cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glossitis secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

A 61-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of a persistent burning sensation on her tongue ([Figure 1A][1]). The patient was not taking any medications and had not been exposed to any new foods or oral hygiene products at the time her symptoms began. Our clinical diagnosis was glossitis. A
Shear-free collapse with heat flow☆

Abstract New solutions for shear-free gravitational collapse with heat flow are generated from known solutions for bounded spherical perfect fluids. The known solutions can be either static or in shear-free collapse. The new interiors are matched to a Vaidya exterior.
LES of an inclined sonic jet into a turbulent crossflow at Mach 3.6

We have performed large-eddy simulation with subgrid scale (LES-SGS) stretched-vortex model of an inclined sonic jet into a supersonic crossflow at Mach 3.6. The main flow features generated by the gas-dynamic interactions of the jet with the supersonic crossflow, such as barrel shock, shear layer, and counter-rotating vortex pair, are numerically captured by the employed LES-SGS. The transition and spatial development of the jet into a supersonic crossflow have been shown to be strongly dependent on the inflow conditions of the crossflow. This result indicates that correct turbulent inflow conditions are necessary to predict the main flow characteristics, dispersion and mixing of a gaseous jet in a supersonic, turbulent crossflow using LES-SGS. This work presents a methodology for the generation of realistic synthetic turbulent inflow conditions for LES of spatially developing, supersonic, turbulent, wall-bounded flows. The methodology is applied to the study of a supersonic turbulent flow over a flat wall interacting with an inclined jet. The effects of inflow conditions on the spatial development of the inclined jet are discussed, and then the results are compared with the available experimental data. Also, the dominant vortical structures generated by the jet/turbulent boundary layer interaction are identified as sheets, tilted tubes and discontinuous rings, and a visualization of their spatiotemporal development is provided. The identified vortical structures are shown to be enveloped by the helium mass-fraction isosurface, thus showing the important role of those structures in the dispersion of a gaseous jet in a supersonic crossflow.
Plant Cell Bioreactors: Present Status and Future Trends

Various reactor configurations for suspension, immobilized and surface culture of plant cells are presented. Relative advantages and disadvantages of various reactor configurations and selection criteria for different applications are discussed.
Graft geometry and venous intimal-medial hyperplasia in arteriovenous loop grafts

Abstract This study explores graft geometry and hemodynamics in a reproducible canine arteriovenous loop graft model of intimal-medial hyperplasia. Untapered 6 mm diameter polytetrafluoroethylene graft ( n = 10) were paired with 4 to 7 mm taper ( n = 5) or 7 to 4 mm taper ( n = 5) grafts for a 12-week period. Several hemodynamic variables were assessed at multiple locations, and venous intimal-medial thickness was measured at locations corresponding to the hemodynamic measurements. Color Doppler imaging demonstrated energy transfer out of the vessel in the form of perivascular tissue vibration. This was quantitated by the distance required for Doppler signal attenuation or volume of the detected vibration signal. Differences among graft types were noted for pressure, flow velocity, tissue vibration, and venous intimal-medial thickness. Hyperplasia was significantly decreased in 4 to 7 mm taper grafts. Stepwise deletion regression indicated volume of the vibration signal had a better correlation with venous intimal-medial thickness than any other variable ( r 0.9, p
Facial Nerve Injury and Hemifacial Spasm

We studied evidence of facial nerve damage in patients with hemifacial spasm. Three types of evidence of nerve damage were analyzed: objectively measured weakness in eyelid protractor strength, clinically evident weakness of muscles innervated by the seventh nerve, and clinically evident aberrant seventh nerve regeneration. Of the 60 patients in the study, 54 (90%) had at least one of these features of seventh nerve damage. Objectively measured eyelid protractor weakness was noted in 27 of 58 patients (47%) who were tested. Clinically apparent weakness of at least one of four facial muscle groups was noted in 42 of 60 patients (70%). Aberrant seventh nerve regeneration was documented in 25 of 60 patients (42%). These findings indicate that facial nerve damage is common in patients with hemifacial spasm.
Multidrug-Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Surgical Challenges

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) continues to be a significant public health problem worldwide. The treatment of MDR-TB consists mainly of chemotherapy. However, surgery has been reported to be an effective adjunctive therapy in selected cases. This article discusses the scope of the problem of MDR-TB and the most accepted modern standard therapy. The indications for surgical intervention as well as an analysis of the results of this therapy are also discussed.
Effects of alpha-deuteration and of aza and thia analogs of L-tryptophan on formation of intermediates in the reaction of Escherichia coli tryptophan indole-lyase

Tryptophan indole-lyase catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of L-tryptophan to indole and ammonium pyruvate. After the enzyme is mixed with L-tryptophan in the rapid-scanning stopped-flow spectrophotometer, there is an absorbance increase at 505 nm in the pre-steady state attributed to formation of a quinonoid intermediate, which occurs in at least three consecutive first-order phases. Reaction with [alpha-2H]-L-tryptophan results in significant primary kinetic isotope effects on the first two phases, and there is a significant isotope effect on the amplitude of the absorbance increase in the second phase. This result suggests that proton transfer to carbon to form the indolenine intermediate is relatively slow and is probably at least partially rate-determining. Reaction of L-tryptophan in the presence of benzimidazole results in a rapid increase in absorbance in the first phase, followed by a decrease in absorbance in the second phase, with rate constants very similar to those observed without benzimidazole. We have also examined aza and thia analogs of L-tryptophan, with the benzene ring of the indole replaced by pyridine or thiophene. Both 4,5-thiatryptophan and 6,7-thiatryptophan form quinonoid intermediates in the reaction with tryptophan indole-lyase; however, 6,7-thiatryptophan is a better substrate (kcat/K(m) = 32% of L-trp) for tryptophan indole-lyase than is 4,5-thiatryptophan (kcat/K(m) = 4% of L-trp). Benzimidazole affects the pre-steady-state reaction of 6,7-thiatryptophan in a way similar to L-tryptophan, while benzimidazole does not affect the pre-steady-state reaction of 4,5-thiatryptophan. 4-Aza-, 5-aza-, 6-aza-, and 7-aza-L-tryptophan are all very slow substrates (kcat < 1% of L-trp) for Escherichia coli tryptophan indole-lyase. beta-Indazolyl-L-alanine is a relatively good substrate and exhibits a quinonoid intermediate in its reaction with tryptophan indole-lyase. 6-Aza- and 7-azatryptophan accumulate quinonoid intermediates in the reaction with tryptophan indole-lyase, whereas 4-aza- and 5-azatryptophans do not significantly accumulate quinonoid intermediates, and these latter compounds exhibit very high K(m) values. Addition of benzimidazole does not change the rapid-scanning stopped-flow spectra of 6-aza- and 7-azatryptophan. This suggests that the rate-determining step in the reaction changes depending on the position and type of heteroatom substitution. For 6-aza- and 7-azatryptophan, the very slow rates of elimination may be due to slow C-protonation of the azaindole, while for 4,5-thiatryptophan, the elimination of thienopyrrole is probably slow. Of all analogs examined, 6,7-thiatryptophan is most similar to tryptophan in its reaction with E. coli tryptophan indole-lyase.
Injection Molded Solid and Microcellular Polylactide Compounded with Recycled Paper Shopping Bag Fibers

Abstract Recycled paper shopping bag fibers were melt-compounded using a batch mixer with biobased/biodegradable polylactide (PLA) at 10 and 30 wt.% using silane as a coupling agent. These PLA/fiber composites were then injection molded to produce both solid and microcellular tensile bars. The mechanical properties (specific modulus, specific tensile strength, specific toughness, and strain at break) of the neat PLA and PLA composites were tested and the cell morphology of the microcellular samples was examined using scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the addition of the recycled paper shopping bag fibers resulted in an increase in cell density and decrease in average cell size for the microcellular components when compared with the neat PLA. The addition of the fibers increased the specific modulus of both solid and microcellular components, and high fiber contents (30 wt.%) resulted in an increase in specific tensile strength, yet yielded a decrease in the strain at break and specific to...
Distortion-insensitive correlation constellation detection

There are applications that require detection of multiple features which remain consistent in shape locally, but may change position with respect to one another globally. We refer to these feature sets as multi-feature constellations. We introduce a multi-level correlation filter design which uses composite feature detection filters, which on one level detect local features, and then on the next level detect constellations of these local feature responses. We demonstrate the constellation filter method with sign language recognition and fingerprint matching.
Mortality after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in patients with cirrhosis: a case series

Background Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement can improve the nutritional status and the ability of a patient with cirrhosis to recover from surgery such as orthotopic liver transplantation. However, cirrhosis has been considered a significant contraindication to PEG tube placement. Objective Our aim in this study was to describe the mortality and complications in a series of cirrhotic patients who underwent PEG at our institution. Design Retrospective, single-institution case series. Patients This study involved 26 consecutive patients with cirrhosis who underwent PEG between 1995 and 2005. Intervention PEG tube placement. Main Outcome Measurements and Results The 30-day mortality of the series of patients was 10 of 26 (38.5%), whereas the 90-day mortality was 11 of 26 (42.3%). Nine of the 10 patients who died in the first 30 days had ascites at the time of PEG tube placement. Two patients died as a direct consequence of complications from the PEG procedure, whereas the other deaths were related to progression of liver disease or factors not directly related to the PEG. Limitations The patients in this case series had varying levels of illness and reasons for PEG tube placement such that a generalization of outcomes may not be possible. Conclusions The overall mortality of patients with cirrhosis who underwent PEG is high. Although there is an increased risk, PEG tube placement in cirrhotic patients without ascites may be less risky. The benefits of PEG tube placement in patients with cirrhosis should be weighed heavily against the risks.
Computational study of 3-D Benard convection with gravitational modulation

In this numerical study the effects of a modulated gravitational field on three-dimensional Rayleigh-Benard convection with heating from above or from below is investigated. The full, nonlinear, time-dependent, Boussinesq Navier-Stokes equations and the energy equation are solved by a semiimplicit, pseudo-spectral procedure. This study has been motivated by the need to better understand the effects of vibration (G-Jitter) on fluids systems especially in the low gravity environment.
Limitations of qualitative angiographic grading in aortic or mitral regurgitation

This study was performed to assess the accuracy of qualitative angiographic grading in persons with aortic regurgitation (AR) or mitral regurgitation (MR) and to determine the factors that may influence the reliability of such grading. In 230 patients (152 men, 78 women, aged 52 +/- 14 years) with AR or MR, forward cardiac index was measured by the Fick and indicator dilution techniques and left ventricular (LV) angiographic index by the area-length method, from which the regurgitant volume index was calculated. In 124 other patients (89 men, 35 women, aged 52 +/- 11 years) without regurgitation, there was good agreement between forward and angiographic cardiac indexes (r = 0.87, p less than 0.001). In the 83 patients with AR, the regurgitant volume indexes in those with 1+ (0.87 +/- 0.57 liters/min/m2) and 2+ (1.72 +/- 1.19 liters/min/m2) angiographic regurgitation were not significantly different from one another, but were significantly different from those with 3+ (3.0 +/- 1.42 liters/min/m2) and 4+ (4.80 +/- 2.25 liters/min/m2) regurgitation; at the same time, the regurgitant volume indexes of patients with 3+ and 4+ AR were not significantly different from one another. In the 147 patients with MR, the regurgitant volume indexes in patients with 1+ regurgitation (0.61 +/- 0.64 liters/min/m2) were significantly lower than other grades, but the regurgitant volume indexes of 2+ (1.14 +/- 0.85 liters/min/m2) vs 3+ (2.14 +/- 1.37 liters/min/m2) and of 3+ vs 4+ (4.60 +/- 2.31 liters/min/m2) were not significantly different. With AR and MR, regurgitant flow within each angiographic grade varied widely, especially in grades 3+ and 4+, and there was considerable overlap of regurgitant volume indexes between grades.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Early neolithic exploitation patterns in the Levant: Cultural impact on the environment

Over the ca. 4,500 years of the Neolithic period in the Near East (8,500-4,000 B.C.), the southern Levant underwent trends of development different from those that characterized the northern Levant and Greater Mesopotamia. The divergence was particularly evident in the 7th and 6th millennia B.C., for the area (including modern Jordan, Palestine/Israel, and Syria south of Damascus) experienced cataclysmic changes in settlement patterns. Recent archaeological excavations in Jordan have required a reassess ment of the developments in the southern Levant, for while major alter ations in settlement patterns did take place, it is now clear that the earlier scenario of events and explanations is oversimplified and incorrect (Fig. 1).
Blacklisting among scientists.

I recently wrote a letter to the editor of Science and Engineering Ethics titled “On Blacklisting in Science” which dealt mainly with the ethics of blacklisting (Kuhar, 2008). It defined blacklisting as “a process of shunning, sometimes harassing, and excluding an individual usually for perceived misbehavior.” It concluded that “blacklisting has many ethical problems and should not be condoned. It is akin to vigilantism, without due process, damaging to the blacklisted whether justified or not, and degrading to the blacklisters and bystanders themselves”. True wrongdoing should be dealt with by established and sanctioned procedures. The response to that letter was substantial and encouraging, and some of the responses identified a few omissions and suggested additional topics. This editorial addresses three topics that are discussed in each of the next three sections.
MDM2 copy numbers in well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma: characterizing progression to high-grade tumors.

Objectives: MDM2 gene amplification is associated with well-differentiated (WDL) and dedifferentiated liposarcomas (DDL). Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we sought to characterize various patterns of MDM2 amplification among the morphologic spectrum of liposarcoma. Methods: Forty-six cases of liposarcoma in various sites were examined and included 22 WDLs, 14 DLLs, and 10 negative control subjects. Results: The MDM2 amplification ratio ( MDM2 /CEP12) was lower in WDL (10.2) compared with DDL (18.3) cases ( P = .0000002). An amplification ratio of 16 showed optimal sensitivity (0.86) and specificity (0.96) as a cutoff point for progression to DDL. Borderline areas, defined as tumors with increased cellularity and atypia but with preserved lipomatous differentiation, showed a significantly higher MDM2 ratio (17.5; P = .0007) compared with WDL. Central (retroperitoneal and intra-abdominal) tumors also showed a significantly higher MDM2 ratio than peripheral ones ( P = .02). Conclusions: Differences in MDM2 amplification profiles among liposarcomas could help further define and predict progression to high-grade neoplasia.
The Consequences of Emotional Labor for Public Sector Workers and the Mitigating Role of Self-Efficacy:

Emotional labor that requires workers to suppress their truly felt emotions and create a fake emotional display has negative consequences for workers including psychological distress and lowered jo...
Quality improvement educational practices in pediatric residency programs: survey of pediatric program directors.

Abstract Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residents to learn quality improvement (QI) methods to analyze, change, and improve their practice. Little is known about how pediatric residency programs design, implement, and evaluate QI curricula to achieve this goal. We sought to describe current QI educational practices, evaluation methods, and program director perceptions through a national survey. Methods A survey of QI curricula was developed, pilot tested, approved by the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD), and distributed to pediatric program directors. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results The response rate was 53% (104 of 197). Most respondents reported presence of a QI curriculum (85%, 88 of 104), including didactic sessions (83%) and resident QI projects (88%). Continuous process improvement was the most common methodology addressed (65%). The most frequent topics taught were "Making a Case for QI" (68%), "PDSA [plan–do–study–act] Cycles" (66%), and "Measurement in QI" (60%). Projects were most frequently designed to improve clinical care (90%), hospital operations (65%), and the residency (61%). Only 35% evaluated patient outcomes, and 17% had no formal evaluation. Programs had a mean of 6 faculty members (standard deviation 4.4, range 2–20) involved in teaching residents QI. Programs with more faculty involved were more likely to have had a resident submit an abstract to a professional meeting about their QI project ( 9, 92%; P = .003). Barriers to teaching QI included time (66%), funding constraints (39%), and absent local QI expertise (33%). Most PPDs (65%) believed that resident input in hospital QI was important, but only 24% reported resident involvement. Critical factors for success included an experiential component (56%) and faculty with QI expertise (50%). Conclusions QI curricular practices vary greatly across pediatric residency programs. Although pediatric residency programs commit a fair number of resources to QI education and believe that resident involvement in QI is important, fundamental QI topics are overlooked in many programs, and evaluation of existing curricula is limited. Success as perceived by pediatric program directors appears to be related to the inclusion of a QI project and the availability of faculty mentors.
Some Effects of Employment Centers on Commuting Times in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, 1990

This study examines the relationship between one-way commuting time to major employment clusters in the Atlanta metropolitan area in 1990 and (1) the employment size of the clusters, (2) their distance from the major CBD cluster, and (3) selected attributes of workers in these clusters. The clusters are divided into centers and subcenters and central area and suburban locations. In addition to analyzing descriptive data, seven independent variables were correlated with mean commuting time in order to test three sets of hypotheses. Data are from the 1990 U.S. Census of Transportation Planning Package for a 13-county portion of the Atlanta metropolitan area, and utilize 948 Transportation Analysis Zones. It was found that three sets of factors are associated with mean commuting time: In order of importance they are distance of the cluster from the CBD (inverse association); characteristics of the workforce in the cluster, viz. percentage of high-income workers, percentage of workers who are Black, and percentage of transit users; and employment size of the cluster.
Evaluation of the threshold of stability for the human spine

The threshold of stability (ToS) is introduced as a new tool for evaluating spinal stability. Current methods have evaluated the magnitude of spinal kinematic variability, stability diffusion, or Lyapunov exponents. This present method differs by modifying task difficulty to obtain a critical value delineating regions of stability and instability. Conceptually, as task difficulty increases, kinematic variability of the system increases and the basin of stability decreases. When kinematic variability exceeds the basin of stability, stability cannot be maintained over time. This concept is first illustrated using a mathematical model, from which an effective potential function was calculated to show the relationships among kinematic variability, the basin of stability, and task difficulty. In addition, an experiment was performed to evaluate the sensitivity of the ToS to changes in postural control using visual feedback as a control variable. The ToS was found to be more sensitive than the Lyapunov exponent to removal of visual feedback, suggesting it may have use as a diagnostic indicator (e.g. for low back pain). Furthermore, this new method has an additional advantage in which minimal instrumentation is needed. Its simplicity, sensitivity, and low cost suggest that the ToS has potential as a diagnostic or prognostic tool in a clinical setting.
Natural Frequency Clusters in Planetary Gear Vibration

This paper investigates how the natural frequencies of planetary gears tend to gather into clusters (or groups). This behavior is observed experimentally and analyzed in further detail by numerical analysis. There are three natural frequency clusters at relatively high frequencies. The modes at these natural frequencies are marked by planet gear motion and contain strain energy in the tooth meshes and planet bearings. Each cluster contains one rotational, one translational, and one planet mode type discussed in previous research. The clustering phenomenon is robust, continuing through parameter variations of several orders of magnitude. The natural frequency clusters move together as a group when planet parameters change. They never intersect, but when the natural frequencies clusters approach each other, they exchange modal properties and veer away. When central member parameters are varied, the clusters remain nearly constant except for regions in which natural frequencies simultaneously shift to different cluster groups. There are two conditions that disrupt the clustering effect or diminish its prominence. One is when the planet parameters are similar to those of the other components, and the other is when there are large differences in mass, moment of inertia, bearing stiffness, or mesh stiffness among the planet gears. The clusters remain grouped together with arbitrary planet spacing.
Transport cross sections for collisions between particles

A computer program is described for calculating transport cross sections for collisions governed by tabulated interaction potentials between structureless particles. This program takes special care to treat multiple orbiting, where two or more sets of orbiting impact parameters and orbiting separations occur at the same energy. The program also takes into account situations where the long-range potential is repulsive.
Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties of Dendrimers Elaborated from a Chiral, Nonracemic Central Core

Three generations of ester-terminated dendrimers have been constructed from (1R,2S)-2-amino-1-phenyl-1,3-propanediol, 1, as the central core. The chiroptical properties of the dendrimers were measured revealing that the molar rotations [Φ] of the dendrimers decreased with increasing dendrimer generation. Comparison to a series of substituted benzoate derivatives of 1 suggested that the decrease in rotation was a consequence of a steric effect upon the conformational equilibrium of the central core that increased with increasing dendrimer generation. The optical rotations of dendrimers 7−9 were also observed to be solvent and temperature dependent.
Dissimilar patterns of genetic variation in two insular endemic plants sharing species characteristics, distribution, habitat, and ecological history

Camssonia guadalupensis ssp. clementina (Onagraceae) and Cryptantha traskiae (Boraginaceae) share many species characteristics that affect levels and pattern of genetic variation. In addition, they have a similar distribution, are found in the same habitat, and share ecological history by virtue of co-occurring at nearly all of the locations at which they are found. All populations of the two taxa on San Clemente Island were surveyed for genotypes at 16 allozyme loci, revealing generally low levels of genetic variation. However, Cam. g. clementina has more genetic variation than Cryp. traskiae at the taxon level (P = 37.5 versus 18.8, A = 1.69 versus 1.31, and HE = 0.088 versus 0.003) and significantly more alleles and higher heterozygosity within populations (A = 1.09 versus 1.03, AE = 1.02 versus 1.00; HO = 0.013 versus 0.001 and HE = 0.017 versus 0.003). Some populations of each taxon are monomorphic at all loci. Much greater differentiation among populations occurs in Cam. g. clementina (GST = 0.810) than in Cryp. traskiae (GST = 0.042). Locations of the more variable populations of each taxon do not coincide, and the pattern of genetic similarity of localities differs in the two taxa. Striking population genetic differences exist between these taxa despite shared species characteristics, distribution, habitat, and recent history.
Family characteristics affect rates of weight loss in obese children

Abstract Results of weight reduction programs for obese children have rarely been reported. No existing data describe the family characteristics associated with weight reduction. We treated 71 obese children, aged 7–13 years as outpatients during a one year period. Children and their parents were seen in separate groups. Treatment included nutrition education, hypocaloric diets, and behavior modification. Less than one-third of the patients completed the program. Mean weight loss during the program was 1.4 kg. One-third of our patients lost more than 2.5 kg; 11% lost more than 5.0 kg. Rates of weight loss were asoociated with parental obesity, and, independently, with parental marital status. The effect of parental obesity was independent of the sex of the parent or child. Birth order, family size and the severity of obesity had no significant effect on either rates of or absolute weight losses. These results indicate that family variables are associated with both the onset and course of childhood obesity. Because comparative studies of therapy have usually involved small numbers of patients, their results may have been confounded by the effects of parental obesity and marital status on weight loss.
Interstitial Brachytherapy of Malignant Brain Tumors Using Computed Tomography-guided Stereotaxis and Available Imaging Software: Technical Report

The implantation of radioactive sources into malignant intraaxial brain tumors, interstitial brachytherapy, is a theoretically attractive treatment for these nearly uniformly fatal lesions. Optimal application of this treatment modality requires careful preoperative planning, computer-assisted dosimetry, and computed tomography-guided stereotactic implantation of the isotope-bearing catheters. A method is presented by which available computed tomographic imaging software can be used with a standard radiotherapy treatment planning computer and the Brown-Roberts-Wells stereotactic system for preoperative imaging, dosimetry planning, and brachytherapy catheter insertion. Dedicated computer facilities are not required, making this method available to any neurosurgeon with access to a current generation computed tomographic scanner.
Multipoint observations of the magnetopause: Results from ISEE and AMPTE

Multiple spacecraft observations of the magnetopause have made it possible to infer boundary motion and structure, and to compare these with theoretical expectations. the results of the ISEE mission indicate the magnetopause is thicker than expected, often ten magnetosheath ion gyroradii or more, and that its characteristic radial motion is usually sub-Alfvenic. With small spacecraft separations it is possible to infer considerable small-scale magnetic structure within the current layer, suggesting filamentary currents much smaller than an ion gyroradius. Such a microstructure may be important in particle diffusion and, hence, reconnection. There are also phenomena on much larger scales, the highly variable boundary layer, flux transfer events and surface waves due to dynamic pressure variations, the structure of which can be best determined when spacecraft separations are large.
A morph-specific daily cycle in the rate of JH biosynthesis underlies a morph-specific daily cycle in the hemolymph JH titer in a wing-polymorphic cricket

A previous study documented a high amplitude, morph-specific daily cycle in the hemolymph JH titer in the wing-polymorphic cricket, Gryllus firmus. The JH titer rose and fell 10-20 fold in the flight-capable [LW(f), long-winged] morph during the late-photophase-early scotophase, while it was relatively constant during that time in the flightless (SW, short-winged) morph. In the present study we documented a dramatic morph-specific daily cycle in the in vitro rate of juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis that was tightly correlated with the hemolymph JH titer on days 5-7 of adulthood. Biosynthetic rates rose and fell 1-2 fold between the late photophase-early scotophase on each of days 5-6 and 6-7 of adulthood in the LW(f) morph, while biosynthetic rates were relatively constant during this period in the flightless, short-winged morph (SW), except for a slight dip in the rate of biosynthesis late in the photophase on these days. Similar morph-specific patterns of JH biosynthesis were observed whether rates were measured on corpora allata attached to corpora cardiaca in males or females, or on corpora allata alone. Hemolymph juvenile hormone esterase activity was significantly higher in the LW(f) vs. the SW morph during the beginning of scotophase, when the JH titer is decreasing rapidly in the LW(f) morph. Results indicate that the morph-specific daily cycle in the JH titer in G. firmus is primarily regulated by a morph-specific daily cycle in the rate of JH biosynthesis and to a lesser degree by hemolymph JH esterase activity. This is the first documentation of a diurnal cycle in the rate of JH biosynthesis in any insect, or a daily cycle in the rate of JH biosynthesis that is correlated with a specific morph in a polymorphic species. Results have important implications for the endocrine regulation of dispersal polymorphism, circadian rhythms of insect hormone titers and their regulators, and general studies of the JH titer and its regulation in insects.
Manual‐Based Treatment: An Essential Ingredient of Clinical Practice in the 21st Century

Wilson (this issue) raises several thought-provoking issues pertaining to the use of manual-based treatments (MBTs) in clinical practice. Based on my experiences as a researcher of manual-based treatments for social phobia and as a clinical psychologist in independent practice, I share my perspective on several of Wilson's points. Comorbid conditions do not appear to hinder the outcomes of MBTs for social phobia, and participants in controlled clinical trials do not appear very different from persons who refuse or are excluded from participation. Manuals can be written in a manner that retains a great deal of flexibility for the clinician, and these manuals may be productively employed in clinical settings. Proper implementation of MBTs requires experience with the disorder of interest and a strong background in theories of psychopathology and therapy technique.
A Second Generation of Numerical Implementation of Nonlinear Piezoelectric Models in Commercially Available Tools

Domain switching based nonlinear behavior is characteristic of relaxor-type piezoelectric material such as PMN-PT single crystals. These materials offer significant device performance improvements over traditional polycrystalline piezoelectric materials such as PZT-5A. The promise of increased performance of these materials has led to work in development of constitutive characterizations so that material behavior under load and material failure mechanisms can be understood and predicted. However, there is a gap between development of such theoretical developments and in workable manifestations available as part of commercial finite element codes for use in device design. In the current work, the authors extend previously documented implementation of a macro-mechanical constitutive model which addresses domain switching, into a commercially available finite element code. A rate dependent version of the constitutive model has been successfully realized and used to reproduce a variety of piezoelectric constitutive behaviors.
Editor's comment; lessons and accomplishments 20 years after the Safe Motherhood Conference in Nairobi.

It is 20 years since the Safe Motherhood Conference in Nairobi. What have we learned and what have we accomplished since then? Our knowledge base is a good deal more solid than it was 20 years ago. While we might wish that the nature of the evidence were more rigorous (though it is rarely practical or ethical to conduct randomized control trials of most programs) we have more than enough evidence to proceed. We have learned to focus our attention and resources on two complementary approaches - skilled attendance at delivery and access to emergency obstetric care (EmOC) for when complications arise. While Graham et al. have shown that skilled attendance at delivery and the maternal mortality ratio are closely correlated they found too that this is truer when the skilled attendants are physicians than when they are midwives. Some have wondered if this means we should be promoting hospital deliveries and we need more data on this. The important lesson is that skilled attendance means midwives and physicians and not semi-skilled workers (such as community health workers) with only a few weeks of training and definitely not traditional birth attendants - whether trained or not. Unfortunately some countries especially in south Asia are going the semi-skilled worker route. (excerpt)
Effects of specimen tilt in ADF-STEM imaging of a-Si/c-Si interfaces

Annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) imaging of a crystal depends strongly on specimen orientation, but for an amorphous sample it is insensitive to orientation changes. To fully investigate the effects of specimen tilt, an interface of amorphous Si (a-Si) and crystalline Si (c-Si) was rotated systematically off a zone axis in a STEM equipped with low-angle ADF (LAADF) and high-angle ADF (HAADF) detectors. The change of relative intensity across the interface shows very different trends in the LAADF and the HAADF images upon tilting. More importantly, it is found that the HAADF signal decreases much more rapidly when tilted off a zone axis than does the LAADF signal. The high-resolution lattice fringes also disappear much faster in the HAADF image than in the LAADF image. These trends reflect the fact that the channeling peaks that are responsible for scattering into the HAADF detector decrease more quickly upon tilting than the lower angle scattering to the LAADF detector does.
Rocking as a soothing intervention: The influence of direction and type of movement

Thirty-six distressed infants 24–72 hrs of age (M = 45.25 hrs) were exposed to one of five experimental consoling conditions or one no-intervention control condition. The results showed that the infants exposed to the four conditions that included a rocking component quieted more quickly than those either picked up and held at the experimenter's shoulder or not given any form of soothing intervention. Furthermore, the results indicated that the type of rocking movement (continuous vs. intermittent) differentially affected the infant's behavioral state and that these effects were influenced, to some degree, by the direction of the movement. The results are discussed in terms of their applicability to the facilitation of a positive caregiver-infant relationship and in relation to strategies for state-dependent infant research and testing.
Effect of disorder on synchronization in prototype two-dimensional Josephson arrays.

We study the effects of quenched disorder on the dynamics of two-dimensional arrays of overdamped Josephson junctions. Disorder in both the junction critical currents and resistances is considered. Analytical results for small arrays are used to identify a physical mechanism which promotes frequency locking across each row of the array, and to show that no such locking mechanism exists between rows. The intrarow locking mechanism is surprisingly strong, so that a row can tolerate large amounts of disorder before frequency locking is destroyed.
Geometrical semantics for linear logic (multiplicative fragment)

Linear logic was described by Girard as a logic of dynamic interactions. On the other hand, Girard suggested an analogy between LL and quantum theory. Following these two intuitions we give an interpretation of linear logic in the language, which is common for both dynamical systems and quantization. Thus, we propose a denotational semantics for multiplicative linear logic using the language of symplectic geometry.We construct a category of coherent phase spaces and show that this category provides a model for MLL. A coherent phase space is a pair: a symplectic manifold and a distinguished field of contact cones on this manifold. The category of coherent phase spaces is a refinement of the symplectic "category" introduced by Weinstein. A morphism between two coherent phase spaces is a Lagrangian submanifold of their product, which is tangent to some distinguished field of contact cones. Thus, we interpret formulas of MLL as fields of contact cones on symplectic manifolds, and proofs as integral submanifolds of corresponding fields.In geometric and asymptotic quantization symplectic manifolds are phase spaces of classical systems, and Lagrangian submanifolds represent asymptotically states of quantized systems. Typically, a Lagrangian submanifold is the best possible localization of a quantum system in the classical phase space, as follows from the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Lagrangian submanifolds are called sometimes "quantum points".From this point of view we interpret linear logic proofs as (geometric approximations to) quantum states and formulas as specifications for these states. In particular, the interpretation of linear negation suggests that the dual formulas A and A⊥ stand in the same relationship as the position and momentum observables. These two observables cannot simultaneously have definite values, much like the case of two dual formulas, which cannot simultaneously have proofs.
Effects of Operating Parameters in Tubular Ultrafiltration

A parametric waste-specific study was conducted to develop a more mechanistic understanding of the tubular ultrafiltration system using a surrogate metalworking (MW) fluid as a model waste stream. An average gel layer concentration of 31% oil was calculated and the gel layer concentration was determined to be independent of transmembrane pressure and cross-flow velocity. The thin-film model adequately described limiting flux data collected in this study, due to the use of discrete cross-flow velocity/MW fluid concentration experiments; thus, an improved mechanistic understanding was achieved. Mass transfer and thus the pressure-independent “limiting” permeate flux were generally comparable to values observed in a high-shear rotary UF system, for oil concentrations <26%. However, a decrease in net permeate flux was observed in the tubular ultrafiltration (UF) system at high feed oil concentrations; thus, a hybrid system (conventional tubular followed by high-shear rotary UF) is proposed for treatment appli...
Strain hardening equation and the prediction of tensile strength of rolled polymers

A number of thermoplastic polymers were tested in tension to investigate their strain hardening behavior. A strain hardening equation has been proposed in terms of the true stress, true strain and two constants σo and m. The three material constants, viz. σom and the true fracture strain, are shown to be adequate to describe completely the material's nonlinear viscoelastic or the so-called “plastic” behavior. The true stress-strain data for the polymers rolled to varying amounts of cold-work fits the strain hardening plot of the unrolled material. The same strain hardening equation, therefore, applies to rolled materials as well. The procedure for predicting the tensile strength of rolled materials is given.
A dual positive feedback three-stage low noise amplifier

A three-stage low noise amplifier (LNA) using dual positive feedback is presented in this paper. In order to increase voltage gain and forward gain, two positive feedbacks are employed in the LNA circuit. Moreover, the LNA transistors operate at a moderate inversion region, so it is suitable to use in an ultra-low voltage receiver. The proposed LNA is simulated in 0.13μm CMOS technology. The results show that the LNA achieves a minimum noise figure of 3.28dB, a 28dB voltage gain, and a 15.8dB forward gain at 7.1GHz. The LNA consumes 0.92mW from a 0.5V power supply.
Effect of free carriers and excitons on the gain and temperature characteristics of InAs/InGaAs quantum dot lasers

In this work we study the role of free carriers and excitons on the characteristics of 1.3 μm InAs/InGaAs quantum dot lasers. The study is carried out theoretically by building a mathematical model to calculate the threshold current in the laser and the charateristic temperature, T 0 . In order to determine the role of free carrier and excitons on the laser characteristics the model allows for different carrier distribution assumptions to be used, and we look at three cases; all free carriers, all excitons, and both free carriers and excitons in the dots. Our model results show that if we allow either free carriers or excitons to exist but not both, the calculated threshold current and T 0 do not match with the experimental values. Thus we conclude that both free and bound carriers must exist and develop a method for modeling this case. We use a modified form of the Saha equation to calculate the ratio of free carriers to excitons and modify the material gain to account for this ratio. This model results in a threshold current density of approximately 39 A/cm 2 and a T 0 of 83 K, both of which are in excellent agreement with experimental results.
Nongenetic causes of hearing loss

Nongenetic as well as genetic etiologies must be explored in the child with identified hearing loss. Graduates of the neonatal intensive care unit are at increased risk for developing hearing loss due to hypoxia, hyperbilirubinemia, very low birth weight, and ototoxic medications. Although meningitis has decreased in frequency, it is still a risk factor for hearing loss. Cytomegalovirus remains the most common congenital infection and a relatively common etiology of hearing loss, which can be progressive. Preventable causes of hearing loss include those caused by head trauma, noise, and ototoxic medications. Identification of the etiology of hearing loss can facilitate the development of a treatment and management plan.
Area efficient phase calibration of a 1.6 GHz multiphase DLL

This paper describes a digital calibration scheme that corrects for phase spacing errors in a multiphase clock generating delay-locked loop (DLL). The calibration scheme employs sub-sampling using a frequency-offset clock with respect to the DLL reference clock, to measure phase-offsets. The phase-correction circuit uses one digital-to-analog converter across eight variable-delay buffers to reduce the area consumption by 62%. The test-chip, designed in a 130nm CMOS process, demonstrates a 8-phase 1.6 GHz DLL with a worst-case phase error of 450 fs.
Implications of supersymmetric models with natural R-parity conservation.

In the minimal supersymmetric standard model, the conservation of $R$ parity is phenomenologically desirable, but is ad hoc in the sense that it is not required for the internal consistency of the theory. However, if $B\ensuremath{-}L$ is gauged at very high energies, $R$ parity will be conserved automatically and exactly, provided only that all order parameters carry even integer values of $3(B\ensuremath{-}L)$. We propose a minimal extension of the supersymmetric standard model in which $R$-parity conservation arises naturally in this way. This approach predicts the existence of a very weakly coupled, neutral chiral supermultiplet of particles with electroweak-scale masses and lifetimes which may be cosmologically interesting. Neutrino masses arise via an intermediate-scale seesaw mechanism, and a solution to the $\ensuremath{\mu}$ problem is naturally incorporated. The apparent unification of gauge couplings at high energies is shown to be preserved in this approach. We also discuss a next-to-minimal extension, which predicts a pair of electroweak-scale chiral supermultiplets with electric charge 2.
Acquisition of Functional Sight Words in Community-Based Recreation Settings

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a direct instruction procedure involving modeling and guided practice on the acquisition of functional sight words. Participants were 3 youths with the dual diagnosis of mental retardation and behavior disorders. These youths were taught functional sight words that support participation in a variety of recreation activities in natural community settings. A parallel treatment design was used to evaluate the impact of a direct instruction and control method for promoting word acquisition Half of the sight words were taught using direct instruction with in vivo word find activities and then assessed in the recreation settings. Acquisition of the second half of the words was also assessed in recreation settings. The control instruction involved reading key words to the participants as needed in the recreational setting. Direct instruction with in vivo word find was demonstrated to be effective in promoting acquisition of functional sight words....