cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable depth thermal lesions in rabbit corneas using a tunable thulium fiber laser

ABSTRACT Laser-induced thermal changes in the cornea have been used clinically for refractive surgery. This study describes the creation of variable depth thermal lesions in the cornea using a tunable Thulium fiber laser. Thermal lesions were created in fresh rabbit corneas, ex vivo, at three different wavelengths (1873 nm, 1890 nm, and 1904 nm) (n=6 corneas each). All other laser parameters were kept fixed with power of 5.5 W, 25-ms exposure time, and 650- P m-diameter spot, yielding a single pulse exposure of 138 mJ, and a fluence of 42 J/cm 2 . Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and histology were used to measure pre- and post-operative corneal thickness and lesion dimensions. OCT measurements of pre and post-operative corneal thickness and lesion depth (in microns) were: (1873 nm: 450+ 30, 801+ 95, 655+51), (1890 nm: 460+27, 618+70, 332+56), (1904 nm: 448+20, 550+42, 245+36), respectively. By comparison, histologic measurements were: (1873 nm: 470+25, 828+21, 540+31), (1890 nm: 457+13, 625+17, 350+ 43), (1904 nm: 465+ 40, 627+ 35, 239+ 23), respectively. OCT lesion depth measured 82%, 54%, and 45% of corneal thickness, compared to histologic analysis of 65%, 56%, and 38%. This is the first preliminary test of a compact and tunable Thulium fiber laser for creating variable depth thermal lesions in the cornea. The Thulium fiber laser may have potential use as a replacement for the Ho:YAG and diode lasers for thermal keratoplasty. Key Words: cornea, fiber, keratoplasty, laser, lesions, thermal, thulium, tunable
Reanimating the Vital Center: Challenges and Opportunities in the Regional Talent Development Pipeline.

The Midwest led the creation of the modern community college and public university, designed to support the advance of the industrial economy that grew to be centered in the region. In today's knowledge-driven economy the role of learning and research institutions has changed dramatically. Looking forward, these institutions must change and contribute in new ways to the region's economic prosperity.
The Heart's Content: The Association Between Positive Psychological Well-Being and Cardiovascular Health

This review investigates the association between positive psychological well-being (PPWB) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We also consider the mechanisms by which PPWB may be linked with CVD, focusing on the health behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep quality and quantity, and food consumption) and biological functions (e.g., cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic processes) that are most relevant for cardiovascular health. Because PPWB is a broad concept, not all aspects of PPWB may be associated with cardiovascular health. Thus, we distinguish between eudaimonic well-being, hedonic well-being, optimism, and other measures of well-being when reviewing the literature. Findings suggest that PPWB protects consistently against CVD, independently of traditional risk factors and ill-being. Specifically, optimism is most robustly associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. In general, PPWB is also positively associated with restorative health behaviors and biological function and inversely associated with deteriorative health behaviors and biological function. Cardiovascular health is more consistently associated with optimism and hedonic well-being than with eudaimonic well-being, although this could be due in part to more limited evidence being available concerning eudaimonic well-being. Some similarities were also evident across different measures of PPWB, which is likely due to measurement overlap. A theoretical context for this research is provided, and suggestions for future research are given, including the need for additional prospective investigations and research that includes multiple constructs of psychological well-being and ill-being.
Perceived movement of the afterimage during eye movements

The question of whether an afterimage viewed in a dark field appears to move during eye movement was studied by comparing recordings of eye movements with recordings of reports of perceived movement. The correlation was found to be quite good even under conditions where the eye movements were spontaneous rather than specifically directed. The results were taken to support the hypothesis that the behavior of the retinal image is “interpreted” by taking into account information concerning what the eyes are doing.
Two-stage catalytic coliquefaction of coal and waste tire

Two-stage catalytic liquefaction of coal and waste tire was studied using two bituminous coals, Blind Canyon and Illinois No. 6, and a sub-bituminous coal, Wyodak. The tire sample was a mixture of waste, recycled tires. In the first stage, the tire was liquefied separately at 350 or 400 °C under N 2 or H 2 to obtain tire oil. In the second stage, each coal was liquefied, in turn, with tire oil at 350-450 °C and 1000 psi of H 2 (cold) using various tire-oil/coal ratios. A few second-stage runs were carried out with coal and vacuum-pyrolized tire oil obtained from a commercial source. Some of the second-stage runs were catalytic. For these, a ferric-sulfide-based catalyst was impregnated in situ in the coal. In general, the use of tire oil shows an improvement in coal conversion. In the absence of catalyst, the effects are similar with tire oils prepared under different conditions. With the catalyst, the increase upon adding tire oil is greatest when the tire oil is prepared at 400 °C in a hydrogen atmosphere. A synergistic effect can be quantified by adding to the conversion (or oil yield) for catalyst plus coal the increase in conversion (or oil yield) observed when tire oil is added to coal in the absence of catalyst and comparing this number to the conversion (or oil yield) when the feed is coal plus tire oil plus catalyst. In general, the improvements are most pronounced at the higher temperatures of the second stage and at higher ratios of tire oil to coal. For all three coals, the effects of tire oil are greater than those due to the whole tire in single-stage coliquefaction, especially with a catalyst present at high tire-oil/coal ratios. A kinetic analysis shows that the thermal reactions of coal and tire oil have lower activation energies in the second stage of two-stage liquefaction compared to those in single-stage liquefaction. A similar effect is noted for the catalytic reactions, at least for the bituminous coals. This indicates that two-stage liquefaction is beneficial, particularly at mild temperatures in the second stage. Further, the activation energies for the synergistic rate constants are higher for the catalytic reactions than for the thermal reactions, indicating that diffusion effects in the coal may be important in the noncatalytic processes.
Efficient code generation from SHIM models

Programming concurrent systems is substantially more difficult than programming sequential systems, yet most embedded systems need concurrency. We believe this should be addressed through higher-level models of concurrency that eliminate many of the usual challenges, such as nondeterminism arising from races.The shim model of computation provides deterministic concurrency, and there already exist ways of implementing it in hardware and software. In this work, we describe how to produce more efficient C code from shim systems.We propose two techniques: a largely mechanical one that produces tail-recursive code for simulating concurrency, and a more clever one that statically analyzes the communication pattern of multiple processes to produce code with far less overhead. Experimentally, we find our tail-recursive technique produces code that runs roughly twice as fast as a baseline; our statically-scheduled code can run up to twelve times faster.
Evaluation of the NOAA Real Time Ocean Forecast System_Atlantic for Operational Use at the NOAA Ocean Prediction Center

The Real Time Ocean Forecast System_Atlantic (RT_OFS_ATL) is a new forecast system at NOAA's National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). RT_OFS_ATL, based on the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model, forecasts ocean variables in the Atlantic out to five days. RT_OFS_ATL is being evaluated by the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) for its use as a forecasting tool for marine weather and eventually the basis for a suite of oceanographic products. RT_OFS_ATL has shown realistic behavior in sea surface temperature and height. The initial state of the model has some persistent unrealistic features that are being improved upon.
When Is It Safe to Return to Driving After Spinal Surgery

Study Design Prospective study. Objective Surgeons' recommendations for a safe return to driving following cervical and lumbar surgery vary and are based on empirical data. Driver reaction time (DRT) is an objective measure of the ability to drive safely. There are limited data about the effect of cervical and lumbar surgery on DRT. The purpose of our study was to use the DRT to determine when the patients undergoing a spinal surgery may safely return to driving. Methods We tested 37 patients' DRT using computer software. Twenty-three patients (mean 50.5 ± 17.7 years) received lumbar surgery, and 14 patients had cervical surgery (mean 56.7 ± 10.9 years). Patients were compared with 14 healthy male controls (mean 32 ± 5.19 years). The patients having cervical surgery were subdivided into the anterior versus posterior approach and myelopathic versus nonmyelopathic groups. Patients having lumbar spinal surgery were subdivided by decompression versus fusion with or without decompression and single-level versus multilevel surgery. The patients were tested preoperatively and at 2 to 3, 6, and 12 weeks following the surgery. The use of opioids was noted. Results Overall, the patients having cervical and lumbar surgery showed no significant differences between pre- and postoperative DRT (cervical p = 0.49, lumbar p = 0.196). Only the patients having single-level procedures had a significant improvement from a preoperative DRT of 0.951 seconds (standard deviation 0.255) to 0.794 seconds (standard deviation 0.152) at 2 to 3 weeks ( p = 0.012). None of the other subgroups had a difference in the DRT. Conclusions Based on these findings, it may be acceptable to allow patients having a single-level lumbar fusion who are not taking opioids to return to driving as early as 2 weeks following the spinal surgery.
Influence of Larval Sea Lamprey Density on Transformer Life History Characteristics in Lewis Creek, Vermont

Abstract Density-dependent larval life history characteristics of sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus may have important management implications for sea lamprey control if life history attributes directly respond to conditions created by control strategies. Our objective was to examine the effects of larval sea lamprey density on sex ratio, size at metamorphosis, and age at metamorphosis in Lewis Creek, Vermont (one reach with naturally high larval density and one low-density reach), and to determine the effects of lampricide treatments on these characteristics. Lewis Creek has a natural falls that divides the stream into two distinct larval sea lamprey populations; this barrier created areas of high and low densities in the stream before treatment. Lewis Creek was treated with lampricide in 1990 and 1994, and all visible dead sea lampreys were collected, identified, and counted. Sea lamprey transformers (metamorphosing larvae) were measured for length and weight and sex was determined. Larval habitat was qua...
Elastic leed intensity-energy studies of clean (001), (110) and (111) nickel surfaces

Elastic low energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity-energy (I-E) measurements for clean (001), (110), and (111) nickel surfaces were obtained at room temperature. Surface composition was monitored by Auger spectroscopy. I-E data from 15 to 220 eV were obtained at normal incidence for the non specular beams and for the specular beams at incidence angles from 4° to 20° on the 0° and 45° azimuths of (001), on the 0° and 90° azimuths of (110), and on the 0° azimuth of (111) nickel. Normalization of the data was performed electronically during data acquisition. Intensities were calibrated with the use of a shielded, biased Faraday collector. The effects of instrumental and experimental uncertainties were examined and minimized to obtain intensities accurate to ± 15 %, energy scales accurate to ± 0.35 eV, and incident and azimuthal angles accurate to ± 0.25° and ± 1.0° respectively. All nickel surfaces have I-E spectra which are characteristic of strong multiple scattering. Angular evolution features for (001) and (110) spectra may be correlated with intraplanar resonances associated with the onset of propagating beams. Only the (001) surfaces were found to have pronounced, sharp resonance features associated with surface barrier resonances and inelastic loss processes. Kinematic analysis of the Lorenzian-shaped I-E peaks on all surfaces in consistent with surface expansion using either an energy-dependent or a constant inner potential of 10.75 ± 0.5 eV. The widths of these same peaks on all surfaces were found to vary as E12 above 40 eV and E13 below.
Source Encoding, Signal Sampling And Filtering For White-Light Signal Processing

A relation between spatial coherence and source encoding intensity distribution is presented. Since the spatial coherence requirement is determined by the signal processing operation, a strict coherence source may not be needed for the processing. The advantage of the source encoding is to relax the constraints of strict spatial coherence requirement so that the signal processing operation can be carried out with an extended incoherent source. The effects of signal sampling on coherence requirement is discussed. The advantage of signal sampling is to improve the degree of temporal coherence in the Fourier plane so that the signal can be processed in complex amplitude with a broadband white-light source. Finally, experimental demonstrations are included.
Transport characteristics of fine sediments from an on-stream stormwater management pond

Abstract Transport characteristics of fine sediment deposited in an on-stream stormwater management pond were studied in a rotating circular flume. In deposition experiments, the critical shear stress for deposition (τ cd =0.050 N / m 2 ) and the amount of sediment that would stay in suspension permanently were established. For two consolidation periods, 41 and 138 h, respectively, the critical shear stress for erosion of the surface sediment layer was estimated as 0.12 N / m 2 . Finally, empirical relationships were developed to estimate the sediment deposition and erosion as a function of bed-shear stress and recommended for future modelling of fine sediment transport in the pond studied.
Potential of solid phase extraction disks to aid determination of dislodgeable foliar residues of chlorpyriphos, malathion, diazinon, and acephate.

The utility of solid phase extraction (SPE) for concentrating four organophosphate insecticides from solutions of water and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, a surfactant, was evaluated. Reverse phase (C18, octadecyl bonded silica) sorbent in the form of a disk was the SPE medium evaluated. Chlorpyriphos, malathion, and diazinon, but not acephate, were retained on and eluted from the SPE disks. For pesticides that were retained on SPE disks, recoveries from the disks were equal to or higher than recoveries achieved by solvent partitioning. Dislodgeable foliar residues of acephate were successfully concentrated for analysis by lyophilization of water–surfactant solutions. Recoveries of pesticides from SPE disks stored at −15°C for one week were equal to or higher than those of pesticides stored in water–surfactant for one week at −15°C. Malathion- and diazinon-fortified samples in water–surfactant and on SPE disks were prepared in one state and shipped for analysis in another state. Pesticides in the water–surfactant samples were concentrated by solvent partitioning and were underestimated by 41% (diazinon) and 16% (malathion). Conversely, diazinon samples on the SPE disks were on average underestimated by 3% and malathion was overestimated by an average of 55%. The overestimation of malathion was attributed to a matrix effect during analysis associated with the presence of surfactant, which was retained on and subsequently eluted from the SPE disks. The retention of surfactant by the SPE disks and its subsequent elution may considerably limit their usefulness in determination of dislodgeable foliar residues.
LILIE CHOULIARAKI & NORMAN FAIRCLOUGH , Discourse in late modernity: Rethinking Critical Discourse Analysis . Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1999. Pp. 168. Hb $40.00, pb $25.00.

Discourse in late modernity purports to demonstrate the significance of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), principally a European disciplinary formation, for constructionist social theory across disciplines and social settings, and to argue for the specific importance of CDA within a broader sociology of modernity. The book is principally a work of theory-building and exemplification, meant for a broad scholarly audience. Unfortunately, however, scholars outside the CDA community will be frustrated by the book's dense and sometimes confused use of undefined technical terms, as well as by the very thin analyses of the volume's few empirical examples of complex theoretical points. Terms such as “discourse,” “structure,” and “text” are used in diverse ways, but often without apparent concern for the conflicting traditions in which they are central concepts. The book also politicizes questions of social power in ways that may alienate many readers who do not share the authors' Eurocentric politics. Finally, the writing in this volume suffers from needlessly dense and complex prose syntax. These rhetorical problems are not as minor as they may sound, for they disguise – and, thereby, ironically reveal – more substantial flaws in the core arguments of the volume.
Coherent pump dynamics, propagation, transverse, and diffraction effects in three-level superfluorescence and control of light by light

A model is presented for the dynamical evolution of superfluorescence from an optically pumped three-level system. The full propagation, transverse, and diffraction effects are taken into account. With the use of a previously developed algorithm, a computational simulation was constructed from this model and results are presented and discussed. In particular, it is shown that the injected coherent pump-pulse initial characteristics, such as on-axis area, temporal and radial width and shape, can have significant deterministic effects on the superfluorescent pulse delay time, peak intensity, temporal width, and shape. Thus, by specifying certain initial properties of the injected pump pulse, the superfluorescent pulse can be shaped and altered. The results predict the conditions under which an injected light pulse of a given frequency can be used to generate, shape, and control a second light pulse of a different frequency via a nonlinear medium, thus demonstrating a new aspect of the phenomenon of light control by light.
Radioisotope Reduction Using Solar Power for Outer Planetary Missions

Radioisotope power systems have historically been (and still are) the power system of choice from a mass and size perspective for outer planetary missions. High demand for and limited availability of radioisotope fuel has made it necessary to investigate alternatives to this option. Low mass, high efficiency solar power systems have the potential for use at low outer planetary temperatures and illumination levels. This paper documents the impacts of using solar power systems instead of radioisotope power for all or part of the power needs of outer planetary spacecraft and illustrates the potential fuel savings of such an approach.
Current Microbiology of Surgical Site Infections in Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective Review.

Background Patients with solid tumors frequently undergo surgical procedures and develop procedure-related infections. We sought to describe the current microbiologic spectrum of infections at various sites following common surgical procedures.
ANOMALOUS DEPENDENCE OF RESISTANCE ON LENGTH IN ATOMIC WIRES

The resistance of an atomic Na wire between two macroscopic metallic electrodes is found to decrease by a factor of 2 going from the 1- to the 2-atom wire, and then to stay roughly the same for the 2-, 3-, and 4-atom wires. The initial decrease in resistance is related to the phenomenon of incomplete valence resonances for an atom interacting with a continuum of states. Such resonances lead to what might be called incomplete conduction channels.
A Thermocapillary Mechanism for Lateral Motion of Bubbles on a Heated Surface During Subcooled Nucleate Boiling

Both thermocapillary flow and the concerted motion of bubbles toward each other in subcooled nucleate boiling have been mentioned in the literature on boiling phenomena, but never associated with each other. Also, it has been shown in previously unrelated contributions that thermocapillary flow around bubbles of sparingly soluble gas can cause those bubbles to aggregate on a warm surface. The conjunction of these observations leads to the hypothesis that mutual entrainment in thermocapillary flow might drive bubbles toward each other during nucleate boiling of a subcooled liquid. An approximate equation for estimating the observability of such motion is presented. The effect would be especially important in cases where the bubble release rate is low such as boiling on horizontal down-facing surfaces and boiling in microgravity
Fibrillar Amyloid-β Peptides Kill Human Primary Neurons via NADPH Oxidase-mediated Activation of Neutral Sphingomyelinase IMPLICATIONS FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Alzheimer's disease is a major illness of dementia characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and extensive neuronal apoptosis. However, the mechanism behind neuronal apoptosis in the Alzheimer's-diseased brain is poorly understood. This study underlines the importance of neutral sphingomyelinase in fibrillar Abeta peptide-induced apoptosis and cell death in human primary neurons. Abeta1-42 peptides induced the activation of sphingomyelinases and the production of ceramide in neurons. Interestingly, neutral (N-SMase), but not acidic (A-SMase), sphingomyelinase was involved in Abeta1-42-mediated neuronal apoptosis and cell death. Abeta1-42-induced production of ceramide was redox-sensitive, as reactive oxygen species were involved in the activation of N-SMase but not A-SMase. Abeta1-42 peptides induced the NADPH oxidase-mediated production of superoxide radicals in neurons that was involved in the activation of N-SMase, but not A-SMase, via hydrogen peroxide. Consistently, superoxide radicals generated by hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase also induced the activation of N-SMase, but not A-SMase, through a catalase-sensitive pathway. Furthermore, antisense knockdown of p22phox, a subunit of NADPH oxidase, inhibited Abeta1-42-induced neuronal apoptosis and cell death. These studies suggest that fibrillar Abeta1-42 peptides induce neuronal apoptosis through the NADPH oxidase-superoxide-hydrogen peroxide-NS-Mase-ceramide pathway.
Hierarchically nanostructured materials for sustainable environmental applications

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the hierarchical nanostructured materials with either geometry or composition complexity in environmental applications. The hierarchical nanostructures offer advantages of high surface area, synergistic interactions and multiple functionalities towards water remediation, environmental gas sensing and monitoring as well as catalytic gas treatment. Recent advances in synthetic strategies for various hierarchical morphologies such as hollow spheres and urchin-shaped architectures have been reviewed. In addition to the chemical synthesis, the physical mechanisms associated with the materials design and device fabrication have been discussed for each specific application. The development and application of hierarchical complex perovskite oxide nanostructures have also been introduced in photocatalytic water remediation, gas sensing and catalytic converter. Hierarchical nanostructures will open up many possibilities for materials design and device fabrication in environmental chemistry and technology.
Powerful CEOs and Employee Relations: Evidence from Corporate Social Responsibility Indicators

In this paper, we investigate whether powerful CEOs who dominate the top management team exhibit positive or negative behavior towards their employees. Somewhat surprisingly, we find that CEO power as evidenced by high pay disparity between the CEO and top management, results in positive Employee Relations as measured by the KLD Statistics. We also find that CEO power affects the individual categories of Employee Involvement as well as Employee Health and Safety, indicating that pay disparity positively effects Employee Relations on a number of measures. However, the strong positive relationship is not found when the CEO holds the dual role of Chairman. In addition, neither measure tests positive for union relations, although high profitability, as measured by industry adjusted Return on Assets, appears to permit firms to have positive relations with employees on a number of different measures.
Corticostriatal dysfunction and glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) in Huntington’s disease: Interactions between neurons and astrocytes

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatally inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded glutamine repeat in the N-terminal region of the huntingtin (HTT) protein. The result is a progressively worsening triad of cognitive, emotional, and motor alterations that typically begin in adulthood and end in death 10–20 years later. Autopsy of HD patients indicates massive cell loss in the striatum and its main source of input, the cerebral cortex. Further studies of HD patients and transgenic animal models of HD indicate that corticostriatal neuronal processing is altered long before neuronal death takes place. In fact, altered neuronal function appears to be the primary driver of the HD behavioral phenotype, and dysregulation of glutamate, the excitatory amino acid released by corticostriatal afferents, is believed to play a critical role. Although mutant HTT interferes with the operation of multiple proteins related to glutamate transmission, consistent evidence links the expression of mutant HTT with reduced activity of glutamate transporter 1 (rodent GLT1 or human EAAT2), the astrocytic protein responsible for the bulk of glutamate uptake. Here, we review corticostriatal dysfunction in HD and focus on GLT1 and its expression in astrocytes as a possible therapeutic target.
The terminal amino acids of protein sequences and protein maturation

Abstract A comparison is made of the N- and C-terminal amino acids from 96 published protein sequences, 26 from prokaryotes, 70 from eukaryotes. The observed frequencies of the N-terminal amino acids methionine, alanine and serine in prokaryotes, and alanine and serine in eukaryotes are significantly higher than expected for a random arrangement of amino acids. At the C-terminal end, the observed frequencies of lysine, asparagine and glutamine in prokaryotes and phenylalanine, asparagine and glutamine in eukaryotes exceed random expectation. These results could be explained by specific proteolytic cleavage during protein synthesis.
Video source identification in lossy wireless networks

Video source identification is very important in validating video evidence, tracking down video piracy crimes and regulating individual video sources. With the prevalence of wireless communication, wireless video cameras continue to replace their wired counterparts in security/surveillance systems and tactical networks. However, wirelessly streamed videos usually suffer from blocking and blurring due to inevitable packet loss in wireless transmissions. The existing source identification methods experience significant performance degradation or even fail to work when identifying videos with blocking and blurring. In this paper, we propose a method which is effective and efficient in identifying such wirelessly streamed videos. In addition, we also propose to incorporate wireless channel signatures and selective frame processing into source identification, which significantly improve the identification speed.
Purification and properties of the calcium-precipitable protein in submaxillary saliva of normal and cystic fibrosis subjects.

Purification and Properties of the Calcium-precipitable Protein in Submaxillary Saliva of Normal and Cystic Fibrosis Subjects
Arachidonic acid metabolism by rabbit fetal membranes of various gestational ages

The ability of rabbit fetal membranes to convert arachidonic acid to both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase products was studied by separation and identification of products derived from incubations of 1-14C-arachidonate with subcellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation of tissue homogenates. Both amnion and splanchnopleure (the chorion-equivalent of the rabbit) produced a mixture of 11-, 12-, and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids when stimulated by calcium ions; these products were produced in greater quantity in middle pregnancy (20-22d) than later (28-30d). Cyclooxygenase products included PGD2, PGE2, TxB2 and PGF2 alpha, all of which were made more actively in late pregnancy than the middle in both amnion (which was more active) and chorion-equivalent. These data suggest that arachidonate metabolism by rabbit fetal membranes in middle pregnancy is directed primarily toward production of monohydroxy fatty acids, but that as pregnancy nears term, the PG-producing enzymes are induced, preparing the uterine smooth muscle for parturition.
The Effect of a Sloping Sea Floor on the Surface Electromagnetic Field

Plane electromagnetic waves are assumed to be incident normally on an ocean surface, overlying a sea floor of uniform slope. Berdichevskii's method of images is used to extend the computations of surface fields for a basement with non-zero conductivity, at sites remote from the coastline. The vertical magnetic field is enhanced over shallower depths while the horizontal electric field shows a transition from the polarization behaviour on the landward side of a continental shore to that on the seaward side. The fields are computed for slopes of 3° and 10° and compared with those over an ocean with a horizontal floor. The calculations are applied to three sets of measurements on iceislands in the Arctic Ocean; no disagreement is found, although quantitative explanation cannot be made owing to the difficulties of controlling the experimental conditions, or of simulating them precisely in a mathematical analysis.
Nanogel carrier design for targeted drug delivery

Polymer-based nanogel formulations offer features attractive for drug delivery, including ease of synthesis, controllable swelling and viscoelasticity as well as drug loading and release characteristics, passive and active targeting, and the ability to formulate nanogel carriers that can respond to biological stimuli. These unique features and low toxicity make the nanogels a favorable option for vascular drug targeting. In this review, we have addressed key chemical and biological aspects of nanogel drug carrier design. In particular, we have highlighted published studies of nanogel design, descriptions of nanogel functional characteristics and their behavior in biological models. These studies form a compendium of information that supports the scientific and clinical rationale for development of this carrier for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Laboratory response to intranasal desmopressin in women with menorrhagia and platelet dysfunction

Intranasal desmopressin (IN-DDAVP) is used for home treatment of menorrhagia in women with inherited bleeding disorders. The effect of IN-DDAVP on laboratory haemostatic parameters in women with menorrhagia related to platelet dysfunction is unknown. We evaluated the effects of IN-DDAVP on haemostatic parameters in women with menorrhagia and platelet dysfunction and correlated them with menstrual flow. Eleven women (aged 18-45) with menorrhagia and haemostatic abnormalities had determination of von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag), von Willebrand factor ristocetin cofactor (VWF:RCo) activity, factor VIII coagulant activity (FVIII:C), platelet aggregation and platelet adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) release pre-IN-DDAVP and 60-min post-IN-DDAVP. Eight of eleven women underwent platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) closure time determination with collagen/adrenaline and collagen/adenosine diphosphate cartridges pretreatment and post-treatment. IN-DDAVP was administered during two consecutive menstrual cycles. Menstrual flow was assessed during each cycle using a pictorial blood assessment chart. Treatment with IN-DDAVP resulted in elevated VWF levels and shortened PFA-100 closure time with significant inverse correlation between shortening of PFA-100 closure times and increases in VWF levels. There were also significant inverse correlations between changes in menstrual flow and changes in VWF:Ag (P = 0.02), VWF:RCo (P = 0.04) and FVIII:C (P = 0.006), following treatment. In vitro platelet aggregation and platelet ATP release response did not correct and did not correlate with changes in menstrual flow. Our results demonstrate a correlation between haemostatic parameters and menstrual flow following IN-DDAVP in women with menorrhagia and platelet dysfunction.
Parallelizing the Discrete Ordinates Method (DOM) for Three-Dimensional Radiative Heat Transfer Calculations using a Priority Queuing Technique

A parallelizing algorithm based on a priority queuing system is developed for solving the three-dimensional radiative transfer equation (RTE) using the discrete ordinates method (DOM) in an absorbing-emitting medium. The classical iterative method of initializing intensity values at processor boundaries and conducting iterations until convergence is very inefficient, and hence a better technique is desired. The method developed here is called the staged technique and relies on the careful organization and prioritization of the multiple inherently serial calculations present in the classical algorithm. A parallel performance analysis is presented for this technique, and measured values of performance metrics are compared to theoretical values. Although theoretical values exhibit possibilities of efficiencies up to 50%, the measured values are lower due to parallel logic overhead. Overall, better performance is obtained for larger problem sizes solved on a relatively small number of processors, but performa...
Intestinal microflora in Asiatic cholera. II. The small bowel.

Recent technical developments in gastrointestinal intubation and biopsy have been applied to the study of microflora of the small bowel. Normal individuals have been found to harbor only small numbers of gram-positive microorganisms in the stomach, duodenum, and jejunum. However, the ileum may contain gram-negative bacteria, probably related to retrograde contamination from the colon [1]. Postmortem investigations in fatal cases of cholera have documented the presence of large numbers of vibrios on the mucosal surface and within the lumen of the small intestine [2]. This suggests that the entire gastrointestinal tract is colonized by this microorganism during an acute attack and that the host's bacterial clearing mechanism is defective. The present study attempted to document the microflora of the small bowel during an acute
Earnings Management? The Shapes of the Frequency Distributions of Earnings Metrics Are Not Evidence Ipso Facto

We provide evidence that the shapes (particularly around zero) of the frequency distributions of earnings metrics examined in the extant earnings management literature are affected by (1) deflation (using, for example, price or market capitalization), (2) sample selection criteria that lead to differential inclusion/exclusion of observations to the left of zero versus observations to the right of zero (implicit in studies focusing on firms followed by I/B/E/S and explicit in studies partitioning on a variable differing between loss observations and profit observations), (3) differences between the characteristics of observations to the left of zero and observations to the right of zero (such as market pricing and analyst optimism/pessimism), or (4) a combination of these factors. Since the shapes of the frequency distributions of earnings metrics at zero are likely due to one of the above effects, we conclude that the shapes cannot be used as ipso facto evidence of earnings management.
A pharmacological approach to the quagmire of comorbidity in juvenile mania.

As recently articulated in a Special Section on juvenile bipolar disorder in the Journal (Nottelmann, 1995), the diagnosis of childhood mania continues to be met with skepticism by the clinical and research community. This state ofaffairs has generated a cycle ofpotential underidentification and reluctance to diagnose or study the condition. Since rational pharmacotherapy follows diagnostic hypotheses, this reluctance likely hinders the clinician's ability to treat severely ill children. Although it has been recognized since Kraepelinian times that bipolar disorder can have an onset in childhood (Kraepelin, 1921), a limited body of literature addressing this issue has developed (Weller et al., 1995). A leading source of diagnostic confusion in prepubertal mania is the symptomatic overlap with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Because distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and emotional lability can be present in both ADHD and bipolar disorder, the differential diagnosis can be difficult (Carlson, 1984). While ADHD and mania should be considered in the differential diagnosis of each other, they can and frequently do coexist, adding to the diagnostic confusion. For example, in a sample of children under age 12 from our outpatient psychopharmacology clinic, not only did 90% of the manic children meet criteria for ADHD, but the ADHD observed was exceptionally severe. A child with mania and ADHD may be regarded as having "bad" ADHD by ADHD experts, or "bad" mania by mood disorder experts. Considering the skepticism surrounding the existence of mania in children (Carlson, 1995; Weller et aI., 1986), the diagnosis of mania may be ignored by child and adolescent psychiatrists. Since bipolar disorder at any age, and particularly of childhood onset, can be severe
Metabolic flux analysis of cultured hepatocytes exposed to plasma.

Hepatic metabolism can be investigated using metabolic flux analysis (MFA), which provides a comprehensive overview of the intracellular metabolic flux distribution. The characterization of intermediary metabolism in hepatocytes is important for all biotechnological applications involving liver cells, including the development of bioartificial liver (BAL) devices. During BAL operation, hepatocytes are exposed to plasma or blood from the patient, at which time they are prone to accumulate intracellular lipids and exhibit poor liver-specific functions. In a prior study, we found that preconditioning the primary rat hepatocytes in culture medium containing physiological levels of insulin, as opposed to the typical supraphysiological levels found in standard hepatocyte culture media, reduced lipid accumulation during subsequent plasma exposure. Furthermore, supplementing the plasma with amino acids restored hepatospecific functions. In the current study, we used MFA to quantify the changes in intracellular pathway fluxes of primary rat hepatocytes in response to low-insulin preconditioning and amino acid supplementation. We found that culturing hepatocytes in medium containing lower physiological levels of insulin decreased the clearance of glucose and glycerol with a concomitant decrease in glycolysis. These findings are consistent with the general notion that low insulin, especially in the presence of high glucagon levels, downregulates glycolysis in favor of gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes. The MFA model shows that, during subsequent plasma exposure, low-insulin preconditioning upregulated gluconeogenesis, with lactate as the primary precursor in unsupplemented plasma, with a greater contribution from deaminated amino acids in amino acid-supplemented plasma. Concomitantly, low-insulin preconditioning increased fatty acid oxidation, an effect that was further enhanced by amino acid supplementation to the plasma. The increase in fatty acid oxidation reduced intracellular triglyceride accumulation. Overall, these findings are consistent with the notion that the insulin level in medium culture presets the metabolic machinery of hepatocytes such that it directly impacts on their metabolic behavior during subsequent plasma culture.
Retino-pretectal projections in monocularly deprived cats

Experiments using double-label anterograde tracers in normally reared and monocularly deprived cats reveal that the overall pattern of retino-pretectal projections appears similar for the deprived and non-deprived eyes of monocularly deprived cats, and no different from that observed in normally reared cats, in terms of both overall extent and amount of binocular overlap. These findings indicate that this pathway is unaffected by prolonged periods of monocular deprivation, suggesting that the presence of binocular overlap per se is not a sufficient condition for binocular competition to occur.
The environment in early experience research: Directions for applied developmental investigations

Abstract The following review and critiques describe a field that has changed in conceptualization in recent years, but which retains strong influences from the early research models. The goals of these papers are to review the past and current positions and to assess the implications of a research domain that has a long-standing and controversial history.
Central Circadian Control of Female Reproductive Function

Over the past two decades, it has become clear just how much of our physiology is under the control of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the cell-intrinsic molecular clock that ticks with a periodicity of approximately 24 hours. The SCN prepares our digestive system for meals, our adrenal axis for the stress of waking up in the morning, and the genes expressed in our muscles when we prepare to exercise, Long before molecular studies of genes such as Clock, Bmal1, and the Per homologs were possible, it was obvious that female reproductive function was under strict circadian control at every level of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and in the establishment and successful maintenance of pregnancy. This review highlights our current understanding of the role that the SCN plays in regulating female reproductive physiology, with a special emphasis on the advances made possible through the use of circadian mutant mice.
Through Women's Eyes: Defining Danger in the Wake of Sexual Assault

Most women who have been sexually assaulted see at least some situations in the world as being more dangerous following their assault experiences. Based on in-depth interviews with 94 women who were either raped or avoided being raped during an attack, this study examines the effect of the events that occurred during the attack and the circumstances surrounding the attack as factors that determine later perceptions of danger. Women who have been raped are more likely to change their perceptions of the safety of the world in radical ways than women who have avoided being raped, although women who avoid being raped often make substantial reassessments as well. For both raped women and avoiders, one's likelihood of making a radical change in one's perceptions of dangerousness depended to a large degree on the sort of situation in which the attack took place. Women were less likely to change their perceptions of dangerousness if the attack took place in a situation where they believed they were in some danger before the attack. If the attack took place in circumstances which the women defined as safe, however, a much more extreme reaction was likely to occur.
An automated approach to a residency log.

A highly automated system that meets the Residency Review Committee (RRC) requirements for documenting residents’ clinical activity has been developed using readily available computer hardware and a specialized software package. Once in place, the system is relatively unobtrusive and requires only two to four hours a month of technical support but no additional clerical or secretarial time to operate. The costs of the system are primarily those it takes to make it operational. Maintenance costs are low. Regular monitoring of residents’ clinical activity has had a salutary effect on program planning and enhanced the program’s ability to meet RRC guidelines.
Exchange Rate, Capital Flow and Output: Developed versus Developing Economies

This paper aims to study the impact of exchange rate and capital flows on output in one unifying model. To explore this issue, we apply a vector auto-regression (VAR) model with Cholesky decomposition to a group of developed economies (Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain) and developing economies (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Brazil, and Chile). The sample period varies for each country with the longest for Switzerland (1970:1–2010:3) and the shortest for Chile (1996:1–2010:3). The findings suggest first that contractionary devaluation is more likely to happen in developing countries while expansionary devaluation is more prevalent in developed countries. Second, the current account tends to improve in some of the countries facing currency depreciation. However, whether output increases after a real devaluation or not has little to do with whether the current account improves or not. Third, in response to capital inflows, output in developed countries are largely unaffected, while output in developing countries generally increases.
Sequential and Temporal Properties of Behavior Induced By a Schedule of Periodic Food Delivery

I. Five hungry rats were exposed to a schedule of periodic food presentation, receiving a single pellet every 30 sec., in an apparatus that permitted drinking, running, and other activities. The development, extinction, and structure of behavior sequences under this regimen was studied in three experiments. 2. All the rats developed a stable pattern of behavior after twenty or so half-hour sessions. The modal pattern was drinking early in the interfood interval, running in the middle, and food anticipation at the end. This temporal pattern was associated with different sequential patterns in different individuals. 3. Elimination of opportunity to engage in one or more activities resulted in an increase in other activities, but the increase was not in simple proportion to their frequency under baseline conditions. 4. In the steady state the sequence of behaviors in each interval appeared to be determined by two main factors: (a) post-eating time, and (b) the "momentum" associated with an ongoing activity. Differences among individual rats appeared to be due largely to differences in the second factor.