cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multisection Proton MR Spectroscopy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Extensive metabolic impairments have been reported in association with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). We investigated whether proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) depicts metabolic changes beyond the hippocampus in cases of mTLE and whether these changes help lateralize the seizure focus. METHODS: MR imaging and 1H-MRS were performed in 15 patients with mTLE with a postoperative diagnosis of mesial temporal sclerosis and in 12 control volunteers. Point-resolved spectroscopy and multisection 1H-MRS measured N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), and choline (Cho) in the hippocampus, temporal opercular and lateral cortices, insula and cerebellum, and frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Metabolites were assessed as ratios to Cr and in absolute units. RESULTS: Twelve patients had ipsilateral hippocampal atrophy; three had negative imaging results. In the ipsilateral hippocampus, absolute NAA (|NAA|) was 27.3% lower in patients compared with that in control volunteers (P CONCLUSION: Multisection 1H-MRS depicts interictal reductions of NAA in the ipsilateral temporal lobe beyond the hippocampus and accurately lateralizes seizure foci.
Automated Fluorometric Micromethod for Blood Glucose

We describe a sensitive automated fluorometric method for glucose in whole blood spotted on filter paper. By action of glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) on glucose, hydrogen peroxide is produced, which then reacts with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid) in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) to form a fluorescent condensation product. Obtained at a rate of 60 samples per hour, the results are accurate, linear, and reproducible. Whole blood glucose can be determined by this method with an error (CV) of less than 5%.
Local bi‐planar gradient array design using conformal mapping and simulated annealing

Many magnetic resonance imaging applications require high spatial and temporal resolution. The improved gradient performance required to achieve high spatial and temporal resolution may be achieved by using local gradient coils such as planar gradient inserts. The planar gradient set provides higher gradient performance because it is placed inside of the imaging bore of the magnet (within the body gradients) in close proximity to the imaging region. Although the wire patterns for planar gradients can be designed using two dimensional stream functions and simulated annealing, optimization of the two dimensional stream functions can be much more computationally intensive and time consuming than optimizing the one dimensional stream functions required for cylindrical gradients. To address this problem, we have developed a simple and rapid method for the design of planar gradient inserts to produce a high strength local gradient field and a reasonably uniform imaging region. By using conformal mapping, the two dimensional problem can be simplified to a faster and more easily calculated one dimensional problem. The mapping transforms the magnetic field and wire patterns in the cylindrical system into a magnetic field and wire patterns in the bi-planar geometry providing a tool for bi-planar gradient coil design using a one dimensional stream function. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 35B: 23–31, 2009
The structure of axis II disorders in adolescents : A cluster- and factor-analytic investigation of dsm-iv categories and criteria

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the structure of personality disorder (PD) symptoms in adolescents assessed using DSM-IV diagnoses and diagnostic criteria resembles the structure intended for the diagnosis of PDs in adults. A national sample of clinicians rated DSM-IV Axis II criteria on 294 adolescent patients in treatment for enduring maladaptive personality patterns. Cluster analysis replicating procedures used in an adult sample by Morey (1988) identified considerable similarity between adult and adolescent PDs, as did exploratory factor analysis of ratings of diagnostic criteria, which yielded ten empirically derived factors that resembled the ten DSM-IV PDs. Cluster analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with indicators of Axis II symptoms produced mixed results in replicating the DSM-IV hierarchical structure of PDs (Clusters A, B, and C), although hierarchical models generally fared better than models specifying only first-order factors or clusters. The structure of personality pathology as assessed by Axis II criteria in adolescents resembles that outlined in DSM-IV Axis II for adults, suggesting that PDs can be assessed in adolescents as in adults. Whether this is an optimal way of diagnosing personality pathology in adolescence, however, requires further investigation.
Transfer of stimulus discrimination: Can response terms be used to differentiate stimulus terms?

In two experiments Ss were given free-recall learning (FL) of high-similarity trigrams prior to these trigrams being used as stimulus terms for an A-B, A-C paradigm. Other Ss were given FL of the A-B pairs, and control groups learned A-B, C-D following comparable treatments. Transfer was greater following FL of trigrams than following FL of pairs; this finding was consistent with the notion that unless Ss are forces to establish differentiating cues to highly similar trigrams, the response terms may serve as differentiating cues. In a third experiment the number of different response terms (holding number of stimulus terms constant) was varied in A-B learning, with a single response term used for each stimulus term in A-C. Transfer did not differ from a C-D control, a finding not consistent with the notion that response terms may serve as differentiating cues for stimulus terms. For both paradigms, learning of the second list was inversely related to number of response terms in the first list.
Setting up and running a control research laboratory

Setting up and managing a control research laboratory can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive undertaking. The author offers helpful advice based on his own experience, much of it learned by sometimes painful trial and error, in the hope that this advice will help you avoid some of the difficulties that you might otherwise encounter. Questions addressed are whether to build or to buy; how much space is needed; how much money is needed; the best way to design a control experiment; PCs and software maintenance; electrical problems; filters; power amplifiers; batteries; documentation of results; choice of vendors; and lab safety.
The Effect of Calcium on Hypothermia-Facilitated Resuscitation of Warm Ischemic Kidney Tissue Slices: A Role for the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore?

Abstract This study examined the effect of varying the calcium (Ca) content of a solution used for aerobic hypothermic storage of rabbit kidney cortex tissue slices previously injured by 1-h warm ischemia. Ischemic slices were stored in UW Na-gluconate solution for 18 h at 5°C with 0.5, 1.5, or 1.75 mM Ca (± quinacrine; 100 μM) followed by warm (37°C) aerobic incubation in physiologic buffer for 3.5 h to simulate reperfusion. There was no effect of solution Ca concentration on tissue ATP (adenosine 5′-triphosphate) and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) content during reperfusion. However, recovery of slice ATP and NEFA content to control levels was seen with addition of quinacrine to hypothermic storage medium containing either 1.5 or 1.75 mM Ca but not with 0.5 mM Ca storage medium. Treatment of tissue slices with cyclosporine A (20 μM), an inhibitor of the mitochondrial Ca-induced permeability transition pore, abolished the resuscitative benefits of hypothermic preservation with quinacrine + 1.5 mM Ca. These results suggest that quinacrine exerts its effects on warm ischemic tissue during hypothermic storage via the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. An effect utilizing a pore-open state is probable but it remains unclear if quinacrine acts on the pore directly or gains access to the matrix space through the pore and exerts its effects via an unknown mechanism. These results indicate that resuscitative hypothermic storage methods may be able to use manipulation of the permeability transition pore as a valuable adjunct to pharmacologic treatments administered during hypothermia.
Conductive fibers from enzymatically synthesized polyaniline

Abstract Conducting polyaniline (PANI) fibers have been spun from a water-soluble form of PANI which was enzymatically synthesized. The enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used to polymerize aniline in the presence of sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) to directly form a water-soluble, conducting, PANI/SPS complex which combines moderate electrical conductivity with appreciable processability. The PANI/SPS complex was spun into fibers from aqueous solution using a dry-spinning technique. Thermal studies which included thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and DMA show that the complex has very good thermal stability and a T g at 150°C. Mechanical properties of the fibers show a tenacity of 0.34 cN/dtex for the as-spun fibers with an increase to 0.56 cN/dtex after thermal stretch alignment. Wide angle X-Ray diffraction shows the presence of two weak peaks at d values of 4.16 A and 2.95 A for the drawn fibers, while no crystalline reflections were observed for cast films. The drawn fibers also show an order of magnitude improvement in conductivity. These results show that some degree of fiber orientation and crystallinity may be induced during processing.
FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT DESIGN IN MICHIGAN: TRANSITION FROM EMPIRICAL TO MECHANISTIC METHODS

Michigan is rapidly moving toward adopting and using a mechanistic-empirical design for flexible pavements. To facilitate the transition from empirical to mechanistic design methods, the Michigan Department of Transportation contracted the development of software called the Michigan Flexible Pavement Design System (MFPDS). This software provides a holistic framework for analyzing and designing flexible pavements. MFPDS includes modules for AASHTO design, linear and nonlinear mechanistic analysis, backcalculation, and mechanistic design (including overlay design). The software incorporates enhanced elastic layer and finite element models within an easy-to-use Windows user interface and can be used on a routine basis. New response models to predict fatigue life and rut depth also were developed as part of this effort and are included in MFPDS. New pavements and overlays may be designed to limit predicted distresses to user-specified threshold values. The features of the mechanistic analysis and design appro...
Computer-aided analysis of wave digital filter transfer characteristic

An approach for finding the wave digital filter transfer characteristic is developed with a general computer program. The program can be used to analyse the quantification effect of different multiplier coefficient wordlengths for the wave digital filter transfer characteristic, thus it is possible to make a reasonable choice of coefficient word-length in order to take account of economization as well as technical specifications when the wave digital filter is in hardware implementation.
A survey of the current use and methods of analysis of bronchoprovocational challenges

The purpose of this study was to survey the current techniques and methods of analysis in bronchoprovocational challenges currently in use. A questionnaire was sent to 94 investigators who had recently published an article in which a bronchoprovocational technique was used. They were asked to answer questions regarding the techniques used in challenge procedures and to calculate the results of ten histamine challenges which had previously been performed in our laboratory. Forty-four responded; 32 of these gave specific results for the histamine challenge. The most common provocative agent utilized was methacholine (62 percent), and that most used delivery mode was a dosimeter for delivery (55 percent). The most common provocative agent utilized was methacholine (62 percent) and the most used delivery mode was a dosimeter (55 percent). (Chest 1991; 100:322-28)
Obese Schizophrenia Spectrum Patients Have Significantly Higher 10-Year General Cardiovascular Risk and Vascular Ages than Obese Individuals without Severe Mental Illness

Background Individuals with schizophrenia have a life expectancy that is 20 years less than the general population, along with high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Objective This study assessed the 10-year general CVD risk and vascular ages of 106 obese schizophrenia spectrum patients and 197 demographically matched obese controls without severe mental illness (SMI) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods Vascular age and general CVD risk were calculated using the Framingham global CVD calculator, which incorporates age, sex, total and HDL cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, smoking status, and diabetes or hypertension treatment. Results Obese schizophrenia spectrum patients had a mean vascular age that was 14.1 years older than their mean actual age, whereas obese NHANES participants had only a 6.7-year difference. The probability of experiencing a CVD event within the next 10 years was 10.7% for obese patients and 8.5% for obese NHANES participants. Conclusion These findings suggest that schizophrenia spectrum patients experience increased metabolic risk independent of weight. Primary care clinicians can utilize general CVD risk and vascular age scores to communicate metabolic risk more easily and to help make treatment decisions.
Bootstrap beacon creation for dynamic wavefront compensation

The task of delivering sufficient level of airborne laser energy to ground based targets is of high interest. To overcome the degradation in beam quality induced by atmospheric turbulence, it is necessary to measure and compensate for the phase distortions in the wavefront. Since, in general, there will not be a cooperative beacon present, an artificial laser beacon is used for this purpose. In many cases of practical interest, beacons created by scattering light from a surface in the scene are anisoplanatic, and as a result provide poor beam compensation results when conventional adaptive optics systems are used. In this paper we present three approaches for beacon creation in a down-looking scenario. In the first approach we probe whole volume of the atmosphere between transmitter and the target. In this case the beacon is created by scattering an initially focused beam from the surface of the target. The second approach describes generation of an uncompensated Rayleigh beacon at some intermediate distance between the transmitter and the target. This method allows compensation for only part of the atmospheric path, which in some cases provides sufficient performance. Lastly, we present a novel technique of "bootstrap" beacon generation that allows achieving dynamic wavefront compensation. In this approach a series of compensated beacons is created along the optical path, with the goal of providing a physically smaller beacon at the target plane. The performance of these techniques is evaluated by using the average Strehl ratio and the radially averaged intensity of the beam falling on the target plane. Simulation results show that under most turbulence conditions of practical interest the novel "bootstrap" technique provides better power in the bucket in comparison with the other two techniques.
Chopper-stabilized gas chromatography-electroantennography: Part I. background, signal processing and example.

Abstract A new method that can improve gas-chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) by orders of magnitude through a technique known as chopper stabilization combined with matched filtering in colored noise is presented. The EAD is a physiological recording from the antenna of an insect which can be used to find compounds in the GC effluent that the antenna is able to detect, having important applications for pest control and understanding of chemical communication in nature. The new method is demonstrated with whole-animal male Helicoverpa zea antennal preparations for detection of major pheromone component (cis-11-hexadecenal) and compared to results obtained using traditional EAD recording techniques. Results indicate that chopper stabilization under these circumstances can increase odorant detection performance by a factor of approximately 10 4 over traditional methods. The time course of the response of the antenna is also better resolved under chopped conditions. Although the degree of improvement is expected to vary with insect species, odor, and insect preparation, under most circumstances a more sensitive and robust GC-EAD instrument will result from the application of this technique.
History-Dependent Mechanical Properties of Permeabilized Rat Soleus Muscle Fibers

Abstract Permeabilized rat soleus muscle fibers were subjected to repeated triangular length changes (paired ramp stretches/releases, 0.03 l 0 ,±0.1 l 0 s −1 imposed under sarcomere length control) to investigate whether the rate of stiffness recovery after movement increased with the level of Ca 2+ activation. Actively contracting fibers exhibited a characteristic tension response to stretch: tension rose sharply during the initial phase of the movement before dropping slightly to a plateau, which was maintained during the remainder of the stretch. When the fibers were stretched twice, the initial phase of the response was reduced by an amount that depended on both the level of Ca 2+ activation and the elapsed time since the first movement. Detailed analysis revealed three new and important findings. 1) The rates of stiffness and tension recovery and 2) the relative height of the tension plateau each increased with the level of Ca 2+ activation. 3) The tension plateau developed more quickly during the second stretch at high free Ca 2+ concentrations than at low. These findings are consistent with a cross-bridge mechanism but suggest that the rate of the force-generating power-stroke increases with the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration and cross-bridge strain.
Real-Time Bioluminescence Imaging of Glycans on Live Cells

Cell-surface glycans are attractive targets for molecule imaging due to their reflection of cellular processes associated with development and disease progression. In this paper, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological application of a new phosphine probe for real-time imaging of cell-surface glycans using bioluminescence. To accomplish this goal, we took advantage of the bioorthogonal chemical reporter technique. This strategy uses a two-step labeling procedure in which an unnatural sugar analogue containing a functional handle is (1) incorporated into sugar-bearing proteins via the cell’s own biosynthetic machinery and then (2) detected with an exogenously added probe. We designed phosphine−luciferin reagent 1 to activate bioluminescence in response to Staudinger ligation with azide-labeled glycans. We chose to use a phosphine probe because, despite their slow reaction kinetics, they remain the best-performing reagents for tagging azidosugars in mice. Given the sensitivity and negligible background provided by bioluminescence imaging (BLI), we reasoned that 1 might be able to overcome some of the limitations encountered with fluorescent phosphine probes. In this work, we synthesized the first phosphine−luciferin probe for use in real-time BLI and demonstrated that azide-labeled cell-surface glycans can be imaged with 1 using concentrations as low as single digit nanomolar and times as little as 5 min, a feat that cannot be matched by any previous fluorescent phosphine probes. Even though we have only demonstrated its use in visualizing glycans, it can be envisioned that this probe could also be used for bioluminescence imaging of any azide-containing biomolecule, such as proteins and lipids, since azides have been previously incorporated into these molecules. The phosphine−luciferin probe is therefore poised for many applications in real-time imaging in cells and whole animals. These studies are currently in progress in our laboratory.
Genome-wide expression dynamics during mouse embryonic development reveal similarities to Drosophila development

Gene transcription mediates many vital aspects of mammalian embryonic development. A comprehensive characterization and analysis of the dynamics of gene transcription in the embryo is therefore likely to provide significant insights into the basic mechanisms of this process. We used microarrays to map transcription in the mouse embryo in the important period from embryonic day 8 (e8.0) to postnatal day 1 (p1) during which the bulk of the differentiation and development of organ systems takes place. Analysis of these expression profiles revealed distinct patterns of gene expression which correlate with the differentiation of organs including the nervous system, liver, skin, lungs, and digestive system, among others. Statistical analysis of the data based on Gene Ontology (GO) group annotation showed that specific temporal sequence patterns in gene class utilization across development are very similar to patterns seen during the embryonic development of Drosophila, suggesting conservation of the temporal progression of these processes across 550 million years of evolution. The temporal profiles of gene expression and activation of processes revealed here provide intriguing insights into the mechanisms of mammalian development, embryogenesis, and organogenesis, as well as into the evolution of developmental processes.
An internationally shared health frame of reference created by a television program: The Simpsons, a content analysis of health messages

Watching television has become one of the most time‐consuming leisure activities of children in many nations. Television offers numerous opportunities to learn and be entertained, but can conbribute to a variety of public health concerns for youth. Thus, it is vital for health professionals to become aware of the types of health‐related messages (HRMs) broadcast on television. The purpose of this study was to content‐analyze the HRMs in a widely viewed, popular prime‐time program, The Simpsons, which is exported around the world and is rich in HRMs. Overall, nearly 40 percent of the HRMs on The Simpsons run counter to those promoted by health professionals. However, there were positive HRMs promoting practices recommended by health‐care professionals, such as choosing nutritious foods and eating together as a family. Future research should investigate how HRMs impact children's health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
Protein-tyrosine phosphatases in the vessel wall: differential expression after acute arterial injury.

Abstract —Many protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) have now been identified, but little is known about PTPase expression and regulation in vascular tissue and in vascular disease. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and cDNA fingerprinting of PTPase catalytic domains, combined with random sequencing of PCR product libraries, identified 18 (8 receptor-like and 10 cytosolic) PTPases in the rat carotid artery and revealed differential expression of 5 of these PTPases during neointima formation after balloon catheter injury. In situ hybridization was used to localize mRNA expression in vessel cross sections for the 5 differentially expressed PTPases. This revealed that for 3 PTPases (SHP1, CD45, and PTPβ), differential transcript abundance was due to appearance/loss of the cell types by which they were expressed (leukocytes for SHP1 and CD45, endothelial cells for PTPβ). However, mRNA expression of 2 PTPases (PTPL1 and PTP1B) was specifically upregulated by proliferating and migrating smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in characteristic temporal and regional patterns in response to vessel damage. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that PTP1B and PTPL1 were induced ≈30-fold and ≈60-fold, respectively, by 2 weeks after injury in the damaged vessels compared with the uninjured vessels. PTP1B was rapidly upregulated in the media after vessel injury and remained highly expressed in the developing neointima. By contrast, PTPL1 expression did not increase dramatically until the SMCs had migrated into the intima. The differential expression of PTP1B and PTPL1 by SMCs after injury suggests roles for these PTPases in the regulation of vessel wall remodeling.
Searching for Public-Key Cryptosystems

This article suggests the use of undecidable problems in constructing public-key cryptosystems. Any such system must still be in NP, but intuitive arguments suggest that this approach might be a reasonable alternative to the use of NP-complete problems. A general approach based on the undecidable word problem for groups is discussed, though without enough detail to evaluate a specific implementation. The resulting cryptosystem, if successful, would be a randomized public-key encryption procedure with infinitely many ciphertexts corresponding to each plaintext. Also , it is possible that a specific implementation could have infinitely many secret keys corresponding to one public key.
First Report of Reduced Sensitivity to a QoI Fungicide in Apple Scab (Venturia inaequalis) in Virginia and Maryland

Apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Winter continues to be a significant concern for apple growers in Virginia and Maryland. Management of scab has relied on foliar fungicides including strobilurins (QoIs) such as trifloxystrobin (TFX). In recent years, populations of V. inaequalis with reduced sensitivity to the QoIs have been reported in other apple-growing regions of the United States (1,2). Although QoIs generally remain effective in the mid-Atlantic, concerns about the development of resistance in some Virginia and Maryland orchards prompted this study. Twenty-five isolates of V. inaequalis were obtained from scabby leaves from commercial and experimental orchards in Virginia in 2010 (n = 6) and 2011 (n = 14) and from a commercial orchard in Maryland (n = 5) in 2011. Orchards had previously been treated with QoI or sterol-inhibiting (SI) fungicides. Isolates of V. inaequalis were grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 0, 0.1, or 1.0 μg ml–1 TFX with 100 μg ml–1 salicylhydroxami...
Gap Material Study for Holographically Formed Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Composite Film Stacks

We present a comparison of materials for adhering layers of holographically formed polymer dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) films layered in stacks fabricated on common substrates. The results of this study are used in applications that rely on maximization of transmitted light through the layers of H-PDLC. Data is presented by comparing a simulated transmission envelope modeled on the individual H-PDLC cells with the actual stacked transmission spectrum. Additionally, data is presented on the quality of the wavefront of H-PDLC transmission spectrum individually and layered using air and index matching layers.
Personality, Interpersonal Circumplex, and DSM–5: A Commentary on Five Studies

Much of personality is interpersonal, and what is interpersonal can be elegantly organized through the crossing of 2 fundamental dimensions of personality: agency and communion. The interpersonal circumplex has enriched substantially what is known about personality and in particular personality disorder, emphasizing to clinicians the importance of considering maladaptive interpersonal functioning when conducting clinical assessments. The purpose of this article is to provide a commentary on 5 articles concerning the interpersonal perspective on personality assessment. The contributions of these 5 studies are also understood relative to the proposed revisions to the American Psychiatric Association's personality disorder nomenclature, as the proposed revisions will be cutting out half of the interpersonal circumplex from further recognition.
Paper electrophoresis of human synovial fluid.

SummaryAfter treatment of human synovial fluid with hyaluronidase, the hyaluronate and proteins can be separated by paper electrophoresis. The electrophoretic distribution of the protein fractions of normal synovial fluid differs from that of the protein fractions of both normal serum and osteoarthritic synovial fluid.
Estimating efficiency of fly ashes: an alternative definition of k values

Assessment of fly ash efficiency based on the mechanical performance of fly ash-modified mortars is not straightforward. Hence, a ‘k value’, or an efficiency factor, of various forms have been proposed and employed in the past. In this study, a simplified value analysis is proposed to handle large sets of compressive strength data. A set of six fly ashes from different sources across the USA were collected and analyzed in this study to gauge their efficiency. In a comparison of fly ash with an ideal inert material (rather than with commonly used Portland cement), the values, or reactivity levels of fly ashes, reported here are dependent on the replacement level and independent of curing age. Such an analysis may be beneficial to industrial concrete labs where significant amount of trial batches and mixes are prepared prior to the commercial employment of a new fly ash or pozzolan.
Robust Control of Uncertain Nonlinear Systems by Output Feedback

The problem of global robust stabilization by output feedback is investigated, for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems that are dominated by both linear and higher-order nonlinearities multiplying by an output dependent growth rate. There are two ingredients in this paper. One is to exploit the idea of how to handle polynomial growth conditions via homogeneity and domination, without introducing an observer gain updated law. Another one is the development of a recursive design algorithm for the construction of reduced-order observers, which is not only interesting in its own right but also has a valid counterpart that turns out to be effective when dealing with strongly nonlinear systems, even lack of uniform observability and smooth stabilizability.
Perspectives on medialization laryngoplasty

Medialization laryngoplasty has become the new gold standard for the permanent management of patients with vocal fold paralysis and paresis. This article reviews the conceptual developments of the diagnosis and management of patients with vocal fold paresis and paralysis. We identify the specifics of operative decision-making as well as surgical complications associated with medializationlaryngoplasty. The role of revision surgery is detailed. We suggest a standardized evaluation using both objective and subjective data for analysis of surgical outcomes.
Estimation of stochastic crosswind response of wind-excited tall buildings with nonlinear aerodynamic damping

Abstract This study addresses the analysis of crosswind response of tall buildings and flexible structures at wind speed region higher than the vortex lock-in speed, where nonlinear negative aerodynamic damping effect is significant. The modeling of nonlinear aerodynamic damping as a function of time-varying velocity and/or displacement of vibration is established based on motion-induced aerodynamic force information obtained from forced-vibration model testing in wind tunnel, referred to as harmonic balance. Response time history simulations are performed by solving the nonlinear equation of motion to explore the unique hardening non-Gaussian characteristics of crosswind response and its extreme value distribution with reduced peak factor. The response time history simulations also provide a bases for assessing the performance of analytical predictions of root-mean-square (RMS) response using crosswind loading spectrum and equivalent aerodynamic damping models. The limitations of the equivalent aerodynamic damping models as functions of RMS response derived from harmonic balance and statistical linearization with an assumption of Gaussian response are revealed. This study, at the first time, by using the method of equivalent nonlinear equation, presents complete analytical solutions of crosswind response statistics, including not only the RMS response, but also response kurtosis, response probability distribution, peak factor and extreme value distribution. The comparison of the analytical predictions with response simulation results illustrates that the method of equivalent nonlinear equation is very accurate in predicting crosswind response statistics that are influenced by the nonlinear aerodynamic damping. The narrow band feature of response is further considered in this study in the calculation of crossing rate using amplitude process, which leads to even better predictions of extreme statistics. This general framework can also be readily adopted in design codes and standards for calculating vortex-induced vibration of towers and chimneys.
Inhibition of oxygenated sterol entry into human red cells and lymphocytes by isolated serum lipoproteins

Abstract We studied the uptake of certain oxygenated sterols by human lymphocytes during their incubation in lipoprotein-depleted medium and found that it resembles closely the uptake of oxygenated sterols by human red-cell membranes. Entry of oxygenated sterols into lymphocytes is virtually complete within 5 min of exposure of the cells to the oxygenated sterol-containing medium, is related to the concentration of oxygenated sterols and is impeded by low temperature. The presence of free cholesterol does not alter the amount of oxygenated sterol entering lymphocytes. However, substitution of lipoprotein-containing medium for lipoprotein-depleted medium reduces the amount of oxygenated sterol entering lymphocytes by 65–75%. Oxygenated sterol uptake by lymphocytes from individuals with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia does not differ from that of normal lymphocytes. Oxygenated sterols bind to all density classes of human lipoproteins, but do not alter their hydrodynamic properties of their cholesterokprotein mass ratios. These compounds also have little or no effect on cholesterol exchange between incubation medium and red-cell membranes. Both LDL and HDL, when added to oxygenated sterol-containing medium, effectively diminish the amount of oxygenated sterol taken up by red cells and lymphocytes; LDL is approximately 2.5–4 times more effective than HDL in preventing oxygenated sterol entry into cells. Lipoproteins can also act as acceptors of oxygenated sterols previously inserted into lymphocytes. Since oxygenated sterols have been reported to be atherogenic, the modulating effects of lipoproteins on oxygenated sterol uptake by cells, and the alterations in membrane structure and function which ensue, may be a useful model for further study.
The association between smoking and Alzheimer's disease: effects of study design and bias

In epidemiologic studies, unrecognized bias can contribute to observed results, causing them to be inaccurate. Analytic study designs, such as the case-control and cohort designs, each carry potential for specific forms of bias. The cohort design is not susceptible to many forms of bias that are experienced by case-control studies. A consistent "protective" effect of smoking on Alzheimer's disease was documented by many case-control studies. However, the potential effect of biases cannot be separated from the results. Cohort studies now show that smoking may either be unrelated to Alzheimer's disease onset or possibly generate a modest increased risk. In this review the results and comparisons of various studies and potential biases are discussed.
Infectious diseases: echinococcosis (hydatid disease).

This series is based on the Infectious Diseases section of the web site Refugee Health ∼ Immigrant Health, available on the World Wide Web at http://www.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/Refugee_Health.htm. The site was developed through a contract with the Texas Department of Health as part of an ongoing effort to improve the health of refugees and immigrants.
On the source region of flux transfer events

An examination has been conducted of the region of occurrence of flux transfer events for three distinct orientations of the interplanetary magnetic field: nearly horizontal in the solar magnetospheric equator, diagonally southward at 45 deg to the magnetospheric equator and nearly due south. For horizontal IMF conditions the FTE's occur in a horizontal band about + or - 6 earth radii wide. For diagonally southward IMF conditions, the FTE's occur in a diagonal swath about + or - 6 earth radii wide passing through the subsolar point. For duskward but nearly due southward IMF conditions, the observations reveal FTE's throughout the northern morning quadrant. These observations are consistent with a near equatorial source for flux transfer events and hence with component merging and not anti-parallel merging. These observations also help understand the energetic ion anisotropies seen in these events.
Proximal pharyngeal reflux correlates with increasing severity of lingual tonsil hypertrophy.

ObjectiveTo determine if degree of lingual tonsil hypertrophy(LTH) correlates with pharyngeal reflux.DesignProspective.MethodsPatients with flexible laryngoscopic evidence of LTH were included. Degree of LTH was graded mild, moderate, or severe by two otolaryngologists blinded to pH study results. Threesensor pH study results were correlated to LTH grade.ResultsNineteen patients were included (five with mild LTH, eight with moderate LTH, and six with severe LTH). Nasopharyngeal reflux (NPR) events <pH4 were found in four of six severe LTH patients but no mild or moderate LTH patients (P = 0.006). All severe LTH patients had NPR events <pH5, compared with only 4 of 11 mild or moderate LTH patients (P = 0.017). Atthe UES, 4 of 6 severe LTH patients had pathologic reflux, compared with 4 of 13 mild or moderate (P = 0.025). Interobserver reliability calculated by Cohen's kappa was excellent (0.92).ConclusionsOur study shows a continuum of increasing pharyngeal reflux with higher LTH severity. Severe LTH may b...
Modelling PV Clouding Effects Using a Semi-Markov Process with Application to Energy Storage

Abstract Cloud-induced intermittency of photovoltaic (PV) generation forces equipment on the electrical grid to cycle excessively preventing PV from being considered as a reliable or dispatchable source of power. Energy storage units (ESU) are proposed to turn PV power dispatchable. In order to use an ESU most effectively, it must be controlled appropriately by considering cloud-induced effects. To this end, the cloud structure is modeled as a random sequence inferred from clouding data. The proposed model is valid for centralized PV installations and serves to develop not only a control methodology to coordinate an ESU with existing grid equipment but also as a sizing criterion for an ESU. The above methodology is demonstrated on both clouding data collected from a rooftop PV installation that includes a pyranometer.
Energy-Cost Reduction in Starch Processing Using Aqueous Two Phase Reactor Systems

Saccharification is an energy intensive process of particular industrial interest in agribusiness. Considerable improvements to the energy costs of processing can be made by the elimination of multiple high temperature steps during liquefaction. To facilitate technology development for more energy efficient saccharification, the effectiveness of thermoseparating polymer-based aqueous two-phase reactor systems (ATPRS) in the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch was investigated. The partition behavior of pure α-amylase, and a recombinant, thermostable α-amylase (MJA1) from the hyperthermophile, Methanococcus jannaschii and amyloglucosidase in PEO-PPO/salt aqueous two-phase systems was evaluated. All of the studied enzymes partitioned unevenly in these systems. Hydrolysis of soluble starch and corn starch into glucose by thermostable α-amylase and amyloglucosidase was performed in an ATPRS coupled with temperature-induced phase separation. Use of the ATPRS reduced the hydrolysis time to half of that for single-ph...
Role of surface N-acetylglucosamine residues on host cell infection by Trypanosoma cruzi

We studied the role of surface GlcNAc residues on the surface of invasive (mouse-blood and insect-derived trypomastigotes) and non-invasive amastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi on parasite association with (i.e., surface binding plus internalization) macrophages and heart myoblasts. Removal of GlcNAc from the three forms of the parasite with beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase markedly increased the number of organisms per 100 cells and caused the organisms to associate with a greater percentage of host cells. N-Acetylglucosaminidase did not produce this effect after heat-inactivation and a substrate of the enzyme, N,N'-diacetylchitobiose, reduced it when it was present during the enzymatic treatment. The N-acetylglucosaminidase effect on T. cruzi was reversible after 2.5 h. When macrophages or myoblasts were treated with N-acetylglucosaminidase, their capacities to associate with blood or insect-derived trypomastigotes was reduced. Since removal of GlcNAc residues from the parasite surface increased their association with the host cells, GlcNAc would appear to interfere with the association process. On the other hand, GlcNAc residues on the host cell appear to favor the association.
Understanding the work‐life conflict of never‐married women without children

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to focus on understanding the work‐life conflict of never‐married women without children.Design/methodology/approach – This study uses survey data from two full‐service health care organizations and a financial services organization. Quantitative methodologies were used to address the study's research questions and hypotheses.Findings – The findings show that never‐married women without children do experience conflict, specifically work‐to‐life conflict, and often at similar levels to that experienced by other groups of working women. The findings also suggest that work‐life benefits typically provided by organizations are frequently regarded as less important and used less often by never‐married women without children than by other working women.Research limitations/implications – Future research should increase the sample of never‐married women without children, explore the sources of support these women use in juggling life roles, and incorporate comparative an...
Male rats show an indifference-avoidance response for increasing concentrations of the artificial sweetener sucralose

Sucralose is a nonnutritive halogenated sucrose derivative that has been described by humans as tasting predominately sweet with little or no aftertaste. In this study we examined the preference for sucralose in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. A standard 24-hour 2-bottle test was used to compare a wide range of sucralose concentrations (0.0003-10 g/L; 0.8 μmol/L-25 mmol/L) with water. The rats did not prefer sucralose to water at low concentrations (0.0003-0.3 g/L) and avoided sucralose at high concentrations (1-10 g/L). Although there are many similarities in the taste preference of humans, mice, and rats, these results suggest that male rats do not prefer sucralose and avoid it at high concentrations. An awareness of the potential species differences in preference testing for novel sweeteners is critical for the taste and nutritional research communities.
Asymmetric sunlight effect on dayside/nightside auroral precipitation

Abstract There are considerable evidence supporting the novel finding from intensive particle observations that electron acceleration events responsible for producing discrete arcs are more common in darkness than in sunlight [Newell et al., 1996a]. This sunlight effect on the production of auroral arcs is most dramatic in the pre-midnight sector, and it is still unclear whether the dayside auroras have the same response to the sunlight as the nightside auroras. In this paper we investigate this issue by using auroral images acquired from the ultraviolet imager (UVI) on board the Polar satellite. By analyzing auroral emission in the long Lyman-Birge-Hopfield band (160 – 180 nm), which is approximately proportional to the total energy flux of precipitating electrons over a wide range of auroral electron energies, one can estimate the total energy deposition rate from auroral precipitation. To emphasize the sunlight effect on auroras seasonal averages of auroral luminosities are derived for the winter of 1996 and the summer of 1997 (4 weeks before and after the solstices). It is shown again that auroral intensity in the premidnight sector is suppressed in sunlight. On the contrary, dayside auroral intensity is generally enhanced in sunlight, indicating a different source mechanism for the dayside aurora from the nightside auroras. The suppression of nightside auroras in sunlight is usually attributed to a feedback mechanism, associated with the ionospheric conductivity, when the nightside magnetosphere acts as a current generator. Since precipitating electrons that produce dayside auroras are associated with upward field-aligned currents, the enhancement of dayside auroras in sunlight can be interpreted as a simple circuit system in which the ionosphere is a load and the dayside magnetosphere is a voltage generator.
Chitosan supports the expression of extracellular matrix proteins in human osteoblasts and chondrocytes

The search for biocompatible materials that can support the growth and phenotypic expression of osteoblasts and chondrocytes is a major challenge in the application of tissue engineering techniques for the repair of bone and cartilage defects. Chitosan, a copolymer of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine, may provide an answer to this search. Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin, a ubiquitous biopolymer found in the exoskeleton of insects and marine invertebrates. Little is known about the utility of chitosan in propagating human osteoblasts and chondrocytes. In this study, we test the hypothesis that chitosan promotes the survival and function of osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Chitosan (4%, w/v in 2% HAc) was coated onto plastic coverslips that had been fitted into 24-well plates. Human osteoblasts and articular chondrocytes were seeded on either uncoated or chitosan-coated coverslips at 1 x 10(5)/cells per well. Cultures were incubated at 37 degrees C, 5% CO(2) for a period of 7 days. Cell viability was assessed at that time using a fluorescent molecular probe. The phenotypic expression of osteoblasts and chondrocytes was analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. Osteoblasts and chondrocytes appeared spherical and refractile on chitosan-coated coverslips. In contrast, greater than 90% of cells on plastic coverslips were elongated and spindle shaped after 7 days of culture. Similar to cells propagated on uncoated control wells, greater than 90% of human osteoblasts and chondrocytes propagated on chitosan remained viable. Human osteoblasts propagated on chitosan films continued to express collagen type I whereas chondrocytes expressed collagen type II and aggrecan, as shown by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis and immunostaining. The present in vitro work demonstrates the biocompatibility of chitosan as a substrate for the growth and continued function of human osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Chitosan may have potential use as a tissue engineering tool for the repair of osseous and chondral defects.