cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Children's responses to low parental mood. I: Balancing between active empathy, overinvolvement, indifference, and avoidance.

ABSTRACT Objective The aims were to study children's behavioral and emotional responses to parental low mood, and the associations of these responses with parental depressive symptoms and the children's own mental distress. Method The community sample consists of 990 twelve-year-old Finnish children and their mothers (843) and fathers (573). The children's responses were elicited by inquiring about their behaviors and feelings when their mothers and their fathers were feeling down. Results Cluster analysis identified four response patterns: the Active Empathy, Emotional Overinvolvement, Indifference and Avoidance. The Emotional Overinvolvement and the Avoidance groups reported more depressive and externalizing symptoms than the other two groups. The patterns did not vary on the basis of variation in the level of parental depressive symptoms. Conclusions Children are sensitive members of their families and feel for their parents. Their responses can reflect both adaptive and nonadaptive patterns.
Design of transfer trajectories between resonant orbits in the Earth–Moon restricted problem

Abstract The application of dynamical systems techniques to mission design has demonstrated that employing invariant manifolds and resonant flybys enables previously unknown trajectory options and potentially reduces the Δ V requirements. In this investigation, planar and three-dimensional resonant orbits are analyzed and cataloged in the Earth–Moon system and the associated invariant manifold structures are computed and visualized with the aid of higher-dimensional Poincare maps. The relationship between the manifold trajectories associated with multiple resonant orbits is explored through the maps with the objective of constructing resonant transfer arcs. As a result, planar and three-dimensional homoclinic- and heteroclinic-type trajectories between unstable periodic resonant orbits are identified in the Earth–Moon system. To further illustrate the applicability of 2D and 3D resonant orbits in preliminary trajectory design, planar transfers to the vicinity of L5 and an out-of-plane transfer to a 3D periodic orbit, one that tours the entire Earth–Moon system, are constructed. The design process exploits the invariant manifolds associated with orbits in resonance with the Moon as transfer mechanisms.
Genioglossal recruitment during acute hypoxia and hypercapnia in kittens

We examined genioglossal and diaphragmatic EMG activities in one- and two-month-old anesthetized kittens during acute exposures to hypoxic (13% or 10% O2) and hyperoxic hypercapnic (8% CO2/50% CO2/balanced N2) gas mixtures. Phasic genioglossal EMG activity, frequently characterized by a combined inspiratory-expiratory discharge pattern, was observed in 3 of 8 one-month-old vs. 7 of 7 two-month-old kittens during hypercapnia (Chisquare P<0.05). The percentage of kittens recruiting genioglossal activity during hypoxic exposures was similar at both ages (1 month, 75%; 2 month, 83%). Analysis of the breath-by-breath response during trials of hypoxia in which genioglossal recruitment was observed, however, revealed that the one-month-old kittens exhibited phasic genioglossal activity in only 40±27% of the stimulated breaths, compared to 63±26% for the two-month-old ones (P<0.05) at each level of hypoxia. In this regard, the genioglossal response to hypoxia in one-month-old kittens was frequently characterized by early and only transient recruitment (when diaphragmatic activity was at its peak), while genioglossal recruitment was more sustained in two-month-old animals. These data indicate that genioglossal activity in kittens is often recruited during exposures to hypercapnia and hypoxia, and suggest that such recruitment is more frequent with increasing postnatal age. Pediatr Pulmonol 1989; 7:235–243.
To Live Like Fighting Cocks: Fight Club and the Ethics of Masculinity

David Fincher's 1999 adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel Fight Club has prompted many academics to write about this film and has captivated many of their students. As Warren Rosenberg, chair of E...
Distributing the Benefits of Regional Economic Development

A rapid and substantial surge of regional growth can result in a highly uneven distribution of development across an urban region's localities. But the benefits of growth for local communities can be more evenly distributed. A growth model combining both infill and footloose components was used to analyse the differential job, tax base and population growth among the 365 contiguous municipalities of northern New Jersey for a period in the 1980s when the region gained 400000 jobs but only 150000 new residents. The growth analysis was followed by an examination of the distribution of six proposed benefit measures. The findings indicate a wider distribution of benefits than of growth per se, strong stability in the distribution of benefits among communities, significant gains for communities that grew most rapidly, and considerable benefits for communities that experienced little or no growth.
A20 Protects From CD40-CD40 Ligand-Mediated Endothelial Cell Activation and Apoptosis

Background— CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) signaling is a potent activator of endothelial cells (ECs) and promoter of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigate whether A20 (a gene we have shown to be antiinflammatory and antiapoptotic in ECs) can protect from CD40/CD40L-mediated EC activation. Methods and Results— Overexpression of CD40, in a transient transfection system, activates the transcription factor NF-κB and upregulates IκBα, E-selectin, and tissue factor (TF) reporter activity. Coexpression of A20 inhibits NF-κB and upregulation of IκBα and E-Selectin but not TF, suggesting that CD40 induces TF in a non–NF-κB–dependent manner. In human coronary artery ECs (HCAECs), adenovirus-mediated overexpression of A20 blocks physiological, CD40-induced activation of NF-κB, upstream of IκBα degradation (Western blot) and subsequently upregulation of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin (flow cytometry). Although A20 does not block TF transcription its expression in HCAECs inhibits TF induction (colorimetric assay a...
BRIDGED POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS. A REVIEW

(1997). BRIDGED POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS. A REVIEW. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 243-283.
Maternal language input and child maltreatment

This study examined the language input of mothers to their infants in three groups of mother-infant dyads: abuse, neglect, and adequate. The speech of the 10 mothers in each group was coded for well-formedness, complexity, sentence type, and accepting and rejecting content. In comparison with the neglect group mothers, the adequate group mothers spoke to their infants much more: The adequate group mothers produced more complete grammatical utterances and used more indirect imperatives and acceptance phrases than did the neglect group mothers. There were relatively few differences on the linguistic measures between the adequate and abuse group mothers. On the content measures, the abuse group mothers were more rejecting than either the adequate or neglect group mothers. Le but de cette ettude etait d'examiner les informations en matiere de langage des meres a leurs enfants chez trois groupes de dyades mere-enfant: groupe abusif, groupe negligent et groupe adequat. Le discours des dix meres de chaque groupe a ete en fonction des criteres suivants: bonne formation, complexite, type de phrase, et contenu de refus ou d'acceptation. Comparkes aux meres appartenant au groupe negligent, les meres appartenant au groupe adtquat parlaient beaucoup plus a leurs enfants: les meres appartenant au groupe adequat produisaient plus de discours grammaticaux complets, utilisaient plus d'imperatifs indirects et de phrases d'approbation que les meres appartenant au groupe negligent. En ce qui concerne les evaluations linguistiques, l'on a note relativement peu de differences entre les meres appartenant au groupe adequat et cel les du groupe abusif. En ce qui concerne les evaluations du contenu, les meres appartenant au groupe abusif faisaient preuve de plus de refus que les meres appartenant au groupe adtquat et celles appartenant au groupe negligent.
Estimating nonlinear receptive fields from natural images.

The response of visual cells is a nonlinear function of their stimuli. In addition, an increasing amount of evidence shows that visual cells are optimized to process natural images. Hence, finding good nonlinear models to characterize visual cells using natural stimuli is important. The Volterra model is an appealing nonlinear model for visual cells. However, their large number of parameters and the limited size of physiological recordings have hindered its application. Recently, a substantiated hypothesis stating that the responses of each visual cell could depend on an especially low-dimensional subspace of the image space has been proposed. We use this low-dimensional subspace in the Volterra relevant-space technique to allow the estimation of high-order Volterra models. Most laboratories characterize the response of visual cells as a nonlinear function on the lowdimensional subspace. They estimate this nonlinear function using histograms and by fitting parametric functions to them. Here, we compare the Volterra model with these histogram-based techniques. We use simulated data from cortical simple cells as well as simulated and physiological data from cortical complex cells. Volterra models yield equal or superior predictive power in all conditions studied. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the low-dimensional subspace. In this article, we test projection pursuit regression (PPR), a nonlinear regression algorithm. We compare PPR with two popular models used in vision: spike-triggered average (STA) and spike-triggered covariance (STC). We observe that PPR has advantages over these alternative algorithms. Hence, we conclude that PPR is a viable algorithm to recover the relevant subspace from natural images and that the Volterra model, estimated through the Volterra relevant-space technique, is a compelling alternative to histogram-based techniques.
Comparison of β-tubulin mRNA and protein levels in 12 human cancer cell lines

Antimitotic drugs are chemotherapeutic agents that bind tubulin and microtubules. Resistance to these drugs is a major clinical problem. One hypothesis is that the cellular composition of tubulin isotypes may predict the sensitivity of a tumor to antimitotics. Reliable and sensitive methods for measuring tubulin isotype levels in cells and tissues are needed to address this hypothesis. Quantitative measurements of tubulin isotypes have frequently relied upon inferring protein amounts from mRNA levels. To determine whether this approach is justified, protein and mRNA levels of beta-tubulin isotypes from 12 human cancer cell lines were measured. This work focused on only beta-tubulin isotypes because we had readily available monoclonal antibodies for quantitative immunoblots. The percentage of beta-tubulin isotype classes I, II, III, and IVa + IVb mRNA and protein were compared. For beta-tubulin class I that comprises >50% of the beta-tubulin protein in 10 of the 12 cell lines, there was good agreement between mRNA and protein percentages. Agreement between mRNA and protein was also found for beta-tubulin class III. For beta-tubulin classes IVa + IVb, we observed higher protein levels compared to mRNA levels.Beta-tubulin class II protein was found in only four cell lines and in very low abundance. We conclude that quantitative Western blotting is a reliable method for measuring tubulin isotype levels in human cancer cell lines. Inferring protein amounts from mRNA levels should be done with caution, since the correspondence is not one-to-one for all tubulin isotypes.
Isolation, Characterization, cDNA Cloning, and Antimicrobial Properties of Two Distinct Subfamilies of α-Defensins from Rhesus Macaque Leukocytes

Experiments to isolate and characterize rhesus macaque myeloid α-defensins (RMADs) were conducted. Seven RMAD peptides were isolated and sequenced, and the cDNAs encoding six of these peptides and one other α-defensin from bone marrow were also characterized. Four of the RMADs were found to be highly similar to human neutrophil α-defensins HNP-1 to HNP-3, while the remaining four peptides were much more similar to human enteric α-defensin HD-5. Two α-defensin pairs differed only by the presence or absence of an additional arginine at the amino termini of their mature peptides, indicative of alternate posttranslational processing. The primary translation products of RMAD-1 to -8 are 94- and 96-amino-acid prepropeptides that are highly similar to those of human α-defensins. Immunolocalization experiments revealed a granular cytoplasmic pattern in the cytoplasms of neutrophils, indistinguishable from the pattern observed after immunostaining of human myeloid α-defensins in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Each of the purified peptides was tested for its in vitro activities against Staphylococcus aureus 502a, Listeria monocytogenes EGD, Escherichia coli ML35, and Cryptococcus neoformans 271A. Several of the peptides were microbicidal for the gram-positive bacteria and C. neoformans at defensin concentrations in the range of 2 to 5 μM. All of the peptides were bacteriostatic against E. coli, but none were bactericidal for this organism. This study is the first to characterize the sequences and activities of α-defensins from nonhuman primates, data that should aid in delineating the role of these peptides in rhesus macaque host defense.
A fruit quality gene map of Prunus.

Prunus fruit development, growth, ripening, and senescence includes major biochemical and sensory changes in texture, color, and flavor. The genetic dissection of these complex processes has important applications in crop improvement, to facilitate maximizing and maintaining stone fruit quality from production and processing through to marketing and consumption. Here we present an integrated fruit quality gene map of Prunus containing 133 genes putatively involved in the determination of fruit texture, pigmentation, flavor, and chilling injury resistance. A genetic linkage map of 211 markers was constructed for an intraspecific peach (Prunus persica) progeny population, Pop-DG, derived from a canning peach cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a fresh market cultivar 'Georgia Belle'. The Pop-DG map covered 818 cM of the peach genome and included three morphological markers, 11 ripening candidate genes, 13 cold-responsive genes, 21 novel EST-SSRs from the ChillPeach database, 58 previously reported SSRs, 40 RAFs, 23 SRAPs, 14 IMAs, and 28 accessory markers from candidate gene amplification. The Pop-DG map was co-linear with the Prunus reference T × E map, with 39 SSR markers in common to align the maps. A further 158 markers were bin-mapped to the reference map: 59 ripening candidate genes, 50 cold-responsive genes, and 50 novel EST-SSRs from ChillPeach, with deduced locations in Pop-DG via comparative mapping. Several candidate genes and EST-SSRs co-located with previously reported major trait loci and quantitative trait loci for chilling injury symptoms in Pop-DG. The candidate gene approach combined with bin-mapping and availability of a community-recognized reference genetic map provides an efficient means of locating genes of interest in a target genome. We highlight the co-localization of fruit quality candidate genes with previously reported fruit quality QTLs. The fruit quality gene map developed here is a valuable tool for dissecting the genetic architecture of fruit quality traits in Prunus crops.
Effect of group performance, leader sex, and rater sex on ratings of leader behavior.

Abstract Leadership research has paid increasing attention to attributional processes as a function of group performance and sex. This study simultaneously examined the effects of performance, sex of leader, and sex of subject on ratings of leader behavior while controlling for leadership style. Evaluations and descriptions of business students about managers' using initiating structure or consideration leadership styles were strongly influenced by group performance, not influenced by sex of manager, and marginally influenced by subjects' own sex. High group performance led to attributions of a “High—High” leadership style.
Quantitative classification of somatostatin-positive neocortical interneurons identifies three interneuron subtypes

Deciphering the circuitry of the neocortex requires knowledge of its components, making a systematic classification of neocortical neurons necessary. GABAergic interneurons contribute most of the morphological, electrophysiological and molecular diversity of the cortex, yet interneuron subtypes are still not well defined. To quantitatively identify classes of interneurons, 59 GFP-positive interneurons from a somatostatin-positive mouse line were characterized by whole-cell recordings and anatomical reconstructions. For each neuron, we measured a series of physiological and morphological variables and analyzed these data using unsupervised classification methods. PCA and cluster analysis of morphological variables revealed three groups of cells: one comprised of Martinotti cells, and two other groups of interneurons with short asymmetric axons targeting layers 2/3 and bending medially. PCA and cluster analysis of electrophysiological variables also revealed the existence of these three groups of neurons, particularly with respect to action potential time course. These different morphological and electrophysiological characteristics could make each of these three interneuron subtypes particularly suited for a different function within the cortical circuit.
Congenital Absence of the Long Process of the Incus

Objective/Hypothesis: To review the case reports of three generations of one family, suffering from bilateral conductive hearing loss due to congenital absence of the long process of the incus. Study Design: Review of the literature regarding hereditary congenital absence of the long process of the incus to determine its mode of inheritance such as autosomal dominant or X-linked. Also document the types and results of surgical repairs performed by previous investigators of this defect and compare them with the present study. Methods: Three female patients of direct lineage. Mother, daughter, and granddaughter, who were personally seen, operated on, and followed up over a period of 26 years. Results: All three female patients presented with similar symptoms and findings of hearing impairment since birth, with no history of ear infections, and with normal appearing tympanic membranes. However, they had severe conductive hearing loss with normal bone conduction and discrimination. Operative findings were identical in all three patients, with the incus ending in a blind stub, and with absence of the capitulum of the stapes. The type of ossicular reconstruction varied with the changing of times and advances in otologic surgery, as well as the prosthetic materials used. All three patients received improvement in their hearing, and this improvement has been maintained over the 26-year span of the study. Conclusions: Hearing loss due to congenital absence of the incus is uncommon but not rare. Interestingly, no other instance of inherited cases were reported in the literature. In this family the defect appears to be an inherited trait either due to an autosomal dominant mutation or an X-linked dominant inheritance. This abnormality is amendable to surgery, and any well-executed technique usually gives good hearing results.
An MC 68000 based computer for point-of-sale terminal

The authors present an MC68000-based computer and the interfaces that allow its use as a point-of-sale unit and make it possible to remotely reprogram system parameters through a regular telephone line. The terminal is capable of reading different types of magnetic cards (i.e. credit cards, debit cards, etc.), obtaining an approval code, requesting remote information about the user, and printing receipts, among its basic functions. The hardware and software design considerations are discussed. The use of microcontrollers is shown to perform data entry and enhance the printing speed of the system. The system presented is a modular system, since upgrading can be performed very easily. The modularity of the software allows the system to operate in a multitasking scheme, making it suitable for real-time applications. >
Use of Maximum Entropy Principle in earthquake recurrence relationships

This paper presents a method for developing recurrence relationships which are consistent with the available geological, historical, and instrumental occurrence information. The Maximum Entropy Principle (MEP) is utilized to obtain unbiased recurrence relationships. The differences between the conventional least-squares method and the MEP method are discussed and examined through several examples. A modified MEP method is also suggested to incorporate very long-term geological information about the occurrence of large earthquakes with the short-term historical or instrumental information about small to medium-size earthquakes. It is shown that the modified MEP method can combine different sources of information with varying quality into a single minimally biased recurrence relationship. The method developed in this paper is intended for use in seismic hazard analysis.
Quantitative topographic irregularity as a predictor of spectacle-corrected visual acuity after refractive surgery.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate a new topographic index called topographic irregularity as a quantitative predictor of corrected vision after refractive surgery. METHODS: We defined topographic irregularity as the summed difference at all points between a topographic refractive corneal power map and its best-fit spherocylinder. We prospectively studied 107 eyes of 107 patients 3 months after a variety of refractive procedures. Topographic irregularity was calculated from topographic maps, and the correlation between topographic irregularity and spectacle-corrected visual acuity was determined using both high-contrast and low-contrast acuity charts. This correlation was compared with correlations for the surface regularity index and the surface asymmetry index. Next, we analyzed 54 of these topographic maps to create a regression scale relating surface regularity index, surface asymmetry index, and topographic irregularity to predict spectacle-corrected visual acuity. This scale was then used to predict spectacle-corrected visual acuity on the remaining 53 postoperative patients. RESULTS: The correlation of topographic irregularity with spectacle-corrected visual acuity (R 2 = .36) was comparable to the correlation for the surface regularity index (R 2 = .36) and stronger than for the surface asymmetry index (R 2 = .11) when spectacle-corrected visual acuity was measured with high-contrast eye charts. Topographic irregularity correlated more strongly with spectacle-corrected visual acuity (R 2 = .42) than either the surface regularity index (R 2 = .28) or the surface asymmetry index (R 2 = .14) when spectacle-corrected visual acuity was measured with low-contrast eye charts. Using the regression scale, prediction of high-contrast and low-contrast spectacle-corrected visual acuity from topographic irregularity was superior to or comparable to predictions using the surface regularity index and the surface asymmetry index. CONCLUSIONS: Topographic irregularity has a closer correlation with spectacle-corrected visual acuity than existing topographic indexes. Topographic irregularity is also an accurate predictor of spectacle-corrected visual acuity and may be a more sensitive tool for evaluating postoperative visual performance than current topographic measures.
Slavery and Abolition in Early Republican Peru

In this work, Professor Blanchard examines why slavery managed to survive for more than three decades after Peru declared its independence despite anti-slavery legislation passed by the liberators at that time. The book focuses on the economics of Peruvian slavery, slave life and the abolition movement. Slavery and Abolition aims to offer an alternative example of a slavery system to the more familiar examples of the US, Brazil and Cuba.
Improved Mechanical Properties of Chemically Amplified, Positive Tone, Polynorbornene Dielectric

The mechanical properties of an aqueous developed, chemically amplified, polynorbornene-based permanent dielectric have been investigated. The previously reported hexafluoroisopropanol norbornene and tert-butyl ester norbornene copolymer has been modified via two routes to improve the mechanical properties of the polymer and enable thick-film deposition. First, a third monomer, butyl norbornene (ButylNB) was added to the polymer backbone. The inclusion of 24 mol% ButylNB lowered the elastic modulus from 2.64 to 2.35 GPa and raised the dielectric constant from 2.78 to 3.48. The second approach added a low molecular weight, plasticizing additive in the copolymer formulation. Many additives were immiscible with the resin or did not affect the mechanical properties. Trimethyololpropane ethoxylate (TMPEO) was found to be a miscible additive that improved mechanical properties and could participate in crosslinking the final dielectric material. TMPEO interacted with the PAG, lowering its decomposition temperature. An optimal formulation and processing scheme were determined. A formulation with 10 pphr TMPEO was measured to have a dielectric constant of 2.94, an elastic modulus of 1.95 GPa, a sensitivity at 365 nm of 175 mJ/cm2, and a contrast of 4.36. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse of the work in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0161502jss] All rights reserved.
Wetting behaviour during evaporation and condensation of water microdroplets on superhydrophobic patterned surfaces

Superhydrophobic surfaces have considerable technological potential for various applications due to their extreme water repellent properties. The superhydrophobic surfaces may be generated by the use of hydrophobic coating, roughness and air pockets between solid and liquid. The geometric effects and dynamic effects, such as surface waves, can destroy the composite solid-air-liquid interface. The relationship between the water droplet size and geometric parameters governs the creation of composite interface and affects transition from solid-liquid interface to composite interface. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of droplets of various sizes. We have studied the effect of droplet size on contact angle by evaporation using droplets with radii ranging from about 300 to 700 microm. Experimental and theoretical studies of the wetting properties of silicon surfaces patterned with pillars of two different diameters and heights with varying pitch values are presented. We propose a criterion where the transition from Cassie and Baxter regime to Wenzel regime occurs when the droop of the droplet sinking between two asperities is larger than the depth of the cavity. The trends are explained based on the experimental data and the proposed transition criteria. An environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) is used to form smaller droplets of about 20 microm radius and measure the contact angle on the patterned surfaces. The investigation has shown that ESEM provides a new approach to wetting studies on the microscale.
Functional properties of bicarbonates and lactic acid on chicken breast retail display properties and cooked meat quality

Whole chicken breast was injected with potassium bicarbonate (PB), sodium bicarbonate (SB), and potassium lactate (K-lactate) and salt, alone or in combination at different concentration levels. The objectives were to 1) investigate the effects of different concentration of PB, SB, and PL on instrumental color, water-holding capacity (WHC), objective tenderness, expressible moisture, and moisture content and 2) evaluate whether sodium-containing ingredients can be replaced with potassium as a potential strategy to reduce total sodium content in the finished product. Results showed that chicken breast tissue marinated with SB and PB had greater moisture retention, display characteristics, and cooked product qualities than chicken breast tissue injected with water and the nonmarinated control. The L* values (lightness) did not change over the period of retail display and were not different compared to the control (P>0.05). The chicken breast enhanced with SB, PB, and K-lactate retained better retail display color than the controls (marinated with water and nonmarinated). Increasing the potassium bicarbonate concentration from 0.5 to 1.5% significantly improved the water-holding capacity (82.17 to 92.61%; P<0.05) and led to better cook yield (83.84 to 91.96%). Shear force values were lower at the 0.5% level for both SB and PB compared to the control. PB performed better on retail display and cooked meat quality than SB. This study suggests that chicken breast tissue can be marinated with KB as a healthier alternative to phosphate or SB.
Coronary artery bypass grafting via median sternotomy or lateral minithoracotomy.

OBJECTIVES In order to evaluate the benefit provided through less invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease, a prospective clinical trial was started. METHODS Group 1 included 53 patients (38 males, 15 females, age 51-79 years, mean 62.8 +/- 6.1 years) receiving conventional bypass surgery, group 2 included 69 patients (59 male, 10 female, age 43-82 years, mean 61.9 +/- 8.6 years) receiving less invasive surgical procedure including minithoracotomy in combination with cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS No perioperative death occurred in the whole series of patients. Time of operation was 267 +/- 61 min in group 2 and 162.9 +/- 53.6 min in group 1. Intensive Care Unit stay was 1 day for both groups and Hospitalization 6.9 +/- 6.0 for group 1 and 7.5 +/- 2.6 days for group 2. Perioperative bleeding was less in group 2 (P > 0.01). Back and chest pain assessment on postoperative day 3 showed less pain in group 2 (P < 0.05). Three-month follow-up revealed ischemia in stress electrocardiogram in two patients (3.8%) in group 1 and in 2 patients (2.9%) in group 2. Coronary angiograms confirmed the stress ECG findings. There was one (1.4%) redo operation in group 2 and two (3.8%) in group 1. CONCLUSIONS Both techniques are equal efficient. Even though time of operation is longer in patients receiving less invasive procedure, intensive care unit stay and hospitalization is exactly as long. Patients receiving minimally invasive surgery bleed less and have less pain early postoperatively.
Multi-objective optimization of interconnect geometry

The rapid increase in the number of wiring layers due to improved planarization and metallization techniques permits spatial resources to be traded for improved performance. Yield, power dissipation and propagation delay are all sensitive to the selection of the pitch and width of wires in each layer. As in many other engineering design problems, however, there exists no unique solution which simultaneously optimizes all aspects of system performance. The best that can be achieved is the identification of the optimal surface within the multi-objective performance space. A single design can be chosen from this list a posteriori using additional selection criteria which may depend, for example, on the specific details of the product application. This paper investigates the use of Pareto genetic algorithms to explore the extent of multi-objective optimal surfaces. The tradeoffs between yield, power-dissipation and cycle time for a benchmark netlist are examined as a function of in-plane geometry for a seven-layer interconnect.
A Digital Archive of Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover, November 1966 through December 1980

The purpose of this article is to acquaint the research community with a new data base—a digitized archive of Northern Hemisphere snow cover. Historically, those researchers who needed snow cover data for climatic and atmospheric boundary layer studies have had to rely on the irregularly spaced (and in some regions, sparse) grid of point observations. Northern Hemisphere Weekly Snow and Ice Cover Charts, which are created from analyzed satellite imagery at the National Earth Satellite Service (NESS), have been available on an operational basis since late 1966. Each of these weekly charts for the period November 1966 through December 1980 was digitized and stored in a new data archive. Snow cover area and snow cover frequency climatologies were created and examples are presented. The significance of this unique data archive is examined by comparing the 14-year mean annual snow cover frequency climatology with several published snow cover climatologies. The potential uses for this data archive in meteorolog...
Numerical Experiments on the Dynamics of the Cloud–Environment Interface: Small Cumulus in a Shear-Free Environment

Abstract We report herein high resolution two-dimensional numerical experiments on the dynamics of the mixing between the environment and a small cumulus cloud in the absence of shear. The current paper extends the work of Klaassen and Clark. Serious numerical errors associated with the finite-difference approximations to the conservation laws for the thermodynamic variables were identified. These errors led to an unrealistic supersaturation field (or condensation rate field) new cloud edges. To avoid these numerical artifacts, the prognostic conservation equation for the water vapor mixing ratio was replaced by the appropriate prognostic equation for the supersaturation (which lead to a diagnostic treatment for the water vapor) and refined numerical techniques were used. The experiments reported in this paper were performed using both prognostic and diagnostic approaches for water vapor. Each of these was used with bulk and detailed microphysics. Model results showed a consistent picture of the entrainme...
Cytologic diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis: Spectrum of findings in Southern Arizona patients over a 10 year period

Background The largest series examining the cytological diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis was reported more than 20 years ago and only considered fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens from pulmonary nodules. Since then, there has been a substantial increase in the incidence of the disease in endemic regions. The aims of this study were to examine the spectrum of Coccidioides in all cytologic specimens and detail their diagnostic and clinical features. The prevalence of infection is also examined against temperature and precipitation data. Methods The Department of Pathology database was retrospectively searched for cases diagnosed as coccidioidomycosis. Climate report was obtained from National Weather Service Forecast Office. Statistical analysis was carried out using JMP version 11.2.0. Results The presence of Coccidiodes was microscopically diverse with immature spherules, variably sized spherules, endosporulating spherules, empty spherules, and ruptured spherules being observed. Bronchoalveolar lavages demonstrated the greatest number of different forms of Coccidioides and were associated with acute inflammatory response. Granulomas were rare and mostly seen in lymph nodes and extra pulmonary sites. A necrotic background with paucity of inflammation was frequently seen in lung FNA. Immune competent patients outnumbered immunocompromised patients, illustrating the importance of considering the diagnosis in all patients. The reported association between rainfall and peak prevalence was not observed in our study. Conclusion Coccidioides has diverse cytological appearance and varied host response depending on the site and type of preparation examined. In endemic areas, the disease should be considered in all patients, independent of immune status, and throughout the year. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:195–200. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Nondistensible Right Atrium of Carcinoid Disease of the Heart

Approximately half of the patients with the carcinoid syndrome have carcinoid heart disease. The endocardial fibrous lesions, which are pathognomonic of this disease, almost always involve the tricuspid and pulmonic valves, and whenever the deposits on the tricuspid valve are extensive, similar lesions are generally also present on the endocardium of the right atrium. The chief hemodynamic consequence of diffuse fibrosis of the tricuspid valve in patients with the carcinoid syndrome is
Full-waveform inversion of multicomponent data for layered VTI media

Although full-waveform inversion (FWI) has shown significant promise in reconstructing heterogeneous velocity fields, most existing methodologies are limited to acoustic models. We extend FWI to multicomponent (PP and PS) data from anisotropic media, with the current implementation limited to a stack of horizontal, homogeneous VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) layers. The algorithm is designed to estimate the interval vertical Pand S-wave velocities (VP0 and VS0) and Thomsen parameters and δ from long-spread PP and PSV reflections. The forward-modeling operator is based on the anisotropic reflectivity technique, and the inversion is performed in the time domain using the gradient (Gauss-Newton) method. To build the initial model, we perform nonhyperbolic semblance analysis, which yields the zerooffset traveltimes and effective NMO velocities of PPand PS-waves along with the anellipticity parameter η. Then the interval parameters are obtained either from Dixtype equations or velocity-independent layer stripping. To identify the medium parameters constrained by the data we perform eigenvalue/eigenvector decomposition of the approximate Hessian matrix for a VTI layer embedded between isotropic media. Analysis of the eigenvectors shows that the objective function is weakly sensitive to density, but the parameters VP0, VS0, , and δ can be resolved not only by joint inversion of PP and PS data, but also with PP reflections alone. Although the inversion becomes more stable with increasing spreadlength-todepth (X/Z) ratio, the VTI model can be constrained even by PP data acquired on conventional spreads (X/Z=1). For multilayered VTI media, the sensitivity of the objective function to the interval parameters decreases with depth. Still, it is possible to resolve the VTI parameters even for the deeper layers, if the ratio X/Z for the bottom of the layer reaches two. The insights gained here by examining simple layered models should help guide the inversion for more realistic heterogeneous TI media.
Chemosterilization of the Female Boll Weevil

Forty-three compounds were tested for chemosterilant activity by feeding them to adult Anthonomus grandis Boheman; three compounds, 5 fluorouracil, picolinaldehyde thiosemicarbazone, and isoquinaldehyde thiosemicarbazone, reduced fecundity to 4% or less of the controls with no batch of eggs and less than 15% mortality during 1-week post treatment. Partial recovery of fecundity and fertility occurred during the 2nd week post treatment with these compounds. Of 8 compounds tested in combination with busulfan (1,4-butanediol dimethanesulfonate), only 0.08-0.1% busulfan with 0.4-0.5% hempa showed promise. Treatment with this combination reduced fecundity to about 0.2 adult progeny per treated female crossed with untreated males, permanently sterilized males, and caused less than 50% mortality in 3 weeks.
Electronic and Optical Properties of Nanoporous Silicon for Solar-Cell Applications

Bulk silicon is a poor light emitter and absorber, but its optical properties are significantly enhanced by nanostructuring. We use first-principles calculations to investigate the electronic and optical properties of nanoporous silicon. We determine and analyze the electronic structure, optical coefficients, and photovoltaic conversion efficiency as a function of pore size and spacing. Our results show that the visible-range absorption coefficient of nanoporous Si is greatly improved compared to the bulk for pore spacings and sizes on the scale of a few nanometers. The photovoltaic efficiency is improved to up to 2.7 times compared to bulk Si, and the theoretical maximum conversion efficiency reaches up to 6.3% for a thin-film nanoporous material thickness of 135 nm. Our results show that nanoporous Si is a promising material for thin-film photovoltaic applications.
ESTIMATION OF IRREGULAR WAVE KINEMATICS FROM A MEASURED RECORD

This review of rational predictive methodologies for irregular wave kinematics confirms the crucial importance of the complete nonlinear free surface boundary conditions. Four methods, the global design wave method, the global linear superposition method, the local Wheeler stretching method and the local Fourier approximation method, have been compared for a very large measured wave from hurricane Camille. Free surface boundary condition errors are comparable to the wave height for the design wave and Wheeler stretching methods. They are sharply reduced by the local Fourier approximation method, though not eliminated. Linear superposition fails completely in the crest-trough region.
ARISTOTLE'S BIOLOGY AND HIS LOST HOMERIC PUZZLES*

Diogenes Laertius' list of Aristotle's works includes a Homeric Puzzles (Ἀπορημάτων Ὁμηρικῶν) in six books (5.26, no. 119), as does the list in the biography of Aristotle attributed to Hesychius (no. 106). This latter also includes a Homeric Problems (Προβλημάτων Ὁμηρικῶν) in ten books (no. 147), which appears to be the same as an item in the biography (extant in Arabic) attributed to Ptolemy al-Gharib (no. 104). The later and more derivative Vita Marciana attributes to Aristotle a Homeric Questions (Ὁμηρικὰ ζητήματα). The only other reference to the title of such a work by Aristotle is from the anonymous Antiatticista, a second-century a.d. lexicon (s.v. βασίλισσα): ‘They say Alcaeus the comic poet and Aristotle in Homeric Puzzles said this.’ Finally, Poetics 25 – which begins πeρὶ δὲ προβλημάτων καὶ λύσeων – is a summary, with examples, of just such a work, and a description of how to undertake such an inquiry.
In Vitro Models for Testing Organophosphate-Induced Neurotoxicity and Remediation

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses and compares the toxic effects of various types of organophosphate (OP) neurotoxicants on cell and tissue culture models (i.e., in vitro models), that represent the constituents of the central nervous system (CNS). Like several environmental neurotoxicants, OP compounds affect multiple cell types, employ various mechanisms of toxic action, produce sublethal functional impairment to cells at low concentrations, and are nonessential from a primary metabolic standpoint. Individual cells are the basic functional unit in which the toxic actions of chemicals can be deduced, and cell and tissue culture models excel at providing controlled environments for exposing known cell types to toxicants and directly measuring their biological effects. This chapter summarizes existing studies on OP-induced neurotoxicity in vitro and critically evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, and further opportunities offered by such studies. A brief overview of concepts of in vitro neurotoxicology is presented, followed by analysis of neuronal and glial effects of OP compounds in vitro that may be related to neurotoxicity, such as esterase inhibition, neurite extension, and several additional biochemical end points. The novel use of cell cultures to test for enzymatic remediation of OP neurotoxicity is described as a new area for investigation. Recommendations for future studies that would increase the value of in vitro studies are also proposed. Information generated from in vitro studies is beginning to yield an improved understanding of the effects of OP compounds on neuronal and glial cells.
Atrazine exposure elicits copy number alterations in the zebrafish genome

Atrazine is an agricultural herbicide used throughout the Midwestern United States that frequently contaminates potable water supplies resulting in human exposure. Using the zebrafish model system, an embryonic atrazine exposure was previously reported to decrease spawning rates with an increase in progesterone and ovarian follicular atresia in adult females. In addition, alterations in genes associated with distinct molecular pathways of the endocrine system were observed in brain and gonad tissue of the adult females and males. Current hypotheses for mechanistic changes in the developmental origins of health and disease include genetic (e.g., copy number alterations) or epigenetic (e.g., DNA methylation) mechanisms. As such, in the current study we investigated whether an atrazine exposure would generate copy number alterations (CNAs) in the zebrafish genome. A zebrafish fibroblast cell line was used to limit detection to CNAs caused by the chemical exposure. First, cells were exposed to a range of atrazine concentrations and a crystal violet assay was completed, showing confluency decreased by ~60% at 46.3μM. Cells were then exposed to 0, 0.463, 4.63, or 46.3μM atrazine and array comparative genomic hybridization completed. Results showed 34, 21, and 44 CNAs in the 0.463, 4.63, and 46.3μM treatments, respectively. Furthermore, CNAs were associated with previously reported gene expression alterations in adult male and female zebrafish. This study demonstrates that atrazine exposure can generate CNAs that are linked to gene expression alterations observed in adult zebrafish exposed to atrazine during embryogenesis providing a mechanism of the developmental origins of atrazine endocrine disruption.
Intellectual property provisions and support for US trade agreements

Intellectual property rights are a key piece of the expanded trade agenda, and the United States has pushed hard to strengthen protections beyond WTO standards in its trade agreements. While agreement provisions governing intellectual property are commonly thought to be an important driver of corporate preferences over US trade policy, systematic empirical evidence for this proposition, especially in comparison to other determinants of trade policy, is generally lacking. To fill this void, this paper examines variation in reliance on intellectual property across US industries to explain attitudes and lobbying on US trade agreements. The effects of IP provisions on support for US trade agreements are politically substantial, though trade remains the primary determinant of preferences over trade agreements.
Voltage Scaling Approaches

Since the dominant component of power consumption for a properly designed CMOS circuit is proportional to the square of the supply voltage, operating circuits at the lowest voltage is the key to minimizing the energy consumed per operation. However, the individual circuit elements run slower at lower supply voltages (Figure 3.25) and this must be compensated for through appropriate architectural design. One important class of applications are those which have no advantage in exceeding a bounded computation rate, as found in real-time signal processing. The strategies presented in this chapter also have some applicability to the maximum throughput situation of general purpose computing though additional system level trade-offs must be made.
A Prognosis on Consumerism

In this article, we examine several emerging consumer trends and anticipate their implications for the future of the consumerism movement. We identify, discuss, and exemplify the reasons why a growing minority of consumers are resenting, and at times opposing current regulation and/or marketing practices regarding their rights to be safe, to be heard, to be informed, and to choose. We posit that consumerism will be transformed dramatically in the coming few decades as first individual consumers, next marketers, and ultimately the governments adapt to this post-modern societal transformation.