cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can the Sublime Be Postcolonial? Aesthetics, Politics, and Environment in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide

Set in the vast Sundarban mangrove forest of Bangladesh in the shadow of the colonial past and the 1979 Morichjhapi massacre, The Hungry Tide traces the transformation of three metropolitan characters from disengaged spectators to invested insiders. The novel may be read as elaborating the theories of Jean-Francois Lyotard, whose revision of the sublime as the “differend” in both aesthetics and politics provides a compelling context for exploring the postcolonial sublime. Suggesting ecocentric ways of engaging the world that loosen the bonds of the colonial past and critiquing the failure of the postcolonial state and the new cosmopolitanism, Ghosh rewrites aesthetics as interconnected with ethics and politics. In his novel, the postcolonial sublime no longer reifies metaphysical or anthropocentric pure reason, but instead enables discovery of our interpenetration with the natural world, spurring us to witnessing and activism in partnership with those who have been rendered silent and invisible.
Crowdsourcing platform for workplace accessibility

Our modern workplace is filled with information sources such as the Web, videos, documents and images. Each employee is required to learn from these sources to work effectively and to contribute to the company's business. Crowdsourcing services have a great potential to improve workplace accessibility by providing captions for meeting videos, describing key diagrams, and converting scanned materials into text files. However, it is risky to expose confidential materials in a public crowd. Crowdsourcing to employees who have knowledge and expertise may solve the issue of confidentiality, but it is difficult to reach them to access their "niche" spare time for tasks given their busy work schedules. Therefore, we propose a crowdsourcing platform to securely disseminate tasks to employees by inviting them to do microtasks. The basic strategy is akin to Web advertising. The system automatically suggests tasks to employees as a part of intranet webpages and in e-mail clients by considering work contexts, employee interests and expertise, and the security of the materials. We will first discuss the pros and cons of intraorganizational crowdsourcing and then propose the new crowdsourcing platform.
Comparison of tensile and bulge tests for thin-film silicon nitride

The mechanical properties of thin-film, low-pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride were measured in uniaxial tension and by a bulge test method suitable for wafer-level testing. This research compares the two approaches and presents additional data on silicon nitride. The common property from the two test methods is the Young's modulus. Tensile tests performed at the Johns Hopkins University provided a value of 257±5 GPa. Bulge tests conducted by Exponent, Inc., an engineering and scientific consulting firm, yielded a value of 258±1 GPa. It is concluded that this bulge test is a valid wafer-level test method. These tensile results, when added to earlier results, yield the following properties for low-stress silicon nitride: Young's modulus =255±5 GPa, Poisson ratio=0.23±0.02, and fracture strength=5.87±0.62 GPa.
The use of 3D printing to enable high altitude balloon missions

The 3D printing technology allows the low-cost creation of structures based on user-defined configuration parameters. Unlike other plastic-forming technologies, there is no tooling cost related to the creation of a mold. Because of this, highly-customized structures can be created with a minimum production quantity of one, allowing adaptation to individual mission needs (for a single-HAB mission) or the change of the structure across a multi-unit run (e.g., to test various configurations or as part of a study requiring multiple payloads with different configurations). This paper considers the mission possibilities enabled by the use of 3D printing for HAB structures. These mission types include low-cost student-centric missions, atmospheric and other science missions and engineering development and testing missions. It presents two case studies to illustrate this point: the first is a low-cost approach to flying multiple small student payloads as part of a larger structure. The second is an engineering testing mission for a small spacecraft. The benefits of using this approach (as opposed to other techniques like foam-forming or the creation of custom metal structures) are considered. The paper also considers the proposed approach's legal and technical viability. The requirements imposed by the federal aviation regulations on HAB missions are assessed. Also assessed are the environmental conditions experienced at typical HAB altitudes of 100,000 feet or higher on the 3D printed structures. Approaches for mitigating these effects are presented and discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possibilities for future missions enabled by 3D printed HAB payloads.
Gammaherpesviruses and pulmonary fibrosis: evidence from humans, horses, and rodents.

Progressive lung fibrosis in humans, typified by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in people. Similar diseases have been described in dogs, cats, and horses. The cause and pathogenesis of such diseases in all species is poorly understood. There is growing evidence in human medicine that IPF is a manifestation of abnormal wound repair in response to epithelial injury. Because viruses can contribute to epithelial injury, there is increasing interest in a possible role of viruses, particularly gammaherpesviruses, in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. This review provides background information on progressive fibrosing lung disease in human and veterinary medicine and summarizes the evidence for an association between gammaherpesvirus infection and pulmonary fibrosis, especially Epstein-Barr virus in human pulmonary fibrosis, and equine herpesvirus 5 in equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis. Data derived from experimental lung infection in mice with the g...
Relationship Between Equity and Efficacy of Conservation Programs

The impact of the equtity or "fairness" of conservation programs on the utilities' ability to indutce conservation beyond the base case is investigated. Three equtity criteria are defined and are Used to apply constraints on conservation incenitive programs. The efficacy of these programs were found to be very sensitive to the specific definitions and the degree to which the conservation measures had al ready been implemented.
Efficiency and information aggregation in large uniform-price auctions

Abstract We prove that the equilibria of a large interdependent-value, uniform-price auction model where bidders have arbitrary preferences for multiple units can be approximated by a nonatomic exchange economy. We show that the uniform-price auction is approximately efficient with a large number of participants and asymptotically aggregates idiosyncratic bidder information into the market price. More generally our analysis framework provides conditions justifying the use of nonatomic limit model approximations to analyze the large-market behavior of game-theoretic models. We demonstrate continuity requirements on the economic primitives sufficient for the equilibrium strategies of the two models to converge as the number of participants in the finite game approaches infinity.
Moving-correlation-code triangulation range imaging

A new method is described for obtaining accurate range images at high sped in a low-cost instrument. A prototype has been built and tested, and a patent application submitted. The method resembles grid-coding in that a camera and a stripe projector are directed at a scene, but the projector is different. It consists of a thin light source on the axis of a turntable, and a binary mask conforming to a cylinder coaxial with this. The mask has alternate black and clear stripes parallel to the axis. It forms a DeBruijn sequence, i.e., a sequence in which all possible sub- sequences of given length occur. No lens is used, deliberately smoothing the resulting illumination. In operation, the turntable rotates, and six consecutive images are taken at uniform intervals. A given pixel records six consecutive samples of a scene point. This six-vector, when normalized to unity to accommodate reflectance variations, is unique to the place in the sequence form which it came. Thus we can compute the position in 3-space of the surface point at which the pixel is looking. Observed accuracy is .1 millimeter at 30 centimeters range.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Sprayable Hyaluronate/Carboxymethylcellulose Adhesion Barrier Exhibits Regional Adhesion Reduction Efficacy and Does Not Impair Intestinal Healing

Background While bioresorbable solid barriers such as Seprafilm® prevent adhesions, their efficacy is limited to sites of application. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the sprayable adhesion barrier Sepraspray® in preventing adhesions to sites of direct application and to remote sites.
Degradation of thin films in low-earth-orbit and comparisons with laboratory simulation

Low earth orbit exposes space materials simultaneously to atomic oxygen and ultraviolet light. Numerous materials were sputtered, e-beam evaporated, and CVD deposited. Experiments with these samples aboard the NASA (USA) 1992 and 1993 space flights STS-46 and STS-51 are discussed, and comparisons made with laboratory studies in an oxygen plasma environment. Multiple samples of thin films of Al, diamondlike carbon, diamond, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and solar concentrator multilayer stacks were prepared. These were characterized both before and after flight by spectroscopic ellipsometry, spectrophotometry, interferometry, Auger spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy.
An Optimal Property of Least Squares Weights in Prediction Models.

In predicting $$\tilde y$$ scores fromp > 1 observed scores $$(\tilde x)$$ in a sample of sizen, the optimal strategy (minimum expected loss), under certain assumptions, is shown to be based upon the least squares regression weights $$(\hat \beta )$$ computed from a previous sample. Letting $$\tilde r(\hat \beta )$$ represent the correlation between $$\tilde y$$ and the predicted values $$(\hat \beta '\tilde x)$$ , and letting $$\tilde r(w)$$ represent the correlation between $$\tilde y$$ and a different set of predicted values $$(w'\tilde x)$$ , where w is any weighting system which is not a function of $$\tilde y$$ , it is shown that the probability of $$\tilde r(\hat \beta )$$ being less than $$\tilde r(w)$$ cannot exceed .50. The relationship of this result to previous research and practical implications are discussed.
Dynamic generation of subgoals for autonomous mobile robots using local feedback information

An algorithm is presented for using a local feedback information to generate subgoals for driving an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) along a collision-free trajectory to a goal. The subgoals section algorithm (SSA) updates subgoal positions while the AMR is moving so that continuous motion is achieved without stopping to replan a path when new sensor data becomes available. Assuming a finite number of polynomial obstacles (i.e. the internal representation of the local environment in terms of a 2-D map with linear obstacles boundaries) and a dynamic steering control algorithm (SCA) capable of driving the AMR to safe subgoals, it is shown that the feedback algorithm for subgoal selection will direct the AMR along a collision-free trajectory to the final goal in finite time. Properties of the algorithm are illustrated by simulation examples. >
A unified econophysics explanation for the power-law exponents of stock market activity

We survey a theory (first sketched in Nature in 2003, then fleshed out in the Quarterly Journal of Economics in 2006) of the economic underpinnings of the fat-tailed distributions of a number of financial variables, such as returns and trading volume. Our theory posits that they have a common origin in the strategic trading behavior of very large financial institutions in a relatively illiquid market. We show how the fat-tailed distribution of fund sizes can indeed generate extreme returns and volumes, even in the absence of fundamental news. Moreover, we are able to replicate the individually different empirical values of the power-law exponents for each distribution: 3 for returns, 3/2 for volumes, 1 for the assets under management of large investors. Large investors moderate their trades to reduce their price impact; coupled with a concave price impact function, this leads to volumes being more fat-tailed than returns but less fat-tailed than fund sizes. The trades of large institutions also offer a unified explanation for apparently disconnected empirical regularities that are otherwise a challenge for economic theory. r 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Evolution of Superconducting and Hidden Order Phases in URu2Si2 Under Applied Pressure

Electrical resistivity measurements performed under applied hydrostatic pressure and in magnetic fields have been used to probe the hidden order (HO) and superconducting (SC) states of URu2Si2, which have ambient-pressure transition temperatures TO = 17.5 K and Tc = 1.5 K, respectively. TO increases with applied pressure and a distinct kink in its pressure dependence is observed at 15 kbar; this feature is associated with the onset of antiferromagnetism. The pressure dependence of the SC upper critical field has been measured with the external field aligned parallel to both crystalline axes. The SC phase is smoothly suppressed to a critical pressure of about 15 kbar and no qualitative change in the critical field curves is observed. The co-evolution of the HO and SC phases is discussed within the context of a model in which the two phases compete for Fermi surface fraction.
Viewing a Stressful Episode of ER: Is ATF6 the Triage Nurse?

See related article, pages 1186–1193 How cardiac cells sense, respond, and adapt to acute and chronic changes of their metabolic and environmental milieu remain among the most enigmatic and fundamental questions in contemporary cardiovascular biology and medicine. With more than 700 000 deaths and 6 million hospital discharges annually in the U.S., ischemic heart disease remains a major public health problem. If prompt therapy is delayed, myocardial injury from depletion of high-energy phosphates from inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation is inevitable. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) also unleashes a cascade of cellular and molecular events whose sequalae may sustain organ function at diminished capacity but, beyond a critical balance, threatens the organism’s survival. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS; RNS), released from the mitochondria and other sources, alter the tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins, exposing their hydrophobic residues to allow conformational tendencies toward protein misfolding and aggregation.1 Nevertheless, highly sophisticated schemes equipped with molecular sensors, rapid response pathways, and adaptor mechanisms have evolved to mitigate the accumulation of unfolded proteins in a compartment specific manner, principally the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although the cardiovascular field has paid considerably more attention to the cytoprotective mechanisms of heat shock proteins in response to I/R, termed the “classical” heat shock response, a parallel series of events has been unfolding at a breathtaking pace in the ER, with arguably considerable excitement to warrant a sneak preview of the article published in this issue of Circulation Research . To place into perspective the current buzz being garnered by the ER requires a brief discussion of more familiar themes in the field, which were developed thanks to the pioneering efforts of cardiovascular scientists, and others, working on the complementary stress response network, best exemplified by heat shock “stress” proteins and their transcriptional regulators. First discovered by …
Imaging cross-section of DNA electrophoresis in a microfabricated glass device with CLSM.

In this paper, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is used to detect and analyze DNA electrophoretic migration in a microchannel filled with in-situ polymerized cross-linked polyacrylamide. DNA distribution at the cross- section of the microchannel is observed to vary only slightly with the tested gel concentrations and the DNA sizes. However, in comparing with DNA electrophoresis using linear polymer solution (LPA), significant differences are observed in the distribution of DNA molecules on the observation plane using a cross-linked matrix (UV-polymerized polyacrylamide). Instead of a uniform signal boost upon the pass of one DNA band in linear polymer matrix, the electrophoretic process with cross- linked polyacrylamide presents a cross-section image with most DNA molecules aggregate near the vertical center of the microchannel during migration. This observation suggests an inhomogeneous nanostructure of in-situ polymerized cross- linked polyacrylamide in a microfabricated glass channel, consistent with SEM results. However, the phenomenon of DNA bands tending to focus in the vertical center along z-axis has not been previously reported. We also conclude from these observations that geometries containing fewer dead corners are desirable to minimize residual DNA in the microchannel.
NGC 3992 — A Galaxy without a Massive Halo

As a continuation of our earlier work (Gottesman and Hunter, 1982), we have reobserved the HI emission from the galaxy NGC 3992. We have combined all the data and produced new maps, at a significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio, of the gas density and velocity distribution with resolutions of ∿ 22″ and 25 km s-1. The resultant, angle averaged, HI rotational velocity is shown in Figure 1 for the symmetric and nearly circular flows for r ≤ 3.35′ from the center (r ≤ 14.0 kpc, assuming de Vaucouleurs’ 1979) distance of 14.2 mpc for NGC 3992). Shown, also, in Figure 1 is a fit to the observations provided by a Toomre disk of index n = o. No attempt was made to fit the observational data within 1'. in view of the low signal to noise.
Asset Bubbles and the Cost of Economic Fluctuations

Lucas (1987, 2003) estimates that the cost of economic fluctuations is low; a social planner would pay no more than 0.1% of (permanent) consumption to eliminate all future business cycle fluctuations. The current paper extends Lucas’ calculations by studying the costs of fluctuations arising from asset bubbles. We estimate two classes of costs: consumption volatility due to asset bubbles in a representative agent economy and consumption volatility that arises because households have heterogeneous exposure to the bubble assets. We show that the magnitude of welfare costs is primarily driven by the existence of heterogeneity. Our benchmark calibration implies that the asset bubbles of the last decade generated a social welfare cost equal to a permanent 3% reduction in the level of national consumption. If assets are held proportionately across the population, these welfare costs fall by an order of magnitude. Our calculations are sensitive to the details of the calibration, including the degree of balance sheet and trading heterogeneity, the coefficient of relative risk aversion, and the magnitude of the asset bubble. Our preferred specifications generate welfare costs ranging from 1% to 10% of (permanent) national consumption.
The incidence of periodontal defects distal to the maxillary second molar after impacted third molar extraction.

Purpose This study assessed the incidence of periodontal defects on the distal aspect of maxillary second molars after extraction of impacted maxillary third molars. Patients and Methods Subjects enrolled in this institutional review board–approved prospective study consisted of healthy young patients having extraction of at least 1 asymptomatic impacted maxillary third molar adjacent to a second molar. Preoperative periodontal probing data were collected from 4 sites (midbuccal, distobuccal, midpalatal, and distopalatal) on each adjacent second molar, and a similar probing examination was performed at a mean of 6 months postoperatively. All subjects were treated under general anesthesia or conscious sedation by upper-level residents in the outpatient clinic. Results Twenty subjects with a total of 38 impacted maxillary third molars were treated. There were 9 male subjects (45%) and 11 female subjects (55%), with a mean age of 17 years (range, 14-22 years). The mean follow-up interval was 6 months, with a range of 3 to 15 months. Of the 152 probing sites measured, 92 (61%) decreased, 56 (37%) remained unchanged, and only 4 (2.6%) increased. A decrease in probing depth of 1 mm was found in 35 (23%) of the sites, a decrease of 2 mm was seen in 32 (21%), and 25 (16%) decreased by 3 mm or more. Of the 152 sites probed, 4 (2.6%) increased by 1 or 2 mm. Conclusion Extraction of the impacted maxillary third molar does not result in significant periodontal defects on the distal aspect of the adjacent second molar, and in many cases it results in an improvement of the probing depths on these teeth.
Coupled-waves approach to the design and analysis of Bragg and photonic crystal annular resonators

We utilize a novel coupled-waves approach to design and analyze various types of annular resonators based on Bragg and photonic crystal reflectors. Optimal grating profiles and their corresponding modal fields are found for specific cases such as disk and defect mode (ring) resonators. An excellent match is found between our analytic approximations and exact results obtained by the transfer matrix formalism and finite-difference time-domain simulations.
Mapping Surface Oil Extent From the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Using ASCAT Backscatter

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico covered a sufficiently large area to be observed by the European Space Agency Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on MetOp-A. In this paper, ASCAT data and numerically computed winds from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) are used to map the spatial extent of oil on the ocean surface over the duration of the spill event. Surface oil alters the ocean radar scattering properties, resulting in a difference between the measured backscatter and the backscatter that would be measured if oil were not present. Wind scatterometers infer the near-surface wind speed and direction using the wind geophysical model function (GMF) in conjunction with measured radar backscatter. The oil-altered backscatter error propagates through the wind retrieval process to create a difference in ASCAT-inferred winds and actual winds. Numerically computed vector winds from ECMWF are compared against ASCAT-inferred vector winds. The GMF is applied to ECMWF winds to create a predicted backscatter value to compare against ASCAT-measured backscatter. Large differences in wind or backscatter indicate areas of the ocean surface affected by oil. An objective function is developed to choose an appropriate threshold level to flag the oil-contaminated regions. Data from other sensors corroborate the ASCAT oil extent mapping.
Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth's Dating Relationships: Reactions and Help-Seeking Behaviors.

This exploratory study examined middle school students' (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms of controlling behaviors. More youth were victimized by dominance/isolation controlling behaviors than emotional/verbal controlling behaviors. Gender and age differences emerged when evaluating the type of controlling behaviors youth used. The majority of youth were willing to seek help when confronted with various types of controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Gender and age differences also emerged in youth's reactions to controlling behaviors. More understanding of youth's reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships may assist prevention educators in intervening before controlling behaviors in dating relationships turn into actual dating violence. Language: en
Self-Assessment of Sexual Maturation in Children and Adolescents with Diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the reliability of a self-assessment tool as a surrogate means for estimating phase of sexual maturation in children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus. Methods Children and adolescents between 8 and 16 years of age with the diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from the pediatric endocrinology clinic at a children’s hospital. Participants were given a series of gender-appropriate drawings representing the 5 Tanner stages of sexual maturation for genital development in boys and breast and genital development in girls and asked to select the illustration that best represented their current maturity stage. The self-assessments were compared with physical examination findings by pediatric endocrinologists. Demographic and clinical data including age, race, hemoglobin A1c level, type of diabetes, and body mass index were also collected. Agreement rates between participants and physician assessment were compared. A level of agreement greater than 80% and a k coefficient greater than 0.61 were considered substantial. Results Eighty-seven children and adolescents completed the study. Agreement rates for girls were greater than 80%. Agreement rates for boys were 76%. All k coefficients for boys and girls were greater than 0.61, corresponding to good agreement. However, peripubertal participants overestimated their sexual maturity rating almost half the time. The role of age, metabolic control (as measured by hemoglobin A1c), race, type of diabetes, and body mass index did not influence a participant’s ability to accurately assess sexual maturity. Conclusion While useful in mid- to late-pubertal youth with diabetes, this self-assessment tool does not appear to be helpful in identifying the early stages of puberty. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:840-845)
The hidden cost of moving up: type 2 diabetes and the escape from persistent poverty in the American South.

Objectives The paper tests the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, according to which nonharmonious growth trajectories are costly for adult health. Methods The American surge in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is concentrated in the South, a region characterized by a long history of poverty followed by rapid economic growth beginning in the 1960s. Civil rights legislation further accelerated income growth for African-Americans in the region. The paper investigates the hypothesis by using per capita income at the state level as a proxy for net nutritional conditions. Results Regressions at the state level explain 56% of the variation in the prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes in 2009 using two explanatory variables: the ratio of per capita income in 1980 to that in 1950 and the share of the population that was African-American. The paper discusses ways that rapid economic growth may have translated into weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Conclusions If the thrifty phenotype hypothesis is correct, future rates in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes are predictable based on income history. The forecast for rapidly developing countries such as India and China are ominous. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:508–515, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Single chip digital down converter architecture

The architecture and algorithmic advancements of the Harris HSP50016 digital downconverter (DDC) are described. The DDC is a fully programmable single-chip downconverter designed to perform intermediate frequency (IF) to baseband processing for communications signal processing. The operation and specification of each major function within the DDC are described, and justification for key specifications is given. The end-to-end performance of the DDC is shown, and the methodology used for measuring the performance is explained. >
Positive impact of an intervention by arthritis educators on retention of information, confidence, and examination skills of medical students

Objective. To determine whether an intervention by trained persons with arthritis could have a positive impact on retention of information, confidence, and examination skills of medical students. Methods. Second-year medical students were introduced to the musculoskeletal examination as part of their Introduction to Clinical Medicine course by viewing a video (n = 93) or were taught the joint examination by a trained arthritis educator after viewing the video (n = 88). Each group was tested before and after the intervention about arthritis information, confidence, and attitude about arthritis and also evaluated for the ability to carry out a musculoskeletal examination. Results. Retention of information and confidence of both groups increased as a result of the intervention. However, students who received the arthritis educator intervention increased their scores significantly in comparison. Musculoskeletal examination skills of the students receiving the arthritis educator intervention were also significantly greater than the control group. Conclusion. An intervention by arthritis educators improved the retention of information, confidence, and examination skills of second-year medical students significantly compared with the standard educational approach. The impact of the intervention persisted for at least two weeks.
Feasibility of non-surgical definitive management of anal canal carcinoma.

The management of anal canal carcinoma has evolved over the last decade, with the combination of radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) offering a definitive alternative to surgery or RT alone. Twenty-two patients with basaloid/cloacogenic/squamous cell carcinoma of the anal (13 with T3-T4 lesions), were treated with synchronous RT (30.00 to 45.00 Gy in 3 1/2 to 5 weeks) and CT X 2 courses (Mitomycin C 15 mg/m2 I.V. bolus + 96 hours 5FU infusion). This regimen differed from the conventional Nigro regimen in that higher doses of RT and 2 courses of Mitomycin C were used and both CT courses were given synchronously with RT. Three patients with residual disease were salvaged with an additional course of CT and local RT, without surgery. Acute side effects including perineal dermatitis, diarrhea, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were reversible or transient. Twenty patients are alive and free of disease 17 to 62 months (median 45 months) following initiation of treatment. Two patients died at 7 months without evidence of disease at autopsy. These results compare favorably with other series employing RT alone, AP resection alone, and to those employing similar CT-RT regimens as well, in terms of disease-free survival rate (100%), complete response rate (19/22 or 86%), salvage rate without surgery (3/3), and acceptable morbidity. These results may be attributed to an optimal balance of RT and CT doses and refinements in RT technique which are detailed in our report.
Macrolevel Consent: A Defense of Federalism

This article develops a defense of federalism that builds from a virtue ethics justification of consent. In doing so, it introduces macrolevel consent which permits a defense of federalism that is both normatively and practically satisfying. This article's defense of federalism is a necessary step in developing a theory of federalism. The first section of the article develops a virtue ethics defense of consent that is based on an Aristotelian view of human nature and human flourishing. The second section draws on Johannes Althusius to show the role of consent in a federal system. The third section outlines how the Iroquois Confederation used a version of macrolevel consent within a federal framework.
Serial assessment of the physiological status of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) during direct capture events in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean: comparison of post-capture and pre-release data

The physiological status of seven leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) was assessed at two time points during ecological research capture events in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Data were collected as soon as possible after securing each turtle onboard the capture vessel and again immediately prior to release. Measured parameters included sea surface temperature, body temperature, morphometric data, sex, heart rate, respiratory rate and various haematological and blood biochemical variables. Results indicated generally stable physiological status in comparison to previously published studies of this species. However, blood pH and blood potassium concentrations increased significantly between the two time points ( P = 0.0018 and P = 0.0452, respectively). Turtles were affected by a mild initial acidosis (mean [SD] temperature-corrected pH = 7.29 [0.07]), and blood pH increased prior to release (mean [SD] = 7.39 [0.07]). Initial blood potassium concentrations were considered normal (mean [SD] = 4.2 [0.9] mmol/l), but turtles experienced a mild to moderate increase in blood potassium concentrations during the event (mean [SD] pre-release potassium = 5.9 [1.7] mmol/l, maximum = 8.5 mmol/l). While these data support the general safety of direct capture for study of this species, the observed changes in blood potassium concentrations are of potential concern due to possible adverse effects of hyperkalaemia on cardiac function. The results of this study highlight the importance of physiological monitoring during scientific capture events. The results are also likely to be relevant to unin tentional leatherback capture events (e.g. fisheries interactions), when interactions may be more prolonged or extreme.
Hybrid gap modes induced by fiber taper waveguides: Application in spectroscopy of single solid-state emitters deposited on thin films

We show, via simulations, that an optical fiber taper waveguide can be an efficient tool for photoluminescence and resonant, extinction spectroscopy of single emitters, such as molecules or colloidal quantum dots, deposited on the surface of a thin dielectric membrane. Placed over a high refractive index membrane, a tapered fiber waveguide induces the formation of hybrid mode waves, akin to dielectric slotted waveguide modes, that provide strong field confinement in the low index gap region. The availability of such gap-confined waves yields potentially high spontaneous emission enhancement factors (≈ 20), fluorescence collection efficiencies (≈ 23 %), and transmission extinction (≈ 20 %) levels. A factor of two improvement in fluorescence and extinction levels is predicted if the membrane is instead replaced with a suspended channel waveguide. Two configurations, for operation in the visible (≈ 600 nm) and near-infrared (≈ 1300 nm) spectral ranges are evaluated, presenting similar performances.
DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY: A CLINICOPATHOLOGIC AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SURAL NERVE BIOPSIES

We performed quantitative immunohistochemical studies of sural nerve biopsy specimens from 20 patients to determine whether endoneurial and epineurial lymphocytic infiltration occurs in diabetic nerves. The diabetic nerves contained a mean of 129 CD3+ cells per tissue section compared to 19 cells in patients with chronic neuropathy matched for the histologic severity of disease, and 0–5 cells in normal control nerves. The T-cell infiltrates in the diabetic nerves were predominantly of the CD8+ cell type. Activated endoneurial lymphocytes expressed immunoreactive cytokines and major histocompatibility class II antigens. Microvasculitis was found in 12 (60%) patients. Infiltrative T cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy through a variety of effector mechanisms. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assessing the attributable risks, relative risks, and regional extents of aquatic stressors

AbstractA major goal of the national aquatic surveys being conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the states and tribes is to assess the relative importance, at a regional scale, of stressors that impact aquatic biota. The Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA) was a prototype of these surveys, and it assessed 8 individual water-chemistry, physical-habitat, and landuse stressors in 2 ways. First, the WSA estimated the total length of streams in a region that was deemed to be in poor condition for each stressor considered separately. Estimates of stressor extent describe the prevalence and regional breadth of each stressor’s potential effects. Second, the WSA estimated each stressor’s relative risk, a measure widely used in human epidemiology. Relative risk estimates a stressor’s association with biota in terms of the likelihood that poor stressor conditions and poor biota conditions co-occur in a region’s streams. We describe how the population attributable risk, also borrowed fro...
Social traditions and social learning in capuchin monkeys (Cebus)

Capuchin monkeys (genus Cebus) have evolutionarily converged with humans and chimpanzees in a number of ways, including large brain size, omnivory and extractive foraging, extensive cooperation and coalitionary behaviour and a reliance on social learning. Recent research has documented a richer repertoire of group-specific social conventions in the coalition-prone Cebus capucinus than in any other non-human primate species; these social rituals appear designed to test the strength of social bonds. Such diverse social conventions have not yet been noted in Cebus apella, despite extensive observation at multiple sites. The more robust and widely distributed C. apella is notable for the diversity of its tool-use repertoire, particularly in marginal habitats. Although C. capucinus does not often use tools, white-faced capuchins do specialize in foods requiring multi-step processing, and there are often multiple techniques used by different individuals within the same social group. Immatures preferentially observe foragers who are eating rare foods and hard-to-process foods. Young foragers, especially females, tend to adopt the same foraging techniques as their close associates.
Vessels as 4-D Curves: Global Minimal 4-D Paths to Extract 3-D Tubular Surfaces and Centerlines

In this paper, we propose an innovative approach to the segmentation of tubular structures. This approach combines all of the benefits of minimal path techniques such as global minimizers, fast computation, and powerful incorporation of user input, while also having the capability to represent and detect vessel surfaces directly which so far has been a feature restricted to active contour and surface techniques. The key is to represent the trajectory of a tubular structure not as a 3-D curve but to go up a dimension and represent the entire structure as a 4-D curve. Then we are able to fully exploit minimal path techniques to obtain global minimizing trajectories between two user supplied endpoints in order to reconstruct tubular structures from noisy or low contrast 3-D data without the sensitivity to local minima inherent in most active surface techniques. In contrast to standard purely spatial 3-D minimal path techniques, however, we are able to represent a full tubular surface rather than just a curve which runs through its interior. Our representation also yields a natural notion of a tube's "central curve." We demonstrate and validate the utility of this approach on magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and computed tomography (CT) images of coronary arteries.
Abstract 451: Depletion of Macrophage Prevents Exacerbated Renal Injury and Hypertension Induced by Degeneration of Trpv1-positive Nerves in Rats Subjected to Renal Ischemic Reperfusion and Salt Load

High salt intake after recovery from renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to hypertension and renal inflammation. This study tests the hypothesis that degeneration of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1)-positive nerves exacerbates salt-induced hypertension and renal inflammation after I/R via enhancing renal macrophage infiltration. Rats were fed a low sodium (0.4%) diet for 5 weeks after capsaicin pre-treatment (CAP, 100 mg/kg, s.c.) and renal I/R, followed by macrophage depletion with clodronate liposome (LC, 1.3 ml/kg/wk, i.v.) combined with a high sodium (4%) diet for 4 weeks. Western blot showed that CAP pretreatment further decreased renal TRPV1 levels after I/R (P
Electric Pagodas and Hyphenate Gates: Folklore, Folklife, and the Architecture of Chinatown

In a study of how Chinatown architecture has changed from the late-nineteenth century to the present, Winston Kyan shows how material culture has reflected the status of U.S.-China relations over time. Kyan suggests that Chinatown architecture and how it was experienced shows the changing nature of geopolitical relations between the U.S. and China for almost 150 years. Kyan analyzes how architects and artists have adopted the imagery of chinoiserie to create the veneer of Chinese authenticity. The changes in stylistic cues in the architecture tell of the hierarchized dynamics of the foreign relations between China and the West, as Kyan details.
Development and Well-Being of Rural Latino Youth: Research Findings and Methodological Aspects

This chapter reviews the current state of developmental knowledge about rural Latino youth and discusses strategies for conducting research with this understudied population. Latino youth make up over one tenth of the rural youth population in the USA, yet the empirical literature regarding their well-being and development is relatively sparse. On the basis of our literature review, we tentatively conclude that although many Latino children and adolescents are doing well in rural communities, living in underserved contexts may create difficulties for some youngsters. We also posit that the family, peer, and school contexts of rural and urban Latino youth differ in ways that might affect their well-being. Furthermore, it appears that some youth (e.g., immigrants growing up in predominantly non-Latino settings) face unique challenges that may threaten their psychological, social, or physical well-being. These conclusions must be regarded as preliminary; few studies have systematically examined fundamental developmental processes among rural Latino youth or evaluated how contextual variations are associated with youth well-being. To assist researchers interested in filling these critical gaps, we discuss methodological issues and strategies for conducting developmental research with rural Latino youth, drawing on the published literature and our own experiences in the field.
Accountants' Liability for Compilation and Review Engagements

This century has witnessed a significant change in the practice of accounting. Federal regulation of public corporations has established the audit, an independent attestation of the financial statements as a whole, expressed in the form of a report, as the primary verification of the integrity of the American corporate structure. During this period of change, the size and influence of several of the largest accounting firms has increased dramatically. These firms have directed the profession's attention almost exclusively toward a variety of services for the public client; as a result, the accounting needs of the small, nonpublic business have been virtually ignored.
Absence of canine distemper antibodies in selected southern African non-domestic felids

Sixty eight animals from various parks and zoos in southern Africa were tested for the presence of antibodies to canine distemper virus (CDV). The areas surveyed include : the Johannesburg and Pretoria zoos, the De Wildt Cheetah Breeding and Research Centre, Botswana (Ghanzi region), Namibia (Gobabis region), the Kruger National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, and Umfolozi Game Reserve. The species tested include cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) (n=23), lions (Panthera leo) (n=41) and leopards (Panthera pardus) (n=4). None of the 68 animals surveyed tested positive for CDV antibodies indicating a lack of exposure to this potentially fatal disease.
Nutrients in vegetarian foods

Persons who use tables of food composition have often found that foods that vegetarians commonly eat are not included. To help remedy this situation, a table is presented which includes the 49 foods on the vegetarian Exchange Lists and 18 additional nonmeat foods. Nutrient contents of household measures of these foods are given for water, protein, fat, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and folacin. Nutrient amounts were derived from USDA sources and from other published research when available. Nutrient amounts from foods assumed to be identical to those in the table were placed in parentheses. When nutrient amounts were not available, they were estimated from similar foods and placed in brackets. When values found for a single nutrient in a food varied by 20% or more, the total range was shown. When a dash was found in a literature reference and the amount of the nutrient was known to be insignificant, a zero was presented in the table. Thus, there are no gaps in the table. Until accurate laboratory-derived data are available for the nutrients in vegetarian foods, this table, used with appropriate judgment, should be useful for estimating the nutrient intakes of persons who eat vegetarian foods.
A liquid-activated textile battery for wearable biosensors

Wearable biosensors is an emerging field which offers great potential for many applications including human health monitoring, environmental sensing and bioagent detection. An important requirement for these systems is the need for robust, lightweight batteries which can be easily integrated with wearable materials (i.e. textiles). In this paper, we demonstrate a new textile Ag-Al battery which is activated by liquids. Experiments were performed to optimize the battery performance by altering the device parameters, such as the electrode/electrolyte area and electrolyte concentration. Based on these results, we developed a single-cell battery that can produce a voltage of 1.3 V. By connecting two cells in series, we could power a 1.6 V LED for up to 30 minutes.
Cuprous Oxide Nanoshells with Geometrically Tunable Optical Properties

We have systematically investigated the geometrically tunable optical properties of cuprous oxide (Cu(2)O) in a nanoshell geometry. Spherically symmetric Cu(2)O nanoshells with fine-controlled shell thicknesses and overall dimensions over a broad size range have been fabricated in a highly controllable manner through an Ostwald ripening-based symmetric hollowing process at room temperature. Symmetric hollowing of Cu(2)O particles can be achieved by using polyvinylpyrrolidone as a structural directing agent to mediate aggregation of the nuclei into solid spheres at the initial stage of the process, whereas when using other structural directing agents, such as polyethylene glycol, an asymmetric hollowing process takes place during Ostwald ripening, which gives rise to the formation of asymmetric Cu(2)O nanoshell structures. We demonstrate, both experimentally and theoretically, that the optical responses of Cu(2)O nanoshells can be fine-tuned in the visible spectral region by tailoring the inner and outer radii of the spherically symmetric nanoshells. Such optical tunability of Cu(2)O achieved in this nanoshell geometry is believed to be important to the optimization of Cu(2)O-based photonic materials and devices for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications.