cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations in regional brain catecholamine concentrations after experimental brain injury in the rat.

: Although activation of brain catecholaminergic systems has been implicated in the cerebrovascular and metabolic changes during subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral ischemia, cortical ablation, and cortical freeze lesions, little is known of the response of regional brain catecholamine systems to traumatic brain injury. The present study was designed to characterize the temporal changes in concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and epinephrine (E) in discrete brain regions following experimental fluid-percussion traumatic brain injury in rats. Anesthetized rats were subjected to fluid-percussion brain injury of moderate severity (2.2–2.3 atm) and killed at 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks postinjury (n = 6 per timepoint). Control animals (surgery and anesthesia without injury) were killed at identical timepoints (n = 6 per timepoint). Tissue concentrations of NE, DA, and E were evaluated using HPLC. Following brain injury, an acute decrease was observed in DA concentrations in the injured cortex (p < 0.05) at 1 h postinjury, which persisted up to 2 weeks postinjury. Striatal concentrations of DA were significantly increased (p < 0.05) only at 6 h postinjury. Hypothalamic concentrations of DA and NE increased significantly beginning at 1 h postinjury (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively) and persisted up to 24 h for DA (p < 0.05) and 1 week (p < 0.05) for NE. These data suggest that acute alterations occur in regional concentrations of brain catecholamines following brain trauma, which may persist for prolonged periods postinjury.
Particle-Gas Mixing in Confined Nonparallel Coaxial Jets

XTENSIVE experimental studies of the mixing of gaseous, turbulent, coaxial flows have been conducted using configurations in which the primary and secondary streams are parallel.1 However, very little work has been reported on the mixing of turbulent particle-laden streams,2 especially with nonparallel injection of the secondary coaxial jet.3 This synoptic summarizes the results of 52 tests where mixing rates of a primary helium/aluminum particle/air jet with a secondary, nonparallel air jet were measured. Injection angle, primary density, and secondary velocity were varied and mixing rates of the gas and particles were measured. Results are applicable to the design of airbreathing propulsion systems. Contents The test facility is illustrated in Fig. 1. The one-in.-diam, primary jet was composed of a heated, two-phase mixture of helium, air, and aluminum powder. The coaxial, secondary jet was unheated air. The facility was designed to collect radial profile data at various axial locations. Gas and particle samples were obtained with isokinetic collection probes, and gas velocities were determined from the measured stagnation and static pressures. To determine axial profiles, a series of tests was conducted with the instrument collar at various fixed distances aft of the primary nozzle exit. Injection angles of 0, 30, 60, and 90° were tested. The crosssectional areas for both primary and secondary flow were held constant as the injection angle was varied. Helium composition was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. Particle mass flux was determined from time for collection of a particle sample and sample weight. Pressure and temperature measurements, together with the throat area of choked control nozzles established the gas flow rates of the primary and secondary jets. Fifty-two tests at near-atmosphe ric pressure were completed during this study. All of the tests were conducted with 20 weight percent of 6-micron aluminum powder in the primary jet stream. Four major test variables were investigated: 1) secondary velocity; 2) primary density; 3) secondary injection angle; and 4) test quantity being measured (helium composition, velocity, or particle mass flux). Data from two sets of test conditions are
Gradients in elastic modulus for improved contact-damage resistance. Part II : The silicon nitride-silicon carbide system

Abstract In an effort to create elastic-modulus (E) graded materials for contact-damage resistance—free of substantial amounts of glass—silicon nitride (Si3N4)-silicon carbide (SiC) graded materials were processed. The structure of these graded materials is such that Si3N4 (E=300 GPa) is at the contact surface and SiC (E=400 GPa) is in the interior, with a stepwise gradient in composition existing between the two over a depth of 1.6 mm. A pressureless, liquid-phase co-sintering method, in conjunction with a powder-layering technique, was used to achieve this structure. The liquid phase used was yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG). Under spherical indentation, cone-cracks did not form in the graded material, but some inelastic shear deformation was observed. Cone cracks formed in both the monolithic Si3N4 and the monolithic SiC end member materials under identical indentation conditions. Finite element analysis (FEA) of the stresses associated with indentation revealed that the maximum principal tensile stresses outside the Hertzian contact circle, which drive the classical cone-cracks, are reduced by approximately 12% in the graded material relative to the monolithic silicon nitride case. This reduction is significantly lower than what was calculated for the Si3N4-glass case (Part I), owing to the shallower, linear E-gradient over a 1.6 mm depth in Si3N4-SiC, as compared with the power-law, steeper E-gradient over 0.4 mm depth in the Si3N4-glass. It appears that, in addition to the E-gradient, the inelastic deformation contributes to the suppression of cone cracks in the Si3N4-SiC graded material. It is suggested that compressive residual stresses may be present in the Si3N4-SiC graded material, which are also likely to aid in the suppression of cone-cracks.
Biosynthesis of sterols and triterpenes in Pelargonium hortorum

Abstract Although all parts of the geranium plant ( Pelargonium hortorum ) are capable of synthesizing sterols and triterpenes and their esters in vitro from mevalonic acid-[2- 14 C], the aerial portions are more active than other tissues. All plant parts were shown to incorporate mevalonic acid-[2- 14 C] into isoprenoids for at least 3 days. The leaves and petioles had the greatest incorporation on a wet weight basis. Chopped preparations showed comparable incorporations of mevalonate whereby rootlets incorporated about one half as much as most parts; the flower petals incorporated five times the average amount. In leaves the principal sterol synthesized was sitosterol. Metabolic studies with isolated leaves indicated a fairly rapid conversion of free tetracyclic triterpenes to 4-desmethyl-sterols, while β-amyrin was synthesized at a different rate than α-amyrin. Esterified tetracyclic triterpenes exhibited only a slight amount of conversion to 4-desmethylsterols.
USGA Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Green Properties as Affected by Cultural Practices

Accumulation of organic matter (OM) at the soil surface (mat OM) and below (soil OM) can negatively affect putting green performance characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate cultural practices for control of OM and their effects on performance characteristics of a mature, USGA-specified ultradwarfbermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burt Davy] green in a subtropical climate. Two ultradwarf cultivars, `TifEagle' and 'Champion', were subjected to hollow tine aerification (HTA) 1, 2, or 3 times yr -1 , verticutting (VC) 3 times yr -1 , solid tine aerification (STA) 5 times yr -1 , and no treatment (control) for two consecutive years. Cultivars and treatments were arranged in a split-plot, randomized complete block design. Although mat OM depth was similar among treatments, concentration was reduced after 2 yr by VC, HTA 2 times yr -1 , and HTA 3 times yr -1 . Solid TA (5 times yr -1 ) and hollow TA (2 and 3 times yr -1 ) reduced soil OM concentration compared with the control. Since VC also provided the highest turfgrass quality, firmest surface, least mower scalping, and least localized dry spots (LDS), it proved to be the best cultural practice tested, particularly since HTA 3 times yr -1 increased saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ), which reduced volumetric water content and increased LDS. TifEagle was the better performing cultivar, as it had higher quality and less mower scalping.
Nine lessons learned from a green building testbed: A networking and energy efficiency perspective

Buildings are significant contributors to global energy consumption and their energy efficiency is an important issue for future world sustainability. In our project, we built an energy efficiency research testbed in a USGBC (United States Green Building Council) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) “gold” certificated green building. We monitored the energy consumption and studied the recorded consumption data. In this paper, from a combined networking and energy efficiency perspective, we summarize the major 9 lessons we learned from the testbed and discuss what they mean for the future intelligent building designs and operation. We further broaden the scope to a series of locally inter-connected intelligent buildings with both energy consumption and renewable energy generating capability and study the issues in a microgrid scale.
Repair of a floating sternum with autologous rib grafts and polylactide bioabsorbable struts in an 18-year-old male

Failed regeneration of costal cartilage after open repair of pectus chest wall deformities can result in a floating sternum. A floating sternum can be repaired by insertion of a rib graft between the rib and sternum, and stabilization with a metal strut. The metal implant is usually removed with a second operation. We report use of bioabsorbable struts to stabilize rib grafts during repair of a floating sternum in an 18-year-old male with a failed open repair of pectus carinatum. He had an uncomplicated peri-operative course. One year later, the sternum had a normal appearance and was sturdy. A second operation for removal of hardware was not necessary.
Growth cone advance is inversely proportional to retrograde F-actin flow

In a previous study, F-actin appeared to play a key role in guiding microtubules during growth cone-target interactions. Here, F-actin flow patterns were assessed to investigate the relationship among F-actin flow, microtubule/organelle protrusion, and rates of outgrowth. We first demonstrated conditions in which surface markers (beads) moved at the same rate as underlying F-actin. These beads were then positioned, using laser tweezers, to assess F-actin movements during target interactions. We found retrograde F-actin flow was attenuated specifically along the target interaction axis in direct proportion to the rate of growth cone advance. Retrograde actin flow adjacent to the interaction axis was unperturbed. Our results suggest that growth cones transduce retrograde F-actin flux into forward movement by modulating F-actin-substrate coupling efficiency.
Compact and versatile pulse generation and shaping subsystem for high-energy laser systems

This paper describes the amplifier and beam shaping section of a new pulse generation system that will drive the Beamlet laser at LLNL. The master oscillator and pulse shaping system are described in an accompanying contribution [R. B. Wilcox ea., `Fusion Laser oscillator and pulse-forming system using integrated optics.', these proceedings]. A modified regenerative amplifier produces a gain of 109 to bring the oscillator pulses to the mJ- level. A serrated aperture and birefringent beam shaper produce a flat-topped square beam with high fill factor. A single four-passed Nd:glass rod amplifier provides sufficient gain to generate the desired 12 J output energy in a 3 nsec pulse with very small beam profile, wavefront and pulse shape distortion. We present a description of the system components, followed by a discussion of its performance, based upon over 150 full front end shots being completed since its assembly.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hydrogenation of arenes and N-heteroaromatic compounds over ruthenium nanoparticles on poly(4-vinylpyridine): a versatile catalyst operating by a substrate-dependent dual site mechanism

A nanostructured catalyst composed of Ru nanoparticles immobilized on poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVPy) has been synthesized by NaBH4 reduction of RuCl3·3H2O in the presence of the polymer in methanol at room temperature. TEM measurements show well-dispersed Ru nanoparticles with an average diameter of 3.1 nm. Both powder XRD patterns and XPS data indicate that the Ru particles are predominantly in the zerovalent state. The new catalyst is efficient for the hydrogenation of a wide variety of aromatic hydrocarbons and N-heteroaromatic compounds representative of components of petroleum-derived fuels. The experimental data indicate the existence of two distinct active sites in the nanostructure that lead to two parallel hydrogenation pathways, one for simple aromatics involving conventional homolytic hydrogen splitting on Ru and a second one for N-heteroaromatics taking place via a novel heterolytic hydrogen activation on the catalyst surface, assisted by the basic pyridine groups of the support.
Laparoscopic colectomy in octogenarians and nonagenarians: a preferable option to open surgery?

Objectives To determine if laparoscopic colectomy is safer and more effective than open colectomy in patients older than 80 years of age. Methods An operating room database of all colectomies performed on patients ≥80 years, from January 2002 to September 2007, was analyzed retrospectively. Data reviewed included type of operation, type of resection, length of procedure, length of stay (LOS), estimated blood loss, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, diagnosis, complications, mortality rates, and discharge destination, with p-values Results One hundred thirty-nine patients underwent open procedures (Open group) during the study period versus 150 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures (Lap group). Of the Lap group, 15 patients were converted to open cases. Forty-four patients from the Open group were excluded from the analysis as they were treated emergently, leaving 95 patients in the Open group. The mortality for open procedures was significantly higher at 9/95 (9.4%), compared with 3/150 (2%) following laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.0132). LOS was significantly longer for open procedures (11.16 days) versus laparoscopic procedures (7.11 days), p = 0.0001. Open procedures were associated with an increased risk of postoperative ileus (p Conclusions Laparoscopic colectomy is a safer option that offers an improved outcome compared with open colectomy in elderly patients. Significant improvements in LOS, mortality rates, and discharge destination were observed.
Frequency and Geographic Distribution of gyrA and gyrB Mutations Associated with Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Clinical Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Isolates: A Systematic Review

Background The detection of mutations in the gyrA and gyrB genes in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome that have been demonstrated to confer phenotypic resistance to fluoroquinolones is the most promising technology for rapid diagnosis of fluoroquinolone resistance.
Human error, not communication and systems, underlies surgical complications.

Objective This study prospectively assesses the underlying errors contributing to surgical complications over a 12-month period in a complex academic department of surgery using a validated scoring template. Background Studies in “high reliability organizations” suggest that systems failures are responsible for errors. Reports from the aviation industry target communication failures in the cockpit. No prior studies have developed a validated classification system and have determined the types of errors responsible for surgical complications. Methods A classification system of medical error during operation was created, validated, and data collected on the frequency, type, and severity of medical errors in 9,830 surgical procedures. Statistical analysis of concordance, validity, and reliability were performed. Results Reported major complications occurred in 332 patients (3.4%) with error in 78.3%: errors in surgical technique (63.5%), judgment errors (29.6%), inattention to detail (29.3%), and incomplete understanding (22.7%). Error contributed more than 50% to the complication in 75%. A total of 13.6% of cases had error but no injury, 34.4% prolongation of hospitalization, 25.1% temporary disability, 8.4% permanent disability, and 16.0% death. In 20%, the error was a “mistake” (the wrong thing), and in 58% a “slip” (the right thing incorrectly). System errors (2%) and communication errors (2%) were infrequently identified. Conclusions After surgical technique, most surgical error was caused by human factors: judgment, inattention to detail, and incomplete understanding, and not to organizational/system errors or breaks in communication. Training efforts to minimize error and enhance patient safety must address human factor causes of error.
Tipin-Replication Protein A Interaction Mediates Chk1 Phosphorylation by ATR in Response to Genotoxic Stress

Mammalian Timeless is a multifunctional protein that performs essential roles in the circadian clock, chromosome cohesion, DNA replication fork protection, and DNA replication/DNA damage checkpoint pathways. The human Timeless exists in a tight complex with a smaller protein called Tipin (Timeless-interacting protein). Here we investigated the mechanism by which the Timeless-Tipin complex functions as a mediator in the ATR-Chk1 DNA damage checkpoint pathway. We find that the Timeless-Tipin complex specifically mediates Chk1 phosphorylation by ATR in response to DNA damage and replication stress through interaction of Tipin with the 34-kDa subunit of replication protein A (RPA). The Tipin-RPA interaction stabilizes Timeless-Tipin and Tipin-Claspin complexes on RPA-coated ssDNA and in doing so promotes Claspin-mediated phosphorylation of Chk1 by ATR. Our results therefore indicate that RPA-covered ssDNA not only supports recruitment and activation of ATR but also, through Tipin and Claspin, it plays an important role in the action of ATR on its critical downstream target Chk1.
Surveyor: a DSEL for representing and analyzing strongly typed surveys

Polls and surveys are increasingly employed to gather information about attitudes and experiences of all kinds of populations and user groups. The ultimate purpose of a survey is to identify trends and relationships that can inform decision makers. To this end, the data gathered by a survey must be appropriately analyzed.Most of the currently existing tools focus on the user interface aspect of the data collection task, but pay little attention to the structure and type of the collected data, which are usually represented as potentially tag-annotated, but otherwise unstructured, plain text. This makes the task of writing data analysis programs often difficult and error-prone, whereas a typed data representation could support the writing of type-directed data analysis tools that would enjoy the many benefits of static typing.In this paper we present Surveyor, a DSEL that allows the compositional construction of typed surveys, where the types describe the structure of the data to be collected. A survey can be run to gather typed data, which can then be subjected to analysis tools that are built using Surveyor's typed combinators. Altogether the Surveyor DSEL realizes a strongly typed and type-directed approach to data gathering and analysis.The implementation of our DSEL is based on GADTs to allow a flexible, yet strongly typed representation of surveys. Moreover, the implementation employs the Scrap-Your-Boilerplate library to facilitate the type-dependent traversal, extraction, and combination of data gathered from surveys.
Correction of the skeletal nasal base in rhinoplasty

The anatomic abnormalities responsible for the unesthetic nose have been rather extensively described and detailed in clinical studies, applied clinical research (anthropometric) evaluations, and laboratory investigations. These include alterations in the nasal bones, septum, upper lateral cartilage, lower lateral cartilages, skin, nerves, and vessels. However, little attention has been directed to the nasal base, which is frequently deficient and/or asymmetrical in people with nasal deformities. The importance of recognizing this deformity when evaluating patients for rhinoplasty and its subsequent correction as part of the procedure are discussed.
Effects of dietary cholesterol and voluntary exercise on histopathology, plasma and hepatic lipids of the male rat.

To avoid the stress of imposed activity, male weanling rats were allowed to exercise voluntarily in individual activity wheels. The exercising animals, which were compared to sedentary controls, ran over 26 km/wk (over 2 miles/day). Half of the animals in each group were fed a 10% coconut oil diet; the other half were fed the same diet with 1% added cholesterol. Plasma cholesterol was monitored throughout the 23-week regime. Consistently lower plasma cholesterol values were shown by the exercising animals during the first weeks of the study, the differences being statistically significant at the end of the 8th week. Dietary cholesterol sharply elevated plasma cholesterol, which reached a peak at the 5th week, then declined to basal levels by the 10th week. Both neutral glycerides and cholesterol levels of the livers were elevated considerably by the addition of cholesterol to the diet. Exercising, however, had a lowering effect on both liver cholesterol and neutral glycerides. The weights of the hearts of the exercising rats were increased, while those of the other organs selected were unchanged. Histologic examination of sections of livers showed fat infiltration of hepatic cells varying in severity, depending on the diet. Greater damage to liver cells was noted when cholesterol was added to the basal diet. Fat infiltration was lessened considerably in exercising rats on the basal diet; exercising partially overcame the effects of added cholesterol.
Does Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure of the Uterine Cervix Affect Anti-Müllerian Hormone Levels?

Background. A delayed time to pregnancy was recently reported for women who had a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or 3. The objective of the current study was to determine if treatment of CIN with LEEP is associated with decreased levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve. Methods. AMH levels were measured in 18 women treated with LEEP and 18 age-matched controls, who had colposcopy only and did not require LEEP. Cases and controls had their blood drawn at study entry time zero and again 6 months later. Results. The mean AMH level decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up; however, no significant differences were observed when stratifying by LEEP status, suggesting that both groups experienced a similar decrease in AMH levels during the follow-up period. Although women treated with LEEP had lower overall AMH levels than controls at both baseline and follow-up, these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion. Overall, the delayed time to pregnancy observed in women treated with LEEP is likely not due to a LEEP-associated decrease in ovarian reserve as measured by AMH; thus, other mechanism are responsible for the delayed time to pregnancy associated with LEEP.
Solvation dynamics in supercritical fluids: Equilibrium versus nonequilibrium solvent response functions

We present a theoretical study of solvation dynamics in supercritical fluids. Molecular dynamics simulations show a significant difference between equilibrium and nonequilibrium solvent response functions, especially pronounced at medium and low solvent densities. We propose an analytical theory for the nonequilibrium solvation function based on the generalized nonlinear Smoluchowski-Vlasov equation. The theory is shown to be in good agreement with simulation, providing an accurate description of the nonequilibrium time-dependent solvent density profile around the solute over a wide range of supercritical solvent densities. The nonequilibrium solvent response function is shown to reflect gradual solvent clustering around the excited solute.
Rapid prediction of mating system of Vicia species

Maintenance and use of germplasm collections of Vicia species is difficult because of limited information on their mating systems. Polymorphism of seven enzyme systems in 31 accessions of 12 Vicia species were measured by isoelectric focusing to infer their mating system. To compare variability within and among accessions and between species, polymorphism indices were calculated by means of isozyme bands. All enzymes studied had polymorphic banding patterns. Twenty-eight accessions were variable for at least one of the seven enzymes, whereas three other accessions were uniform for all seven enzymes. Within-accession variation was larger than that among accessions in V. villosa Roth and V. villosa ssp. varia (Host) Corbiere, whereas within-accession variation was smaller than that among accessions of V. articulata Hornem., V benghalensis L., V. cracca L., V. ervilia (L.) Willd., V. lutea L., V. narbonensis L., V. pannonica Crantz, V. peregrina L., and V. sativa L.. The results agreed with field tests which demonstrated that V villosa and V. villosa ssp. varia are predominantly cross-fertilizing species, whereas the other species are mainly self-fertilizing. The use of isozyme bands to determine mating system proved to be accurate. In addition, this method is convenient because it utilizes a small seed sample and is inexpensive and easy to perform.
Investigation of the mechanism of ozonolysis of (Z)-3-methyl-2-pentene using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy

Abstract The matrix isolation technique, combined with infrared spectroscopy and twin jet codeposition, has been used to characterize intermediates and stable “late” products formed during the ozonolysis of ( Z )-3-methyl-2-pentene (MP). While twin jet deposition led to minimal product formation, annealing to 35 K produced a number of product bands. Based on isotopic labeling and theoretical calculations, product bands have been assigned to the primary ozonide and also tentatively to the secondary ozonide of MP. Indirect evidence for formation of one or both possible Criegee intermediates in this system is presented. While neither possible Criegee intermediate for this system was observed, the evidence overall clearly supports the mechanism first proposed by Criegee for the ozonolysis of alkenes. UV irradiation led to product arising from O atom addition to MP, while merged jet codeposition led to a number of stable products for this system.
The GIT family of ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating proteins. Functional diversity of GIT2 through alternative splicing.

We recently characterized a novel protein, GIT1, that interacts with G protein-coupled receptor kinases and possesses ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) GTPase-activating protein activity. A second ubiquitously expressed member of the GIT protein family, GIT2, has been identified in data base searches. GIT2 undergoes extensive alternative splicing and exists in at least 10 and potentially as many as 33 distinct forms. The longest form of GIT2 is colinear with GIT1 and shares the same domain structure, whereas one major splice variant prominent in immune tissues completely lacks the carboxyl-terminal domain. The other 32 potential variants arise from the independent alternative splicing of five internal regions in the center of the molecule but share both the amino-terminal ARF GTPase-activating protein domain and carboxyl-terminal domain. Both the long and short carboxyl-terminal variants of GIT2 are active as GTPase-activating proteins for ARF1, and both also interact with G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 and with p21-activated kinase-interacting exchange factors complexed with p21-activated kinase but not with paxillin. Cellular overexpression of the longest variant of GIT2 leads to inhibition of β2-adrenergic receptor sequestration, whereas the shortest splice variant appears inactive. Although GIT2 shares many properties with GIT1, it also exhibits both structural and functional diversity due to tissue-specific alternative splicing.
Setting and occurrence of Late Paleozoic radiolarians in the Sylvester allochthon, part of a proto-Pacific ocean floor terrane in the Canadian Cordillera

Abstract Late Paleozoic radiolarians have been used to establish th allochthon of the Slide Mountain terrane in British Columbia, and have thereby greatly clarified the geology and tectonic history of the terrane. As the Sylvester radiolarian fauna is limited, age assignments were based on a few distinctive and diagnostic robust forms. Radiolarians occur in cherts from a wide variety of different oceanic sequences that are structurally juxtaposed within the Sylvester allochthon. Like others in a suite of correlative terranes that lie along the length of the Cordillera, the Sylvester allochthon and the radiolarian bearing cherts in it derive from the telescoping together of slices from what was, in the late Paleozoic, a large area of the proto-Pacific ocean.
Evolution of pulmonary resection techniques and review of the bronchus-first method

The dissection technique of pulmonary resection evolved in the period 1930 to 1950. Surgeons had to cope with the location of disease, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer, as well as associated bronchial secretions, hilar pathology, and the status of anesthesiology. Two basic hilar dissection methods emerged, the anterior vessel-first sequence and the posterior bronchus-first method. The bronchus-first method is particularly suitable for pneumonectomy, right upper lobectomy, and posterior-apical segmentectomy of this lobe as well as ease of lymph node removal. This technique, as a primary method of lung resection, does not appear to be emphasized in teaching curricula and supporting atlases or texts.
Giant pilomatricoma involving the parotid: Case report and literature review

Abstract Introduction Pilomatricomas greater than 5 cm in dimension (i.e. “giant” pilomatricomas) are uncommon, especially in the cheek. A brief review of the literature is presented. Case report We report a rare case of a giant pilomatricoma of the right cheek immediately overlying and involving the lateral lobe of the parotid gland. The tumour was removed with preservation of the facial nerve. A cervicofacial fasciocutaneous advancement flap was used to reconstruct the surgical defect. Conclusion Pilomatricoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of large cheek tumours. Giant pilomatricomas involving the parotid gland can be excised without sacrificing the facial nerve and the resultant surgical defect reconstructed with excellent cosmesis in a single-stage procedure.
Aerothermodynamic heating environment and thermal protection materials comparison for manned Mars-earth return vehicles

The aerothermodynamic environment during the earth return portion of a specific manned Mars mission is studied. Particular attention is given to the earlier smaller crew return capsule and its thermal protection system requirements. Data are presented on the stagnation region of a generic Mars return capsule. Insulation material thicknesses required to maintain allowable structural temperatures throughout a prolonged heat soak period are estimated.
The effect of pion exchange currents on the charge form factor of 4He

Abstract Pion exchange currents give large contributions to the charge form factor of the α-particle in the momentum transfer region around the observed minimum and secondary maximum. The effect of the exchange currents is to bring the calculated form factor closer to the observed values.
Evanescent wave absorption measurements of corroded materials using optical fibers as remote probes

This research effort is intended to demonstrate an in-situ optical fiber corrosion sensor that operates in conjunction with a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) interferometer as an evanescent wave absorption spectroscopic technique. This technique will allow periodic remote sensing for onboard structural health monitoring of areas of normally inaccessible structural components. The potential advantages of optical fiber sensors result from the fact that the sensing element, the optical fiber, can be embedded in junctions in aircraft structures, in locations where humidity and corrosion can accumulate, but are such that they can not be directly observed. A fiber-optic-FTIR experimental setup, including several samples of field corrosion material has been assembled in the laboratory to spectrally detect Aluminum Hydroxide [Al(OH)3] which is one component of corrosion of aluminum. Absorption spectra of Al(OH)3, have been collected using an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) crystal as a reference spectral signature. The spectra of samples from a simulated corrosion process have been collected and compared with Al(OH)3 spectra. The laboratory experimental setup has included samples from the controlled corrosion conditions. Key word: Optical fiber, Optical fiber sensing, Corrosion sensing, Remote sensing, Evanescent wave, Health monitoring, Non destructive evaluation
Deriving a categorical vector space model for web page recommendations based on Wikipedia's content

This work models web pages and users for web page recommendation by deriving a categorical vector space model (WikiVSM). We augment Wikipedia's categorization system with keywords extracted from Wikipedia' pages. By applying keyword matching, any web page can be mapped into WikiVSM. We compare WikiVSM's performance with Vector Space Model (VSM) regarding recommending topically relevant web pages to individual users based on their browsing history. Results indicate that WikiVSM performs significantly better in generating recommendations. This is possibly due to features of Wikipedia and our augmentation.
Social Media Use in Chronic Disease: A Systematic Review and Novel Taxonomy

The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes from applications of contemporary social media in chronic disease; to develop a conceptual taxonomy to categorize, summarize, and then analyze the current evidence base; and to suggest a framework for future studies on this topic.
Parameter sensitivities affecting the flutter speed of a MW-sized blade.

With the current trend toward larger and larger horizontal axis wind turbines, classical flutter is becoming a more critical issue. Recent studies have indicated that for a single blade turning in still air the flutter speed for a modern 35 m blade occurs at approximately twice its operating speed (2 per rev), whereas for smaller blades (5-9 m), both modern and early designs, the flutter speeds are in the range of 3.5-6 per rev. Scaling studies demonstrate that the per rev flutter speed should not change with scale. Thus, design requirements that change with increasing blade size are producing the concurrent reduction in per rev flutter speeds. In comparison with an early small blade design (5 m blade), flutter computations indicate that the non rotating modes which combine to create the flutter mode change as the blade becomes larger (i.e., for the larger blade the second flapwise mode, as opposed to the first flapwise mode for the smaller blade, combines with the first torsional mode to produce the flutter mode). For the more modern smaller blade design (9 m blade), results show that the non rotating modes that couple are similar to those of the larger blade. For the wingsmore » of fixed-wing aircraft, it is common knowledge that judicious selection of certain design parameters can increase the airspeed associated with the onset of flutter. Two parameters, the chordwise location of the center of mass and the ratio of the flapwise natural frequency to the torsional natural frequency, are especially significant. In this paper studies are performed to determine the sensitivity of the per rev flutter speed to these parameters for a 35 m wind turbine blade. Additional studies are performed to determine which structural characteristics of the blade are most significant in explaining the previously mentioned per rev flutter speed differences. As a point of interest, flutter results are also reported for two recently designed 9 m twist/coupled blades.« less
Fast-varying Doppler compensation for underwater acoustic OFDM systems

This paper presents a practical low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded OFDM system designed for the underwater acoustic channel with its attendant multipath channel and large Doppler shift. The Doppler shift and channel state information (CSI) are assumed unavailable to both to the transmitter and the receiver. Due to the slow speed of sound in water, even small platform motions can affect the performance of the wideband system significantly, thus tracking the time-varying Doppler is essential for mobile underwater communication. An iterative receiver is proposed, which performs a Doppler estimation, channel estimation, and decoding in an iterative manner. The Doppler and channel tracking is done based on symbol by symbol, thus desirable for high speed mobile platform.
Magic Mirror System with Hand-held and Wearable Augmentations

A magic mirror paradigm is an augmented reality (AR) system where a camera and display device act as a mirror where one can see a reflection of oneself and virtual objects together. Fiducial markers mounted on a number of hand held and wearable objects allow them to be recognized by computer vision, different virtual objects can be rendered relative to the objects depending on the chosen theme. The experience can be enjoyed by many onlookers without special equipment, unlike other AR experiences such as with HMD's or tablet PC's. A series of theoretical and practical problems were overcome to produce a working system suitable for educational and entertainment for the public
Grafts for Ridge Preservation

Alveolar ridge bone resorption is a biologic phenomenon that occurs following tooth extraction and cannot be prevented. This paper reviews the vertical and horizontal ridge dimensional changes that are associated with tooth extraction. It also provides an overview of the advantages of ridge preservation as well as grafting materials. A Medline search among English language papers was performed in March 2015 using alveolar ridge preservation, ridge augmentation, and various graft types as search terms. Additional papers were considered following the preliminary review of the initial search that were relevant to alveolar ridge preservation. The literature suggests that ridge preservation methods and augmentation techniques are available to minimize and restore available bone. Numerous grafting materials, such as autografts, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts, currently are used for ridge preservation. Other materials, such as growth factors, also can be used to enhance biologic outcome.
Characterization of the airborne concentrations of lead in U. S. industry

Occupational exposure to lead represents a continuing problem of significant magnitude in the United States. To characterize the problem for surveillance purposes, an analysis of the airborne concentrations of lead identified in OSHA compliance inspections was conducted for the years 1979 to 1985. The five specific objectives of the study were: 1) to examine the distribution of air lead concentration in industrial environments; 2) to determine the secular trends in air lead concentrations for high lead industries; 3) to assess which job titles had excessive airborne lead concentrations; 4) to evaluate whether there was a relationship between lead overexposure and company size, unionization, or type of inspection; and 5) to investigate the prevalence of respirator violations for lead. Fifty-two industries were identified which had more than 1/3 of their inspection medians greater than the permissible exposure limit. These included primary and secondary lead smelting, battery manufacture, pigment manufacture, brass/bronze foundries, as well as 46 other industries. There has been little if any improvement in the prevalence and severity of airborne lead concentrations for the high lead industries, battery manufacture, secondary smelting, pigment manufacture, and brass/bronze foundries. Specific high exposure job titles are identified for certain high lead industries. The job title of painting stands out as an especially problematical job title across a number of industries. The prevalence of respirator violations is approximately 20% of all lead inspections.
Duration of improved muscle glucose uptake after acute exercise in obese Zucker rats.

Skeletal muscle is insulin resistant in the obese Zucker rat. Endurance training reduces muscle insulin resistance, but the effects of a single acute exercise session on muscle insulin resistance in the obese Zucker rat are unknown. Therefore, insulin responsiveness of muscle glucose uptake was measured in 15-week-old obese rats either 1, 48, or 72 hours after two hours of intermittent exercise (3030 min; work:rest). Hindlimbs of sedentary lean (LS) and obese (OS) rats and exercised obese (OE) rats were perfused after a 10-hour fast under both basal (0 mU.ml−1) and maximal (20 mU.ml−1) insulin concentrations to measure net glucose uptake. Insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was significantly reduced in OS compared to LS (8.5 ± 1.6 vs 15.3 ± 2.0 μmol.g−1.h−1, respectively). Compared to OS, insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was significantly increased by 56% and 80% at 1 hour and 48 hours after acute exercise. However, 72 hours after acute exercise, the increased insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was no longer evident. These results indicate that improved responsiveness of muscle glucose uptake persists for at least 48 hours after two hours of acute intermittent exercise in 15-week-old obese Zucker rats. (OBESITY RESEARCH 1993; 1:295–302)
Model-based methods for developing color transformation between two display devices

We present a framework for developing a color transformation between two display devices to achieve a desired perceptual match. The framework is realized by first developing an optimal color transformation between the two devices, and then formulating an optimization problem to develop a hardware resource-constrained approximation to the optimal transformation. We employ the framework to investigate how well the system performs when the transformation is constrained to be a single 3×3 linear transformation directly between the non-linear RGB spaces of two devices. The motivation for this constraint is to ease resource requirements in a real-time hardware implementation.
A 13GHz Low Power Multi-Modulus Divider Implemented in 0.13μm SiGe Technology

This paper presents a generic architecture for programmable multi-modulus dividers (MMD) for low- power and high-speed frequency synthesis applications. The proposed architecture uses cascaded divide by 2/3 cells in a ripple fashion with the last cell constructed using a P/P+1 dual modulus prescaler. Using a P/P+1 divider instead of a conventional 2/3 cell saves power and die area. The P/P+1 division ratio can be used to adjust MMD's minimum division ratio and the required division range. This approach provides an optimized architecture with minimum current consumption, the smallest area and minimum number of control bits for designing MMDs with a unit step increment. An MMD prototype was implemented in a 0.13 μm SiGe technology and occupies a core area of .88 x .10 mm 2 . The 13GHz MMD RFIC contains four 2/3 cells followed by an 8/9 cell. It can be programmed from 128 to 159 and consumes 11 mA under a 2.2V power supply, which corresponds to 59.2% power reduction compared to the prior art MMD implementations. Index Terms — SiGe, BiCMOS, programmable frequency divider, phase-locked loop, current-mode logic.
Abortion Policy Before Roe: Grassroots and Interest-Group Mobilization

In 1965 abortion was illegal in every state in America except when the woman's life was endangered. Eight years later, in its decision in Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court held that a woman's decision to have an early elective abortion was constitutionally protected.
Bed-rock from the continental margin on Georges Bank

Within the last few years, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey has recharted Georges Bank for the benefit of the fishing industry. Sonic methods were used which permitted numerous closely-spaced soundings. During the course of this survey, many valleys were found, cutting the southern edge of the bank, which here, of course, is coincident with the edge of the continental shelf. The floors of these valleys range from about 1200 feet to more than 8000 feet below the present sea-level. The charts indicate that similar valleys cut the continental margin in various places between the Grand Banks and Cape Hatteras. Two off the Maryland coast have recently been charted in enough detail to indicate that they are of the same type. Although this study is concerned specifically with the canyons of Georges Bank, it must be borne in mind that the conditions which produced them have affected a large portion of our eastern continental slope.
Solving the forward kinematics problem in parallel manipulators using an iterative artificial neural network strategy

In this paper we address the forward kinematics problem of a parallel manipulator and propose an iterative neural network strategy for its real-time solution to a desired level of accuracy. Parallel manipulators are closed kinematic structures that possess requisite rigidity to yield a high payload to self-weight ratio. Because of this unique feature, they have been employed in manufacturing, flight simulation systems, and medical robotics. However, it is this closed kinematic structure that has led to difficulty in their kinematic control, especially the forward kinematics control. The iterative neural network strategy we propose employs a trained neural network and an error compensation algorithm in the feedback loop. The proposed strategy was tested with data from a real-world flight simulation system. Results show that solutions with a maximum error in the position and orientation parameters of 0.25 mm and 0.01°, respectively, can be achieved in less than five iterations (or about 1 second). Because of the nature of this strategy, it is possible to implement it in a hardware form, which can result in a multi-fold reduction in the solution time for the same accuracy level.
Plasma activated sintering of additive-free AlN powders to near-theoretical density in 5 minutes

AlN powders (particle size = 0.44 ± 0.08 μm) containing no deliberate sintering additives were consolidated to near theoretical density in 5 min at 2003 K (1730 °C) using a Plasma Activated Sintering (PAS) process. PAS is a novel consolidation method that combines a very short time at high temperature with pressure application in a plasma environment. The in situ cleaning ability of powder particle during plasma activated densification leads to enhanced particle sinterability. The densities of undoped AlN specimens that were PAS consolidated at 2003 K for 5 min under 50 MPa pressure ranged from 97.5 to 99.3% of theoretical. The initial submicron particle size of AlN powders was retained in the final microstructure that consisted of polycrystalline grains with an average size of ≍0.77 ± 0.1 μm.