cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Keyhole Endoscopic-Assisted Transcervical Approach to the Upper and Middle Retrostyloid Parapharyngeal Space: An Anatomic Feasibility Study

Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the anatomical nuances, feasibility, limitations, and surgical exposure of the parapharyngeal space (PPS) through a novel minimally invasive keyhole endoscopic-assisted transcervical approach (MIKET). Design Descriptive cadaveric study. Setting Microscopic and endoscopic high-quality images were taken comparing the MIKET approach with a conventional combined transmastoid infralabyrinthine transcervical approach. Participants Five colored latex-injected specimens (10 sides). Main Outcome Measures Qualitative anatomical descriptions in four surgical stages; quantitative and semiquantitative evaluation of relevant landmarks. Results A 5 cm long inverted hockey stick incision was designed to access a corridor posterior to the parotid gland after independent mobilization of nuchal and cervical muscles to expose the retrostyloid PPS. The digastric branch of the facial nerve, which runs 16.5 mm over the anteromedial part of the posterior belly of the digastric muscle before piercing the parotid fascia, was used as a landmark to identify the main trunk of the facial nerve. MIKET corridor was superior to the crossing of the accessory nerve over the internal jugular vein within 17.3 mm from the jugular process. Further exposure of the occipital condyle, vertebral artery, and the jugular bulb was achieved. Conclusion The novel MIKET approach provides in the cadaver straightforward access to the upper and middle retrostyloid PPS through a natural corridor without injuring important neurovascular structures. Our work sets the anatomical nuances and limitations that should guide future clinical studies to prove its efficacy and safety either as a stand-alone procedure or as an adjunct to other approaches, such as the endonasal endoscopic approach.
Neutrophil-specific deletion of Syk results in recruitment-independent stabilization of the barrier and a long-term improvement in cognitive function after traumatic injury to the developing brain.

Abstract While traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children, we have yet to identify those pathogenic events that determine the extent of recovery. Neutrophils are best known as “first responders” to sites of infection and trauma where they become fully activated, killing pathogens via proteases that are released during degranulation. However, this activational state may generate substantial toxicity in the young brain after TBI that is partially due to developmentally regulated inadequate antioxidant reserves. Neutrophil degranulation is triggered via a downstream signaling pathway that is dependent on spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). To test the hypothesis that the activational state of neutrophils is a determinant of early pathogenesis and long-term recovery, we compared young, brain-injured conditional knockouts of Syk (sykf/fMRP8-cre+) to congenic littermates (sykf/f). Based upon flow cytometry, there was an extended recruitment of distinct leukocyte subsets, including Ly6G+/Ly6C− and Ly6G+/Ly6Cint, over the first several weeks post-injury which was similar between genotypes. Subsequent assessment of the acutely injured brain revealed a reduction in blood-brain barrier disruption to both high and low molecular weight dextrans and reactive oxygen species in sykf/fMRP8-cre+ mice compared to congenic littermates, and this was associated with greater preservation of claudin 5 and neuronal integrity, as determined by Western blot analyses. At adulthood, motor learning was less affected in brain-injured sykf/fMRP8-cre+ mice as compared to sykf/f mice. Performance in the Morris Water Maze revealed a robust improvement in hippocampal-dependent acquisition and short and long-term spatial memory retention in sykf/fMRP8-cre+ mice. Subsequent analyses of swim path lengths during hidden platform training and probe trials showed greater thigmotaxis in brain-injured sykf/f mice than sham sykf/f mice and injured sykf/fMRP8-cre+ mice. Our results establish the first mechanistic link between the activation state of neutrophils and long-term functional recovery after traumatic injury to the developing brain. These results also highlight Syk kinase as a novel therapeutic target that could be further developed for the brain-injured child.
The Current State of Environmental Discourse: Is It “Fair” or Otherwise?

The previous chapters developed criteria for “fair and reasoned” decisions in the context of our social discourse as it concerns environmental matters; i.e., whether this discourse was inclusive (or paternalistic), fully informed, logical, and uncorrupted. The discourse examples addressed here concern (i) “clean coal” and its associated “acid rain,” (ii) agriculturally caused water pollution and its associated “dead zones,” (iii) gas and oil drilling on public lands, and (iv) “species preservation” and its associated obfuscations. They are examined here via this “fair and reasonable criteria.” The conclusions drawn from these case examinations indicate the extents of fulfilling these criteria.
Case 71: Bain Circuit (Mapleson D). What Is the Problem?

You are on the island of Mauritius, on the east coast of Africa. A pediatric case is in progress. The patient is a 5-year-old (ASA 1) undergoing a hernia repair.
A Double-Sided LCLC -Compensated Capacitive Power Transfer System for Electric Vehicle Charging

A double-sided LCLC -compensated capacitive power transfer (CPT) system is proposed for the electric vehicle charging application. Two pairs of metal plates are utilized to form two coupling capacitors to transfer power wirelessly. The LCLC -compensated structure can dramatically reduce the voltage stress on the coupling capacitors and maintain unity power factor at both the input and output. A 2.4-kW CPT system is designed with four 610-mm × 610-mm copper plates and an air gap distance of 150 mm. The experimental prototype reaches a dc–dc efficiency of 90.8% at 2.4-kW output power. At 300-mm misalignment case, the output power drops to 2.1 kW with 90.7% efficiency. With a 300-mm air gap distance, the output power drops to 1.6 kW with 89.1% efficiency.
Communicating about Microbial Risks in Foods

This chapter briefly talks about psychology, sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, communications, public health, and marketing to help those involved with microbial risk assessment and management better understand some of the basics of effective risk communication, some of the unique challenges inherent in communicating about microbial risks, and how to avoid some of the most common mistakes. The important lesson is that risk communicators must analyze the situational characteristics of the microbial hazards they are confronting and should design their messages accordingly. While risk communication research involving other types of hazards can inform efforts to design communications about microbial risks, concerns about food risks also have unique characteristics that should be considered independently of perceptions of hazards in other domains. As with studies examining hand-washing behaviors, researchers have found demographic differences in risky food-handling and -consumption behaviors. Food labels can serve a comparable role, though they often provide information to consumers but fail to explain why or how to use. The disclosure of severe consequences experienced by others can also trigger teachable moments, especially if the actors or victims involved bear similarity to your target audience. Witte and Allen conclude that risk communicators can best develop effective fear appeal messages by increasing references to both the severity of the threat and the target audience’s susceptibility to it.
Mary in the Protevangelium of James : A Jewish Woman in the Temple?

The account of Mary’s presence in the temple shows the author’s knowledge of contemporary Jewish practices concerning women who had such access: accused adulteresses, the weavers of the curtains, and Nazirites.
The effect of T-cell homeostasis on solid and liquid tumors

T-cell populations are subject to homeostatic control from cytokines and microenvironmental signaling. Disruption of homeostasis can cause changes to the dynamics of the system that have implications for the progression of cancer. Here we present two mathematical models that examine the progression of tumors in the context of T-cell homeostasis. Model 1: During a chronic disease such as cancer, T cells often become tolerant to the antigens presented by the disease. This tolerant state effectively limits the response of the immune system to the tumor. Experimental evidence has shown that depletion of T-cells can lead to a loss of T-cell tolerance. During the homeostatic phase of T-cell compartment repopulation, there is a temporary window of opportunity during which T cells lose their tolerant state, allowing them to respond to tumor antigens. In addition, clonal expansion of the tumor-specific T-cell clone may be enhanced during the regrowth phase due to increased stimulation. We use an ordinary differential equation (ODE) model to explore the effect of T-cell depletion and homeostatic repopulation on the loss of tolerance in the T-cell compartment and subsequent effectiveness of immune-mediated tumor cytotoxicity. The model predicts different outcomes for the tumor and T-cell compartment, dependent on the strength and schedule of the depletion therapy. The optimal regimen can lead to tumor control in some cases, but T-cell exhaustion is also common dynamic predicted by the model. By understanding the effects of T-cell depletion, immune depleting therapies can be optimized to enhance immune potential. Model 2: Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia (LGLL) is a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that exhibits clonal expansion of a subset of T cells. Since there are no clinical biomarkers to predict the aggressiveness of the disease, treatment decisions are often made on a watch and wait approach. Using a set of ODEs, we develop a model of LGLL that uses clinical patient data from diagnosis to predict the timeframe for progression of the disease. Our experimental results have suggested that the disease is caused by a change in sensitivity to both positive and negative regulators of T-cell homeostasis. The model incorporates these cell-specific mechanisms to investigate their effect when placed in a homeostatic setting. The level of dysregulation as measured from patient-specific data determines the rate of outgrowth of the diseased T-cell clone, and therefore serve as a useful predictive tool for managing treatment decisions in the clinic.
Modeling Ethics and Professionalism in Our Teaching

Abstract University level teaching offers teachers, opportunities to join with other faculty in co-sponsoring various types of courses. Team-taught course situations suggest that innovations in teaching are important. They recognize importance of mentorship with respect to instruction, however co-operative efforts are often accompanied by covert problems. Two types of joint teaching experiences are: (a) a co-taught course created by two or more faculty members drawing on the varied expertise of each contributor, and (b) the teaching assistant-experienced professor pairing. Often accompanying the latter is an implicit assumption that the assistant's teaching skills will improve as a result of this team effort. An unexplored aspect of co-teaching experiences is the possible inequalities in these relationships. With graduate degrees or promotion and tenure as the ultimate goals, the junior member may not challenge the inequity. Family studies literature notes several areas in which ethical and equity issues ...
Primary biliary cirrhosis and cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia: Effect of partial plasma exchange

The previously unreported occurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis with cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia is described. Red cell survival studies showed a t1/2 of 11.1 days. Partial plasma exchange increased red cell survival to 15.8 days. Concomitantly, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT, and bilirubin was reduced in predictable amounts but rebounded to prepheresis levels quickly. Although partial plasma exchange was effective in increasing red cell survival and in reducing the level of selected abnormal plasma components, the patient died 3 mo after initiation of plasma exchange therapy. Partial plasma exchnage did not appear to have any long-term beneficial effects on either liver disease or the hemolytic process.
Utilitarian Value in the Internet: Differences Between Broadband and Narrowband Users

SUMMARY As homes across the world adopt broadband connectivity, there is a need to understand how it may impact consumer propensity to buy travel products on the Internet. The objective of this study is to evaluate differences in perceptions of utilitarian and social value on the Internet between broadband and narrowband users. The study also explores the relationship of utilitarian and social value on the Internet within the context of online travel purchase behavior. MANOVA results indicate differences between broadband and narrowband users when it comes to self-improvement and functional dimensions of utilitarian value. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed.
Legal Responses to Religious Practices in the United States: Expanding the Bob Jones Compromise

Sometimes the right to liberty and the right to equality point in the same direction. Sometimes the two rights conflict. Which constitutional value should prevail when the right to religious liberty clashes with the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of race and sex? More particularly, should faith-based organizations, in the name of religious liberty, be immune from anti-discrimination law? Bob Jones University v. United States suggests a compromise: permit faith-based organizations to discriminate on the basis of race or sex if that discrimination is religiously required, but at the same time refuse to condone or support that discrimination by denying those religious organizations any financial aid. In fact, it is already federal policy to withhold government subsidies from religious organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, and the Bob Jones Court rejected a free exercise challenge to that policy. The same policy should apply with regard to discrimination on the basis of sex. Allowing religious groups to discriminate on the basis of sex but declining to provide grants, vouchers, or tax exempt status to those that do discriminate honors both our commitment to religious liberty and our commitment to equality.
A Lightweight Approach to Partially Reuse Existing Component-Based System in Service-Oriented Environment

A fundamental derailment factor for reusing today's business applications is the tight coupling among program components. While SOA advocates an architecture with loose coupling among components, the invocation dependencies among components are still tangled with implementation code traditionally. SCA (Service Component Architecture) - an emerging service-oriented component model - uses a standard and declarative way to handle inter-component dependencies. Thus, SCA components have better reusability from this perspective. This paper proposes a lightweight approach to partially reuse existing components by wrapping them as SCA components. Several challenges are identified and addressed in this paper, especially the one of externalizing component dependencies without changing source code. The proposed approach addresses the challenges systematically, with a supporting system implemented. Moreover, an example scenario is given to better illustrate the usage of the approach. Finally, some future directions of the work are pointed out.
Phase Equilibria and Liquid Immiscibility in the System PbO‐B2O3‐SiO2

A detailed study of the system Pb0–B203–Si02 was undertaken because of the interest in lead borosilicate fluxes and the possibility of producing opaque low-melting enamels by controlled liquid-phase separations. Studies in the portion of the system containing greater than 60% PbO produced little change from previous work. The shape of the liquidus surface beneath the two-liquid region and the shape of the immiscibility dome were determined. Much of the observed immiscibility is metastable, particularly for compositions containing greater than 40% SiO2. Using the electron microscope provided information on the way the rate of formation, stability, and texture of the immiscible liquids are affected by composition, time, and temperature. Finally, a high-temperature centrifuge was constructed to separate the immiscible liquids and thus define tie lines within the immiscibility dome.
Collagenase digestion alters the organization and turnover of junctional acetylcholine receptors

Acetylcholine receptors at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction are highly organized and metabolically very stable. We report here that digestion of adult rat skeletal muscle with collagenase disorganizes junctional receptors and increases their turnover rate.
The effects of histone acetylation on estrogen responsiveness in MCF-7 cells

Because histone acetylation is implicated in the facilitation of specific gene transcription, the effect of increasing histone acetylation on the expression of an endogenous gene was investigated. The ability of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, to potentiate the estradiol (E2) induction of progesterone receptor (PR) levels in MCF-7 cells was studied. Although TSA alone had no effect on PR synthesis, measured by a whole-cell binding assay with [3H]R5020, TSA potentiated the effect of 10−11 M E2 such that 10 ng of TSA/mL approximately doubled the hormone response. When TSA was removed from the cells after various incubation times (24 and 48 h) by successive washings with TSA-free medium, it was determined that TSA was required throughout the 96-h incubation period in order to achieve maximal potentiation for the E2 response. In addition, TSA potentiated E2 induction of pS2 mRNA. These results suggested that the estrogen receptor (ER) complex might alter histone acetylation as part of the gene activation process. To test this directly, MCF-7 cells were incubated for 48 h with E2 followed by incubation with sodium [3H]acetate for 1 h. From two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, an increase in total acetate incorporation into histones in estrogen- treated cells compared to control was observed as well as a preferential increase in the mono-and diacetylated histone H4. Experiments with lysinespecific antiacetylated H4 antibodies suggest a preferential increase in acetylation at lysine 16, but not 5, 8, or 12. The results of this study support an important role for histone acetylation in the mechanism of action of the ER.
Transposon-induced symbiotic mutants of Bradyrhizobium japonicum: Isolation of two gene regions essential for nodulation

Two strains of the soybean endosymbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum, USDA 110 and 61 A101 C, were mutagenized with transposon Tn5. After plant infection tests of a total of 6,926 kanamycin and streptomycin resistant transconjugants, 25 mutants were identified that are defective in nodule formation (Nod-) or nitrogen fixation (Fix-). Seven Nod- mutants were isolated from strain USDA 110 and from strain 61 A101 C, 4 Nod- mutants and 14 Fix- mutants were identified. Subsequent auxotrophic tests on these symbiotically defective mutants identified 4 His- Nod- mutants of USDA 110. Genomic Southern analysis of the 25 mutants revealed that each of them carried a single copy of Tn5 integrated in the genome. Three 61 A101 C Fix- mutants were found to have vector DNA co-integrated along with Tn5 in the genome. Two independent DNA regions flanking Tn5 were cloned from the three nonauxotrophic Nod- mutants and one His-Nod- mutant of USDA 110. Homogenotization of the cloned fragments into wild-type strain USDA 110 and subsequent nodulation assay of the resulting homogenotes confirmed that the Tn5 insertion was responsible for the Nod- phenotype. Partial EcoR1 restriction enzyme maps around the Tn5 insertion sites were generated. Hybridization of these cloned regions to the previously cloned nod regions of R. meliloti and nif and nod regions of B. japonicum USDA 110 showed no homology, suggesting that these regions represent new symbiotic clusters of B. japonicum.
Intertrial variability by psychiatric inpatients on the rod and frame test.

Since its introduction almost three decades ago by Witkin and Asch ( 3 ) , the rod and frame has become a tremendously popular tool for the study of various behavioral phenomena, both normal and pathological. An individual making small errors on this task is labeled field-independent, while someone making relatively large errors is termed field-dependent. Studies tend to assume or imply chat a person is either field-dependent or field-independent. No specific mention is made, however, of the occurrence of persons whose cognitiveperceptual performance fluctuates across the entire range of possible scores on the rod and frame within a single administrative series of test trials. The purpose of this paper is to point out the importance of a subject's intertrial variability. The physical specifications of the apparatus may vary from one r d and frame to another. Ir may be so large as to occupy an entire room or be small enough to be contained in a box which can be placed on a desk top. In some cases, the array is presented luminously against darkened surroundings, while in others it is presented in diffused lighting and is perceived as black against a white background. Regardless of the apparatus, the stimulus array remains the same and consists of a straight rod within a square frame. The rod and the frame are pivoted on the same center but are mounted on separate shafts so rhey can be rotated independently of each other. Prior to each trial in the test series, both the rod and the frame are set in a starting position, that is, 28" off the true vertical either to the left or to the right. This follows Wickin's original procedure ( 3 ) . In performing chis task, the subject usually is asked to disregard the frame and rotate the rod until i t stands in a vertical position. Manipulation of the rod may be controlled by either subject or experimenter. The subject's score for a given test consists of the average of his absolute deviations from 0" in eight or more attempts to place the rod in a vertical position. Designation as field-dependent, field-independent, or field-middle is usually assigned
Suprathermal Particles. III. Electrons

Certain phenomena in nature, such as the 50- to 100-kev electrons of the aurora, suggest that there are plasma-dynamical processes which can quickly transfer the translational energy of the ions in a plasma stream to the electrons (some 20 kev/ion for a 2000-km/sec solar wind). It is shown that two interpenetrating streams of noncolliding and initially neutral plasma can achieve this energy transfer with a characteristic time comparable to ${(\frac{M}{m})}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ times the plasma period. The process is closely analogous to the excitation of plasma oscillations by two interpenetrating electron streams, but of course proceeds to much greater electron energies because the ion components of the streams carry so much more kinetic energy than do the electron components. Hence, besides the auroral electrons, it is probably responsible for solar radio emission, rather than the electron streams implied in current theories.Further, the process is probably the dominant interaction in shock fronts, particularly in astrophysical cases where neither direct collisions nor the existing weak magnetic fields can give sharp fronts. The characteristic thickness of a shock front in the solar wind is of the order of ${10}^{4}$ cm due to the above plasma excitation whereas the Larmor radius of the ions, which would otherwise determine the shock thickness in the absence of collisions, is 100 km or more.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Photolabile Phorbol Esters for Affinity Labeling of Protein Kinase C

Three new photolabile phorbol esters (3, 6, and 9) with a diazoacetyl group at positions 3, 12, and 13, respectively, have been synthesized from phorbol (1a) and found to bind with significant affi...
Myeloma with Russell bodies

Immunoglobulins are synthesized within the ribosomes of plasma cells. They are then transported to the Golgi apparatus, where they are processed and packaged into secretory granules that then fuse with the outer cell membrane. In certain monoclonal gammopathies and in occasional instances of reactive plasma cell hyperplasia associated with intense immunoglobulin production, immunoglobulins may precipitate within the plasma cell, forming inclusion bodies. These inclusions may appear as multiple pale-blue intracytoplasmic globules, often resembling a bunch of grapes. Plasma cells containing such intracytoplasmic globules are referred to as Mott (or morula) cells. In some instances, plasma cells contain a single pale-bluish intranuclear globular inclusion that is referred to as a Dutcher body. The single dark-red hyaline intracytoplasmic (or rarely intranuclear) spherules that are found in plasma cells are called Russell bodies. Although most commonly found in patients with multiple myeloma (as in the case shown here), Russell bodies can also be found in instances of sustained immunologic stimulation and/or inflammation in association with hypergammaglobulinemia. The bone marrow in this particular instance was densely infiltrated by abnormal plasma cells, a large proportion of which contained a single large intracytoplasmic Russell body that can be seen displacing the nucleus to the periphery of the cell (see Image 1). Immunoperoxidase stains revealed the presence of a monoclonal IgG with lambda light-chain restriction. Ultrastructurally, each Russell body represented a large, electron-dense inclusion that was found within the distended endoplasmic reticulum (see Image 2). Image 1. Image 2.
The restitution coefficient for a linear elastic rod

We consider a linear elastic rod that comes to impact with a rigid obstacle under the action of a constant body force. The restitution coefficient is defined as the ratio between the rebound velocity and the approaching velocity at the impact end of the rod. We derive an explicit formula that computes the restitution coefficient in terms of the physical parameters of the problem.
Progress illuminating the world: street lighting in Santiago, Valparaiso and La Plata, 1840–90

By examining a major port, a capital and a planned model city, this article links the diffusion of street lighting in nineteenth-century Latin America to changing notions of the night and of technology. In these three cities, lighting emerged as an eminently flexible strategy of modernization. Street lighting attracted urban officials and elite residents, who could economically install it as an antidote to crime, a complement to night life, or an emblem of progress.
Limit results for two stochastic partial differential equations

Results are obtained about the rate of decay to zero and the the limiting shape of solution u(t, x)and v(t, x)to and Where is 2-parameter white noise, and the initial functions u(0,x)and v(0,x)are nonnegative
Multimillicurie preparation of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose via nucleophilic displacement with fluorine-18 labelled fluoride. 1. Purification and quality control procedures

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been utilized for the preparation of 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-2FDG) in 98.3 ± 1.5% radiochemical purity. Employing an enriched water target for fluoride-18 labelled fluoride ion production, the time required for synthesis and purification of the finished product averaged 150 minutes from end of bombardment (EOB). The average radiochemical yield of the pharmaceutical product at EOB was 18%.
Using ethnographic techniques in classroom observation: a study of success in a foreign language class

ABSTRACT Research on classroom interaction within an ethnographic perspective views the classroom as a cultural setting with its own norms of behavior. Recent studies from this perspective have Focused on uncovering the (often-unspoken) norms of behavior that need to be internalized in order to be a successful member of the classroom community. This article illustrates how to use ethnographic techniques to achieve a better understanding of classroom dynamics, which will be of value to teachers and supervisors in planning and evaluating their courses. Focusing on the characterization of “success” in an Italian class through the analysis of interaction patterns and purposes of the participants, the study reveals the need For a continuity of teacher and students' goals, methods, and Forms of evaluation.
A REFLECTING TEAM APPROACH TO FAMILY THERAPY: A DELPHI STUDY

Due to different conceptualizations and unclear theoretical guidelines, a reflecting team approach to family therapy has lacked conceptual and practical clarity. The purpose of this exploratory study was to outline the theory and practice of a reflecting team approach to family therapy. A Delphi technique was employed for panelists to consider the theoretical assumptions, techniques, how change occurs, major goals, when to use, and contraindications of a reflecting team approach. Analysis of data revealed where consensus was reached and a profile was formed to aid in further clarifying this approach.
Diffusion tensor imaging and colored fractional anisotropy mapping of the ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus.

Background The ventralis intermedius (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus is the primary surgical target for treatment of tremor. Most centers rely on indirect targeting based on atlas-defined coordinates rather than patient-specific anatomy, making intraoperative physiological mapping critical. Detailed identification of this target based on patient-specific anatomic features can help optimize the surgical treatment of tremor. Objective To study colored fractional anisotropic images and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to identify characteristic magnetic resonance appearances of the VIM nucleus. Methods Four patients undergoing stereotactic surgery for essential tremor (ET) were retrospectively studied with analysis of magnetic resonance imaging-based colored fractional anisotropy (FA) images and fiber tractography. All were scanned with a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging unit, and all sequences were obtained before frame placement. Because the goal of this study was to identify the DTI characteristics of physiologically defined VIM nucleus, we selected and studied patients who had undergone DTI and had efficacious tremor control with intraoperative microlesioning effect and tremor reduction with less than 2.0-V stimulation. Results Analysis of color FA maps, which graphically illustrate fiber directionality, revealed consistent anatomic patterns. The region of the VIM nucleus can be seen as an intermediate region where there is a characteristic transition of color. Presumptive VIM nucleus interconnectivity with sensorimotor cortex and cerebellum was identified via the internal capsule and the superior cerebellar peduncle, respectively. FA maps could also be used to distinguish segments of gray matter, white matter, and gray-white matter boundaries. Conclusion Analysis of DTI and FA maps on widely available 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging yields clear identification of various structures key to neurosurgical targeting. Prospective evaluation of integrating DTI into neurosurgical planning may be warranted.
Evaluation of ruminal nitrogen availability in liquid feeds

Abstract A method to assess N availability in liquid feeds was evaluated. Microbial protein mass produced in vitro , estimated using cytosine as a marker, was assumed to be a function of available N. Samples were incubated with rumen fluid, McDougall's buffer, and an excess amount of starch for 12 h. In Experiment 1, graded levels of casein, urea, and a mix of casein and urea were added to fermentation tubes to assess the effect of protein source. Microbial mass was linearly related to added protein, but it was independent of protein source. In Experiments 2–4, products were manufactured from different base ingredients (cane molasses; steep liquor; distiller's solubles; concentrated separator byproduct; sucrose; a mixture of sucrose, glucose, and fructose; soluble starch; hydrolyzed starch) by adding either casein or urea to study the effect of different processes on ruminal N availability. In Experiment 2, the effects on ruminal N availability of adding 20 g/kg NaCl or 40 g/kg phosphoric acid to the aforementioned liquid feeds were measured. Addition of NaCl reduced N availability by 21%, and phosphoric acid reduced N availability by 50%. In Experiment 3, the effect of heating was measured in products containing 20 g/kg NaCl. Heating at 100 °C for 15 min reduced N availability (P
Compact abelian actions on the two cell

Abstract It is shown that a compact abelian group of continuous self maps of the two dimensional Euclidean cell has a common fixed point. The group identity is not assumed to be represented by the identity homeomorphism.
The impact of an appreciative advising‐based university studies course on college student first‐year experience

This study describes the evaluation of a first‐year experience course which emphasised the “appreciative advising” theoretical model – a strength‐based, relational approach to student development that aims to enhance students’ self‐efficacy and academic self‐perception. In order to measure the effectiveness of the course and its impact on student academic achievement, an outcome‐based evaluation was conducted. The evaluation focused on the impact of the course on students’ attitudes and perceptions towards their academic ability, their actual academic achievement and student retention. Using a number of comprehensive measures, including the tracking of academic outcomes, and assessment of students’ attitudes and behaviours, the evaluation evidenced the positive impact of the course.
Osteoarthritis in older adults

OBJECTIVE: This review highlights the clinical and pathophysiologic features of osteoarthritis (OA) of the peripheral joints and discusses the current and future management options for this common but potentially disabling disease. This article also addresses the contribution of osteoarthritis to falls and functional impairment in older people. DESIGN: A critical assessment of current data regarding the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, current and future therapies, and the potential role of OA in falls and functional impairment in older people. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent articular disease in older adults. Disease markers that will detect early disease and allow early intervention with pharmacologic agents that modify, if not halt, disease progression are much needed, but they are presently unavailable. Current management should include safe and adequate pain relief using systemic and local therapies and should also include medical and rehabilitative interventions to prevent, or at least compensate for, functional deficits. Although OA can result in impaired mobility and lower extremity function, its contribution as a cause of recurrent falls or impaired self-care, relative to other comorbid conditions, remains ill-defined. Further analysis of the determinants of disability, loss of mobility and falls in older patients with OA is needed.
A web-based approach for real-time robot operations

Owing to the business decentralisation and outsourcing, manufacturing is moving toward the direction in distributed environment. A new enabling technology is required, especially in remote monitoring and control of daily manufacturing operations. As web is rooted into business, a web-based solution for real-time monitoring and control is preferable due to its popularity, low cost, and availability. However, unpredictable network traffic posts a major challenge for web-based real-time application development. This paper proposes to use computer graphics augmented with real sensor data for reducing data transmission over the network. Particularly, a web-based technology for remote robot operations is presented.
Fuzzy logic resource manager: real-time adaptation and self-organization

A fuzzy logic expert system has been developed that automatically allocates electronic attack (EA) resources distributed over different platforms in real-time. Genetic algorithm based optimization is conducted to determine the form of the membership functions for the fuzzy root concepts. The resource manager (RM) is made up of five parts, the isolated platform model, the multi-platform decision tree, the fuzzy EA model, the fuzzy parameter selection tree and the fuzzy strategy tree. The platforms are each controlled by their own copy of the RM allowing them to automatically work together, i.e., they self-organize through communication without the need of a central commander. A group of platforms working together will automatically show desirable forms of emergent behavior, i.e., they will exhibit desirable behavior that was never explicitly programmed into them. This is important since it is impossible to have a rule covering every possible situation that might be encountered. An example of desirable emergent behavior is discussed as well as a method using a co-evolutionary war game for eliminating undesirable forms of behavior. The RM"s ability to adapt to changing situations is enhanced by the fuzzy parameter selection tree. Tree structure is discussed as well as various related examples.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Double layer mediated energy conversion with a protein membrane using an imposed frequency and wavelength

Abstract A mechanical excitation of known temporal frequency and fixed spatial wavelength is imposed on a collagen membrane in a homogeneous aqueous electrolyte environment. An electrical response is measured at the same frequency as the imposed mechanical excitation. A quasi-one dimensional model is developed which includes the effects of electrolyte viscous shear and normal forces as well as inertial and normal pressure forces. Experimental parameters examined include collagen membrane tension, amplitude of the mechanical excitation, system geometry and the electrolyte bath pH. The objective of this work is to model and evaluate electromechanical transductive coupling with charged membranes at the device or system level as well as at the macromolecular level. The results are also directly relevant to physiological electromechanical processes occurring in connective tissue structures such as cartilage.
Congenital infections with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) and human herpesvirus 7 (HHV7).

Objective To examine whether: (1) congenital human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) and human herpesvirus 7 (HHV7) infections occur; whether (2) their manifestations differ from postnatal infections; and whether (3) HHV6 and HHV7 infections differ despite their close relatedness. Study design HHV6 and HHV7 infections acquired congenitally and postnatally in normal children were compared using viral isolation, serology, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested DNA-PCR for HHV6 variant A (HHV6A), HHV6 variant B (HHV6B), and HHV7. Results HHV6 DNA was detected in 57 (1%) of 5638 cord bloods. HHV7 DNA, however, was not detected in 2129 cord bloods. Congenital HHV6 infections differed from postnatal infections, which were acute febrile illnesses. Congenital infections were asymptomatic, 10% demonstrated reactivation at birth, and HHV6 DNA persistence in follow-up blood samples was significantly more frequent. One-third of congenital infections were HHV6A, whereas all postnatal infections were HHV6B. Conclusions Congenital HHV6 infections occurred in 1% of births, similar to the rate for cytomegalovirus infection. Congenital infections were clinically and virologically distinct from postnatal infections. Congenital HHV7 infections, however, were not detected, suggesting considerable differences in transmission and pathogenesis in these closely related β-herpesviruses.
Ionic Liquids Containing the Tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate Anion: a New Class of Highly Selective and Ultra Hydrophobic Solvents for the Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Single Drop Microextraction

A new class of ionic liquids (ILs) containing the tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate (FAP) anion are paired with imidazolium, phosphonium, and pyrrolidinium cations and used as extraction solvents in direct immersion single drop microextraction (SDME) studies coupled to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The selectivity and sensitivity of the extraction method can be tuned and manipulated by varying the cationic component of the IL, thereby providing larger enrichment factors for a variety of analytes, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Compared to other hydrophobic ILs containing the hexafluorophosphate (PF6−) and bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (NTf2−) anions, FAP-based ILs are significantly more hydrophobic and hydrolytically stable permitting them to be used in the sampling of large volumes of aqueous solutions without dissolution or loss of the IL. The highest enrichment factors were obtained with the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium FAP ([PH3T] [FAP]) IL for comp...
A study of electrocardiograms recorded during exercise tests on subjects in the fasting state and after the ingestion of a heavy meal

Abstract The object of this study was to compare the changes induced in the electrocardiogram by exercise in human subjects in the fasting state with the changes induced in these same persons after they had ingested a large meal. Seventy-six subjects were included in the study. Most of them had experienced pain in the chest, the origins of which commonly were not clear on the grounds of clinical evidence available prior to the test.
Measuring Inter-DNA Potentials in Solution

Interactions between short strands of DNA can be tuned from repulsive to attractive by varying solution conditions and have been quantified using small angle x-ray scattering techniques. The effective DNA interaction charge was extracted by fitting the scattering profiles with the generalized one-component method and inter-DNA Yukawa pair potentials. A significant charge is measured at low to moderate monovalent counterion concentrations, resulting in strong inter-DNA repulsion. The charge and repulsion diminish rapidly upon the addition of divalent counterions. An intriguing short range attraction is observed at surprisingly low divalent cation concentrations, approximately 16 mM Mg2+. Quantitative measurements of inter-DNA potentials are essential for improving models of fundamental interactions in biological systems.
Fast evaluation of nonreflecting boundary conditions for the Schrödinger equation in one dimension

Abstract We present a fast algorithm for the evaluation of the exact nonreflecting boundary conditions for the Schrodinger equation in one dimension. The exact nonreflecting boundary condition contains a nonlocal term which is a convolution integral in time, with a kernel proportional to 1 √t. The key observation is that this integral can be split into two parts: a local part and a history part, each of which allows for separate treatment. The local part is computed by a quadrature suited for square-root singularities. For the history part, we approximate the convolution kernel uniformly by a sum of exponentials. The integral can then be evaluated recursively. As a result, the computation of the nonreflecting boundary conditions is both accurate and efficient.
The phosphorus concentration of common rocks—a potential driver of ecosystem P status

Background Soil phosphorus (P) availability can be an important regulator of ecosystem processes. Changes in P availability over time have long been studied, but the P concentration of soil parent materials—which determines ecosystem P concentration at the onset of soil formation—have never been systematically explored. Hereweask two questions:1)how doesP concentration vary among soil parent materials? and 2) under what range of conditions do those differences influence soil P concentration? Methods We used the Earthchem webportal to compile the P concentration of 263,539 rocks. We then gathered data from 62 sites (MAT ranging from 200– 5,000 mmyr -1 and soil age from 0.3–4,100 ky) and
Margaret Fuller’s Summer on the Lakes, in 1843 and the Condition of America

In her travel narrative Summer on the Lakes, in 1843, Margaret Fuller differentiates consistently between the materialistic or utilitarian motivations of settlers, on one hand, and the spiritual or aesthetic aims of tourists on the other. Her trip occurred during the depths of the severe economic crisis of 1837 to 1844, a period of widespread questioning of the historical progressiveness of capitalism. Many among Fuller’s circle of radical bourgeois Bostonians felt that the world had been badly deformed by what they called “the spirit of commerce”, and they worried that New England was developing what Thomas Carlyle diagnosed as the “Condition-of-England.” This romantic assessment of socio-economic pathologies focused on the idea that a materialist, instrumentalist, and rationalist civilization had lost touch with the organic “laws of nature.” Summer on the Lakes, then, is structured by the tension between a vision of a just society rooted in nature and the stark reality of America’s westward expansion, between an abiding faith in the human potential to live up to the beauty of picturesque landscapes and a clear understanding of the cold social calculus of immediate profit.
Tensor product of frame manuals

Since its first use, there has been widespread dissatisfaction with the Hilbert-space tensor product as a device for coupling the Hilbert-space models of two separated quantum mechanical systems. The Hilbert-space model is paraphrased manual-theoretically by the assertion that quantum mechanical entities are represented by frame manuals. There is a natural, heuristically straightforward tensor product for (unital) manuals, and it is natural therefore to ask whether the tensor product of frame manuals might serve as an alternative model of separated quantum mechanical systems. It is shown that the states on a tensor product of complex frame manuals give rise uniquely to sesquilinear forms on the tensor product of the underlying Hibert spaces. In certain cases, these in turn give rise to operators, which, however, are not generally positive, and which, even if compact, need not be trace-class.
Prepared Milk and Egg Custard with Freeze-Thaw Stability

Abstract The concept of a prepared frozen milk and egg custard which upon thawing would resemble the traditional baked custard was investigated. A basic formula was developed consisting of 73.8% whole milk (3.5% fat), 14.6% whole eggs, 10.0% sucrose, 1.0% nonfat dry milk, and 0.6% 300 Bloom gelatin. Processing involved pasteurization (82C for 15min), homogenization, cooling, aging, and freezing in a continuous ice cream freezer followed by storage at −29C. Syneresis which occurred upon thawing when samples were frozen quiescently was absent when the product was frozen in a continuous freezer with the incorporation of air to yield 10 to 15% overrun. Rate of cooling and time of aging the mix greatly influenced consistency of the thawed product. Results of a small-scale project indicated excellent consumer acceptance. Legal aspects of labeling the product are discussed.
The county manager plan proves itself

Reports from California, Virginia, and North Carolina, where the plan is in actual operation.