The Inspiratory Maneuver: A Simple Method to Assess the Superficial Lamina Propria During Endoscopy

We describe a simple means of assessing the condition of the superficial lamina propria during endoscopy, which we use in our practice as an adjunct to careful stroboscopic examination. An intake of breath against partially adducted vocal folds serves to draw the mucosa inferomedially into the glottis, which reveals areas of diminished mobility, the relationship of mucosal lesions to deeper tissues of the vocal folds, and subtle submucosal lesions. This is possible because of the unique geometry of the glottis that renders the vector forces of airflow different at inspiration and expiration. Because the integrity of the superficial lamina propria is essential to healthy phonation, we have found the inspiratory maneuver useful across a wide variety of mucosal pathologic conditions.     

Experiment and prediction of a cavity type separated flow

A detail study involving flow visualization, Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) measurements and numerical prediction is presented. The visualization experiments revealed striking results of a pulsatile motion in the separated flow region associated with the formation and passage of large eddy structures. Measurements of mean velocities and turbulence intensity profiles across the separated flow field, provided information about the separated shear layer development and the recirculating flow pattern. The numerical predictions, obtained with a two-layer turbulence model in conjunction with the SIMPLE algorithm, failed to reproduce the coherent eddies and the pulsatile motion, but the mean velocities are reasonably reproduced.     

On countable stable structures which are homogeneous for a finite relational language

LetL be a finite relational language andH(L) denote the class of all countable structures which are stable and homogeneous forL in the sense of Fraissé. By convention countable includes finite and any finite structure is stable. A rank functionr :H(L) →ω is introduced and also a notion of dimension for structures inH(L). A canonical way of shrinking structures is defined which reduces their dimensions. The main result of the paper is that anyM ∈H(L) can be shrunk toM′ ∈H(L),M′ ⊆M, such that |M′| is bounded in terms ofr(M), and the isomorphism type ofM overM′ is uniquely determined by the dimensions ofM. Forr<ω we deduce thatH(L, r), the class of allM ∈H(L) withr(M)≦r, is the union of a finite number of classes within each of which the isomorphism type of a structure is completely determined by its dimensions. Dedicated to the memory of Abraham Robinson on the tenth anniversary of his death     

Dynamic operation of liquid crystal cell with inherently nanogroove-featured aligned carbon nanotube sheets

The use of a highly aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet as a multifunctional constituent for liquid crystal (LC) displays and electro-optic LC applications is assessed. The CNT sheet can perform a dual function: one is an alignment layer for LCs, replacing the commonly used rubbed polyimide film, and the other is a transparent conductive layer, taking the place of indium tin oxide. The hydrophobic treatment improved the adhesion quality between aligned CNT bundles and the glass substrate, which helps to preserve the inherently aligned nanogroove morphology of transparent CNT sheets. The test LC display cells, comprising 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl molecules sandwiched between CNT-sheet-on-glass substrates, demonstrate the operation characteristics comparable to that of the conventional cell under temperature variation and ac electric field of 1?kHz. The results offer a possibility of deploying multifunctional CNT-sheet alignment layers in LC-based devices, especially in the future flexible display applications.