cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical assessment of image analysis: statistical vs structural approaches

Statistical and structural methods are two major approaches commonly used in image analysis and have demonstrated considerable success. The former is based on statistical properties and stochastic models of the image and the latter utilizes geometric and topological models. In this study, Markov random field (MRF) theory/model based image segmentation and Fuzzy Connectedness (FC) theory/Fuzzy connected objeect delineation are chosen as the representatives for these two approaches, respectively. The comparative study is focused on their theoretical foundations and main operative procedures. The MRF is defined on a lattice and the associated neighborhood system and is based on the Markov property. The FC method is defined on a fuzzy digital space and is based on fuzzy relations. Locally, MRF is characterized by potentials of cliques, and FC is described by fuzzy adjacency and affinity relations. Globally, MRF is characterized by Gibbs distribution, and FC is described by fuzzy connectedness. The task of MRF model based image segmentation is toe seek a realization of the embedded MRF through a two-level operation: partitioning and labeling. The task of FC object delineation is to extract a fuzzy object from a given scene, through a two-step operation: recognition and delineation. Theoretical foundations which underly statistical and structural approaches and the principles of the main operative procedures in image segmentation by these two approaches demonstrate more similarities than differences between them. Two approaches can also complement each other, particularly in seed selection, scale formation, affinity and object membership function design for FC and neighbor set selection and clique potential design for MRF.
Compound-Nucleus Decay along the Mass-Asymmetry Coordinate and the Role of the Businaro-Gallone Point

Fragments with atomic numbers covering the entire range of the mass-asymmetry coordinate ($Z=1$ to $Z=\frac{{Z}_{\mathrm{CN}}}{2}$) were observed from the decay of compound nuclei (CN) produced in reactions of 7.4- and 8.4-MeV/nucleon $^{74}\mathrm{Ge}$, $^{93}\mathrm{Nb}$, and $^{139}\mathrm{La}$ with $^{9}\mathrm{Be}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$. The evolution of the charge distribution with increasing mass of the compound nucleus ($A=83 \mathrm{to} 151$) reflects the topological change in the potential-energy surface associated with crossing the Businaro-Gallone point.
Compressing Network Access Control Lists

An access control list (ACL) provides security for a private network by controlling the flow of incoming and outgoing packets. Specifically, a network policy is created in the form of a sequence of (possibly conflicting) rules. Each packet is compared against this ACL, and the first rule that the packet matches defines the decision for that packet. The size of ACLs has been increasing rapidly due to the explosive growth of Internet-based applications and malicious attacks. This increase in size degrades network performance and increases management complexity. In this paper, we propose ACL Compressor, a framework that can significantly reduce the number of rules in an access control list while maintaining the same semantics. We make three major contributions. First, we propose an optimal solution using dynamic programming techniques for compressing one-dimensional range-based access control lists. Second, we present a systematic approach for compressing multidimensional access control lists. Last, we conducted extensive experiments to evaluate ACL Compressor. In terms of effectiveness, ACL Compressor achieves an average compression ratio of 50.22 percent on real-life rule sets. In terms of efficiency, ACL runs in seconds, even for large ACLs with thousands of rules.
Laser-induced fluorescence measurement of the nascent rotational distribution of N+2 (X2Σ+g) formed by electron impact on N2

Abstract The internal state distribution of ground state N+2 ions formed from N2 by electron impact ionization is measured under collision-free conditions using laser-induced fluorescence. Analysis of the B–X (0, 0) band shows the rotational distribution to be characterized by a temperature which increases slightly with decreasing electron energy (60–100 eV). Cascade contributions are unimportant.
Proton magnetic resonance studies and extraction properties of some simple diamides

Abstract The extraction capabilities of oxalamides malonamides and succinamides for nitric acid and the uranyl ion are discussed. The trends noted for the different classes of diamides are rationalized in terms of their proton magnetic resonance spectra.
Social cognitions about adult male victims of female sexual assault

Although men are far less likely than women to be victims of heterosexual assault, such cases have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years. We compared social judgments about male and female victims of heterosexual and homosexual rape and tested hypotheses concerning social cognitions that are assumed to underlie a male rape mythology. In a 2 × 2 × 2 design, 77 male and 89 female subjects made a series of judgments about a sexual assault case in which sex of victim and sex of assailants were manipulated. Consistent with the hypotheses, the male victim of sexual assault by females was judged more likely to have initiated or encouraged the sex acts, and more enjoyment and less stress were attributed to him. This pattern of results was more pronounced among male subjects. The results are discussed in relation to stereotypic beliefs concerning male sex roles, sexual motivation, and sexual functioning that are likely to affect the social cognitions of both observers and male victims of heterosexual assault.
180 ml and less: cardiopulmonary bypass techniques to minimize hemodilution for neonates and small infants.

Objective. To determine the efficacy of decreasing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) prime volume for neonates and small infants by using low prime oxygenators, small diameter polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing and removing the arterial line filter (ALF) in an effort to reduce intraoperative exposure to multiple units of packed red blood cells (PRBC). Methods. Two retrospective database studies comparing neonatal CPB prime volume were undertaken: Study 1 — A CPB circuit consisting of a 1/8 inch arterial line, a 3/16 inch venous line and a low prime oxygenator with 172 ml total circuit prime (n = 74) was compared to a circuit with a 3/16 inch arterial line, a 1/4 inch venous line and a higher prime oxygenator with a 350 ml total circuit prime ( n = 74). Study 2 — The 172 ml circuit (n = 389) was compared to a circuit that included an ALF and had a total circuit prime volume of 218 ml (n = 389). Results. Study 1— of the 74 neonates and small infants whose CPB prime volume was 350 ml, 19 were exposed to two or more ...
Observations of a set of isomeric anti-lactose antibodies directed against a group D streptococcal polysaccharide

Sets of isomeric anti-lactose antibodies with specificity for the lactose units of a cell wall polysaccharide fromStreptococcus faecalis strain N were induced in rabbits immunized with a vaccine of nonviable cells of the organism. Such sets of anti-lactose antibodies were isolated from the serum of immunized animals by affinity chromatography on lactosyl-Sepharose. Gel electrofocusing experiments showed that the preparations consisted of multiprotein components. One preparation of antibodies of 13 isomers was separated into homogeneous components by liquid isoelectrofocusing. The individual isomeric antibodies exhibit specificity for the lactose units of the antigenic polysaccharide, possess isoelectric points in the range of 5.9–8.0, and belong to the IgG class of immunoglobulins, and each member yields one light chain and one heavy chain on dissociation in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and mercaptoethanol. These results have been interpreted as evidence for the assembly of the chains of isomeric antibodies by a single-chain pairing mechanism.
Abailard's theory of universals.

Reconstruction de la theorie abelardienne des universaux du point de vue de son nominalisme et de son conceptualisme. L'A. analyse la theorie d'Abelard de la cause commune d'une imposition de predicat, ainsi que sa theorie des concepts abstraits. Il montre que ces theories sont sujettes aux memes critiques que celles qu'Abelard lui-meme critiquait: Abelard, loin du nominalisme qu'il pretend defendre, serait en fait un realiste platonicien.
Glycinergic neurons in the human retina.

Neurotransmitter-specific properties of glycinergic neurons in the human retina were studied using 11 pairs of eyes from donors ranging from 2 1/2 to 54 years in age. A mean endogenous level of 10.3 nmoles glycine per mg protein was measured by amino acid analysis in retinas isolated within 1 hour postmortem. When retinas were incubated with 3H-glycine (2 microM) and processed for autoradiography, label was found associated with neurons whose somata reside within the inner nuclear layer. Some heavily labeled neurons located at the vitread border of the inner nuclear layer were identified as amacrine cells based on ultrastructural verification of the conventional synaptic contacts made by their processes in distal regions of the inner plexiform layer. In proximal regions of the inner plexiform layer, dendrites of glycine-accumulating amacrine cells were postsynaptic to both ribbon and conventional synaptic contacts, suggesting input from bipolar and other, nonglycinergic amacrine cells. Their density (30 +/- 11 S.D. cells/mm linear retinal expanse) tended to be greater toward the central fundus. A second population of lightly labeled, probable bipolar cells was present in the middle of the inner nuclear layer; the density of this second set of glycine-accumulating cells approximated that of the heavily labeled population from the fovea, centrally, to the ora serrata, peripherally. Release of either accumulated or endogenous glycine was elicited by K+-depolarization in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Tissue fragments exposed for 6 minutes to normal medium, 40 mM K+-substituted medium, or K+-substituted medium with Co2+, release endogenous glycine into each bathing solution in average amounts of 0.6, 2.6, and 0.7 nmoles per mg protein, respectively. Together these data strongly implicate glycine as a neurotransmitter in the human retina.
Observations and Modeling of Deep Perched Water Beneath the Pajarito Plateau

Geologic characterization of the Pajarito Plateau, in support of environmental investigations of potential groundwater contamination at Los Alamos National Laboratory, has provided the opportunity to examine the nature and extent of deep perched groundwater in this semiarid setting. Deep perched groundwater occurs at widely dispersed locations across the Pajarito Plateau. A total of 33 perched-zone occurrences were identified in 29 wells. The saturated thickness of perched zones is highly variable, ranging from about 1 to >122 m (>400 ft). Observations are consistent with a conceptual model of low-permeability horizons on which infiltrating water sits. Deep perched groundwater is most often found beneath wet canyons, suggesting that in addition to perching horizons, locally high percolation rates are required to yield saturated conditions. Two conceptual models of perching systems are considered, one relatively stagnant and one more dynamic. To simulate deep perched groundwater in vadose zone flow models, a new method is developed that considers the interfaces between hydrogeologic units to be the horizons where the saturated permeability is lower than either of the units above or below the interface. A constant multiplier called the permeability reduction factor is applied at the interface between two hydrostratigraphic units to simulate the perching horizon. We demonstrate the method with two-dimensional numerical simulations performed for Los Alamos Canyon, replicating perched saturation as observed and showing how contaminant dispersal may be enhanced in certain perched systems compared with dispersion in the underlying zone of regional saturation.
Structure and magnetic properties of RF reactively sputtered Iron nitride thin films

The structure and magnetic properties of iron nitride thin films deposited by rf reactive sputtering under various sputtering conditions have been investigated. The amount of nitrogen partial pressure plays a dominant role in determining the composition of the films which is responsible for its magnetic properties. Either single phase or mixed phase compounds can be obtained through the control of the nitrogen partial pressure. The application of negative substrate bias affects the microstructure of the films which accounts for the variation of the coercivity. These films cover a wide range of magnetic characteristics (Hc from 2.5 to 360 Oe with equivalent Ms from 1610 to 185 emu/c.c.) which can be applied to high density magnetic recording materials.
Discourse strategies for generating natural-language text

Abstract If a generation system is to produce text in response to a given communicative goal, it must be able to determine what to include in its text and how to organize this information so that it can be easily understood. In this paper, a computational model of discourse strategies is presented that can be used to guide the generation process in its decisions about what to say next. The model is based on an analysis of naturally occurring texts and represents strategies that can be used for three communicative goals: define, compare, and describe. We show how this model has been implemented in text , a system which generates paragraph-length responses to questions about database structure.
Synaptic organization of immunocytochemically identified GABA neurons in the monkey sensory-motor cortex

Neurons in the monkey somatic sensory and motor cortex were labelled immunocytochemically for the GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), and examined with the electron microscope. The somata and dendrites of many large GAD-positive neurons of layers III-VI receive numerous asymmetric synapses from unlabelled terminals and symmetric synapses from GAD-positive terminals. Comparisons with light and electron microscopic studies of Golgi-impregnated neurons suggest that the large labelled neurons are basket cells. Small GAD-positive neurons generally receive few synapses on their somata and dendrites, and probably conform to several morphological types. GAD-positive axons from symmetric synapses on many neuronal elements including the somata, dendrites and initial segments of pyramidal cells, and the somata and dendrites of non-pyramidal cells. Synapses between GAD-positive terminals and GAD-positive cell bodies and dendrites are common in all layers. Many GAD-positive terminals in layers III-VI arise from myelinated axons. Some of the axons form pericellular terminal nests on pyramidal cell somata and are interpreted as originating from basket cells while other GAD-positive myelinated axons synapse with the somata and dendrites of non-pyramidal cells. These findings suggest either that the sites of basket cell terminations are more heterogeneous than previously believed or that there are other classes of GAD-positive neurons with myelinated axons. Unmyelinated GAD-positive axons synapse with the initial segments of pyramidal cell axons or form en passant synapses with dendritic spines and small dendritic shafts and are interpreted as arising from the population of small GAD-positive neurons which appears to include several morphological types.
Toward a cognitive ecology

The emergence of cognitive psychology as the dominant approach to understanding human behaviors and actions acknowledges the importance of internal mental operations in generating specific behavioral responses to sets of external stimuli. Traditional behaviorist interpretations that rely primarily on external inputs as the precursors of action have been largely replaced by cognitive approaches. The main intent of this article is to outline the major areas that require exploration if we wish to apply fully the principles and insight of cognitive science to behavioral ecology.
Clinical pharmacokinetics of sirolimus.

Sirolimus (previously known as rapamycin), a macrocyclic lactone, is a potent immunosuppressive agent. Sirolimus was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, on the basis of 2 large, double-blind, prospective clinical trials, for use in kidney transplant recipients at a fixed dosage of 2 or 5 mg/day in addition to full dosages of cyclosporin and prednisone. However, despite the fixed dosage regimens used in these pivotal trials, pharmacokinetic and clinical data show that sirolimus is a critical-dose drug requiring therapeutic drug monitoring to minimise drug-related toxicities and maximise efficacy. Assays using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, although cumbersome, are the gold standard for evaluating other commonly used assays, such as liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, radioreceptor assay and microparticle enzyme immunoassay. Sirolimus is available in oral solution and tablet form. It has poor oral absorption and distributes widely in tissues, displaying not only a wide inter- and intrapatient variability in drug clearance, but also less than optimal correlations between whole blood concentrations and drug dose, demographic features or patient characteristics. Furthermore, the critical role of the cytochrome P450 3A4 system for sirolimus biotransformation leads to extensive drug-drug interactions, among which are increases in cyclosporin concentrations. Thus, sirolimus is now being used to reduce or eliminate exposure to cyclosporin or corticosteroids. The long elimination half-life of sirolimus necessitates a loading dose but allows once daily administration, which is more convenient and thereby could help to improve patient compliance. This review emphasises the importance of blood concentration monitoring in optimising the use of sirolimus. The excellent correlation between steady-state trough concentration (at least 4 days after inception of, or change in, therapy) and area under the concentration-time curve makes the former a simple and reliable index for monitoring sirolimus exposure. Target trough concentration ranges depend on the concomitant immunosuppressive regimen, but a range of 5 to 15 μg/L is appropriate if cyclosporin is being used at trough concentrations of 75 to 150 μg/L. Weekly monitoring is recommended for the first month and bi-weekly for the next month; thereafter, concentration measurements are necessary only if warranted clinically.
Estimating the liquidity effect in post-reform Chile: do inflationary expectations matter?

Abstract In this paper, we estimate the dynamic effects of domestic money supply shocks in Chile over its post-reform era. We analyze Chile since inflationary expectations could be very sensitive to changes in the money supply, given past inflationary experience. In the context of a VAR model containing both Chilean and US variables, we identify money supply shocks using long-run monetary neutrality and block exogeneity restrictions. Our findings suggest that in Chile over the period from 1977 to 1998, unexpected domestic money supply shocks have had a positive impact on interest rates, in the short-run, and a negative impact on real money balances. This differs markedly from the estimated responses of the US. The findings are consistent with the notion that, at least in Chile, inflationary expectations are very sensitive to news about the nominal money supply, possibly due to high inflationary uncertainty and the lack of credibility of monetary reforms. Our results are generally robust to alternative model specification and identifying restrictions.
Clinical Characteristics of Atherosclerotic Renovascular Disease

In addition to its role in secondary hypertension, ischemic renal disease is becoming recognized as a significant cause of renal insufficiency. The prevalence and natural history of this disease remain unknown due to difficulty in identification of the process. There are several scenarios that may help alert the clinician to the presence of atherosclerotic renovascular disease. In hypertensive patients, poorly controlled blood pressure on several medications or rapid acceleration of hypertension can suggest renovascular disease. In addition, high-grade retinopathy or abdominal bruits seem to be associated with this condition: bruits have the highest positive predictive value of the clinical signs. Renal artery stenosis also may be related to rapidly progressive renal failure. The classic association is renal failure after use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; however, acute renal failure induced through any sudden therapeutic decrease in blood pressure may imply the presence of renal artery stenosis. Unexplained azotemia in the elderly patient also has been associated with renovascular disease. It is possible that the majority of patients with renal artery stenosis are those with a clinically silent process. Advanced age, peripheral atherosclerotic vascular disease, and coronary artery disease may all have a high association with stenosis of one or both renal arteries. It is nevertheless unknown whether a radiographically detected lesion implies current or future clinical complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The umbilical mass: a rare neonatal anomaly

Umbilical anomalies are a rare presentation in the pediatric patient. The differential diagnosis includes anomalies resulting from urachal and vitelline duct derivatives such as urachal sinus, urachal cyst, urachal diverticulum, patent urachus, herniated Meckel's diverticulum, umbilico-enteric fistula, or umbilical polyp. In this article, a case presentation of an umbilical anomaly along with the differential diagnosis and management options are discussed. Based upon this review of the literature, the authors propose a management algorithm for treating children with umbilical anomalies.
Retained surgical sponges: what the practicing clinician should know

Retained surgical sponges (RSS) are an avoidable complication following surgical operations. RSS can elicit either an early exudative-type reaction or a late aseptic fibrous tissue reaction. They may remain asymptomatic for long time; when present, symptomatology varies substantially and includes septic complications (abscess formation, peritonitis) or fibrous reaction resulting in adhesion formation or fistulation into adjacent hollow organs or externally. Plain radiograph may be useful for the diagnosis; however, computed tomography is the method of choice to establish correct diagnosis preoperatively. Removal of RSS is always indicated to prevent further complications. This is usually accomplished by open surgery; rarely, endoscopic or laparoscopic removal may be successful. Prevention is of key importance to avoid not only morbidity and even mortality but also medicolegal consequences. Preventive measures include careful counting, use of sponges marked with a radiopaque marker, avoidance of use of small sponges during abdominal procedures, careful examination of the abdomen by the operating surgeon before closure, radiograph in the operating theater (either routinely or selectively), and recently, usage of barcode and radiofrequency identification technology.
MemSpy: analyzing memory system bottlenecks in programs

To cope with the increasing difference between processor and main memory speeds, modern computer systems use deep memory hierarchies. In the presence of such hierarchies, the performance attained by an application is largely determined by its memory reference behavior—if most references hit in the cache, the performance is significantly higher than if most references have to go to main memory. Frequently, it is possible for the programmer to restructure the data or code to achieve better memory reference behavior. Unfortunately, most existing performance debugging tools do not assist the programmer in this component of the overall performance tuning task.This paper describes MemSpy, a prototype tool that helps programmers identify and fix memory bottlenecks in both sequential and parallel programs. A key aspect of MemSpy is that it introduces the notion of data oriented, in addition to code oriented, performance tuning. Thus, for both source level code objects and data objects, MemSpy provides information such as cache miss rates, causes of cache misses, and in multiprocessors, information on cache invalidations and local versus remote memory misses. MemSpy also introduces a concise matrix presentation to allow programmers to view both code and data oriented statistics at the same time. This paper presents design and implementation issues for MemSpy, and gives a detailed case study using MemSpy to tune a parallel sparse matrix application. It shows how MemSpy helps pinpoint memory system bottlenecks, such as poor spatial locality and interference among data structures, and suggests paths for improvement.
Reliability of smile judgments

Magnitude estimates of smiles on tachistoscopically presented photographs of faces were demonstrated to be reliable. While estimates were altered by varying exposure duration, judgments were not influenced by observer-observed face orientation.
Host-plasmid interactions in gram-negative bacteria harbouring broad-host range plasmids

Host-plasmid interactions were studied for the broad-host range plasmid RK2 and its derivative pTJS26. To isolate host and plasmid contributions to the host-plasmid interaction, experiments were performed with the same plasmid in three different gram-negative hosts. The three hosts were: Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Separate experiments were performed for both host and recombinant cells to identify their growth characteristics. Cells were grown in different media to investigate the effect of growth rate on plasmid stability, and at two different temperatures (30°C and 37°C) to investigate the effect of plasmid content on growth dynamics. The comparison of the results obtained with plasmids RK2 and pTJS26 was used to analyze the effect of mutations in the replication region on growth dynamics and plasmid stability.
Monitoring adenoviral based gene delivery in rat glioma by molecular imaging.

AIM: To determine whether endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) can be used as delivery vehicle for adenoviral vectors and imaging probes for gene therapy in glioblastoma. METHODS: To use cord blood derived EPCs as delivery vehicle for adenoviral vectors and imaging probes for glioma gene therapy, a rat model of human glioma was made by implanting U251 cells orthotopically. EPCs were transfected with an adenovirus (AD5/carrying hNIS gene) and labeled with iron oxide and inoculated them directly into the tumor 14 d following implantation of U251 cells. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to in vivo track the migration of EPCs in the tumor. The expression of gene products was determined by in vivo Tc-99m single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The findings were validated with immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: EPCs were successfully transfected with the adenoviral vectors carrying hNIS which was proved by significantly (P < 0.05) higher uptake of Tc-99m in transfected cells. Viability of EPCs following transfection and iron labeling was not altered. In vivo imaging showed the presence of iron positive cells and the expression of transgene (hNIS) product on MRI and SPECT, respectively, all over the tumors following administration of transfected and iron labeled EPCs in the tumors. IHC confirmed the distribution of EPC around the tumor away from the injection site and also showed transgene expression in the tumor. The results indicated the EPCs’ ability to deliver adenoviral vectors into the glioma upon intratumor injection. CONCLUSION: EPCs can be used as vehicle to deliver adenoviral vector to glioma and also act as imaging probe at the same time.
Genomics and proteomics in renal cell carcinoma: Diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection

The term renal cell carcinoma (RCC) once referred to a single entity but now encompasses a spectrum of diverse epithelial tumors with a common derivation from the renal tubular epithelium. The variable course of RCC remains problematic for patient management, despite advances in diagnosis and improved understanding of prognostic factors. However, powerful, high-throughput technologies that now analyze the entire genome and proteome promise to elucidate the heterogeneity of this disease and eventually enable a patient-tailored, individualized medicine. This review considers the clinical relevance and general significance of gene expression and protein-profiling studies.
Electron Energy Bands of Two Solids in Contact

An algorithm is outlined for determining the amplitude and phase of the electronic wave function as a function of energy and distance from the boundary between two different crystals. Es wird ein Algorithmus zur Bestimmung der Amplitude und Phase der Elektronenwellen-funktion als Funktion der Energie und des Abstandes von der Grenze zwischen zwei verschiedenen Kristallen entwickelt.
Should we encourage allergen immunotherapy during pregnancy

Primary prevention of allergy is a laudable goal, but one that has unfortunately proven difficult to achieve. Many different strategies have been reported to date, but unequivocal supporting data for any single strategy does not exist. Any successful strategy must lead to immunomodulation and must be encountered very early on life, likely in utero. Reports of early bacterial and farm animal exposures lend supportive data to the concept of immune regulation via early fetal exposure, howeve attempts at clinical applications of this, such as probiotics has not been completely successful. One practical, clinical method for achieving a similar immune modulation to these exposures would be providing atopic women with allergy immunotherapy while pregnant (or perhaps even preconception). Allergy immunotherapy is associated with favorable immune modulation and some data suggest that these changes if produced in mother can influence the atopic status of offspring.
Measurement of diode laser characteristics affecting tunability with an external grating

We investigate theoretically the tuning characteristics of a diode with an external grating cavity for which one of the external-cavity modes and the peak of the grating reflection scan synchronously. We show that the tuning curve is hysteretic. Moreover, the theoretical analysis reveals that frequencies at turning points of the hysteretic tuning curve are related to the external cavity mode spacing, the reflectivity of the front facet, and the linewidth enhancement factor α of the laser diode. A method for achieving an overlap of the peak of the reflection profile of the grating with one of the external-cavity modes is described. Experimentally, by measuring the hysteretic tuning curve, we observed the predicted effect and found the reflectivity of the front facet and the α value for a Toshiba TOLD 9215 visible diode to be 2.9 ± 1.6% and 5.1 ∓ 1.3, respectively.
Concurrent error correction in iterative circuits by recomputing with partitioning and voting

Presents a novel technique for the design of iterative circuits with concurrent error correction capabilities. The new method is called 'recomputing with partitioning and voting' (RWPV). It uses a combination of hardware and time redundancy to achieve fault tolerance while providing the same error correction capabilities as found in hardware TMR or time redundancy computation. RWPV error correction is obtained with small hardware and time overhead, as compared to over 200% overhead in either hardware or time for TMR or time redundancy. >
Analysis of Lidar Elevation Data for Improved Identification and Delineation of Lands Vulnerable to Sea-Level Rise

Abstract The importance of sea-level rise in shaping coastal landscapes is well recognized within the earth science community, but as with many natural hazards, communicating the risks associated with sea-level rise remains a challenge. Topography is a key parameter that influences many of the processes involved in coastal change, and thus, up-to-date, high-resolution, high-accuracy elevation data are required to model the coastal environment. Maps of areas subject to potential inundation have great utility to planners and managers concerned with the effects of sea-level rise. However, most of the maps produced to date are simplistic representations derived from older, coarse elevation data. In the last several years, vast amounts of high quality elevation data derived from lidar have become available. Because of their high vertical accuracy and spatial resolution, these lidar data are an excellent source of up-to-date information from which to improve identification and delineation of vulnerable lands. F...
In vitro corrosion testing of modular hip tapers.

The in vivo fretting behavior of modular hip prostheses was simulated to determine the effects of material combination and a unique TiN/AlN coating on fretting and corrosion at the taper interface. Fretting current, open-circuit potential (OCP), and quantities of soluble debris were measured to determine the role of mechanically assisted crevice corrosion on fretting and corrosion of modular hip tapers. Test groups consisting of similar-alloy (Co-Cr-Mo head/Co-Cr-Mo neck), mixed-alloy (Co-Cr-Mo head/Ti-6Al-4V neck), and TiN/AlN-coated mixed-alloy modular hip taper couples were used. Loads required to initiate fretting were similar for all test groups and were well below loads produced by walking and other physical activities. Decreases in OCP and increases in fretting current observed during long-term cyclic loading were indicative of fretting and corrosion. Current measured after cessation of cyclic loading suggests that once the conditions for crevice corrosion are established, corrosion can continue in the absence of loading. The chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical measurements, along with microscopic inspections of the taper surfaces indicate that the fretting and corrosion behavior of similar- and mixed-alloy taper couples are similar and that the coated samples are more resistant to fretting and corrosion. The results of this study clearly indicate the role of mechanical loading in the corrosion process, and support the hypothesis of mechanically assisted crevice corrosion.
Autologous cultured keratinocytes suspensions accelerate re-epithelialization in the diabetic pig

Abstract Introduction: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic wounds in the U.S.A. Its incidence is increasing dramatically due to obesity and old age. Healing of these impaired wounds often represent a difficult challenge with the currently available treament. We recently established a delayed wound-healing model in the Yorkshire pig rendered diabetic by administration of Streptozotocin. This study evaluated epidermal regeneration in fluid treated skin wounds treated with suspensions of cultured autologous keratinocytes. Methods: Diabetes was induced by injecting Streptozotocin into a three months old female Yorkshire pig. Full thickness wounds were created on the dorsum and dressed with polyvinyl chambers to keep the wounds wet and to allow for wound fluid monitoring. Suspensions of keratinocytes were seeded into half of the wounds and Normal Saline into the remaining wounds. Serum glucose and wound fluid glucose concentrations were monitored daily. Wound contraction was monitored and biopsies taken on day 12. Results: The serum glucose was significantly increased for the duration of the experiment (>350 mg/dl). Wound fluid glucose closely followed serum glucose concentration. Transplantation of keratinocytes suspensions significantly accelerated re-epithelialization in the diabetic pig. There was no statistical difference between the contraction rates of wounds treated with a keratinocyte suspension or with normal saline. Day 12Normal SalineKeratinocytes suspensionRe-epithelialization47.8%82.6%Wound contraction33.2%32.9% Conclusions: This study shows that wound healing is delayed in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic pig model. A single-cell suspension of keratinocytes not only survives in the hyperglycemic wound environment but also contributes to the formation of a neo-epithelium, accelerating the rate of healing over saline-treated controls.
LASER: a maximum likelihood toolkit for detecting temporal shifts in diversification rates from molecular phylogenies.

Rates of species origination and extinction can vary over time during evolutionary radiations, and it is possible to reconstruct the history of diversifi cation using molecular phylogenies of extant taxa only. Maximum likelihood methods pro- vide a useful framework for inferring temporal variation in diversifi cation rates. LASER is a package for the R programming environment that implements maximum likelihood methods based on the birth-death process to test whether diversifi cation rates have changed over time. LASER contrasts the likelihood of phylogenetic data under models where diversifi cation rates have changed over time to alternative models where rates have remained constant over time. Major strengths of the package include the ability to detect temporal increases in diversifi cation rates and the inference of diversifi cation parameters under multiple rate-variable models of diversifi cation. The program and associated documentation are freely available from the R package archive at http://cran.r-project.org.
Power and Agency in Precolonial African States

Precolonial African polities have emerged in recent years as fertile ground for the comparative archaeological study of social complexity and the state. For much of the twentieth century, precolonial African states were misinterpreted as the product of outside stimuli. Recent archaeological research on such polities, however, has revealed the autochthonous origins of social complexity and the state in Africa, providing valuable new insights for the comparative study of state formation in the past. This review outlines how archaeologists have tackled the precolonial state in Africa, beginning with an outline of colonial-era discourse on the nature of the state and civilization in Africa, followed by a discussion of how archaeological perspectives on power provide insights into political processes across the continent. Key examples are examined within four broadly defined subregions. Throughout this review, I highlight (a) the agency of indigenous political entrepreneurs in driving state formation across th...
The Effect of Life Review Reminiscence Activities on Depression and Self-Esteem in Older Adults

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of life review reminiscence activities on reported depression and self-esteem. The study used a pretest-posttest experimental design in which 24 well older adults living in a retirement community were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups. The experimental group participated in six life review sessions, after which all subjects were readministered the Beck Depression Inventory and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Survey. An analysis of covariance indicated that life review reminiscence activities did not significantly affect depression and self-esteem. These findings imply that participation in life review activities did not negatively affect this sample of well older adults and that life review reminiscence is a worthwhile activity for this age group.
Performance of a noisy phase-only matched filter in a broad spectral band optical correlator.

It has been shown that phase-only matched filtering can provide 100% optical efficiency in an optical correlator while at the same time producing a very well-defined correlation spot. This analysis has been carried forward and applied to the case of a broad spectral band or white-light optical correlator. The optical correlator under white-light illumination operates at a multiplicity of wavelengths which favorably affect the noise performance of the system. Computer simulations have been used to study the noise suppression qualities of the correlator when noise is present at the filter plane. The result indicates that the noise level at the correlation plane can be reduced by utilizing a higher number of spectral band filters. We show that the output SNR improves approximately as the square root of N, where N is the number of spectral bands employed in the phase-only matched filter. Quantitative results and 3-D plots of the correlation functions are presented and discussed.
Massive ovarian edema

Four cases of massive ovarian edema (MOE) with symptoms persisting for 6 months and even up to 4 years are presented. No stromal changes other than edema were found histologically, and no functional anomalies were detected clinically. The reported cases are compared with the published data on MOE with stromal changes (fibromatosis, thecal hyperplasia, luteinization), concluding that there are at least two types of MOE: primary (without concomitant pathology), and secondary (superimposed on already altered ovaries).
Exercise enhances myocardial ischemic tolerance via an opioid receptor-dependent mechanism

Exercise increases serum opioid levels and improves cardiovascular health. Here we tested the hypothesis that opioids contribute to the acute cardioprotective effects of exercise using a rat model of exercise-induced cardioprotection. For the standard protocol, rats were randomized to 4 days of treadmill training and 1 day of vigorous exercise (day 5), or to a sham exercise control group. On day 6, animals were killed, and global myocardial ischemic tolerance was assessed on a modified Langendorff apparatus. Twenty minutes of ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion resulted in a mean infarct size of 42 +/- 4% in hearts from sham exercise controls and 21 +/- 3% (P < 0.001) in the exercised group. The cardioprotective effects of exercise were gone by 5 days after the final exercise period. To determine the role of opioid receptors in exercise-induced cardioprotection, rats were exercised according to the standard protocol; however, just before exercise on days 4 and 5, rats were injected subcutaneously with 10 mg/kg of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone. Similar injections were performed in the sham exercise control group. Naltrexone had no significant effect on baseline myocardial ischemic tolerance in controls (infarct size 43 +/- 4%). In contrast, naltrexone treatment completely blocked the cardioprotective effect of exercise (infarct size 40 +/- 5%). Exercise was also associated with an early increase in myocardial mRNA levels for several opioid system genes and with sustained changes in a number of genes that regulate inflammation and apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that the acute cardioprotective effects of exercise are mediated, at least in part, through opioid receptor-dependent mechanisms that may include changes in gene expression.
Cerebrovascular Disease in Type 1 Diabetes: Role of Oxidative Stress

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is characterized by an elevation of blood glucose (hyperglycemia), a decrease in circulating levels of insulin, and the development of macro- and microvascular abnormalities. Hyperglycemia appears to be the primary determinant of the structural, functional, and biochemical abnormalities observed in large and small blood vessels of various organ systems during T1D. Hyperglycemia activates various cellular pathways/networks that undoubtedly produce/contribute to endothelial/vascular dysfunction via an increase in oxidative stress. Given that the structural, functional, and biochemical integrity of the brain depend upon the critical coupling between neural activity and cerebral blood flow (neurovascular coupling), alterations in this coupling by T1D could contribute to dysfunction of the blood–brain barrier and/or responses of large and small cerebral blood vessels in response to various stimuli. These abnormalities could then contribute to the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction and/or ischemic stroke observed in patients suffering with T1D. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the role of oxidative stress in impaired cerebrovascular function during T1D. We will discuss critical pathways that produce oxidants and the potential role of these oxidants in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular dysfunction and perhaps ischemic stroke during T1D. We suggest that a greater understanding regarding the nature of oxidants and antioxidants, and their sources, could lead to new and targeted therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and stroke observed in diabetic subjects.
Simulations of the Optical Bichromatic Force in Multilevel Systems

The optical bichromatic force (BCF) shows promise for improved laser slowing and cooling of molecules. We are investigating BCF dynamics in multilevel systems using numerical simulations, in conjunction with experimental tests on the CaF molecule.
Application of XPS and Solution Chemistry Analyses to Investigate Soluble Manganese Removal by MnOx(s)-Coated Media

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was applied to investigate Mn(II) removal by MnOx(s)-coated media under experimental conditions similar to the engineered environment of drinking water treatment plants in the absence and presence of chlorine. Macroscopic and spectroscopic results suggest that Mn(II) removal at pH 6.3 and pH 7.2 in the absence of chlorine was mainly due to adsorption onto the MnOx(s) surface coating, while removal in the presence of chlorine was due to a combination of initial surface adsorption followed by subsequent surface-catalyzed oxidation. However, Mn(III) was identified by XPS analyses of the Mn 3p photoline for experiments performed in the absence of chlorine at pH 6.3 and pH 7.2, suggesting that surface-catalyzed Mn oxidation also occurred at these conditions. Results obtained at pH 8.2 at 8 and 0.5 mg·L–1 dissolved oxygen in the absence of chlorine suggest that Mn(II) removal was mainly due to initial adsorption followed by surface-catalyzed oxidation. XPS analyses suggest...
Clinical Evaluation of Fluphenazine in Cases of Anxiety and Other Psychoneuroses

Halogen substitution and introduction of a piperazine ring into the side chain of the chlorpromazine molecule resulted in a compound which is effective in small doses and thus appears to have reduced hypnotic potential and neurotoxicity.Clinical studies indicate that fluphenazine produced clinically satisfactory improvement in the majority of patients suffering predominantly from anxiety; most of them were treated with only 0.5 mg. or less per day. Studies so far revealed minimal incidence of side effects.Fluphenazine seems to be a potent psycho-pharmacologic agent in the clinic or office management of anxiety states and other psychoneuroses.
Corpus Cavernosography in Conditions Other than Peyronie’s Disease

AbstractThe value of corpus cavernosography in the management of conditions other than Peyronie’s disease is discussed. The procedure should be done under fluoroscopic control.