cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Counterclockwise rotation of Roux-en-Y limb significantly reduces internal herniation in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB).

Introduction Internal hernias continue to be a significant source of morbidity after LRYGB. Literature addressing the technique of Roux limb construction as a predisposing factor is sparse. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of Roux limb construction technique on the development of internal hernias.
C-terminal truncation modulates both nucleation and extension phases of τ fibrillization

Proteolytic post-translational modification has been proposed as an early stage event in the aggregation of tau protein and formation of neurofibrillary lesions in Alzheimer's disease. Caspases and other proteases cleave tau in vivo at discrete locations including Asp421 and Glu391. Both cleavage products are prone to aggregation relative to wild-type, full-length tau protein. To determine the mechanism underlying this effect, the fibrillization of tau truncated after Asp421 and Glu391 residues was characterized in a full-length four-repeat tau background using quantitative electron microscopy methods under homogeneous nucleation conditions. Both C-terminal truncations decreased critical concentration relative to full-length tau, resulting in more filament mass at reaction plateau. Moreover, truncation directly augmented the efficiency of the nucleation reaction. The results suggest the mechanism through which C-terminal proteolysis can modulate tau filament accumulation depending on whether it precedes or follows nucleation.
The motor neurons innervating the direct flight muscles of Drosophila melanogaster are morphologically specialized

The anatomy of the motor neurons innervating six direct flight muscles in Drosophila melanogaster has been investigated by using a horseradish peroxidase backfilling technique. The somata of these motor neurons are arranged in two distinct clusters ipsilateral to the muscle they innervate. One cluster of cell bodies is located in the ventrolateral region between the prothoracic neuromere and the mesothoracic leg-related neuropil and the other is situated dorsally and posteriorly to the mesothoracic leg-related neuropil. Axons from somata in the ventrolateral cluster run in the anterior dorsal mesothoracic nerve, while axons from somata in the other cluster run in the mesothoracic accessory nerve. This distribution of somata and axons is discussed in the light of the morphological similarity and proximity of these functionally related muscles. On the basis of the branching patterns of their neurites, direct flight muscle motor neurons can be classified as stubbly, fibrous or tufted. The terminal arborizations of the motor neurons over the direct flight muscles are also morphologically specialized. Both the central and the peripheral morphological specializations of the direct flight muscle motor neurons correlate with the activity patterns exhibited by their associated muscles during flight and courtship song.
High levels of phenolic compounds in Prochloron species

Abstract Strains of the prokaryotic alga Prochloron , occurring internally in a variety of ascidian hosts in the South Pacific Ocean, were determined to have high intracellular concentrations of phenolic compounds, ranging from 1.8 to 7.1% of the cell dry weight. Only the externally occurring Prochloron from Didemnum candidum , a species found in the Gulf of California, exhibited low concentrations of phenolic compounds. Investigations with enzyme protectants and the lack of intracellular coagulation in Prochloron from D. candidum suggest that phenolic substances may be the cause of intracellular coagulation in other strains of Prochloron . This process has inhibited the extraction and study of enzymes from these unique algae.
Frequency and location of prominent left ventricular trabeculations at autopsy in 474 normal human hearts: Implications for evaluation of mural thrombi by two-dimensional echocardiography

The frequency and location of prominent left ventricular trabeculations were studied in 474 autopsy specimens from subjects evenly distributed by sex and age. These structures were observed in 323 (68%) of the hearts, and their frequency was similar in male (72%) and female (65%) subjects. Neither the frequency nor the location varied appreciably with age. Among the 323 hearts with prominent left ventricular trabeculations, 172 (53%) exhibited 2 or more; thus, the total number of trabeculations was 582. Of these 582 trabeculations, 493 (85%) were septoparietal bundles that inserted into both the free wall and the septum. Trabeculations also were observed between two points on the ventricular septum in 37 (6%) of the hearts and between two points along the free wall in 36 (6%). Less common patterns included trabeculations between the ventricular septum and the posteromedial papillary muscle in 10 hearts (2%), the ventricular Septum and the anterolateral papillary muscle in 2, the free wall and the posteromedial papillary muscle in 2, the two papillary muscles in 1 and the apex and the ventricular septum in 1. Accordingly, prominent left ventricular trabeculations are considered to be common variants of the normal human heart. Their size, shape and location may lead to their being misinterpreted, possibly as mural thrombi, by two-dimensional echocardiography.
Emotional intensity and categorisation ratings for emotional and nonemotional words

Research investigating emotion processing has benefited from standardised stimulus-sets portraying auditory and visual emotions. However, relatively few stimulus-sets have been developed for emotional words, despite the increasing popularity of studies comparing the cognitive processing of emotional and nonemotional words. Words included in studies of emotion often control for pleasantness, but do not control for other factors such as emotional intensity, word frequency, and word length. Finally, categorisation ratings of words into discrete emotional categories are conspicuously absent from the literature. The current study addresses these issues by developing emotional intensity and categorisation ratings for a set of 463 words. Participants included 200 undergraduate students between the ages 18–40. Participants rated words based upon emotional intensity, and categorised words into discrete emotional conditions for which they perceived a word as being most representative. Results indicated that many wo...
Managing oral anticoagulation requires expert experience and clinical evidence.

The management of patients on chronic oral anticoagulant therapy, namely Vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin, is often associated with difficult and challenging issues for the healthcare practitioner. Many of these issues, such as warfarin failure or resistance, the optimal warfarin initiation dose, the optimal target International Normalized Ratio in antiphospholipid syndrome, the optimal monitoring frequency and use of point-of-care monitoring, the management of oral anticoagulation during invasive procedures, and the management of over-anticoagulation, have not been evaluated in rigorously-designed clinical trials. The latest American College of Chest Physician recommendations concerning these issues are Grade 2C, the weakest recommendations available. It remains up to the experience and expertise of the individual practitioner along with whatever clinical evidence is available in a particular healthcare environment—especially one associated with an anticoagulant management service—to implement management strategies with respect to these issues in patients on oral anticoagulation.
Dorsiflexion deficit during jogging with chronic ankle instability

Abstract The purpose of the study was to determine whether individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) demonstrate altered dorsiflexion/plantar flexion range of motion (ROM) compared to controls during jogging. The case control study took place in a university motion analysis laboratory. Fourteen volunteers participated in the study, seven suffered from CAI (age 25 ± 4.2 years, height 173 ± 9.4 cm, mass 71 ± 8.1 kg) and seven were healthy, matched controls (age 25 ± 4.5 years, height 168 ± 5.9 cm, mass 67 ± 9.8 kg). All subjects jogged on an instrumented treadmill while a ten-camera motion analysis system collected three-dimensional kinematics of the lower extremities. The main outcome measure was sagittal plane (dorsiflexion/plantar flexion) range of motion of the ankle throughout the gait cycle. CAI subjects had significantly less dorsiflexion compared to the control group from 9% to 25% during jogging (4.83 ± 0.55°). CAI subjects demonstrated limited ankle dorsiflexion ROM during the time of maximal dorsiflexion during jogging. Limited dorsiflexion ROM during gait among individuals with CAI may be a risk factor for recurrent ankle sprains. These deficits should be treated appropriately by rehabilitation clinicians.
Final DSM-5 under-identifies mild Autism Spectrum Disorder: Agreement between the DSM-5, CARS, CASD, and clinical diagnoses

Abstract Agreement between the final DSM-5 ASD criteria, Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD) was assessed in 143 children with ASD and other disorders (e.g., ADHD, intellectual disability, and oppositional defiant disorder). Diagnostic agreement between the CARS and CASD was high (94%), but their agreement with the DSM-5 was lower (84% and 88%). Agreement between the DSM-5 and both the CARS and CASD increased to 94% and diagnostic accuracy increased from 92% to 96% when one less DSM-5 social communication and interaction symptom was required for a diagnosis. Children with ASD not meeting DSM-5 criteria most often did not have criterion A2 (deficits in nonverbal social communication). Total scores on the DSM-5, CASD, and CARS were far higher for children with mild ASD (formerly PDDNOS) than no ASD, indicating that these children are clearly on the autism spectrum and are quite different from children with other disorders. However, only one child with mild ASD was identified by the DSM-5. This study and 11 others show that the DSM-5 under-identifies children with ASD, particularly children at the mild end of the spectrum. This can be rectified by requiring one less social communication and interaction symptom for a diagnosis.
Trading uncertainty and the cash-in-advance constraint☆

Abstract It is argued that when money and bonds are distinct and money yields a lower rate of return, the quantity of private bonds that is exchanged for money is a signal for demand in the near future. Therefore, competitive price setters who observe transactions in the capital market will find it easier to quote prices when money and bonds are distinct relative to the case in which money and bonds are perfect substitutes. In the example analyzed, imposing a cash-in-advance constraint leads to fewer price-setting mistakes and to a Pareto improvement.
Nanoscale Optical Microscopy of Conjugated Polymer Films

Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) has been used to probe the photoluminescence, linear dichroism and photoconductivity of free-standing poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) films with spatial resolution better than 100 nm. We observe a strong correlation between each of these properties and film morphology in both non-oriented and stretch-oriented films. The non-oriented PPV thin films exhibit mesoscale non-uniform photoluminescence correlated to polymer clusters. Upon stretch-orientation, PPV thin films show average polymer chain orientation parallel to the stretch axis as well as distinct areas of perpendicular molecular orientation correlated to film topography.
Structure of a turbulent double-fin interaction at Mach 4

This paper examines the three-dimensional shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction in an inletlike geometry consisting of symmetrically placed 15-deg fins on a plate in an oncoming Mach 4 flow. Two different implicit numerical methods are employed to solve the full three-dimensional mean compressible Navier-Stokes equations: 1) a high resolution upwind scheme with the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model and 2) the traditional Beam-Warming approach with a k-e model. The comparison with experiment is very good for surface pressures, pitot pressure surveys, and surface shear patterns, although discrepancies with skin friction data are evident in the trailing portion of the interaction. Both computational schemes, despite major differences in modeling, predict similar flow structures in agreement with previous results at Mach 8. The flow is described in terms of a separated, nonreattaching boundary layer, a vortex interaction, longitudinal centerline vortices, and entrainment. The computed and experimental shock patterns are related to the streamline structure to provide a unified understanding of the flowfield.
Serum protein changes during the acute phase reaction.

Abstract Serum α1-antitrypsin, α1-acid glycoprotein, baptoglobin, ceruloplasmin and C-reactive protein are increased, albumin, transferrin, α1-and β-lipoprotein are decreased as an early response to tissue trauma and inflammatory disease. In infection these changes are followed by a rise of γ-globulins.
Synthesis and stereochemistry of tetrahydro-3, 5-dimethyl-6-(1)methylbutyl)-2H-pyran-2-one, a component of the queen recognition pheromone of solenopsis invicta.

Abstract One of the diastereomers of the title compound, I , isolated from imported fire ant queens, has been prepared and named invictolide . It is responsible, in part, for “queen recognition” by workers of the species.
The key to longevity

Can we help people live longer with better medical care? Almost six years ago, in my first Observations column for the BMJ , I wrote that the secret to a longer life is something that doctors can do very little to affect: patients’ level of education.1 It seems that not much has changed. As I write this, the lead story on the front page of the New York Times announces (yet again) that poorly educated Americans die younger than those who have had more schooling; now, however, it also seems that the life expectancy of those lacking a high school diploma is actually getting shorter.2 This raises the previously unimaginable possibility that at least some part of a generation of children could actually die younger, on average, than their parents. The Times article cited a recent study by S Jay Olshansky and colleagues that found that US men and women with less than 12 years of education in 2008 had life expectancies similar to US adults in the 1950s and 1960s.3 Further, when you include race as …
Addition of heparin to contrast media is associated with increased bleeding and peripheral vascular complications during percutaneous coronary intervention with bivalirudin and drug-eluting stents

Abstract Background Nonionic radiographic contrast media (CM) is reported to be thrombogenic while performing diagnostic or interventional procedures. To avoid thrombosis, heparin is often added to the CM. Bivalirudin, used to replace heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is reported to be associated with reduced bleeding complications. We aimed to evaluate the impact of adding heparin to the CM during PCI in patients (pts) who underwent sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) implantation when bivalirudin was utilized as the sole antithrombotic agent. Methods A total of 664 pts with 756 lesions underwent standard PCI with SES for various coronary artery lesions. Pts were treated with either bivalirudin only (the bivalirudin group; 0.75 mg/kg bolus and 1.75 mg/kg/h infusion, n =323 pts) or bivalirudin (same dose) plus low-dose heparin added to the CM (the heparin mix group; mean dose=2101.8±882.5 U, n =341 pts) during PCI. The periprocedural, in-hospital, and 30-day clinical outcomes were compared. Results Baseline clinical and angiographic parameters were similar between both groups. Periprocedural, in-hospital, and 1-month clinical outcomes, including thrombotic complications, were similar between the two groups. There was no difference in the periprocedural thrombosis rate between the groups. In the heparin mix group, the overall incidence of hematoma was significantly higher (3.8% vs. 8.5%, P =.01), there was a trend toward higher rates of blood transfusion (2.6% vs. 6.6%, P =.06) and overall vascular complications (0.01% vs. 5.3%, P P =.004), and pts who required surgical repair (0.3% vs. 1.8%, P =.07). Conclusions The routine addition of low-dose heparin to CM during contemporary PCI does not add any protection value and is associated with higher rates of bleeding and vascular complications.
Optical microscopy system for 3D dynamic imaging

We describe a prototype 3D optical microscopy system that utilizes parallel computing and high-speed networks to address a major obstacle to successful implementation of 3D dynamic microscopy: the huge computational demand of real-time dynamic 3D acquisition, reconstruction, and display, and the high-bandwidth demand of data transfer for remote processing and display. The system comprises image acquisition hardware and software, high- speed networks between acquisition and processing environments, parallel restoration using wavelet algorithms, and volume rendering and display in a virtual environment.
Experimental Characterization of a Telecommunications-Band Quantum Controlled- not Gate

The quantum controlled-not gate is an example of the maximally entangling gate, which is a broad class of operations that are necessary for scalable linear optics quantum computation. Here, we characterize a telecommunications-wavelength (1550 nm) quantum controlled- not gate, and for the first time, experimentally bound its process fidelity by measuring its operation in two complementary polarization bases. The gate's final process fidelity F is given by 91% ? F ? 95%.
Response of water vapor and clouds to El Niño warming in three National Center for Atmospheric Research atmospheric models

[1] The response of water vapor and clouds to El Nino warming over the tropical Pacific in the most recent three versions of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Atmosphere Model (CAM2, T42 CAM3, and T85 CAM3) is quantified and compared to observations. It is found that all three models have a stronger response in the greenhouse effect of water vapor than that indicated in Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) observations. The overestimate is most severe in the T85 CAM3 (up to 36%). Compared with National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis, all three models have an excessive response of atmospheric moisture content in the upper troposphere, suggesting a cause for the excessive response in the greenhouse effect of water vapor. The response in the greenhouse effect of clouds (the longwave forcing of clouds) in two of the models (CAM2 and T42 CAM3) is significantly weaker than that indicated in ERBE observations, but it is comparable to the observed in the T85 CAM3. The improvement in the T85 CAM3 in simulating the response in the greenhouse effect is helped by a stronger response in the middle level clouds in the model (compared to CAM2 and T42 CAM3). In contrast to the strong negative response in the shortwave forcing seen in the ERBE observations, the response of the shortwave forcing of clouds in the CAM2 and the T42 CAM3 is weak and even has a sign opposite to observations when it is averaged over the entire region of surface warming. The simulation of the response of the shortwave forcing in the T85 CAM3 is considerably improved, though the negative response over the equatorial Pacific is still not strong enough compared to ERBE observations. The stronger negative response in the shortwave forcing in the T85 CAM3 is apparently linked to a stronger response in the middle level cloud cover. All three models fail to simulate the observed pattern of the response in the low cloud cover over the central and eastern Pacific, resulting in deficiency in the response of the shortwave cloud forcing in that region. The deficiency in the low cloud cover response suggests that the low cloud cover scheme has room for improvement.
THE MECHANICAL OR METABOLIC FUNCTION OF SECONDARY OSTEONAL BONE IN THE MONKEY MACACA FASCICULARIS

Abstract Secondary osteonal bone is believed by many to serve a mechanical function, altering the properties arid/or orientation of bone in response to fluctuating mechanical demands or in the prevention and/or repair of fatigue microdamage. Based on this belief, secondary osteons should be concentrated mainly in regions experiencing high peak-strain conditions. Others contend that secondary osteonal bone functions primarily in meeting the body's calcium needs, and should be expected to form principally in low peak-strain regions so as to avoid compromising the mechanical strength of the bone. These two hypotheses were tested by examining the distribution of secondary osteonal bone in both relatively high- and low-strain regions of the macaque face. Previous strain-gauge studies have demonstrated a steep strain gradient in the macaque face, with relatively high peak strains in the anterior portion of the zygomatic arch and in the mandibular corpus. Relatively low peak strains have been found in the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch and supraorbital bar. Results presented here show that in the mature macaques, there is no consistent relation between newly forming secondary osteons (i.e. those labelled with fluorescent dyes) and peak strain levels. From these data it is concluded that, in the non-perturbed adult, either mechanical and metabolic factors contribute equally to the observed pattern or that metabolically driven remodelling is initiated without regard to strain levels. In immature macaques, however, the relation between peak strain levels and secondary osteon density is positive, with a significantly higher density of labelled osteons in the high strain regions. From these data it is concluded that, in immature individuals, mechanical factors are predominantly responsible for the initiation of secondary osteonal remodelling.
The effects of study design and spectrum bias on the evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in glaucoma.

PURPOSE. To assess the effects of study design and spectrum bias on the evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (CSLO) in glaucoma. METHODS. Analysis 1 included 67 eyes with glaucomatous visual field loss and 56 eyes of normal volunteers. Estimates of diagnostic accuracy in this analysis were compared to those obtained from analysis 2, which included a cohort of patients with suspected glaucoma, but without visual field loss at the time of CSLO imaging. For analysis 2, 40 eyes with progressive glaucomatous optic disc change were included in the glaucoma group and 43 eyes without any evidence of progressive damage to the optic nerve that were observed untreated for an average time of 9.01 ± 3.09 years were included in the normal group. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of CSLO parameters. RESULTS. There was a statistically significant difference between the performance of the parameter with largest AUC, discriminant function Bathija, in analysis 1 (AUC = 0.91) compared with its performance in analysis 2 (AUC = 0.71; P = 0.002). For the contour-line-independent parameter glaucoma probability score, a statistically significant difference was also observed in the performance obtained in analysis 1 (AUC = 0.89) compared with analysis 2 (AUC = 0.65; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. Estimates of diagnostic accuracy of CSLO in glaucoma can be largely different depending on the population studied and the reference standard used to define disease. Diagnostic accuracy estimates obtained from case-control studies including well-defined groups of subjects with or without disease may not be applicable to the clinically relevant population.
Output feedback regularization of non-linear DAE systems

Abstract This work considers non-linear differential algebraic equation (DAE) systems whose state space depends on the manipulated inputs. An ODE representation of such systems cannot be derived independently of the controller design. An output feedback compensator is derived, which results in a modified DAE system whose state space does not depend on the new inputs and can be used for output feedback controller synthesis. Its application is illustrated in the context of control of a high-purity distillation column.
Vicarious experience affects patients' treatment preferences for depression.

Author(s): Berkowitz, Seth A; Bell, Robert A; Kravitz, Richard L; Feldman, Mitchell D | Abstract: PurposeDepression is common in primary care but often under-treated. Personal experiences with depression can affect adherence to therapy, but the effect of vicarious experience is unstudied. We sought to evaluate the association between a patient's vicarious experiences with depression (those of friends or family) and treatment preferences for depressive symptoms.MethodsWe sampled 1054 English and/or Spanish speaking adult subjects from July through December 2008, randomly selected from the 2008 California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey System, regarding depressive symptoms and treatment preferences. We then constructed a unidimensional scale using item analysis that reflects attitudes about antidepressant pharmacotherapy. This became the dependent variable in linear regression analyses to examine the association between vicarious experiences and treatment preferences for depressive symptoms.ResultsOur sample was 68% female, 91% white, and 13% Hispanic. Age ranged from 18-94 years. Mean PHQ-9 score was 4.3; 14.5% of respondents had a PHQ-9 score g9.0, consistent with active depressive symptoms. Analyses controlling for current depression symptoms and socio-demographic factors found that in patients both with (coefficient 1.08, p = 0.03) and without (coefficient 0.77, p = 0.03) a personal history of depression, having a vicarious experience (family and friend, respectively) with depression is associated with a more favorable attitude towards antidepressant medications.ConclusionsPatients with vicarious experiences of depression express more acceptance of pharmacotherapy. Conversely, patients lacking vicarious experiences of depression have more negative attitudes towards antidepressants. When discussing treatment with patients, clinicians should inquire about vicarious experiences of depression. This information may identify patients at greater risk for non-adherence and lead to more tailored patient-specific education about treatment.
Monitoring migration rates of an active subarctic dune field using optical imagery

We developed a novel method to quantify subtle rates of landscape evolution using two satellite imaging systems with different viewing angles and spectral sensitivities. We selected the slowly migrating, high-latitude, subarctic Great Kobuk Sand Dunes (GKSD), Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska (USA), for our study. The COSI-Corr technique was used for precise orthorectification, co-registration, and subpixel correlation of satellite data. ASTER Visible Near Infrared (VNIR) and SPOT Panchromatic images with a 5-year temporal separation were correlated to measure the horizontal velocity of the GKSD. To reduce correlation noise, ASTER VNIR bands were linearly mixed to match the SPOT Panchromatic band, and raw correlation measurements were projected onto a local robust migration direction to estimate unbiased velocity magnitudes. The results show that the most likely migration rate for the GKSD ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 m/year, with peak velocities up to 3.8 m/year, and uncertainty of approximately 0.16 m/year. The unprecedented ability to measure slow migration rates, including those that may occur over a relatively short time interval, illustrates the value of this method to reliably detect and monitor subtle ground movements including dune migration, glacier flow, mass movements, and other small-scale processes.
Selective Localization of Evans Blue (T1824) in Subplacental Portions of Entoderm in the Rat.

Discussion and SummaryThe above described selective localization of Evans blue is of special interest since this localization in epithelial cells is in contrast to that observed when the dye concentrates selectively in and about carcinomas or sarcomas which localization is in mesoblastic cells of the stroma—i. e., fibroblasts and macrophages. Such selective concentration might denote a special physiologic property of a portion of the visceral entoderm in the type of placentation represented in the rat.Goldmann3 in his studies on intravital staining showed that trypan blue was concentrated in all of the entoderm in mice. However, storage of this dye was also observed by him in all of the reticulo-endothelial system, of the mother, because of the relative enormous doses of the dye administered. Such very large doses precluded the demonstration of selective affinity for the dye on the part of certain tissues, as for example, the subplacental visceral entoderm. In his excellent monograph entitled “The Localiz...
Effect of first wall flaws on reactor performance

Abstract The influence of primary blanket coolant leaks through flaws in the first wall on Tokamak fusion plasma performance is investigated. A one-dimensional, three region radial diffusion model of impurity transport in the plasma is developed. The model includes plasma removal and recycling in the boundary layer and is used to correlate plasma performance with coolant leakage rates. In turn, coolant leak rates are estimated via molecular or viscous flow, as appropriate through both elastically loaded cracks and cracks opened by creep. Fatigue and environmentally induced subcritical crack growth and unstable crack growth flaw sizes are estimated for austenitic and ferritic stainless steels and compared to the coolant leak rate flaw sizes. The materials and plasma analyses are combined to yield estimates of the critical leak rate for three coolant candidates: helium, water, and lithium. The results indicate that the maximum-leak-rate (MLR) flaw sizes for helium, water and lithium are 5 to 8 mm, 6 to 8 mm and 1.5 to 3 × 10 4 mm, respectively, for elastically loaded cracks and 0.1 to 0.3 mm, 0.2 to 0.3 mm, and 700 to 1500 mm, respectively, for cracks opened by creep. The threshold flaw sizes for fatigue and corrosion fatigue subcritical crack growth of Type 316 stainless steel and HT-9 range from 0.2 to 2 mm and the flaw sizes for unstable crack growth of irradiated 316 stainless steel and HT-9 are 4 mm and 50 mm, respectively. These results suggest that the MLR sizes for helium and water are among the smallest flaws that may affect reactor performance and that the threshold for subcritical crack growth in fatigue is a critical material property. Also, creep processes are shown to have a significant effect on the MLR flaw size.
Importance of anisotropy when estimating and measuring in situ stresses in rock

Foliated metamorphic rocks and laminated, stratified or bedded sedimentary rocks have properties (physical, dynamic, thermal, mechanical, hydraulic) that vary with direction and are said to be anisotropic. Rock mass anisotropy can be found in volcanic formations and sedimentary formations consisting of alternating layers or beds of different rock types. Rock masses cut by one or several regularly spaced joint sets are anisotropic in addition to being discontinuous. This paper deals with the subjects of rock anisotropy and rock stress. Both topics are important in rock engineering and are interrelated. Rock fabric controls the build-up in in situ stresses in the Earth's crust, their magnitude and orientation. On the other hand, stresses and in particular compressive stresses tend to close microcracks or discontinuities thus making rock behavior non-linear and rock anisotropy pressure dependent. This paper is divided into three parts. In the first part, existing models to describe the deformability properties of anisotropic rocks as well as the laboratory and field methods to determine those properties are reviewd. Then, it is shown how to account for both rock anisotropy (intact and joint induced) and the curvature of the Earth when estimating in situ stresses in rock masses. Finally, the effect of anisotropy on the analysis of overcoring measurements with cells similar to the CSIR Triaxial Strain Cell is discussed.
The information flow and market efficiency between the U.S. and Chinese aluminum and copper futures markets

This study examines the information flow and market efficiency between the metallurgical futures markets of the United States and China over a ten-year span from 1999 to 2009. There were structural breaks in the aluminum and copper futures price series for the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) between 2006 and 2008. The New York and Shanghai markets are cointegrated, indicating an equilibrium relationship between the two markets. Trading strategies are implemented to explore the error-correction process. The overall results show that U.S. and Shanghai futures prices are closely related and both markets are comparably efficient on a daily basis. The U.S. market does not appear to be more efficient than the Chinese market in incorporating information into prices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark
“A Gift from God”: Adolescent Motherhood and Religion in Brazilian Favelas

This study seeks to understand how young, unmarried mothers and mothers-to-be in the favelas (shantytowns) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have experienced religious morality as applied to themselves and other adolescents in their communities, as well as how religious leaders grapple with the moral issue of unmarried adolescent maternity in their midst. Drawing on more than 50 interviews conducted in Rio with young mothers, Catholic and evangelical religious leaders who work with the poor, and staff members of non-governmental organizations, this paper seeks to understand the acceptance--or even approval--that unmarried pregnant teens and adolescent mothers usually encounter, which casts doubt on whether the issue is actually posing a moral dilemma for these religious institutions. The realities of everyday life in Rio's favelas, most prominently the ever-present specter of violence, high rates of teen motherhood, strong popular opposition to abortion, the high value accorded to motherhood, and the intense competition of the religious marketplace appear to influence the ways in which favela residents and religious leaders understand and interpret morality. More generally, this study offers an example of how religious groups working in impoverished communities throughout the world might adapt traditional moral codes to suit their circumstances.
Effects of the gastropod, Ilyanassa obsoleta(Say) and the bivalve, Mercenaria mercenaria (L.), on larval settlement and juvenile recruitment of infauna

Abstract Densities of a deposit-feeding gastropod, Ilyanassa obsoleta (Say) and a suspension-feeding bivalve, Mercenaria mercenaria (L.), were manipulated to test the importance of interactions between adults and settling larvae in affecting abundance patterns of infaunal invertebrates. Abundance of postlarvae and juveniles was significantly lower in the presence of Ilyanassa obsoleta than in snail-free controls. I. obsoleta caused a reduction in abundance of as much as 45%. Surface-dwelling tubiculous polychaetes, gastropods, harpacticoid copepods, and mobile subsurface-dwelling infauna all declined in abundance with increasing I. obsoleta density. Mercenaria mercenaria had little or no effect upon larval settlement. The effect of Ilyanassa obsoleta and Mercenaria mercenaria combined was equivalent to the sum of the effects of each species separately. Disturbance and ingestion of newly settled larvae by Ilyanassa obsoleta , larval settlement selectivity, and disturbance-induced emigration are probable mechanisms causing differences in abundance between I. obsoleta treatments.
Haemoproteus and Schistosoma synthesize heme polymers similar to Plasmodium hemozoin and β-hematin

Many parasites digest hemoglobin as an amino acid source, but only a few produce heme polymer pigment instead of catabolizing heme via heme oxygenase. This work compares purified heme polymers produced by Haemoproteus columbae and Schistosoma mansoni to that of Plasmodium falciparum hemozoin and synthetic beta-hematin. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy identifies the signature peaks of the common iron-carboxylate bond characteristic in all four heme polymers. However, all pigments could be distinguished by quite different three-dimensional structure visualized by Field Emission Inlens Scanning Electron Microscopy. Both P. falciparum and H. columbae heme polymers had a symmetrical shape unlike the amorphous S. mansoni heme polymer and beta-hematin. All four heme pigments serve as templates for heme polymer extension, which was inhibitable by chloroquine and other quinoline antimalarials. The polymers showed different levels of resistance to hydrogen peroxide degradation. This work identifies another genus, Haemoproteus, capable of intracellular heme polymer formation. The different three-dimensional structures of each pigment implicate genus specific formation of heme polymer, variation of inhibition of polymer extension by the quinolines and degradation by hydrogen peroxide.
Energy-Constrained Multiplication of Non-square Matrices on FPGA-Based SIMD-MIMD Hybrid Multi-core Processors

Constant growing demands for embedded systems with better performance, lower cost, more flexibility, longer battery life, better user experience, and shorter time-to-market (TTM) call for more flexible and high-performance computing platforms. Although significant research results offer exciting benefits of state-of-the-art FPGAs, they have not yet been widely adopted by many system designers due to their hardware-oriented design methodology and low portability. We believe programmability supported by an established architecture is essential to close the gap. In this paper, we explore multiplication of non-square matrices by exploiting the benefits of both SIMD (single-instruction, multiple-data) and MIMD (multiple-instruction, multiple-data) simultaneously present in a reconfigurable and programmable multi-core processor. A novel memory design is proposed to facilitate data communication and overlap of computation and communication. With ever-increasing concerns for energy consumption, performance-energy trade-offs are often necessary, especially for embedded systems. Our performance-energy tradeoff techniques offer the user opportunities to meet performance-energy challenges of various scenarios. Comprehensive experimental results on the Xilinx ML605 FPGA board featuring a Virtex 6 device demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Adverse family experiences among children in nonparental care, 2011-2012.

OBJECTIVE-This report presents estimates of the proportion of children who have experienced selected adverse family events by the number of biological parents in the household, with a focus on comparisons among subgroups of children in nonparental care defined by caregiver type. Data sources-Data were drawn from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative telephone survey of households with children conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. RESULTS-Children in nonparental care were 2.7 times as likely as children living with two biological parents to have had at least one adverse experience, and more than 2 times as likely as children living with one biological parent and about 30 times as likely as children living with two biological parents to have had four or more adverse experiences. More than one-half of children in foster care had experienced caregiver violence or caregiver incarceration and almost two-thirds had lived with someone with an alcohol or drug problem. Estimates for children in other nonparental care subgroups were lower than for foster care, but still elevated above those of children living with biological parents. CONCLUSIONS-Children in nonparental care, especially those in foster care, are particularly likely to have experienced adverse family events. These events could have occurred at any time in the child's life and could have preceded or contributed to the child's current living situation. Nevertheless, children in nonparental care may be vulnerable to poorer health and well-being outcomes that are often associated with having had adverse experiences. Language: en
Mutations in the RPGR gene cause X-linked cone dystrophy

X-linked cone dystrophy is a type of hereditary retinal degeneration characterized by a progressive dysfunction of the day vision or photopic (cone) system with preservation of night vision or scotopic (rod) function. The disease presents with a triad of photophobia, loss of color vision and reduced central vision. This phenotype is distinct from retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in which there are prominent night and peripheral vision disturbances. X-linked cone dystrophy is a genetically heterogeneous disorder, with linkage to loci on Xp11.4--Xp21.1 (COD1, OMIM 304020) and Xq27 (COD2, OMIM 303800). COD1 maps to a region that harbors the RPGR gene, mutations in which account for >70% of patients with X-linked RP. The majority of these mutations reside in one purine-rich exon, ORF15, encoding 567 amino acids with a repetitive domain rich in glutamic acid residues. We mapped two families with X-linked cone dystrophy to the COD1 locus and identified two distinct mutations in ORF15 in the RPGR gene (ORF15+1343_1344delGG and ORF15+694_708del15) leading to a frame-shift and premature termination of translation in one case and a deletion of five amino acids in another. Consistent with expression of RPGR in rods and cones, our results show that mutations in RPGR, in addition to X-linked RP, can also cause cone-specific degeneration.
Multi-color colloidal quantum dot based light emitting diodes micropatterned on silicon hole transporting layers

We present a colloidal quantum dot based light emitting diode (QD-LED) which utilizes the p-type silicon substrate as the hole transporting layer. A microcontact printing technique was introduced to pattern self-assembled CdSe/ZnS QD films, which allowed creation of an LED with well-defined geometry suitable for monolithic integration on silicon substrates. Our QD-LED consists of multi-layers of inorganic materials: a combination of Au (thickness: 5 nm) and Ag (12 nm) as the cathode, a ZnO:SnO2 mixture (ratio 3:1, 40 nm) as the electron transporting layer, CdSe/ZnS QDs as the light emission layer, 1 nm SiO2 as an energy barrier layer, and p-type silicon as the hole transporting layer. These printed QD-LEDs are capable of multi-color emission peaked at wavelengths of 576 nm, 598 nm, and 622 nm, corresponding to sizes of the embedded QDs with the diameters of 8.4 nm, 9.0 nm, and 9.8 nm respectively. The optimal thickness of the quantum dot layers needed for light emission is characterized using atomic force microscopy: for 8.4 nm QDs, the value is 33 nm (± 5n m) or∼ 4M L (monolayers). Larger turn on voltages were measured (2, 4 and 5 V) for the smaller average particle diameters (9.8 nm, 9.0 nm and 8.4 nm, respectively). The mixture ratio of Zn and Sn was optimized (40% Zn and 25% Sn) to maintain proper hole‐electron recombination at the QD layer and avoid the yellowish-white emission from ZnO/SnO2. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
The evolving surgical management of recurrent carotid stenosis.

Abstract The traditional approach to recurrent carotid stenosis has been repeat endarterectomy or patch angioplasty. Concern with the durability of repeat carotid endarterectomy has resulted in our use of carotid resection with autogenous graft interposition. This study was designed to determine the outcome and efficacy of carotid resection compared with repeat carotid endarterectomy in the management of recurrent carotid stenosis. From 1974 to 1991, 162 operations (repeat carotid endarterectomy 105, carotid resection 57) were performed for recurrent carotid stenosis. Indication for operation was hemispheric symptoms in 63% of patients, nonlateralizing symptoms in 25%, asymptomatic stenosis in 7%, and previous stroke in 5%. Ninety-one percent of patients had stenosis greater than 90% on arteriography. The perioperative stroke rate for carotid resection was 3.5%, with a subsequent rate of 0.0064 strokes per year. For repeat carotid endarterectomy, the perioperative stroke rate was 1.9% with a subsequent rate of 0.011 strokes per year. Graft patency after carotid resection was 93% (mean follow-up, 35 months). Four patients treated with carotid resection had graft thrombosis, and two of the four remained asymptomatic. After repeat carotid endarterectomy, one patient had carotid thrombosis, and recurrent stenosis greater than 50% developed in 23 patients (mean follow-up, 64 months). Twenty patients treated with repeat carotid endarterectomy underwent an additional operation for further symptomatic recurrent carotid stenosis. We conclude carotid resection is a safe and effective alternative to repeat carotid endarterectomy for patients undergoing operation for recurrent carotid stenosis. (J Vasc Surg 1992;16:354–63.)
The Relationship Between Productivity and Species Richness

▪ Abstract Recent overviews have suggested that the relationship between species richness and productivity (rate of conversion of resources to biomass per unit area per unit time) is unimodal (hump-shaped). Most agree that productivity affects species richness at large scales, but unanimity is less regarding underlying mechanisms. Recent studies have examined the possibility that variation in species richness within communities may influence productivity, leading to an exploration of the relative effect of alterations in species number per se as contrasted to the addition of productive species. Reviews of the literature concerning deserts, boreal forests, tropical forests, lakes, and wetlands lead to the conclusion that extant data are insufficient to conclusively resolve the relationship between diversity and productivity, or that patterns are variable with mechanisms equally varied and complex. A more comprehensive survey of the ecological literature uncovered approximately 200 relationships, of which 3...
Pathophysiology of dermatophyte infections

Dermatophyte infections are among the most common infections encountered in medicine. Often considered trivial, these infections are in fact frequently refractory and recurrent. This article presents an overview of the causes, symptoms, differential diagnosis, and clinical course of the most prevalent dermatophyte infections: tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea capitis, tinea corporis, and onychomycosis. Complicated situations such as follicular involvement, dermatophytoses in patients who are immunocompromised, and the exaggerated response to zoologically acquired fungal infections are also discussed.
Approximating Low Latency Queueing Buffer Latency

Low latency queueing (LLQ) is an internet protocol (IP) router discipline that is being used to ensure that performance-sensitive high priority traffic, such as voice and video, receive their high level of performance, while allowing less performance-sensitive traffic, such as e-mail or best-effort IP, to receive some portion of the bandwidth. In this paper, we develop a simple analytic approximation for the buffer latency (expected buffer delay) for each traffic class using the LLQ system. The approximation is validated via a simulation model.