cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The subserous thoracoabdominal continuum: embryologic basis and diagnostic imaging of disease spread

This report establishes and details the clinical concept of the subperitoneal space and the subpleural space as components of the continuum formed by the subserous space. The subserous space is an anatomic plane formed in the embryo that persists during development into the adult. This is the basis of the thoracoabdominal continuum. The embryologic development is presented from the viewpoint not of the contents and their relationships within the developing coelomic cavity but rather that of a continuous space deep to the lining serous membrane. Clinical material is presented that illustrates different disease processes that can directly spread in either direction within this continuum. This unifying concept provides an understanding of the pathogenesis of direct spread of disease processes within and between the thorax and abdomen.
Third Molars and the Efficacy of Mechanical Debridement in Reducing Pathogen Levels in Pregnant Subjects: A Pilot Study

Purpose To assess the impact of mechanical debridement (scaling and root planing), without adjunctive therapy, on reducing the numbers of periodontal pathogens detected in pregnant subjects with and without visible third molars. Patients and Methods Sixty-seven subjects in the second trimester of pregnancy were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved study. Full mouth periodontal exams of all teeth were conducted at baseline and postpartum. Presence or absence of third molars was noted. Subgingival biofilm samples were obtained from the mesiobuccal of all first molars at enrollment and postpartum. Subjects' total counts for periodontal pathogens in biofilm samples were determined by DNA-DNA checkerboard hybridization. We analyzed data from a subsample of 26 subjects. All subjects in the study were treated at enrollment by mechanical debridement of all teeth, including third molars. Differences between subjects' baseline and postpartum demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed by χ2 and t tests by presence or absence of third molars. Statistical significance for differences in pathogen levels was determined by Rank analysis of covariance. Significance was set at 0.05 without correction for multiple comparisons. Results Most of the 26 subjects were African American (61%), on Medicaid (92%), and did not smoke during pregnancy (88%). The 15 subjects with visible third molars were significantly older (28.0 years [SD 6.4] vs 23.7 years [SD 3.9]). In the 11 subjects with no third molars noted, all pathogen counts were reduced postpartum. In the 15 subjects with visible third molars, total counts for each pathogen analyzed were higher postpartum as compared with subjects with no visible third molars, and their bacterial counts were increased for 5 of the 8 pathogens, including all “red cluster” pathogens. Differences between study groups were observed by the presence or absence of third molars for T. forsythia and P. nigrescens (P = .04), and for P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum, total “orange cluster” bacteria, and total pathogens (P Conclusion The efficacy of mechanical debridement to lower periodontal pathogen counts during pregnancy was limited by the presence of visible third molars and should be analyzed further in larger scale trials.
Regenerating a business's strategy: a method to release profits and build strength

Regenerating a business's strategy by conceiving strategic change helps leaders achieve higher and more sustainable financial performance. Recent shifts in the world economy and new technology have put pressure on many businesses. Cost cutting and clever pricing cannot solve these problems alone because they require systemic attention and qualitative change. Enterprise architectures seldom deliver expected profits. Standard solutions often reduce the competitive distinctions that sustain prices long run. By addressing the business holistically in full context, this method builds a strategic solution that increases profitability. This article shows managers how to examine the intrinsic value of their business strategy and then build a more valuable strategy that can be sustained into the future. Conventional and contemporary thinking are combined into a method that managers can use to improve or regenerate a strategy for their organization. Several checklists and frameworks are provided together with competitive insights on defining, evaluating and conceiving strategic change. These guidelines enable all members of a management team to contribute significantly to strengthening their business. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The prosodic components of speech melody

The non‐segmental effects of speech, referred to as “melody,” are classified into two domains—prosodie and paralinguistic. After an outline of the rationale for his distinction, detailed attention is given to the components of the prosodie domain (stress, center, juncture, pitch direction, pitch height, utterance unit, utterance group) and to their functions in discourse: semantic, syntactic, and dialogic.
Immunohistochemical characterization of clathrin assembly protein AP180 and synaptophysin in human brain

Neurons rely on clathrin-mediated endocytosis for retrieving synaptic vesicles (SVs) at the presynaptic compartment after the release of neurotransmitters. The clathrin assembly protein AP180 is shown to be a regulator for this clathrin-dependent SV recycling pathway. AP180 is efficient in facilitating the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles and regulating their size, but its exact location in synapse is not clear. In this study, we compared the expression of AP180 with synaptophysin in the aged human brain using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Synaptophysin is well characterized for its association with SVs and therefore a commonly used presynaptic marker. We achieved satisfactory immunofluorescent labeling by using an autofluorescence blocker Sudan Black B and more photostable Alexa Fluor dyes. Although we found that AP180 had an overall expression similar to synaptophysin, the immunoreactivity for the two proteins did not always co-localize.
Carbon isotope biogeochemistry of tropical small mountainous river, estuarine, and coastal systems of Puerto Rico

Recent studies have shown that small mountainous rivers (SMRs) may act as sources of aged and/or refractory carbon (C) to the coastal ocean, which may increase organic C burial at sea and subsidize coastal food webs and heterotrophy. However, the characteristics and spatial and temporal variability of C and organic matter (OM) exported from tropical SMR systems remain poorly constrained. To address this, the abundance and isotopic character (δ13C and Δ14C) of the three major C pools were measured in two Puerto Rico SMRs with catchments dominated by different land uses (agricultural vs. non-agricultural recovering forest). The abundance and character of C pools in associated estuaries and adjacent coastal waters were also examined. Riverine dissolved and particulate organic C (DOC and POC, respectively) concentrations were highly variable with respect to land use and sampling month, while dissolved inorganic C (DIC) was significantly higher at all times in the agricultural catchment. In both systems, riverine DOC and POC ranged from modern to highly aged (2,340 years before present), while DIC was always modern. The agricultural river and irrigation canals contained very old DOC (1,184 and 2,340 years before present, respectively), which is consistent with findings in temperate SMRs and indicates that these tropical SMRs provide a source of aged DOC to the ocean. During months of high river discharge, OM in estuarine and coastal waters had C isotope signatures reflective of direct terrestrial input, indicating that relatively unaltered OM is transported to the coastal ocean at these times. This is also consistent with findings in temperate SMRs and indicates that C transported to the coastal ocean by SMRs may differ from that of larger rivers because it is exported from smaller catchments that have steeper terrains and fewer land-use types.
Ersatz Commutant Lifting with Test Functions

This note presents a commutant lifting theorem (CLT) with initial data a finite set of (test) functions and a compatible reproducing kernel k on a set X. This covers the CLT of Ball, Li, Timotin, and Trent [9] for the polydisc, but in general no analyticity is required, rather statements and proofs use the language and techniques of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. Uniqueness of the de Branges–Rovnyak construction like found in Agler [1] and Ambrozie, Englis, and Muller [5] and an abstract Beurling Theorem in the present context are of independent interest.
Relation of coronary calcium determined by electron beam computed tomography and lumen narrowing determined by autopsy

Coronary calcium determined by electron beam computed tomography (CT) has not been systematically evaluated regarding prediction of histopathologic atherosclerotic disease. Furthermore, gender specificity has not been examined. The 3 major epicardial arteries were dissected from 13 consecutive hearts (5 women and 8 men) after autopsy. Each artery was straightened and scanned using CT in contiguous 3 mm thick cross sections. After imaging, histologic sections were prepared at corresponding intervals and luminal area obstruction determined by planimetry. Electron beam CT scans were analyzed to determine coronary calcium area (i.e., tomographic area with CT density > 130 Hounsfield units). A total of 522 histologic specimens were examined and paired with corresponding CT scans (182 in women, 340 in men). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to define site specificity of calcium area for luminal area narrowing by atherosclerosis. ROC curve areas for segmental CT calcium and prediction of atherosclerosis representing mild, moderate, or severe disease were, respectively, 0.712, 0.843, and 0.857 for women and 0.732, 0.793, and 0.841 for men. Curves relating false-positive rate (1-specificity) to predefined degrees of atherosclerotic narrowing versus calcium area were curvilinear. In both women and men, calcium areas on the order of 1 mm2/coronary segment were necessary to predict at least mild atherosclerosis with a false-positive rate of 0% (i.e., 100% specificity), whereas a calcium area > 3 mm2 was necessary to predict the same result for severe disease. In conclusion, coronary artery calcium area as determined by electron beam CT has the potential to predict segmental histopathologic coronary disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
NMR analysis of a cell division cycle mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

cdc 19.1 is a temperature-sensitive lesion in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The phenotype of this mutant is a cell cycle specific arrest in G1, which is expressed at 37°C. In the present study, 31P- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy were used to analyze the metabolism of the mutant at the permissive and restrictive temperatures. Our results confirm previous findings which have indicated that cdc 19.1 contains temperature-sensitive pyruvate kinase activity. In contrast to previous findings, however, the present investigation demonstrates that restriction of pyruvate kinase activity in vivo takes as long as 24 h to be fully expressed. In addition, analysis by NMR has allowed us to assess the metabolic consequences of pyruvate kinase restriction which may contribute to the arrest of cell growth in the early G1 phase of the cell division cycle.
Optical time-domain reflectometer specifications and performance testing

From a researcher’s as well as a user’s point of view, it is highly desirable to adopt a common basis for specifying optical time-domain reflectometer performance parameters. This paper proposes some procedures and test methods which permit these devices to be characterized in a consistent way. Passive test fixtures are also described which may facilitate measurements of dynamic range and other reflectometer properties.
The Use of Reference Intensity Ratios in X-Ray Quantitative Analysis

Each of the RIR based methods for carrying out quantitative X-ray powder diffraction analysis are described and a consistent set of notation is developed. The so called “standardless” analysis procedures are shown to be a special case of the internal-standard method of analysis where the normalizing assumption is used. All analytical methods, other than the Rietveld whole pattern matching procedure, require the use of explicitly measured standards, typically in the form of RIR values. However, if only semi-quantitative results can be tolerated, the standards may be obtained by using published RIR and relative intensity values. The exciting new techniques of whole pattern fitting and Rietveld constrained quantitative analysis are also described in RIR notation and shown also to be forms of the internal-standard method with the normalization assumption. The quantitative results obtained from Rietveld quantitative analysis are derived from computed standards in the form of computed, normalized, RIRN values. The normalization assumption in Rietveld analysis allows the exclusive use of computed standards and comes as close to a “standardless” analysis as one can achieve: relying on the absence of amorphous material and on the validity of the structural models. Relationships are given for obtaining quantitative analysis from these RIRN values obtainable from the least-squares scale factors.
The effect of hepatic mixed-function oxidase enzyme inducers on the development of tri-o-tolyl phosphate-induced delayed neurotoxicity.

Adult White Leghorn hens were divided into 75 groups of 10 birds each. Five groups received the prototype mixed‐function oxidase (MFO) enzyme inducer phenobarbital (PB) at a dosage of 50 mg/kg body weight for 3 consecutive days by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, 5 groups received the MFO enzyme inducer β‐naphthoflavone (βNF) at 20 mg/kg body weight for 2 consecutive days by i.p. injection, while the remaining 5 groups did not receive an inducer. At 24 h after the last injection, the birds received a single oral dose of tri‐o‐tolyl phosphate (TOTP) (an organophosphate that produces delayed neurotoxicity after metabolic activation by the MFO system) in doses of 62.5, 125, 250, or 500 mg/kg body weight. Corn oil served as the vehicle control. At 48 h after the administration of TOTP, half the birds in each of the 15 groups were killed for determination of whole‐brain neurotoxic esterase (NTE) activity. The remaining birds were observed for the subsequent 19 d for onset of clinical signs characteristic of d...
State Space Methods For Doa Estimation

In this paper, we examine state space methods for estimating the direction of arrival of plane waves from a linear equispaced sensor array. From a computational point of view, the approach only involves matrix operations and is suitable for systolic/wavefront implementation.
Genetic and QTL analysis of pericarp thickness and ear architecture traits of Korean waxy corn germplasm

Pericarp thickness and ear traits are important selection criteria for breeding fresh market waxy corn. This research was conducted to better understand genetic control of these traits in popular South Korean germplasm now grown in Illinois. Pericarp thickness on five kernel regions, and ten inflorescence architecture traits were measured on ears from 264 F2:3 families from a cross between Korean inbreds BH20 and BH30. All five pericarp thickness traits showed high heritabilities and were highly correlated. Multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that just one principal component (PC) explained most of the total phenotypic variation. A number of univariate quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected and most were associated with more than one kernel pericarp region. Four out of seven PC-QTL were located in chromosome positions where three or more pericarp thickness univariate QTL were detected. Conversely, three PC-QTL were found in regions with just a single or two univariate QTL, indicating that these QTL regions may be more important for overall pericarp thickness than suggested by univariate analysis. The PCA, QTL, and PC-QTL results indicate that pericarp thickness on different kernel regions may be controlled by common genes with pleiotropic effects. Additive effects of QTL for thinner pericarp thickness came from both BH20 and BH30. For ear architecture traits, heritability varied from 0.38 to 0.72, and several traits were correlated. The PCA reduced these traits into three independent PCs, and all substantial component traits for these PCs were also significantly correlated. A number of univariate QTL were clustered closely, and some PC-QTL were detected in these regions. Some PC-QTL were found in chromosome regions where univariate QTL were not detected, again suggesting that these regions may have larger overall effects on ear architecture than suggested by univariate analyses. Collectively, these QTL may be useful for marker assisted introgression into germplasm more adapted to the U.S.
Investigation of Aromatic/Aliphatic Polyimides as Dispersants for Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Novel aromatic/aliphatic polyimides were prepared from 2,7-diamino-9,9'- dioctylfluorene (AFDA) and aromatic dianhydrides. Upon investigating the effectiveness of these polyimides for dispersing single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in solution, three were discovered to disperse SWNTs in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Two of these polyimides, one from 3,3',4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and one from symmetric 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (s-BPDA), were used to prepare nanocomposites. Homogeneous polyimide/SWNT suspensions from both polymers were used in the preparation of films and fibers containing up to 1 wt% SWNTs. The samples were thermally treated to remove residual solvent and the films were characterized for SWNT dispersion by optical and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Electrical and mechanical properties of the films were also determined. Electrospun fibers were examined by HRSEM to characterize SWNT alignment and orientation.
Water drinking patterns under several dry food reinforcement schedules

When hungry rats are reinforced with dry food for licking from a water trough, the resulting performances differ from those seen when other responses, such as bar pressing, are reinforced on the same schedules, in that thirst-motivated drinking intrudes on the food-reinforced pattern.
Influence of follicular ablation during lactation on postweaning interval to estrus, ovulation rate, and endocrine function in sows

Abstract Duroc sows farrowed second litters in March and lactated 35 ± 2 days. At 36 hr before weaning, electrocautery of follicles ≥3 mm in diameter (n=8) or sham surgery (n=5) was performed to test the hypothesis that ablation of medium-sized follicles would prolong the duration of postweaning anestrus. Number of follicles and diameters at surgery were: 1.3 ± .6 (> 5 mm diameter), 26 ± 1 (3 to 5 mm) and > 20 (
Relationship between intermediate filaments and microfilaments in cultured fibroblasts: evidence for common foci during cell spreading

Spreading and fully spread chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) were examined by double-label fluorescence microscopy using the actin-specific probe rhodamine-phalloidin and an antibody directed against CEF intermediate filaments (IF). During midspreading, a striking relationship became discernible: statistical analysis showed that approximately half of the cell population exhibited one or more phase-dense, phalloidin-binding nodules that appeared to act as foci from which IF diverged. Coincidence between actin-containing structures and IF was not limited to these centers; IF could also frequently be seen running in close parallel arrays with stress fibers. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed the presence of non-membrane-bound out-pocketings along the length of stress fibers from which 10-nm IF diverged. These structures varied in size and shape, and displayed a dense, fine fibrillar appearance. IF and microfilaments (MF) were distinguished by size and by decoration of MF with myosin subfragment-1. Other IF-MF interactions were seen in cells of all stages: IF were observed to loop through stress fibers, most frequently at the cell margins. In colchicine-treated cells, IF became redistributed into cables that often ran parallel and appeared to merge with stress fibers. Cytochalasin D-treated CEF exhibited loose aggregates of actin-containing material that appeared to be associated with IF. These results suggest the possibility of an interaction between actin-containing structures and IF, particularly during cell spreading in cultured fibroblasts.
Implementation of 5-layer thermal diffusion scheme in weather research and forecasting model with Intel Many Integrated Cores

For weather forecasting and research, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model has been developed, consisting of several components such as dynamic solvers and physical simulation modules. WRF includes several Land- Surface Models (LSMs). The LSMs use atmospheric information, the radiative and precipitation forcing from the surface layer scheme, the radiation scheme, and the microphysics/convective scheme all together with the land’s state variables and land-surface properties, to provide heat and moisture fluxes over land and sea-ice points. The WRF 5-layer thermal diffusion simulation is an LSM based on the MM5 5-layer soil temperature model with an energy budget that includes radiation, sensible, and latent heat flux. The WRF LSMs are very suitable for massively parallel computation as there are no interactions among horizontal grid points. The features, efficient parallelization and vectorization essentials, of Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture allow us to optimize this WRF 5-layer thermal diffusion scheme. In this work, we present the results of the computing performance on this scheme with Intel MIC architecture. Our results show that the MIC-based optimization improved the performance of the first version of multi-threaded code on Xeon Phi 5110P by a factor of 2.1x. Accordingly, the same CPU-based optimizations improved the performance on Intel Xeon E5- 2603 by a factor of 1.6x as compared to the first version of multi-threaded code.
Clinical presentations in combat veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder.

This article investigated subtypes of symptom patterns among male combat veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a cluster analysis of their Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher, Graham, Ben-Porath, Tellegen, Dahlstrom, & Kaemmer, 2001) clinical and validity scales. Participants were 126 veterans seeking outpatient treatment for combat-related PTSD at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Two well-fitting MMPI-2 cluster solutions (a four-cluster solution and a three-cluster solution) were evaluated with several statistical methods. A four-cluster solution was determined to best fit the data. Follow-up analyses demonstrated between-cluster differences on MMPI-2 "fake bad" scales and content scales, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh, 1961), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES; Bernstein & Putnam, 1986), Mississippi Combat PTSD scale (M-PTSD; Keane, Caddall, & Taylor, 1988), and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-1; Blake et al., 1990). Clusters also were different in disability-seeking status, employment status, and income. Implications for research and clinical practice using the MMPI-2 with combat veterans presenting with PTSD are briefly addressed.
Occupational stressors identified by small-scale, independent commercial crab pot fishermen

Introduction: We interviewed fishermen to identify jobs and/or tasks of concern in order to guide and inform current ergonomic interventions. Methods: We administered surveys to two groups of southeastern US commercial crab fishermen: a cohort contacted by telephone and fishermen recruited at 11 local fish houses. Fishermen were asked to rate physical stress of selected work tasks and conditions on a scale from 0 (no problem) to 10 (major problem). Fishermen were also asked open-ended questions about other work-issues of concern. Results: Fishermen who completed the survey (n = 91) were predominantly male (90%), white (96%), and over 40 years of age (71%). The five most physically strenuous tasks and conditions as rated by fishermen were pulling pots by hand (mean 6.4), rough weather (6.1) or rough water (6.2), unloading without mechanical assistance (5.8), and long work days (5.3). Task stress ratings with the most variability measured by the inter-quartile range (IQR) included: pulling pots by hand (IQR = 5), unloading without mechanical assistance (IQR = 5), gear maintenance (IQR = 4.5), and moving boxes and baskets on board (IQR = 4.5). Other situations that fishermen identified as a problem included: economic, off-shore work, declining industry, mental stress, environment, regulation, conflict with other commercial or recreational fishermen, issues with crew, sun (glare or burn), and breaking up frozen bait. Conclusions: In general, stressful tasks identified from previous research were rated similarly by the fishermen surveyed. Development and testing of ergonomic interventions is ongoing.
The numerical solution of fredholm integral equations with rapidly varying kernels

Approximating a solution to the Fredholm integral equation o(x)[email protected](x) + @! ^b"aK(x, y)o(y) dy by the Nystrom method involves some numerical quadrature for approximating the integral, producing a linear system satisfied by approximate function values of o. This paper discusses the use of generalized product-interpolatory formulas which model o as one mth-degree polynomial on each subinterval and model K as a (possibly large) sequence of nth-degree polynomials. In cases where K is varying much more rapidly than o this allows for o to be sampled much less often than K. Since K is modeled as a sequence of polynomials, its frequent sampling does not require a prohibitive increase in the degree of the interpolating polynomials. Coefficient formulas and examples are given for the (m,n) cases (1,1), (1,2), (2,1) and (2,2).
Effect of childhood physical abuse on cortisol stress response

Rationale Abuse and neglect are highly prevalent in children and have enduring neurobiological effects. Stressful early life environments perturb the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, which in turn may predispose to psychiatric disorders in adulthood. However, studies of childhood maltreatment and adult HPA function have not yet rigorously investigated the differential effects of maltreatment subtypes, including physical abuse.
Organization of nucleus rotundus, a tectofugal thalamic nucleus in turtles. III. The tectorotundal projection

Nucleus rotundus is the primary thalamic recipient of projections from the optic tectum in pond turtles. Although the projection of the retina to the optic tectum is known to be topographically organized, earlier studies suggest that the tectorotundal projection is not topographically organized. Three types of analyses are used in this paper to characterize the organization of the projection of the optic tectum to nucleus rotundus. First, large iontophoretic injections of horseradish peroxidase into the optic tectum anterogradely fill axons with reaction product after the use of a cobalt-enhanced diaminobenzidine procedure. These preparations show that shafts of axons in the tectothalamic tract give rise to thinner, primary collaterals that enter nucleus rotundus from its caudolateral aspect and form sparsely branching arbors within the nucleus. Very thin secondary collaterals branch from these collaterals bear terminal collaterals with frequent varicosities. Although the total size of such arbors is unknown, the evidence suggests that each arbor is large in relation to the size of nucleus rotundus. Thus, injection sites restricted to central tectum label axons throughout nucleus rotundus. Second, subtotal lesions of the tectum produce degeneration throughout nucleus rotundus in silver degeneration preparations. Finally, analysis of electron microscopic degeneration material indicates that tectal boutons are distributed along the full lengths of the dendrites of rotundal neurons, but not on their somata. These boutons form asymmetric synaptic junctions and contain round synaptic vesicles. In view of the relatively large size of the dendritic fields of rotundal neurons, these data suggest that the tectorotundal projection is both strongly convergent on individual neurons and strongly divergent from single tectorotundal axons. This type of organization is consistent with physiological evidence that rotundal neurons have receptive fields that cover at least one-half of the contralateral visual field and often include the entire hemifield. It seems unlikely that nucleus rotundus can be involved in neuronal transactions that preserve detailed spatial information, but it may be involved in processing information on other visual parameters such as stimulus velocity or color.
Invited tutorial: Channel equalization: Techniques for high-speed electrical links

Summary form only given. While high-performance I/O circuitry can leverage the technology improvements that enable increased on-chip performance, unfortunately the bandwidth of the electrical channels used for inter-chip communication has not scaled in the same manner. This tutorial provides an overview of channel equalization techniques used in multi-Gb/s transceivers to overcome bandwidth limitations present in electrical chip-to-chip communication. The first part of the tutorial will cover the dominant sources of electrical interconnect channel losses, such as skin effect, dielectric loss, and reflections due to impedance discontinuities. Next, trade-offs and circuit implementations of common equalizer circuits, including finite-impulse-response (FIR) filters, continuous-time linear equalizers (CTLE), and decision-feedback equalizers (DFE), are detailed. The performance impact of these different equalizer topologies over real-world channels is illustrated using a statistical link analysis tool and through a comparison of several recent high-performance I/O transceiver implementations. Finally, the tutorial concludes with a discussion on different equalizer adaptation techniques.
On the Vortex Breakdown Phenomenon in High Angle of Attack Flows Over Delta Wing Geometries

Using computational methods, an investigation was performed on the physical mechanisms leading to vortex breakdown in high angle of attack flows over delta wing geometries. For this purpose, the Second International Vortex Flow Experiment (VFE-2) 65° sweep delta wing model was studied at a root chord Reynolds number (Recr) of 6 × 106 at various angles of attack. The open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver OpenFOAM was used in parallel with the commercial CFD solver ANSYS® FLUENT. For breadth, a variety of classic closure models were applied, including unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) and detached eddy simulation (DES). Results for all cases are analyzed and flow features are identified and discussed. The results show the inception of a pair of leading edge vortices originating at the apex for all models used, and a region of steady vortical structures downstream in the URANS results. However, DES results show regions of massively separated helical flow which manifests after vortex breakdown. Analysis of turbulence quantities in the breakdown region gives further insight into the mechanisms leading to such phenomena.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Quantitative analysis of the oral complications of antileukemia chemotherapy

Almost half of 1500 patients (46.9%) treated for acute leukemia developed chemotherapy-related oral infections, oral mucositis, and/or oral hemorrhages at some time during their hospitalization. The frequencies of 34.2% for infections, 16.3% for mucositis, and 13.6% for hemorrhages were each within 1.3% to 3.1% of those previously reported from this institution for smaller groups of patients. The stomatologic disruptions reflected the cytotoxic, myelosuppressive, and immunosuppressive properties of the antileukemia drugs. Because there are as yet no alternatives to the use of potent stomatotoxic drugs for the treatment of acute leukemia, it is essential that their side effects be kept to a minimum by early recognition and appropriate treatment.
Galanin-like innervation of rat submandibular and sublingual salivary glands: Origin and effect on acinar cell membranes

The distribution and source of a galanin-like innervation of rat salivary glands has been examined. Additionally, submandibular and sublingual acinar cell membrane responses to galanin or a cholinergic agonist were studied. Galanin-immunoreactive fibers were observed throughout the submandibular and sublingual glands in association with ducts and acini. A subset of submandibular ganglion cells expresses galanin immunoreactivity. Parasympathectomy resulted in a marked decrease in galanin immunoreactivity in the glands. Sympathectomy resulted in marked reduction of dopamine beta-hydroxylase immunoreactivity with no appreciable change in galanin immunoreactivity. Retrograde labeling experiments demonstrated that galanin-immunoreactive sensory neurons in the trigeminal ganglion do not innervate the submandibular or sublingual gland. These results indicate that the galanin-like innervation of rat salivary glands is derived from parasympathetic nerves to the glands. Since rat sublingual glands contain largely mucous acini while rat submandibular gland acini are seromucous, electrophysiological responses to galanin and the muscarinic agonist, bethanechol, were compared. Agonist-induced voltage shifts varied between the two glands. The galanin-induced response at the level of the resting membrane potential in submandibular acinar cells was a hyperpolarization, while that in sublingual acinar cells was a depolarization. There was also a greater voltage dependence to the galanin-induced submandibular response than to the sublingual response. Differences were also noted in the acinar cell response to cholinergic stimulation between these glands. These results demonstrate the existence of a galanin-like innervation to salivary glands that may be functionally relevant. Moreover, the results challenge the idea that agonist-induced membrane responses are similar among acinar cells of different glands.
TOWARDS A CONSISTENT FOUR-DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTRING (I)

A Kaluza-Klein “compactification” Ansatz is applied to the D=10, N=1, heterotic, Green-Schwarz superstring to produce a D=4, N=4 theory. It is demonstrated that κ symmetry is preserved under the procedure, a necessary condition for the 4D theory to retain the consistency of the 10D one. This is the first time that the Kaluza-Klein scheme has been reported to have been applied to superspace.
Comparative thermal fatigue resistance of several oxide dispersion strengthened alloys

The thermal fatigue resistance of several oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys has been evaluated through cyclic exposure in fluidized beds. The ODS nickel-base alloy MA 754 and ODS iron-base alloy MA 956 as well as four experimental ODS Ni-16Cr-4.5Al base alloys with and without Ta additions were examined. Both bare and coated alloys were subjected to up to 6000 cycles where each cycle consisted of a 3 minute immersion in a fluidized bed at 1130 C followed by a 3 minute immersion in a bed at 357 C. Testing revealed that the thermal fatigue resistance of the ODS nickel-base alloys was excellent and about equal to that of directionally solidified superalloys. However, the thermal fatigue resistance of MA 956 was found to be poor. Metallographic examination of tested specimens revealed that, in general, the post-test microstructures can be rationalized on the basis of previous diffusion, mechanical property, and oxidation studies.
The effect of epinephrine and other glycogenolytic agents on the phosphorylase A content of muscle

Abstract 1. Injection of epinephrine in rats caused a marked rise in the phosphorylase a content of muscle. Nor-epinephrine had the same effect but required much larger doses. 2. Epinephrine prevented the complete disappearance of phosphorylase a in a fatigued muscle and accelerated the resynthesis of phosphorylase a during recovery from fatigue. 3. The concentration of active phosphorylase a in thin frog muscles, incubated in a solution containing epinephrine, aerobically or anaerobically rose at the expense of inactive phosphorylase b . 4. Versene inhibited the above rise. 5. The glycogenolytic agents dinitrophenol and caffeine reduced the phosphorylase a content when it was high and caused no change when it was low.
Left ventricular dual-energy digital subtraction angiography : a motion immune digital subtraction technique

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) allows quantitative analysis of ventricular function via densitometric and parametric imaging techniques. However, DSA is limited by the artifacts in temporal subtraction images that result from patient and cardiac motion. Dual-energy subtraction imaging is insensitive to motion. This study evaluated the initial application of dual-energy subtraction in cardiac patients. The image quality of dual-energy subtraction left ventriculograms obtained from a pulmonary artery injection of contrast was assessed in 13 patients, ranging in weight from 54 to 100 kg. The dual-energy images were compared with left ventricular images obtained using standard left ventricular injection cine angiography. End-systolic and end-diastolic ventricular volumes calculated from the cine (C) and dual-energy (DE) images using the Area-Length method were compared. The resulting regression line was DE = 0.98 C+ 7.0 ml, and the r value was 0.987. Dual-energy subtraction provided good left ventricular visualization, free from misregistration artifacts, even during patient motion.
Effects of metabolic inhibition by sodium azide on stimulus-secretion coupling in B cells of human islets of Langerhans.

Sodium azide (NaN3), a reversible inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration, blocks glucose-induced electrical activity and insulin secretion in human pancreatic islet B cells. Here we show that brief (10–15 min) application followed by removal of 3 mM NaN3 results in transient overshoot of electrical activity and insulin secretion even at substimulatory levels of glucose (3–5 mM). In addition, application of NaN3, even at very low [Ca2+]o, reversibly increases cytosolic Ca2+ to levels usually associated with substantial insulin release. These results suggest that (i) metabolic inhibition may reset B cell stimulus-secretion coupling and (ii) a rise in free cytosolic Ca2+, by itself, is not sufficient to trigger insulin secretion.
Measurement Of Two-Photon Absorption Cross Sections In Atomic 0 At 226 nm: Single-Frequency Versus Multimode Lasers

Absolute atomic bound-bound two-photon cross sections have been measured using a single-frequency laser, eliminating the usual uncertainties about unresolved temporal fluctuations. The cross sections were measured using the technique of two-photon excited fluorescence. For the 3p3 P2,1,0+2P3P2 transition in atomic oxygen at 226 nm the integrated cross section (obtained by s6afining the laser frequency through the two-photon resonance) is 1.87 ±0.60 x 10-35 cm4. Relative fine structure cross sections and energy spacings have been measured by Doppler-free spectroscopy. Absolute and relative two-photon cross sections agree well with ab initio calculations. Comparison with similar measurements carried out with multimode lasers yields information about multimode laser photon statistics. The experimental integrated cross section is shown to be proportional to the product of the atomic cross section and G(2)(0) the second-order intensity correlation at time zero of the laser field. It is assumed that G(2)(0)=1.0 for the single-frequency laser source. Five other laser 226 configurations have values of G(2)(0) ranging from 0.8 ±0.2 Until multimode lasers are well enough understood to allow predictions of G"2) (0 (especially after frequency conversion processes such as doubling and Raman shifting), single-frequency lasers will be the best source of reliable multiphoton cross section measurements.© (1988) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Role of protein and fatty acid adsorption on platelet adhesion and aggregation at the blood polymer interface

Thrombus formation on a foreign surface is a complicated process, involving many factors. However, there is little doubt that a foreign surface adsorbs plasma proteins upon blood contact and that the nature of this adsorbed layer may determine the mechanism of platelet adhesion and aggregation. The adhesion and aggregation of platelets play an important role in the initial events of thrombus formation on a foreign surface. In this work, adsorption studies using human blood plasma were done on several polymer surfaces. Some drugs which prevent platelet adhesion were utilized to verify the proposed mechanism for platelet adhesion which includes glycosyl transferase reaction. Also, adsorption and release of fatty acid salts, including fatty acid-bonded albumin, were investigated at different polymer interfaces. It is postulated that adsorbed fatty acid salts are released from the surface upon contact with plasma to form a high local concentration of fatty acid, and that this fatty acid suspension would cause platelet aggregation at the interface.
The Effect of Storage Temperatures Upon Certain Characteristics of Bovine Semen

Summary Semen samples obtained by means of the artificial vagina from 11 fertile bulls were grouped according to motility, pH values, and concentration, and the effects of storage at 35°, 40°, 50°, and 70° F. were studied. When the semen samples were grouped according to percentage of initial progressive motility, the higher group showed lower initial pH values but no apparent difference was noticeable between the groups during storage. The pH values declined during storage, the lower the temperature the slower the decline. Grouping semen samples according to initial pH values indicated that the lower pH value was associated with higher progressive motility. During storage there was no apparent difference between the groups but there was a decline in percentage of progressive motility and the higher the temperature the faster the decline. Semen samples, when grouped according to concentration of spermatozoa per mm., 3 showed that the higher concentration had the lower pH values. When stored at the various temperatures there was no difference in rate of decline in pH values between the groups. Average semen characteristics for 11 fertile bulls, based upon several hundred samples, together with the number of inseminations and conceptions for both fresh and stored semen are presented. A total of 154 inseminations with fresh semen resulted in 112 conceptions, a conception percentage of 72.7, or 1.375 inseminations per conception. Grouping all stored samples, 28 inseminations resulted in 11 conceptions, a conception percentage of 39.3, or 2.545 inseminations per conception. Fifteen inseminations from samples stored at 50° F. resulted in four conceptions or 26.7 per cent, while 13 inseminations from samples stored at 35° and 40° F. resulted in seven conceptions or 53.8 per cent. A storage temperature of 35° F. was found to be the most advantageous for storing semen, based upon motility and pH values, since at that temperature the least change occurred. The fecundity of semen is best preserved when stored at the lower temperatures.
Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction with Food Shopping Among Elderly Consumers

The food shopping behavior of 110 elderly households in a standard metropolitan statistical area was examined. Data were collected by personal interview concerning the shopping behavior problems of elderly consumers and the frequency and types of dissatisfaction with food products purchased. Implications and directions for further research are suggested for those concerned with the role of the elderly in the marketplace.
The effects of visual contextual structures on children's imagination in story authoring interfaces

This paper investigates how the presentation of contextual visual images may influence a child's imagination during the use of authoring systems to create digital content. This issue is particularly significant to understand what supports the child's creativity in authoring systems in creative storytelling. We address specifically children aged 8 to 10 because of the "FourthGrade Slump" phenomenon whereby children experience a decrease in creative engagement at this period. We carried out a study in which children used a storytelling system that allows the user to physically enact stories in a digitallyaugmented space contextualized by either a contextual background image or a blank screen. Using methods of video coding and analysis, we uncovered themes relating differences between children's enactment in the presence of a digital background and without in terms of both the process and product of storytelling. We discuss implications that the themes have for the design of story authoring systems for children.
Superperiods and quantum statistics of Laughlin quasiparticles

Superperiodic conductance oscillations were recently observed in the quasiparticle interferometer, where an edge channel of the 1/3 fractional quantum Hall fluid encircles an island of the 2/5 fluid. We present a microscopic model of the origin of the $5h∕e$ flux superperiod based on the Haldane-Halperin fractional-statistics hierarchical construction of the 2/5 condensate. Since variation of the applied magnetic field does not affect the charge state of the island, the fundamental period comprises the minimal 2/5 island neutral reconstruction. The period consists of incrementing by one the state number of the $e∕3$ Laughlin quasielectron circling the island and the concurrent excitation of ten $e∕5$ quasiparticles out of the island 2/5 condensate. The Berry phase quantization condition yields anyonic quasiparticle braiding statistics consistent with the hierarchical construction. We further discuss a composite fermion representation of quasiparticles consistent with the superperiods. It is shown to be in one-to-one correspondence with the Haldane-Halperin theory, provided a literal interpretation of the 2/5 condensate as comprised of an integer multiple of two-composite fermion, one-vortex blocks is postulated.
Genetic variation in MTNR1B is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus and contributes only to the absolute level of beta cell compensation in Mexican Americans.

Aims/hypothesis MTNR1B is a type 2 diabetes susceptibility locus associated with cross-sectional measures of insulin secretion. We hypothesised that variation in MTNR1B contributes to the absolute level of a diabetes-related trait, temporal rate of change in that trait, or both.