cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raman spectra of GaAs-AlxGa1−xAs superlattices

Abstract Systematic theoretical studies of Raman spectra of GaAs-Al x Ga 1- x As superlattices are presented. The electronic states are described by an envelope-function method and the phonon modes are described in a microscopic rigid-ion model. Both resonant and nonresonant Raman scattering processes are considered. For resonant Raman scattering, the effects of discrete exciton states plus the continuum and the valence-band mixing are included via a k-space sampling method. Both the Frohlich and deformation-potential mechanisms for electron-phonon coupling are considered. These two mechanisms are responsible for principal features in the z ( x, x ) z and z ( x, y ) z geometries, respectively. We find that the effects of exciton continuum states are quite important and the resonant Raman spectra so obtained are in much better agreement with experiment compared to those without including the exciton continuum states.
A systems biology approach identifies a regulatory network in parotid acinar cell terminal differentiation.

Objective The transcription factor networks that drive parotid salivary gland progenitor cells to terminally differentiate, remain largely unknown and are vital to understanding the regeneration process.
Evaporation of solids by pulsed laser irradiation

Abstract The focused beam of a KrF laser (248 nm) has been applied to irradiate targets of Al 2 O 3 , SiC, graphite, Pb, Ni, Cr, quartz, and NaCl at variable laser energy flux is the range 0–13 J/cm 2 . The amount of target material ejected into the vacuum (background pressure about 8 × 10 −4 Torr) was determined from the target weight before and after laser irradiation. The average number of particles (formula weight) evaporated per laser pulse and per unit of irradiated target area is non-linearly dependent on the laser energy flux. The evaporation of Al 2 O 3 , SiC, and graphite is showing a well-defined flux threshold while the vaporization of Pb, Ni and Cr is rising smoothly with increasing flux. With both groups of materials laser evaporation is monotonically increasing with the laser energy flux. NaCl and quartz, on the other hand, are showing an intermediate maximum in the laser vaporization efficiency.
DDoS Attacks by Subverting Membership Management in P2P Systems

We show that malicious participants in a peer-to-peer system can subvert its membership management mechanisms to create large-scale DDoS attacks on nodes not even part of the overlay system. The attacks exploit many fundamental design choices made by peer-to-peer system designers such as (i) use of push-based mechanisms; (ii) use of distinct logical identifier (e.g. IDs in a DHT) corresponding to the same physical identifier (e.g., IP address), typically to handle hosts behind NATs; and (iii) inadequate or poorly designed mechanisms to validate membership information. We demonstrate the significance of the attacks in the context of mature and extensively deployed peer-to-peer systems with representative and contrasting membership management algorithms - DHT-based Kad and gossip-based ESM.
Sharing-Aware Resource Management Algorithms for Virtual Computing Environments

Virtualization technologies are ubiquitous in data centers around the world where providers consider operational costs and fast delivery guarantees for a variety of profitable services. Providers should consistently invoke measures for increasing the efficiency of their virtualized services in a competitive environment where fast entry to market, technology advancement, and service price differentials separate sustaining providers from antiquated ones. Therefore, providers seeking further efficiencies and profit opportunties should consider how their resources are managed in virtual computing environments which leverage memory reclamation techniques, specifically pagesharing; motivating the design of new sharing-aware resource management algorithms. In this Ph.D. dissertation, we design families of offline and online sharing-aware algorithms for resource management in virtual computing environments, and investigate their properties and their relationships to various sharing models. Our contribution innovates the design of new approximation algorithms offering relevant performance guarantees.
Particle Production in Reflection and Transmission Mode Laser Ablation: Implications for Laserspray Ionization

Particles were ablated from laser desorption and inlet ionization matrix thin films with a UV laser in reflection and transmission geometries. Particle size distributions were measured with a combined scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) system that measured particles in the size range from 10 nm to 20 μm. The matrixes investigated were 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB), α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA), sinapic acid (SA), 2,5-dihydroxy-acetophenone (DHAP), and 2-nitrophloroglucinol (NPG). Nanoparticles with average diameters between 20 and 120 nm were observed in both transmission and reflection geometry. The particle mass distribution was significantly different in reflection and transmission geometry. In reflection geometry, approximately equal mass was distributed between particles in the 20 to 450 nm range of diameters and particles in the 450 nm to 1.5 μm diameter range. In transmission mode, the particle mass distribution was dominated by large particles in the 2 to 20 μm diameter range. Ablation of inlet ionization matrices DHAP and NPG produced particles that were 3 to 4 times smaller compared with the other matrices. The results are consistent with ion formation by nanoparticle melting and breakup or melting and breakup of the large particles through contact with heated inlet surfaces.
Sobolev spaces and symbolic calculus

We use elementary theory of distributions and geometry of Euclidean spaces to obtain a theorem on the symbolic calculus of several variables in spaces of Fourier series with weights.
A second-order Jahn-Teller distortion in the solid: the phase transition in VSx

Abstract Tight-binding band structure calculations have been performed on both the NiAs (hexagonal) and MnP (orthorhombic) structures of vanadium sulfide VS. A band folding procedure is used to generate the electronic structure of the hexagonal phase in orthorhombic symmetry and allows one to understand the reasons for the NiAs to MnP structural distortion as vanadium vacancies in VS are filled. When a critical electron filling of the metal d bands is reached, a second-order Jahn-Teller mixing operates to stabilize the MnP structure and induces the concomitant formation of metal-metal zig zag chains. The resulting “dip” in the density of states at the Fermi level is analyzed in conjunction with the experimentally observed changes in conductivity, and Knight shift measurements. Finally, the computed relative stability of the two structures for different metal monosulfides is shown to agree qualitatively with the experimental data available.
Potent Landscapes: Place and Mobility in Eastern Indonesia

Potent Landscapes, by Catherine Allerton, is an engagingly written ethnography based in the Manggarai region of Flores in eastern Indonesia. A key theme of the book is that placemaking happens thro...
Self‐Concept and Learning: the revised inventory of learning processes

Abstract The Inventory of Learning Processes is a unique measure of learning style in that it was developed within the context of cognitive psychology, and derived from laboratory research concerned with information processing and memory. The present paper describes some of the early research examining the validity of the original Inventory of Learning Processes, and then presents a revised version of the inventory along with reliability and validity data. More than 15 years of research with the same assessment instrument have lead to the development of a model of student learning. The two major routes to academic achievement are reflective processing and agentic processing. Reflective processing is somewhat free‐associative and ultimately dialectical, deriving personal meaning by contrasting opposing perspectives on one's experience. Reflective processing includes deep and elaborative processing, and a determination to express one's self. The other approach to achievement, agentic processing, is highly d...
TIME‐RESOLVED RESONANCE RAMAN SPECTRA OF THE PHOTOCYCLE INTERMEDIATES OF ACID AND DEIONIZED BACTERIORHODOPSIN

— The photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and its perturbed forms are investigated by a time-resolved resonance Raman study. These experiments were performed in the C=C stretching and in the fingerprint spectral regions for the acid blue, acid purple and deionized forms of bR. The main observations are as follows: (1) isomerization of the retinal, from all-trans to 13-cis, occurs in native bR and in all of the acid and deionized perturbed bR species; (2) formation of the early intermediates (the K610 and L550 analogues) also occur in native bR and in all of the perturbed species; and (3) deprotonation of the protonated Schiff base (PSB), to give the M412 type intermediate, occurs in native bR, but is inhibited in all of the perturbed bR species on the time-scale of the native bR photocycle. The results show that isomerization alone is not a prerequisite for the PSB deprotonation process. The observed photocycle, initiated with retinal isomerization, is found to occur from all-trans to 13-cis in all of the perturbed forms of bR. In addition, the results imply that removal of the cations, of an increase in the hydrogen ion concentration, prevent only the PSB deprotonation process and not the formation of earlier cycle intermediates. Some attention is focused on the two blue forms of bR (acid and deionized) due to the fact that their ground-state absorption maximum, unphotolyzed Raman spectra, and Raman spectra changes during the photocycle are all very similar. The similarities between the acid blue and deionized blue forms in the fingerprint region support previous suggestions that both blue species have nearly the same retinal active site.
Comparative dynamics of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) in a tolerant and susceptible population of the copepod Acartia hudsonica

Abstract In common-environment experiments, we measured the uptake, accumulation, retention, transformation and depuration of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense in adult females of two geographically separated populations (Maine and New Jersey, USA) of the copepod Acartia hudsonica. These populations were previously shown to differ in their history of exposure to Alexandrium blooms, and in their degree of adaptation to this dinoflagellate. Toxin accumulation was measured at several times in incubations lasting up to 72 h. Toxin depuration was assessed after a 60 h incubation of females with toxic A. fundyense and subsequent 60 h incubation in a sole diet of the non-toxic green flagellate Tetraselmis sp. As previously observed, the Maine population had significantly higher toxin ingestion rates. By contrast, both toxin accumulation (up to ∼2.5 ng STX eq. female −1 ) and the depuration rate (∼0.73 d −1 ) were not significantly different between populations. Hence, faster depuration is ruled out as a tolerance mechanism in the Maine population. Some toxin transformation during both accumulation and depuration was evident in both populations. However, differential toxin transformation does not appear to be a tolerance mechanism either. In contrast to these results, toxin retention (ratio of accumulation/cumulative ingestion) was significantly lower in the Maine population. The retentions of gonyautoxin 3 (GTX3) and of two of the most potent toxins, neosaxitoxin (NEO) and saxitoxin (STX), were also significantly lower in that population. At steady state, toxin absorption efficiency was estimated to be 6% for the Maine population and 9% for the New Jersey population. These results suggest that lower toxin absorption is a possible tolerance mechanism for the Maine population. The results of the present study also suggest that copepod adaptation to toxic dinoflagellates does not necessarily lead to higher toxin transfer up the food web.
Long-term survival after esophagectomy for Barrett’s adenocarcinoma in endoscopically surveyed and nonsurveyed patients

There is growing controversy over the cost-effectiveness of surveillance endoscopy for patients with Barrett's esophagus. A retrospective review was performed of 80 patients who underwent resection for Barrett's adenocarcinoma to assess the influence of endoscopic surveillance on long-term survival. Twelve patients initially were diagnosed with benign Barrett's esophagus and were followed with endoscopic surveillance. The remaining 68 patients had the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus made at the time of their cancer diagnosis or resection. Patients in surveillance programs were younger (53 vs. 64 years; P = 0.008), had better performance status (8.9 vs. 8.2; P = 0.04), had less weight loss (0.3 vs. 5.5 kg; P < 0.001), had a similar incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms (75% vs. 60%), and were less likely to undergo preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy (8% vs. 28%). Pathologic stage was 0 or I in 9 (75%) of 12 patients in the surveillance group compared to 12 (18%) of 68 of those in the no surveillance group (P < 0.001). Median survival for patients in the surveillance group was 107 months compared to 12 months for those in the no surveillance group (P < 0.001). Stratifying for stage, surveillance (hazard ratio = 3.05; confidence interval = 1.09 to 8.57; P = 0.034) was the only predictor of survival. Surveillance endoscopy permits early diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in patients with Barrett's esophagus and contributes substantially to long-term survival.
Deviation analysis through model checking

Inaccuracies, or deviations, in the measurements of monitored variables in a control system are facts of life that control software must accommodate $the software is expected to continue functioning correctly in the face of an expected range of deviations in the inputs. Deviation analysis can be used to determine how a software specification will behave in the face of such deviations in data from the environment. The idea is to describe the correct values of an environmental quantity; along with a range of potential deviations, and then determine the effects on the outputs of the system. The analyst can then check whether the behavior of the software is acceptable with respect to these deviations. In this report we wish to propose a new approach to deviation analysis using model checking techniques. This approach allows for more precise analysis than previous techniques, and refocuses deviation analysis from an exploratory analysis to a verification task, allowing us to investigate a different range of questions regarding a system's response to deviations.
Interannual Consistency of Gross Energy in Red Oak Acorns

Abstract Red oak Quercus spp., Subgenus Erythrobalanus acorns are forage for mallards Anas platyrhyncos, wood ducks Aix sponsa, and other wildlife that use bottomland hardwood forests in the southe...
Association between greenness, urbanicity, and birth weight.

Abstract Background More than half of the world's population lives in urban environments. Due to urban related factors (e.g. higher air pollution), urban residents may face higher risk of adverse health outcomes, while access to green space could benefit health. Purpose We explored associations between urban and green land-use and birth weight. Methods Connecticut, U.S., birth certificate data (2000–2006) were acquired (n = 239,811), and land-use data were obtained from the National Land Cover Database. We focused on three land-uses; urban space, urban open space, and green space (i.e. forest, shrub, herbaceous, and cultivated land). We estimated fractions of greenness and urbanicity within 250 m from residence. A linear mixed effects model was conducted for birth weight and a logistic mixed effects model for low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA). Results An interquartile range (IQR) increment in the fraction of green space within 250 m of residence was associated with 3.2 g (95% Confidence Interval [0.4, 6.0]) higher birth weight. Similarly, an IQR increase in green space was associated with 7.6% [2.6, 12.4] decreased risk of LBW. Exposure to urban space was negatively correlated with green space (Pearson correlation = − 0.88), and it showed negative association with birth outcomes. Results were generally robust with different buffer sizes and controlling for fine particles (PM2.5) and traffic. Conclusions We found protective associations by green space on birth outcomes. Increasing green space and/or reducing urban space (e.g. the greening of city environments) may reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes such as LBW and SGA. Populations living in urban environments will grow in the next half century, and allocation of green space among urban areas may play a critical role for public health in urban planning.
Measurement and modification of incestuous behavior: a case study.

Treatment of a 52-yr.-old male complaining of repeated incestuous behavior with his daughter is described. Objective and subjective measures of incestuous interest were devised along with ratings of normal father-daughter interaction. Covert sensitization, employing noxious scenes based on subjectively reported aversive aspects of the incestuous behavior, eliminated incestuous interest but did not de-value appropriate interaction.
Program savings associated with switching testosterone intramuscular injections to topical gel in HIV infected males.

SUMMARYBackground: HIV-1 infected male patients commonly require testosterone supplementation and intramuscular testosterone (IM) is the most frequently used supplementation method. Currently, the economic burden of testosterone supplementation is borne to a large degree by the clinic providing services to the HIV infected male. Increasingly, clinics are seeking alternative methods to provide supplementation. This analysis describes the economic trade-offs associated with the utilization of topically applied testosterone supplement relative to current supplementation techniques within the clinic setting.Methods: Twenty-three patients that had been receiving IM were switched to topical testosterone gel (TOP). A 1-month time-and-motion study, identification of IM administration specific supplies, and costs for acquisition and disposal of these supplies were conducted or gathered to quantify costs of providing bi-weekly IM to patients. The analysis describes potential resource savings by switching 23 HIV pat...
ConAir: featherweight concurrency bug recovery via single-threaded idempotent execution

Many concurrency bugs are hidden in deployed software and cause severe failures for end-users. When they finally manifest and become known by developers, they are difficult to fix correctly. To support end-users, we need techniques that help software survive hidden concurrency bugs during production runs. To help developers, we need techniques that fix exposed concurrency bugs.The state-of-the-art techniques on concurrency-bug fixing and survival only satisfy a subset of four important properties: compatibility, correctness, generality, and performance.We aim to develop a system that satisfies all of these four properties. To achieve this goal, we leverage two observations: (1) rolling back a single thread is sufficient to recover from most concurrency-bug failures; (2) reexecuting an idempotent region, which requires no memory-state checkpoint, is sufficient to recover from many concurrency-bug failures. Our system ConAir includes a static analysis component that automatically identifies potential failure sites, a static analysis component that automatically identifies the idempotent code regions around every failure site, and a code-transformation component that inserts rollback-recovery code around the identified idempotent regions.We evaluated ConAir on 10 real-world concurrency bugs in widely used C/C++ open-source applications. These bugs cover different types of failure symptoms and root causes. Quantitatively, ConAir helps software survive failures caused by all of these bugs with negligible run-time overhead (
The Interactions of Microhole Sidewall With Plasma induced by Femtosecond Laser Ablation in High-Aspect-Ratio Microholes

High-aspect-ratio microholes have many important applications, but their drilling is very challenging. Femtosecond (fs) laser ablation provides a potential solution, but involves many complicated physical processes that have not been well understood, which have hindered its practical application. One of these is that the plasma induced by laser ablation at the hole bottom will transfer some of its energy to the hole sidewall as it expands in the microhole. The plasma–sidewall interaction has been rarely studied in literature, and it is still not clear if or not the energy transferred from the plasma is sufficient to cause significant material removal from the sidewall. Direct time-resolved observations are extremely difficult due to the small temporal/spatial scales and the spatial constraint inside the hole, while the sidewall characterization after laser ablation is difficult to distinguish between the possible material removal due to plasma energy transfer and that due to direct laser energy absorption by the sidewall. In this paper, a physics-based model is applied as the investigation tool to study the plasma–sidewall interaction in fs laser drilling of high-aspect-ratio microholes. It has been found that for the studied conditions the energy transferred from the plasma is not sufficient to cause significant material removal from the sidewall through any thermally induced phase change process.
Real-time 3D pulse-echo ultrasonic imaging with coded-excitation systems

A new coded-excitation pulse-echo imaging system capable of simultaneous acquisition of a larger number of image lines for real-time 3D imaging is presented. A theoretical formulation of the system based on a discretized received signal model is given. With realistic simplifications, the image reconstruction is realized by a transversal filter bank with each filter designed to extract echoes from a specific direction in the region of interest. The filters are derived from a regularized pseudoinverse image reconstruction operator obtained from the system formulation. Unlike similar coded-excitation systems based on matched filtering, this pseudoinverse-based filter bank decouples echoes from different directions before providing matched filtering along the range direction. The correlation artifacts due to non-ideal coding are thus dramatically reduced. It can also be shown that the system may achieve lateral resolution exceeding the limit of conventional beamforming systems based on the same array. Both simulation and experimental results are provided.
Harnessing emergence for manycore programming: early experience integrating ensembles, adverbs, and object-based inheritance

We believe that embracing nondeterminism and harnessing emergence have great potential to simplify the task of programming manycore processors. To that end, we have designed and implemented Ly, pronounced "Lee", a new parallel programming language built around two new concepts: (i) ensembles which provide for parallel execution and replace all collections and (ii) iterators, and adverbs, which modify the parallel behavior of messages sent to ensembles. The broad issues around programming in this fashion still need investigation, but, after our initial Ly programming experience, we have identified some specific issues that must be addressed in integrating these concepts into an object-based language, including empty ensembles, partial message understanding, non-local returns from ensemble members, and unintended ensembles.
A fast microfluidic mixer based on acoustically driven sidewall-trapped microbubbles

Due to the low Reynolds number associated with microscale fluid flow, it is difficult to rapidly and homogenously mix two fluids. In this letter, we report a fast and homogenized mixing device through the use of a bubble-based microfluidic structure. This micromixing device worked by trapping air bubbles within the pre-designed grooves on the sidewalls of the channel. When acoustically driven, the membranes (liquid/air interfaces) of these trapped bubbles started to oscillate. The bubble oscillation resulted in a microstreaming phenomenon—strong pressure and velocity fluctuations in the bulk liquid, thus giving rise to fast and homogenized mixing of two side-by-side flowing fluids. The performance of the mixer was characterized by mixing deionized water and ink at different flow rates. The mixing time was measured to be as small as 120 ms.
Review: The Promise and Premise of Creativity: Why Comparative Literature Matters

Review article on Eugene Eoyang, The Promise and Premise of Creativity: Why Comparative Literature Matters (New York: Continuum International Publishing, 2012).
Bayesian Information Usage

We might distinguish between inductive and deductive inferences in the following way: Deductive inferences refer to the implications of coherence for a given set of beliefs, whereas inductive inferences follow from conditions for ‘rational’ change in belief. Change in belief, I shall argue in the following section, is perhaps the most philosophically relevant notion of semantic information. Thus rules governing inductive inferences may be regarded as rules for the acquisition of semantic information.
The Itinerant Domains of Black Emancipation and the 'Interposition' of Blyden's Sabbath School

This paper is about the itineraries of Atlantic emancipation and Afro-Christianity in Edward Blyden’s early writings from the U.S. and that converged in his defense of Liberia’s transition from an American outpost to an African-American republic. In Baltimore, at the end of 185'8 Blyden composed one of his earliest essays on black Atlantic slavery, “Sabbath Schools.” The essay confronted the fugitive slave laws in the U.S. with a memory of kinship and mobility in his St. Thomas Sunday school. Drawing on his memories of Christianization in St. Thomas, Blyden argued that he occupied an “interposition” from which he could perceive a domain of black freedoms in West Africa that was occluded in abolitionist claims to black citizenship in the U.S. Through the Dutch Reformed Church in Charlotte-Amalie and in the U.S. Presbyterian’s Alexander High School in Monrovia, Blyden adapted his faith in the idea of the institutional relations of church and state in the form of the Sabbath school to mediate the place of black emancipation and the sovereignty of Liberia within the nexus of Protestant empire. In doing so he produced transgressive insights - on race and diaspora and on the constrained imagining of civilization and citizenship.
INVITED EDITORIAL COMMENT: Is Markowitz Wrong? Investment Lessons from the Financial Crisis

1. Meir Statman 1. is the Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA . (ln2_6931{at}comcast.net) The cover article of the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Financial Planning asked, “Is Markowitz Wrong?” The subtitle
Effect of sex ratios on reproduction by the corn earworm in the laboratory.

In the laboratory, an increase in the number of male corn earworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie), placed with females in adult-holding containers increased the rate of egg production and mating and decreased female longevity; it had no effect on total egg production. A ratio of 4 males: 6 females provided sufficient males for smating and afforded a maximum egg hatch.
Literature review of interprofessional research on inpatient pharmacy operations.

Historically, the improvement of modern health care delivery was almost exclusively championed by interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals and researchers from within the health care domain. Only recently have researchers from nonmedical disciplines begun to actively and consistently
Parents' and Teens' Perspectives on Privacy In a Technology-Filled World

The life of a teenager today is far dierent than in past decades. Through semi-structured interviews with 10 teenagers and 10 parents of teenagers, we investigate parent-teen privacy decision making in these uncharted waters. Parents and teens generally agreed that teens had a need for some degree of privacy from their parents and that respecting teens’ privacy demonstrated trust and fostered independence. We explored the boundaries of teen privacy in both the physical and digital worlds. While parents commonly felt none of their children’s possessions should ethically be exempt from parental monitoring, teens felt strongly that cell phones, particularly text messages, were private. Parents discussed struggling to keep up with new technologies and to understand teens’ technology-mediated socializing. While most parents said they thought similarly about privacy in the physical and digital worlds, half of teens said they thought about these concepts dierently. We present cases where parents made privacy decisions using false analogies with the physical world or outdated assumptions. We also highlight directions for more usable digital parenting tools.
GROWTH HORMONE IN ADULTS : INDICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Adults with hypopituitarism and documented growth hormone deficiency are now eligible for replacement therapy. What are the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment? More broadly, what are the implications for other adults with hyposomatotropism-namely, the elderly? And is there a therapeutic role for the hormone in patients with disease states such as osteoporosis, heart failure, and acute catabolic illness?
Older adults and people with disabilities

Many people assume that disability naturally occurs with increasing age. However, people of all ages can and do have disabilities. Age alone does not increase vulnerability. As a community responder it is likely that you will encounter a number of children, adolescents, and adults of all ages who have sensory (eg, vision or hearing problems), physical, or mental impairment. Some disabilities may be easy to see while others may be less evident. Responders should be mindful of the wide range of strengths, needs, and issues for people with disabilities. In some instances, delivery of psychological first aid interventions may need to be modified because no single approach works for everyone. Rather than guessing about how you should offer assistance and what type might be most beneficial, your best option is to simply ask how you can help. It is safe to assume that physical appearance of advanced age does not equate with disability or incapacity to respond or recover from disasters. In fact, many older people can assist others by serving as volunteers or paid staff.
Within the Ottoman Crescent

The Ottoman dynasty, which overran the Arab lands and claimed successorship to the Arab caliphate, had a modest beginning (ca. 1300) as a petty Turkish state in western Asia Minor (Anatolia). Its eponymous founder, Uthman (Osman, hence Ottoman), bore a name which indicates his profession of Islam. As Turks, affiliated with Mongols in central Asia, these people had started with an illiterate culture, an animistic religion and a nomadic way of life which landed them in the territory of Islam. Adventurous and warlike they inched their way up to dizzy heights of success. Their conquests in western Asia and south-eastern Europe culminated in the capture of Constantinople in 1453 and the annihilation of Byzantine power. What the Arabs had coveted for centuries but failed to achieve was accomplished by these later champions of Islam and builders of one of its greatest and most enduring empires.
Normal Physiology and Pathophysiology of Left Ventricular Systole

Left ventricular (LV) systole is defined as that part of the cardiac cycle wherein active contraction occurs. Contractile performance is a major determinant of overall cardiac function. The final end-systolic pressure and volume are a function of intrinsic cardiac contractility, myocardial energy state, and ventricular-arterial coupling, whereas the developed stroke volume and stroke work are a function of these factors plus end-diastolic volume. Since end-diastolic volume is a primary determinant of systolic function, through the Frank-Starling mechanism, diastolic dysfunction directly alters systolic performance. Diastolic dysfunction is discussed elsewhere in this volume. In this chapter we focus only on systolic events.
Reorganization of Visual Callosal Connections Following Alterations of Retinal Input and Brain Damage

Vision is a very important sensory modality in humans. Visual disorders are numerous and arising from diverse and complex causes. Deficits in visual function are highly disabling from a social point of view and in addition cause a considerable economic burden. For all these reasons there is an intense effort by the scientific community to gather knowledge on visual deficit mechanisms and to find possible new strategies for recovery and treatment. In this review we focus on an important and sometimes neglected player of the visual function, the corpus callosum (CC). The CC is the major white matter structure in the brain and is involved in information processing between the two hemispheres. In particular, visual callosal connections interconnect homologous areas of visual cortices, binding together the two halves of the visual field. This interhemispheric communication plays a significant role in visual cortical output. Here, we will first review essential literature on the physiology of the callosal connections in normal vision. The available data support the view that the callosum contributes to both excitation and inhibition to the target hemisphere, with a dynamic adaptation to the strength of the incoming visual input. Next, we will focus on data showing how callosal connections may sense visual alterations and respond to the classical paradigm for the study of visual plasticity, i.e. monocular deprivation. This is a prototypical example of a model for the study of callosal plasticity in pathological conditions (e.g. strabismus and amblyopia) characterized by unbalanced input from the two eyes. We will also discuss findings of callosal alterations in blind subjects. Noteworthy, we will discuss data showing that inter-hemispheric transfer mediates recovery of visual responsiveness following cortical damage. Finally, we will provide an overview of how callosal projections dysfunction could contribute to pathologies such as neglect and occipital epilepsy. A particular focus will be on reviewing noninvasive brain stimulation techniques and optogenetic approaches that allow to selectively manipulate callosal function and to probe its involvement in cortical processing and plasticity. Overall, the data indicate that experience can potently impact on transcallosal connectivity, and that the callosum itself is crucial for plasticity
Racial and ethnic variations in uterine corpus cancer incidence, United States, 2001-2003

A88 Objective: Previous studies of uterine corpus cancer have largely focused on differences between white and black women with endometrial cancer. We examined racial and ethnic variations in uterine corpus cancer incidence in the US, including racial and ethnic groups previously less studied, and non-endometrial uterine corpus cancers. Methods: Data are from the 2001-2003 National Program of Cancer Registries and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program. Data are from state cancer registries meeting quality criteria for all years and cover 90.3% of the U.S. population. We included females with a microscopically confirmed diagnosis of invasive uterine corpus cancer (n=97,098). We grouped individual cancer histologies into 3 major histologic groups (epithelial tumors and related lesions, mesenchymal tumors, mixed tumors). We calculated incidence rates (per 100,000) age standardized to the 2000 US Standard Population by age group and tumor characteristics for the 3 major groups. Within major histologic groups, we stratified by race and ethnicity. Because of the large number of cases and comparisons, we considered differences with p Results: Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women had lower rates of epithelial cancers than white women (12.8 vs. 21.7, p Conclusion: In a dataset with >90% U.S. population coverage, uterine corpus cancer rates were generally similar or lower among API and AIAN women than among white or black women, and among Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic women. Black women had higher rates of cancers previously suggested to have worse prognosis, including serous AC, clear cell AC and carcinosarcoma. Further research is needed to help explain and address differences in incidence among racial and ethnic groups. Findings will help planners understand burdens among groups, and provide a baseline for future surveillance of epithelial, mesenchymal and mixed cancer rates for these groups.
Microbypass stent implantation with cataract extraction and endocyclophotocoagulation versus microbypass stent with cataract extraction for glaucoma.

Purpose To compare the outcomes of combined microbypass stent implantation, cataract extraction, and endocyclophotocoagulation (ECP) with those of implantation of the same microbypass stent with concomitant cataract surgery in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Setting Private Practice, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA. Design Retrospective consecutive case series. Methods Patients from January 2015 to August 2016 were included. The study group comprised eyes that had implantation of a microbypass stent in combination with cataract extraction and ECP. To compare outcomes, a control group of eyes with similar baseline characteristics that had implantation of a stent in combination with cataract surgery was established. Data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Data included intraocular pressure (IOP) and number of glaucoma medications. Results The mean preoperative IOP was 21.49 mm Hg ± 9.56 (SD) in the study group (51 eyes) and 20.66 ± 3.23 mm Hg in the control group (50 eyes). Twelve months postoperatively, the mean IOP reduction was 7.14 mm Hg in the study group and 4.48 mm Hg in the control group and the medication reduction was 38% (0.68) and 63% (1.06), respectively. Conclusions Patients who had implantation of the microbypass stent in combination with cataract surgery and ECP had significantly better IOP reduction than those who did not have ECP. The combination procedure was also effective in patients with severe OAG.
Lactobacilus johnsonii supplemented mice modulate RSV-induced disease and is associated with increased DHA metabolite that alters DC activation through PPAR- γ. (VIR9P.1148)

The gut microbiome contributes to a variety of mammalian processes, including modulation of host immune responses. We have found that L. johnsonii- supplemented mice displayed altered gut microbiome profiles and reduced RSV-induced pulmonary immunopathology. Metabolomics analysis of plasma from L. johnsonii -supplemented mice identified docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate (butyrate precursor) as increased metabolites. We hypothesized that DHA and butyrate played a role in the modulation of the immune response in lung. We found that bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) treated with DHA or butyrate expressed and produced reduced levels of IL-12, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-β and TNF-α when stimulated with LPS, CpG or RSV compared to untreated cells. DHA treatment of RSV-infected BMDC prior to their co-culture with T cells isolated from RSV-infected mice significantly reduced their production of Th2 cytokines and IFN Υ . Then, we determined whether DHA was activating the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) in BMDC, which has been described as an inflammatory response inhibitor. We observed that BMDC treated with DHA and PPAR- γ antagonist (GW9662), had altered expression of mRNA and production of cytokines compared to DHA treated cells. These results suggest that DHA is modulating the immune response through PPAR-γ in dendritic cells and may be one mechanism of attenuating RSV immunopathology in mice supplemented with L. johnsonii .
Trends in electronic health record usage among US colleges of pharmacy.

Abstract Introduction Electronic health records (EHRs) are used extensively throughout health systems; this indicates a need for pharmacy student competencies prior to pharmacy practice experiences. The objective was to determine current utility, perceived benefit, and future plans for EHR use in the didactic curriculum of doctor of pharmacy programs in the United States. Methods An electronic survey was distributed to members of two special interest groups through the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Content areas in the 14-question survey included current utilization of EHRs in the didactic curriculum, perceived benefit for preparing students for pharmacy practice experiences, and future plans for implementing or improving EHR use. Results A total of 59 (7.7%) individuals responded to the survey, representing 43 out of 133 schools (32%). Of the respondents currently using EHRs (37%), more than 60% have been using an EHR in the classroom for two years or less while 18.2% reported five or more years of experience. The most common application of EHRs was for clinical cases (77%) followed by pharmaceutical care lab courses (59%), other uses in pharmacotherapeutics (27%), and interprofessional education (23%). Of those not currently using EHRs (63%), the vast majority (84%) plan to integrate EHRs into didactic coursework within the next two years. Conclusions EHRs appear to be used by many colleges of pharmacy in courses where clinical cases are being discussed. Further research into the value of EHR usage at earlier stages of professional programs, including within skills labs, objective structured clinical examinations, and other pharmacy coursework, may be helpful given increasing EHR use in healthcare settings.
Surface Wave Mode Reduction for Rectangular Microstrip Antennas on High-Index Materials

Microstrip and slot antennas are used in a broad range of applications from communication systems (radars, telemetry and navigation) to biomedical systems, primarily due to their planar characteristics and low manufacturing cost1. With the recent development of microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits and the trend to incorporate all microwave devices on a single chip for low-cost and high density, there is a need to fabricate patch antennas on high-index materials such as Silicon, GaAs or InP. Because of their high index, these materials exhibit a pronounced surface wave excitation, thus leading to lower antenna efficiency, reduced bandwidth, degradation of the radiation pattern and undesired coupling between the various elements in an array design. Only a few approaches have been put forth to resolve the excitation of substrate modes in microstrip antennas, including using a sub-strate-superstrate configuration2, adjusting the radius of a circular patch to a critical value3, suspending the patch over an air cavity through the use of a membrane4 or over closely spaced periodic holes in the substrate5.
Sleep Disturbance Influences Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

This analysis evaluated the association between sleep disturbance and gastrointestinal symptoms in women with and without irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and examined the role of psychological distress in this relationship. Women with IBS (N = 82) reported considerably higher levels of sleep disturbance compared to controls (N = 35), using both retrospective seven-day recall and daily diary recall for two menstrual cycles (P < 0.05 on 8 of 10 measures). We used daily diary data to estimate the association between sleep disturbance and gastrointestinal symptoms, both across women (ie, whether women with high average sleep disturbance have higher average gastrointestinal symptoms) and within woman (ie, whether poorer than average sleep on one night is associated with higher than average gastrointestinal symptoms the following day). The regression coefficients for the across-women effect are large and highly significant in both groups (IBS, β ± se = 0.46 ± 0.08, P < 0.001; controls, 0.57 ± 0.13, P < 0.001). The regression coefficients for the within-woman effect are considerably smaller and statistically significant only in the IBS group (IBS, 0.06 ± 0.02, P = 0.006; control, 0.01 ± 0.03, P = 0.691). These regression coefficients showed little change when daily psychological distress or stress was controlled for, the one exception being the coefficient for the across-women effect in the IBS group, which decreased substantially but still remained highly significant. Because it is possible that gastrointestinal symptoms could, in fact, cause poor sleep, we also fitted the temporally reversed model to evaluate the association between gastrointestinal symptoms on one day and sleep disturbance that night. The within-woman regression coefficients were nonsignificant in both the IBS and control groups. In conclusion, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that poor sleep leads to higher gastrointestinal symptoms on the following day among women with IBS.
Lateral congenital anomalies of the pharyngeal apparatus: part II. anatomy of the abnormal for the surgeon.

"Anatomy of the abnormal"-a branch of surgical anatomy-deals with relations of an anomaly to surrounding entities. Here, lateral congenital anomalies of the pharyngeal apparatus are examined; their relations to entities of the neck can be explained embryologically. Location of embryonic pharyngeal arches, clefts, and pouches in the adult is presented and terminology of these anomalies (fistulas, sinuses, cysts) is defined. First "cleft and pouch" anomalies relate with the parotid and facial nerve. Second cleft and pouch anomalies course deeply to second arch structures and superficially to third arch structures. Consequently, they relate with hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal nerves and internal and external carotid arteries. Third cleft and pouch anomalies pass deep to third arch entities and superficial to those of the fourth arch and relate with glossopharyngeal, hypoglossal, superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves, and the internal carotid artery. The complicated course of fourth cleft and pouch anomalies brings them into relationship with glossopharyngeal, hypoglossal, superior and recurrent nerves, internal carotid, aorta, and subclavian arteries. Found superficially are veins (external and anterior jugular, common facial, communicating), nerves (transverse cervical, great auricular, mandibular, cervical branches of facial), and relevant spinal nerves (e.g., accessory). Knowledge of these anatomical relations helps prevent anatomical complications.