cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation and Use of Food Grade N-Carboxymethylchitosan to Prevent Meat Flavor Deterioration

SUMMARY The research described herein discusses the findings on crab chitosan, although similar modifications of shrimp and crawfish chitosan have been made in our laboratory. The effectiveness of NCMC to inhibit lipid oxidation reactions that are catalyzed by metals and the preservation of the desireable cooked beef brothy flavor have been demonstrated. In particular, NCMC as a chelating polysaccharide has been shown to possess a high activity to control those peculiar reactions in meat. The chemical and descriptive sensory analysis for the ground beef to which NCMC was added showed that the oxidative chemistry was controlled and that the flavor aromatics were preserved for the valuable beef flavor. In other words, the data showed that the patties that contained the NCMC did not develop flavor deterioration. For future research we would encourage polysaccharide synthetic and natural product chemists to be aware of this flavor stabilizing effect of chelating polysaccharides and to search for new possibilities to enhance such free radical control activity. In addition, due to health concerns such as cholesterol, markets are being lost that can only be solved by risking changes in meat flavor. We have concentrated on beef in our research but our explorations are applicable to many other meat and seafood types. Our findings should also be useful for the development of new edible products and better utilization of the surpluses presently on hand.
Frailty Syndrome, Cognition, and Dysphonia in the Elderly

Summary Purpose The purpose of the current study is to determine the relation of frailty syndrome to acoustic measures of voice quality and voice-related handicap. Methods Seventy-three adults (52 community-dwelling participants and 21 assisted living residents) age 60 and older completed frailty screening, acoustic assessment, cognitive screening, and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10). Factor analysis was used to consolidate acoustic measures. Statistical analysis included multiple regression, analysis of variance, and Tukey post-hoc tests with alfa of 0.05. Results Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and exhaustion explained 28% of the variance in VHI-10. MoCA and sex explained 27% of the variance in factor 1 (spectral ratio), age and MoCA explained 13% of the variance in factor 2 (cepstral peak prominence for speech), and slowness explained 10% of the variance in factor 3 (cepstral peak prominence for sustained /a/). There were statistically significant differences in two measures across frailty groups: VHI-10 and MoCA. Acoustic factor scores did not differ significantly among frailty groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions Voice-related handicap and cognitive status differed among robust and frail older adults, yet vocal function measures did not. The components of frailty most related to VHI-10 were exhaustion and weight loss rather than slowness, weakness, or inactivity. Based on these findings, routine screening of physical frailty and cognition are recommended as part of a complete voice evaluation for older adults.
Relationship between Teammate Status and Measures of Skill in Volleyball

(1950). Relationship between Teammate Status and Measures of Skill in Volleyball. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 274-276.
A test of linguistic influences in the perceptual organization of speech

Research in speech perception has explored how knowledge of a language influences phonetic perception. The current study investigated whether such linguistic influences extend to the perceptual (sequential) organization of speech. Listeners heard sinewave analogs of word pairs (e.g., loose seam, which contains a single [s] frication but is perceived as two /s/ phonemes) cycle continuously, which causes the stimulus to split apart into foreground and background percepts. They had to identify the foreground percept when the stimuli were heard as nonspeech and then again when heard as speech. Of interest was how grouping changed across listening condition when [s] was heard as speech or as a hiss. Although the section of the signal that was identified as the foreground differed little across listening condition, a strong bias to perceive [s] as forming the onset of the foreground was observed in the speech condition (Experiment 1). This effect was reduced in Experiment 2 by increasing the stimulus repetition rate. Findings suggest that the sequential organization of speech arises from the interaction of auditory and linguistic processes, with the former constraining the latter.
The supraclavicular flap

In the realm of head and neck reconstruction, many would agree that the pendulum has swung back from free tissue transfer (FTT) to locoregional flaps.1 The supraclavicular flap has re-emerged in the last several decades as another versatile reconstructive option in the head and neck. The flap is easy to harvest and boasts shorter operative times than FTT.2 Several authors have demonstrated that supraclavicular flap is equally as effective as FTT in coverage of a variety of defects with better cost-effectiveness. Technique refinements have improved the rate of flap survival and decreased the complication rate of this procedure with minimal donor site morbidity. The flap does have its restrictions, which include size and reach limitations. This article will give some insight into patient selection, different operative techniques, and postoperative care for this flap.
Coherent nonlinear optical microscopy for acquiring structural information of cell cytoskeleton

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) is a coherent nonlinear optical process occurring in non-centrosymmetric molecules, including microtubule (MT). MT is a cytoskeleton playing many important roles in a variety of cellular processes depending on the cell type, and the conformation is crucial for the function. Here we present the use of SHG process to probe MT cytoskeleton in living neuronal tissue. Polarization-resolved SHG (p-SHG) imaging and the second-order tensor analysis were performed on the retinal nerve fibers in order to probe the structure of MTs in axon. The polar anisotropy of tubulins was determined at the molecular level. The effect of MT-stabilizing drug Taxol was also examined and the induced changes were not detectable by p-SHG. Our results demonstrate SHG as a novel optical method to measure conformational changes of MTs in the native cellular context. The technique could be employed in conjunction with existing atomic-resolution methods of structural biology to improve our understanding of cytoskeleton dynamics in vivo.
Setting the dynein motor in motion: New insights from electron tomography

Dyneins are ATP-fueled macromolecular machines that power all minus-end microtubule–based transport processes of molecular cargo within eukaryotic cells and play essential roles in a wide variety of cellular functions. These complex and fascinating motors have been the target of countless structural and biophysical studies. These investigations have elucidated the mechanism of ATP-driven force production and have helped unravel the conformational rearrangements associated with the dynein mechanochemical cycle. However, despite decades of research, it remains unknown how these molecular motions are harnessed to power massive cellular reorganization and what are the regulatory mechanisms that drive these processes. Recent advancements in electron tomography imaging have enabled researchers to visualize dynein motors in their transport environment with unprecedented detail and have led to exciting discoveries regarding dynein motor function and regulation. In this review, we will highlight how these recent structural studies have fundamentally propelled our understanding of the dynein motor and have revealed some unexpected, unifying mechanisms of regulation.
Hierarchical decision making: resource distribution exhibits stronger effect on crayfish dominance relationships and shelter occupation than prior social experience and resource ownership

The outcome of agonistic interactions is critical to the acquisition of vital resources. These behaviours can be influenced by several intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and multi-faceted studies are necessary for ecologically relevant studies. The aim of this study was to combine the effects of past social experience, resource ownership, and the distribution of shelter resources to examine the combination of these effects on various measures of agonism in crayfish (Orconectes rusticus). Crayfish were assigned to one of three social conditioning treatments (naive, subordinate, dominant) and then introduced to an arena where they were assigned to a resident or intruder treatment. An intruder shelter was then positioned 20, 60 or 120 cm from the resident shelter. We found that resource distribution (shelter distance) played a larger role in influencing agonistic behaviour than did past social experience or current social status.
Dynamic RF Allocation for Improved Service Provisioning in Wireless Virtualization Enabled Networks

Wireless Virtualization has been widely investigated to improve radio resource utilization in wireless networks. Wireless Virtualization (WiVi) enabled architecture utilizes network slicing and Software Defined Network (SDN) to segment physical resources owned by wireless infrastructure providers (WIPs) into separate virtual resources which can then be allocated to the end users of the network through mobile virtual network operators (MVNO). Along this line, we present two Radio Frequency (RF) slice allocation mechanisms - Renyi Allocation and Optimal Allocation that are both concerned with optimization of RF resource allocation in WiVi framework. For Renyi RF allocation, our study shows that end-user latency can be managed while keeping the utilization of RF slices at an acceptable level; whereas for optimal allocation, our study shows that WIP and MVNOs can adapt during negotiations to maximize the expected payoffs.
X-ray diffraction study of strain relaxation, spontaneous compositional gradient, and dislocation density in GeSn/Ge/Si(100) heterostructures

The strain relaxation, depth profiles of composition and density of dislocations in GeSn epilayers were studied by using the x-ray diffraction. Regions with uniform and graded composition, different levels of strain relaxation, and dislocation density were found in the GeSn layers grown at fixed growth conditions. At the initial stage of growth, the GeSn layer is under ~8 × 10–3 compressive strain, and the Sn composition is close to the target value of 6.6%. With increasing layer thickness, the Sn content is enhanced by 0.85 ± 0.12% due to the relief of compressive strain down to ~5.0 × 10–4. The plastic strain relaxation is dominated by 60° misfit dislocations at the GeSn/Ge interface, where their density is 3 × 105 cm−1. The relaxed GeSn layer serves as a buffer for the high-quality GeSn overlayer with uniform and enhanced Sn composition. The laboratory-based x-ray diffraction is shown as a non-destructive reliable technique for strain, composition, and defects characterization, as an alternative to secondary ion mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscope techniques.
Chapter 12 – Astrocyte Lineage

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates whether the development of astrocyte is identical in different regions of CNS. Astrocytes, the star-shaped glia that populate the CNS, play many important roles in brain development and function. These include regulating extracellular ion and neurotransmitter concentrations, metabolizing neurotransmitters, maintaining the blood-brain barrier, providing trophic support for neurons and oligodendrocytes, and guiding migrating neurons and glia during CNS development, and perhaps serving stem-like or neurogenic functions in the developing and adult brain. To assert their many and varied effects, astrocytes are positioned carefully within the CNS with respect to their interactions with blood vessels, the pial surface, neurons, and other astrocytes. This chapter also discusses the molecular signals underlying astrocyte development. Recent attention has focused on three sets of ligand-receptor interactions that play roles in promoting astrocyte differentiation: the IL-6/LIF family of cytokines and the LIF receptor/gpl30 pair; TGFb growth factors, particularly the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and BMP receptors; and Notch and Notch ligand pairs.
HPV‐associated oropharyngeal cancer: Knowledge and attitude/beliefs among non‐clinical staff at community‐based HIV/AIDS Service Organizations (ASO) in the south United States (U.S.) census region

This study describes knowledge and attitude/beliefs about HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer among non-clinical staff, at community-based HIV/AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) located in the Southern U.S. states of South Carolina and Texas. It also explores the difference in knowledge and attitude/beliefs between Texas-based (n = 21) and South Carolina-based (n = 30) ASO staff. The ASOs in our study provide comprehensive HIV prevention, supportive and care services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS or at risk for HIV/AIDS, through partnerships and collaborations. We collected data from the two Texas-based ASOs in 2018 and the three South Carolina-based ASOs in 2016 via a 118-item, self-administered needs assessment survey. Data were analysed using Stata/SE 15.1. Over half the study participants were females (59%), black (78%), heterosexual (61%) and mean age (years) 44.2 ± 12.8 SD. Most participants (73%) believed that quitting smoking positively impacts health. Alarmingly though, only 32% were aware about HPV as a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer, and over half (53%) were unsure about the success of the HPV vaccine in preventing oropharyngeal cancer. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences observed in the oropharyngeal cancer-related knowledge and attitudes/beliefs, between ASOs in Texas and South Carolina. ASO staff work closely with people living with HIV (PLWH), who are disproportionately affected by HPV-associated cancers. The low/poor knowledge and attitudes/beliefs regarding the role of HPV in causing oropharyngeal cancer ascertain the need for equipping community health workers with adequate education/training that improves their knowledge and attitudes/beliefs about the role of HPV in causing various forms of cancer.
Nonlinear potential field in contact electrification

Abstract The cause of electron transfer in contact electrification is one of the most hotly debated physical problems today. In this study, the electron transfer is hypothesized to be partly driven by the surface dipole induced potential during contact. This phenomena is demonstrated by a combination of atomistic field theory (AFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. A representative contact system of carbon and silicon dioxide was chosen for its excellent tribo-tunneling power output performance. The results reveal the existence of a nonlinear potential field as well as the existence of a separation dependent potential barrier at the contact interface. Possible scenarios of triboelectric charge transfer are discussed in light of these results. These results are critical to the fundamental understanding of contact electrification.
Parental and kinship ties, and low self-control: Violence perpetration among rural African American adolescents from the Black Belt.

Abstract Introduction A substantial body of research supports both social control and self-control theories in explaining violent or deviant behaviors. Most previous work has focused on the links between family ties or bonds and deviance, along with low self-control. A potentially untested and overlooked bond is the extended kinship network, particularly among African American youth. The current study tested the extent to which kinship ties explained unique variability in violence perpetration, net the effects by family ties, low self-control, and background variables. Methods Data were collected from rural African American adolescents enrolled in a poor, rural public school located in the Black Belt in the Southeastern United States. The sample included N = 610 adolescents (55.9% female; Mage = 15.64, SD = 1.74). Results Findings from hierarchical regressions provided evidence that kinship ties explained unique variance in violence perpetration, above and beyond the effects of parental support and low self-control. Conclusions Study findings provide some support for the unique importance of kinship ties in understanding variability in adolescent violence perpetration in this sample of poor, rural African American adolescents. Thus, they highlight a potentially unique extra-familial source of socialization and social control; this finding, in particular, has important theoretical and practical implications for prevention and intervention efforts targeting violent behaviors among rural African American youth.
On the Accuracy of Numerical Models for All-Silicon Photonics Carrier Depletion Modulators

The first-order block-wise time-domain large signal model and the second-order finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) large signal model of all-silicon phonics carrier depletion modulators are compared for the simulation accuracy of the electrical RF driving signals and the modulated optical fields.
Quick Normal Mode Type Starting Fields for Parabolic Equation Models

It is well known that Parabolic equation models require the user to provide a starting field. We present a method which directly generates the special combination of modes that gives the correct starting field. A comparison is made to the more customary Gaussian and normal mode starting fields.
Some Changes in the Character of the Society

Physiology certainly started as a handmaiden of medicine but during the last fifty years or more a significant change has taken place. The change has been the result of the advancement of science in general and the basic medical sciences in particular which have become so broad (or deep) that the ordinary training of a doctor of medicine is no longer sufficient to do more than cover a few of the high spots, with a mastery of none. Thus increasing specialization has become a necessity and physiology has become a science in its own right, which extends far beyond the more specialized interests of the ordinary medical practitioners, however well trained and broadminded they may be. Of course, many of our best physiologists today have only the M.D. degree but they usually obtain additional training in their specialty after completing their degrees. The physiologist with a Ph.D. has the opposite problem and is in danger of remaining too specialized and narrow in his outlook.
The Emerging Role of Banks in E-Commerce

How is the banking industry responding to the rapid development of on-line commerce? Evidence suggests that many banks are beginning to deliver credit and deposit products electronically. In addition, some large banks are developing products designed exclusively for e-commerce. As banks venture into the electronic arena, however, they are finding that new opportunities bring new operational and strategic risks.
Cyclopropanones—VIII: Preparation and characterization of cyclopropanone, methylcyclopropanone, 2,2-dimethylcyclopropanone and tetramethylcyclopropanone

Abstract The preparations of cyclopropanone (1), methylcyclopropanone (2), 2,2-dimethylcyclopropane (3) and tetramethylcyclopropane (4), are described. The spectral properties of these molecules demonstrate unambiguously the ring closed structure for cyclopropanones. The reactions of cyclopropanones with methanol, diazomethane and furan are employed as chemical means of characterization.
Multi-parameter homotopy methods for finding periodic solutions of nonlinear circuits

This paper applies real and complex multi-parameter homotopy to finding periodic solutions of nonlinear circuits. We show using circuit examples and normal forms coupled with codimension arguments, that multi-parameter homotopy methods can avoid period-doubling and cyclic fold bifurcations along solution paths, and find all solutions along a period-doubling path. We distinguish between circuit-direct and formulation-indirect multiparameter homotopy, and show that the latter (with two real parameters) can avoid period-doubling bifurcations, while the former cannot. >
Recent advances in elevated temperature crack: growth and models for life prediction

ABSTRACT This paper summarizes the recent developments in the field of time-dependent fracture mechanics over the past few years. The state of understanding in this area is now at the same level as elastic-plastic fracture mechanics. The important developments and their applications are described in this paper.
Quasicontinuum study of 180 degree domain walls and cracks in tetragonal phase BaTiO/sub 3/

Complex lattice Quasicontinuum theory is applied to simulations of phenomena in tetragonal phase BaTiO/sub 3/. Quasicontinuum theory is a multiscale theory, which bridges a unified continuum and atomistic description of materials at the same time. Handling millions of atoms simultaneously, Quasicontinuum derives the description of the materials directly from the underlying atomistics. Two phenomena are being investigated: a 180 degree wall and a crack under quasistatic loading. We obtain a very small atomistic thickness of the wall, but we also see long ranging effects emerging from the wall's presence, which have not been seen in the previous molecular dynamics studies. We are able to find equilibrium solutions for a crack under increasing load. We see characteristic polarization changes appearing around the crack tip.
The Business Side of Trafficking in Humans: Regional Contexts and Organized Crime

Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective. By Louise Shelley. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 341 pp., $26.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-13087-5). In Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective , Louise Shelley sketches the regionally diverse practices and realities of human trafficking across Africa, Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, Latin America, Central Asia, and Russia. Although she focuses her attention primarily on human trafficking for sexual exploitation, she also addresses organ trafficking, labor trafficking, human smuggling, and the trafficking of children into adoption markets or for use as beggars or soldiers. Utilizing a comparative and historical perspective, Shelley's aim is to note the economic, social, and political context and consequences of human trafficking, examine the role of organized crime in trafficking enterprises, and reveal the various business models of human trafficking networks. Shelley demonstrates that human trafficking networks operate in such regionally diverse ways that any attempt to successfully eradicate them will require equally varied and context-specific solutions coordinated across a multitude of anti-trafficking actors. Part one includes two chapters that are especially well suited for those new to human trafficking as it outlines for the reader in very broad strokes the multiple and intersecting factors that have contributed to an increase in human trafficking since the 1980s. It also traces the social and political consequences of the trade in humans. Because the focus is on broadly sketching “the rise and costs of human …
Performance of iCAR systems: a simplified analysis technique

In this paper, a simplified analysis technique for the integrated cellular and Ad hoc relay (iCAR) systems is presented. First, a simple two-cell system is analyzed using a multi-dimensional Markov-chain. The performance metric employed is the call blocking probability of each cell in the system. To this end, first a closed-form expression for the call blocking probability in the two-cell system is provided. Then, it is shown that these closed-form expressions could be used to analyze more practical systems. The accuracy of the developed simple analytical expressions is checked and verified by comparing the results predicted by these analytical expressions with simulation results. It is shown that there is an excellent match between analytical and simulation results.
Mattis Dementia Rating Scale Cutoffs Are Inadequate for Detecting Dementia in Parkinson's Disease

The Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) is widely used to assess cognition and screen for dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD). In 2008, Llebaria and colleagues reported excellent sensitivity and specificity detecting dementia in PD using a DRS total score cutoff of 123. However, this study used a sample with rather low mean educational achievement (8.9 years). The 123 cutoff score was cross-validated in a sample of 51 PD patients with a rather high mean educational achievement (14.84 years). A total score cutoff of 123 correctly classified 60.7% of the sample, with 20% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Use of age- and education-corrected scaled scores improved classification accuracy, but these cutoffs corresponded to the 25th percentile. Optimal classification of 82.4% accuracy was achieved using a raw total score cutoff of 133, corresponding roughly to the 16th percentile. Neither age nor education evinced a strong correlation to DRS total score in our sample. Results suggest caution in applying the DRS-2 total score cutoff of 123 and highlight the importance of comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for clinical diagnosis of dementia in PD.
Recruitment of SMC by ParB-parS Organizes the Origin Region and Promotes Efficient Chromosome Segregation

Organization and segregation of replicated chromosomes are essential processes during cell division in all organisms. Similar to eukaryotes, bacteria possess centromere-like DNA sequences (parS) that cluster at the origin of replication and the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) complexes for faithful chromosome segregation. In Bacillus subtilis, parS sites are bound by the partitioning protein Spo0J (ParB), and we show here that Spo0J recruits the SMC complex to the origin. We demonstrate that the SMC complex colocalizes with Spo0J at the origin and that insertion of parS sites near the replication terminus targets SMC to this position leading to defects in chromosome organization and segregation. Consistent with these findings, the subcellular localization of the SMC complex is disrupted in the absence of Spo0J or the parS sites. We propose a model in which recruitment of SMC to the origin by Spo0J-parS organizes the origin region and promotes efficient chromosome segregation.
K−p total and elastic cross sections at 2.66 GeV/c

Abstract At an incident kaon momentum of 2.66 GeV/ c we have measured the total and elastic cross sections to be 30.2 and 5.70 mb respectively. The elastic scattering angular distribution is dominated by a single diffraction peak; and when this peak is fit to an exponential in momentum transfer t , the first order term is both necessary and sufficient. This fit evaluated at t =0 is consistent with a purely imaginary forward scattering amplitude. Our data when compared with that of others indicates no shrinkage of the diffraction peak. The entire angular distribution was also fit to a Legendre series, with order 9 being required to represent the data.
Absence of cytosine methylation at C-C-G-G and G-C-G-C sites in the rDNA coding regions and intervening sequences of Drosophila and the rDNA of other higher insects

Cytosine residues in C-G dinucleotides are frequently methylated in eukaryote DNA. In DNA of the dinoflagellate C. cohnii, the sequence C-MeC-G-G apparently renders Hpa II (C-C-G-G) incapable of digesting whole cell DNA in general, and rDNA in particular. Msp I, which also recognizes C-C-G-G but cleaves irrespective of methylation, degrades C. cohnii DNA and produces rDNA segments of 10.2 to 1.4 kb. We have applied this Hpa II/Msp I test to unfractionated DNA, and to rDNA and the rDNA intervening sequence of Drosophila virilis embryos and adults. There is no evidence of C-MeC-G-G sequences in either developmental stage of this species. Absence of G-MeC-G-C from coding and intervening sequences of rDNA was shown in comparisons of Hha I (G-C-G-C) cleavage patterns of unfractionated DNA and cloned (unmodified) segments of rDNA. Comparisons of Hpa II and Msp I cleavage products of DNA from the house fly, the flesh fly and a bumblebee also revealed no internal cytosine methylation in the sequence C-C-G-G. Because amounts of McC in C-G dinucleotides vary greatly among species, from apparent nonexistence to substantial proportions, no inference may yet be drawn about the role of such base modifications in DNA.
Phosphorylation of the Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor CYCLIC GMP-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE MEDIATES cAMP AND cGMP DEPENDENT PHOSPHORYLATION IN THE INTACT RAT AORTA

The effects of cyclic GMP (cGMP) and activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) on the phosphorylation of the inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor were examined in intact rat aorta using the technique of back phosphorylation. Aorta treated with the nitric oxide donors, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine and sodium nitroprusside, or the selective PKG activator, 8-(4-para-chlorophenylthio)-cGMP (8-CPT-cGMP), demonstrated increased IP3 receptor phosphorylation in situ, which was both time- and concentration-dependent with a stoichiometry of 0.5 mol of phosphate/mol of receptor above control. Treatment of aorta with the adenyl cyclase activator, forskolin, also demonstrated increased phosphorylation of the IP3 receptor on the PKG site, although the selective cAMP-dependent protein kinase activator, 8-(4-para-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP (8-CPT-cAMP), did not increase the phosphorylation of the IP3 receptor. Moreover, the PKG selective inhibitor, KT 5823, inhibited both sodium nitroprusside and forskolin-induced IP3 receptor phosphorylation more potently than the selective cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor, KT 5720, suggesting that PKG mediates the increase in IP3 receptor phosphorylation by both cyclic nucleotides in intact aorta. These results provide further support for the notion that PKG is activated by both cAMP and cGMP in intact vascular smooth muscle and that PKG performs a critical role in cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation of blood vessels.
A 40-Gb/s driver circuit using a novel inductive bandwidth extension technique

A positive feedback technique is proposed to augment the bandwidth extension achievable using peaking inductors. The technique is based on inductor sharing between consecutive amplifier stages, and it can be effective when used with smaller inductance values compared to traditional inductive peaking. A 40Gb/s two-stage amplifier comprising a differential pair and emitter followers is presented as a practical design example. An expression for the transfer function of the proposed circuit is derived, and its bandwidth and group delay are compared to equivalent amplifiers with inductive peaking and without bandwidth extension. Circuit sensitivity to the inductance value is also considered. The proposed amplifier was implemented in a SiGe BiCMOS process with ƒτ =120GHz and is used as a predriver for a 50Ω buffer. Combined with the buffer, it provides 10dB of gain and consumes 90mW from a 2.5V power supply and 180mW from a 3.3V power supply. Simulations show about 40% bandwidth improvement compared to traditional inductive peaking. Time domain measurements demonstrate 40Gb/s operation with a maximum differential swing of 1.0V p-p and 20-80% transition times of 7-9ps.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The effects of water- and nitrogen-induced stresses on plant community structure in a semiarid grassland.

A replicated factorial experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that manipulating inputs of water and mineral nitrogen to a semiarid grassland would disrupt existing interactions resulting in alteration of the structure of the primary producer community. Alteration of community structure was measured as either changes in growing season average biomass of 6 functional groups of plants or their relative contribution to total biomass.Additions of water greatly increased total biomass and resulted in the replacement of one of the dominant functional groups by a subordinate group. The water plus nitrogen treatment resulted in large biomass increases in two of the dominant functional groups, elimination of succulents as an important component of community structure, and establishment of several introduced weedy species. Continuation of the experiment will likely result in complete dominance of the water plus nitrogen treatment by these introduced species.Despite the large changes in community structure observed as a result of water- and nitrogen-induced stresses we conclude that the shortgrass prairie in northcentral Colorado is asymptotically stable with respect to these influences.
Materials processing: sorting out carbon nanotube electronics.

A new and scalable method for separating metallic from semiconducting carbon nanotubes will make for easier wiring of nanocircuits and lead to more reliable nanoelectronic devices.
Incremental pattern discovery on streams, graphs and tensors

Incremental pattern discovery targets streaming applications where the data continuously arrive incrementally. The questions are how to find patterns (main trends) incrementally; or how to efficiently update the old patterns when new data arrive; or how to utilize the patterns to solve other problems such as anomaly detection?We first investigate a powerful data model, tensor stream (TS), where there is one tensor per timestamp. To capture diverse data formats, we have a zero-order TS for a single time-series (e.g., the stock price over time), a first-order TS for multiple time-series (sensor measurement streams), a second-order TS for matrices (graphs), and a high-order TS for multi-arrays (Internet communication network, source-destination-port). Second, we develop different online algorithms on TS: 1) the centralized and distributed SPIRIT [7] for mining a 1st-order TS, as well as its extensions for local correlation function and privacy preservation; 2) the compact matrix decomposition (CMD) [5] and GraphScope [4] for a 2nd-order TS; 3) the dynamic tensor analysis (DTA) [2], streaming tensor analysis (STA) and window-based tensor analysis (WTA) for a high-order TS. All the techniques are extensively evaluated for real applications such as network forensics, cluster monitoring.
Dual-organ ablative surgery using a hand-assisted laparoscopic technique

In clinical situations where more than one procedure is required, a properly positioned hand-assist device can be used to obviate the need for two large incisions. We present four cases of hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy combined with a simultaneous second organ extraction. Each of the four primary procedures, as well as one of the four secondary procedures, was performed using a hand-assisted laparoscopic technique. In two cases, the secondary procedure was performed with an open surgical technique through the hand-assist incision. For the remaining secondary procedure, we used a laparoscopically assisted technique.
Intermediate least squares regression method

Abstract Frank, I.E., 1987. Intermediate least squares regression method. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 1: 233–242. Intermediate least squares regression method is an extension of the partial least squares algorithm. It calculates an optimal model on a range between partial least squares and stepwise regression by cross-validating two parameters. Its performance was investigated by a Monte-Carlo simulation study and it was applied to a data set consisting of halftone printed images.
Endoscopically assisted in situ lower extremity bypass graft: A preliminary report of a new minimally invasive technique

Abstract Objective: Lower extremity arterial reconstructions with in situ greater saphenous vein (GSV) are an important component of limb salvage surgery. Initially, the procedure was performed through continuous skin incisions for side branch occlusion and valve lysis with a wound complication rate of 5% to 25%. To decrease these complications, we used endoscopic GSV harvest equipment in 25 in situ vein bypass grafts in 25 patients performed over 24 months. Methods: The procedures were performed with three skin incisions: two for arterial access and a 2-cm incision above the knee to insert the Endopath device (Ethicon) to locate and clip the GSV side branches. After completion of the proximal anastomosis, the valves were lysed through the distal end of the vein with a flexible valvulotome. Completion cineangiography was performed to confirm side branch occlusion and evaluate the entire reconstruction. The results of this technique were compared with our last 25 in situ bypass grafts done with standard long incisions. Results: In the endoscopic group there was one (4%) minor wound complication (cellulitis). No postoperative arteriovenous fistulas were detected by means of duplex examination, and the average hospital stay was 6.2 ± 1 days. One graft closed at 9 months as a result of distal vein hyperplasia, but the other grafts have remained patent, with follow-up from 6 to 30 months (mean, 18 months). Patients with the standard in situ bypass grafts had significantly ( P Conclusion: These results show that less invasive endoscopic in situ bypass grafting minimizes wound complications and reduces the need for hospitalization without decreasing patency or increasing operative time. (J Vasc Surg 2001;34:668-72.)
A Role for Ecdysteroids in the Induction and Maintenance of the Pharate First Instar Diapause of the Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar.

Abstract Several lines of evidence suggest a novel regulatory mechanism for diapause regulation in the gypsy moth. We propose that ecdysteroids play a role in the induction and maintenance of the pharate first instar larval diapause in this species. A 55 kDa gut protein that is indicative of diapause is expressed in intact and neck-ligated pharate larvae but is not expressed when a ligature is placed posterior to the prothorax, site of the prothoracic gland. Guts cultured in vitro for 12 h cease to synthesize the 55 kDa protein, but synthesis of the protein resumes if the culture medium is enriched with a prothorax extract from pharate larvae or a prothoracic gland extract from fifth instar larvae. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone or the ecdysteroid agonist, RH-5992, into isolated abdomens stimulates synthesis of the diapause-specific 55 kDa protein, suggesting that the essential factor from the prothorax is an ecdysteroid. KK-42, an imidazole derivative known to inhibit ecdysteroid biosynthesis, averts diapause when applied to prediapausing pharate first instar larvae, but this effect can be countered by application of 20-hydroxyecdysone or RH-5992, i.e. KK-42 treated pharate larvae that are exposed to an ecdysteroid or RH-5992 readily enter diapause. A chilling period (120 days at 5°C) is normally adequate to prompt an immediate termination of diapause when pharate larvae are transferred to 25°C, but if such larvae are held in hanging drop cultures with ecdysteroids they fail to terminate diapause. Together, these results suggest that ecdysteroids are essential for the induction and maintenance of diapause and imply that a drop in the ecdysteroid titer is essential for diapause termination. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Efficacy and tolerability of topical terbinafine in the treatment of tinea cruris

Abstract Thirty men with clinical and mycologie evidence of tinea cruris were enrolled in a controlled, randomized, double-blind trial comparing terbinafine 1 % cream and its cream vehicle as placebo. Patients applied the test medications to the affected area twice daily for 2 weeks. Therapeutic response was evaluable in 18 patients after each week of treatment and at a follow-up visit 2 weeks after therapy ended. At each visit, terbinafine was found to be more effective than the cream vehicle in the reduction of the signs and symptoms of infection and in the conversion of culture and microscopy findings to negative or normal. At the end of treatment, therapy was effective in 67% of the nine terbinafine-treated patients compared with only 11 % of the nine placebo-treated patients. At the follow-up examination, efficacy rates were 78% in the terbinafine treatment group and 33% in the placebo group—a difference of borderline statistical significance ( p = 0.077). Possible reasons for this result may include the higher incidence of chronic disease in the terbinafine group and the large number of patients who were classified as delayed exclusions because of negative initial culture for dermatophytes. No side effects or significant alterations in laboratory or hematologic tests were observed in either treatment group.
Topology of two-dimensional and three-dimensional separated flows

It is shown that topology rules can define a small number of singular points on an aerodynamic surface and in the flow which can be combined in various ways to create the structures and characterize the physical mechanisms of three-dimensional separated flows. This topological development is based on the hypothesis that vector fields of skin-friction lines and external streamlines remain continuous. Among examples treated are the lee-side separated flows about slender bodies at angle of attack with symmetric or asymmetric wake structures; about a protuberance normal to a wall; and over a rearward-facing axisymmetric step.
Synthesis and characterization of Sr2Ir1−xMxO4 (M=Ti, Fe, Co) solid solutions

Abstract The effects of Ti, Fe and Co substitutions for Ir on the structure and on the physical properties of Sr2IrO4 are investigated. A complete solid solution Sr2Ir1−xTixO4 is obtained while both Fe and Co doping are relatively limited. In each case however, the c-axis cell parameter and the initial IrO6 octahedra tilting decreases with substitution. Doping with Ti, Fe and Co results in a decrease of the magnetic susceptibility and in an increase in the paramagnetic effective moment for Co and Fe doped samples and a suppression of the weak ferromagnetic ordering observed for Sr2IrO4.
Mechanics of nonisothermal polymer melt spinning

Spin line tension, diameter attenuation, and the onset of the draw resonance instability are determined for a viscoelastic polymer melt, taking into account the changes in physical properties resulting from cooling of the filament. The theory predicts the experimentally observed stabilization of very short and very long filaments.
Implementing Electronic Health Records in the Emergency Department

Abstract Background: The increasing presence of electronic health records (EHRs) in health care presents interesting and unique challenges in the Emergency Department (ED) setting. Unfortunately, scant literature exists addressing the implementation of EHRs in this setting. Objectives: The authors, both involved in the implementation of such systems at their respective institutions, review the challenges and benefits that exist with such implementation, and the steps that EDs can take to facilitate this process. Discussion: Unlike ambulatory and inpatient settings, where patient volume can be adjusted to help with this transition, EDs are unable to alter their volume and must maximize their efficiency during this process. Conclusions: Understanding and anticipating the EHR's impact on workflow is critical to successful implementation.
Avulsion deposits in lower Eocene alluvial rocks, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

ABSTRACT Eocene alluvial rocks in the northern Bighorn Basin can be subdivided into three major kinds: fine-grained deposits on which cumulative paleosols developed, lithologically heterogeneous packages associated with immature paleosols, and major sheet sandstone bodies. The heterogeneous packages, which alternate vertically with the cumulative paleosols, are dominated by fine-grained deposits and also contain ribbon sandstone bodies and thin (< 1 m) sheet sandstone bodies. Most ribbon sandstones are less than 3 m thick and are more common in the middle and upper parts of the packages. Cut-and-fill deposits with fine-grained fills are locally important. Because the lithologic packages are readily apparent in the field because of the immature or simple paleosols developed on the fine-grain d facies, they are referred to as "simple paleosol packages". The major sheet sandstones were deposited by meandering trunk rivers and locally overlie and truncate the other deposits. Contrary to classical models of meandering streams, only a portion of the fine-grained rocks in the study area were deposited by overbank flooding of a trunk channel. On the basis of their stratigraphic position and few ribbon sandstones, the upper parts of some simple paleosol packages are interpreted as ancient levee deposits associated with a trunk channel. Farther from the trunk channel, overbank floods deposited alluvium on which the cumulative paleosols formed. The greater parts of the simple paleosol packages, including their fine-grained deposits, were deposited rapidly during channel avulsion. Ribbon sandstone bodies represent ancient splay channels on the avulsion belt. Simple paleosol packages in the Willwood Formation support the contention of Smith et al. (1989) that, n many meandering river systems, a significant portion of the fine-grained deposits were deposited as the trunk channel avulsed. Deposits that resemble the simple paleosol packages may provide a means of recognizing avulsion episodes in other alluvial sequences.
A unifying hypothesis on mammalian neural stem cell properties in the adult hippocampus

Continuously generated new neurons promote circuitry plasticity within specialized regions and contribute to specific functions of the adult mammalian brain. A number of recent studies have investigated the cellular origin of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, yielding divergent models of neural stem cell behavior. An essential question remains whether these models are overlapping or fundamentally discrete. We review evidence that primary neural precursors in the adult hippocampus exhibit significant heterogeneity in their properties of self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation and regulation, representing a range from unipotential committed precursors to bona fide self-renewing multipotent neural stem cells. We further present a testable unifying hypothesis of adult neural stem cell behavior in vivo to outline a common framework for future studies of molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating adult neural stem cells and how these cells may contribute to hippocampal function and repair.
Alpha-Ethyltryptamines as Dual Dopamine-Serotonin Releasers

The dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and norepinephrine (NE) transporter releasing activity and serotonin-2A (5-HT2A) receptor agonist activity of a series of substituted tryptamines are reported. Three compounds, 7b, (+)-7d and 7f, were found to be potent dual DA/5-HT releasers and were >10-fold less potent as NE releasers. Additionally, these compounds had different activity profiles at the 5-HT2A receptor. The unique combination of dual DA/5-HT releasing activity and 5-HT2A receptor activity suggests that these compounds could represent a new class of neurotransmitter releasers with therapeutic potential.
Stimulus rotation and visual scanning in Ss with copying disability.

Rotation of squares increases copying difficulty for young children and brain-damaged adults. Explanations stress both perceptual and cognitive factors. Records of visual scanning were used as an index of attention to areas of the stimulus field. Perceptual explanations were translated into scanning terms. The degree to which scanning is consistent with expectations inferred from perceptual theories was examined. Scanning of squares, rotated and unrotated, was compared for 7 normals and 7 adults with impaired copying ability. Variables were attention to contour, enclosed form, and ground. Conclusions were that: (a) normals scan rotated and unrotated squares similarly; (b) impaired Ss' scanning of rotated squares is different from normal scanning and from their own scanning of unrotated squares; (c) the differences found do not follow theoretical expectation.