cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mammary amylase: a possible alternate pathway of carbohydrate digestion in infancy.

Summary: Mammary amylase is a possible alternate pathway of digestion of glucose polymers and starches, that is most important in early infancy when pancreatic amylase is low or absent in duodenal fluid and responds poorly to stimuli. Human breast milk contains 1000–5000 units of amylase/liter. In order to evaluate the likelihood that a significant proportion of mammary amylase activity would withstand passage through the stomach, purified and unpurified mammary anylase were exposed to acid and pepsin in vitro to simulate the gastric environment found in young infants. Both purified and unpurified enzymes were stable at pH 7.5 with little or no activity lost after 4 h, and approximately 80% retained at 6 h. When incubated at pH 3.5, one-third of unpurified enzyme activity was retained for 6 h; in contrast, the purified enzyme was acid labile losing 80% by 2 h. Addition of bovine serum albumin or breast milk proteins to purified enzyme protected the activity. When unpurified enzyme was exposed to a stepwise decline in pH from 6.5 to 3.5 over 4 h, 50% of the original activity was retained. Unless the concentration was >3750 units/ml, the addition of varying concentrations of pepsin to defatted breast milk incubated at pH 3.5 did not affect any greater decay of enzyme activity despite evidence of peptic digestion of proteins in the reaction mixture. This study supports the possibility that ingested mammary amylase could retain a significant proportion of its original activity after exposure to acid and pepsin in the stomach of young infants. Speculation: Mammary amylase may be an enzyme important to carbohydrate digestion in infancy. The amount that would survive passage through the stomach of a young infant is most probably greater than would be contained in the pancreatic secretions of infants less than approximately 4-6 months of age. The physiologic importance of mammary amylase may be analogous to that of the bile salt stimulated lipase found in human milk.
Structure and alternative splicing of the gene encoding the human β1 subunit of voltage dependent calcium channels

Abstract The structure of the gene encoding the human brain β 1 subunit of voltage dependent calcium channels (CACNB1) was determined by comparison of its genomic sequence with β 1 cDNA sequence. CACNB1 is distributed over 25 kb and contains 13 exons. Alternative splicing of CACNB1 RNA occurs within the central domain at exon 7, and the 3′ domain at exon 13, producing the variably expressed β 1a , β 1b and β lc isoforms. Exon/intron boundaries and exon lengths are conserved for the nine exons shared by the β 1 and related brain β 3 and β 4 genes.
Ion-channels on parasite muscle: pharmacology and physiology

Ion-channels are essential components of excitable cells. This fact has been exploited in the development of anthelmintic agents; the majority of which act on nematode ion channels. The purpose of this review is to describe the site of action of some frequently used anthelmintic compounds: nAChRs and levamisole/pyrantel; Glu-Cls and avermectins/mylbemycins; GABA receptors and piperazine. Also described is some of the physiological and pharmacological data on other nematode muscle ion-channels which may prove attractive targets for future anthelmintic development: Ca2+ activated Cl− channels; peptide gated chloride Cl− channels; Ca2+ channels and potassium channels. Emphasis is placed on the pharmacological and physiological data from parasite tissue. Information on the genes involved in ion-channel formation and modulation are reviewed in detail elsewhere in this issue.
Dopaminergic modulation of striatal acetylcholine release in rats depleted of dopamine as neonates.

A repeated sessions, in vivo microdialysis design was used to determine the D1- and D2-like receptor modulation of striatal ACh efflux in intact adult rats and those depleted of DA on postnatal Day 3. Systemic administration of the D1-like agonist SKF 38393 (1.0 or 10.0 mg/kg, or the D2-like antagonist clebopride (1.0 or 10.0 mg/kg) increased ACh efflux in both controls and DA-depleted animals. Systemic administration of the Dl-like antagonist SCH 23390 (0.05 or 0.2 mg/kg) or D2-like agonist quinpirole (0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg) decreased ACh efflux in both groups of animals. DA-depleted animals exhibited a larger response than did controls to the lower doses of these drugs. Intrastriatal administration of clebopride (10 μM) increased ACh efflux in DA-depleted animals. Finally, basal and clebopride-stimulated ACh efflux were unaffected by the repeated microdialysis sessions. These data demonstrate that the reciprocal modulation of striatal ACh efflux, seen in controls and in rats depleted of DA as adults, is also present in adults depleted of DA as neonates. Because the roles of D1- and D2-receptors in the expression of motor behavior differ between rats depleted of DA as adults vs as neonates, these data suggest that alterations in the dopaminergic modulation of striatal ACh release do not underlie the sparing from motoric deficits seen in animals depleted of DA as neonates.
Cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for integrating MRI into breast cancer screening for women at high risk

Cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for integrating MRI into breast cancer screening for women at high risk
Student Evaluations of Teaching: Are They Related to What Students Learn?--A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature.

Although the student evaluation of teaching has been extensively researched, no general consensus has been reached about the validity of the process. One contentious issue has been the relationship between the evaluations and learning. If good instruction increases the amount of learning that takes place, then learning and the evaluations should be validly related to each other. A review of the literature shows that attempts to find such a nomological relationship has been complicated by practice, methodology, and interpretation. A meta-analysis of the literature shows that a small average relationship exists between learning and the evaluations but that the association is situational and not applicable to all teachers, academic disciplines, or levels of instruction. It is concluded that the more objectively learning is measured, the less likely it is to be related to the evaluations.
Responses of Human Neutrophils to Nicotine and/or Porphyromonas gingivalis

Background: Tobacco smoking is considered a major modifiable risk factor for periodontal disease. Nicotine is the addictive ingredient in tobacco and has been shown to affect multiple cellular processes. Neutrophils are the first line of host defense and are critical cells in the maintenance of periodontal health through their role in the control of bacteria, but they can also contribute to the progression of periodontal disease by the production and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Virulence factors from periodontal pathogens, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), stimulate the respiratory burst of neutrophils. The objective of this study is to explore the oxidative activity of neutrophils when stimulated with Pg, nicotine, or both. Methods: Neutrophils were separated from buffy coats by the double dextran gradient method. The generation of ROS by neutrophils was determined using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assays. The reaction was followed for 90 minutes, and the neutrophil activation was recorded as the total integrated energy output. Results: The Pg and Pg plus nicotine groups had a significantly higher active and peak chemiluminescence than the nicotine group (all with P <0.0001). The Pg and Pg with nicotine groups were not significantly different (P = 0.90). Conclusion: In the presence of Pg, the nicotine did not further enhance the ROS release by the neutrophils, suggesting that the bacteria induced the maximum ROS release in this model system. J Periodontol 2011;82:1504-1508.
Polymer interfacial fracture simulations using cohesive elements

A family of cohesive elements is presented based on cohesive zone models to describe polymer interfacial fracture. Their capabilities are demonstrated in three case studies of interfacial failure. The first is a simulation of the t-peel test for the determination of adhesion between two elastomers. This case is characterized by large, inelastic deformation that is difficult to model using classical fracture mechanics and analytic cohesive zone approaches. The formulation allows simulation of crack growth in the presence of large global strains and the identification of peak viscous loss zones in the peel arms. The second case study is the analysis of a compressive shear test to determine adhesion between a viscoelastic elastomer and a rigid substrate. An experimentally observed transition from stable to unstable fracture is described accurately by the model, providing appropriate cohesive zone parameters are established. The third example treats interfacial failure in a multilayer elasto-plastic polymer system. The approach illustrates a capability to capture crack nucleation and propagation in systems with complex microstructures comprising of multiple layered phases and associated interfaces.
Studies on Tenderness Evaluation

Abstract TENDERNESS measurement is a relative evaluation of one of the most important quality factors in meat. Two methods are commonly employed. The first is the organoleptic panel where each member is given a sample to evaluate—either by the number of chews required to masticate the meat or by ranking judgment on some sort of decanoic scale. With even a small panel of conscientious members a good relative evaluation can be obtained. This is considered to be the most accurate evaluation of tenderness. Tenderness is also measured by machine. Several mechanical devices are available for just such a purpose. However, none of these machines appear to be able to simulate the true action of a chewing mouth, and consequently each approximates that action with only a certain degree of success. Of the mechanical devices used the Warner Bratzler shear machine has been most widely reported, but the best relationships between…
High Δn strip-loaded electro-optic polymer waveguide modulator with low insertion loss

We demonstrate a novel electro-optic polymer modulator design which shows a record low optical insertion loss of 5.7 dB at 1550 nm. The modulator consists of a high numerical aperture passive waveguide which is converted to a strip-loaded electro-optic polymer waveguide through refractive index tapers. The device is fabricated using all wet-etch techniques which results in low excess loss from roughness created during fabrication and, employs new low loss passive sol-gel materials. The fabricated device also shows a low half-wave voltage of 2.8 V.
Preschool Children With Developmental Delays and Limited English Proficiency.

The number of children with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in schools is increasing drastically. Included in this number are young children with LEP and developmental delays. This article provides information on second-language acquisition, details the type of programming used to educate children with LEP, and offers strategies to use when working with preschool children with LEP and developmental delays.
Management of the ossicles in tympanoplasty. Consideration of techniques.

In many situations of tympanoplasty, it is difficult to maintain or reestablish ossicular continuity while at the same time achieve adequate exposure for removal of disease. Methods of assessing and treating the ossicles in tympanoplasties Types I, III and IV are discussed. A special situation occasionally occurs where the ossicles are normal and intact in the presence of extensive middle ear disease. A technique can be used which affords a wide middle ear exposure. It consists of removing and subsequently replacing an anterior canal skin flap, drum, malleus and incus as a “unit”. In addition, special situations requiring Type V tympanoplasty using a total stapedectomy approach are discussed.
Transition element-doped crystals in glass

Transition metals are well known as optically active dopants in crystalline hosts because they fluoresce broadly in the near-infrared; examples include Ti3:sapphire (A1203) and Cr4:forsterite (Mg2SiO4). Because transition element ions yieldstronger optical activity in a crystalline, rather than amorphous, environment, glass-ceramics can potentially combine theadvantages of glass (such as fiberizability) with those of doped crystals (such as broadband optical gain or absorption.) Theglass-ceramic process can, in many cases, also allow the growth in glass of crystals which are difficult or impossible toobtain in single crystal form. Material properties and spectroscopic data are presented for transparent glass-ceramics basedon transition element-doped forsterite, willemite, mixed Li-Zn-Mg-orthosilicates, and spine! crysta!s. The transitionelement ions include Cr4 in tetrahedral coordination and Ni2 in octahedral coordination. The optical propertymeasurements of the transparent glass-ceramics, including absorbance, fluorescence, and fluorescence lifetimes, duplicatethose reported in the literature for single crystals or powders. Cr4- and Ni2tdoped glass-ceramics exhibit broad emissionacross the telecommunications wavelength range of 1 1 00- 1 700 nm.Keywords: Glass-ceramic, transition metal, fluorescence
Yeast viral double-stranded RNAs have heterogeneous 3′ termini

The yeast virus, ScV, is communicated only by mating. It has two separately encapsidated dsRNAs. One of these, L, codes for the major capsid polypeptide. The other, M, codes for a polypeptide toxic to yeasts without ScV-M particles. Defective interfering particles containing fragments of M (S) displace ScV-M when they arise. We have shown that five independently isolated S dsRNAs are all derived by internal deletion of M. The 3' ends of all the ScV dsRNAs are markedly heterogeneous. For instance, half of the first 35 nucleotides at one 3' end of M and S are variable. Conserved sequences at the 3' ends of M and S are AAACACCCAUCAOH and AUUUCUUUAUUUUUCAOH. Conserved sequences at the 3' ends of L are UAAAAAUUUUUCAOH and AAAAAUXCAOH, where X is variable. We propose that the sequence AUUUUUCAOH is a recognition sequence for the capsid-associated single-stranded RNA polymerase activity. Since all the viral RNAs have pppGp 5' termini, their 3' termini probably extended one nucleotide beyond the terminal pppGp.
Application of deformation-mechanism maps to the study of in-reactor behavior of carbide fuels

Abstract Deformation-mechanism maps have been constructed to describe in- and out-of-reactor deformation behavior of carbide nuclear fuels. Maps were generated from basic physical-property data using the approach of Ashby. Applications of the maps to description of the in-reactor deformation behavior of carbide fuels are discussed.
Supragenotypic groups of the hepatitis B virus genome.

Phylogenetic relationships among hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes were investigated using different regions across the genome. The phylogenetic analysis in conjunction with graphical examination of phylogenetic distance matrices and distance frequency distribution plotting suggest the clustering of HBV genotypes into three higher-order hierarchical groups: group I, comprising genotypes A–E and G; group II, comprising genotypes F and H; and a hypothetical group III. Present-day genotype G is postulated to be a recombinant with the non-polymerase region of group III virus and the polymerase gene of an ancestral virus belonging to group I.
PYROLYSIS OF SILICA-IMMOBILIZED BENZYL PHENYL ETHER : COMPETING RADICAL REARRANGEMENT PATHWAYS UNDER RESTRICTED DIFFUSION

Pyrolysis studies of silica-immobilized benzyl phenyl ether (≈PhOCH2Ph or ≈BPE), a model for related ether structures in fuel resources, have been conducted at 275−325 °C to examine the impact of restricted mass transport on the pyrolysis mechanism compared with previous studies in fluid phases. Significant rearrangement chemistry is observed for ≈BPE occurring through two competitive free-radical pathways that are both promoted by the diffusional constraints. One path involves recombination of incipient benzyl and surface-bound phenoxy radicals to form benzylphenol isomers, 10. The second, previously unreported rearrangement path for ≈BPE involves a 1,2-phenyl shift in an intermediate radical, ≈PhOCH·Ph, leading to formation of benzhydrol (8) and benzophenone (9) as principal products. The rearrangement products 8−10 typically account for ca. 50% of the pyrolysis products. However, the path selectivity is a sensitive function of ≈BPE surface coverage and the presence of spacer molecules that either facil...
Diversity and other emergent properties of industrial economies

As industrial economies develop over time, they become more complex with more components mutually interacting via additional interconnections. The changes are manifested in properties that emerge over time. Some emergent properties are proposed here and tested with empirical data, where available. Diversity, energy and material intensities, and production capacity are examined and tested at a macro level using data from the states of the USA. All are found to be related to the degree of development represented by Gross State Product. Diversity is related to the number of energy flows through the energy consuming sectors and the allocation of energy use across sectors. Although data is limited for energy consumption by sector the diversity calculated here relates to a number of other physical and economic variables, including the proportion of waste recycled. Other emergent properties of economic systems are suggested and discussed but not tested. The relationships between diversity and energy and waste intensities are illustrated using data from Japan.
Optimizing Process Parameters for the Growth of YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin-films

Laser deposition is widely used to fabricate thin-films of the YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductor due to its ease of operation and its reproducibility. The films thus formed do not require post-deposition annealing to be superconducting. The processing route involves many variables which would be expected to exert an influence on the early stages of the film growth and thereby the final microstructure. The parameters which have been varied are the laser energy, laser pulse repetition rate and laser wavelength. The films have been examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to determine the film orientation, composition and microstructure.
Laplace's method approximations for probabilistic inferencein belief networks with continuous variables

Laplace's method, a family of asymptotic methods used to approximate integrals, is presented as a potential candidate for the tool box of techniques used for knowledge acquisition and probabilistic inference in belief networks with continuous variables. This technique approximates posterior moments and marginal posterior distributions with reasonable accuracy [errors are O(n-2) for posterior means] in many interesting cases. The method also seems promising for computing approximations for Bayes factors for use in the context of model selection, model uncertainty and mixtures of pdfs. The limitations, regularity conditions and computational difficulties for the implementation of Laplace's method are comparable to those associated with the methods of maximum likelihood and posterior mode analysis.
The Complete Sequence of 340 kb of DNA around the Rice Adh1–Adh2 Region Reveals Interrupted Colinearity with Maize Chromosome 4

A 2.3-centimorgan (cM) segment of rice chromosome 11 consisting of 340 kb of DNA sequence around the alcohol dehydrogenase Adh1 and Adh2 loci was completely sequenced, revealing the presence of 33 putative genes, including several apparently involved in disease resistance. Fourteen of the genes were confirmed by identifying the corresponding transcripts. Five genes, spanning 1.9 cM of the region, cross-hybridized with maize genomic DNA and were genetically mapped in maize, revealing a stretch of colinearity with maize chromosome 4. The Adh1 gene marked one significant interruption. This gene mapped to maize chromosome 1, indicating a possible translocation of Adh1 after the evolutionary divergence leading to maize and sorghum. Several other genes, most notably genes similar to known disease resistance genes, showed no cross-hybridization with maize genomic DNA, suggesting sequence divergence or absence of these sequences in maize, which is in contrast to several other well-conserved genes, including Adh1 and Adh2. These findings indicate that the use of rice as the model system for other cereals may sometimes be complicated by the presence of rapidly evolving gene families and microtranslocations. Seven retrotransposons and eight transposons were identified in this rice segment, including a Tc1/Mariner–like element, which is new to rice. In contrast to maize, retroelements are less frequent in rice. Only 14.4% of this genome segment consist of retroelements. Miniature inverted repeat transposable elements were found to be the most frequently occurring class of repetitive elements, accounting for 18.8% of the total repetitive DNA.
Microbiological characteristics of pork chops and ground pork from swine fed a high monosaturated fat diet

Twelve percent high-oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSO) was included in a swine diet to increase the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in pork chops and ground pork patties. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) of pork chops prepared from animals on control and HOSO diets did not differ (P >0·05) and no specific pattern of differences in the microflora of pork chops or ground pork patties could be attributed to diet. However, after 4 days of refrigerated storage, APCs of ground pork patties from animals fed the HOSO diet were lower (P<0·05) than those of comparable patties prepared from animals fed the control diet.
Nutritional consequences of chronic diarrhoea

There is an undeniable link between gastrointestinal disorders and malnutrition. Chronic diarrhoea is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions that can impact a patient's nutritional status. The nutritional consequences will depend on the cause of the diarrhoea as well as the location and extent of gastrointestinal involvement. In general, malabsorption plays a central role in the interaction between malnutrition and chronic diarrhoea. Malabsorption can result in both nutritional deficits and diarrhoea. With severe malnutrition, chronic diarrhoea can persist due to impaired immune function and poor mucosal recovery. Food intolerance and an inappropriate diet in the setting of malabsorption may also contribute to chronic diarrhoea. Patients may attribute their gastrointestinal symptoms to specific dietary intake, which can lead to self-imposed indiscriminate dietary restrictions. Therefore, disease-specific treatment in conjunction with appropriate nutritional counselling and intervention is recommended in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in patients with chronic diarrhoea. Specialized nutritional support through enteral or parenteral administration may be required to treat severe caloric and micronutrient deficiencies. In this review, we aim to summarize the mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of the nutritional consequences of chronic diarrhoea.
An optimal algorithm for finding disjoint rectangles and its application to PCB routing

The maximum disjoint subset (MDS) of rectangles is a subset of non-overlapping rectangles with the maximum total weight. The problem of finding the MDS of general rectangles has been proven to be NP-complete in [6]. In this paper, we focus on the problem of finding the MDS of boundary rectangles, which is an open problem and is closely related to some difficult problems in PCB routing. We propose a polynomial time algorithm to optimally solve the MDS problem of boundary rectangles. Then we show that this algorithm can be applied to find the optimal solution of the bus escape routing problem.
Evolutionarily conserved sites in yeast tropomyosin function in cell polarity, transport and contractile ring formation

Tropomyosin is a coiled-coil protein that binds and regulates actin filaments. The tropomyosin gene in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, cdc8, is required for formation of actin cables, contractile rings, and polar localization of actin patches. The roles of conserved residues were investigated in gene replacement mutants. The work validates an evolution-based approach to identify tropomyosin functions in living cells and sites of potential interactions with other proteins. A cdc8 mutant with near-normal actin affinity affects patch polarization and vacuole fusion, possibly by affecting Myo52p, a class V myosin, function. The presence of labile residual cell attachments suggests a delay in completion of cell division and redistribution of cell patches following cytokinesis. Another mutant with a mild phenotype is synthetic negative with GFP-fimbrin, inferring involvement of the mutated tropomyosin sites in interaction between the two proteins. Proteins that assemble in the contractile ring region before actin do so in a mutant cdc8 strain that cannot assemble condensed actin rings, yet some cells can divide. Of general significance, LifeAct-GFP negatively affects the actin cytoskeleton, indicating caution in its use as a biomarker for actin filaments.
Preparation for and construction of baked porcelain crowns and inlays

Abstract 1.Fused porcelain crowns and inlays, when indicated, are the most esthetically satisfactory of any restorative material available for anterior teeth since they possess stability of color and form. 2.A planned sequence of procedure is essential if discomfort is to be eliminated for the patient and efficiency is to be increased for the dentist. The combination will result in more accurate preparations and restorations. 3.Vacuum furnace-fired porcelain, thoroughly condensed in molding, produces the closest apposition of the powder grains, free from air and subsequent bubbles. A superior porcelain restoration combines strength and esthetics.
Predicting the quality of voice over IP networks

Clients have still hesitated to switch conventional phone service with voice over IP networks (VoIP) service because VoIP service providers are not successful in providing consistent quality during a call. The uncertainness of IP networks, the legacy of packet-switched networks, makes it hard to predict service quality and demands real-time based monitoring. In this paper, we propose a prediction voice quality metric to monitor the quality of VoIP service. Based on a learning machine, the proposed metric nonlinearly weighs network parameters to estimate speech quality. Finally, performance analysis shows that the proposed metric achieves the high prediction accuracy.
Lipid biomarker and phylogenetic analyses to reveal archaeal biodiversity and distribution in hypersaline microbial mat and underlying sediment

This study has utilized the tools of lipid biomarker chemistry and molecular phylogenetic analyses to assess the archaeal contribution to diversity and abundance within a microbial mat and underlying sediment from a hypersaline lagoon in Baja California. Based on abundance of ether-linked isoprenoids, archaea made up from 1 to 4% of the cell numbers throughout the upper 100 mm of mat and sediment core. Below this depth archaeal lipid was two times more abundant than bacterial. Archaeol was the primary archaeal lipid in all layers. Relatively small amounts of caldarchaeol (dibiphytanyl glyceroltetraether) were present at most depths with phytanyl to biphytanyl molar ratios lowest (~10 : 1) in the 4–17 mm and 100–130 mm horizons, and highest (132 : 1) in the surface 0–2 mm. Lipids with cyclic biphytanyl cores were only detected below 100 mm. A novel polar lipid containing a C30 isoprenoid (squalane) moiety was isolated from the upper anoxic portion of the core and partially characterized. Hydrocarbon biomarker lipids included pentamethylicosane (2–10 mm) and crocetane (primarily below 10 mm). Archaeal molecular diversity varied somewhat with depth. With the exception of samples at 0–2 mm and 35–65 mm, Thermoplasmatales of marine benthic group D dominated clone libraries. A significant number of phylotypes representing the Crenarchaeota from marine benthic group B were generally present below 17 mm and dominated the 35–65 mm sample. Halobacteriaceae family made up 80% of the clone library of the surface 2 mm, and consisted primarily of sequences affiliated with the haloalkaliphilic Natronomonas pharaonis.
Low power and compact mixed-mode signal processing hardware using spin-neurons

CMOS Digital signal processing hardware are power efficient but consume large area, whereas, analog processing units, based on CMOS technology are compact, but power hungry. Emerging magneto-metallic spin-torque devices like domain wall magnets can however perform analog-mode computation like summation and thresholding at ultra low voltage. Such devices can be exploited in designing spin-CMOS hybrid analog processing units that are compact as well as low power. In this work we present a mixed-mode signal processing scheme employing “domain wall neurons” that involves energy efficient analog-mode computation upon digital data. Simulation results for 8-bit, 16-tap FIR filter show that such a design can achieve 10x lower power consumption and 16x lower area as compared to an optimized digital CMOS design at the same technology node. In such a design area saving can be traded off for enhanced power savings, depending upon the target application.
Tin fluorophosphate nonwovens by melt state centrifugal Forcespinning

This report describes the direct melt processing of inorganic tin fluorophosphate (TFP) glass fibers with average diameters ranging from 2 to 4 µm via centrifugal Forcespinning. This was accomplished by using a TFP glass with low glass transition temperature (T g) and the melt processing capability of Forcespinning. The thermal behavior of TFP glass fibers was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, while the compositional evolution of the fibers was studied using energy-dispersive spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. These fibers exhibited excellent thermal stability after thermal post-treatment at 300 °C. The T g of the thermally treated fibers increased by 100 °C compared to the bulk material. The fibers were found to undergo dehydration and loss of fluorine during thermal treatment, resulting in a rigid and crosslinked glass network with enhanced thermal stability and increased T g. The enhanced thermal stability demonstrated the potential of TFP fibers for high temperature catalysis and chemical filtration applications.
Fuzzy evidential reasoning

A classification architecture is presented in which the domain knowledge and belief measures are represented using the principles of possibility theory. The representations and support generation strategies are designed for a classification system whose objective is to identify radar types from signals received by passive sensors. A measure of belief is generated to indicate the support for each of the alternatives on the basis of the acquired evidence, using a possibility distribution over the frame of discernment. The immediate transformation of evidence to possibility distributions avoids the computational difficulties associated with utilizing the joint possibility distribution over the entire set of attributes that characterize the domain objects. The desired possibility distribution is obtained by combining the compatibility measures for each hypothesis independently. >
TEACHING ETHICAL DECISION MAKING USING DUAL RELATIONSHIP PRINCIPLES AS A CASE EXAMPLE

When the National Association of Social Workers (1999) ratified the Code of Ethics in 2000, it was an acknowledgement that dual relationships can be part of sound social work practice. The educational materials that are available to educators do not move sufficiently beyond a risk-reduction approach to dual relationships to an assessment of how a dual relationship can be assessed and ethically maintained. This article presents discussion on the practice and cultural issues that influence dual relationships in various environments, reviews the materials available to social work educators, and describes how social work educators can train students for making more complex assessments of potential dual relationships. The article includes recommendations for problem-solving models that are applicable to the complexity of dual relationship assessment and recommends more descriptive vocabulary to assist in contextualizing discussions about dual relationships.
The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection

Abstract Purpose: Fifty consecutive patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection were studied prospectively for the presence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after surgery. Methods: Bilateral venography was performed 5 days after surgery in all patients. There were 42 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 70 years (range 60 to 83 years). No patients received DVT prophylaxis before surgery. Results: Nine (18%) of 50 patients had a venogram positive for acute DVT. Nine (21%) of 42 men and none of eight women had DVT. Six patients had DVT in the left leg and three patients in the right leg. No patients had symptoms to suggest DVT. Seven (78%) of the nine patients with DVT had thrombi in the calf veins and two patients (22%) had thrombi in the more proximal venous segments, representing 14% and 4% of the entire series, respectively. No clinically evident pulmonary emboli were observed. Conclusions: Eighteen percent of 50 consecutive patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm resection had DVT. Because of this high incidence, a study should be undertaken to determine whether DVT prophylaxis can lower the incidence of DVT after abdominal aortic aneurysm resection. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:1037-41.)
Measurement of Atomic Fractions in Multi-Phased Materials of Limited Mass via an Empirical Approach to EXAFS Modeling

A least-square fitting analysis of EXAFS data collected from partially-crystallized Fe8uB2u thin films (t = 15 um)~ using data collected from pure phase standards of the crystalliza- tion products, was found effective in determining the relative atomic fraction of each crystalline phase present This fitting scheme provides a means for the quantitative treatment of crystall- lization and precipitation kinetics in thin films and multilayered structures A long standing limitation of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) as a tool for quantitative materials science has been its inability to measure the relative fraction of phases in multiphased materials. This is a prerequisite~ for example, in the study of crystallization and precipitation kinetics. Although there exist techniques which are able to perform these tasks on bulk materials, e.g. X-ray diffraction and digital scanning calorimetry~ recent trends toward the design and fabrication of low dimensional devices has made the study of thin films~ which cannot be readily measured by these techniques because of their small masses~ of particular importance. Of the popular local probes~ EXAFS is largely insensitive to small masses (lj, for example~ the signal-to-noise ratio of the EXAFS collected in total electron yield mode does not deteriorate appreciably for thin films until the sampled mass approaches Ge 10~~ grams. In an attempt to illustrate the usefulness of EXAFS in performing quantitative materials science we have applied EXAFS to study the crystallization of a model transition metal metalloid amorphous system in Fe-B. A least-square fitting analysis of the EXAFS data collected from partially-crystallized Fe-B thin films~ using data collected from pure phase standards of the crystallization products~ was found effective in determining the relative atomic fraction of each crystalline phase present. The samples used in this study are from a single 15 nm film (50 mm x 50 mm area) which was ion beam sputter-deposited from a pressed-powder target having the stoichiometry of Fe80B20. Individual pieces (7 mm x 7 mm) were encapsulated in evacuated glass ampoules and annealed at temperatures ranging from 473 K to 823 K for a period of 60 minutes. The X-ray absorption
A Review of Perioperative Glucose Control in the Neurosurgical Population

Significant fluctuations in serum glucose levels accompany the stress response of surgery or acute injury and may be associated with vascular or neurologic morbidity. Maintenance of euglycemia with intensive insulin therapy (IIT) continues to be investigated as a therapeutic intervention to decrease morbidity associated with derangements in glucose metabolism. Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of IIT with potential for significant morbidity, especially in the neurologically injured patient. Differences in cerebral versus systemic glucose metabolism, the time course of cerebral response to injury, and heterogeneity of pathophysiology in neurosurgical patient populations are important to consider in evaluating the risks and benefits of IIT. While extremes of glucose levels are to be avoided, there are little data to support specific use of IIT for maintenance of euglycemia in the perioperative management of neurosurgical patients. Existing data are summarized and reviewed in this context.
Negative affectivity as a mediator of the association between adult attachment and marital satisfaction

Although the association between adult attachment and marital satisfaction is well documented, research has not examined processes by which attachment affects satisfaction. Drawing on attachment-oriented conceptualizations of affect regulation, the present study tested the hypothesis that negative affectivity mediates the association between attachment and marital satisfaction. Data from two samples of married couples were used to test the hypothesis. In both samples, negative affectivity mediated the association between some aspects of attachment insecurity and marital dissatisfaction, although attachment also retained a direct association with marital satisfaction in a number of cases. Results are discussed in terms of attachment-oriented conceptualizations of the function of negative emotion in marriage, and the empirical and conceptual overlap between attachment and negative affectivity.
Effect of Motor Dexterity and Approach Velocity on Anaerobic Power Production

To determine the effect of motor dexterity and velocity of approach on the measurement of anaerobic power, 60 trained men and 42 women were evaluated on the Margaria-Kalamen test and a low-box dexterity maneuver. Velocity through the 4-m acceleration zone preceding the stairs was measured using infrared cells. Results generally support the concept that dexterity makes a significant contribution to the ability to sprint up a flight of stairs for measuring power. Dexterity appeared to be more a factor in determining power output by women than by men. In men, approach speed and vertical velocity were more important factors in determining power production than dexterity.
Performance characteristics of molecular (DNA) analysis for the diagnosis of mucinous pancreatic cysts

Background Diagnosis of mucinous pancreatic cysts (MPCs) is challenging due to the poor sensitivity of cytology provided by EUS-guided-FNA (EUS-FNA). Objective To quantify the test characteristics of molecular (DNA) analysis in suspected low-risk MPCs. Design A prospective cohort study performed in between 2008 and 2011. Setting Academic referral center. Patients Consecutive patients who underwent EUS-FNA of suspected MPCs. Intervention EUS-FNA and molecular (DNA) analysis of cyst fluid. Main Outcome Measurements The sensitivity and specificity of molecular analysis in the diagnosis of MPCs using the criterion standard of surgical pathology in resected cysts. Results Patients with suspected MPCs underwent EUS-FNA and cyst fluid DNA analysis. Surgical resection was performed in 48 patients (17%), confirming a mucinous pathology in 38 (79%). In this group, molecular analysis had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 80% in identifying MPCs (accuracy of 56.3%). The combination of molecular analysis with cyst fluid carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytology resulted in higher MPC diagnostic performance than either one of its individual components, with a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 73.7%, 70%, and 72.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in accuracy between molecular analysis and CEA/cytology in this group. Limitations Single-center experience. Conclusion Molecular analysis aids in the diagnosis of MPCs when cytology is nondiagnostic or cyst fluid is insufficient for CEA or its level is indeterminate. Our results do not support the routine use of molecular analysis, which should be used selectively after review of imaging findings and cyst fluid studies. Further studies are needed to assess DNA's performance in malignant cysts.
Duration of Heart Failure Is an Important Predictor of Outcomes After Mechanical Circulatory Support

Background— Heart failure (HF) progression results in worsening functional capacity and end-organ compromise. HF may occur acutely or be associated with a chronic presentation. We hypothesized that the duration of HF affects outcomes after mechanical circulatory support. Methods and Results— A total of 10 730 patients registered in Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) who received primary implant of a mechanical circulatory support device were stratified according to the duration of HF symptoms: acute HF (AHF; ≤1 month), sub-AHF (1–12 months), and chronic HF (Cr-HF; ≥ 12 months). AHF patients were younger with a higher proportion of women and white and with a lower prevalence of peripheral vascular disease and history of prior cardiac surgeries. Sixty percent of AHF patients were INTERMACS profile 1 at the time of implantation versus 24% and 13.2% in the sub-AHF and Cr-HF groups, respectively ( P =0.0001). Patients with AHF had the highest utilization of biventricular support (14.4%). The estimated survival at 4 years was 58%, 51%, and 45% for the AHF, sub-AHF, and Cr-HF patients ( P =0.006). The proportion of patients with AHF who received heart transplantation at 1 year was 29% compared with 22.6% in the patients with Cr-HF. After adjustment for known risk factors of adverse outcome, patients with AHF have a better late phase prognosis compared with patients with Cr-HF (hazard ratio, 0.34; P =0.0003). Conclusions— The duration of HF before durable mechanical circulatory support implant is an important variable influencing outcome. Patients with AHF had improved survival at 4 years and higher rates of transplantation at 1 year despite higher acuity of presentation.
Modular vector processor architecture targeting at data-level parallelism

Taking advantage of DLP (Data-Level Parallelism) is indispensable in most data streaming and multimedia applications. Several architectures have been proposed to improve both the performance and energy consumption for such applications. Superscalar and VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) processors along with SIMD (Single-Instruction Multiple-Data) and vector processor (VP) accelerators, are among the available options for designers to accomplish their desired requirements. We present an innovative architecture for a VP which separates the path for performing data shuffle and memory-indexed accesses from the data path for executing other vector instructions that access the memory. This separation speeds up the most common memory access operations by avoiding extra delays and unnecessary stalls. In our lane-based VP design, each vector lane uses its own private memory to avoid any stalls during memory access instructions. The proposed VP, which is developed in VHDL and prototyped on an FPGA, serves as a coprocessor for one or more scalar cores. Benchmarking shows that our VP can achieve very high performance. For example, it achieves a larger than 1500-fold speedup in the color space converting benchmark compared to running the code on a scalar core. The inclusion of distributed data shuffle engines across vector lanes has a spectacular impact on the execution time, primarily for applications like FFT (Fast-Fourier Transform) that require large amounts of data shuffling. Compared to running the benchmark on a VP without the shuffle engines, the speedup is 5.92 and 7.33 for the 64-point FFT without and with compiler optimization, respectively. Compared to runs on the scalar core, the achieved speedups for this benchmark are 52.07 and 110.45 without and with compiler optimization, respectively.
Polycystin-2 expression is developmentally regulated

PKD2 encodes a protein of unknown function that is mutated in 15% of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) families. We used polyclonal antisera against PKD2 to examine the pattern of Pkd2 expression in staged mouse embryos. Staining for Pkd2 was documented as early as the 6th embryonic day (day E6) in the embryonic ectoderm and endoderm. Low-intensity staining is seen in metanephric ureteric bud at day E12.5. By day E15.5, the adult pattern of expression is established with low level staining in proximal tubules and high level, basolateral staining in distal tubules. Pkd2 expression is first detected in the medullary collecting ducts at postnatal day 14. Outside of the kidney, Pkd2 expression is widely distributed in utero and more restricted postnatally. The greatest intensity of staining is seen in the fetal but not adult adrenal cortex and in red blood cell precursors. Expression also is seen in multiple endocrine organs, in cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle, and in multiple mesenchymal tissues. The diffuse distribution and early expression of Pkd2 suggest a fundamental developmental role. The persistent strong expression in adult kidney is consistent with a more organ-specific function in the maintenance of the mature metanephric tubule.
Raman spectroscopic investigation of graphitization of diamond during spark plasma sintering of UO2-diamond composite nuclear fuel

Abstract Micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) was utilized to investigate the graphitization of diamond particles within a UO 2 -diamond composite processed by spark plasma sintering (SPS). While pure diamond gives a sharp Raman peak at 1331.6 cm −1 , the graphitized diamond shows broad peaks either at 1350 cm −1 (G-peak) or 1580 cm −1 (D-peak). The degree of graphitization was quantified by calculating the area beneath the diamond and graphite peaks. It was found that more than 20% of diamond was graphitized on the surface of the UO 2 -diamond pellet and only around 10% diamond was graphitized in the interior regions of the pellet. This current study highlights the necessity to review the implications of these results carefully while implementing UO 2 -diamond composite nuclear fuel.
Density Functional Theory Based Study of the Electron Transfer Reaction at the Lithium Metal Anode in a Lithium–Air Battery with Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

Room temperature ionic liquids, which have unique properties such as a relatively wide electrochemical stability window and negligible vapor pressure, are promising candidates as electrolytes for developing lithium–air batteries with enhanced performance. The local current density, a crucial parameter in determining the performance of lithium–air batteries, is directly proportional to the rate constant of the electron transfer reaction at the surface of the anode that involves the oxidation of pure lithium metal into lithium ion (Li+). The electrochemical properties of ionic liquid based electrolytes, which can be molecularly tailored on the basis of the structure of their constituent cations and anions, play a crucial role in determining the reaction rate at the anode. In this paper, we present a novel approach, based on Marcus theory, to evaluate the effect of varying length of the alkyl side chain of model imidazolium based cations on the rates of electron transfer reaction at the anode. Density functi...