cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated detection of lung nodules and coronary artery calcium using artificial intelligence on low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screening: accuracy and prognostic value

Artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnostic radiology is undergoing rapid development. Its potential utility to improve diagnostic performance for cardiopulmonary events is widely recognized, but the accuracy and precision have yet to be demonstrated in the context of current screening modalities. Here, we present findings on the performance of an AI convolutional neural network (CNN) prototype (AI-RAD Companion, Siemens Healthineers) that automatically detects pulmonary nodules and quantifies coronary artery calcium volume (CACV) on low-dose chest CT (LDCT), and compare results to expert radiologists. We also correlate AI findings with adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes in a retrospective cohort of 117 patients who underwent LDCT. A total of 117 patients were enrolled in this study. Two CNNs were used to identify lung nodules and CACV on LDCT scans. All subjects were used for lung nodule analysis, and 96 subjects met the criteria for coronary artery calcium volume analysis. Interobserver concordance was measured using ICC and Cohen’s kappa. Multivariate logistic regression and partial least squares regression were used for outcomes analysis. Agreement of the AI findings with experts was excellent (CACV ICC = 0.904, lung nodules Cohen’s kappa = 0.846) with high sensitivity and specificity (CACV: sensitivity = .929, specificity = .960; lung nodules: sensitivity = 1, specificity = 0.708). The AI findings improved the prediction of major cardiopulmonary outcomes at 1-year follow-up including major adverse cardiac events and lung cancer (AUCMACE = 0.911, AUCLung Cancer = 0.942). We conclude the AI prototype rapidly and accurately identifies significant risk factors for cardiopulmonary disease on standard screening low-dose chest CT. This information can be used to improve diagnostic ability, facilitate intervention, improve morbidity and mortality, and decrease healthcare costs. There is also potential application in countries with limited numbers of cardiothoracic radiologists.
Evaluating Correlations of External Factors and Performance Measures of the Multimodal Transportation System in Florida

The objective of this study is to quantify the correlation between nearly 100 external factors and over 70 performance measures of the Florida multimodal transportation system, based on the empiric...
A Rare Presentation of Concomitant Alopecia Areata and Vitiligo in a Teenager

Introduction: Alopecia areata (AA) and vitiligo are two chronic, autoimmune skin diseases. While these two conditions are common, their co-existence is rare. Case Presentation: A 13-year-old Caucasian female presented to the dermatology clinic with a 1-2-month history of hair loss on her occipital scalp. The patient was diagnosed with AA and prescribed topical mometasone 1% lotion twice daily and pulse-dose prednisolone solution 12 mL 1 day per month for 3 months. At her 3-month follow-up, the patient reported new-onset hair depigmentation. On physical examination, the patient’s occipital scalp and right eyelash demonstrated a depigmented patch of hair, concerning for vitiligo. The patient was diagnosed with concomitant disease and topical tofacitinib was added to her treatment regimen. Discussion/Conclusion: The colocalization of AA and vitiligo is rare, and the presentation suggests an underlying pathogenic link between the two skin diseases. While the definitive immunologic pathway remains unknown, researchers have narrowed down inflammatory markers involved in the development of both conditions, including CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells, interferon gamma (IFN-ɣ), and IFN-ɣ-induced chemokines. We present a 13-year-old female patient who presented to the clinic with scalp alopecia and later developed overlying scalp and eyelash vitiligo. The rare nature of the patient’s presentation makes concomitant disease a therapeutic challenge and can impose significant psychological distress to a pediatric patient.
Lossless longitudinal bars as Fabry-Perot resonators (FPRs)

Abstract Fabry-Perot resonator (FPR) is an important concept for the study of optical and microwave systems. But it is a relatively alien concept for mechanical engineers. This paper reveals that a lossless bar (i.e. a bar whose Young’s modulus is a real number) undergoing longitudinal vibrations is essentially a Fabry-Perot resonator. First, the harmonic response of a longitudinal bar with generic mass-damper-spring (MDS) boundaries is derived to show that it is identical to the Airy function of an optical FPR. The derivation confirms that the resonance of a longitudinal bar is due to the superposition (i.e. interference) of the longitudinal waves travelling back and forth between the two boundaries. Next, the transmission and phase shifts at the MDS boundaries are derived. Based on which, the resonant frequencies of the longitudinal bar with different boundary conditions are determined directly from the phase matching condition. A perfect agreement with those obtained from conventional approaches was achieved. Finally, the concepts of whitelight interference (WLI) and fringe analysis are applied to determine the bar length from the calculated frequency response function (FRF). The results presented demonstrate that the data processing algorithms developed for optical and microwave FPRs are directly transferable to the study of longitudinal bars. This work lays the theoretical foundation for future developments of mechanical FPR sensors.
Distinct thin film growth characteristics determined through comparative dimension reduction techniques

Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) information is critical for the growth of thin films; however, only a small percentage of the data from RHEED videos is typically used. The use of full videos in machine learning can require dimension reduction techniques. In this paper, three dimension reduction techniques, principal component analysis (PCA), non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), and kmeans clustering, are compared to investigate their benefits to the analysis of RHEED data. Three different heterostructures with different growth modes, all deposited on Ti-terminated strontium titanate by pulsed laser deposition, were used for the analysis: lanthanum aluminate with layer-by-layer growth, lithium cobalt oxide with island growth, and strontium ruthenate with a transition from layer-by-layer to step-flow growth. A phase shift in intensity fluctuations of different RHEED spots was discovered and discussed in terms of their sensitivity to the film growth characterization. The diffraction spots that were more sensitive to the growth were differentiated from the spots that are affected by the substrate as a function of film thickness. It was concluded that NMF provides the analysis that is easiest to interpret without the loss of detailed physical information due to its non-negativity constraint and lack of forced orthogonality such as in PCA. Analysis of the full RHEED videos enables a more detailed understanding of growth characteristics and control of growth processes as aided by dimension reduction.
Plant growth and phytoactive alkaloid synthesis in Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) in response to varying radiance

The dose-dependent consumptive effect of kratom and its potential application as an alternative source of medicine to mitigate opioid withdrawal symptoms has brought considerable attention to this plant. Increased interest in the application and use of kratom has emerged globally, including North America. Although the chemistry and pharmacology of major kratom alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, are well documented, foundational information on the impact of plant production environment on growth and kratom alkaloids synthesis is unavailable. To directly address this need, kratom plant growth, leaf chlorophyll content, and alkaloid concentration were evaluated under three lighting conditions: outdoor full sun, greenhouse unshaded, and greenhouse shaded. Nine kratom alkaloids were quantified using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Contents of six alkaloids to include: mitragynine, speciogynine, speciociliatine, mitraphylline, coynantheidine, and isocorynantheidine were not significantly impacted by lighting conditions, whereas 7-hydroxymitragynine was below the lower limit of quantification across all treatments. However, paynantheine concentration per leaf dry mass was increased by 40% and corynoxine was increased by 111% when grown under shade conditions in a greenhouse compared to outdoor full sun. Additionally, total alkaloid yield per plant was maximized when plants were under such conditions. Greenhouse cultivation generally promoted height and width extension, leaf number, leaf area, average leaf size, and total leaf dry mass, compared to outdoor full sun condition. Rapid, non-destructive chlorophyll evaluation correlated well (r2 = 0.68) with extracted chlorophyll concentrations. Given these findings, production efforts where low-light conditions can be implemented are likely to maximize plant biomass and total leaf alkaloid production.
A case study on tuning artificial neural networks to recognize signal patterns of hand motions

This paper presents the development of artificial neural networks (ANN) as pattern recognition systems to classify surface electromyography signals (sEMG) into nine select hand motions from seven subjects. Multiple networks were designed to determine how well a network could adapt to signals from different subjects. This was achieved by developing multiple networks with different combinations of the volunteers for training. Each network was tested with signals from all volunteers to determine how well they could adapt to new subjects. It was found that ANNs trained using only one or two subjects would perform exceptionally well when tested with signals from the same subjects but relatively poorly when tested with signals from new subjects. As the number of subjects used for training increased, the ability of the network to accurately classify the signals from the trainees decreased but their ability to adapt to signals from new subjects increased. Solely based on these results, it can be inferred that ANNs developed using signals from a large amount of subjects could be used to accurately classify signals from completely new subjects. Research presented in this paper has potential to be further developed as a basis for utilizing sEMG as control signals in electric devices such as myoelectric prosthesis or humanoid control.
Intraspinal alcohol injections and sympathectomy for pain associated with carcinoma of the cervix

Abstract During the last few years we have been interested in methods of relieving the severe pain which is associated with carcinoma of the female genitalia, especially of the cervix. We began with pelvic sympathectomy which at first seemed to give spectacular results but later proved to be less satisfactory. We performed a pelvic sympathectomy upon all patients with advanced carcinoma who had severe pain, and we observed complete relief from pain in 37.5 per cent of our first forty cases, partial relief in 35 per cent and failures in 27.5 per cent. However, when we selected only those patients who had pain in the middle of the lower abdomen, pain low in the back, rectal tenesmus, bladder pain and pain associated with vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas, we relieved practically all of them completely. More recently we have resorted to intraspinal injections of alcohol to relieve the pain associated with Group III and especially Group IV carcinoma of the cervix. Among our first forty patients taken at random we have been able to obtain complete relief in 85 per cent, partial relief in 5 per cent and no beneficial effect in 10 per cent. In some cases relief has lasted for eight and a half months. The only patients not suitable for intraspinal alcohol injections (at least in the lumbar region) are those who have pain not only in the kidney region but also in the parametrium due to stricture of the ureter associated with hydroureter and hydronephrosis. We believe that intraspinal injection of alcohol is preferable to sympathectomy not only because it is much simpler and can be performed by any qualified physician familiar with the essential features of this procedure but also because it may be used in a greater number of cases, and it gives relief to a larger percentage of women with advanced carcinoma of the cervix.
Conformational analysis—LXI : Absence of transannular hydrogen-bonding in cyclo/octanone

Abstract 5,5-Dideuterocyclooctanone and 4,5-dideuterocyclooctanone have been prepared and their IR spectra were examined in the CD stretching region. The CD frequencies are the same in these ketones as in the corresponding hydrocarbons. Thus the earlier suggestion, that the low CO stretching frequencies shown by the medium-ring ketones are due to transannular hydrogen bonding, is incorrect.
Variability in myocardial metabolism on serial tumor (18)F-FDG PET/CT scans.

18F Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans are performed routinely for oncologic patients. Myocardial uptake can vary among patients and between serial studies in the same patient. Our study aims to evaluate myocardial metabolism on staging FDG PET scans and to analyze factors influencing patterns of cardiac uptake, and their relevance. We analyzed retrospectively 100 PET-CT scans from 20 fasting lymphoma patients. Distribution of myocardial uptake was determined by visual assessment and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVm) was calculated. Multiple variables were analyzed including: fasting length, cardiovascular risk factors, SUVm, and location of uptake. We found no correlation between fasting hours and cardiac uptake (p-value: 0.4786). There was a trend that showed less uptake in patients scanned in the afternoon versus the morning, although this was not statistically significant. The location of maximum uptake was unexpectedly variable in several patients and could not be ascertained to a specific cause. Interestingly, we found no correlation between cardiac risk factors and the amount of myocardial uptake. Myocardial FDG uptake is spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Differences in myocardial wall pattern and peak uptake exist and may not be explained by the length of fasting, gender, age or cardiac risk factors. This variability may occur in daily cardiac evaluations and affect interpretations of sarcoidosis and viability studies and should be further explored. A larger cohort study is necessary to confirm that our findings do not confer a higher cardiac risk profile to the cancer patient.
Design and Implementation of a CORBA Commodity Grid Kit

This paper reports on an ongoing research project aimed at designing and deploying a COMA Commodity Grid (COG) Kit. The overall goal of this project is to explore how commodity distributed computing technologies and state-of-the-art software engineering practices can be used for the development of advanced Grid applications. As part of this activity, we are investigating how CORBA can be integrated with the existing Grid infrastructure. In this paper, we present the design of a CORBA Commodity Grid Kit that provides a software development framework for building a CORBA "Grid domain." We then present our experiences in developing a prototype CORBA COG Kit that supports the development and deployment of CORBA applications on the Grid by providing them access to the Grid services provided by the Globus toolkit.
Ribosomal versus non-ribosomal cellular antigens: factors determining efficiency of indirect presentation to CD4+ T cells.

Proteins released from dying cells can be taken up and presented by antigen-presenting cells (APC) to T cells. While the presentation of such self antigens may lead to beneficial anti-tumour responses, in autoimmune disease it leads to pathological immune responses. The sub-set of self proteins targeted in autoimmune disease is circumscribed, and certain cellular components such as ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes are often targeted. Although explanations for this antigen selectivity have been proposed, there has been little direct testing of these hypotheses. We and others previously showed that ribosomal proteins, targeted in autoimmune disease, are also targets of anti-tumour T-cell responses. We asked whether particular properties of ribosomal proteins such as incorporation into RNP complexes or sub-cellular localization enhance ribosomal protein presentation by APC to CD4+ T cells. Ribosomal protein antigens within purified intact ribosomes or free of the ribosomes were equally well taken up and presented by APC, demonstrating that inclusion of ribosomal proteins into an RNP complex does not confer an advantage. However, antigens localized to ribosomes within apoptotic cells were less efficiently taken up and presented by APC than the same antigens localized diffusely throughout the cell. This suggests that presentation of ribosomal proteins is somehow down-regulated, possibly to facilitate presentation of other less-abundant intracellular proteins. Consequently, the explanation for the frequent targeting of ribosomal proteins by both autoimmune and anti-tumour T-cell responses is not at the level of uptake from apoptotic cells and must be sought elsewhere.
Investigation of the stress-strain state of a finite cylinder under the action of compressive forces

We determine the stresses and displacements formed in a finite cylinder under the action of an elastic ring simulated by uniformly distributed normal forces. For the analysis of the stress-strain state, we use the numerical-analytic least-squares method. It is shown that this method guarantees high accuracy of the solution. The changes in the stresses and displacements are analyzed depending on the radius of the cylinder, its length, and the width of the ring. We obtain two qualitatively different distributions of stresses and displacements.
DNA amplification fingerprinting of bacteria.

We have amplified short arbitrary stretches of total bacterial DNA to produce highly characteristic and complex DNA fingerprints. This DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF) strategy involves enzymatic amplification of DNA directed by a single arbitrary oligonucleotide primer. Amplification produces a characteristic spectrum of products that is adequately resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by silver staining. Although DAF is simple in concept, we found that amplification parameters must be within an optimal range for reproducibility. We establish a safe window for these parameters, which include magnesium, primer and enzyme concentration as well as cycle number. The refined procedure was used to distinguish between clinical isolates of Streptococcus uberis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli. The use of template DNA concentrations higher than 1 ng·μl−1 and high MgCl2 levels was especially important for reproductibility when amplifying small bacterial genomes. We tested a truncated Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase, the Stoffel fragment, and found it more tolerant of reaction conditions, more efficient in the amplification of short products, and able to produce more informative fingerprints when compared to the normal thermostable polymerase from which it was derived. Because DAF produces representative fingerprints quickly and reliably from bacteria regardless of prior genetic or biochemical knowledge, we anticipate the general use of this diagnostic tool for bacterial identification and taxonomy.
Cell Division Capability of Soybean Cells in Mixed Culture with Rhizobium japonicum

Summary A mixed culture system of Rhizobium and legume cells was established in order to determine if any of the proliferative events of legume root nodulation could be reconstructed. Root callus cells of soybean (var. Acme), growing slowly in nitrogen-deficient Linsmaier-Skoog medium, were inoculated with cells of R. japonicum (USDA strain 311b138) in order to look for DNA synthesis and mitotic stimulation; DNA synthesis was monitored by 3H-thymidine incorporation and cell labeling in autoradiographs. A small initial increase in the frequency of labeled soybean cell nuclei (∼ 1.5 X controls) was detected, but this did not lead to mitotic stimulation because the soybean cells rapidly lost viability. The physiological basis for the stimulation, as well as its possible relationship to the proliferation of root cortex cells in the legume nodule, is discussed.
Stacking fault energy in FCC plutonium with multiple reference states in the modified embedded atom method

Abstract Basic concepts from the multi-reference state formalism for determining the functions for the modified embedded atom method (MEAM) are adopted to modeling elemental plutonium (Pu). In the case of elemental Pu, the focus is on the background electron density. Here we utilize a portion of the formalism that determines the structure of the background density necessary to capture correct phase ordering between fcc and ideal hcp crystal structures. The critical information comes from cold curves, that is the energy/volume relationships, for these phases. Practically speaking, the energy difference between these two phases determines the stacking fault energy of the material. At the same time, the simple monoclinic phase of elemental Pu also becomes higher in energy at the equilibrium volume of the fcc phase. The new model is based on first-principles electronic structure calculations and captures the basic phase ordering of those calculations.
Meridional destabilizing number of knots

From a viewpoint of Heegaard theory, we have two types of natural positions of knots in connected closed orientable 3–manifolds: (i) a bridge position with respect to a Heegaard surface, and (ii) a core position of a handlebody bounded by a Heegaard surface. A Heegaard surface of type (ii) corresponds to that of a knot exterior. Hence it has a close connection to Heegaard genus and tunnel number of knots defined below.
Gas chromatographic analysis of hexosamines in glycoproteins.

Abstract A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of hexosamines in glycoproteins was described which uses the alditol acetate derivatives of the sugars. A polyamide (Poly A 103) liquid phase was used which effectively separates glucosamine, galactosamine, and mannosamine from each other. Mannosamine served as internal standard to facilitate accurate quantitation of glucosamine and galactosamine.
Preterm delivery and perinatal death among black and white infants in a Chicago-area perinatal registry.

Objective : To explore associations between race, preterm delivery, etiologic classification of preterm delivery, and perinatal mortality. Methods : The study population consisted of 13,010 black and 19,007 white mother-infant pairs delivered at Chicago-area hospitals in 1988–1989 categorized as term or preterm births. Preterm births were further divided by severity and etiology. Black-white differences in perinatal mortality within groups were calculated and adjusted for birth weight and other potential confounding variables. Results : Black women were nearly twice as likely as whites to experience preterm (before 37 weeks' gestation) and very preterm (before 32 weeks' gestation) delivery associated with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) or classified as idiopathic. Although black infants were also found to have twice the perinatal mortality risk of white infants (relative risk [RR] 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7–2.5), the overall preterm perinatal mortality rates did not differ between black and white women (RR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8–1.2). However, among preterm births, perinatal mortality was not uniform within categories of medical etiology. The mortality risk was the same for black and white infants born preterm following polyhydramnios or placental complications (RR 1.1, 95% CI 0.6–1.9), the same for black and white infants born preterm after labor induction (RR 1.1, 95% CI 0.6–1.9), and higher for black infants classified as idiopathic preterm deliveries (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.3). In contrast, mortality rates tended to be lower for black infants born preterm following PROM-amnionitis (RR 0.8, 95% CI 0.5–1.2). The idiopathic disparity was explained by a differential birth weight distribution (adjusted RR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7–1.9); however, the apparent survival benefit among black infants born preterm following PROM increased even further after adjustment for birth weight (adjusted RR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.7). Conclusion : Black infants born preterm after PROM appear to have a survival advantage compared with their white counterparts, an effect not observed within other etiologic categories of preterm delivery.
Assessment and Treatment of Suicidal Patients

The assessment of suicidal thoughts or behavior and its management are topics relevant to all clinicians, not just mental health professionals. Up to two thirds of patients who commit suicide have seen a physician in the month before their death.1–5 Many patients who kill themselves do so by taking an overdose of prescribed medications, and physicians sometimes unwittingly provide the means for suicide in a single prescription.3 Few patients spontaneously report their suicidal thoughts and intentions to their physicians,4 so the clinician must be alert to signals that a patient may be at risk for suicide. Although the patient . . .
Recent advances in the cellular and molecular biology of mast cells

The mast cell is now considered to play a pivotal role not only in allergic reactions but also in a number of inflammatory disorders. After immunological activation via the IgE receptor, the mast cell releases a variety of cytokines, lipid-derived mediators, amines, proteases and proteoglycans--all of which can regulate adjacent cells and the metabolism of the extra-cellular matrix of connective tissues. While it had been known for some time that mast cells differ in a number of properties in varied tissue sites, it was not known why or how this heterogeneity occurred. The development of in-vitro techniques to culture mast cells and the reconstitution of mast-cell-deficient mice are two major approaches that have facilitated analyses of how the tissue microenvironment regulates the phenotype of mast cells. In this review by Richard L. Stevens and K. Frank Austen, some of the recent findings on the molecular biology of mast cell secretory granule proteins and proteoglycans, and the interaction of mast cells with fibroblasts in the presence and absence of interleukin 3(IL-3) are highlighted.
Women's Self-definition in Adulthood: From a Different Model?.

This article examines criticisms of existing models of adult development from both feminist and developmental psychologists. To answer these criticisms, a model of women's adult self-definition is presented that is based upon current research on women's adult experience. The model combines a dialectical approach, which considers the effects of social/historical factors, with a feminist approach, which emphasizes the importance of caring and relationships, to illustrate the critical factors affecting a woman's self-knowledge during the adult years.
New vistas for melanocortins. Finally, an explanation for their pleiotropic functions.

: This paper presents a historical overview of melanocortin (MC) research from the early investigations of the many noncorticotropic effects of peptide fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone to the present focus on the discovery and cloning of the MC receptors (MCRs). Final acceptance of the passage of neuropeptides through the blood-brain barrier provided the scientific basis for the neuropeptide concept, formulated previously by both De Weid and Kastin, that peripherally administered neuropeptides affect neural processes. The discussion includes melanocortin effects on behavior, the cardiovascular system, central and peripheral electrophysiological parameters, food intake, inflammation and analgesia, nerve regeneration and neuroprotection, and development. The localization of specific MCRs in both neural and nonneural tissues is correlated with the pleiotropic effects discussed.
The Endocrinologist’s Office—Puberty Suppression: Saving Children from a Natural Disaster?

In the past few years, the introduction and rapid acceptance of puberty suppression has transformed the clinical treatment of children diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder. This essay analyzes the narratives used by some advocates of this treatment, particularly the elements of saving children from the looming disaster of puberty and from future abject lives of violence and suicide as transgender adults. It briefly addresses the potential implications of this account for the well being of the children brought under clinical purview.
A field-space conformai solution method

We propose a radical extension of the principle of corresponding states to mixtures. All previous methods of which we are aware are based upon the application of “mixing rules” which are explicit in the compositions of the resultant, or target, mixture. In the present development these relations are functions of field variables alone, specifically the activities of the reference system. This has a profound effect upon the basic machinery of the transformations. For example, when the new method is used to map the properties of a binary fluid mixture onto those of a pure fluid (and in contrast to the description of a mixture by one-fluid theory with van der Waals mixing rules), the dew-bubble-point surface of the mixture is mapped onto the vapor pressure curve of the pure fluid, and the critical line of the mixture is mapped onto the critical point of the pure fluid. Thus, there is no separate “pseudocritical” locus. The principal technical advantage of such a development is numerical; calculation of the location of vapor-liquid coexistence and critical manifolds is enormously simplified. The most important theoretical aspect associated with the new method is that if the reference system is described by an equation of state which obeys the critical scaling laws, then the entire critical manifold of the target system will also exhibit critical scaling.
Unified FinFET compact model: Modelling Trapezoidal Triple-Gate FinFETs

A unified FinFET compact model is proposed for devices with complex fin cross-sections. It is represented in a normalized form, where only four different model parameters are needed. The proposed model accurately predicts the current-voltage characteristics of different FinFETs structures such as Double-Gate (DG), Cylindrical Gate-All-Around (Cy-GAA), or Rectangular Gate-All-Around (Re-GAA) FinFETs. In addition, for the first time, Trapezoidal Triple-Gate (T-TG) FinFETs are accurately modelled. Short-Channel-Effects (SCE) sub-models have been also implemented in the presented work. The model has been verified with TCAD data.
Structure-centered portal for child psychiatry research.

The real world needs of the clinical community require a domain-specific solution to integrate disparate information available from various web-based resources for data, materials, and tools into routine clinical and clinical research setting. We present a child-psychiatry oriented portal as an effort to deliver a knowledge environment wrapper that provides organization and integration of multiple information and data sources. Organized semantically by resource context, the portal groups information sources by context type, and permits the user to interactively 'narrow' or 'broaden' the scope of the information resources that are available and relevant to the specific context. The overall objective of the portal is to bring information from multiple complex resources into a simple single uniform framework and present it to the user in a single window format.
The appearance of levator ani muscle abnormalities in magnetic resonance images after vaginal delivery.

Abstract Objective To describe the appearance and occurrence of abnormalities in the levator ani muscle seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in nulliparous women and in women after their first vaginal birth. Methods Multiplanar proton density magnetic resonance images were obtained at 0.5-cm intervals from 80 nulliparous and 160 vaginally primiparous women. These had been previously obtained in a study of stress incontinence, and half the primiparas had stress incontinence. All scans were reviewed independently by at least two examiners blinded to parity and continence status. Results No levator ani defects were identified in nulliparous women. Thirty-two primiparous women (20%) had a visible defect in the levator ani muscle. Defects were identified in the pubovisceral portion of the levator ani in 29 women and in the iliococcygeal portion in three women. Within the pubovisceral muscle, both unilateral and bilateral defects were found. The extent of abnormality varied from one individual to the next. Of the 32 women with defects, 23 (71%) were in the stress incontinent group. Conclusion Abnormalities in the levator ani muscle are present on MRI after a vaginal delivery but are not found in nulliparas.
Susceptibility of Chinook Salmon Smolts to Bypass Systems at Hydroelectric Dams

Abstract Several hydroelectric dams in the Snake-Columbia river system are equipped with submersible traveling screens that project into the turbine intakes. The screens are designed to divert juvenile migrant Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead Salmo gairdneri from the intake upward into gatewells and the ajoining central bypass system. Assays ofgill Na+,K+-ATPase were performed on yearling chinook salmon O. tshawytscha collected during several routine fish guidance efficiency tests in 1985 and 1986. On three of the four sampling dates, gill Na+,K+-ATPase levels were significantly higher in fish guided into the gatewell than in those not guided. These data suggest there is a relationship between the physiological status of smolting yearling chinook salmon and their susceptibility to guidance by traveling screens. Assessments of salmonid out-migrations may be biased if they are based on samples from traveling-screen guidance systems.
Superhydrophobic Mats of Polymer‐Derived Ceramic Fibers

Solid preceramic polyaluminasilazane was synthesized through the reaction between liquid cyclosilazane and aluminum tri-sec-butoxide at 160°C. Electrospinning of polyaluminasilazane/ polyethyleneoxide (1/0.0001 mass ratio) in chloroform solutions generated smooth fibers while the electrospun fibers from the chloroform/N,N-dimethylformamide solutions had submicrometer structures on the fiber surfaces. Smooth and rough SiCNO ceramic fibers were obtained by the pyrolysis of the green fibers with an 80% yield. Superhydrophobic mats of ceramic fibers were fabricated via a chemical vapor deposition of perfluorosilane onto the rough fibers. These superhydrophobic mats possess good chemical and thermal stability.
One year transgene expression with adeno-associated virus cardiac gene transfer

Abstract Background Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has shown promise as a vector for cardiac gene transfer given its ability to stably integrate into the host genome and its lack of immune reactivity. This study examined the feasibility of AAV-mediated myocardial gene transfer in mice, the animal which, because of transgenic technology, has become the disease model of choice for cardiovascular research. Methods AAV encoding the cytomegalovirus promoter driven LacZ reporter gene (10 7 LacZ-forming units per animal) or vehicle control was injected into the hearts of young adult C57Bl/6 mice by a transdiaphragmatic approach. At one, two, three, six, and twelve months post-injection, cardiac function was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography and hearts were assayed by X-gal histochemical staining. Results Echocardiography revealed normal left ventricular function in both AAV and control groups at all time points. X-gal staining of cryostat sections of hearts revealed uniform LacZ expression at all time points. There were minimal signs of immunologic infiltration by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Conclusions AAV-mediated myocardial gene transfer by transdiaphragmatic injection can be conducted safely and results in long-term expression of the LacZ gene for at least one year without causing significant inflammatory response or adversely affecting LV systolic function.
Inductive Events in Oral Tolerance in the TCR Transgenic Adoptive Transfer Model

Oral administration of antigen induces a systemic hyporesponsiveness termed oral tolerance. High doses of oral antigen lead to deletion or anergy of T-cells whereas low doses induce regulatory T-cells that secrete Th2 cytokines (IL-4/IL-10) and TGF-beta. The initiating events associated with oral tolerance have not been well characterized. We investigated the induction phase of oral tolerance by adoptively transferring ovalbulumin (OVA) p (323-339) TcR specific transgenic (Tg+) T-cells into BALB/c recipients that were then fed either a high (5 mg x 5) or a low (0.1 mg x 5) dose of OVA 323-329 peptide. The frequency of Tg+ T-cells in lymphoid tissues was determined by flow cytometry using an anti-clonotypic monoclonal antibody. In high-dose-fed animals, Tg+ cells increased six- to eightfold in Peyer's patches after one feeding and then progressively decreased to 44% of those in the control by Day 20. In contrast, a biphasic-type response was observed in lymph node and spleen where Tg+ cells decreased after the first feeding, returned to the control level, and then decreased to 36-63% of the control level by Day 20. In low-dose-fed animals, changes in Tg+ T cells were only observed in Peyer's patches after five feedings, where cells increased approximately twofold. T-cell activation as measured by proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion occurred in both low- and high-dose-fed animals after only one feeding and then declined whereas secretion of Th2 cytokines and TGF-beta remained high even 10 days after the last feeding in low-dose-fed animals. Immunization with OVA/CFA demonstrated peripheral tolerance as measured by decreased proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion and was associated with increased production of TGF-beta and IL-10. These results suggest that the inductive phase of oral tolerance is characterized by an activation of antigen-specific T-cells that involves the initial secretion of IFN-gamma followed by prolonged secretion of Th2 cytokines and TGF-beta.
Neural analysis of temporally patterned sounds in the frog's thalamus: processing of pulse duration and pulse repetition rate.

Abstract We conducted a single unit study of auditory neurons in the central thalamic nucleus of the northern leopard frog. These cells, unlike those of the posterior thalamic nucleus (J. Comp. Physiol., 150 (1983) 333–344), were broadly tuned and sensitive to one or more temporal features (pulse duration and repetition rate) of complex sound signals. When compared with previous studies, these results suggest that temporal and spectral information may be processed separately by distinct populations of neurons within the frog's thalamus.
Age-Related Variation in Health Service Use and Associated Expenditures among Children with Autism.

This study examined differences by age in service use and associated expenditures during 2005 for Medicaid-enrolled children with autism spectrum disorders. Aging was associated with significantly higher use and costs for restrictive, institution-based care and lower use and costs for community-based therapeutic services. Total expenditures increased by 5 % with each year of age; by 23 % between 3–5 and 6–11 year olds, 23 % between 6–11 and 12–16, and 14 % between 12–16 and 17–20 year olds. Use of and expenditures for long-term care, psychiatric medications, case management, medication management, day treatment/partial hospitalization, and respite services increased with age; use of and expenditures for occupational/physical therapy, speech therapy, mental health services, diagnostic/assessment services, and family therapy declined.
Tribological behavior of nanocrystalline zinc oxide films

Abstract This paper describes the room temperature tribological characteristics of nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) films. The films were grown onto 440C stainless steel substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using the 248 nm line from an excimer laser to ablate a hot pressed hexagonal ZnO target. The substrate temperature and oxygen partial pressure were varied to grow films with different stoichiometries and grain sizes. Friction measurements were made against a 440C steel counterface in a ball-on-flat configuration. The friction coefficient of a conventional hot pressed ZnO disk was high, 0.65; the steel counterface after wear testing was full of scratches. By contrast, the friction coefficients of PLD ZnO films were between 0.16 and 0.34; the steel counterface after testing was practically free of scratches. Extensive plastic deformation of ZnO was observed on the wear scars. The friction behavior of ZnO films was sensitive to Hertzian stress and sliding speed, but once a smooth wear scar was formed, the test conditions had no significant effect on the friction. The improved tribological performance of the PLD ZnO films was attributed to their nanocrystalline grain structure and oxygen substoichiometry.
Effect of Laticauda semifasciata (sea snake) venom on sodium transport across the frog skin.

Abstract 1. 1. Addition of Laticauda semifasciata venom to the outside bathing solution of isolated frog skin elicited sustained increases in transmural potential difference, short-circuit current and transmural electrical resistance. 2. 2. Addition of Laticauda semifasciata venom to human red cell ghosts had no effect on Na+-K+-dependent ATPase activity. 3. 3. The Laticauda semifasciata venom-induced short-circuit current is carried by a net active sodium transfer from the outside to the inside bathing solution.
Ethnic differences in nocturnal blood pressure decline in treated hypertensives.

Abstract Lack of a nocturnal decline in blood pressure (BP) has been associated with more severe end organ damage in hypertensives, and blacks appear less likely than whites to have a > 10% drop in nighttime BP (“dipping”). Little information is available about the relationship between treatment regimens, ethnic group classification, and dipping in treated hypertensive patient populations. We obtained 24-h ambulatory BP readings in 438 adult white (n = 103), black (n = 200) and Hispanic (n = 135) treated hypertensives. Tycos monitors were connected in patients’ homes before their usual morning medication dose time. Research assistants administered a quality-of-life questionnaire, recorded patients’ drug regimen, and observed the patients take their morning dose. Monitors were programmed to record BP every 30 min. Dippers were defined as persons who had a drop of ≥ 10% decline in average daytime (08:00 to 22:00) compared to nighttime (00:00 to 04:00) BP. Logistic regression modeling was used to assess the relationship between demographic and treatment variables and probability of dipping. Twenty-four–hour average BP was similar in all three ethnic groups. However, the absence of a systolic dip was significantly more common in black and Hispanic men than in white men (ORblack v white = 11.54, 95% CI = 3.92 to 34.01; ORHispanic v white = 7.32, 95% CI = 2.47 to 21.68). There were no ethnic group differences in probability of systolic dipping among women. Absence of a diastolic dip was approximately twice as common in blacks and Hispanics than in whites, with no marked gender-by-ethnic-group interaction in the magnitude of the association. Of the 10 most commonly prescribed antihypertensives, no single drug was positively associated with nocturnal BP decline. Later versus earlier morning dose time, but not once-a-day dosing, was associated with absence of dipping. Treated black and Hispanic hypertensives are less likely to “dip” than non-Hispanic whites. No particular drug was positively associated with dipping.
Changes in structure and stability of calbindin-D 28K upon calcium binding

Abstract Calbindin-D28K is a biologically important protein required for normal neural function and for the transport of calcium in epithelial cells of the intestine and kidney. We have used fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to characterize the effects of calcium binding on the structure and stability of calbindin. Ca2+ titration monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy reveals the presence of two classes of calcium-binding sites with association constants ∼107.5 and ∼108.9 M−1. CD spectra in the far-UV spectral range show minor changes upon Ca2+ titration, implying that the secondary structure of calbindin-D28K is not greatly affected. On the basis of the CD spectra in the near-UV spectral range, we conclude that the tertiary structure is more sensitive to Ca2+ addition. The most significant change occurs between pCa 7.0 and pCa 8.0. The variations in the protein thermostability are correlated with those in the near-UV CD spectra. The enthalpy changes upon heat denaturation of calbindin in the apo-state are characteristic of proteins containing several weakly interacting domains with similar thermodynamical properties. Thus, calcium binding by calbindin-D28K largely affects the local structure around the aromatic residues and the thermal stability of the protein; the changes in the secondary structure are insignificant.
Youths' perceptions of overweight-related prevention counseling at a primary care visit.

Objective: We examined youths’ report of receiving specific overweight-related preventive counseling and perceived readiness to adopt nutrition and physical activity behaviors recommended by their clinicians. Research Methods and Procedures: We surveyed 324 youth 10 to 18 years old who had a physical exam within the past year. The survey included questions on height, weight, race/ethnicity, mother's education, and topics they discussed with their clinician during their visit. We used multivariable analyses to examine whether weight status and sociodemographic characteristics were predictors of which youth received counseling from their clinicians and which youth were ready to change. Results: The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 13.7 (1.8) years; 54% were black, and 22% were Hispanic. Less than one-half of participants reported discussing sugar-sweetened beverages [38%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 32% to 43%] or television viewing (41%; 95% CI, 36% to 47%) with their clinicians. In multivariable analyses adjusting for participant's age, sex, race/ethnicity, overweight status, and mother's educational attainment, youth whose mothers lacked education beyond high school were significantly less likely to report receiving counseling on any overweight-specific topic including television viewing [odds ratio (OR), 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27, 0.79], sugar-sweetened beverage (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.28, 0.80), and fast food consumption (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.32, 0.92). In addition, youth 10 to 14 years old were more likely than those 15 to 18 years old to report they would try to change their television viewing (OR, 4.10; 95% CI, 1.78, 9.44) if recommended by their clinician. Discussion: Youth report infrequently receiving counseling on specific overweight prevention topics during routine primary care visits. Our findings suggest that greater efforts may be needed to reduce social class disparities in overweight prevention counseling and that counseling to prevent overweight in youth may be more acceptable to younger children.
Thinking About Distancing from Israel

Are non-Orthodox American Jews growing more distant from Israel? That question indeed is the central issue in this exchange of views between our friends and colleagues—Ted Sasson, Charles Kadushin, and Len Saxe—and ourselves. Their scholarly contribution above presents their response to their reading of our Beyond Distancing (Cohen and Kelman 2007). In that report, one that we prepared for the larger lay public rather than an academic audience, we presented results from our 2007 national survey of American Jews.