cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genotype Imputation for Latinos Using the HapMap and 1000 Genomes Project Reference Panels.

Genotype imputation is a vital tool in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses of multiple GWAS results. Imputation enables researchers to increase genomic coverage and to pool data generated using different genotyping platforms. HapMap samples are often employed as the reference panel. More recently, the 1000 Genomes Project resource is becoming the primary source for reference panels. Multiple GWAS and meta-analyses are targeting Latinos, the most populous and fastest growing minority group in the US. However, genotype imputation resources for Latinos are rather limited compared to individuals of European ancestry at present, largely because of the lack of good reference data. One choice of reference panel for Latinos is one derived from the population of Mexican individuals in Los Angeles contained in the HapMap Phase 3 project and the 1000 Genomes Project. However, a detailed evaluation of the quality of the imputed genotypes derived from the public reference panels has not yet been reported. Using simulation studies, the Illumina OmniExpress GWAS data from the Los Angles Latino Eye Study and the MACH software package, we evaluated the accuracy of genotype imputation in Latinos. Our results show that the 1000 Genomes Project AMR+CEU+YRI reference panel provides the highest imputation accuracy for Latinos, and that also including Asian samples in the panel can reduce imputation accuracy. We also provide the imputation accuracy for each autosomal chromosome using the 1000 Genomes Project panel for Latinos. Our results serve as a guide to future imputation-based analysis in Latinos.
Endometrial and endocervical micro echogenic foci: sonographic appearance with clinical and histologic correlation.

Objective The purpose of this research was to determine the clinical and histologic importance of small echogenic foci seen in the endometrium/endocervix on pelvic sonography. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 62 women, aged 28 to 81 years, who had echogenic foci of the endometrium and endocervix. Patients' medical records were accessed to review pertinent obstetric and gynecologic information. Additionally, histopathologic slides from patients who underwent diagnostic procedures (endometrial biopsy or dilation and curettage) or hysterectomy were reviewed. Results The clinical information for the 62 women included the following: mean age, 49 years; history of exogenous hormonal use, 84%; prior abortion (therapeutic or spontaneous), 57%; prior dilation and curettage, 56%; prior cesarean delivery, 28%; and sexually transmitted disease, 36%. The initial finding of echogenic foci was followed by ultrasound examinations in 18 patients for a mean interval of 16 months. Of the 18 patients, the foci remained unchanged in 13 women and disappeared or became less prominent in the other 5. Histopathologic results were available in 28 women, and microcalcifications were found in 15 of them. The etiology most common was microcalcification but also included crystals, debris from laminaria, and ossified tissues. Clinical follow-up in 62 patients showed that this condition was mostly benign (endometrioid carcinoma developed in 1 patient). Conclusions Histopathologic studies showed microcalcifications, which are the most common cause of echogenic foci. The foci were stable with time and seemed to be an incidental finding associated mostly with benign conditions. The etiologic factors for echogenic foci may be numerous.
New dynamic model-based fault detection thresholds for robot manipulators

Autonomous robotic fault detection is becoming increasingly important as robots are used in more inaccessible and hazardous environments. Detection algorithms, however, are adversely effected by the model simplification, parameter uncertainty, and computational inaccuracy inherent in robotic control, leading to an unacceptable number of false alarms and overzealous fault tolerance. The algorithms must use thresholds to mask out these errors. Typically, the thresholds are empirically determined from a specific robot trajectory. The effect of modeling inaccuracy, however, fluctuates dynamically as the robot moves and failures occur. The thresholds need to be dynamic and respond to the changes in the robot system so as to differentiate between real failures and misalignment due to modeling errors. This paper first summarizes the reachable measurement intervals (RMI) method of computing dynamic thresholds and then, learning from the robot-oriented analysis of RMI, presents a more efficient threshold generation method using the manipulator dynamics property of linearity in parameters. >
DSP based real-time implementation of an adaptive fuzzy controller for the tracking control of servo-motor drives

An embedded hybrid adaptive fuzzy control structure is implemented for trajectory tracking control of a brushless servo drive system (BSDS). The control structure employs a fuzzy logic controller incorporating an H/sub /spl infin// tracking controller via an actual acceleration feedback signal. The fuzzy logic controller is equipped with an adaptive law-based Lyapunov synthesis approach to compensate for system uncertainty and random changes in the external load acting on the drive system. The proposed control structure is simulated and experimentally verified on a state-of-the-art dSpace DS1104 digital signal processor (DSP) based data acquisition and control (DAC) system in a laboratory 1-hp ac brushless motor. The result is a powerful test bed for the rapid design, and implementation of the proposed controllers for a wide variety of operating conditions. Computer simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller. Considerable improvement in performance generated by the approach compared with the traditional PI controller.
Chemical signaling in a wolf spider: a test of ethospecies discrimination.

Chemical signals from female wolf spiders that elicit exploratory behavior and courtship in males are often assumed to be species-specific, but males of some species court in response to silk cues deposited by closely related heterospecific females. Such is the case with the wolf spiders Schizocosa ocreata and S. rovneri, ethospecies reproductively isolated on the basis of differences in behavioral mechanisms during courtship. We explored whether male S. ocreata and S. rovneri reciprocally discriminate species-specific chemical or mechanical cues associated with female silk by using male behavioral response as an assay. Males were exposed to stimulus treatment categories including silk, washed silk, silk extract, and appropriate controls within conspecific or heterospecific female stimulus categories. Male S. ocreata and S. rovneri did not discriminate between conspecific or heterospecific female stimuli, and courtship intensity was greatest on untreated silk. There were no differences in latency to begin courtship or in rates of courtship behaviors attributed to species origin of silk. However, silk treatment (washed silk, extract) had a significant effect on display and exploratory behaviors (e.g., chemoexplore) in both species. Methanol extraction of female silk successfully removed or inactivated a component necessary to elicit active courtship, but extraction did not significantly reduce exploratory behavior, suggesting that a separate compound may be responsible for releasing this behavior. Together, these experiments support the characterization of S.~ocreata and S. rovneri as ethospecies reproductively isolated only by female discrimination of species-specific male courtship, and indicate that chemical, but not mechanical cues associated with silk are critical for eliciting male courtship in both species.
Evolution operator and energy spectrum of a quasiclassical particle interacting with bosons: Application to atom-surface scattering

We investigate the properties of the interaction of a particle with a boson field describing the response of a solid in the limit in which the interaction matrix elements may be considered as quasiclassical and the particle-boson coupling linear but not necessarily weak. We start by expressing the evolution operator of the system in a convenient form of an exponentiated nested commutator expansion in powers of the interaction potential. From this we are able to estimate under which conditions on the particle motion the contributions of the higher order expansion terms become small, irrespective of the coupling strength. Neglecting such small terms in the exponent of the evolution operator, we can calculate the energy excitation spectrum characteristic of the coupled system or of any of its constituents (particle or boson field). These spectra have the appearance of an exponentiated Born approximation (EBA) which contains and interpolates smoothly between the more frequently used distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA) and the trajectory approximation (TA), thereby covering a wide range of the parameter space for the description of the particle-boson interaction dynamics. The shape of the spectra and their characteristics (the weight of the elastic line or the Debye-Waller factor (DWF), the mean number of excited bosons, and the mean energy transfer in the course of the interaction) are discussed and shown to be very sensitive to the (non)adiabaticity of the switching of the interaction and the magnitude of the particle mass M. In the case of nonadiabatic switching on (as e.g. in photoemission) and linear bosonic density of states, we retrieve in the limit M→∞ the familiar infrared threshold divergences in the spectrum of the system. In the opposite case of adiabatic switching rates typical of scattering, the spectra exhibit a well-defined elastic line and a finite DWF. The case of surface scattering is discussed in more detail for the example of neutral atom scattering from dispersionless surface phonons in atomic adlayers.
A large cohort study of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and prostate cancer incidence

Background Use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has consistently been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Recent epidemiologic studies have suggested that the use of NSAIDs, particularly aspirin, may also be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, but the evidence remains limited. Methods We examined the association between NSAID use and prostate cancer incidence among 70 144 men in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Information on NSAID use was obtained from a questionnaire completed at study enrollment in 1992-1993 and was updated using follow-up questionnaires in 1997 and 1999. We calculated rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prostate cancer incidence associated with NSAID use, adjusting for age and potential prostate cancer risk factors. Results During follow-up from 1992-1993 through August 31, 2001, 4853 cases of incident prostate cancer were identified. Neither current aspirin use nor current use of NSAIDs (aspirin and other NSAIDs combined) was associated with prostate cancer risk, even at the highest usage level (60 or more pills per month). However, long-duration regular use (30 or more pills per month for 5 or more years) of NSAIDs was associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (RR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.71 to 0.94). Long-duration regular use of aspirin was also associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.99). The absolute rate of prostate cancer (standardized to the age distribution of study participants using 5-year age categories) was 1013 per 100,000 person-years among men who had never reported NSAID use, and 847 per 100,000 person-years among long duration regular NSAID users. Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that long duration regular NSAID use is associated with modestly reduced risk of prostate cancer.
Effects of feed station design on the behaviour of group-housed sows using an electronic individual feeding system

A series of 72-h video studies investigated the behaviour of sows using a computer-controlled electronic identification and feeding system in relation to feed station design. A Pig Code double-entry feed station was modified to provide an optional forward exit on one side, while sows on the other side continued to reverse out. Two groups of 19 sows used each side in turn and their behaviour was recorded after a period of adaptation. Sows given the opportunity used the forward exit on nearly all occasions, unless it was blocked by another animal. A forward exit resulted in more station visits daily (7.2 vs. 4.6, P < 0.001), but non-feeding visits were of shorter duration so that total occupation time was similar (24.4 vs. 26.5 min per sow). Sows learnt to circumvent the computer-controlled mechanism locking the rear gates and showed aggression towards animals in the station. This behaviour had not been observed in the previous 28 months of study. A subsequent study of 39 sows using a single station, where the rear gate and forward exit were both operated mechanically by the sow, showed a mean daily occupation time of 29.7 min per sow in 3.9 visits. A forward-exit station with positive closing of the rear gate is desirable, but some problems with station design remain to be solved.
On the UNFOLD method.

A graphical formalism is presented, showing that “UNaliasing by Fourier-encoding the Overlaps Using the temporaL Dimension” (UNFOLD) is equivalent to sampling k-t-space in a sheared grid pattern. Discrete regular sampling in k-t-space leads to periodic replication of the support region in x-f-space. Thus, the maximum acceleration achievable by UNFOLD is equivalent to the maximum packing of support regions in x-f-space. When the support region is separable along the x and f axes, the reconstruction can be performed separately for each k. UNFOLD can be combined with SiMultaneous Acquisition of Spatial Harmonics (SMASH) to further accelerate acquisition. However, a straightforward combination of the methods has been shown to result in a size restriction, which limits the portion of the field of view (FOV) with a larger temporal bandwidth to only a quarter of the FOV. Two solutions are presented to overcome this restriction. Magn Reson Med 47:202–207, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Changes of general fitness and muscle properties following police cadet training.

[Purpose] This study was performed to examine the relationship between physical performance and muscle properties during police cadet training. The study’s hypothesis was that improved physical performance brought about by training, would in turn cause a reduction in muscle flexibility. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty-nine police cadets were included in this study. Standard fitness tests and quantitative assessments of muscular biomechanical properties were conducted before, during and after the 20-week cadet training. [Results] General fitness had improved at the end of the police cadet training. There was no significant decrease in muscle flexibility as measured by the Sit-and-Reach test. However, muscle compliance of the non-dominant leg measured by the relaxation coefficient had decreased at the end of the police cadet training. [Conclusion] The increased sit-and-reach distance could be due in part to strengthening of the abdominal muscles. On the other hand, the biomechanical test, which was specific to muscle extensibility, showed a reduction in the relaxation coefficient of the non-dominant leg. Our data suggests that changes in muscle compliance as a result of lower extremity training should be considered. This data may be useful in the design of a training protocol that prevents the potential injuries caused by reduced muscle flexibility.
Floods of Fortune

Abstract The insertion of emerging business frontiers into the global economy is one of the challenges facing the globalization process. The Brazilian Legal Amazon region is one of these emerging business frontiers. Accounting for 60% of the Brazilian territory, or 4.9 million square kilometers, the Amazon holds the key for the further development and growth of the Brazilian economy. Romantic approaches to the Amazon region, aimed at turning the region into a large botanical garden, do not provide the answer to the Amazon question. However, proposals that take into account both development and conservation measures would certainly provide a more fruitful contribution to the Amazon debate. This paper argues that the Amazon region can and should be explored taking into account the region's specificities, and that appropriate technology should be developed to address the region's multiple vocations. Resumen El surgimiento de nuevas fronteras de negocios en la economia global representa uno de los retos mas i...
Homogeneous plate based antibody internalization assay using pH sensor fluorescent dye

Receptor-mediated antibody internalization is a key mechanism underlying several anti-cancer antibody therapeutics. Delivering highly toxic drugs to cancer cells, as in the case of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), efficient removal of surface receptors from cancer cells and changing the pharmacokinetics profile of the antibody drugs are some of key ways that internalization impacts the therapeutic efficacy of the antibodies. Over the years, several techniques have been used to study antibody internalization including radiolabels, fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry and cellular toxicity assays. While these methods allow analysis of internalization, they have limitations including a multistep process and limited throughput and are generally endpoint assays. Here, we present a new homogeneous method that enables time and concentration dependent measurements of antibody internalization. The method uses a new hydrophilic and bright pH sensor dye (pHAb dye), which is not fluorescent at neutral pH but becomes highly fluorescent at acidic pH. For receptor mediated antibody internalization studies, antibodies against receptors are conjugated with the pHAb dye and incubated with the cells expressing the receptors. Upon binding to the receptor, the dyes conjugated to the antibody are not fluorescent because of the neutral pH of the media, but upon internalization and trafficking into endosomal and lysosomal vesicles the pH drops and dyes become fluorescent. The enabling attributes of the pHAb dyes are the hydrophilic nature to minimize antibody aggregation and bright fluorescence at acidic pH which allows development of simple plate based assays using a fluorescent reader. Using two different therapeutic antibodies--Trastuzumab (anti-HER2) and Cetuximab (anti-EGFR)--we show labeling with pHAb dye using amine and thiol chemistries and impact of chemistry and dye to antibody ration on internalization. We finally present two new approaches using the pHAb dye, which will be beneficial for screening a large number of antibody samples during early monoclonal development phase.
Some Lines Bring Us Together: Sport as Crisis Renewal in Bosnia‐Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina continues to be a contentious country with an ethnically based power-sharing political structure. The advancement of the Bosnian Men's National Soccer Team to the 2014 World Cup Qualifier reshaped the rhetoric of an ethnically divided Bosnia, for at least a short time, to a message advocating hope, healing, and unity. In this analysis, we examine the national and international media coverage of the team to identify messages that are indicative of crisis renewal discourse—aligned with the optimistic and prospective focus on rebuilding through a shared vision. We suggest that renewal discourse, when filtered through the unifying discourse of sport, offers an appropriate and effective rhetorical strategy for advancing a cohesive national identity.
Rationalizing Declining Grocery Shopping Frequency

Households have decreased their grocery shopping frequency from once every 4.7 days in 1998 to once every 6.3 days in 2009. To understand this change, an optimal control model is developed of a utility maximizing household that chooses when to shop, how much to purchase, and their piece wise continuous consumption paths. The model is calibrated to U.S. data to identify the decay rate of households’ food baskets required to rationalize the change in shopping frequency. The implied decay rates are highly correlated with per capita consumption of fresh fruits of vegetables. It is concluded that 72% of the change in shopping frequency is attributed to changes in food choice, with the remaining 28% attributed to increased fixed costs of making a shopping trip. The public health consequences of declining food decay rates are considered, and it is recommended that changes in shopping frequency be used as an indicator of changes in diet.
Assessing Departure Efficiency at U.S. Airports: a Comparison of Methods

This paper presents two flight time-based approaches for assessing departure efficiency at an airport. The first approach, the Departure Flow Efficiency (DFE) metric, evaluates observed departure transit time against unimpeded departure transit time for flights. The DFE scores, simple to compute, can be used for trend analysis and for next-day performance reporting of airport operations. The second approach, a regression-based Departure Transit Time Model (DTTM), models expected departure transit time for flights given operational conditions and flight characteristics. The DTTM approach can control for the impact of known factors influencing departure transit times and enable identification of anomalous operations, making it suitable for a predictive analysis of expected departure efficiency. Based on an analysis for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) flight departures, the DFE and the DTTM approaches showed comparable results in identifying low departure efficiency days over a period of time.
Three new species of Heteromenopon (Mallophaga: Menoponidae) from Brazilian and Australian Parrots

Descriptions are given for 2 new species of the subgenus Heteromenopon from Brazilian parrots and 1 new species of the subgenus Keamenopon from an Australian parrot. These species and their type-hosts are: H. (H.) passerini from Forpus passerinus, H. (H.) anodorhynchi from Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, and H. (K.) kalamundae from Purpureicephalus spurius.
Norwood Operation/Damus-Stansel-Kaye

Fetal echocardiography and perinatal management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has resulted in immediate prostaglandin administration, appropriate medical therapy, avoidance of cardiogenic shock, and safe transfer to institutions that are equipped with comprehensive management teams. The first-stage Norwood operation has undergone many changes since its introduction that have resulted in improved cardiopulmonary bypass strategies (regional perfusion techniques), standardized postoperative care methods, and anatomic modifications that have included a shunt from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery (Sano shunt), downsizing of systemic-to–pulmonary artery shunts, and improved methods of neoaortic reconstruction to prevent stenosis. Most centers use regional perfusion techniques, the Sano shunt for systemic-to–pulmonary artery perfusion, delayed sternal closure, and home surveillance to minimize the incidence of interstage mortality.
Epidemiological characteristics of hand,foot,amd mouth disease,Liping County,2009- 2012

Objective To understand epidemic intensity and trend of hand,foot,and mouth disease( HFMD) in Liping County so as to provide the basis for developing control strategies. Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze outbreaks of HFMD in Liping County from 2009 to2012. Results A total of 504 cases of HFMD were reported and the average annual incidence rate was23. 91 /100 000. Of all reported cases,7 were severe cases( rate of severe cases,1. 39%) and 3 deaths( mortality rate,0. 14 /100 000); 368 were male and 136 were female,with a sex ratio of 2. 7∶ 1; 426( 84. 52%) cases aged at 1- 3 years; 460( 91. 27%) were scattered children. Clear seasonality of HFMD occurrence was observed. Epidemic peaks were in April-June( 180 cases,35. 71%) and November-December( 137,27. 18%). Conclusion Incidence of HFMD was relatively low in Liping County during2009- 2012 and mainly occurred in scattered children aged 1- 3 years. HFMD prevention and control should be strengthened for the scattered children.
Effect of distal splenocaval shunt on splanchnic hemodynamics in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension

Measurements of portal pressure and angiography were done to evaluate the hemodynamic changes after a distal splenocaval shunt (DSCS) in 25 patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. It was demonstrated that the portal pressure and portal perfusion were maintained in these patients in the early postshunting stage compared with the preshunting stage. Moreover, the diameter of the hepatic arteries increased following shunt, suggesting an increment in hepatic arterial flow. These hemodynamic effects probably contribute to the highly satisfactory outcomes in appropriately selected patients. The findings indicate that DSCS is effective and safe in the treatment of portal hypertension.
Early-Onset Neutropenia in Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants.

BACKGROUND: Early neutropenia is more common in small for gestational age (SGA) neonates (birth weight METHODS: Using 10 years of multihospital records, we studied SGA neonates who, during the first week after birth, had neutrophil counts RESULTS: This degree of neutropenia was more common in SGA neonates (6%, 207/3650) than in non-SGA matched controls (1%, 46/3650; P CONCLUSIONS: Neutropenia of SGA is a condition of 1-week duration. It is more closely associated with SGA than maternal hypertension (likely owing to neutrophil hypoproduction associated with intrauterine hypoxia), often accompanied by thrombocytopenia, not obviously improved by rG-CSF or IVIG, and associated with an increased risk for NEC.
Postirradiation Cognitive and CNS Disabilities

The neurological, neuropsychological, and educational outcome in 14 children who received a second course of cranial radiotherapy or total body irradiation for relapsing lymphoblastic leukemia is reported from the Neurosciences Unit and Department of Haematology, Institute of Child Health, University of London.
The aloha paradox: law, language, and culture in Hawai‘i

This paper examines the paradoxical relationship between law and the concept of aloha in contemporary Hawai‘i. In examples of public space, such as the airport, the courtroom, the roadway, the reta...
Understory response to gaps caused by the death of Ulmus americana in central New York.

HUENNEKE, L. F. (Ecology & Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853). Understory response to gaps caused by the death of Ulmus americana in central New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 110: 170-175. 1983.-Circular plots of 250 m2 area centered on standing dead stems of Ulmus americana were used to sample understory vegetation in canopy gaps created by the death of elms. A total of 37 plots were sampled in 28 sites representing a variety of wetland habitats. Shrub species typical of open habitats were abundant in gaps created by the death of 2 or more neighboring elms (multiple-tree gaps) but not in single-tree gaps. Multipletree gaps contained fewer seedlings and saplings of canopy tree species than did single-tree gaps. The patchiness of occurrence of the open-canopy shrubs and their relationship to multiple-tree gaps were not reflected in conventional large-scale (0.1 ha) vegetation samples of the same stands. The establishment of dense patches of shrubs may inhibit tree regeneration within the multiple-tree gaps.
A Dream and a Bus: Black Critical Patriotism in Elementary Social Studies Standards

Extant conceptions of patriotism in social studies curricula are centered upon blind allegiance to the state or a belief in ideals of a liberal democracy. Yet these conceptions fail to account for ...
Scaling beta-delayed neutron measurements to large detector areas

We explore the performance of a cargo screening system that consists of two large-sized composite scintillation detectors and a high-energy neutron interrogation source by modeling and simulation. The goal of the system is to measure β-delayed neutron emission from an illicit special nuclear material by use of active interrogation. This task is challenging because the β-delayed neutron yield is small in comparison with the yield of the prompt fission secondary products, β-delayed neutrons are emitted with relatively low energies, and high neutron and gamma backgrounds are typically present. Detectors used to measure delayed neutron emission must exhibit high intrinsic efficiency and cover a large solid angle, which also makes them sensitive to background neutron radiation. We present a case study where we attempt to detect the presence of 5 kg-scale quantities of 235U in a standard air-filled cargo container using 14 MeV neutrons as a probe. We find that by using a total measurement time of ∼11.6 s and a ...
Measurement of Vitamin D for Epidemiologic and Clinical Research: Shining Light on a Complex Decision

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized in the skin with exposure to sunlight or is ingested from dietary supplements or food. There has been a dramatic increase in research on vitamin D, linking it with health outcomes as varied as reproductive function, infection, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The study of vitamin D has generated much excitement, partly because there is an ideal intervention: Low levels may be common and can be remedied with widely available supplements. Determination of vitamin D status is complex and has advanced dramatically in the past 5 years. In this paper, we begin by describing important considerations for measurement of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the biomarker traditionally assessed in epidemiologic studies. While 25(OH)D remains the most commonly measured biomarker, emerging evidence suggests that other related analytes may contribute to the characterization of an individual's vitamin D status (e.g., vitamin D-binding protein, bioavailable and free 25(OH)D, the C-3 epimer of 25(OH)D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D). The measurement of these analytes is also complex, and there are important considerations for deciding whether their measurement is warranted in new research studies. Herein we discuss these issues and provide the reader with an up-to-date synthesis of research on vitamin D measurement options and considerations.
Smoke and Mirrors: An Analysis of Some Important Conceptions Used to Justify Hunting

The purported justifications for recreational hunting, and specifically deer hunting (such as carrying capacity, spread of disease, and road accidents), are analyzed, and are found to be morally incoherent and/or scientifically invalid.
Graph-Theoretical Analysis of Brain Networks

Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have opened new approaches toward acquiring data on brain connectivity, resulting in the construction of both structural and functional brain networks. Such networks can be explored with a broad range of analysis tools that build on mathematical and statistical methods of graph theory. This article is an introductory overview of applications of graph theory to brain networks and briefly discusses their interpretation in a neurobiological context.
Special Topic Data Base Development

Two basic approaches to the development of special topic document corpora are considered. Both techniques result in a partitioning of a general heterogeneous parent corpus into distinct subsets of related documents. The first method is based on the partitioning of a document corpus with respect to the topical content explicitly defined by the documents contained in the corpus. The technique relies on a logicosyntactic analysis of the document text in order to extract topic-denoting phrases, and a weighting function based on the complexity of the logical relational environment of the extracted phrases. The second method is based on a profile-directed partitioning of the document corpus induced by an externally defined thesaurus of phrases. The topic coverage of the profile depends only on the specific requirements of the user community for whom it was defined. Any one of a number of weighting functions can be applied to the phrases and usually depends on the corpus itself. This technique is useful where text analysis is either impractical or not possible.
The Ruler and Compass

Through his oracle at Delos, Apollo informed the Delians that if they wanted to be rid of the plague they must construct a new cubical altar that exactly doubled the volume of the existing one. The Delian Problem then was to construct a cube having a side \( \sqrt[3]{2} \) times as long as a side of the original cube. This problem also has the somewhat misleading name The Duplication of the Cube. According to another legend, Eratosthenes reported that the problem was sent to the geometers at Plato’s Academy in Athens. Plato is reported to have said that the god had assigned the task to shame the Greeks for their neglect of mathematics and their contempt for geometry. It was not that the Greeks could not construct segments of the required length by various methods but that they could not do so using only the ruler and compass. That was their task. There is little doubt that the Greeks soon suspected the problem had no solution. However, they lacked the algebra to prove this fact. Our task is to prove the ancient Greeks necessarily failed because they were asking for the impossible. To do this, we must formulate our problems in the language of algebra.
Human Evolutionary Genetics

Human evolutionary genetics can be defined as the inference of human history and evolution through the study of genetic variation. Events and processes in the past have shaped current patterns of genetic variation. To the extent that one can model the impact of such events and processes on genetic variation, one can infer the past from these patterns. The field can be divided into two linked subfields: the inference of human phenotypic (morphological, physiological, and behavioral) evolution, and the inference of human population history (including migrations and population size changes) from patterns of genetic variation. Human evolutionary geneticists ask questions regarding the mutations that distinguish humans from other primate species, the mutations associated with human disease, the timing and location of the origin of the human species, the major population movements during human history, the correspondence between genetic and linguistic patterns of variation, and the impact of cultural practices on human genetic variation. The field developed in terms of theoretical, biological, and data analysis tools, as well as data collection, over the course of the twentieth century. While most research in human evolutionary genetics to date has focused on variation among extant individuals, recent research also includes a number of studies of ancient genetic material.
Implications and Policy Suggestions

As mentioned above, the associations with poverty of a number of the variables employed at both the individual and contextual levels call for further investigation. At the individual level , some of the most salient predictors were immigration status (for Mexican Americans), unemployment status, number of children present, number of years spent in the USA (For Mexican immigrants), employment in a Mexican immigrant job, and undocumented status (for Mexican immigrants). The descriptive statistics revealed that both the Mexican American and Mexican immigrant populations are significantly disadvantaged relative to other ethnic groups. In some cases they displayed poverty rates nearly four times higher than those of the comparison populations. The importance of this finding lies in the fact that protections were in place to ensure that family structure would not interfere in the prediction of poverty. As such, other factors are much more significant in the prediction of poverty for Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants. The predictors related to immigration played a significant role in the prediction of poverty and serve to underscore its importance in the determination of any poverty outcome. In addition, employment in a Mexican immigrant job was a significant predictor of poverty status for both populations and serves to highlight the importance of type of occupation rather than actual employment status per se for these groups. As a result, we clearly see the effects of wage inequality on the Mexican American and Mexican immigrant populations.
Stress and Arousal/Sleep

Aversive or stressful experience alters the state of arousal and sleep–wake cycles. Conversely, the disruption of sleep–wake cycles can activate stress responses. Although the mechanisms involved in the effects of aversive experience on arousal and sleep–wake cycles are not clearly understood, evidence points toward a role for stress-related neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and hormones acting on arousal systems within the central nervous system. This article reviews the mechanisms involved in the stress-related modulation of arousal and sleep–wake cycles.
Nonmarket Valuation in Action

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Likewise, if a nonmarket valuation study is done and it is not used to affect or inform policy or management, does it serve a purpose? Previous chapters in this book have gone into detail about how to implement specific nonmarket valuation techniques. After reading all those chapters, one might reasonably ask: Who cares? Do these methods make a difference in the real world of policy and management decisions related to resource allocation? answer is ... well, sometimes.
Neoadjuvant atezolizumab + chemotherapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

8532Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an accepted treatment approach for resectable NSCLC. Major pathologic response (mPR) defined as ≥ 90% tumor necrosis is seen in 20% of patients (pts) rec...
Training-Aided Joint Frame and Frequency Synchronization for THP FTN Coherent Optical Systems

A joint frame and frequency synchronisation algorithm is proposed for Tomlinson-Harashima precoding-based faster-than-Nyquist (FTN) coherent optical systems. The algorithm is developed by using training sequences based on Golay complementary sequences. Simulation results of a 32-Gbaud FTN system show that the algorithm provides accurate estimates over an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) range from 10 to 25 dB. When considering the first-order polarisation mode dispersion and using these same training sequences for the equaliser, the algorithm works properly and gives performance similar to when the frequency offset is perfectly known. The required OSNR at a bit error rate of 2×10−2 is about 13 dB and 18.8 dB for 4-QAM and 16-QAM systems, respectively.
Measurement of toroidal variation in conducted heat loads in locked mode induced disruptions on DIII-D

Locked mode disruptions with a controlled toroidal phase are produced in the DIII-D tokamak by locking to large non-axisymmetric applied magnetic perturbations with different toroidal phases. The disruption conducted heat loads are found to reach almost completely the divertor region, possibly due to not only strong inner leg detachment but also plasma motion and limiting on the outer divertor leg shelf. The outer leg conducted heat loads are found to have a significant toroidal variation of order ±30%, with a dominant n = 1 structure. The heat load phase is shifted from the initial locked mode phase in a way that is approximately consistent with heat loss into the scrape-off layer being enhanced at the mode island O-point outer midplane crossing. These measurements suggest that pre-existing locked modes can affect the conducted heat load structure during the thermal quench by affecting the thermal quench MHD phase. This is consistent with previous MHD simulations which indicated that pre-disruption locke...
Off-Pump Versus On-Pump: Long-Term Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass in a Veteran Population.

Objectives The authors sought to investigate long-term outcomes after revascularization with and without use of cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothesized that off-pump would be comparable with on-pump. The primary outcome of interest was survival, and secondary outcomes were need for reintervention for revascularization or new diagnosis of myocardial infarction occurring any time after surgery during the 8- to 12-year follow-up period. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Participants All patients undergoing primary isolated coronary bypass between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008 (n = 555). Interventions Coronary artery bypass on-pump (n = 238) or off-pump (n = 317). Measurements and Main Results Demographic and clinical variables were documented, including information on mortality, new myocardial infarction, and need for reintervention in the 8- to 12-year period after surgery. The on-pump and off-pump groups were similar regarding all demographic and clinical variables (p > 0.05), except for higher incidence of prior percutaneous coronary intervention in the off-pump group. There were more perioperative complications in the on-pump group (p = 0.007) and a greater number of grafts used (p = 0.000). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated no significant difference (p > 0.05) in overall survival, reintervention-free survival, or postoperative myocardial infarction–free survival between patients who underwent bypass grafting on-pump or off-pump over extended follow-up averaging 10years. Conclusions The present study's data did not show differences in key long-term outcomes between patients who underwent revascularization with or without cardiopulmonary bypass, supporting the idea that both methods achieve similar late results regarding overall survival, need for reintervention, and postoperative myocardial infarction.
"Can you take me higher?": normative thresholds for air quality in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.

Urban-proximate protected areas provide metropolitan residents with a variety of benefits. We explored the pursuit of clean air by winter outdoor recreationists who live in the Salt Lake City metro...
Cytogenetic and Morphologic Abnormalities in Human Bone Marrow Cells during Cytosine Arabinoside Therapy

The cytogenetic and morphologic abnormalities arising in the bone marrow following therapy with 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine hydrochloride (cytosine arabinoside) were studied with 10 patients with various neoplasms. A 5-day course of daily, rapid administration of the drug was employed at a dose of 150-200 mg./m2 body surface area. Within 24 hours there was a high incidence of chromosomal aberrations in both granulocytic and erythroid marrow cells. These aberrations consisted of chromatid breaks, erosions, despiralization, precocious separation of the chromatids at the centromeric region, and extensive fragmentation. Prominent morphologic abnormalities were seen in nondividing cells of the erythroid series, but were absent from the granulocytic precursors. Following cessation of cytosine arabinoside therapy, the morphologic and cytogenetic abnormalities rapidly returned to normal. These features were discussed in relation to the known pharmacology of cytosine arabinoside.
Hamlet’s Story/Stories of Hamlet: Shakespeare’s Theater, the Plague, and Contagious Storytelling

Bernard considers the ways in which the bubonic plague imagery in Hamlet provides a direct reflection of its protagonist’s drive for publicity, one that conflates the character’s literary, cultural, and critical iconicity with the play’s own status as a primary agent of Shakespearean storytelling. The parallels between contagion and the spread of information in the play, he argues, mimic those inherent to the business of theatre itself, suggesting that in striving to ensure its subsistence, theater must constantly infect new “carriers.” With a brief look to the play’s afterlife within today’s increasingly digital literary landscape, the chapter claims that Shakespeare’s play essentially went viral before “going viral” rose to cultural prominence.
Tribological aspects of ceramic composites in conforming contacts

ABSTRACT When sliding against themselves in continuously conforming contacts, SiC whisker reinforced AUCU and a modified Si3N4/SiC whisker composite exhibit stable, high friction characteristics in both air and high vacuum. Friction coefficients remain between 0.5 − 0.8 in either environment with wear rates about 10−4 mm3/Nm in vacuum and an order of magnitude lower in air. In contrast, SiC/TiB2 and Si3N4/SiC whisker composites can develop variable, or low, sliding friction in vacuum, similar to polymer composites. The structure and properties of interfacial wear debris controls the friction and wear behaviour of both the ceramic and polymer tribosystems, but the frictionally stable ceramic composites should be more suitable for long term use in vacuum brake applications.
Financial versus operating liability leverage and audit fees

We argue that different types of leverage have different implications for audit risk and audit fees, and hence need to be separately examined. Using data from the years 2004 to 2016, we find that operating liability leverage is positively associated with audit fees and that financing leverage is negatively related to audit fees. The results suggest that the benefits from monitoring effects of financial leverage outweigh the costs associated with the risk of financial distress and financial misreporting. We also find that estimated operating liability leverage has a bigger effect on audit fees than contractual operating liability leverage, consistent with suggestions that auditors are more conservative in the presence of higher estimation risk. Thus, our findings highlight the importance of recognizing sources of leverage in audit risk in general and audit fee models in particular.
Review: Tastemaker: Elizabeth Gordon, House Beautiful, and the Postwar American Home, by Monica Penick

Monica Penick Tastemaker: Elizabeth Gordon, House Beautiful , and the Postwar American Home New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2017, 260 pp., 132 color and 55 b/w illus. $65 (cloth), ISBN 9780300221763 In recent years scholars have been actively constructing a new narrative of postwar architecture in the United States, reframing the remarkably resilient architect-centered tale of transplanted European modernism and replacing it with a more complex account that addresses a much broader cast of characters, contexts, and methods of influence and design. Monica Penick's Tastemaker is an important contribution to this rereading and rewriting of American architectural and cultural history, broadening both the discussion and the dramatis personae.1 As the subtitle suggests, the book is, at heart, a biography, but it is a departure from those biographical works that lionize well-known designers. Quoting George Nelson, Penick notes that “most of what happens to architecture is out of the hands of architects” (vii). She offers what she describes as a “critical professional biography” of Elizabeth Gordon, the influential editor of House Beautiful from 1941 to 1964 (viii). Chronologically organized around her tenure at the magazine, this monograph highlights Gordon's work with collaborators in graphic and interior design, photography, architecture, manufacturing, advertising, journalism, and even philosophy and contemporary cultural theory. Together with James Marston Fitch, Frances Heard, John deKoven Hill, Cliff May, Eiko Yuasa, Barbro Nilsson, Maynard Parker, Ezra Stoller, and others, Gordon sought to shape the postwar American way of life by advising and educating the public about home design. Citing Russell Lynes's 1954 concept of “tastemaker” as a framework, Penick offers a highly detailed, intensively researched, and boldly presented narrative of Gordon's influential activities as a design propagandist. Through an exploration of Gordon's editorial activities, this book puts issues of taste formation, …