cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unpacking Unconstitutionality: Examining the Varieties of Judicial Decisions

To study the efficacy of constitutional review, scholars have focused on a court’s willingness to declare legislation unconstitutional. This approach typically dichotomizes decisions as either invalidating or upholding legislation, ignoring the considerable variation in how a court can declare a law unconstitutional. Many courts can declare a law null and void, which takes immediate effect, or they can declare a law incompatible with the constitution, which leaves the law in effect until the legislature passes a replacement. Consequently, some rulings require immediate compliance while others delay compliance. I argue that the importance of public awareness for overcoming the threat of noncompliance affects how courts decide which type of decision to issue. Examining the German Federal Constitutional Court, I find evidence that the expected impact on public awareness influences the type of decision issued. These results have implications for the study of judicial politics in general and constitutional review in particular.
Continuous data assimilation and long-time accuracy in a C 0 interior penalty method for the Cahn-Hilliard equation.

We propose a numerical approximation method for the Cahn-Hilliard equations that incorporates continuous data assimilation in order to achieve long time accuracy. The method uses a C$^0$ interior penalty spatial discretization of the fourth order Cahn-Hilliard equations, together with a backward Euler temporal discretization. We prove the method is long time stable and long time accurate, for arbitrarily inaccurate initial conditions, provided enough data measurements are incorporated into the simulation. Numerical experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the method on a benchmark test problem.
Cellular resolution anatomical and molecular atlases for prenatal human brains

ABSTRACT Increasing interest in studies of prenatal human brain development, particularly using new single-cell genomics and anatomical technologies to create cell atlases, creates a strong need for accurate and detailed anatomical reference atlases. In this study, we present two cellular-resolution digital anatomical atlases for prenatal human brain at post-conceptional weeks (PCW) 15 and 21. Both atlases were annotated on sequential Nissl-stained sections covering brain-wide structures on the basis of combined analysis of cytoarchitecture, acetylcholinesterase staining and an extensive marker gene expression dataset. This high information content dataset allowed reliable and accurate demarcation of developing cortical and subcortical structures and their subdivisions. Furthermore, using the anatomical atlases as a guide, spatial expression of 37 and 5 genes from the brains respectively at PCW 15 and 21 was annotated, illustrating reliable marker genes for many developing brain structures. Finally, the present study uncovered several novel developmental features, such as the lack of an outer subventricular zone in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex, and the apparent extension of both cortical (excitatory) and subcortical (inhibitory) progenitors into the prenatal olfactory bulb. These comprehensive atlases provide useful tools for visualization, targeting, imaging and interpretation of brain structures of prenatal human brain, and for guiding and interpreting the next generation of cell census and connectome studies.
A Coagulation Factor IX-Deficient Mouse Model for Human Hemophilia B

Coagulation factor IX deficiency causes hemophilia B in humans. We have used gene targeting to develop a coagulation factor IX-deficient (factor IX-knockout) mouse strain. Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were targeted by a socket-containing vector that replaces the promoter through exon 3 of the factor IX gene by neoΔHPRT, which is a functional neo gene plus a partially deleted hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase minigene. Chimeric mice generated using these socket-containing ES cells transmitted the targeted factor IX gene to their female offspring. Male offspring from these females were characterized and shown to exhibit a phenotype similar to hemophilia B. This factor IX-deficient mouse strain will be useful for studying gene therapy methods and structure-function relationships of recombinant factor IX proteins in vivo.
Femoral-gluteal adiposity is not associated with insulin sensitivity in type 1 diabetes.

Aims To quantify and compare associations between femoral–gluteal adiposity and insulin sensitivity in adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus with adults with normal glucose tolerance. Methods Individuals with Type 1 diabetes (n = 28) were recruited from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complication study, a 24-year prospective study of childhood-onset diabetes, and compared cross-sectionally with individuals with normal glucose tolerance (n = 56) of similar age, sex and BMI. Insulin sensitivity was defined as whole-body glucose disposal measured by hyperinsulinaemic–euglycaemic clamps. Adiposity was quantified by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results Individuals with Type 1 diabetes exhibited lower insulin sensitivity (5.8 vs. 8.2 mg min−1 kg fat-free mass−1, P < 0.01), lower total fat mass (20.1 vs. 29.0 kg, P < 0.001) and lower proportional leg fat mass (36.0 vs.37.7%, P = 0.03), but similar proportional trunk fat (% trunk fat mass) compared with individuals with normal glucose tolerance. Overall, results from linear regression demonstrated that higher % leg fat mass (P < 0.01) and lower % trunk fat mass (P < 0.01) were independently associated with lower insulin sensitivity after adjustments for age, sex, height, total fat mass (kg) and diabetes status. Higher % leg fat mass was independently associated with higher insulin sensitivity in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (P < 0.01) after similar adjustment; significant associations were not observed in Type 1 diabetes. Conclusions Reduced insulin sensitivity is a prominent feature of Type 1 diabetes and is associated with total and abdominal adiposity. Compared with adults with normal glucose tolerance, leg fat mass does not show any positive association with insulin sensitivity in Type 1 diabetes.
Microfluidic Devices on Polymer Substrates for Bioanalytical Applications

Development of capabilities to miniaturize analytical devices and components offers a number of potential benefits. Among these are the ability to reduce sample sizes, development of low cost, single-use disposable devices, and improved device portability. Extensive work has been done on producing such microanalytical systems on silicon or glass substrates using processes commonly employed in electronic chip manufacturing [1–2]. For many analytical applications, however, common polymeric materials provide acceptable substrates from which to produce components or complete analytical systems [3–4]. The low flow rate characteristic of these microfluidic devices is compatible with the electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) [5–7]. In this paper, development of microfluidic analytical devices fabricated on polymer substrates using excimer laser micromachining technology will be described. These include a microfluidic motherboard, dual-stage microdialysis chip, and a micro capillary isoelectric focusing device. The applications of these micr ode vices for cleanup, fractionation, and separation of biological samples are discussed.
Control strategy for fuel cell vehicle traction drive systems using the Z-source inverter

This paper presents a control strategy for fuel cell vehicle (FCV) traction drive systems using the Z-source inverter. The Z-source inverter utilizes an inductor-capacitor (LC) network (impedance-source) to link the main inverter circuit to the fuel cell. One of the Z-source network capacitors can be replaced with a battery. By controlling the shoot-through duty cycle and modulation index, we can control the battery state of charge (SOC), produce any output AC voltage to the traction motor, and control the fuel cell output power, all independently and simultaneously. There is no need for any DC-DC converters to manage and control battery SOC and fuel cell output power. With the impedance network, the Z-source inverter can advantageously use the shoot through state to boost voltage. This one-stage power conversion and control system has higher reliability, higher efficiency, and lower cost. These facts make the Z-source inverter desirable for use in hybrid electric vehicles, as the cost and complexity is reduced when compared to the traditional inverters. This paper explores a control strategy to regulate battery SOC, fuel cell output power, and produce desired AC voltage to the traction motor.
Aromatase mRNA in the extragonadal tissues of chickens with the henny-feathering trait is derived from a distinctive promoter structure that contains a segment of a retroviral long terminal repeat : functional organization of the sebright, leghorn, and campine aromatase genes

Abstract The henny-feathering trait is an autosomal dominant mutation that causes the expression of aromatase activity and accumulation of aromatase mRNA in extragonadal tissues of chickens. The current studies establish that the aromatase gene is not amplified and is organized similarly in control (Leghorn) and henny-feathered (Sebright and Campine) birds. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the nine coding exons of the aromatase gene reveals that the predicted amino acid sequence is identical in all three strains. We, therefore, characterized the genomic DNA segments flanking the coding segment of the Sebright, Leghorn, and Campine aromatase genes. The site of transcription initiation utilized in the ovary of all three strains is located approximately 147 nucleotides upstream of the initiator methionine. In addition to aromatase mRNA derived from this common ovarian promoter, another species of aromatase mRNA is present in Sebright and Campine ovary and is the only type detected in Sebright fibroblasts. cDNA copies of this second species of aromatase mRNA contain a unique 5' terminus, suggesting that a second promoter controls extragonadal aromatase expression in birds that carry the henny-feathering trait. Nucleotide sequence analysis of this 5' terminus indicates that this segment is derived from a retroviral long terminal repeat.
Bayesian Methods for Practical Traitor Tracing

The practical success of broadcast encryption hinges on the ability to (1) revoke the access of compromised keys and (2) determine which keys have been compromised. In this work we focus on the latter, the so-called traitor tracingproblem. The first method utilizes a Bayesian hierarchical model to replace a crucial step in a well known tracing algorithm. Previously, this step relied on worst case bounds, which often overestimate the number of tests needed to diagnose compromised keys. The second is an adaptive tracing algorithm that selects forensic tests according to the information gaincriteria. The results of the tests refine an explicit model of our beliefs that certain keys are compromised. In choosing tests based on this criteria, we significantly reduce the number of tests, as compared to the state-of-the-art techniques, required to identify compromised keys.
Eosinophilic Granuloma of Bone: A Study of Twenty-eight Cases

1. Twenty-eight cases of eosinophilic granuloma of bone in children and adults, all but one with symptomatically solitary lesions, are reported. The skull, femur, ribs, and mandible were the most frequent sites of involvement. 2. No diagnostic roentgenographic characteristics were found. Lesions of the flat bones were generally punched-out osteolytic lesions. Lesions of long bones were easily confused with malignant tumors. Biopsy is considered imperative to establish the diagnosis. 3. Transition of eosinophilic granuloma to Hand-Schuller-Christian disease or Abt-Letterer-Siwe syndrome has not been encountered in these cases and we have some doubts whether the reported cases of transition represent true changes from one form to another. 4. Therapy has included excision, curettage, small doses of irradiation, or nothing. Evaluation of any one form of treatment is impossible. All the lesions reported in this study healed regardless of the therapy. 5. Meticulous microbiological studies of the tissue from these lesions seem indicated.
An efficient graph algorithm for FSM scheduling

This paper presents a new algorithm for scheduling control-dominated designs during high-level synthesis. Our algorithm can schedule systems with arbitrary control flow, including conditional branches and multiple loops. It can handle both upper bound and lower bound timing constraints. The timing constraints can cross basic block boundaries, span different iterations of a loop, and form interlocking cycles in the control flow. A scheduling problem is described by the behavior finite-state machine model, an automaton model for the behavioral specification and synthesis of control-dominated systems. We optimize the performance of the produced digital circuit implementation by minimizing the execution time of each state transition in the state transition graph. The finite-state machines (FSM) scheduling algorithm is based on previous work on cylindrical layout compaction; we extend that work to handle upper bound constraints, allow multiple loops, and not require an initial feasible solution. Experimental results for examples derived from real designs and benchmark descriptions demonstrate that the algorithm can handle complex combinations of constraints very efficiently.
Erythroderma and Epidermal Necrosis Induced by a Type of Proton Pump Inhibitor in Beagle Dogs

Reddish skin covering the entire body (erythroderma) was observed in a preliminary one-week oral toxicity study of a type of proton pump inhibitor in Beagle dogs. Histologically, full-thickness epidermal necrosis accompanied by apoptosis, evidenced by an immunohistochemical positive reaction to cleaved caspase-3, and detachment of the epidermis were observed in the skin. In the epidermis and upper dermis, a slight infiltration of mononuclear cells was seen, which was predominantly positive for MAC387 (macrophages) and partly positive for CD3 (T lymphocytes). These findings have some similarities to drug-induced severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and may represent incipient changes of such lesions. The skin lesions observed in these dogs are being considered as a potential animal model of cutaneous drug reactions.
Measured activation cross-section ratios for 7Li(n,n′t)4He and 60Ni(n,p)60Co relative to 27Al(n,p)27Mg and 27Al(n,α)24Na in the 9Be(d,n)10B thick-target neutron spectrum at 7-MeV deuteron energy

Abstract The activation method is used to measure integral cross-section ratios for 7 Li(n,n′t) 4 He and 60 Ni(n,p) 60 Co relative to 27 Al(n,p) 27 Mg and 27 Al(n,α) 24 Na in the neutron spectrum produced by bombarding a thick Be metal target with 7-MeV deuterons. The results of these measurements are found to support the evaluated differential cross-section values from ENDF/B-V (1979, 1981).
Analysis of Pitch Perception of Inharmonicity in Pipa Strings Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract The timbre of the pipa, one of the principal plucked string instruments of traditional Chinese music, is characterized by richly nuanced inharmonicity resulting from peculiarities of regionally distinct string composition and construction. This study investigates the effect of this feature of timbre on pitch perception. Beyond the specific issue of the pipa, we propose a response surface based experimental design and modelling approach as a general framework for determining the effect of inharmonicity on pitch perception applicable to any stringed instrument.
The challenge of Cuban tourism: a commentary on "Cuba at the crossroads.

Prospects for opening joint ventures in Cuba by U.S. hotel operators remain dim, despite inevitable changes in the island's government. Expatriate Cubans remain adamantly opposed to the current regime, thus providing a political headwind. Beyond that, a question arises of why Cuba's tourist interests would want to invite more leakage of tourism revenues beyond the European and other interests now on the island. Although ecotourism presents an attractive mechanism for expanding Cuba's tourist arrivals, the island's industry is currently focused on sun and sand tourism. Finally, the likely clash of operating styles might well doom any effort toward a U.S.—Cuban joint venture.
Specifity of responses of cells in the visual cortex

Publisher Summary In the past few decades, much progress has been made in working out what might be called the general cellular physiology of the nervous system, including the ionic mechanisms of impulse conduction and synaptic transmission. This has opened the way towards an attack on the functional architecture of the central nervous system. Until very recently, methods for studying single cells in the intact brain did not exist, and it was not until around 1950 that single cortical cells were first recorded. Probably the first finding of profound interest was Mountcastle's discovery that somatosensory cells are aggregated into columnar groups according to modality. This chapter describes the specificity of responses of cells in the visual cortex. The visual system, despite its great analytic capabilities and consequent complexity, has turned out to be especially amenable to study. This is partly because it has a fairly simple anatomic path, with flow of information directed mainly from periphery centrally over a number of relatively discrete stages.
Predictors of chronic stress among Vietnam veterans: Stressor exposure and intrusive recall

The present study examined the relationship between military service during the Vietnam era and chronic stress among Vietnam combat veterans, noncombat military controls, and nonmilitary age-mates. Psychological, behavioral, and biochemical indices of stress were assessed. Results demonstrated that exposure to combat was not associated with symptoms of chronic stress. However, reported intrusiveness of recalled imagery associated with stressful combat events was an important predictor of long-term symptoms of stress irrespective of combat exposure. In addition, the interaction of combat exposure and intrusive thinking was significantly related to symptoms of chronic stress. These data suggest that intrusive thinking may reflect an important individual difference variable that could help predict long-term responding to stressors.
Animal model for uveitic glaucoma

• Background: This study was carried out in order to improve the understanding of the pathogenesis of uveitic glaucoma • Methods: Uveitis was induced in 48 Lewis rats by S-antigen injection. Intraocular pressure (10P) was measured by Tono-Pen-2 daily for 24 days in 16 animals. Histopathology was performed sequentially in 14 rats on days 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15 and 18 after S-antigen injection. Aqueous dynamics studies were performed on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21. Aqueous humor production was measured using an FIT-Calbumin dilution technique; outflow facility was measured using anterior chamber infusion with constant pressure • Results: IOP decreased to a mean of 16.5 +-4.3 mmHg from days 2-5 after S-antigen injections from a mean pre-experimental value of 20.5 +-5.4 mmHg. IOP increased from days 6 to 20 (35.8+-9.1 mmHg; P=0.00001). Histopathologic study revealed inflammation of the anterior and posterior segments from days 9 to 21 after S-antigen injection. Aqueous humor production decreased and outflow facility increased at day 3 after S-antigen injection. At days 7 and 14 after S-antigen injection, acqueous humor production was increased while outflow facility remained normal or was decreased • Conclusion: This model of uveitis glaucoma is characterized by three overlapping phases: (1) ocular hypertension, (2) ocular hypertension associated with clinical and histologic inflammation and (3) anatomic sequelae of uveitis and variable IOP. This model permits in vivo studies of mechanisms of IOP change associated with uveiteis.
IECMQ: a computer program for calculating equilibrium-state in aqueous systems

Abstract The present computation determines the phase-compositions (partial pressures, molalities or activities) and respective amounts of gaseous, aqueous, and solid phases occurring in the equilibrium system; the method is illustrated by the wet flue-gas (power-plants, furnaces) desulfurization system that employs a slurry of lime and natural waters. Hot flue-gas consisting of N2, O2, CO2, H2O(g), NO, N2O, SO2, SO3, and HCl is scrubbed with the Ca(OH)2-slurry to convert sulfur oxides to sulfite (CaSO3.1/2H2O) and sulfate (CaSO4.2H2O) products. The calculation considers 10 gaseous species — SO2, SO3, HCl, CO2, NO, N2O, N2, O2, H2O(g) and HNO2 — 11 non-ionic aqueous species — SO2(aq), SO3(aq), HCl(aq), CO2(aq), NO(aq), N2O(aq), N2(aq), O2(aq), H2O(aq), HNO2(aq) and HNO3(aq) — 11 ionic aqueous species — HSO3−(aq), SO42−(aq), Cl−(aq), HCO3−(aq), CO32−(aq), NO3−(aq), NO2−(aq), OH−(aq), H+(aq), Ca2+(aq) and SO32−(aq) — and two solid phases. The effect of the Ca(OH)2-content on sulfur-partition between the sulfite and sulfate phases was investigated.
Metabolic Profiles in a Transgender Adolescent Population Receiving Steroid Hormone Therapy: A Pilot Study

Background: Although data in the adult transgendered population has suggested the use of sex steroids hormones could also alter metabolic parameters this effect has not been studied in the adolescent population. This study aims to identify patterns or changes in the metabolic profiles of the female-to-male (FTM) and male-to-female (MTF) adolescent transgendered patients undergoing sex hormone therapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective pilot study examining the database of patients identified as having gender identity disorder and started on sex steroid hormone for transitioning during a 5 year period and had at least 4 follow-up lab values. Patients were stratified into two treatment groups: MTF and FTM. We reviewed baseline values and subsequent trends in body mass index (BMI) in addition to biologic markers including cholesterol levels (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglyceride), testosterone level, estradiol level, liver function tests, prolactin level, HgbA1c, CBC and electrolytes. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to examine differences between the two groups. Results: A total of 8 FTM and 6 MTF patients were identified. In the FTM group on testosterone, there was a significant increase in the hematocrit levels (p1⁄40.0473). In addition, although not significant there was a trend toward increasing total cholesterol, LDL and BMI with a decrease in HDL levels. In the MTF group on estrogen, although the values did not reach significance there was a trend toward increasing triglycerides, HDL and prolactin levels. In comparing the metabolic profile changes between the MTF and FTM groups the MTF group were more likely to have a lower BMI (p <.0001) and higher HDL levels (p1⁄40.156). Conclusions: There is a dearth of studies on hormonal therapies in the transgendered adolescent population. This pilot study demonstrates potential significant changes in the metabolic profiles of transgendered adolescents undergoing sex hormone treatment. These changes may be useful in identifying patterns associated with adverse metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes long term. Our results support the need for largerscale studies in this population.
Nature and precursors of juvenile hormone-induced excessive cuticular melanisation in German cockroach

GROWTH in insects proceeds through a number of moults, when the old cuticle is shed and a new one synthesised. Within few hours of ecdysis, the cuticle hardens and develops the characteristic colour pattern. When we treated German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.) nymphs with insect juvenile hormone (JH) 12 h before ecdysis, the resulting nymphs or adults developed excessive black coloration all over their bodies, obliterating the normal colour patterns1. The nature of this visible change was unknown2,3. Here we show for the first time that the excessive coloration, following JH treatment, is caused by melanin, and that dopamine or catechol seems to be involved in the hormone-influenced pathway.
“Unfortunately, We Treat the Chart:” Sources of Stigma in Mental Health Settings

Background Stigma within mental health settings may be equally detrimental to people with mental illnesses as societal stigma. Aims This study investigated stigma in mental health settings through a mixed qualitative–quantitative design. Method Practitioners at a community mental health center indicated (1) their subjective experience of treating people with mental illness, and (2) descriptive features of people with mental illness. Results Interpretive phenomenological analysis found that a primary theme across practitioners was the causes and effects of labeling patients, a process practitioners attributed to other practitioners and/or to systemic pressures to “treat the chart” instead of the patient. Beyond symptoms and deficits, practitioners rated people with mental illnesses as “insightful” and “able to recover.” Conclusions These data suggest that stigma in mental health settings may be due to structural, systemic pressures on practitioners, with practitioners’ emphasis on symptoms and deficits as a secondary factor.
pH-Triggered Conformational Switching along the Membrane Insertion Pathway of the Diphtheria Toxin T-Domain

The translocation (T)-domain plays a key role in the action of diphtheria toxin and is responsible for transferring the catalytic domain across the endosomal membrane into the cytosol in response to acidification. Deciphering the molecular mechanism of pH-dependent refolding and membrane insertion of the T-domain, which is considered to be a paradigm for cell entry of other bacterial toxins, reveals general physicochemical principles underlying membrane protein assembly and signaling on membrane interfaces. Structure-function studies along the T-domain insertion pathway have been affected by the presence of multiple conformations at the same time, which hinders the application of high-resolution structural techniques. Here, we review recent progress in structural, functional and thermodynamic studies of the T-domain archived using a combination of site-selective fluorescence labeling with an array of spectroscopic techniques and computer simulations. We also discuss the principles of conformational switching along the insertion pathway revealed by studies of a series of T-domain mutants with substitutions of histidine residues.
Abyssal bedforms explored with a deeply towed instrument package

Abstract Several types of abyssal bedforms have been discovered during surveys with a deeply towed instrument package at water depths of 1.5–6 km in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Cores and current-meter records obtained at the same sites provide data for interpreting their dynamics. Wave and current ripples are best portrayed in bottom photographs, but medium-scale bedforms, including sand waves, mud waves and erosional furrows, are described by interpreting high-resolution side-looking sonar records. The largest examples affect surface-ship echograms, though their shape and structure can seldom be resolved without near-bottom observations. Wave ripples are common on the slopes of seamounts and ridges, while current ripples and sand waves occur beneath some fast thermohaline currents whose beds are shallower than the foraminiferal compensation depth. Depositional and erosional bedforms in cohesive sediment have been found beneath the deepest thermohaline currents; they may be restricted to areas where the flow is unusually steady in direction.
Early and delayed afterdepolarizations in rabbit heart Purkinje cells viewed by confocal microscopy.

Abstract We investigated action potentials and Ca2+transients in rabbit Purkinje myocytes using whole cell patch clamp recordings and a confocal microscope. Purkinje cells were loaded with 5μM Fluo-3/AM for 30min. Action potentials were elicited by application of a stimulus delivered through the recording pipettes. When Purkinje cells were stimulated in 2.0mM Ca2+, transverse XT line scans revealed a symmetrical 'U'-shaped Ca2+transient demonstrating that the transient was initiated at the cell periphery. When Purkinje cells were superfused with 1 μM isoprenaline, both early and delayed afterdepolarizations were induced. XT line scans of cells exhibiting early afterdepolarizations showed a second symmetrical 'U'-shaped transient. This Ca2+transient was initiated at the cell periphery suggesting reactivation of the Ca2+current. In contrast, in Purkinje cells exhibiting delayed afterdepolarizations and a corresponding transient inward current, XT line scans revealed a heterogenous rise in Ca2+at both peripheral and central regions of the cell. Immunofluorescence staining of Purkinje cells with an antibody to ryanodine receptors (RyRs) revealed that RyRs are located at regularly spaced intervals throughout the interior of Purkinje cells. These results suggest that, although RyRs are located throughout Purkinje cells, only peripheral RyRs are activated to produce transients, sparks and early afterdepolarizations. During delayed afterdepolarizations, we observed a heterogenous rise in Ca2+at both peripheral and central regions of thecell as well as large central increases in Ca2+. Although the latter may result from central release, we cannot exclude the possibility that it reflects Ca2+diffusion from subsarcolemmal sites.
The impact of malignant disease on facial nerve function after parotidectomy

Objectives/Hypothesis: Studies of immediate postoperative facial nerve function following parotidectomy focus on benign disease. The purpose of the study was to compare facial nerve function with regard to benign or malignant disease in patients undergoing superficial parotidectomy. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing parotidectomy between 1995 to 2002. Methods: House-Brackmann (HB) grade was recorded or assigned at the first postoperative visit. For patients with HB grade of III or greater, final resolution of facial nerve function was recorded. A X 2 analysis for independence was conducted between patients with HB grade of II or less and those with HB grade of III or greater and final pathological finding (benign vs. malignant disease). Mean and median times to resolution were determined for patients with HB grade of III or greater. Times to resolution for benign and malignant disease for those with HB grade of III or greater were compared (Kaplan-Meier method). Results: Sixty-seven patients with benign disease and 52 with malignant disease were included. Ninety-four percent of patients with benign disease had HB grade of II or less at first postoperative visit (mean period, 11.6 d) compared with 76.9% of patients with malignant disease (mean period, 12.4 d). A X 2 analysis found this difference significant (X 2 = 7.36, P =.0067). Time to resolution for HB grade of III or greater was 253.8 days (±168.2 d) with median time of 229.5 days for benign disease and 182.4 days (±134.6 d) with median time of 138 days for malignant disease. Kaplan-Meier comparison found no significant differences in time to final resolution (P =.83). Three patients in the group with malignant disease had unresolved dysfunction (one patient for >2 y). Conclusions: Patients with benign disease have a greater chance of having HB grade of II or less immediately following surgery; however, whether the disease is benign or malignant, long-term final facial nerve function is the same.
Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis Isolated from Emerald Zoysiagrass in Texas

Wilkinson and Kane (3) previously reported diseased zoysiagrass infected by Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) Arx & Olivier var. graminis in the spring in Illinois. Emerald zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonicum Steud. × Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr var. tenufolia (Willd. ex Thiele) established by sod in a home lawn for one year in Austin, TX, developed irregular, chlorotic, and, subsequently, necrotic patches 30 cm in diameter and larger in late summer of 1999. Patches were restricted to areas of the lawn receiving full sun. The lawn was fertilized, mowed at 2.5 cm, and watered daily during active growth. A thatch layer in excess of 1.9 cm was present. Tillers within diseased patches were removed easily from stolons. Crowns were rotted and colonized by dark brown septate hyphae (4.5 µm wide) and olivaceous brown lobed hyphopodia (25 × 21 µm). Diseased tillers were desiccated and newly developed leaves were chlorotic. Stolons were also chlorotic and developed water-soaked lesions adjacent to crowns. Diseased roots appe...
Improvement of Off-State Stress Critical Voltage by Using Pt-Gated AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

By replacing the commonly used Ni/Au gate metallization with Pt/Ti/Au, the critical voltage for degradation of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) during off-state biasing stress was significantly increased. The typical critical voltage for the HEMTs with Ni/Au gate metallization was around -55V. By sharp contrast, no critical voltage was observed for the HEMTs with Pt/Ti/Au gate metallization, even up -100V, which was the instrumental limitation in this experiment. Both Schottky forward and reverse gate characteristics of the Ni/Au degraded once the gate voltage passed the critical voltage of -55V. There was no degradation exhibited for the HEMTs with Pt/Ti/Au gate metallization.
Transitive fuzzy orderings of fuzzy numbers

Abstract In this paper we introduce a generalization of the Baas-Kwakernaak index by replacing the min operation in their definition by a t-norm. Some properties of the thus defined induced fuzzy ordering are established. In particular, it is shown that restrictions of the induced fuzzy ordering on some special classes of fuzzy numbers are reflexive fuzzy orders.
Voice Problems of Future Speech-Language Pathologists

Students training to be educators frequently exhibit voice disorders prior to employment. To date, there exist no similar studies of future speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The study is designed as a prospective, nonrandomized survey. The objective of this study is to determine the voice problems of first year graduate students training to be SLPs. Participants were 104 first year graduate students majoring in speech-language pathology at two universities. The Quick Screen for Voice was administered. Participants who failed completed a questionnaire regarding voice problems, medical history, daily habits, and voice use. When responses further indicated voice-related problems, endoscopic examination was completed. Fourteen percent (N=15) of the participants failed the screening by demonstrating two or more abnormal voice characteristics. These included persistent glottal fry (present in all who failed), low habitual pitch, juvenile resonance, hoarse, breathy, or strained phonation, abnormally low pitch on sustained vowels, and voice breaks during the frequency range. Twelve percent (N=12) failed both the screening and follow-up questionnaire. Responses included self-reported dysphonia, medical history with voice-related side effects, difficulty with excessive voice use, and voice problems occurring daily or weekly. Endoscopic evaluation showed one participant with bilateral vocal nodules. The results suggest that voice problems among future SLPs (12%) are more common than the 3-9% reported in the general population and similar to the 11% previously reported for teachers. However, future SLP voice problems are less frequent than those reported among education majors (21%) and all college students (17%). Faculty should identify students with voice problems and emphasize optimal voice use in classroom and clinical settings.
Recent Progress of Semiconductor Slow Light Devices for Optical Communications

Rapid progress has been made in achieving control in group velocity of optical signals. We review advances of ultraslow and fast light in semiconductors and their applications. We examine key figures of merit.
Admittance measurements through nonuniform transmission lines

For an unknown admittance connected at the end of a continuous nonuniform transmission line, a new simple and straightforward method of admittance measurement is introduced. The method permits the determination of the admittance based on the data measured at the input of the nonuniform transmission line.
Analysis of complex protein mixtures with improved sequence coverage using (CE-MS/MS)n.

Identification of proteins, in a complex protein mixture, using one-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC−MS/MS) analysis of its digest, usually suffers from low sequence coverage. There are several reasons for the low coverage including undersampling, wide concentration dynamic range of the proteins in a complex protein mixture, and wide range of electrospray ionization efficiency of peptides under each mobile-phase composition. To address this low sequence coverage, we introduce a novel technique, (CE−MS/MS)n, which utilizes the most significant advantages of CE−MS/MS, including economy of sample size, fast analysis time, and high separation efficiency, to increase the sequence coverage of a complex protein mixture. Based on these characteristics, (CE−MS/MS)n can be performed in which multiple CE−MS/MS subanalyses (injections followed by analyses) are analyzed and experimental variables are manipulated during each CE−MS/MS subanalysis in order to maximize sequ...
Damping of nuclear rotational motion at modest temperatures.

There is mounting evidence that the nuclear rotational motion is damped at modest (\ensuremath{\cong}0.5 MeV) temperatures, which reduces correlations between the energies of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays emitted in a rotational cascade. We observe such reduction to be strongest at the highest spins and to be larger than previously thought. Preliminary calculation shows that shape fluctuations are most likely responsible for the increased size.
NPP4 is a procoagulant enzyme on the surface of vascular endothelium

Ap3A is a platelet-dense granule component released into the extracellular space during the second wave of platelet aggregation on activation. Here, we identify an uncharacterized enzyme, nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-4 (NPP4), as a potent hydrolase of Ap3A capable of stimulating platelet aggregation and secretion. We demonstrate that NPP4 is present on the surface of vascular endothelium, where it hydrolyzes Ap3A into AMP and ADP, and Ap4A into AMP and ATP. Platelet aggregation assays with citrated platelet-rich plasma reveal that the primary and secondary waves of aggregation and dense granule release are strongly induced by nanomolar NPP4 in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of Ap3A, while Ap3A alone initiates a primary wave of aggregation followed by rapid disaggregation. NPP2 and an active site NPP4 mutant, neither of which appreciably hydrolyzes Ap3A, have no effect on platelet aggregation and secretion. Finally, by using ADP receptor blockade we confirm that NPP4 mediates platelet aggregation via release of ADP from Ap3A and activation of ADP receptors. Collectively, these studies define the biologic and enzymatic basis for NPP4 and Ap3A activity in platelet aggregation in vitro and suggest that NPP4 promotes hemostasis in vivo by augmenting ADP-mediated platelet aggregation at the site of vascular injury.
4-(2-Aminooxyethoxy)-2-(ethylureido)quinoline-oligonucleotide conjugates: Synthesis, binding interactions, and derivatization with peptides

Oligo-2‘-O-methylribonucleotides conjugated with 4-(2-aminooxyethoxy)-2-(ethylureido)quinoline (AOQ) and 4-ethoxy-2-(ethylureido)quinoline (EOQ) were prepared by reaction of the AOQ or EOQ phosphoramidite with the protected oligonucleotide on a controlled pore glass support. Deprotection with ethylenediamine enabled successful isolation and purification of the highly reactive AOQ-conjugated oligomer. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis mobility shift experiments showed that the dissociation constants of complexes formed between an AOQ- or EOQ-conjugated 8-mer and complementary RNA or 2‘-O-methyl-RNA targets (9- and 10-mers) were in the low nM concentration range at 37 °C, whereas no binding was observed for the corresponding nonconjugated oligomer, even at a concentration of 500 nM. Fluorescence studies suggested that this enhanced affinity is most likely due to the ability of the quinoline ring of the AOQ or EOQ group to stack on the last base pair formed between the oligomer and target, thus stabilizing ...
Applying random projection to the classification of malicious applications using data mining algorithms

This research is part of a continuing effort to show the viability of using random projection as a feature extraction and reduction technique in the classification of malware to produce more accurate classifiers. In this paper, we use a vector space model with n-gram analysis to produce weighted feature vectors from binary executables, which we then reduce to a smaller feature set using the random projection method proposed by Achlioptas, and the feature selection method of mutual information to produce two separate data sets. We then apply several popular machine learning algorithms including J48 decision tree, naive Bayes, support vector machines, and an instance-based learner to the data sets to produce classifiers for the detection of malicious executables. We evaluate the performance of the different classifiers and discover that using a data set reduced by random projection can improve the performance of support vector machine and instance-based learner classifiers.
Dose calculations of photon beams using a finite-size pencil beam model

This work investigates the finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) model for calculating dose deposition from photon beams generated by a clinical linear accelerator. The FSPB model, first published by Bourland and Chaney, uses the superposition of preconvolved “finite-size pencil beams” of small cross-sectional area to determine the dose deposition in a uniform water phantom. In the dose computation, FSPBs for a range of energy bins are pieced together like mosaic tiles to collectively form the cross section of the full beam. Depending on the full beam resolution, the superposition calculation can be much faster than full convolution. The results stress the importance of a knowledge of the photon spectrum of the beam for accurate dose calculations. However, published methods of indirect spectral measurements using transmission measurements through beam attenuators require mathematical fits with a large number of parameters and constraints. A simple strategy is presented for fitting transmission data that models important physical characteristics of photon beams produced in linear accelerators. The fitting equation has these advantages over previous methods: (1) the equation describes the shape of a bremsstrahlung spectrum based on physical expectations; (2) only three fit parameters are required with a single constraint. Results are presented for 4 and 6 MV photon beams. Comparisons of calculated and measured TMRs and output factors of open fields show excellent agreement. Results include discussions of FSPB generation, the method of spectral measurement, the effect of beam softening across the field cross section, and the method for modeling this effect using different FSPB weighting factors as a function of energy and location.
Experiments on the structure of an annular compressible reacting shear layer

An axisymmetric burner for the study of compressible reacting shear layers is described, and the ranges of its operating parameters are analyzed. This burner has a central supersonic freejet of resistively heated air, surrounded by a low-speed co-flow of fuel-rich H 2 -air combustion products. Planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of OH is used to visualize the structure of the annular reacting shear layer in the near field of the jet. Images from two cases with convective Mach numbers of 0.11 and 0.41 are presented and discussed in terms of previously reported results for nonreacting compressible shear layers
World Music Ensemble: Kulintang.

As instrumental world music ensembles such as steel pan, mariachi, gamelan and West African drums are becoming more the norm than the exception in North American school music programs, there are other world music ensembles just starting to gain popularity in particular parts of the United States. The kulintang ensemble, a drum and gong ensemble that originated in the Philippines, is one example of such an ensemble. Kulintang ensembles are easily accessible to general music students because of the percussion instrumentation and repetitive patterns of melodic contour. Such ensembles may be particularly successful in areas with large Filipino American populations.
Single-label fluorescent derivatization of peptides

A one step method for the attachment of a single fluorescent label to peptides through their N-terminus is described. The method employs fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate as the label of choice and a lower than normal derivatization buffer pH that discriminates against $\varepsilon$-amino derivatization in favor of $\alpha$-amino derivatization provided that this group may act as an efficient nucleophile. A kinetic study was performed in order to identify the optimal derivatization buffer pH for $\alpha$-amino group selectivity, using $\rm N\alpha$-t-BOC-L-lysine and $\rm N\varepsilon$-t-BOC-L-lysine as model compounds for derivatization through $\varepsilon$-amino and $\alpha$-amino groups, respectively. The optimal pH was found to be 8.5. Six small peptides, Arg-Lys, Lys-Trp-Lys, Lys-Lys, Lys-Lys-Lys, Lys-Lys-Lys-Lys and Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro, were derivatized at pH 8.5 in an effort to corroborate the results of the kinetic study. It was found that this method of single label derivatization via buffer pH control was successful for peptides with fewer than four lysines residues.
How small business firms select a bank: Comparisons between the United States and Australia

This paper compares the factors that small business firms in the United States and Australia consider when selecting a banking partner. The results show that small firms in both countries ranked the bank's willingness to accommodate their credit needs as being important. However, US firms consider the range of products and services, convenient location, financial health and personal relationships as being more important. Australian firms, on the other hand, place greater emphasis on long-term relationships, day-to-day efficiency and competitive prices. Since most of these differences can be explained as a result of differences in banking industry structures, the study may have marketing implications for banks that serve small business customers in the USA and other parts of the world.