cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A formal approach to productivity planning in companies

Abstract Recent surveys of some major companies in the U.S. indicate the need for a “productivity theory” that is uniform, consistent, and application-oriented. Formal approaches to measuring, evaluating, planning, and improving productivity should be the outcome of such a theory. While some theoretical base is being established in the measurement, evaluation, and improvement aspects of productivity at the firm level, very little, if any, conceptual or analytical work has been done in the area of productivity planning, to develop methodologies that can help “productivity managers” This is an initial attempt to present a simple but practical way of planning the productivity levels in an organization, by combining the time-series analysis of forecasting with a “Productivity Evaluation Tree” concept. The evolving nature of this subject might raise more questions than answers, but that is where the challenge lies in stimulating further research in this rather exciting field.
Early post-hurricane stand development in Fringe mangrove forests of contrasting productivity

We examined the immediate effects of a hurricane (Hurricane Andrew, August 1992) in a coastal landscape in sub-tropical Florida, and then monitored stand recovery in Fringe mangrove sites of different productive capacity for 9 years after the disturbance. Structural impacts of the hurricane were confined almost entirely to forests within 200–300 m of the coast. Mortality and damage were concentrated on canopy individuals. Following the hurricane, rapid canopy recovery and the early onset of competition among Fringe forest stems, as evidenced by relatively high mortality of smaller individuals, magnified the initial dominance of hurricane survivors and early-established seedlings over later cohorts, and limited recruitment to the brief period prior to canopy closure. Changes in the relative abundance of the two dominant mangrove species following disturbance varied strongly along the productivity gradient. The shade-tolerant Rhizophora mangle L. generally became the overwhelming canopy dominant in the competitive environment of the recovering Coastal Fringe forest following hurricane, but the shade-intolerant Laguncularia racemosa (L.) C.F. Gaertn was better represented in less productive Interior Fringe sites, where canopy closure was delayed. Site productivity is an important determinant of the success of mangrove species during post-hurricane stand development, and consequently of the zonation of communities in the coastal landscape.
Being Hindu or being human: A reappraisal of the puruṣārthas

In contemporary studies of Hinduism, the four "aims of humanity," or purus?rthas, namely, virtue, wealth, pleasure, and liberation, are regularly said to be among the foundational and unifying concepts of Hinduism and Hindu identity. For example, in his influential introduction to Hinduism, Gavin Flood describes the original three-fold conception of the purus?rthas: "Traditionally, the high-caste Hindu householder has had three goals of life (purus?rtha)" (1996: 34, see also 2000: 11). Similarly, Klaus Klostermaier, following V. Raghavan and R. N. Dandekar in the classic Sources of Indian Civilization (1988), states that the later four-fold typology of purus?rthas "deeply influenced the personal and social history of Hindus and Hinduism....Its structure...reflects what Hindus understand to be the essence of Hinduism" (1994: 337).1 Some scholars take the matter even further. Madeleine Biardeau has argued that the purus?rthas, beyond being mere philosophical categories, are embedded in the social structure and culture of Hindu society such that "there is a single hierarchy of four terms which everyone knows by heart and must respect" (1989: 41). By far the most far-reaching assertion regarding the place of purus?rthas in Hinduism, however, comes from Arvind Sharma. At the end of his concise, but thorough, monograph on the purus?rthas, Sharma writes: "This
Smoking cessation program preferences associated with stage of quitting.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to report results from three exploratory studies which examined smoker preferences for cessation program attributes associated with stage of quitting. Study 1 was a telephone survey of 205 randomly selected smokers, in “precontemplative,” “contemplative,” and “ready-for-action” stages of quitting, who were queried about their preference for a wide variety of cessation program attributes. Study 2 entailed a computer-assisted telephone interview of 218 smokers in the same three stages of quitting. Interview data were used for multiattribute utility analysis of (a) preference for specific program attributes, selected partially on the basis of Study 1 results; and (b) preference for six different types of cessation programs, evaluated through computer simulations. Study 3 replicated Study 2 procedures using a smaller mall intercept sample which allowed in-person interviews and the use of display materials. Results suggested that there are limited but potentially significant differences among smokers in the three stages concerning program attribute preferences (e.g., use of self-help vs. facilitator-led programs, inclusion of relaxation techniques, quitting cold turkey, strategies for gaining social support). Nonetheless, there were no statistically significant differences among the three subgroups in level of preference for the six types of programs evaluated. Implications of these preliminary results are discussed.
Prostate cancer laterality as a rationale of focal ablative therapy for the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND. Early detection of small-volume prostate cancer (PCa) has led to the concept of focal therapy to treat PCa as an organ-sparing, minimally invasive procedure. The authors sought to determine the frequency of unilateral cancers in the contemporary prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era to determine the percentage of patients who would be candidates for hemiablation of the prostate by using focal therapy while preserving the contralateral lobe. METHODS. Paraffin-embedded radical prostatectomy specimens (1184 specimens) from consecutive patients between 2002 and 2006 with pathologic organ confined PCa were analyzed. Pathologic assessment focused on tumor laterality and percentage of tumor involvement (PTI) along with other routine parameters such as pathological T-classification (pT), pathological Gleason Score (pGS), extracapsular extension (ECE), and surgical margins (SM). Clinical and pathologic parameters were analyzed by univariate and multivariate methods. RESULTS. Completely unilateral cancers were identified in 227 (19.2%) of 1184 patients. Of these patients, 164 (72.2%) had PTI of ≤5%, 40 (17.6%) had a PTI of 5.01%–10%, 9 (4.0%) had a PTI of 10.01%–15%, and 14 (6.2%) had a PTI of > 15%, respectively (P < .0005). African-American men had bilateral cancers more commonly that non-African-American men, eg, 90.8% versus 79.2%, respectively (P < .0005). Race, PTI, pGS, and SM were independent predictors by multivariate logistic regression (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS. This study suggests that 1 in 5 men diagnosed with PCa have small volume, completely unilateral cancers that may be amenable to hemiablation of the prostate. Further study is needed to develop predictive models to select candidates for focal therapy. Cancer 2007; 110:906–10. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Heparin Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Heparin was discovered approximately 75 years ago and has been used extensively for the last 50 years to treat thromboembolic disorders. An endogenous glycosaminoglycan, heparin is found largely in the liver, lung and intestine. It is available for exogenous administration both as unfractionated and low molecular weight heparin. Unfractionated heparin is a heterogenous mixture of polysaccharide chains of varying length resulting in a range of molecular weights from 3000 to 30,000D while low molecular weight heparin ranges from 3000 to 6000D. Heparin produces its antithrombotic effect by binding to antithrombin III and this complex then binds to thrombin. In order to accomplish this a total of 18 to 22 monosaccharide units is necessary including a specific pentasaccharide binding site for antithrombin III. After either subcutaneous or intravenous injection heparin is distributed primarily within the intravascular space. A short distribution phase is seen which is thought to correspond to endothelial cell binding and internalisation. The disposition curve for unfractionated heparin has a unique concave-convex shape which is the result of combined saturable and nonsaturable elimination mechanisms. The nonsaturable elimination mechanism is renal and is the primary route of elimination for low molecular weight heparins. For this reason, the concave-convex pattern is not seen with low molecular weight preparations. Both forms of heparin are useful antithrombotic agents; however, the correlation between the antithrombotic effect and an in vitro laboratory test for either type still needs further clarification.
Semantic priming in the pronunciation task: the role of prospective prime-generated expectancies.

In the relatedness proportion effect, semantic priming increases with an increase in the proba­ bility that a word prime will be followed by a semantically related word target. This effect has frequently been obtained in the lexical decision task but not in a pronunciation task. In the present experiment, relatedness proportion was manipulated in two pronunciation tasks, one with and one without nonword targets, using category names as primes. In both tasks, a relatedness propor­ tion effect occurred for high-dominance category exemplars but not for low-dominance category exemplars. These results converge with recent lexical decision results in suggesting that seman­ tic priming in pronunciation is affected by a prospective prime-generated expectancy that is modu­ lated by the relatedness proportion. In the semantic priming effect, responses are faster and/or more accurate when a target word is preceded or accompanied by a semantically related prime rather than an unrelated prime (e.g., see Meyer & Schvaneveldt, 1971; Neely, 1976; see also Neely, in press, for a review). In the lexical decision task (LDT), in which subjects make word/nonword decisions about the target, semantic prim­ ing effects increase in size as the proportion of related word-prime/word-target trials (the relatedness proportion) increases (e.g., see de Groot, 1984; den Heyer, 1985; den Heyer, Briand, & Dannenbring, 1983; Neely, Keefe, & Ross, 1989; Seidenberg, Waters, Sanders, & Langer, 1984; Tweedy, Lapinski, & Schvaneveldt, 1977). In the present research, we test Neely and Keefe's (1989) and Neely et al. 's (1989) theoretical analysis of the two mechanisms responsible for this relatedness proportion effect (hereafter RPE) in the LDT.
Improved activation and hydrogen storage properties of a Mg85Ni15 melt-spun alloy via surface treatment with NH4+ solution

Abstract An amorphous Mg 85 Ni 15 melt-spun hydrogen storage alloy, processed by submersion in an aqueous solution of NH 4 + , is able to absorb nearly 5 mass% hydrogen at 473 K during the first hydrogenation cycle. The nanocrystalline microstructure formed during devitrification of the metallic glass is preserved by the lower required activation temperature of the NH 4 + -treated material compared to the as-spun material; and the kinetics of subsequent absorption/desorption cycles at 573 K are dramatically improved. The material activated at 473 K exhibits a decrease in hydride decomposition temperature by 30 K, observed via DSC and TPD experiments, compared to a sample activated at 573 K. The NH 4 + -treatment of a glassy alloy presented here provides a practical alternative to ball milling for forming a nanocrystalline material and facilitating activation, requiring much less time and a more commercially scalable option.
Why is the coral-reef fish Valenciennea strigata (Gobiidae) monogamous?

Parental-investment theory predicts that monogamy should be rare, and empirical evidence supports this prediction. Monogamy has generally been explained by either (1) a need for biparental care, or (2) a uniform distribution of limiting resources. By contrast, monogamy has evolved in several coral-reef fishes without biparental care, and many coral-reef fishes may not be limited by resources. Monogamy in these fishes might be explained by either (3) a low population density that favors mate fidelity, or (4) an abundance of resources that allows all males to breed and thus lowers the cost-benefit ratio for females that mate guard. We tested predictions of these hypotheses in the coral-reef fish, Valenciennea strigata, except that (1) biparental care had previously been rejected. We found no evidence of resource limitation (2a): food densities within territories did not differ from the density of food in unused habitat adjacent to territories; potential nest sites also existed in this unused habitat. Similarly, (2b) if resources limit the population, territory defense might require the coordinated efforts of a pair; however, widowed fish maintained their territories and (3) remated rapidly. Finally, (4) all males maintained a nest, both sexes enforced monogamy by mate guarding, and females benefited from guarding a high-quality (large) mate. Females mated to large males fed more than when they paired with small males. The results support the hypothesis that abundant and uniformly distributed resources can lead to monogamy by lowering the cost of guarding a mate when mate guarding provides benefits.
Growth of garnet laser crystals

Abstract Single crystals of garnets (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 and Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ) have been grown by the Czochralski technique. Crystals 10 mm by 4 cm long can be easily grown from iridium crucibles. Laser action has been observed in Gd 2.88 Nd 0.12 Ga 5 O 12 at 1.0632 μ. These lasers exhibit very low threshold and low beam divergence.
Alkali Element Chemistry in Cool Dwarf Atmospheres

The equilibrium thermochemistry of the alkali elements in cool dwarf atmospheres is investigated as part of a comprehensive set of chemical equilibrium calculations. The abundances of all important gases and the condensation temperatures of all initial condensates for Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs are calculated as a function of pressure and temperature. Also discussed is the chemistry of refractory elements such as Al, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg, Si, Ti, and V. The calculation of the alkali element and refractory element chemistry can help to constrain pressure and temperature conditions in dwarf atmospheres. A relative temperature scale is developed and compared to recent observations of the alkali elements in late-type dwarfs and brown dwarfs, such as the DENIS objects and Gliese 229B. The calculations show (1) Atomic Li gas abundances are expected to be lower than the bulk Li abundance because LiOH gas (at high total pressure) or LiCl gas (at low total pressure) form in very cool objects. Observations of only monatomic Li are therefore not a good test for the substellar nature of very cool objects. (2) The observations of atomic Cs in Gliese 229B can be understood by considering the distribution of Cs between atomic Cs and CsCl gases. (3) Liquid condensates, which may form solutions with complex compositions, form at higher pressures, and need to be considered in further atmospheric structure and opacity modeling.
Analysis of Ground Fault Curreni Distribuiion along Underground Cables

It is important to determine the segment-by-segment distribution of the fault current in a multigrounded power network for better power system operation and grounding structure design. In this paper, a new method for the analysis of ground fault current distribution along underground cables (and/or overhead lines) is presented. The method is sufficiently accurate and comprehensive to simultaneously consider all the significant variables. The equivalent circuit developed utilizes both lumped and distributed parameters. The method is based on the successive computation of driving point impedance matrices at each grounding structure location. Simulations have been done on a computer. Verification studies and various parametric studies have been performed.
Synthesis and crystal structure of Li0.52Mg0.96Sc0.52Si2O6 orthopyroxene

Li 0.52 Mg 0.96 Sc 0.52 Si 2 O 6 orthopyroxene was synthesized by the flux method and its structure studied with single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal is orthorhombic with space group Pbca and unit-cell parameters a = 18.259(5), b = 8.883(2), c = 5.271(1) A, and V = 854.9(3) A 3 . The structure refinement shows that the M1 and M2 sites are occupied by (0.48 Mg + 0.52 Sc) and (0.48 Mg + 0.52 Li), respectively. While the O3-O3-O3 kinking angle (165.40°) of the silicate tetrahedral A chain appears to be normal when compared with reported data, the kinking angle (151.92°) of the B chain is the largest of all orthopyroxenes examined at ambient conditions. This is the first orthopyroxene structure that contains more than 50% trivalent and monovalent cations in the M1 and M2 sites, respectively, and displays a kinking angle of the tetrahedral B chain that is greater than 150°. Our study demonstrates the stability of the new pyroxene structure type predicted by Pannhorst (1979) at room temperature.
Perceptions of Pesticide Associated Cancer Risks among Farmers: A Qualitative Assessment

American farmers experience disenfranchisement in occupational and health status that places them at excess risk for injury and disease. Cancer morbidity and mortality investigations have documented excess rates of specific cancers among agricultural workers, and occupational pesticide exposure is thought to be a contributing etiologic agent. We report on a qualitative investigation of dairy farmers' awareness of cancer and their perceptions of pesticide associated cancer risks. A focus group of twelve participants and eleven elicitation interviews were conducted with dairy farmers residing in six Wisconsin counties. Leading themes that emerged from the narratives were farm sustainability concerns, time and stress contributing to pesticide exposure risks, and personal explanations of cancer causes. Prevention program recommendations stemming from these findings call for farm community approaches that target the multiple influences affecting pesticide safety. Such approaches should both originate from and ...
Endless Hide-and-Seek: Dynamic Co-evolution in Plant-Bacterium Warfare

Plants possess innate immune systems to prevent most potential infections. The ancient and conserved innate immune responses are triggered by microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and play important roles in broad-spectrum defenses. However, successful bacterial pathogens evolved type III virulence effectors to suppress MAMP-mediated immunity. To survive, plants further developed highly specific resistance (R) genes to trigger gene-for-gene-mediated immunity and turn the virulent pathogens into avirulent ones. We summarize here the very recent advances in this dynamic coevolution of plant-bacterium interaction.
Laser texture: understanding the mechanisms of topography formation on NiP and silicate glasses

Interest in developing laser zone texture for computer hard-disk drives has motivated our interest in the fundamental understanding of topography formation on NiP and silicate glasses. Our understanding of topography or bump formation results from experimental laser texture studies that have illustrated fundamental differences between the NiP and silicate glass systems. The most striking difference is that bump formation on NiP is characterized by conservation of volume, whereas bump formation on the silicate glasses is accompanied by net volume gain.
Physical, Hydrologic, and Aqueous Chemical Characterization of the Ore Knob Tailings Pile (Ashe County, North Carolina, USA)

Oxidation of pyrrhotite and related sulfide minerals in the vadose zone of the Ore Knob Mine tailings pile generates dissolved Fe+2, SO 4 −2 , and acidity, which are rapidly transported through the pile by infiltrating surface water. Significant spatial variations in the physical and hydraulic characteristics of the tailings cause large variations in air-filled porosity and effective oxygen diffusion into the pile. Tailings in the upstream areas are more fine-grained, with less air-filled porosity and oxygen diffusivity. The original tailings in the downstream areas are more coarse-grained, with less water retention and greater oxygen diffusivity. However, weathering processes have increased the fine-grained fraction in the oxidized zone and hardpan layer, increasing water retention and lowering oxygen diffusivity. The thickness of the downstream oxidized zone combined with increased water retention due to weathering may have significantly reduced acid generation in these areas.
Alteplase Use for Prevention of Central Line Occlusion in a Preterm Infant

OBJECTIVE:To report the use of alteplase for catheter clearance in a neonate of 27 weeks' gestation at day 50 of life.SETTING:Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Naval Medical Center.CASE SUMMARY:At day 50 of life, a neonate boy of 27 weeks' gestation had a clotted peripherally inserted central catheter line. He required central access to complete a 28-day course of amphotericin B. An alteplase dose of 0.3 mg/0.3 mL was instilled into the catheter, for an indwelling time of 1 hour. The initial attempt was successful, and the patient was able to finish the course of amphotericin B.DISCUSSION:When a catheter becomes occluded, the cause must be determined initially; then an appropriate treatment option can be initiated. Hydrochloric acid and ethanol are some of the pharmacologic agents available, with their use dependent on the precipitating cause of the occlusion. Thrombolytic agents, such as streptokinase and urokinase, have also been used in catheter clearance. The potential risk of anaphylactic reactions with ...
Bit error rate analysis of digital communications signal demodulation using wavelet denoising

Communications receiver performance obtained in conjunction with de-noising of digitally modulated communications signals using wavelet signal processing is described in this paper. The study includes both simulation results and the analytical characterization of the bit error rate (BER) performance obtained for BPSK and QPSK modulation schemes. The digital communications system consists of an MPSK modulator, an additive White Gaussian noise channel, and a receiver that employs a wavelet de-noising operation followed by a matched filter detector. Overall system performance for each modulation type considered is described by means of BER curves over a range of E b /N 0 values. It has been found that the significant improvement in BER compared to systems wherein the matched filter detector is not preceded by a wavelet de-noising operation is due to the effective increase in pre-detection signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Statistical analysis of the de-noised modulated signals is presented. The corresponding analytical evaluation of BER for receivers using wavelet de-noising is derived.
The Planetary Rift and the New Human Exemptionalism A Political-Economic Critique of Ecological Modernization Theory

Environmental sociology must address two challenges, emanating both from without and within. The world is faced with a growing planetary rift, as planetary boundaries are being crossed. At the same time a new exemptionalism in the form of ecological modernization theory has arisen within environmental sociology, resurrecting many aspects of the human exemptionalist model characteristic of post–Second World War modernization theory that environmental sociology in its formative years opposed. The answer to these two challenges, it is argued, lies in the development of a political-economic and rational-historical critique of the capitalist environmental regime in the traditions of Marx and Weber. This demands, however, the outright rejection of the new exemptionalism.
Reduced Expression of Androgen Receptor and Myosin Heavy Chain mRNA in Cremaster Muscle of Boys with Nonsyndromic Cryptorchidism

Purpose: To better define the developmental mechanisms of nonsyndromic cryptorchidism, we measured the expression of hormone receptor and muscle type specific mRNAs in target tissues of boys with and those without nonsyndromic cryptorchidism.Materials and Methods: Prospectively collected cremaster muscle and/or hernia sac tissues from boys with congenital (79) or acquired (66) nonsyndromic cryptorchidism and hernia/hydrocele (controls, 84) were analyzed for hormone receptor (RXFP2, AR, ESR1, ESR2) and myosin heavy chain specific (MYH1, MYH2, MYH7) mRNA expression using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Log transformed mRNA, phenotype and feeding history data were statistically analyzed using Pearson's correlation, ANOVA and 2-sample t tests.Results: AR mRNA expression was higher in cremaster muscle than in sac tissue, and significantly lower in congenital and acquired nonsyndromic cryptorchidism cases vs controls (p <0.01). Type 1 (slow/cardiac) MYH7 mRNA expression was also signi...
Effect of evaporation and matrix interferences on the association of simulated ignitable liquid residues to the corresponding liquid standard

Identification of an ignitable liquid in fire debris evidence can be complicated due to evaporation of the liquid, matrix interferences, and thermal degradation of both the liquid and the matrix. In this research, liquids extracted from simulated fire debris were compared to the original liquid using multivariate statistical procedures. Neat and evaporated gasoline and kerosene standards were spiked onto nylon carpet, which was subsequently burned. The ignitable liquid residues were extracted using a passive headspace procedure and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal components analysis were used to compare the liquids extracted from the carpet to the corresponding neat liquid. For each procedure, association of the extracts according to liquid type was possible, albeit not necessarily to the specific evaporation level. Of the three procedures investigated, principal components analysis offered the most promise since contributions from matrix interferences were essentially eliminated. Language: en
Art and Residence Among the Shipibo Indians of Peru: A Study in Microacculturation

The geometric decorative art of the Shipibo Indians, Peruvian montana, is produced by women balanced between a cultural imperative for personal innovation and submission to the constraints of traditional style. The experimental commissioning of painted Shipibo textile samplers using a rule-based approach reveals that additional variables in the Deetz-Longacre hypothesis associating female stylistic uniformity with matrilineal descent and matrilocal residence, such as the number of elements and rules used and the higher position in a hierarchy of complexity such solutions occupy, contribute to aesthetic micro-acculturation. That is done in the Shipibo case in a way that belies the presupposition that the mother is always the most important mentor in a girl's art, while supporting this archaeological theory's prediction that a group of coresiding females produces relatively homogeneous art. [ethnoarchaeology, art-style analysis, Deetz-Longacre hypothesis, South American Indians, Peru, Shipibo]
Effectors and memories: Bcl-6 and Blimp-1 in T and B lymphocyte differentiation

Bcl-6 and Blimp-1 have recently been identified as key transcriptional regulators of effector and memory differentiation in CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. Bcl-6 and Blimp-1 were previously known to be critical regulators of effector and memory differentiation of B lymphocytes. The new findings unexpectedly point to the Bcl-6 and Blimp-1 regulatory axis as a ubiquitous mechanism for controlling effector and memory lymphocyte differentiation and function. Bcl-6 and Blimp-1 are antagonistic transcription factors and can function as a self-reinforcing genetic switch for cell-fate decisions. However, their influences in different lymphocytes are complex. Here we review and examine the commonalities and differences in the functions of these transcription factors in CD4+ follicular helper TFH lymphocytes, effector CD8+ T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes.
THE CONFLICTING LOYALTIES OF STATISM AND GLOBALISM: CAN GLOBAL DEMOCRACY RESOLVE THE LIBERAL CONUNDRUM?

Abstract: The cosmopolitan ideal of liberal universalism seems to be at odds with liberalism's insistence on national borders for liberal democratic communities, creating disparate standards of distributive justice for insiders and outsiders. The liberal's dilemma on the question of cosmopolitan justice would seem to be an extension of this broader conundrum of conflicting loyalties of statism and globalism. The challenge for liberalism, then, seems to be to show how the practices of exclusive membership embody the principle of moral equality. While discerning a variety of liberal reasons to give some scope to the claim that statism and globalism need not be an irreconcilable dilemma within liberalism, the essay argues that these reasons fail to provide a satisfactory resolution. Instead, the essay points out, global democracy can be the direction for both a statist and a cosmopolitan liberal, and the two camps a case not of conflicting loyalties but of multiple loyalties.
“Being” Native versus “Going Native”: Conducting Social Work Research as an Insider

The increasing cultural diversity among professional social workers has resulted in the need to examine critically some of the earlier notions about the epistemology, ontology, and methodology of social work research and practice. One outcome of these analyses about how and by whom research projects are carried out is the emergence of "native," "indigenous," or "insider" research in which scholars conduct studies with populations and communities and identity groups of which they are also members. This article reports the work of a native social work researcher who conducted an ethnographic study with her social identity group. The complex and inherent challenges of being both an insider with intimate knowledge of one's study population and an outsider as researcher are explored. Implications for social work research and practice with regard to native social work perspectives and methods also are discussed.
Optic nerve hydropic axonal degeneration and blocked retrograde axoplasmic transport: histopathologic features in human high-pressure secondary glaucoma.

Objective To describe histopathologic features of anterior optic nerves of 12 eyes enucleated for sustained high ocular pressure from iris-ciliary body melanomas in 10 and choroidal melanomas with chronic angle closure in 2. Methods In this retrospective study, we analyzed cases indexed in 2 eye pathology laboratories and reviewed the pertinent literature. Cases were identified from diagnostic indexes; microscopic study of slides stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff–van Gieson, Mallory trichrome, periodic acid-Schiff, alcian blue, or colloidal iron for acid mucopolysaccharide; review of available clinical documentation; and analysis of features and photography. The main outcome measures were description of optic nerve heads, prelaminar atrophy, laminar posterior bowing, locations and density of hydropic axonal degeneration, blocked retrograde axoplasmic transport, posterior atrophy, and optic nerve disorganization with glial proliferation. Results Hydropic axonal degeneration was present in front of, within, and posterior to the lamina cribrosa in all 12 eyes. This degeneration extended diffusely and posteriorly from the peripheral lamina and was most dense centrally in 10 eyes. Retrolaminar changes compatible with blockage of retrograde axoplasmic transport were seen in 9 eyes. Posterior atrophy with disorganization and glial proliferation was seen in 10 eyes. No eye had classic glaucomatous atrophic cupping. Conclusions Diffuse and centrally intense hydropic axonal degeneration and central blocked retrograde axoplasmic transport explain loss of central acuity, generalized contraction of visual field, and generalized optic atrophy without glaucomatous cupping in eyes with prolonged high-pressure secondary glaucoma.
PACAP Potentiates L-Type Calcium Channel Conductance in Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons by Activating the MAPK Pathway

The endogenous pacemaker activity of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN; the master clock in mammals) is regulated by photic information relayed from the retina to the SCN via the retinohypothalamic t...
What Goes Around Comes Back Around Again: The Re-Emergence of Debates Over Culture in Comparative Political Theory

Recent work in comparative political theory has increasingly engaged with the thorny question of what constitutes a culture, and what limits or allows members of one culture access to another culture. I argue in this paper that this concern represents the re-emergence of debates over the human sciences in the 1970s. Writers such as Peter Winch, Alasdair MacIntyre, E. E. Evans-Pritchard, and Charles Taylor took up the question of how scholars could claim interpretive authority over a culture to which they did not belong. Their debates over understanding and cultural difference can productively inform contemporary methodological concerns over the prospects of comparative political theory, especially in thinking through the relationship between language and ways of life articulated and debated by these earlier thinkers.
The Effect of Position, Storage Time and Shaking on The Quality of Shell Eggs

Abstract Federal Specification C-E-271 entitled Eggs, Shell requires that not more than 5% can be packed with the small end of the egg up. The inability of some egg packers to consistently comply with the tolerance prompted an investigation to determine the importance of the position of the egg on the quality after shaking to simulate transportation and long term storage. Two experiments were conducted. I n each experiment one-half of the eggs were stored with the small end down and one-half with the small-end up. For experiment 1 the eggs were stored quiescently; for experiment 2 fifteen cases were stored quiescently, fifteen cases were shaken for 2.5 hours, and fifteen cases were shaken for 7.5 hours prior to storage. Results show that without shaking, the storage time influences the deterioration of the quality of the eggs to a grater extent than the position of the eggs does. Results of experiment 2 indicate that shaking is, in general, the most important factor and storage time and position of the eggs assume a less important position in influencing changes in quality. Weight loss was significantly influenced by the position of the egg tray in the case. In general, the interior quality, as measured by the height of the albumen and the quality score, was better maintained and less deterioration was noted when the eggs were stored small-end up. Shaking of the eggs resulted in more deterioration than in eggs not shaken. Based upon the results of this study the requirement restricting the percentage of eggs that may be packed small end up will be deleted from the specification.
Selecting Bayesian Acceptance Plans for Quality Control by Pattern Search

Abstract This paper reports the results of an experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of pattern search as a solution algorithm for determining optimal Bayesian single sampling acceptance plans for quality control over a broad range of such problems. Since the effectiveness of pattern search is presumably dependent on the choice of the pattern search parameters, the following factors were systematically manipulated as independent variables: (1) starting vector, (2) pattern multiplier, (3) step size, and (4) sophistication of exploratory move (one versus two dimensional). The effectiveness measures (dependent variables) were: (1) % expected total cost obtained by pattern search above the optimal expected total cost, (2) central processing unit (CPU) time, and (3) number of search iterations. While the results showed that solution quality and computational efficiency were affected by some of the search parameters both in terms of main and interaction effects, pattern search as a solution routine in qua...
Relationship between plasma adiponectin and metabolic syndrome in patients with coronary artery disease

Objectives To measure plasma adiponectin(APN) level, to adopt different definitions of metabolic syndrome(MS) to diagnose patients with MS,to analyze the relationship between APN and MS in coronary artery disease, and to estimate the sensitivity of different MS definitions. Methods Sixty patients with coronary artery disease were included in this study. Adopting definitions of National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel Ⅲ(NCEP ATP Ⅲ) and International Diabetes Federation(IDF) to diagnose patients with MS. The relationship between APN and MS was analyzed by SPSS 11.0 software. Results There were 16 patients with MS(25%)if adopting NCEP ATP Ⅲ definition. And there was no significant difference between patients with MS whether or not in plasma APN,SBP,DBP,HDL-C,LDL-C,FPG and FINS[APN:(4.7±1.2)vs(5.1±1.1) mg/L; SBP: (139±19) vs (130±21) mm Hg; DBP: (79±11) vs (76±12) mm Hg; HDL-C: (0.83±0.17)vs (0.87±0.27) mmol/L; LDL-C: (3.2±1.3) vs (2.6±0.8) mmol/L; FPG: (5.5±0.6) vs (5.2±0.4) mmol/L; FINS: (2.5±0.4) vs (2.2±0.5), P0.05]. However, there was significant difference between patients with MS whether or not in BMI, waistline, TC, TG [BMI: (25.3±1.8) vs (23.8±1.9) kg/m2; waistline: (89±6) vs (85±6) cm; TC: (5.3±1.2)vs (4.6±0.8) mmol/L; TG: (2.1±1.0) vs (1.4±0.6) mmol/L, P0.05]. On the other hand, there were 30 patients with MS(50%) if adopting IDF definition. And there was no significant difference between patients with MS whether or not in SBP, DBP, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and FINS [SBP: (138±23) vs (127±17) mm Hg; DBP: (79±11) vs (74±12) mm Hg; TC: (5.0±0.9) vs (4.7±1.0) mmol/L; TG: (1.6±0.8) vs (1.6±0.8) mmol/L; HDL-C: (0.86±0.23) vs (0.86±0.26) mmol/L; LDL-D: (2.8±0.9) vs (2.7±1.1) mmol/L, P0.05]. However, there was significant difference between patients with MS whether or not in APN, BMI, waistline and FPG [APN: (4.3±1.5) vs (5.4±2.2) mg/L; BMI: (25.1±1.9) vs (23.3±1.6) kg/m2; waistline: (90±6) vs (82±5) cm; FPG: (5.5±0.4) vs (5.2±0.6) mmol/L, P0.05]. Correlation analysis showed that APN was negatively correlated with BMI and waistline(r=-0.333,P0.01;and r=-0.288, P0.05), but was positively correlated with HDL-C(r=0.394, P0.01). McNemanr test showed that more patients with MS would be diagnosed if adopting IDF definition(P0.05), but Kappa test showed that the concordance was not good between the two definitions(kappa=0.200,P0.05). Conclusions Plasma APN is significantly lower in coronary artery disease with MS than that of patients without MS. The discovery of APN will open up a new pathway in studying the pathogenesis of MS. The definition of IDF 2005 is more sensitive than that of NCEP ATP Ⅲ in diagnosing MS early.
Impact of clerkship students on pharmacy-site output

The development of a theory-based method of estimating the impact of pharmacy clerkship students on clerkship sites is described. A job-analysis approach was used to estimate the impact of pharmacy clerkship activities on the clerkship sites. Two models--an employee model and a nonemployee model--of the student-preceptor relationship were used to evaluate clerkship student activities. Pairs of clerkship students and their preceptors were interviewed about student activities and supervision. Activities were assigned three-digit codes expressing (1) the level of preceptor supervision required, (2) the necessity of the activity to the functioning of the site, and (3) the complexity and amount of patient contact involved. The fit of each activity to the models was determined, and the impact of the clerkship students on a composite clerkship site was estimated. Twelve pairs of clerkship students and preceptors were interviewed. Degree of required supervision was the primary determinant in assigning an activity to a model. Student activities that fit the employee model were determined to have the greatest potential for having a positive or negative impact on the clerkship site. Performance of nonemployee-model activities could represent a net loss to the site because of the demand on preceptors' time. A method of categorizing and evaluating the value of specific student activities at pharmacy clerkship sites was useful in estimating student impact on the productivity of the site.
Spatial correlation of regional pulmonary perfusion.

Despite the heterogeneous distribution of pulmonary blood flow, perfusion appears to be spatially ordered, with neighboring regions of lung having similar magnitudes of flow. This premise was tested by determining the spatial correlation of regional flow [rho(d)] as a function of distance (d) between regions. Regional pulmonary perfusion was measured in both supine and prone positions in seven anesthetized mechanically ventilated dogs with radiolabeled microspheres. After excision and drying, the lungs were cubed into pieces 1.2 cm on a side, with a three-dimensional coordinate assigned to each piece. The microsphere-determined flow to each piece was measured by radioactive counts, and rho(d) was calculated for all paired pieces within the same lobe. rho(d) was greatest for adjacent pieces (d = 1.2 cm) and decreased with increasing d, becoming negative at large distances in all dogs and positions. The spatial correlation of flow between adjacent pieces, rho(1.2 cm), was greater in the supine than in the prone position (0.66 vs. 0.72, P less than 0.05). The observations for each dog and position were fit to the equation rho(d) = d(a)+b.d+c, and the coefficients were used to compare rho(d) in the supine and prone positions. rho(d) differed in the two positions (P less than 0.05), with rho(d) falling off more rapidly with distance in the supine position. When trends in flow due to gravity were mathematically removed, differences between supine and prone positions were no longer observed. The spatial correlation of regional pulmonary perfusion was anisotropic in both supine and prone positions. The observation that regional pulmonary perfusion is highly correlated over large spatial distances has important implications for models of flow distribution.
Stakeholders or Experts? On the Ambiguous Implications of Public Participation in Science

Critiques of the social sciences have emphasized the broad and categorical exclusions of certain groups from their discussions and both the political and epistemic ramifications of these exclusions. For example, feminists have pointed out how the exclusion of women’s voices have shaped sociological conceptions of labor and rape, psychological conceptions of hysteria, and legal definitions of harassment in ways that both misinterpreted social reality and defined it in ways that benefited men and disenfranchised women. Postcolonial theorists like Edward Said have charged anthropological interpretations of “primitive” peoples with both being complicit with imperialist and colonizing political programs and dividing explanations of non-Western groups into rationalizing denials of difference or interpretations that leave non-Western peoples as completely Other.
The Anthropometry of Contemporary Commercial Cremation

This study establishes baseline parameters and examines those variables thought to influence cremains weights. Data were collected during the cremation of 100 individuals. A series of measurements was taken to determine relative skeletal robusticity. The weight, stature, sex, and age of each cadaver was recorded prior to cremation. The average cremains weight for the fully developed adults (n = 91) was 2430 g and ranged from 876 g to 3784 g. Male and female means were separated by 1053 g, but there was considerable overlap in the distribution. All cremains weights above 2750 g were male and all cremains weights below 1887 g were female. Five amputees and one long bone donor produced cremains weights below the means for their respective groups, reflecting the relative contribution of the thick cortical bone of the limbs to total skeletal weight, and thus to total cremains weight. Cremains weight represented approximately 3.5% of total body weight in adults, 2.5% of total body weight in children, and approximately 1% of total body weight in fetuses. The most accurate predictor of cremains weight was cadaver stature (r = .8473; p
Electricity, eels and evolution

William Turkel's Spark from the Deep is a fascinating book that explores a little-known aspect of how we came to understand and control electricity: the role played by electrogenic animals such as electric eels and rays.
Catalytic N2-to-NH3 Conversion by Fe at Lower Driving Force: A Proposed Role for Metallocene-Mediated PCET

We have recently reported on several Fe catalysts for N2-to-NH3 conversion that operate at low temperature (−78 °C) and atmospheric pressure while relying on a very strong reductant (KC8) and acid ([H(OEt2)2][BArF4]). Here we show that our original catalyst system, P3BFe, achieves both significantly improved efficiency for NH3 formation (up to 72% for e– delivery) and a comparatively high turnover number for a synthetic molecular Fe catalyst (84 equiv of NH3 per Fe site), when employing a significantly weaker combination of reductant (Cp*2Co) and acid ([Ph2NH2][OTf] or [PhNH3][OTf]). Relative to the previously reported catalysis, freeze-quench Mossbauer spectroscopy under turnover conditions suggests a change in the rate of key elementary steps; formation of a previously characterized off-path borohydrido–hydrido resting state is also suppressed. Theoretical and experimental studies are presented that highlight the possibility of protonated metallocenes as discrete PCET reagents under the present (and rel...
A Polynomial-Time Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Phrase-Based Decoding with a Fixed Distortion Limit

Decoding of phrase-based translation models in the general case is known to be NP-complete, by a reduction from the traveling salesman problem (Knight, 1999). In practice, phrase-based systems often impose a hard distortion limit that limits the movement of phrases during translation. However, the impact on complexity after imposing such a constraint is not well studied. In this paper, we describe a dynamic programming algorithm for phrase-based decoding with a fixed distortion limit. The runtime of the algorithm is O(nd!lh^{d+1}) where n is the sentence length, d is the distortion limit, l is a bound on the number of phrases starting at any position in the sentence, and h is related to the maximum number of target language translations for any source word. The algorithm makes use of a novel representation that gives a new perspective on decoding of phrase-based models.
Comparison of Clinical and Electrocardiographic Predictors of Ischemic and Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy During the Initial Evaluation of Patients With Reduced (≤40%) Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Invasive coronary angiography is routinely performed during the initial evaluation of patients with suspected cardiomyopathy with reduced left ventricular function. Clinical and electrocardiographic (ECG) data may accurately predict ischemic cardiomyopathy (IC). Medical records of adults referred for coronary angiography for evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% from 2010 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with myocardial infarction (MI), previous coronary revascularization, cardiac surgery, or left-sided valvular disease were excluded. IC was defined as ≥70% diameter stenosis of the left main, proximal left anterior descending, or involvement of ≥2 epicardial coronary arteries. A risk model was developed from logistic regression coefficients, with a dichotomous cut-point based on the maximal Youden's index from the receiver-operating characteristic curve. A total of 273 patients met study inclusion criteria. Mean age was 56.8 ± 11.6 and 68.1% were men. IC was identified in 41 patients (15%). Patients with IC were more likely to have ECG evidence of Q-wave MI (34% vs 13%, p