cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mathematical aspects of non-steady-state diagenesis

Abstract Berner (1971) has solved the differential equation governing the concentration in interstitial water of substances produced or consumed during steady-state diagenesis. We have shown that closed solutions exist for non-steady-state diagenesis as well, and that these solutions are best obtained by means of Green's functions. Non-uniform distribution of decomposable organic matter in sediments is a major cause of non-steady-state diagenesis. However, the effect of such non-uniform distributions on the composition of interstitial water in sediments is pronounced only when the rate of deposition exceeds ca. 200 cm/1000 yr. At slower deposition rates, diffusion is sufficiently rapid to damp out major fluctuations in the concentration of ions such as SO2−4, NH+4, PO3−4, and HCO−3. Concentration profiles of these ions therefore tend to be similar to steady-state profiles even if the concentration of decomposable organic matter is quite heterogeneous. The concentration of SO2−4 frequently approaches 0 in marine sediments rich in decomposable organic matter. In such sediments the total quantity of SO2−4 reduced during diagenesis is proportional to the concentration of SO2−4 in sea water even if the bacterial rate of decomposition of organic matter is nearly independent of the SO2−4 concentration in interstitial water. This implies that the rate of SO2−4 removal from sea water by reduction to sulfide is roughly proportional to the sulfate concentration in seawater. Solutions for the diagenetic equation exist for reasonable variations of the rate of ionic diffusion in interstitial waters and for changes in the rate of deposition due to compaction.
The introduction of activated oncogenes to mammary cells in vivo using retroviral vectors: A new model for the chemoprevention of premalignant and malignant lesions of the breast

Breast cancer is an important disease site for chemopreventive intervention. The current in vivo rodent models for breast cancer do not adequately approximate the human disease. Thus, we developed a new series of models based on the direct introduction of activated oncogenes into in situ mammary ductal cells in the rat. So far we have introduced both activated ras and neu into the mammary parenchyma of the rat. Both oncogenes cause the development of mammary carcinomas without any additional exogenous intervention. The activated neu gene is, however, 200 times more penetrant than the activated ras gene. The carcinomas induced by both genes are more aggressive than those induced by chemical carcinogens. They are more often transplantable, locally invasive, and metastatic. Tumors arising from the introduction of the neu oncogene have a greater histopathological resemblance to human breast cancers than those associated with ras insertion. For example, within a week post-introduction of neu, lesions resembling ductal carcinomas in situ are observed in the rat mammary gland. These do not occur following ras introduction or exposure to chemical carcinogens. These models are helping to better define the cellular and molecular events associated with the multistage progression of breast cancer. They are also being used to develop models to evaluate chemopreventive approaches for breast cancer. For example, in the area of cancer prevention we have shown that hormonal intervention is more effective in preventing neu-initiated breast cancers than ras-initiated breast cancers. We have also shown that the chemopreventive monoterpene, d-limonene, can prevent ras-induced mammary tumors in this model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
BOUNDARY LAYER IN THERMAL RADIATION ABSORBING AND EMITTING MEDIA

Abstract A boundary-layer problem concerned with the effects of thermal radiation on the temperature distribution and the heat transfer in an absorbing and emitting media flowing over wedge is considered. The general boundary-layer problem is formulated in terms of an equation of transfer for thermal radiation, a nonlinear integrodifferential equation which represents conservation of energy, and the usual equations for conservation of mass and momentum. Because no general solution for these equations is possible, the Rosseland approximation for the radiant heat flux vector is used to simplfy the energy equation. Numerical solutions for temperature distribution and heat transfer are given. Calculations are presented for a fluid whose Prandtl number is 1, as well as for molten Pyrex glass.
Reducing Query Latencies in Web Search Using Fine-Grained Parallelism

Semantic Web search is a new application of recent advances in information retrieval (IR), natural language processing, artificial intelligence, and other fields. The Powerset group in Microsoft develops a semantic search engine that aims to answer queries not only by matching keywords, but by actually matching meaning in queries to meaning in Web documents. Compared to typical keyword search, semantic search can pose additional engineering challenges for the back-end and infrastructure designs. Of these, the main challenge addressed in this paper is how to lower query latencies to acceptable, interactive levels. Index-based semantic search requires more data processing, such as numerous synonyms, hypernyms, multiple linguistic readings, and other semantic information, both on queries and in the index. In addition, some of the algorithms can be super-linear, such as matching co-references across a document. Consequently, many semantic queries can run significantly slower than the same keyword query. Users, however, have grown to expect Web search engines to provide near-instantaneous results, and a slow search engine could be deemed unusable even if it provides highly relevant results. It is therefore imperative for any search engine to meet its users' interactivity expectations, or risk losing them. Our approach to tackle this challenge is to exploit data parallelism in slow search queries to reduce their latency in multi-core systems. Although all search engines are designed to exploit parallelism, at the single-node level this usually translates to throughput-oriented task parallelism. This paper focuses on the engineering of two latency-oriented approaches (coarse- and fine-grained) and compares them to the task-parallel approach. We use Powerset's deployed search engine to evaluate the various factors that affect parallel performance: workload, overhead, load balancing, and resource contention. We also discuss heuristics to selectively control the degree of parallelism and consequent overhead on a query-by-query level. Our experimental results show that using fine-grained parallelism with these dynamic heuristics can significantly reduce query latencies compared to fixed, coarse-granularity parallelization schemes. Although these results were obtained on, and optimized for, Powerset's semantic search, they can be readily generalized to a wide class of inverted-index search engines.
Looking Back and Looking Forward: Trends in Training and Development Research

In connection with the 25th anniversary of Human Resource Development Quarterly, I have been asked to comment briefly on current and emerging trends in research on training and development, a core function of Human Resource Development (HRD). I will do this in three sections: a summary of past research, an examination of state-of-the-art research, and a brief glimpse forward to the future.
Multiloop string vertices from the path integral

Abstract We derive the multiloop vertices for the bosonic string using path integral methods and establish a precise equivalence between the functional approach to string perturbation theory and the operator formalism on Riemann surfaces recently developed by various authors.
An efficient shooting algorithm for Evans function calculations in large systems

Abstract In Evans function computations of the spectra of asymptotically constant-coefficient linear operators, a basic issue is the efficient and numerically stable computation of subspaces evolving according to the associated eigenvalue ODE. For small systems, a fast, shooting algorithm may be obtained by representing subspaces as single exterior products [J.C. Alexander, R. Sachs, Linear instability of solitary waves of a Boussinesq-type equation: A computer assisted computation, Nonlinear World 2 (4) (1995) 471–507; L.Q. Brin, Numerical testing of the stability of viscous shock waves, Ph.D. Thesis, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1998; L.Q. Brin, Numerical testing of the stability of viscous shock waves, Math. Comp. 70 (235) (2001) 1071–1088; L.Q. Brin, K. Zumbrun, Analytically varying eigenvectors and the stability of viscous shock waves, in: Seventh Workshop on Partial Differential Equations, Part I, 2001, Rio de Janeiro, Mat. Contemp. 22 (2002) 19–32; T.J. Bridges, G. Derks, G. Gottwald, Stability and instability of solitary waves of the fifth-order KdV equation: A numerical framework, Physica D 172 (1–4) (2002) 190–216]. For large systems, however, the dimension of the exterior-product space quickly becomes prohibitive, growing as ( n k ) , where n is the dimension of the system written as a first-order ODE and k (typically ∼ n / 2 ) is the dimension of the subspace. We resolve this difficulty by the introduction of a simple polar coordinate algorithm representing “pure” (monomial) products as scalar multiples of orthonormal bases, for which the angular equation is a numerically optimized version of the continuous orthogonalization method of Drury–Davey [A. Davey, An automatic orthonormalization method for solving stiff boundary value problems, J. Comput. Phys. 51 (2) (1983) 343–356; L.O. Drury, Numerical solution of Orr-Sommerfeld-type equations, J. Comput. Phys. 37 (1) (1980) 133–139] and the radial equation is evaluable by quadrature. Notably, the polar-coordinate method preserves the important property of analyticity with respect to parameters.
The noncovalent subunit structure of human thyroglobulin.

Abstract The subunit composition of human thyroglobulin has been determined by analytical centrifugation in aqueous solution and by equilibrium centrifugation in 5 m guanidine. In poorly iodinated (goiter) thyroglobulin all of the 19S molecules dissociate into half-sized subunits (12S), whereas in normal thyroglobulin dissociation is incomplete. It is suggested that the nondissociable 19S form is formed by the intermolecular oxidation of sulfhydryl groups by iodine, which is present in much larger amounts in the normal than in the low-iodine protein. The 12S subunits separated into two closely sedimenting boundaries by ultracentrifugation, suggesting the presence of two different subunit species.
Book Review: God, Jews and the Media: Religion and Israel’s Media, by Yoel Cohen

God, Jews and the Media: Religion and Israel's Media. Yoel Cohen. New York: Routledge, 2012. 258 pp. $135.00 hbk.This is a book to have on hand if you are trying to fathom the media situation (and even the political situation) in Israel. There is some serious reading here, but with enough anecdotes spread about to lighten the load.The author wants to show how the Jewish religion and the Jews of Israel have been influenced by the media age. He also wants to show how the media in Israel have been influenced by religion, which turns out to be a more interesting topic overall. Everyone, of course, has been influenced in one way or another by the media, but Cohen's book shows how religion has a strong influence on Israel's media and through the media (where he says most Israelis get much of their information about religious groups) on Israeli society in general. This influence may be growing. There may be a loss of reli- gious identity in the Western democracies (particularly in Europe), but the author sees an actual growth of religion in much of the world, especially in Israel. A huge majority of Israel's Jews feel at least some attachment to Jewish tradition. More and more young Jews identify themselves with the most conservative Jewish group, the Haredim.Cohen suggests God, Israel, and lsrael's media are intertwined, especially in the minds of the Haredim (or Pious Ones). In the preface, he not so subtly suggests that these most conservative religious elements in Israel will go to any lengths to use the media to promote a religion-based society despite the hopes of the nation's founders for a secular society. Cohen uses the tale of a highly promoted media interview of God by Israel's Chief Rabbi (a political appointee, he notes!) that fails to come off when God does not show up. Cohen is showing some authorial courage here as conservative reaction to much milder comments on religion have brought harassment and even physical attacks.The book focuses on the influence of the Haredim. Cohen justifies this by pointing out that with only 9% of the population, the Haredim get 43% of media coverage devoted to religion. Religious stories with a political connection get especially heavy coverage. Cohen suggests that the ultraorthodox Haredim are media stars because their distinctive black garb gives them visibility and their political clout gives them significant power in Israeli society. This is the reverse of the situation in the United States, he points out, where mainstream religions get most of the media coverage.As in the United States, the general population in Israel gets knowledge of its minority religious groups, in this case the Haredim, from the general media. But these ultraconservative Jews see the general media and even democracy itself in conflict with the values of the Torah and deal with them only grudgingly. …
E. coli and how you can control it.

(1968). E. Coli and how you can control it. World's Poultry Science Journal: Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 141-146.
Monopoles of SU(15) grand unification.

In a recently analyzed grand unified model based on the gauge group SU(15), monopoles are automatically consistent with the cosmological mass density bound. The Parker bound of monopole flux puts some constraints on the model which can be easily satisfied.
Microbial control of dissolved organic carbon in lakes: research for the future

The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of lakes dominates any budget of organic carbon in these systems. Limnologists are still limited by techniques and particularly by the lack of measurements of rates of microbial transformation and use of this DOC.
Evaluation of e-prescribing in chain community pharmacy: Best-practice recommendations

Abstract Objectives To measure the attitudes and beliefs of community-based pharmacists and technicians toward electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) and the processing of e-prescriptions and to generate best-practice recommendations for changes to improve e-prescribing in the community setting. Design Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study. Setting 422 chain community pharmacies in six states that met a minimum dispensing volume of five e-prescriptions per day. Data were collected between April and July 2006. Participants Pharmacists, technicians, and student interns. Intervention Receiving, processing, and dispensing of e-prescriptions assessed via self-administered survey and follow-up interviews of key pharmacy operations and information technology management in each participating chain pharmacy organization. Main outcome measures Attitudes, beliefs, and satisfaction of pharmacy personnel regarding e-prescribing, compared with conventional prescribing, and recommendations for improving e-prescribing in the community practice setting. Results 1,094 surveys were returned from pharmacy personnel practicing in 276 chain community pharmacies. Pharmacy personnel preferred e-prescriptions over conventional prescriptions on each of seven desired outcomes of care. Pharmacists were found to view e-prescribing more positively than technicians ( P Conclusion Pharmacy personnel were generally satisfied with the current status of e-prescribing, but they also perceive key weaknesses in how it has been implemented in physicians' practices and their own organizations. A total of 11 best-practice recommendations are offered to improve e-prescribing in the chain community pharmacy setting.
Acoustic wave propagation in a composite of two different poroelastic materials with a very rough periodic interface: a homogenization approach

Homogenization is used to analyze the system of Biot-type partial differential equations in a domain of two different poroelastic materials with a very rough periodic interface. It is shown that by using homogenization, such a rough interface can be replaced by an equivalent flat layer within which a system of modified differential equations holds. The coefficients of this new system of equations are certain “effective” parameters. These coefficients are determined by solutions of the auxiliary problems which involve the detailed structure of the interface. In this paper, the auxiliary problems are derived and the homogenized system of equations is given.
Glancing angle EXAFS studies of Cu-Al thin film interfaces

Abstract The glancing angle EXAFS technique has been employed to study the initial reactions on Cu-Al thin film interfaces. Samples prepared under UHV and non-UHV conditions are compared. Preliminary data indicate that the UHV prepared interface has larger amount of initial reaction than the non-UHV one. When annealed at 160°C, the resulting compound formation at the interfaces of the two samples are different.
A new species of Demodex owen, 1843 (Acari: Demodecidae) from the Meibomian glands of the Vampire bat Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Desmodontinae) from Surinam

Abstract Demodex desmodi sp. nov. is described, in all life stages, from the Meibomian glands of the Vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus. Similar egg shape and holdfast structures in Meibomian gland inhabiting Demodex of other phyllostomid bats is noted. It is speculated that these adaptations represent synapomorphies. In the hosts examined, no obvious pathology was associated with the mites. The Meibomian glands of the Vampire bat are briefly described.
Analysis of the results of phase III controlled clinical trials with recombinant human thyrotropin: developing a clinical guide.

OBJECTIVE: To review two phase III clinical trials with recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) in patients with treated thyroid cancer, which led to its approval by the Food and Drug Administration. METHODS: The trial designs, the results of radioiodine scanning, and the findings with use of both scanning and thyroglobulin (Tg) response are described. In the overall study design, the findings on whole-body radioiodine scanning were compared after use of two techniques--administration of rhTSH and withdrawal of thyroid hormone therapy. RESULTS: In the first phase III trial, two independent reviewers assessed 127 scan pairs and found 21 scan pairs to be discordant. In 18 of these cases, the scan after thyroid hormone withdrawal was judged as better than the scan after rhTSH administration. Subsequent analysis, however, revealed some problems with the protocol, and adjustments and standardizations were implemented for the second phase III trial, for which multiple blood samples were also obtained for serum Tg determinations. In this second study, 195 of 220 scan pairs were concordant, and only 25 pairs were discordant--17 were better after thyroid hormone withdrawal and 8 were better after rhTSH administration (P<0.1). The Tg response to rhTSH was not sufficiently reliable independently but was useful in combination with whole-body scanning (detection rate of 85 to 90%). CONCLUSION: The data indicate that rhTSH will be useful for investigation and long-term follow-up of patients with treated thyroid cancer.
Recovery of hyperreactivity in rats with simultaneous septal and subcortical lesions

Abstract Rats with lesions of the forebrain septal area, simultaneously combined with lesions of one of several subcortical or cortical sites within the cerebrocortical system were rated for behavioral reactivity to probing stimulation, capture and handling. All of the cerebrocortical system lesions prevented recovery of septal hyperreactivity over a 21-day postoperative recovery interval in the combined lesion groups. Once ratings of reactivity recommenced, all of the combined lesion groups, with the possible exception of the combined lateral geniculate body-septal group, declined in reactivity more rapidly than a group of rats with septal lesions alone tested beginning 2 days after surgery. Rats with septal or cerebrocortical lesions alone were not hyperreactive at the end of the 21-day recovery interval. Mechanisms involving lesion-induced changes in monoaminergic activity are favored over neuroanatomical explanations in accounting for the recovery of function phenomena observed in the experiment.
Low-temperature fabrication of single-crystal ZnO nanopillar photonic bandgap structures

We describe the fabrication of single-crystal nanopillars of ZnO in two-dimensional periodic and aperiodic arrays for photonic applications. The structures are defined by a thin polymer template created by e-beam lithography and are grown at 90 °C using an electrochemical process. The individual single-crystal ZnO pillars have diameters of ~120 nm and lengths greater than 1 µm. Visible light diffraction patterns from the ordered arrays were observed, and the in-plane photonic bandgap was characterized.
Controlling factors in evaluating path-sensitive error detection techniques

Recent advances in static program analysis have made it possible to detect errors in applications that have been thoroughly tested and are in wide-spread use. The ability to find errors that have eluded traditional validation methods is due to the development and combination of sophisticated algorithmic techniques that are embedded in the implementations of analysis tools. Evaluating new analysis techniques is typically performed by running an analysis tool on a collection of subject programs, perhaps enabling and disabling a given technique in different runs. While seemingly sensible, this approach runs the risk of attributing improvements in the cost-effectiveness of the analysis to the technique under consideration, when those improvements may actually be due to details of analysis tool implementations that are uncontrolled during evaluation.In this paper, we focus on the specific class of path-sensitive error detection techniques and identify several factors that can significantly influence the cost of analysis. We show, through careful empirical studies, that the influence of these factors is sufficiently large that, if left uncontrolled, they may lead researchers to improperly attribute improvements in analysis cost and effectiveness. We make several recommendations as to how the influence of these factors can be mitigated when evaluating techniques.
Continuing nursing education programs: Strategies for survival within a university setting

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of schools of nursing that are closing their continuing nursing education programs. There are a number of factors why a continuing education program may not succeed within the university setting. These factors include change in the organizational structure, lack of financial resources, lack of faculty and administrative support, weak leadership, poor quality continuing education courses, and poor marketing techniques. This article discusses each of these factors in the development of strategies for survival within a university setting.
A generalized p-value approach to inference on common mean

Statistical inference for the common mean of several univariate normal populations has many useful applications in practice. In this paper, we develop a generalized p-value approach to derive tests and confidence intervals for the common mean based on several well-known estimates of the common mean. The case of a multivariate normal distribution with a common component mean is also addressed and a generalized p-value approach based on the maximum likelihood estimate of the common mean is developed. We also report results of a simulation study showing powers and coverage probabilities.
Influence of thermal plasma flow on the daytime F 2 layer

Previous work on theoretical modeling of thermal plasma flow between the ionosphere and the plasmasphere on the night side of the earth, where photoionization is almost completely absent, is continued to cover ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling in the dayside ionosphere. Results indicate that the daytime plasmapause should be associated with the H(+) trough in the top-side ionosphere, but not with the trough in O(+) density or NmF2. At night the plasmapause can be identified with a trough in both H(+) and O(+) densities.
The morphine-binding site on human activated T-cells is not related to the mu opioid receptor

Mitogen activation of human T-lymphocytes induces a morphine-binding site. Morphine binding is displaceable by beta-endorphin (1--31) and (--)-naloxone but not DAMGO. This site is not stereoselective for (--)-morphine. T-lymphocytes, expressing this binding site, were assayed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for expression of hMOR-1 mRNA. Several primer sets were used and each assay compared with cells known to express human or mouse MOR-1 mRNA. Neither hMOR-1 nor any homologous receptor was detected in human T-lymphocytes. Therefore, the morphine-binding site on mitogen-activated T-lymphocytes is unlikely to be closely related to hMOR-1.
Multi-modal context-awareness for ambient intelligence environments

Context-awareness constitutes a fundamental attribute of a smart environment. Our research aims at advancing the context-awareness capabilities of ambient intelligence environments by combining multi-modal information from both stationary and moving sensors. The collected data enables us to perform person identification and 3-D localization and recognize activities. In addition, we explore closed-loop feedback by integrating autonomous robots interacting with the users.
Abbreviated assessment of bisphenol A toxicology literature

Bisphenol A (BPA), synthesized in 1891, is produced in quantities of >2 million metric tons annually for polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and food contact applications. BPA can be a weak estrogen mimic, and is ubiquitous in humans (in 93% US population; in 96% US pregnant women). European/US food/drug agencies conclude that current BPA levels present no risk to the general population (some include infants/children); basic endocrine disruption (ED) researchers state that entire populations are at risk from these levels. The US Food and Drug Administration banned BPA in baby bottles in 2012 'not based on safety concerns'; the US Environmental Protection Agency and its UK counterpart concurred. Basic ED researchers report reproductive/developmental effects from perinatal BPA exposure in mice at very low doses, e.g. 2 ng/g body weight (0.002 mg/kg body weight), with non-monotonic dose-response (NMDR) curves, using few animals per group and few groups; contract research organizations, in good laboratory practice- and guideline-compliant large studies in rats and mice, report no low-dose effects or NMDR curves. The argument rages!
The Biarylpyrazole Compound AM251 Alters Mitochondrial Physiology Via Proteolytic Degradation of ERRα

The orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) directs the transcription of nuclear genes involved in energy homeostasis control and the regulation of mitochondrial mass and function. A crucial role for controlling ERRα-mediated target gene expression has been ascribed to the biarylpyrazole compound 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-1-piperidinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM251) through direct binding to and destabilization of ERRα protein. Here, we provide evidence that structurally related AM251 analogs also have negative impacts on ERRα protein levels in a cell-type-dependent manner while having no deleterious actions on ERRγ. We show that these off-target cellular effects of AM251 are mediated by proteasomal degradation of nuclear ERRα. Cell treatment with the nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B did not prevent AM251-induced destabilization of ERRα protein, whereas proteasome inhibition with MG132 stabilized and maintained its DNA-binding function, indicative of ERRα being a target of nuclear proteasomal complexes. NativePAGE analysis revealed that ERRα formed a ∼220-kDa multiprotein nuclear complex that was devoid of ERRγ and the coregulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1. AM251 induced SUMO-2,3 incorporation in ERRα in conjunction with increased protein kinase C activity, whose activation by phorbol ester also promoted ERRα protein loss. Down-regulation of ERRα by AM251 or small interfering RNA led to increased mitochondria biogenesis while negatively impacting mitochondrial membrane potential. These results reveal a novel molecular mechanism by which AM251 and related compounds alter mitochondrial physiology through destabilization of ERRα.
Postponing Representation Errors Through a Mix of Symbolic and Numerical Computation in Data Fitting

Simple data fitting schemes involve tradeoff between the number of terms in the representation and the accuracy of the fit due to finite number of digits used to represent real numbers. This is also true for functional representation of data, where a known family of functions must be chosen to represent the data. Often these functions must also establish higher order continuity in the data. In practice, polynomial representation of data is very popular, either directly or indirectly through parameterized description such as NURBS. In this case the function approximation requires determining the constants that multiply the polynomial terms. Bezier functions, a special B-spline, can represent the data and the derivatives with fidelity. These functions are established by minimizing the squared error between the data and the representation. The Bezier representation can be determined numerically through simple matrix operations. The accuracy increases with the order of the polynomials until round-off errors becomes a factor. A completely numerical approach will compute faster but will limit the order of the polynomial due to round-off error. Symbolic processing on the other hand extends precision with more terms in representation, but is difficult to determine explicitly. Current symbolic software systems allow translation of the symbolic representation into efficient numerical representation for the application of optimization. This combination improves accuracy of the representation by postponing round off errors. This is demonstrated by application to two examples, one two-dimensional and the second, three-dimensional.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Localized Surface Plasmon Enhanced Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Surface plasmon enhanced InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells are reported. Light trapping by metallic nanostructures offers the potential to realize high efficient quantum dot based intermediate band solar cells. Both Au and Ag nanoparticles spherical metal nanoparticles are synthesized by the salt reduction method. The large area coupling of metal nanoparticles and quantum dot solar cell surface is carried out by using 1,3-propanedithiol as linker molecules. The conversion efficiency of the solar cells has been increased from 9.5% to 11.6% after deposition of Au nanoparticles and from 9.5 to 10.9% after incorporating Ag nanoparticles. The conversion efficiency enhancement is mainly as a result of improved photocurrent due to enhanced forward scattering from the plasmonic nanostructures.
INTRACELLULAR CONCENTRATIONS OF CAMP AND cGMP IN AN AFLATOXIGENIC STRAIN OF Aspergillus parasiticus

The present study was undertaken to initiate the characterization of the possible regulatory roles of cyclic nucleotides in an aflatoxigenic strain of A. parasiticus. Intracellular levels of CAMP and cGMP were determined using nonagitated cultures of A. parasiticus NRRL 2999 grown in basal medium containing 10, 60 and 100g glucose/L. All cultures displayed the Yin-Yang behavior associated with cyclic nucleotides, however, a reversal in their characteristic roles was demonstrated, with elevated CAMP levels occurring during exponential growth and cGMP levels increasing in association with phase transition and the early stationary phase. The cultures were also monitored for aflatoxin accumulation and glucose utilization. Initiation of aflatoxin accumulation occurred during phase transition, and coincided with an acceleration in the rate of glucose utilization.
Teaching Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology: A Pilot Study at One Institution

Abstract Purpose To assess resident physicians’ clinical recognition skills in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Materials 1) A questionnaire to identify demographic data and self-assessment as to the ability to perform a gynecologic evaluation of children. 2) Twenty color photographs of normal genitalia and common gynecologic problems in children. Participants Sixty-one University of Tennessee resident physicians; 51 from the Memphis campus—20 obstetricsgynecology (Ob-Gyn) residents, 20 pediatrics residents, and 11 family practice residents—and 10 Ob-Gyn residents from the Chattanooga campus. Main outcome measures Ability to identify normal features of the prepubertal genitalia and to diagnose common gynecologic disorders. Results Ob-Gyn residents from the University of Tennessee, Memphis scored significantly better (58.1% correct) than did the other three groups; 38.8, 36.9, and 39.1%, respectively (p = .009). Mean performance score increased with higher pediatric gynecology PGY levels. PGY-4s performed best, whereas PGY-1s scored the lowest, with mean scores of 57.5% and 35.3%, respectively (p = .021). Residents who reported having a well-defined program in pediatric gynecology scored significantly better than those who did not have such a program, 55.3% and 39.5%, respectively (p Conclusions A well-defined program in pediatric gynecology enhances resident education and provides them with better tools to perform gynecologic evaluations of children and adolescents.
Uptake of Cardiac Screening and Genetic Testing Among Hypertrophic and Dilated Cardiomyopathy Families

Cardiomyopathy is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous, life threatening disease which affects people of all ages. Recent guidelines provide recommendations for cardiac screening and genetic testing in at-risk relatives, but the uptake and impact of these measures in the United States is unknown. This is a single institution retrospective study that characterizes the uptake of cardiac screening and genetic testing for relatives of a cohort of 57 probands with hypertrophic (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) who underwent both clinical evaluation and genetic testing. Cardiac screening was indicated for 302 relatives. One hundred and seventy-three (57 %) completed cardiac screening. Forty of the 57 probands were mutation positive and genetic testing was indicated for 213 relatives. Eighty-four (39 %) completed genetic testing. The uptake of cardiac surveillance was greater than the uptake of genetic testing (p < 0.0001) among relatives of mutation positive probands. Within the group of at-risk, asymptomatic relatives of probands, cardiac screening and genetic testing were positive in 25 % and 40 % of cases, respectively. These data demonstrate the important role and utility of cascade cardiac screening and genetic testing in the care of patients and families with HCM or DCM. The approach to cardiac screening and genetic testing should be family-specific and requires expertise in the genetics of cardiomyopathy.
Invariance of Angular Threshold Computation in a Wide-Field Looming-Sensitive Neuron

The lobula giant motion detector (LGMD) is a wide-field bilateral visual interneuron in North American locusts that acts as an angular threshold detector during the approach of a solid square along a trajectory perpendicular to the long axis of the animal (Gabbiani et al., 1999a). We investigated the dependence of this angular threshold computation on several stimulus parameters that alter the spatial and temporal activation patterns of inputs onto the dendritic tree of the LGMD, across three locust species. The same angular threshold computation was implemented by LGMD in all three species. The angular threshold computation was invariant to changes in target shape (from solid squares to solid discs) and to changes in target texture (checkerboard and concentric patterns). Finally, the angular threshold computation did not depend on object approach angle, over at least 135° in the horizontal plane. A two-dimensional model of the responses of the LGMD based on linear summation of motion-related excitatory and size-dependent inhibitory inputs successfully reproduced the experimental results for squares and discs approaching perpendicular to the long axis of the animal. Linear summation, however, was unable to account for invariance to object texture or approach angle. These results indicate that LGMD is a reliable neuron with which to study the biophysical mechanisms underlying the generation of complex but invariant visual responses by dendritic integration. They also suggest that invariance arises in part from non-linear integration of excitatory inputs within the dendritic tree of the LGMD.
Race/ethnicity and gender differences in mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

Veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF; predominantly in Afghanistan) and Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn (OIF and OND; predominantly in Iraq) and are enrolled in the VA are comprised of a growing cohort of women and higher proportions of racial/ethnic minorities than civilians. To compare rates of mental health disorders by race/ethnicity and gender for this diverse cohort, we conducted a retrospective analysis of existing records from OEF/OIF/OND veterans who were seen at the VA 10/7/01-8/1/2013 (N=792,663). We found that race/ethnicity was related to diagnoses of mental health disorders. Asian/Pacific Islanders (A/PIs) were diagnosed with all disorders at lower rates than whites, and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) males were diagnosed with most disorders at higher rates than white males. Research is needed to identify contributing factors to differential rates of diagnoses based on race/ethnicity and gender. A/PIs and AI/ANs have unique patterns of mental health diagnoses indicating they should be considered separately to present a comprehensive picture of veteran mental health.
Unified modeling and measurement of current-programmed converters

A unified model is established for a current-programmed converter, which is both a modification and an extension of familiar models. Inclusion of the sampling effect allows the presence of an additional pole in the current-loop gain to be inferred. The resulting final double-slope asymptote is fixed in position, and the crossover frequency cannot exceed half the switching frequency. A new stability parameter, Q/sub s/, determines the additional pole and describes the degree of peaking in the closed-loop transfer functions. Experimental verification uses an analog signal injection technique. >
Left Ventricular Mural Thrombus and the Risk of Embolic Stroke after Acute Myocardial Infarction

Embolic stroke remains an important cause of morbidity after myocardial infarction, even in the thrombolytic era. Left ventricular mural thrombi and subsequent embolization can be prevented by early systemic anticoagulation of patients with large anterior myocardial infarcts. Echocardiography has been instrumental in refining our understanding of the pathophysiology of this disorder and is a useful clinical tool in the identification of patients who would benefit from continued anticoagulation.
Perinatal pathologic examination of nonintact, second-trimester fetal demise specimens: the value of standardization.

Context.—Management of second-trimester intrauterine fetal demise via dilation and evacuation results in nonintact specimens for pathologic examination. Surgical pathology examination is often mandated; however, evidence on expected findings and specimen evaluation guidelines are lacking. Objectives.—To assess pathologic findings of nonintact, second-trimester fetal demise specimens, through comparison of anatomic abnormalities identified on standardized perinatal examination to individualized general pathology examinations. Design.—Single institution, retrospective chart review of 14- to 24-week gestational size fetal demise cases was conducted from May 2006 to October 2010. Suspected abnormalities, chromosomal and pathologic diagnoses were collected. A general surgical pathology examination occurred between May 2006 and October 2008, while a perinatal pathologist examined specimens between October 2008 and October 2010. Statistical analysis consisted of t tests and χ2 tests by Stata/SE 12.1. Results.—On...
Recombinant FIXFc: a novel therapy for the royal disease?

Introduction: Hemophilia B, the deficiency or complete absence of coagulation factor IX (FIX), affects an estimated 80,000 people throughout the world. Some of these individuals are managed with prophylaxis, which involves the intravenous infusion of FIX concentrate two to three times weekly to prevent bleeding. Because FIX prophylaxis remains underutilized, patients with hemophilia B are at risk for bleeding that may be severe and potentially life- or limb-threatening, and they may experience arthropathy resulting from recurrent hemarthroses. Areas covered: This review focuses on recent advances in therapeutic protein fusion technology as they apply to FIX deficiency. The National Library of Medicine Medline database was searched for articles containing the term ‘Fc fusion proteins’. Expert opinion: Genetically engineered recombinant FIX fused to the Fc portion of immunoglobulin significantly extends FIX half-life, thereby decreasing the frequency of prophylactic infusions. This in turn may increase the ...
Modeling and control of the heart left ventricle supported with a rotary assist device

A rotary left ventricular assist device (RLVAD) is a mechanical pump implanted in patients with congestive heart failure to assist their left ventricle in pumping blood through the circulatory system. This blood pump is controlled by varying the rotor speed to adjust the amount of blood flow pumped into the circulatory system. If the patient is in a health care facility, the pump speed can be adjusted manually by a trained clinician to meet the patient?s blood needs depending on his or her activity level. However, an important challenge facing the increased use of the RLVAD is the desire to allow the patient to return home. The development of an appropriate feedback controller that is capable of automatically adjusting the pump speed is therefore a crucial step in meeting this challenge. In order to be able to develop such a controller an appropriate dynamic mathematical model of the combined cardiovascular system and RLVAD must first be developed. In this paper, we review progress on a state space model for this system that can be used to develop the controller. The model is 6th order, nonlinear, and time-varying and is a combination of a 5th order model of the left ventricle and circulatory system and a 1st order model of the RLVAD along with its inlet and outlet cannulae. The entire combined system is controlled by the rotational speed of the pump. Using this model we will discuss some of the challenges faced in the development of a useful feedback controller for this system. We will also present some preliminary results on a simple partial state feedback controller whose purpose is to prevent the occurrence of a dangerous phenomenon called ventricular suction.
The "cherry red" spot.

The term “cherry red spot” was used in 1887 by Bernard Sachs in his paper on “arrested development with special reference to its cortical pathology,” in describing the fundus of a child with “amaurotic familial idiocy.” The patient was confirmed on neuropathologic examination to have lipid storage in the brain [1]. Bernard Sachs acknowledged that his patient had also been seen by Herman Joseph Knapp, an ophthalmologist who practiced in New York and Berlin. Knapp had described the striking retinal findings at an ophthalmology meeting in Heidelberg, and had first used the term “cherry red color” to describe the fovea [2]. Subsequently, the disorder was established as Tay Sachs disease. Knapp had initially felt that the cherry red spot was a benign finding, but later realized its grave implications. This retinal appearance may also be seen in Sandhoff disease, sialidosis types I and II, galactosialidosis, GM1 gangliosidosis, GM2 gangliosidosis, Goldberg syndrome, metachromatic leukodystrophy, Niemann-Pick disease types A, B, C, and D, Farber lipogranulomatosis, multiple sulfatase deficiency, poisoning (dapsone), and Wolman disease (Table 1). The characteristic pale hue results from heavy deposition of lipid, sphingolipid, or oligosaccharide material in the ganglionic cells of the retina at the macula, where these cells are several layers thick. In the center of the pale region lies the foveal pit which lacks ganglion cells, and thus continues to retain its reddish appearance. The roving eye movements that accompany blindness can hinder visualizing the cherry red spot, thus at times necessitating a dilated eye examination under general anesthesia. The cherry red spot may become less prominent over time, concurrent with loss of the affected peri-macular ganglion cells [3]. Because the cherry red appearance (Fig. 1) of the retina is characteristic only of Caucasians, and because the retinal complexion differs based on ethnicity, it was suggested that the term “perifoveal white patch” may be more appropriate than cherry red spot [4]. The appearance of a cherry red spot may also result from retinal edema due to central retinal artery occlusion or traumatic retinal ischemia. Retinal ischemia causes the perimacular tissue to appear pale, while the fovea maintains its normal color. A macular hemorrhage or hole, with resulting enhanced red contrast
Glucocorticoid Receptors and Resistance to Glucocorticoids in Hematologic Malignancies

Glucocorticoids are highly effective in inducing the cytolysis of cells of lymphocytic origin. This property has resulted in their incorporation into chemotherapy regimens used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Studies at the molecular and cellular levels have demonstrated that the hormone-induced cytolytic response is mediated through a highly specific cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The GR has been cloned and sequenced and found to be organized into a discrete series of domains which mediate the receptor functions of hormone binding, nuclear translocation, DNA binding and transcriptional modulation. Thus, the binding of glucocorticoids by the GR induces a series of cellular events which result in the activation or repression of a network of glucocorticoid responsive genes and produces a specific cellular response. Prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids ultimately causes resistance to develop; thereby limiting the usefulness of this class of drugs. Studies addressing the mechanism of resistance have shown that the GR is the primary target of genetic alterations that lead to resistance to cytolysis. Using mouse and human cell lines as model systems, it has been shown that the vast majority of glucocorticoid resistant mutants express low levels or altered forms of the GR. Similarly, in vivo studies on patients have suggested that low GR levels are associated with a poor response to glucocorticoid based therapies. Recently, aberrant GR isolated from a patient with multiple myeloma resistant to glucocorticoids were found to harbor deletions in their hormone binding domains. Sequencing of the receptors suggested that each arose as a result of alternate splicing events. In both cases, the latter event produces a receptor unable to bind hormone leading to the speculation that alternate splicing may serve as a mechanism by which a cell evades the effects of glucocorticoids. The therapeutic implications for patients expressing aberrant receptors is discussed.