cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of microstructural representation on simulations of microplastic ratcheting

This paper assesses the sensitivity of cyclic plasticity to microstructure morphology by examining and comparing the microplastic ratcheting behavior of different idealized microstructures (square, hexagonal, tessellated, and digitized from experimental data). This analysis demonstrates the sensitivity of computational accuracy to the various approximations in microstructural representation. The methodology used to perform this study relies on a coupling between microstructural characterization, mechanical testing and numerical simulations to investigate the influence of the microstructure on the purely tensile uniaxial microplastic ratcheting behavior of pure nickel polycrystals. The morphology and deformation behavior of polycrystals were characterized using electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD), while a finite element model (FEM) of crystal plasticity was used in a computational framework. The predicted cyclic behavior is compared to experimental results both at the macroscopic and microstructural scales. The stress–strain response is less sensitive to the details of the microstructural representation than might be expected with all representations displaying similar macroscopic constitutive response. However, the details of the plastic strain distribution at the microstructural scale and the related estimations of damage mechanics vary substantially from one microstructural representation to another.
MDL-based segmentation of multi-attribute sequences

Many real-life multi-attribute sequences (multi-sequences) have a segmental structure, with segments of differing structures of attribute dependencies, that reflect an evolving nature of the dependencies over time and space. We propose a new approach for discovering a segmental structure of such evolving dependencies in probabilistic terms as a sequence of Dynamic Bayesian Networks (DBN). We use the Minimum Description Length (MDL) Principle to partition the multi-sequence into non-overlapping and homogeneous segments by fitting an optimal sequence of DBNs to the multi-sequence. In experiments, conducted on daily rainfall data we showed the applicability of the method for discovering interesting spatio-temporal evolving dependencies between rainfall occurrences in south-western Australia.
Tomboyism or Lesbianism? Beyond Sex/Gender/Sexual Conflation

To illuminate questions of sex/gender/sexual conflation the researcher focused on the relationship between reported tomboyism and lesbianism. Narratives of childhood and adolescence were collected from 32 women who were grouped into four gender/sexual status combinations: “lesbian/bisexual butch,” “straight butch,” “lesbian/bisexual femme,” and “straight femme.” The effects of participants’ sexual and gendered statuses on their retrospective accounts of two aspects of tomboyism—“choosing masculinity” and “rejecting femininity”—were examined. Chi square and qualitative analyses suggest that stage in the life cycle, gender, and sexual status influence distinct mergings and separations of sex, gender, and sexuality in women’s retrospective reports. The researcher concludes that attention to sex, gender, and sexuality as both distinct and connected clarifies the relationship between tomboyism and lesbianism.
Coefficients associated with the reciprocal of the Mandelbrot set

Abstract A useful formula is given for the coefficients of the conformal mapping from the unit disk onto the complement of the reciprocal of the Mandelbrot set. As a consequence, a number of coefficients are determined. Finally, a conjecture is made that would imply the local connectedness of the boundary of the Mandelbrot set.
A high accuracy, landmark-based, sub-pixel level image registration method

Abstract Many medical applications require high-accuracy registration of images. In this paper, we present a landmark-based method for registering images that allows for scaling, translation, and rotation. The method is applied to register high-resolution (HR) Visible Human Male cryosection images with their corresponding registered low-resolution (LR) images. The difference in resolution presents difficulty in landmark selection. The solution for this requires equalizing pixel sizes of images from both sets. Registering HR images to LR images, already registered to each other, results in a registered set of HR images. The accuracy of the registration algorithm is evaluated by registering an image transformed with preset factors and comparing it to the original image. The accuracy of registration is calculated as 10 −3 HR pixels for scaling, 10 −3 degrees for rotation and 10 −7 HR pixels for translation. Once the HR set is registered and segmented it is possible to generate 3D virtual models of anatomical structures for other applications.
Effects of the 2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-proprionic acid/kainate antagonist LY293558 on spontaneous and evoked postoperative pain

Background Previous studies suggest that 2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-proprionic acid (AMPA)/kainate antagonists reduce experimentally induced pain. There have been no studies of AMPA/kainate antagonists in clinical pain. Methods Analgesic efficacy of intravenous LY293558 (0.4 or 1.2 mg/kg) was compared with that of intravenous ketorolac tromethamine (INN, ketorolac; 30 mg) and placebo in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study after oral surgery (n = 70). Study drugs were administered at the onset of moderate pain; pain intensity and relief were measured for 240 minutes. Results High-dose LY293558 and ketorolac tromethamine were superior to placebo (P < .05) for pain evoked by mouth opening and one of several measures of spontaneous pain: SPID240 ± SEM for pain evoked by mouth opening was highest for ketorolac tromethamine (151 ± 58), intermediate for high-dose LY293558 (−45 ± 35), and least for low-dose LY293558 (−151 ± 39) and placebo (−162 ± 50). High-dose LY293558 was superior to placebo at individual time points (45 to 240 minutes) for pain evoked by mouth opening but not for spontaneous pain. The spontaneous summed pain intensity difference over 240 minutes (SPID240 ± SEM) was highest for ketorolac tromethamine (303 ± 84), intermediate for high-dose LY293558 (−51 ± 40) and low-dose LY293558 (−96 ± 45), and least for placebo (−180 ± 24). LY293558 was well tolerated, with dose-dependent and reversible side effects including hazy vision in 20% of patients and sedation in 15%. Conclusions This is the first evidence that an AMPA/kainate antagonist reduces clinical pain. Tests of evoked pain may be more sensitive to certain analgesics than those of spontaneous pain. The evaluation of evoked pain as an outcome measure in analgesic trials may identify potentially useful compounds otherwise missed if only spontaneous pain is evaluated. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2000) 68, 320–327; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2000.108677
Rheology of foams: I. Theory for dry foams

Abstract A two-dimensional model for foams having gas volume fraction approaching unity has been developed. A general expression for the stress tensor is obtained which gives the total stress in terms of the shape of the cells, interfacial tension, the initial cell orientation, and the rate of deformation in the liquid. A formalism for describing cell deformation is also presented. By assuming hexagonal, monodisperse foam cells, we are able to obtain analytic expressions for stresses for small shearing and elongational deformations (below the yield strain) as well as for steady shear flow. For strains below the yield point, the stress-strain relation is independent of initial cell orientation. However, the critical strain varies with orientation, and therefore, the yield stress, τ 0 , is a function of orientation. In steady shear flow, the shear stress has a contribution from the liquid which is proportional to the shear rate. Thus, τ yx = τ 0 − C μ γ . , where C is a constant determined from viscous dissipation in the thin liquid films, μ is the liquid film viscosity, and γ . is the shear rate. The yield stress is directly proportional to the liquid surface tension and inversely proportional to cell size.
In-situ studies of the crystallization of amorphous CoSi2 films

Abstract The crystallization of amorphous CoSi 2 is an ideal phase transformation for in-situ studies. This system satisfies the assumptions underlying the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami analysis rather well and produces a microstructure which can be modelled realistically. The nucleation rate can be measured independently of the growth rate. The activation energy for growth is found to be 1.1 eV/atom and microstructural observations suggest that the interface between amorphous and crystalline material is likely to advance by a ledge mechanism.
The reactivity and auger chemical shift of oxygen adsorbed on platinum

The reaction of carbon monoxide with oxygen chemisorbcd on polycrystalline platinum has been studied using Auger spectroscopy. Two types of chemisorbed oxygen are distinguished on the basis of Auger electron chemical shifts and reactivity towards carbon monoxide. When the substrate is below 800 K, a single very reactive type of chemisorbed oxygen is formed. Above 800 K a new species begins to form which is characterized by an Auger chemical shift of about 6 eV and by low reactivity. The decay of the oxygen Auger signal using several fixed pressures of carbon monoxide was measured. The reaction is first order in carbon monoxide pressure but no clear decision can be made about the order with respect to oxygen coverage. With the reaction CO + 1202 → CO2 operating at steady-state, the oxygen coverage was measured as a function of CO pressure. In the region 363–600 K, the steady state oxygen coverage began to decline measurably when pCOpO2 reached 0.1. When pCO>pO2the oxygen coverage became immeasurably small. A simple model is used to relate these phenomena to observed carbon dioxide production rates.
The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students.

Abstract Background Over the past four years, the Franciscan University Counseling Center has reported a 231% increase in yearly visits, as well as a 173% increase in total yearly clients. This trend has been observed at many universities as mental health issues pose significant problems for many college students. The objective of this study was to investigate potential correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Methods The final analyzed sample consisted of 374 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24 attending Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. Subjects completed a survey consisting of demographic questions, a section instructing participants to rate the level of concern associated with challenges pertinent to daily life (e.g. academics, family, sleep), and the 21 question version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21). Results The results indicated that the top three concerns were academic performance, pressure to succeed, and post-graduation plans. Demographically, the most stressed, anxious, and depressed students were transfers, upperclassmen, and those living off-campus. Conclusions With the propensity for mental health issues to hinder the success of college students, it is vital that colleges continually evaluate the mental health of their students and tailor treatment programs to specifically target their needs.
100 Mb/s data transmission on UTP and STP cabling for demand priority networks

There have been considerable advances towards higher speed (100 Mb/s) workgroup LANs which support the existing UTP and STP structured cabling utilized by 10 BASE-T and token ring LANs. The paper describes the transmission techniques used by an IEEE 802.12 demand priority network with UTP and STP structured cabling. The UTP transmission scheme supports categories 3-5 UTP (i.e. voice-grade and data-grade) using a 5B6B block coded binary signalling scheme on four pairs. This binary signalling scheme is shown to provide better immunity against crosstalk and external (impulse) noise than multilevel signalling schemes. The STP scheme combines the strengths of the 5B6B block code with signalling technology similar to existing SDDI links.
Beyond neighborhood poverty: Family management, neighborhood disorder, and adolescents’ early sexual onset.

The authors examined how neighborhood disorder modifies associations between family management practices and youth transitions to sex among low-income African American and Latino urban families. The sample included 846 young adolescents and their mothers who participated in Welfare, Children and Families: A Three-City Study. Results from multilevel logistic regression models indicated no main effects of family management practices or neighborhood-level conditions on transitions to sex once accounting for demographics. However, higher levels of family routines and parental knowledge (i.e., awareness of youths' friends, whereabouts, and activities) were more strongly associated with a lower probability of youth sexual onset as neighborhood disorder increased. Results provide further evidence for the contextually specific nature of parenting impacts on adolescent adjustment.
Man-machine communications through brain-wave processing

The possibility of monitoring voluntarily produced changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) of a subject and translating these changes into a set of commands to be issued to an external device was investigated. Subjects performed five distinct tasks under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. A feature set consisting of the asymmetry ratios and the power values for each lead at four frequency bands-delta (0-3 Hz) theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (14-20 Hz)-was used to characterize the EEG. The feature sets created from an estimate of the spectral density of the EEG for each task were used to test classification accuracy among the various tasks using a Bayes quadratic classifier. The results show that it is possible to distinguish, to a high degree of accuracy, among the various mental tasks studied, using only the EEG. >
PPARγ deficiency results in reduced lung elastic recoil and abnormalities in airspace distribution

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is a nuclear hormone receptor that regulates gene expression, cell proliferation and differentiation. We previously described airway epithelial cell PPARγ deficient mice that develop airspace enlargement with decreased tissue resistance and increased lung volumes. We sought to understand the impact of airspace enlargement in conditionally targeted mice upon the physio-mechanical properties of the lung. Methods: We measured elastic recoil and its determinants, including tissue structure and surface forces. We measured alveolar number using radial alveolar counts, and airspace sizes and their distribution using computer-assisted morphometry. Results: Air vs. saline-filled pressure volume profiles demonstrated loss of lung elastic recoil in targeted mice that was contributed by both tissue components and surface tension, but was proportional to lung volume. There were no significant differences in surfactant quantity/function nor in elastin and collagen content between targeted animals and littermate controls. Importantly, radial alveolar counts were significantly reduced in the targeted animals and at 8 weeks of age there were 18% fewer alveoli with 32% more alveolar ducts. Additionally, the alveolar ducts were 19% larger in the targeted animals. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the functional abnormalities, including loss of recoil are secondary to altered force transmission due to differences in the structure of alveolar ducts, rather than changes in surfactant function or elastin or collagen content. These data further define the nature of abnormal lung maturation in the absence of airway epithelial cell PPARγ and identify a putative genetic determinant of dysanapsis, which may serve as a precursor to chronic lung disease.
1/f noise in surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators

Flicker noise measurements on 40 additional two-port ion etched groove SAW resonators (giving a total of 56 devices) have confirmed that resonators with large active acoustic areas exhibit lower 1/f noise levels than smaller devices. The observed noise levels vary inversely with the size of the SAW resonator. It has also been observed that there are no large differences in the 1/f noise levels of devices fabricated on either different grades of quartz or on swept and unswept material. Previous estimates of the active acoustic area (or volume) of a SAW resonator were based on the dimensions of rectangular acoustic energy profiles that had the same peak energy density and the same total energy as the actual resonator. More precise calculations of device acoustic volume are presented herein using perturbation theory to correctly handle the non-uniform acoustic energy distributions in a SAW resonator. >
The effect of physostigmine on normal human sleep and dreaming.

• Physostigmine, an anticholinesterase that increases the action of brain acetylcholine, induces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in normal humans. In this study we show that man dreams during physostigmine-induced REM sleep. Seventeen normal volunteers were pretreated with methscopolamine and received one intravenous infusion per night of either placebo or physostigmine either ten or 35 minutes after sleep onset. Subjects were awakened at specific times after infusion and interviewed regarding any sleep mentation prior to awakening. Results indicated that dreaming occurred during physostigmine-induced REM periods but that physostigmine did not alter mentation during non-REM sleep. These dreams were similar to spontaneous REM sleep dreams in content, vividness, unusualness, and emotionality.
Absolute blood velocity measured with a modified fundus camera

We present a new method for the quantitative estimation of blood flow velocity, based on the use of the Radon transform. The specific application is for measurement of blood flow velocity in the retina. Our modified fundus camera uses illumination from a green LED and captures imagery with a high-speed CCD camera. The basic theory is presented, and typical results are shown for an in vitro flow model using blood in a capillary tube. Subsequently, representative results are shown for representative fundus imagery. This approach provides absolute velocity and flow direction along the vessel center- line or any lateral displacement therefrom. We also provide an error analysis allowing estimation of confidence intervals for the estimated velocity. © 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
Setting the Stage Introduction to the Special Issue on the “Corporate Meltdown”

The 2002 meltdown of major U.S. corporations was the culmination of a number of interrelated trends that started in the 1970s and continued unabated through the 1990s. Cultural myths, public policies, and organizational practices coalesced to create a fraud-inducing system, one in which executive selection and reward systems encouraged unethical and/or illegal activities, public discourse elevated private financial gain over the interests of multiple stakeholders and glorified short-term asset appreciation while denigrating long-term corporate development, and public policies and institutional changes seriously weakened executive accountability.
Clinical impact of early CT scans after lateral skull-base surgery.

ObjectiveTo determine the frequency and clinical significance of abnormalities on postoperative computerized tomography (CT) scans performed within 24 hours after lateral skull base surgery.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingInpatient tertiary care hospital.MethodsAdult patients undergoing lateral skull base surgery were identified using CPT code search from January 2010 to January 2013. Patient demographics, type of skull base lesion, surgical approach, length of operation, time between end of the surgery and CT scan, CT scan findings, and patients’ postsurgical neurologic status were collected.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-two patients were identified who had a postoperative CT scan after lateral skull base surgery. Diagnoses included schwannoma (95), cerebrospinal fluid fistula (29), middle fossa encephaloceles (9), meningioma (13), superior semicircular canal dehiscence (12), and other disease processes (14). The approaches were middle fossa (64), translabyrinthine (70), suboccipital (1...
Ultra-low Voltage Analog Integrated Circuits for nanoscale CMOS

We will review design challenges and opportunities for ultra-low voltage analog and RF integrated circuits in nanoscale CMOS technologies.
Third-order corrections to the SLC final focus

The minimum /spl beta/ achievable at the interaction point (/spl beta/*) with the current design of the SLC final focus is limited to /spl sim/5 mm by third order optical aberrations, most notably the U/sub 1266/ and U/sub 3466/ terms (using the notation of K. Brown). A new lattice is presented which effectively zeros these terms. The remaining third order terms which accrue from the interleaved sextupole pairs in the chromatic correction section (CCS) can be cancelled by the inclusion of five octupoles (two in the CCS, and three in the final telescope). The resulting final focus system is corrected to third order for any usable range of /spl beta/* (given the constraints on the beam divergence at the interaction point). The potential luminosity obtainable from such a system is also presented. >
MoPeDT: features and evaluation of a user-centred prototyping tool

User-Centred Prototyping (UCP) tools are expected to support interface developers in order to more efficiently, effectively and satisfactorily design, evaluate and analyse user-friendly products by an all-in-one tool solution. We developed such a UCP tool called MoPeDT that supports the user-centred development of interactive evolutionary prototypes for mobile phones in the context of the Internet of Things. In this paper we address our tool features for the design, evaluation and analysis phase that mostly base on meaningful features from related tools. Additionally, we cover potential enhancements to former UCP tools in order to support interface developers with a wide-ranging playground to investigate the user's behaviour and preferences. The paper also describes MoPeDT's evaluation with 20 students over one month that investigated the interface developer's efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction when applying our UCP tool. As an outcome of this study we describe potential benefits and problems that might be of interest to other developers of UCP tools.
Least likely observations in regression models for categorical outcomes

This article presents a method and program for identifying poorly fitting observations for maximum-likelihood regression models for categorical de- pendent variables. After estimating a model, the program leastlikely will list the observations that have the lowest predicted probabilities of observing the value of the outcome category that was actually observed. For example, when run after estimating a binary logistic regression model, leastlikely will list the observa- tions with a positive outcome that had the lowest predicted probabilities of a positive outcome and the observations with a negative outcome that had the low- est predicted probabilities of a negative outcome. These can be considered the observations in which the outcome is most surprising given the values of the inde- pendent variables and the parameter estimates and, like observations with large residuals in ordinary least squares regression, may warrant individual inspection. Use of the program is illustrated with examples using binary and ordered logistic regression.
Semi‐coupled air/water immersed boundary approach for curvilinear dynamic overset grids with application to ship hydrodynamics

For many problems in ship hydrodynamics, the effects of air flow on the water flow are negligible (the frequently called free surface conditions), but the air flow around the ship is still of interest. A method is presented where the water flow is decoupled from the air solution, but the air flow uses the unsteady water flow as a boundary condition. The authors call this a semi-coupled air/water flow approach. The method can be divided into two steps. At each time step the free surface water flow is computed first with a single-phase method assuming constant pressure and zero stress on the interface. The second step is to compute the air flow assuming the free surface as a moving immersed boundary (IB). The IB method developed for Cartesian grids (Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 2005; 37:239–261) is extended to curvilinear grids, where no-slip and continuity conditions are used to enforce velocity and pressure boundary conditions for the air flow. The forcing points close to the IB can be computed and corrected under a sharp interface condition, which makes the computation very stable. The overset implementation is similar to that of the single-phase solver (Comput. Fluids 2007; 36:1415–1433), with the difference that points in water are set as IB points even if they are fringe points. Pressure–velocity coupling through pressure implicit with splitting of operators or projection methods is used for water computations, and a projection method is used for the air. The method on each fluid is a single-phase method, thus avoiding ill-conditioned numerical systems caused by large differences of fluid properties between air and water. The computation is only slightly slower than the single-phase version, with complete absence of spurious velocity oscillations near the free surface, frequently present in fully coupled approaches. Validations are performed for laminar Couette flow over a wavy boundary by comparing with the analytical solution, and for the surface combatant model David Taylor Model Basin (DTMB) 5512 by comparing with Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD) and the results of two-phase level set computations. Complex flow computations are demonstrated for the ONR Tumblehome DTMB 5613 with superstructure subject to waves and wind, including 6DOF motions and broaching in SS7 irregular waves and wind. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What counts as effective input for word learning

The talk children hear from their primary caregivers predicts the size of their vocabularies. But children who spend time with multiple individuals also hear talk that others direct to them, as well as talk not directed to them at all. We investigated the effect of linguistic input on vocabulary acquisition in children who routinely spent time with one vs. multiple individuals. For all children, the number of words primary caregivers directed to them at age 2 ; 6 predicted vocabulary size at age 3 ; 6. For children who spent time with multiple individuals, child-directed words from all household members also predicted later vocabulary and accounted for more variance in vocabulary than words from primary caregivers alone. Interestingly, overheard words added no predictive value to the model. These findings suggest that speech directed to children is important for early word learning, even in households where a sizable proportion of input comes from overheard speech.
A standardized microsatellite marker panel for parentage and kinship analyses in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

This research was designed to produce a standardized set of microsatellite loci for parentage and kinship analyses in channel catfish, the leading species of US aquaculture. Three panels of five to six markers each were developed that contained a total of two dinucleotide-, eight trinucleotide- and seven tetranucleotide-microsatellite loci respectively. The loci had a range of nine to 31 alleles per locus in an outbred population. Based on the allele frequencies measured in commercial randomly bred broodstock, the combined probability of non-exclusion of an unrelated candidate parent pair was 5.36e-18. The combined probability of non-exclusion of unrelated identical genotypes was 2.58e-08. The microsatellite panels were validated by parentage and kinship evaluation in three populations. A total of 697 spawns were collected from matings of outbred broodstock over three spawning seasons, and parents were determined unambiguously for all but three spawns. Genotype analysis also enabled the identification of half-sibling and full-sibling families produced by pond spawning. In a second experiment, parentage was unambiguously determined in nine spawns from a population consisting of broodstock derived from only four families. A third experiment demonstrated that all but one of 374 individuals from 10 full-sibling families could be assigned to a family after coculture in an earthen pond for 1 year. The standardized microsatellite panels enable the development of pedigreed catfish populations and large-scale performance evaluations in common environments to support the genetic improvement of cultured catfish through selective breeding.
Therapeutic Observations in MCF-7 Aromatase Xenografts

In previous studies using a xenograft model with tumors of human estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells transfected with aromatase (MCF-7Ca), we explored the antitumor efficacy of treatment combining the nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor letrozole with tamoxifen. However, treatment with this combination resulted in tumor suppression similar to tamoxifen alone but was less effective than letrozole alone. Clinical findings with the nonsteroidal inhibitor anastrozole in combination with tamoxifen (ATAC trial) were consistent with our results. Although letrozole was the most effective single agent in the model, tumors ultimately began to grow during continued treatment. To investigate the mechanisms by which tumors adapted to growth during letrozole treatment, we determined the expression of proteins in tumors during letrozole treatment compared with the tumors of control mice. We found that tumors initially up-regulated the ER, but subsequently receptor levels decreased in tumors unresponsive to letrozole. Adapter proteins (p-Shc and Grb-2) as well as all of the signaling proteins in the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade (p-Raf, p-MEK1/2, and p-MAPK) but not Akt were increased in tumors no longer responsive to letrozole. The results suggest that tumor cells adapt to estrogen deprivation during letrozole treatment by activation of alternate signaling pathways. When letrozole was combined with the pure antiestrogen fulvestrant, which down-regulates ER, the combination was extremely effective. Tumors regressed by 45% and were maintained without growth for the duration of the experiment (29 weeks). Thus, achieving more complete estrogen blockade may delay development of hormone-independent signaling pathways regulating proliferation.
Novel Repair of Venous Aneurysms Secondary to Arteriovenous Dialysis Fistulae

This report describes the surgical management of 12 hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistulae in whom non-infected, fusiform venous aneurysms developed that compromised access for dialysis. The venous aneurysmal changes were too extensive to permit excision and primary veno-venous anastomosis. To avoid the use of synthetic interpositional grafts, the venous aneurysms were left in situ and reduced in size to match the diameters of the veins entering and exiting the aneurysms. After decompression, the lumens of the venous aneurysms were reduced by firing staple lines along the longitudinal axes of the venous aneurysms and excision of the aneurysmal tissue anterior to the staple lines. Twenty-eight aneurysms were repaired by this method of reduction aneurysmoplasty, in 15 operations on 12 patients over the past 10 years. There were no wound infections or dehiscences and no bleeding or hematomas. After the operations, the arteriovenous fistulae were used continuously for hemodialysis until the patients died (7 patients for 36 months -/+ 28 SD), were lost to follow-up (1 patient at 30 days postoperatively), until the arteriovenous fistulae thrombosed following revision of the arteriovenous anastomosis (1 patient at 41 months postoperatively), or until the arteriovenous fistulae was ligated to relieve pain in the upper arm (1 patient at 6 months postoperatively). Two patients continue to use their arteriovenous fistulae until and including the time of this report at 10 and 11 months, respectively. Reduction aneurysmoplasty as described in this report offers an effective and low-risk option for the management of venous aneurysms secondary to arteriovenous fistulae in hemodialysis patients.
Single-resonator fourth-order micromechanical disk filters

A method for realizing a fourth-order micromechanical filter response using only a single, mass-loaded, flexural-mode disk resonator has been used to demonstrate a 20.26-MHz fourth-order Butterworth filter with a tiny 0.03% bandwidth and only 2.56 dB of insertion loss. The basic design technique uses orthogonal mode-splitting and recombining to achieve a parallel-class filter that dispenses with the need for multiple resonators and coupling links in previous filters. The single-resonator disk structure has a measured temperature coefficient of frequency TC/sub f/ of -14.2ppm//spl deg/C and a third order intercept point IIP/sub 3/ of +20.6dBm, which indicates very good device linearity.
A system-level solution for managing spatial temperature gradients in thinned 3D ICs

As conventional CMOS technology is approaching scaling limits, the shift in trend towards stacked 3D Integrated Circuits (3D IC) is gaining more importance. 3D ICs offer reduced power dissipation, higher integration density, heterogeneous stacking and reduced interconnect delays. In a 3D IC stack, all but the bottom tier are thinned down to enable through-silicon vias (TSV). However, the thinning of the substrate increases the lateral thermal resistance resulting in higher intra-layer temperature gradients potentially leading to performance degradation and even functional errors. In this work, we study the effect of thinning the substrate on temperature profile of various tiers in 3D ICs. Our simulation results show that the intra-layer temperature gradient can be as high as 57°C. Often, the conventional static solutions lead to highly inefficient design. To this end, we present a system-level situation-aware integrated scheme that performs opportunistic thread migration and dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) to effectively manage thermal violations while increasing the system throughput relative to stand-alone schemes.
Particle size distributions in the upper 100 m water column and their implications for animal feeding in the plankton

Abstract We deployed autonomous particle-sensing SOLOPC floats more than eight times during five cruises, amassing almost 400 profiles of particle size ( d > 90 μ m ) and abundance between the ocean surface and 100 m. The profiles consistently had subsurface maxima in particle volume. The median (by volume) equivalent spherical diameter for the particle distribution was 0.4–0.8 mm and increased with depth in a manner similar to that observed in coagulation simulations. There was a sharp cutoff at the bottom of the high particle concentration region. Estimation of particle fluxes made using the size distributions show an increasing downward movement through the particle field above the sharp particle cutoff. The increase of particle flux with depth through the euphotic zone implies a partial spatial separation of production and consumption. The sharp drop in particle volume and flux implies that the base of the particle-rich zone is a region of active particle consumption, possibly by zooplankton flux feeding. Our data show greater concentrations of zooplankton-type particles relative to marine snow-type particles below the particle maximum. Such behavior could explain why zooplankton are frequently observed at and immediately below the particle maximum rather than the productivity maximum and suggests an important role for flux feeding in carbon and nutrient cycling at the base of the particle maximum. This implies that zooplankton act as gatekeepers for the movement of organic matter to the mesopelagic. The ability of the SOLOPC to sample hourly with high resolution in the upper 100 m of the ocean provides a powerful complement for the study of particles where it has been difficult to use sediment traps.
Increased Survival and Inhibition of Mammary Tumors in Hypothyroid Mice

A general hormonal imbalance accompanies breast carcinoma [9, 121, and numerous studies have been done to determine the effects of increased or decreased amounts of various hormones on breast cancer. The use of androgens and estrogens in breast cancer cases is currently in common practice. Because of its widespread influence on metabolism including other endocrine glands, the thyroid gland’s role in breast cancer has been extensively studied. However, studies dealing with the effects of either induced hypothyroidism or administration of thyroid substance to animals with breast cancer have thus far been conflicting and inconclusive [7]. At one time it was believed that hyperthyroidism and treatment with thyroid substance was beneficial in prevention and treatment of mammary cancers in humans [I, 81. However, it recently was concluded that the effects of surgical castration in breast cancer cases were not enhanced by the addition of thyroid substance [ 111. In positive studies with mammary cancer in rodents, induced hypothyroidism at the time of tumor implantation, to treat tumors induced by chemicals, or hypothyroidism, used as a prophylaxis to prevent the development of tumors in tumorigenic mice, apparently has not been dramatic enough to warrant further study [3,5,9, 10, 151. It has been shown that administration of 6propylthiouracil (6-PT) and partial ablation of the thyroid with 13’1, produced a significantly decreased rate of tumor growth but did not bring about a significant increase in survival time [ 151. This study plus other subsequent studies in our laboratory (unpublished) indicate that continuous 6-PT administration or thyroid ablation with 13’1 prevented significant increases in survival since the hypothyroid mice generally became myxedematous after about 21 days. Therefore, a series of experiments was done in which 6-PT was given for 21 days and discontinued.
Induction of rabbit cyclooxygenase 2 in the anterior uvea following glaucoma filtration surgery.

PURPOSE. This study was undertaken to evaluate for the presence of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) gene expression in the anterior uvea of rabbits following glaucoma filtration surgery. METHODS. One of the following surgical procedures were performed on the right eye of New Zealand white albino rabbits: (1) paracentesis (2.5 mm limbal incision); (2) iridectomy through a 2.5 mm limbal incision; (3) lamellar scleral flap formation or (4) full glaucoma filtration surgery. The animals were sacrificed within 3 hours of post-surgery, and the anterior uveal tissues were isolated. Polymerase chain reaction-based techniques were employed to assay for the presence of COX2 transcript. RESULTS. A partial coding sequence of the previously unreported rabbit COX2 gene was obtained. COX2 mRNA was detected in the operated eyes of animals that underwent either full filtration surgery or iridectomy through a limbal incision. CONCLUSIONS. In normal rabbit anterior uveal tissue, there appears to be minimal expression of COX2 message....
Next generation sequencing of pancreatic cyst fluid microRNAs from low grade-benign and high grade-invasive lesions

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a precursor cystic lesion to pancreatic cancer. With the goal of classifying IPMN cases by risk of progression to pancreatic cancer, we undertook an exploratory next generation sequencing (NGS) based profiling study of miRNAs (miRNome) in the cyst fluids from low grade-benign and high grade-invasive pancreatic cystic lesions. Thirteen miRNAs (miR-138, miR-195, miR-204, miR-216a, miR-217, miR-218, miR-802, miR-155, miR-214, miR-26a, miR-30b, miR-31, and miR-125) were enriched and two miRNAs (miR-451a and miR-4284) were depleted in the cyst fluids derived from invasive carcinomas. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that the relative abundance of tumor suppressor miR-216a and miR-217 varied significantly in these cyst fluid samples. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) analysis indicated that the genes targeted by the differentially enriched cyst fluid miRNAs are involved in five canonical signaling pathways, including molecular mechanisms of cancer and signaling pathways implicated in colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers. Our findings make a compelling case for undertaking in-depth analyses of cyst fluid miRNomes for developing informative early detection biomarkers of pancreatic cancer developing from pancreatic cystic lesions.
Analysis of UWB transmitted-reference communication systems in dense multipath channels

Transmitted-reference (TR) signaling, in conjunction with an autocorrelation receiver (AcR), offers a low-complexity alternative to Rake reception. Due to its simplicity, there is renewed interest in TR signaling for ultrawide bandwidth (UWB) systems. To assess the performance of these systems, we develop an analytical framework based on the sampling expansion approach. In particular, we derive closed-form expression for the bit-error probability (BEP) of TR signaling with AcR that can be used to exploit multipath diversity inherent in wideband channels. We further extend our analysis to the BEP derivation of modified AcR with noise averaging. Our methodology does not require the Gaussian approximation and is applicable for any fading scenario, provided that the correlator output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be characterized in terms of a characteristic function. We show that the validity of the conventional Gaussian approximation depends on the time-bandwidth product and the number of transmitted pulses per symbol. Our results enable the derivation of a computationally simple lower bound on the BEP of TR signaling with AcR. This lower bound allows us to obtain the SNR penalty associated with an AcR, as compared with All-Rake and Partial-Rake receivers.
“If I Pay, I Have a Say!” Parental Payment of College Education and its Association With Helicopter Parenting

Guided by developmental and sociological frameworks, the present study investigated two interrelated research questions, namely, (a) is helicopter parenting (HP) a unidimensional or multidimensional construct and (b) is parental payment of college education associated with freshmen’s reports of HP? Participants (58% female) included 190 first-semester freshmen (70% Caucasian) who completed a survey with items on parenting (proportion of parental payment for college education, HP behaviors). Results indicated HP was a singular form of overinvolvement and that most freshmen reported low levels of HP. As hypothesized, parental payment of college education was positively associated with HP, and this association was strongest among freshmen without a scholarship. Challenges to the popularized perception that most parents of college students are overinvolved, and implications regarding educational expenses linking parents and emerging adults in the college context are discussed.
The semantics of tense in Kinyarwanda

Tense is one of those verbal categories relatively unexplored in Bantu languages. In this study the author endeavors to differentiate and describe the temporal functions of those verbal prefixes directly or indirectly relevant to the expression of tense in Kinyarwanda. These morphemes are shown to constitute diverse semantic (temporal) systems-labeled vector and segmental-which, when juxtaposed, determine the particular tense of any verbal expression. Of particular significance, the analysis demonstrates that these morphemes do not, in all cases, have a unique, absolute meaning or function, but shift according to the semantic context in which they are used.
The Use of Large Corpora to Train a New Type of Key-Finding Algorithm: An Improved Treatment of the Minor Mode

Computational models of key estimation have struggled to emulate the accuracy levels of human listeners, especially with pieces in the minor mode. The current study proposes a new key-finding algorithm, which utilizes Euclidean distance, rather than correlation, and is trained on the statistical properties of a large musical sample. A model was trained on a dataset of 490 pieces encoded into the Humdrum “kern” format, in which the key was known. This model was tested on a reserve dataset of 492 pieces, and was found to have a significantly higher overall accuracy than previous models. In addition, we determined separate accuracy ratings for major mode and minor mode works for the existing key-finding models and report that most existing models provide greater accuracy for major mode rather than minor mode works. The proposed key-finding algorithm performs more accurately on minor mode works than all of the other models tested, although it does not perform significantly better than the models created by Aarden (2003), Bellman (2005), or Sapp (2011). Finally, an algorithm that combines the Aarden-Essen model (2003) and the proposed algorithm is suggested, and results in significantly more accurate key assessments than all of the other extant models.
Inhibition of skeletal muscle activity by lung expansion in the dog

The ability of lung expansion to reflexly decrease skeletal muscle activity was tested in anesthetized dogs. In animals whose left lung was vascularly isolated but neurally intact, the left lung was inflated statically to 40 cmH2O pressure or cyclically with tidal volumes of 10, 20, or 30 ml/kg. Responses to these stimuli were compared with those of injecting 120 or 240 micrograms capsaicin into the left pulmonary artery. Skeletal muscle activity was assessed from the electromyogram (EMG) response of the left hindlimb muscles and from the monosynaptic reflex response to a periodic patellar tendon tap of the right leg (knee jerk). Static inflation and cyclic inflations above 10 ml/kg resulted in significant decreases in both EMG and knee jerk responses. The results indicate that lung expansion is capable of initiating a reflex decrease in skeletal muscle activity. Capsaicin injections caused responses that were similar to those caused by lung inflation, suggesting that at least part of this skeletal muscle reflex response to lung inflation can be attributed to the stimulation of pulmonary C-fibers that could be caused by stretch of the lung.
New Index of Reliability

The index, β\N, is often used as a measure of second-moment reliability has several limitations. The new index, γ\N, avoids these limitations and has the same numerical value as β\N in elementary cases of second-moment reliability. γ\N is a function of the (generalized) Tchebysheff upper-bound to the probability of failure. γ\N is calculated for many different univariate, multivariate, and infinite-dimensional problems and, whenever possible, is compared with β\N. Cases are studied in which distribution characteristics other than the first two moments are known. These include knowledge of absolute moments, of moments of order higher than two, of positivity or unimodality, of the expectation of functions other than powers, of constraints on the maximum value of the probability density, of independence among the components of random vectors. γ\N is also used to make reliability comparisons between cases with the same value of β\N but with different safety regions.