cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using ISO 3382 measures, and their extensions, to evaluate acoustical conditions in concert halls

Application of the ISO 3382 standard can lead to the acquisition of large amounts of data describing conditions in a hall. The data could include the values of a number of measures at 6 or more octave band frequencies and for many combinations of source and receiver location. This paper discusses and gives examples of using this data to find important acoustical features. The amount of data can be reduced by calculating average values over the entire data set or for each sub-area of the hall. Various important spatial variations can often be better understood from plots of values versus source-receiver distance. The analysis approach will depend on the purpose of the study, which could be for comparisons with various criteria, for investigations of problems, or to better understand the acoustical properties of the hall. The significance of new measurements can be determined by comparing values: with proposed ideal criteria, with values in well-known halls, or with theoretical predictions. The importance of differences between two values should be considered in terms of published just noticeable differences for particular measures. Separately examining early- and late-arriving sound levels can be a useful diagnostic tool for better understanding the acoustical properties of halls.
The effects of provisioning and crop‐raiding on the diet and foraging activities of human‐commensal white‐faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

Non-human primates are coming into increasingly frequent contact with humans and with human-modified environments. The potential for monkeys to survive in such modified landscapes is questionable, and is likely related to a species' behavioral plasticity, particularly as it relates to diet. In this study, I explore the ways in which white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) adjust their diet and foraging behaviors in response to anthropogenic impact. I compare a troop of human-commensal monkeys and a similar troop of wild-feeding monkeys living within the Curu Wildlife Refuge in western Costa Rica for differences in overall diet composition and activity budgets to evaluate the impact of habitat change in this context. The commensal-living white-faced capuchins rely on raided coconut (Cocos nucifera) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) crops and provisioned or stolen human foods for over one-half of their total diet. Regardless of this highly anthropogenic diet, the two study troops do not significantly differ in their activity budgets, and the human-commensal troop maintains wild-foraging activities consistent with those of the wild-feeding troop. These data suggest that the white-faced capuchins at this site are responding to anthropogenic disturbance primarily through the exploitation of human food resources, but they do not yet appear to have lost the foraging skills required to survive in this modified landscape on their own. This study adds to our growing body of knowledge on primate survival in matrix habitats, and will hopefully inform primate management plans throughout the Neotropics. Am. J. Primatol. 73:439–448, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Management of Airway Obstruction in Cicatricial Pemphigoid

Cicatricial pemphigoid is a chronic vesiculobullous disease of the mucosal epithelium that primarily involves the oral cavity and the eyes. The clinical and histologic features are identical to those of bullous pemphigoid, and these features often can be nonspecific for other disease processes. It is not unusual for a period of 1 year or more to elapse before a diagnosis is made. The diagnosis of cicatricial pemphigoid requires characteristic lesions and histopathologic evidence of immunoglobulin deposition along the basement membrane, as well as a high index of suspicion. The authors detail a case of cicatricial pemphigoid resulting in airway obstruction and present the treatment required for both stabilization of the airway and resolution of the disease process.
A 23dBm fully digital transmitter using ΣΔ and pulse-width modulation for LTE and WLAN applications in 45nm CMOS

This paper presents a 23 dBm fully digital transmitter designed in a standard 45 nm CMOS process. The digital transmitter replaces the entire analog/RF signal chain in a traditional transmitter architecture. It utilizes ΣΔ modulation and pulse-width modulation to turn high resolution baseband I and Q signals into switching signals, thereby allowing efficient Class-D PA stages to be used. In addition, cascaded ΣΔ stages and switched-capacitor combining are incorporated into the architecture to reduced out-of-band quantization noise while maintaining good efficiency. The proposed transmitter achieves peak output power of 23 dBm with 47% power added efficiency (PAE). For a OFDM signal with 8.2 dB peak-to-average power ratio (PAR), the PAE is 23%. The linearity of the digital transmitter meets WiFi spectral mask without any digital predistortion.
Nitrifying populations and the destruction of nitrogen dioxide in soil

The nitrite formed from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was oxidized more readily in soil that had been treated previously with the gas than in soil not so pre-exposed. The reaction was inhibited by 1.0 but not by 0.01 mM chlorate. The population of nitrite-oxidizing autotrophs estimated by the most-probable-number procedure was too small and often grew too late to account for oxidation of the nitrite generated from NO2. The reaction also proceeded in soil heated to 42° to 45°C or treated with 0.16 mM chlorate, although the countable autotrophs did not increase during the transformation or grew only late in the active period of nitrite oxidation. The data suggest that unknown populations are responsible for metabolism of the nitrite produced from NO2 entering soil.
Pollen exine development precedes microtubule rearrangement inVigna unguiculata (Fabaceae): A model for pollen wall patterning

Although patterns on pollen exines are highly conserved, heritable traits, there is no prevailing explanation for control of pattern development. InVigna unguiculata (Fabaceae), the exine reticulum is unusually coarse so that development of the reticulum can be followed by light microscopy. Developing exine patterns were compared with the arrangement of microtubules in the microspore using immunofluorescence labeling of microtubules. Exine pattern developed in microspores at stages with a regular microtubule pattern. At later stages of exine formation, microtubules were arranged in patches under the lumina of the reticulum. We conclude that microtubules do not determine exine pattern. The developing exine appears to rearrange microtubules. We interpret this as evidence for the selfpatterning of exine based on intrinsic properties of the matrix between the microspore and the callose wall.
Investigating rare events with nonequilibrium work measurements. I. Nonequilibrium transition path probabilities

We have developed a formalism for investigating transition pathways and transition probabilities for rare events in biomolecular systems. In this paper, we set the theoretical framework for employing nonequilibrium work relations to estimate the relative reaction rates associated with different classes of transition pathways. Particularly, we derive an extension of Crook's transient fluctuation theorem, which relates the relative transition rates of driven systems in the forward and reverse directions, and allows for the calculation of these relative rates using work measurements (e.g., in Steered Molecular Dynamics). The formalism presented here can be combined with Transition Path Theory to relate the equilibrium and driven transition rates. The usefulness of this framework is illustrated by means of a Gaussian model and a driven proline dimer.
Air-Xe enrichments in Elk Hills oil field gases: role of water in migration and storage

Abstract Hydrocarbons from the Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve (NPR#1), Bakersfield, CA, are enriched in heavy noble gases. The 132Xe/36Ar ratios are as high as ∼576 times the ratio in air and represent the largest relative Xe-enrichments ever observed in terrestrial fluids. The Xe isotopic composition is indistinguishable from air. We show that these samples cannot be explained by equilibration of oil with air saturated water and secondary enrichment via a Rayleigh distillation gas stripping process. Based on laboratory studies of others with potential petroleum source rocks, we believe the source of this enriched heavy noble gas component was adsorbed air initially trapped in/on the source rocks that was expelled and mixed with the hydrocarbons during expulsion and primary migration. Kr and Xe enrichments decrease with increasing 36Ar concentration. We propose a model in which an initial Kr–Xe-enriched hydrocarbon becomes diluted with noble gases extracted from air saturated groundwater during expulsion, migration, and storage. The model generates an integrated water/hydrocarbon ratio for the production fluid which indicates a minimal role for water in hydrocarbon expulsion and migration. The results are interpreted to provide time/geometrical constraints on the mechanisms by which hydrocarbons can migrate as a separate phase.
Semi‐Empirical LCAO Band Structures for Different Crystalline Phases of Tellurium

The electronic band structure of trigonal tellurium is calculated by the extended Huckel theory using parameters adjusted to match known features of the band structure as determined by experiment. These same parameters then are employed to predict the band structures of arsenic-type, rhombohedral, and hypothetical simple cubic tellurium. All predicted band structures turn out to be metallic. Die elektronische Bandstruktur von trigonalem Tellur wird nach der erweiterten Huckel- Theorie berechnet und durch Variation der Parameter an bekannte Merkmale der im Ein-klang mit Experimenten bestimmten Bandstruktur angepast. Dieselben Parameter werden dann zur Vorhersage der Bandstrukturen von Tellur mit Arsen-, rhomboedrischer und hypothetischer, einfach kubischer Struktur verwendet. Alle vorhergesagten Bandstruk-turen sind metallisch.
Failure of linear control in noisy coupled map lattices

We study a 1D ring of diffusively coupled logistic maps in the vicinity of an unstable, spatially homogeneous fixed point. The failure of linear controllers due to additive noise is discussed with the aim of clarifying the failure mechanism. A criterion is suggested for estimating the noise level that can be tolerated by the given controller. The criterion implies the loss of control for surprisingly low noise levels in certain cases of interest, and accurately accounts for the results of numerical experiments over a broad range of parameter values. Previous results of Grigoriev, et al (Phys. Rev. Lett., 79, 2795) are reviewed and compared with our numerical and analytical results.
Preparation and properties of cellulose nanocrystals: Rods, spheres, and network

Abstract Cellulose nanocrystals with rod, sphere, and network morphologies were prepared by acid hydrolysis of cotton cellulose, followed by freeze-drying. Hydrolysis with sulfuric acid introduced sulfate groups to these nanocrystal surfaces permitting their dispersion in aqueous as well as organic media, including ethanol and N,N-dimethylformamide, in a matter of seconds. Freeze-drying, on the other hand, induced mesoporosity (91.99 ± 2.57 A average pore width) and significantly improved specific surface (13.362 m 2 /g) that is about 9 times of the original cellulose (1.547 m 2 /g). Moreover, the nanocrystals exhibited improved thermal conductivity and considerably higher (nearly 30%) carbonaceous residue, possibly due to direct solid-to-gas decomposition. These results demonstrated that a combination of surface charge introduction and fixation of mesoporosity in cellulose nanocrystals is an efficient route to prepare large quantity of high quality cellulose nanocrystals with quick re-dispersion capability for practical applications.
The APA classification of mental disorders: future perspectives.

After 8–10 years of experience with the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) and the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseas
Glycerolipid biosynthesis in rat adipose tissue. Effect of polyamines on triglyceride synthesis.

Abstract Triacylglycerol formation from sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol was markedly elevated in the presence of spermine and spermidine. This was attributed to the activation of microsomal sn-glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase and 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol acyltransferase and to the inhibition of palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase. Spermine was more effective than spermidine, and putrescine did not stimulate triacylglycerol formation. The stimulatory effect of spermine on triacylglycerol-forming enzymes was observed in the presence of Mg2+ and was apparent in the presence or absence of bovine serum albumin. The activation of 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol acyltransferase by spermine was specific, and other diacylglycerol-utilizing enzymes were not affected under these conditions. These studies demonstrate that polyamines may be important regulators of triacylglycerol formation in adipose tissue.
Modeling and optimization of fast-settling time gain-boosted cascode CMOS amplifiers

Settling time is a very critical performance requirement for CMOS amplifiers in switched-capacitor circuits. The settling mechanism of gain-boosted amplifiers is very complicated. In this paper, the small-signal model for the gain-boosted cascode amplifier is analyzed. The gain bandwidth product and phase margin optimum values for the gain boosting amplifiers used inside gain-boosted cascode amplifiers are given for the minimum settling time. Finally, we present a low-voltage, high-gain and fast-settling time CMOS amplifier.
A carbohydrate-containing mouse light chain-protein.

Abstract A K-type L-chain protein from a plasma cell tumor in BALB/c mice (Potter, MOPC46) shows electrophoretic heterogeneity by banding in urea starch gel. The protein bands can be purified on DEAE-cellulose at pH 8.0. The L-chain protein contains carbohydrate; neuraminidase converts the three protein bands into one. Amino acid analysis of the three separated monomer proteins detects no differences. Analysis of the carbohydrate portion gives 4 mannose, 4 galactose, 2 fucose, 6 glucosamine residues in each of the three protein components. The three separable proteins differ in their sialic acid content, having respectively 0, 1 or 2 residues per molecule. The sialic acid is identified as N-glycolyl-neuraminic acid. The results explain the banding of this K-type-L-chain protein by electrophoresis in urea starch gel as single negative charge differences due to different amounts of sialic acid perhaps at the terminal position(s) of the carbohydrate portion of the L-chain.
In vitro analysis of oocyte cumulus complex pickup rate in the hamster Mesocricetus auratus

In mammals, the oocyte and its surrounding cumulus cells constitute on oocyte cumulus complex (OCC). During ovulation, OCCs are extruded into the peritoneal or bursal cavity, depending on the species, and are then rapidly picked up by the fimbria on the outer surface of the oviductal infundibulum and transported to the ampulla, where fertilization occurs. We developed a method to measure OCC pickup rates quantitatively in vitro, and we used this method to evaluate the effects of viscosity and temperature on pickup rates. Hamster infundibula are placed in a holding pipette in a chamber modified to study OCC pickup. Ciliary beat frequencies (CBF) can be measured in the same preparation. Pickup rates vary depending on the pathway on which the OCC travels over the surface of the infundibulum; however, rates for a given pathway are very consistent. The average pickup rate at room temperature calculated from three different pathways/infundibulum was 55.2 +/- 10.6 microns/sec. Both rates between infundibula from the same female and rates among infundibula from different females were in most cases similar. Preparations preincubated in vitro for 2.75 hr produced rates similar to nonpreincubated samples, while longer preincubation resulted in decreased rates. Inclusion of Ficoll in culture medium to increase viscosity caused a concentration-dependent decrease in both OCC pickup rate and in CBF. However, a significant decrease in OCC pickup rate was only observed at viscosities higher than those found in bursal fluid. When trials were run at physiological temperature (36.4 degrees C) rather ambient temperature, rates increased to 136.7 +/- 29.9 (SD) microns/sec. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation (r = 0.94) between OCC pickup rate and temperature. The OCC pickup rate assay can be used experimentally, and should be valuable in evaluating factors that affect rate and in studies dealing with the mechanism of OCC pickup.
Self-polarized capacitive silicon micromechanical resonators via charge trapping

We present for the first time a charge trapping technique as a viable passive biasing mechanism for capacitive silicon micromechanical resonators. Potential wells are created on the surface of the microresonator to trap charges for mimicking a polarization voltage (V p ) of 8 V. With no externally applied V p , the resonance peak of a 20 µm thick silicon bulk acoustic resonator (SiBAR) with 50 nm transduction air-gaps comes up by ∼25 dB from the noise floor. An insertion loss (I.L.) of 30.7 dB and a quality factor (Q) of 59,000 has been measured in vacuum at a resonance frequency of 104.81 MHz.
La comunicación para la salud como disciplina en las universidades estadounidenses

This article analyzes the state of development of communications related to health in universities of the United States of America. This specialty is essential for people's well-being, and it involves interpersonal, organizational, and mass communications. In the United States, communications for health promotion is an area of applied communications with social relevance and generally performed in interdisciplinary settings. A number of universities in the United States offer communications master's degree programs with an emphasis on health. However, so far, the only program with a formal graduate degree in health and communications is one jointly offered by the Emerson University Department of Communications and the Tufts School of Medicine. Developing and including this specialization in the schools of communications in Latin America is crucial to improving the quality of life of the peoples of the continent.
The challenge and opportunity of new clinical infectious entities.

In December 1981, 3 reports of severe opportunistic infections in young homosexual men were published in the same issue of the New England Journal of Medicine [1-3]. David Durak summarized key aspects of the outbreak in an accompanying editorial [4]. Patients were typically young urban homosexual men, the infectious agents were low-grade pathogens associated with opportunistic infections in compromised hosts, and the immune defect was characterized by Tcell lymphocyte depletion. Isolation of opportunistic pathogens from patients in a distinctive population combined with early recognition of the severe character of their immunodeficiency helped guide investigators toward identification and understanding of AIDS. For physicians in the last half of the 20th century, the AIDS epidemic presented challenges of unprecedented urgency and scale, testing our ability to treat desperately ill patients and to reallocate resources in response to changing priorities. At the same time, AIDS was associated with new
Evaluating the Client With Physical Disabilities for Wheelchair Seating

Positioning through wheelchair seating allows many severely physically disabled individuals to use their motor skills to access technical aids. In the last 10 years, many products relating to wheelchair seating have been developed and are now being used This article outlines evaluation and prescrzp­ tion gUidelines that lead to the accompanying rec­ ommendationsfor seating. Categories for matching disability t)pe/severity to seating methods are pre­ sented
ZAK is required for doxorubicin, a novel ribotoxic stressor, to induce SAPK activation and apoptosis in HaCaT cells

Doxorubicin is an anthracycline drug that is one of the most effective and widely used anticancer agents for the treatment of both hematologic and solid tumors. The stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) are frequently activated by a number of cancer chemotherapeutics. When phosphorylated, the SAPKs initiate a cascade that leads to the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Some inhibitors of protein synthesis, known as ribotoxic stressors, coordinately activate SAPKs and lead to apoptotic cell death. We demonstrate that doxorubicin effectively inhibits protein synthesis, activates SAPKs, and causes apoptosis. Ribotoxic stressors share a common mechanism in that they require ZAK, an upstream MAP3K, to activate the pro-apoptotic and proinflammatory signaling pathways that lie downstream of SAPKs. By employing siRNA mediated knockdown of ZAK or administration of sorafenib and nilotinib, kinase inhibitors that have a high affinity for ZAK, we provide evidence that ZAK is required for doxorubicin-induced proinflammatory and apoptotic responses in HaCaT cells, a pseudo-normal keratinocyte cell line, but not in HeLa cells, a cancerous cell line. ZAK has two different isoforms, ZAK-α (91 kDa) and ZAK-β (51 kDa). HaCaT or HeLa cells treated with doxorubicin and immunoblotted for ZAK displayed a progressive decrease in the ZAK-α band and the appearance of ZAK-β bands of larger size. Abrogation of these changes after exposure of cells to sorafenib and nilotinib suggests that these alterations occur following stimulation of ZAK. We suggest that ZAK inhibitors such as sorafenib or nilotinib may be effective when combined with doxorubicin to treat cancer patients.
JPL Cryocooler Development and Test Program Overview

Many near-term and future space-instrument programs within NASA and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) depend on the successful development of long-life, low-vibration space cryocoolers. The most demanding near-term programs include a number of science instruments selected for NASA’s Earth Observing System (Eos) program, and a number of space reconnaissance instruments associated with the BMDO’s Brilliant Eyes program; both of these programs require delivery of similar types of flight coolers in the next few years.
Spectrum of all-terrain vehicle injuries in adults: A case series and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION Serious injury secondary to all terrain vehicle usage has been widely reported since the 1970s. All-terrain vehicles (ATV) or ‘quad bikes’ are four wheeled vehicles used for agricultural work, recreation and adventure sport. Data collected in the U.S. indicates that ATV related injury and fatality is increasing annually.
Optimization Based Rate Control for Communication Networks with Inter-Session Network Coding

In this paper we develop a distributed rate control algorithm for multiple-unicast-sessions when network coding is allowed. Building on our recent flow-based characterization of network coding, we formulate the problem as a convex optimization problem. The formulation exploits pairwise coding possibilities between any pair of sessions, where the objective function is the sum of the utilities based on the rates supported by each session. With some manipulation on the Lagrangian of the formulated problem, a distributed algorithm is developed with no interaction between intermediate nodes, and each source having the freedom to choose its own utility function. The only information required by the source is the weighted sum of the queue length updates of each link, which can be piggy-backed on the acknowledgment messages. In addition to the optimal rate control algorithm, we propose a decentralized pairwise random coding scheme (PRC) that is optimal when a sufficiently large finite field is used for network coding. The convergence of the rate control algorithm is proved analytically and verified by extensive simulations. Simulations also demonstrate the advantage of our algorithm over the state-of-the-art in terms of throughput and fairness.
BRAIN DEATH AND ITS ENTANGLEMENTS A Redefinition of Personhood for Islamic Ethics

The Islamic philosophical, mystical, and theological sub-traditions have each made characteristic assumptions about the human person, including an incorporation of substance dualism in distinctive manners. Advances in the brain sciences of the last half century, which include a widespread acceptance of death as the end of essential brain function, require the abandonment of dualistic notions of the human person that assert an immaterial and incorporeal soul separate from a body. In this article, I trace classical Islamic notions of death and the soul, the modern definition of death as "brain death," and some contemporary Islamic responses to this definition. I argue that a completely naturalistic account of human personhood in the Islamic tradition is the best and most viable alternative for the future. This corporeal monistic account of Muslim personhood as embodied consciousness incorporates the insights of pre-modern Muslim thinkers yet rehabilitates their characteristic mistakes and thus has the advantages of neuroscientific validity and modern relevance in trans-cultural ethical discourse; it also helps to alleviate organ shortages in countries with majority Muslim populations, a serious ethical impasse of recent years.
Precoded STBC-VBLAST for MIMO Wireless Communication Systems

A degradation in the bit error rate (BER) performance of the vertical Bell-Labs layered space-time (VBLAST) MIMO system is often due to its low minimum diversity and decoder's error propagation. To remedy this problem, a hybrid scheme that integrates orthogonal space time block codes (STBC) into the lower layers of a VBLAST system was recently introduced. However, if channel state information is available at the transmitter, this hybrid system does not necessarily outperform a precoded VBLAST. This, in turn, motivates our work in this paper, namely the joint design of a precoder and its corresponding decoder for the VBLAST-STBC hybrid system. We consider the two scenarios of a flat and frequency selective fading channels and derive complete analytical solutions for both cases. Our simulation results indicate that the BER performance of the proposed precoded hybrid system is better than all of the other schemes.
A Pilot Study of Primary-Care—Based Buprenorphine Maintenance for Heroin Dependence

The treatment of heroin dependence with opioid maintenance has traditionally employed methadone and more recently buprenorphine administered in traditional drug treatment settings. In this pilot study we evaluated buprenorphine maintenance for the treatment of heroin dependence in a program administered by primary-care providers in a primary-care setting. Seven patients were admitted to this nonblinded open-label pilot study and were offered 6 months of primary-care-based buprenorphine maintenance. Buprenorphine was administered in doses of 16 mg on Monday and Wednesday and 32 mg on Friday. Patients were seen weekly by primary-care providers and attended self-help meetings. Of the seven patients admitted to the study, five (71%) completed the 6-month pilot study and two (29%) were removed from the study. Urine toxicology data showed that the majority of urines tested were clear of opioids in four out of five patients who remained in treatment. These results suggest that primary-care-based opioid maintenance using buprenorphine shows promise as a new approach to the treatment of heroin dependence.
Structural Transition Studies in Methane + Ethane Hydrates Using Raman and NMR

Abstract: Methane and ethane are each known to form structure I (sI) hydrates. However, Raman and NMR measurements made on hydrates formed from gas mixtures of methane (CH4) and ethane (C2H6) indicate that structure II (sII) forms in this system for certain gas compositions. Raman band frequencies for ethane obtained from different CH4+ C2H6 hydrates at 274.2 K indicate a change in hydrate structure from sI to sII between 72.2 and 75 mole% of CH4 in the vapor. A significant increase in the amount of methane incorporated into the hydrate is observed with change in hydrate structure from sI to sII. Solid-state 13C CPMAS NMR measurements at 253 K confirm that CH4+ C2H6 gas mixtures can form sII hydrates at certain feed compositions.
Failure sensitizing reconfigurable control design

The design of reconfigurable controls for fault-tolerant control systems is considered. The issue of performance robustness during the system's normal operation versus failure sensitivity at the time of a system component failure sensitivity at the time of a system component failure is addressed from the control design point of view. A criterion is proposed that balances the competing interests. The existence of an optimized solution under the criterion is proved. An example involving aircraft surface impairment is given to explain the procedure for obtaining the optimized design, and to demonstrate enhanced overall system performance achieved by the design under the proposed criterion. >
Health as Expanding Consciousness With Families With a Child With Special Healthcare Needs

Families have health experiences that become enfolded within their life patterns. Based within Newman's conceptualization of health as expanding consciousness, the purpose of this study was to develop knowledge about the nurse-client process of facilitating health in families who have a child with special healthcare needs. The research as praxis method was used to answer the research question, What is the evolving pattern of the nurse-client process that facilitates health as expanding consciousness in families who have a child with special healthcare needs?
Altered brain morphometry in carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with median nerve pathology

Objective Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common median nerve entrapment neuropathy characterized by pain, paresthesias, diminished peripheral nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and maladaptive functional brain neuroplasticity. We evaluated structural reorganization in brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) and whether such plasticity is linked to altered median nerve function in CTS.
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS OF PENTAMIDINE ANALOGS AGAINST GIARDIA LAMBLIA AND CORRELATION OF ANTIGIARDIAL ACTIVITY WITH DNA-BINDING AFFINITY

1,5-Di(4-amidinophenoxy)pentane (pentamidine) and 38 analogs of pentamidine were screened for in vitro activity against the enteric protozoan Giardia lamblia WB (ATCC 30957). All compounds were active against G. lamblia as measured by a [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation assay. Antigiardial activity varied widely, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) ranging from 0.51 +/- 0.13 microM (mean +/- standard deviation) for the most active compound to over 100.0 microM for the least active compounds. The IC50 of the most potent antigiardial agent, 1,3-di(4-amidino-2-methoxyphenoxy)propane compared favorably with the IC50s of the compounds currently used to treat giardiasis, i.e., furazolidone (1.0 +/- 0.03 microM), metronidazole (2.1 +/- 0.80 microM), quinacrine HCl (0.03 +/- 0.02 microM), and tinidazole (0.78 +/- 0.48 microM). A mode of antigiardial activity for these compounds was suggested by the correlation observed between antigiardial activity and the binding of the compounds to calf thymus DNA and poly(dA).poly(dT).
Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty and palatal advancement pharyngoplasty: airway evaluation and surgical techniques

Multiple palatopharyngoplasty techniques are available for reconstruction of the upper pharyngeal airway. To select appropriate procedures, the surgeon requires classification methods, but traditional staging systems only describe levels of obstruction and do not relate sufficient anatomical detail to specify an intervention. A method of awake, upper airway evaluation is described, which allows the surgeon to direct specific surgical procedures to particular luminal shapes and anatomical structures. Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty is a procedure for treatment of lateral pharyngeal stenosis, where rotation of the palatopharyngeus muscle is performed to widen the pharynx and advance the soft palate anteriorly. Palatal advancement pharyngoplasty is a technique for treatment of posterior retro-palatal obstruction which results in anterior palatal advancement. Surgical techniques and management are described.
A two-susceptibility-allele model for genetic diseases and associated marker loci: differences and similarities to a one-s-allele model

Summary A model for genetic diseases and associated markers is defined where two distinct susceptibility alleles are possible, each associated with a different marker allele. Marker genotype distributions in a disease population are then expressed in terms of haplotype frequencies and penetrance parameters. It is shown that, if the heterozygote with two different disease alleles has a higher penetrance than the two disease homogzygotes, the observed to ‘Hardy-Weinberg-expected’ ratio of associated marker genotypes (the α/β ratio of Falk, Mendell & Rubinstein, 1983) will always be greater than or equal to one. When all disease penetrances are equal, the model becomes indistinguishable from a recessive one-s-allele model with α/β= 1. Application of these observations to several data sets for insulin dependent diabetes mellitus suggests the possibility that different marker genotype distributions in different samples may be due to different penetrances of the disease genotypes in the samples. If a particular environment causes the heterozygote disease genotype (with two different disease alleles) to have the highest penetrance, the marker genotype distribution would be compatible with the 2-s-allele model. In other environments where the three disease genotypes have essentially equal penetrances, the marker distribution would be compatible with the 1-s-allele model.
On-orbit model refinement for controller redesign

High performance control design for a flexible space structure is challenging since high fidelity plant models are difficult to obtain a priori. Uncertainty in the control design models typically require a very robust, low performance control design which must be tuned on-orbit to achieve the required performance. A new procedure for refining a multivariable open loop plant model based on closed-loop response data is presented. Using a minimal representation of the state space dynamics, a least squares prediction error method is employed to estimate the plant parameters. This control-relevant system identification procedure stresses the joint nature of the system identification and control design problem by seeking to obtain a model that minimizes the difference between the predicted and actual closed-loop performance. This paper presents an algorithm for iterative closed-loop system identification and controller redesign along with illustrative examples.
Effect of various root surface treatments on the attachment and growth of human gingival fibroblasts: histologic and scanning electron microscopic evaluation.

Abstract Human teeth extracted because of advanced periodontal disease were obtained. The portions of the roots which had been exposed in periodontal pockets were either untreated or were treated with root planing or citric acid, or root planing followed by citric acid. Human gingival fibroblasts were then added to the roots so treated and were allowed to incubate for 72 h. The ability of cells to attach to and grow onto these roots was assessed by means of gross evaluation of staining intensity and by histologic and scanning electron microscopic observation. The results of multiple experiments in each root-treatment category indicated that only roots which had been planed, whether or not citric acid demineralization was used, promoted cell attachment and growth. In addition, there were no discernible morphologic differences in the cells which were plated onto roots which were root planed only, compared to those which were root planed and citric-acid treated. In both situations too, the cells displayed morphology typical of human gingival fibroblasts in culture.
The distribution within the brain of ferritin injected into cerebrospinal fluid compartments. II. Parenchymal distribution

The electron lucent channels, about 200 A-wide, between the plasma-lemmas of adjacent cell processes within the brain are true pericellular spaces along which ferritin molecules can move. The micelles, visualized electronmicroscopically, move through the spaces until they encounter an interglial fusion or its myelin counterpart. The interspace between glial processes is abruptly sealed by these inter-membranous fusions or occasionally distended by a dense filler capable of trapping ferritin. The cerebral interspace is thus highly variable in width and content. Molecules initially enter the interspace by passing across the basement membrane of the glial border fronting the subarachnoid space whence they are pinocytosed by the underlying glial processes and, at the subarachnoid border of the anterior medullary velum, by also passing directly between adjacent ependymal extensions. Once having entered the parenchymal interspace, micelles can be pinocytosed by neuronal somata and processes and, to a greater degree, by glial fibers. Pinocytosis by the thicker rather than the attenuated portions of glial fibers suggests that the plasmalemmas on the opposite sides of a process must be separated by a critical distance before pinocytotic indentations can be formed. The thinner portions thus offer greater barriers to the movement of micelles than do thicker regions.
The counting stroop: An interference task specialized for functional neuroimaging—validation study with functional MRI

The anterior cingulate cortex has been activated by color Stroop tasks, supporting the hypothesis that it is recruited to mediate response selection or allocate attentional resources when confronted with competing information-processing streams. The current study used the newly developed "Counting Stroop" to identify the mediating neural substrate of cognitive interference. The Counting Stroop, a Stroop variant allowing on-line response time measurements while obviating speech, was created because speaking produces head movements that can exceed those tolerated by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), preventing the collection of vital performance data. During this task, subjects report by button-press the number of words (1-4) on the screen, regardless of word meaning. Interference trials contain number words that are incongruent with the correct response (e.g., "two" written three times), while neutral trials contain single semantic category common animals (e.g., "bird"). Nine normal right-handed adult volunteers underwent fMRI while performing the Counting Stroop. Group fMRI data revealed significant (P < or = 10(-4) activity in the cognitive division of anterior cingulate cortex when contrasting the interference vs. neutral conditions. On-line performance data showed 1) longer reaction times for interference blocks than for neutral ones, and 2) decreasing reaction times with practice during interference trials (diminished interference effects), indicating that learning occurred. The performance data proved to be a useful guide in analyzing the image data. The relative difference in anterior cingulate activity between the interference and neutral conditions decreased as subjects learned the task. These findings have ramifications for attentional, cognitive interference, learning, and motor control mechanism theories.
AC and DC Equivalent Circuit Modeling of the Discontinuous Conduction Mode

So far, we have derived equivalent circuit models for dc-dc pulse-width modulation (PWM) converters operating in the continuous conduction mode. As illustrated in Fig. 11.1, the basic dc conversion property is modeled by an effective dc transformer, having a turns ratio equal to the conversion ratio M(D). This model predicts that the converter has a voltage-source output characteristic, such that the output voltage is essentially independent of the load current or load resistance R. We have also seen how to refine this model, to predict losses and efficiency, converter dynamics, and small-signal ac transfer functions. We found that the transfer functions of the buck converter contain two low-frequency poles, owing to the converter filter inductor and capacitor. The control-to-output transfer functions of the boost and buck-boost converters additionally contain a right half-plane zero. Finally, we have seen how to utilize these results in the design of converter control systems.
Reactive Power Control Realizations in Single-Phase Active-Front-End Converters

Reactive power source capability allows active-front-end converters with average-current-mode control to be used as reactive power compensators in addition to their primary function as ac-dc converters. Reactive power control in these converters can be realized in multiple ways by adding a suitable controller to the current control loop. The paper presents a comprehensive study of reactive power control realizations in a single-phase AFE converter, along with their merits and limitations, including susceptibility to the ac line noise. Different forms of the reactive power controller are derived in a systematic way by using a closed-loop dynamic model of the converter. Theoretical analysis and simulation results are verified by experiments.
Merkel cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the natural history and treatment outcomes for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Methods: Review of the literature. Results: The probability of regional node involvement at presentation exceeds 50%; few patients present with distant metastases. Comprehensive treatment of the primary site and regional lymphatics with surgery or radiotherapy results in the highest likelihood of cure. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy remains investigational. Conclusion: The probability of regional dissemination at diagnosis is high. The optimal treatment is resection of the primary tumor and treatment of the regional lymphatics. Resection of all gross tumor should be accomplished followed by local–regional radiotherapy in most patients.
Unified presentation of 1/f noise in electron devices: fundamental 1/f noise sources

1/f noise in semiconductors, semiconductor devices, and collision-free devices (like vacuum tubes) is presented from a unified point of view, using an extended version of the F.N. Hooge equation (Physica, vol. 83b, p.9, 1976), which is generalized to all collision-dominated systems involving mobility, diffusion, and cross-section fluctuations. It also applies to collision-free processes involving vacuum tubes, Schottky barrier diodes operating in the thermionic mode, and in devices such as p-i-n diodes in which collision processes are not the determining factor. A generalized schematic is given for expressing the noise spectrum S/sub 1/(f) in the external circuit in terms of distributed noise sources of the nonuniform devices in terms of alpha /sub H/, so the latter can be determined from the former. It is then found that the Hooge parameter. alpha /sub H/ introduced by this equation can be used as a general measure of the noisiness of a system or device. Several cases in which the noise does not obey the quantum 1/f noise theory are discussed. Measurements on many different devices are examined, and an attempt is made to correlate measured values of the Hooge parameter with the values calculated from P.H. Handel's quantum theory of 1/f noise (1975, 1980). >
Management Complexities of HIV/Hepatitis C Virus Coinfection in the Twenty-First Century

Because of shared routes of transmission, hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is common among HIV-infected persons. Because of the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, chronic HCV has now emerged as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Because chronic HCV is highly prevalent among HIV-infected patients and has a rapid disease progression, antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin is critical for the long-term survival of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. In this article, the authors review the (1) epidemiology of HCV among HIV-infected individuals, (2) effect of HIV on the natural history of chronic HCV, (3) impact of antiretroviral therapy on HCV coinfection, and (4) management of chronic HCV in the HIV-infected person.
Low Vitamin D Status despite Abundant Sun Exposure

Context: Lack of sun exposure is widely accepted as the primary cause of epidemic low vitamin D status worldwide. However, some individuals with seemingly adequate UV exposure have been reported to have low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration, results that might have been confounded by imprecision of the assays used. Objective: The aim was to document the 25(OH)D status of healthy individuals with habitually high sun exposure. Setting: This study was conducted in a convenience sample of adults in Honolulu, Hawaii (latitude 21°). Participants: The study population consisted of 93 adults (30 women and 63 men) with a mean (sem) age and body mass index of 24.0 yr (0.7) and 23.6 kg/m2 (0.4), respectively. Their self-reported sun exposure was 28.9 (1.5) h/wk, yielding a calculated sun exposure index of 11.1 (0.7). Main Outcome Measures: Serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured using a precise HPLC assay. Low vitamin D status was defined as a circulating 25(OH)D concentration less than 30 ng/ml. Re...
Phase locked vertical cavity surface emitting laser

A VCSEL amplifier has been phase locked to a master oscillator laser. The central frequency of the light may be slightly shifted, but by an amount which is significantly less than the linewidth of the signal. The coherence of the amplified light is not significantly degraded by frequency broadening or noise. These results suggest that a MOPA phased array using VCSEL amplifiers is feasible. Experiments to demonstrate a coherent 1x2 array with discrete VCSELs are at present ongoing.
Quantifying The Chasm: Exploring The Impact Of The BCS On Total Football Revenues For Division One Football Programs From 2002-2012

The Bowl Championship Series served as a collection of bowl games that were designed to crown the national champion in Division One football. The BCS created two classifications of institutions in Division football, those that were granted automatic access (AQ) to the post-season games, and those that were not (non-AQ). The BCS also generated billions of dollars for participating schools. This study examines the financial impact of the BCS on total revenue reported by member institutions, from 2002 to 2012. It further seeks to quantify the impact of inclusion in a BCS AQ conference on the distribution of the more than $24 billion in revenue. This study concludes that membership in a BCS AQ conference accounts for nearly 40% of the variance in total football revenue, and can provide these AQ schools with more than an $18 million dollar advantage over their non-AQ peers. This study explores both the reasons for and the impact of these differences on Division One football institutions.