of the excitation beam. The problem becomes pronounced for compact systems when a low-cost LED is used as the light source. When the Kretschmann configuration with a periodically modulated surface is used, a bandgap appears in the surface plasmon dispersion relation. We recognize that the high density of modes on the edge of the surface-plasmon bandgap permits the coupling of a wider range of incidence angles of excitation photons to surface-plasmon polaritons than what is possible in the traditional Kretschmann configuration. Here, the numerical simulation illustrates that the sensitivity, detection limit, and reflectivity minimum of an amplitude-based SPR bandgap-assisted surface-plasmon sensor are almost independent of the divergence angle. Two different bandgap structures are compared with the Kretschmann configuration using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis technique. The results indicate that the bandgap-assisted sensing outperforms traditional SPR sensing when the angular standard deviation of the excitation beam is above 1 degree.
Quality Assurance Initiative at One Institution for Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy as the Initial Diagnostic Technique

Background In 2005, the American College of Surgeons Consensus Conference issued a statement about the diagnostic workup of image-detected breast abnormalities. Guidelines include use of image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy as the gold standard for diagnosing image-detected breast abnormalities. In this study, we evaluate a method to audit use of excisional biopsy among different breast surgeons at our institution. Study Design From March to September 2007, 465 patients undergoing breast operation for benign or malignant lesions at our institution were interviewed by a surgical resident or physician's assistant. If an excisional biopsy was scheduled for initial diagnosis, the patient and surgeon were asked whose preference it was to perform the operation. Three attending groups were designated: academic breast surgeons, private practice breast surgeons on clinical faculty, and general surgeons who perform breast operations in addition to other procedures. Use of excisional biopsy was compared between these groups. Results Compliance for preoperative interview completion was 79%, differing substantially between surgeon groups with rates of 91%, 74%, and 58% for the academic breast, private practice, and general surgeons, respectively. Excisional biopsy for diagnosis made up 10%, 35%, and 37% of the case load for academic breast, private practice, and general surgeons, respectively. Patient and surgeon agreed 85% of the time for preference of performing diagnostic excisional biopsies. Conclusions Excisional biopsies continue to be performed as the initial diagnostic procedure for 40% of patients. Tracking biopsy practices by surgeon can improve adherence with current recommendations.
Emerging Therapeutic Strategies for Obesity

The rising tide of obesity is one of the most pressing health issues of our time, yet existing medicines to combat the problem are disappointingly limited in number and effectiveness. Fortunately, a recent burgeoning of mechanistic insights into the neuroendocrine regulation of body weight provides an expanding list of molecular targets for novel, rationally designed antiobesity pharmaceuticals. In this review, we articulate a set of conceptual principles that we feel could help prioritize among these molecules in the development of obesity therapeutics, based on an understanding of energy homeostasis. We focus primarily on central targets, highlighting selected strategies to stimulate endogenous catabolic signals or inhibit anabolic signals. Examples of the former approach include methods to enhance central leptin signaling through intranasal leptin delivery, use of superpotent leptin-receptor agonists, and mechanisms to increase leptin sensitivity by manipulating SOCS-3, PTP-1B, ciliary neurotrophic factor, or simply by first losing weight with traditional interventions. Techniques to augment signaling by neurochemical mediators of leptin action that lie downstream of at least some levels of obesity-associated leptin resistance include activation of melanocortin receptors or 5-HT2C and 5-HT1B receptors. We also describe strategies to inhibit anabolic molecules, such as neuropeptide Y, melanin-concentrating hormone, ghrelin, and endocannabinoids. Modulation of gastrointestinal satiation and hunger signals is discussed as well. As scientists continue to provide fundamental insights into the mechanisms governing body weight, the future looks bright for development of new and better antiobesity medications to be used with diet and exercise to facilitate substantial weight loss.
Use of the Communication Development Subtest of the DAYC as a Teacher-Administered Language-Screening Instrument.

Teachers administered the Communication Development subtest of the Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC-CD) to 24 children attending Head Start to examine the usefulness of the instrument as a teacher-administered language-screening instrument. Teachers administered the test by observing the children in the classroom. Test results for each child were compared to existing diagnoses to determine diagnostic accuracy of the DAYC-CD using 2 cutoff scores. The empirically selected cutoff score of 90 provided excellent sensitivity by design; specificity was fair. The preestablished cutoff score of 82 resulted in unacceptably low sensitivity but excellent specificity. Results were mixed for 3 children whose language development was of concern but who were not currently enrolled in language therapy. The DAYC-CD shows promise as a teacher-administered language-screening instrument.
Covariant problem of the magnetic-monopole theory

In the local quantum field theory of magnetic monopoles proposed by Hagen, not all of the equations of motion are covariant under the Lorentz transformation. In this note we show that, with the introduction of a shadow electromagnetic field quantized with «wrong sign», the locality in the sense of local commutation relations and local equations of motion is still retained, while the equations of motion become covariant under the Lorentz transformation for physical fields.
Impact of Thermophoresis on Carbon Nanotube Growth by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Thermophoretic effect on the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been investigated using a fully coupled gas-phase and surface chemistry model. This reactor-scale model employs conservation of mass, momentum, species, and energy equations to describe the evolution of hydrogen and hydrocarbon feed streams as they undergo thermal transport and chemical reactions within the CVD reactor. The resulting CNT growth rates on individual catalytic iron nanoparticles located on the reactor wall is predicted by the model as well as steady state velocity, temperature, and concentration fields within the reactor volume and concentrations of species adsorbed onto the nanoparticle surfaces. The effect of thermophoresis on volumetric concentration fields and surface species adsorption for deposition occurring in differing reactor boundary and flow conditions has been investigated to understand the impacts on CNT growth. This investigation is useful in order to optimize reactor design and boundary conditions to promote optimal CNT deposition rates.Copyright © 2008 by ASME