cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence of arrhythmias and electrocardiographic abnormalities in symptomatic pediatric patients with PCR-positive SARS-CoV-2 infection, including drug-induced changes in the corrected QT interval.

Background There is limited data regarding the electrophysiological abnormalities and arrhythmias in children with COVID-19, including those associated with treatment using potentially proarrhythmic hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZN). Objectives To describe the electrophysiologic findings and arrhythmias associated with pediatric COVID-19 and its treatment. Methods A single-center retrospective chart review was undertaken and included all patients with (1) symptoms of COVID-19 and (2) PCR-positive nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 who were placed on continuous telemetry for the duration of their hospitalization during March through May, 2020. Results Thirty-six patients were included in the study. Significant arrhythmias were found in 6 (nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in 5 and sustained atrial tachycardia in 1). All were self-resolving and half prompted prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy. Patients with significant arrhythmias were likely to have noncardiac comorbidities (4/6), but these were not more common than in patients without arrhythmias (20/30, P = 1). The use of HCQ was associated with statistically significant QTc prolongation (413 ± 19 ms vs 425 ± 16 ms, P =.005). QTc was not statistically different in patients with and without arrhythmias (425 ± 15 ms vs 425 ± 15 ms, P = 1). Conclusions In pediatric patients with PCR-positive active COVID-19 infection, significant arrhythmias are infrequent, but are more common than expected in a general pediatric population. Comorbidities are not more common in patients with arrhythmias than in patients without arrhythmias. COVID-19 treatment using HCQ is associated with QTc prolongation but was not associated with arrhythmias in pediatric patients.
A Triple-Layer Electromagnetic Heat Exchanger With Plane Poiseuille Flow: Control and Local Onset of Thermal Runaway

An electromagnetic (EM) heat exchanger (HX) is a device which converts EM energy into a usable form of heat. In this article, we present a 2-D multiphysics model mimicking the operation of a layered EM HX and simulating the nonlinear interaction between EM wave propagation, energy transport, and fluid flow. A triple-layer geometry of the EM HX represents a lossy ceramic slab surrounded by two channels with a plane Poiseuille flow of a lossless coolant. Validation of the model developed in COMSOL Multiphysics is done by comparing the results with the output of another numerical model, which uses a second-order implicit–explicit scheme where advective and diffusive terms are treated implicitly and the nonlinear heat source is treated explicitly. Layer thicknesses are chosen such that an electric field resonance is achieved in the central layer. Because of the resonance, a power response curve is found to be a double S-curve. We show that EM HXs operating on the middle branch of the double S-curve are favorable and efficient compared to the those operating on the lower or upper branch. Careful examination of transient evolution of temperature confirms that thermal runaway occurs when the local maximum temperature reaches a critical value. The model predicts a hotspot in ceramic region when thermal runaway initiated locally. We generate power response curves for increasing Peclet numbers, which is defined as the ratio of heat convection to conduction within the fluid region, and show that temperatures of upper and middle branches keep dropping with Peclet numbers.
Identification of a unique temporal signature in blood and BAL associated with IPF progression

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and heterogeneous interstitial lung disease of unknown origin with a low survival rate. There are few treatment options available due to the fact that mechanisms underlying disease progression are not well understood, likely because they arise from dysregulation of complex signaling networks spanning multiple tissue compartments. To better characterize these networks, we used systems-focused data-driven modeling approaches to identify cross-tissue compartment (blood and bronchoalveolar lavage) and temporal proteomic signatures that differentiated IPF progressors and non-progressors. Partial least squares discriminant analysis identified a signature of 54 baseline (week 0) blood and lung proteins that differentiated IPF progression status by the end of 80 weeks of follow-up with 100% cross-validation accuracy. Overall we observed heterogeneous protein expression patterns in progressors compared to more homogenous signatures in non-progressors, and found that non-progressors were enriched for proteomic processes involving regulation of the immune/defense response. We also identified a temporal signature of blood proteins that was significantly different at early and late progressor time points (p < 0.0001), but not present in non-progressors. Overall, this approach can be used to generate new hypothesis for mechanisms associated with IPF progression and could readily be translated to other complex and heterogeneous diseases.
Effect of postural changes on in vivo pelvic tilt and functional component anteversion in total hip arthroplasty patients with lumbar disc degenerations.

Aims The complex relationship between acetabular component position and spinopelvic mobility in patients following total hip arthroplasty (THA) renders it difficult to optimize acetabular component...
Hail Impact Testing of Stitched Carbon Fiber Epoxy Composites Laminates

The hail impact response of the composite laminates is crucial in providing design guidance on the minimum allowable gauge thickness of the novel Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) composite panels for next-generation aerospace structures. In this work, we performed simulated hail impact tests for stitched and non-stitched flat carbon fiber epoxy composite laminate panels to study their different damage behaviors. All panels consist of a mid-bay area and four stiffening strips representing the aircraft composite structure stiffened with stringers. The tests were conducted using a gas gun and ice ball projectiles with a diameter of 40 mm. Different hail impact speeds (40 - 77 m/s), and hence different impact energies were imposed through tuning the pressure of the gas gun. After the hail impact tests, both visual observation and ultrasonic C-Scan were conducted to observe the surface damage and internal delamination. It was found that the matrix cracking occurs in every composite panel along the edges of the stiffening strip. In addition, delamination is found for both stitched and non-stitched panels in the mid-bay area and stiffening strips. The delamination area in the mid-bay area for the stitched composite panel is smaller than that for the non-stitched composite panel. The delamination in the stiffening strips could be caused by the stress concentration due to the geometric discontinuity between the skin and the stiffening strips. The observed different damage behaviors provided insights into the delamination arrestment capability of the stitched composites.
Libro segundo del cabildo de la çibdad de Santiago de la provinçia de Guatemala començado a XXVII de mayo de MDXXX años: coordinated by Wendy Kramer; edited by Jorge Luján Muñoz and Wendy Kramer, Guatemala City: Academia de Geografía e Historia de Guatemala; Wellfleet, MA.: Plumsock Mesoamerican Studies, 2018. 394 pp.; bibl., map., illus., facs. (ISBN 9780910443302)

The municipal authorities of the newly established city of Santiago de Guatemala spent much of 1532 discussing what to do about a puma reported to be killing horses on the outskirts of town. Vetera...
Single-Cavity Three-Color All-Fiber Femtosecond Laser

In this letter, the design and characterization of an all-fiber femtosecond laser is reported that generates three wavelengths at 1030 nm, 1550 nm, and 1900 nm from a single cavity. The cavity is based on Er-doped fiber and it is mode-locked by a fiber coupled saturable absorber mirror. We take advantage of fiber optics nonlinearity to generate 1030 nm and 1900 nm wavelengths which can be amplified using well-known Yb-doped and Tm-doped amplifiers. The third output of the laser can be optimized to generate femtosecond pulses at a wide range of central wavelength from 1700 nm to 2000 nm. Since all three outputs of the laser are being generated from the same cavity, they can be easily synchronized to be used in various pump and probe applications. This approach reduces the size, power consumption and cost of the laser compared to three individual mode-locked cavities. The laser can be packaged in a 20 cm $\times20$ cm $\times20$ cm form factor.
Molecular imaging of the serotonin transporter availability and occupancy by antidepressant treatment in late-life depression

Abstract Patients with late-life depression (LLD) have a more variable response to pharmacotherapy relative to patients with mid-life depression. Degeneration of the serotonergic system and lower occupancy of the initial target for antidepressant medications, the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), may contribute to variability in treatment response. The focus of this study was to test the hypotheses that lower cortical and limbic serotonin transporter (5-HTT) availability in LLD patients relative to controls and less 5-HTT occupancy by antidepressant medications would be associated with less improvement in mood and cognition with treatment in LLD patients. Twenty LLD patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for a current major depressive episode and 20 non-depressed controls underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessments, magnetic resonance imaging to measure gray matter volumes and high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to measure 5-HTT before and after 10–12 weeks of treatment with Citalopram or Sertraline (patients only). Prior to treatment, 5-HTT was lower in LLD patients relative to controls in mainly temporal cortical and limbic (amygdala and hippocampus) regions. Gray matter volumes were not significantly different between groups. 5-HTT occupancy was detected throughout cortical, striatal, thalamic and limbic regions. The magnitude of regional 5-HTT occupancy by antidepressants was 70% or greater across cortical and sub-cortical regions, consistent with the magnitude of 5-HTT occupancy observed in mid-life depressed patients. Greater regional 5-HTT occupancy correlated with greater improvement in depressive symptoms and visual-spatial memory performance. These data support the hypothesis that serotonin degeneration and variability in 5-HTT occupancy may contribute to heterogeneity in treatment response in LLD patients.
Bilateral breast metastases from small cell lung carcinoma: Case report and review of the literature

Differentiation of primary versus secondary breast cancer can be difficult, with the relative rarity of the latter representing a diagnostic challenge. Here, we present a case of small cell lung cancer with synchronous bilateral breast metastases in a 52-year-old female. There are less than 5 other cases of small cell lung cancer with bilateral breast metastases reported in the literature to date. The breast metastases represented the first clinical and imaging manifestation of malignancy in our case. We present the patient's disease course including multi-modal imaging, histopathologic analysis, and clinical management. We aim to highlight the entity of secondary breast cancer and how multidisciplinary collaboration can help arrive at the diagnosis, which is critical for prognosis and treatment planning in this patient population.
TU-CD-207-04: Radiation Exposure Comparisons of CESM with 2D FFDM and 3D Tomosynthesis Mammography

Purpose: While mammography is considered the standard for front-line breast cancer screening, image sensitivity and specificity can be affected by factors like dense breast tissue. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) shows promising initial results for dense breasts but comes at the cost of increased dose compared with full-field-digital-mammography (FFDM). The goal of this study is to quantitatively assess the dose increase of CESM in comparison with 2D-FFDM and 3D-Tomo at varying breast thickness. Methods: The experiments were conducted on a Hologic-Selenia-Dimensions system that performed 2D-FFDM, 3D-Tomo and CESM (high and low energies) on regular (50/50) and dense (70/30) breast tissue-mimicking phantoms. Both the phantoms had 6, 1-cm thick slabs (total thickness 6cm), compressed at 20-lbs using an 18×24 paddle. A single exposure was performed for each of the 3 mammo techniques with the following settings: AEC-Auto; Focal Spot-Large; kVp-Auto; mAs- Auto, Target/Filter combination-Auto; AEC Sensor/Exposure compensation Step-2/0. Average glandular dose (AGD) in mGy was obtained and compared as a function of breast thickness (1 – 6 cm) for both the phantom types. Results: The study shows that dose from the total CESM from 50/50 phantom at a breast thickness of a) 4.5 cm was 37.5% higher than 2D-FFDM and 30% higher than 3D-Tomo, b) 6 cm was 36.2% higher than 2D-FFDM and 41% higher than 3D-Tomo. For a dense breast tissue of 70/30 phantom, it was found that CESM dose at a breast thickness of: a) 4.5 cm was 33.3% higher than 2D-FFDM and 28.8% higher than 3D-Tomo, b) 6 cm was 35.4% higher than 2D-FFDM and 48.0% higher than 3D-Tomo. The overall CESM dose for the dense breast phantom was 12.5% higher at 4.5cm and 35% higher at 6 cm compared to the 50/50 phantom. Conclusion: This quantitative comparison study showed that CESM technique has an increased radiation dose compared to conventional 2D-FFDM and 3D-Tomo.
A study of different partitioning schemes in first order Markovian models for Rayleigh fading channels

The performance studies of wireless systems often require a wireless channel model. A common one, for Rayleigh fading environments, is founded upon variations of the finite state Markov channel model (FSMC). This model partitions the received signal to noise ratio (SNR) into a finite number of intervals and represents each interval as a state of a Markov process. Previous studies have elaborated on the accuracy and appropriateness of the model under several assumptions. A key aspect that remains to be studied is the effect of the partitioning scheme. We study the effects of several proposed schemes and investigate the performance of a new scheme that takes into account the average fade duration at various SNR levels.
The use of stable isotope labelling for the analytical chemistry of drugs

This perspective reviews the potential for stable isotope labelling to examine the metabolic transformations of drugs. The increased sensitivity and widespread availability of modern nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometers will increase the application of stable isotopes to study drug metabolism. Creating mass doublets by mixing a natural isotopic abundance compound with a labelled isotopomer and applying stable isotope filtering to high resolution mass spectrometry allows one to rapidly identify drug metabolites in very complex samples, such as blood or urine. Applying this approach to drug metabolism will require a significant synthesis effort. The relatively small number of (13) C, (15) N, or (17,18) O-labelled precursors exacerbates this problem, making the synthesis of the labelled drug often more difficult than that of the parent compound. We have developed new strategies for stable isotope labelling of complex molecules based on the rich chemistry of [(13) C]methyl phenyl sulfide, where the phenylthio group acts as a stable, non-volatile carrier for the valuable (13) C-label. For example we have used [(13) C]methyl phenyl sulfide to prepare the three possible (13) C-isotopomers ([1-(13) C]-, [2-(13) C]-, [1,2-(13) C(2) ]) of the two carbon precursors, ethyl 2-(phenylthio) acetate and ethyl N,N-dimethyl oxamate. In each case, these two-carbon labelling precursors are asymmetric and the differential reactivity of the carbons allows for either/or (13) C-labelling in the products. We demonstrate the utility of these two carbon precursors in the synthesis of aromatic ring-labelled N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide (acetaminophen or paracetamol).
Cytochrome c Oxidation by the Electron Transport Fraction of Azotobacter vinelandii

The spectrophotometric oxidation of horse heart ferrocytochrome c was examined by use of the particulate electron transport fraction (R3) of Azotobacter vinelandii strain O. Unlike cytochrome c, purified preparations of native Azotobacter cytochromes c4 + c5 were oxidized only slowly by the electron transport fraction. The oxidation of mammalian cytochrome c proceeded at an appreciable rate and displayed “apparent” first-order kinetics at a pH optimum of 9.0 with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane-chloride buffer. The calculated Vmax value was 0.22 μmole of cytochrome c oxidized per min per mg of protein (25 C) and a Km value for cytochrome c of 2.3 × 10−5m was obtained. Ferricytochrome c was a “strict” competitive inhibitor for this oxidation. Cytochrome c oxidation by the Azotobacter electron transport system was markedly sensitive to cyanide, azide, and hydroxylamine, although carbon monoxide inhibition could not be demonstrated. It was sensitive also to high concentrations of phosphate, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and some metal cations. “Aging” or prolonged storage of the Azotobacter R3 fraction, at 4 C for 10 days, resulted in a threefold increase in specific activity. The cytochrome c peroxidase type of reaction did not occur with the R3 electron transport fraction.
Calculation of regional ventricular wall strains using magnetic resonance imaging tissue-tagging

An algorithm is described to compute continuous, transmural distributions of finite strains from tagged magnetic resonance (MR) images of the heart. Validation is performed by constructing a finite element (FE) model from the undeformed image and simulating complex deformations of the undeformed tags and intersections. Strains are calculated from these deformations by the algorithm and are compared with the FE-predicted strains. >
The Role of Alcohol in Violence: The Individual, Small Group, Community and Cultural Level

The goal of this paper is to review our understanding of the role that alcohol plays in violence. This paper provides a literature review of various theoretical mechanisms and of empirical tests of those theoretical propositions across four different levels of analysis: individual, small group, community, and cultural. Alcohol-violence association is evident in not only the individuals who consume alcohol, but also in the social interactions of those individuals, the communities, and the countries in which those individuals live. Acknowledging the alcohol-violence association at one level, without considering the influence of alcohol on violence at other levels, fails to capture the complex role that alcohol plays in violence. This paper concludes with a summary of critical findings, implications for practice, policy, and research advanced by this theoretical and empirical review, a discussion of limitations in the knowledge, and directions for future research.
Policy issues for expanding newborn screening programs: the cystic fibrosis newborn screening experience in the United States.

Objective To describe the screening approaches and implementation strategies for cystic fibrosis newborn screening in the 12 programs that were offered in 11 states in 2002. Study design Telephone interviews conducted in the spring of 2003 with program representatives in the 11 states. Screening approaches were defined in four overlapping categories: state mandated screening, state-wide offering, hospital based screening, and screening with informed consent. Results Screening was state mandated in seven states but was routinely offered to most infants in nine states. The primary care provider or hospital determined if screening was done in three states (four programs). Informed consent was explicitly documented in two states. In five programs, immunoreactive trypsinogen exclusively was used to identify at risk infants. In seven programs, a second tier DNA test was also used, but these programs each had distinct strategies. In only two programs where DNA testing was performed and normal sweat tests indicated carrier status, were results routinely provided to parents “in person” at a CF center. Conclusion The diversity of approaches for screening approaches and strategies has advantages for future policy decisions, provided that data about the clinical and psychosocial impact of screening from these programs are collected and disseminated. As additional states determine that the resources are available, programs can be designed with a more favorable benefit/risk balance as a result of the successes and challenges faced by other states.
Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and the Long Campaign Against Social Security: Dodging the Bullet in 2012

The campaign against Social Security began as soon as the act was passed, but gathered momentum only when Ronald Reagan as early as the 1950s became a focal point for critics. Lyndon B. Johnson successfully countered the anti–Social Security/anti-Medicare opposition, but the rhetoric from the Reagan administration paved the way for G. W. Bush's anti–Social Security efforts, and the virulent opposition to the Affordable Care Act that led to the 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's oft-repeated statement that, as president, he would “repeal Obamacare on day one!” Much of the opposition argument has made its way into the “conventional wisdom,” even of supporters, making it especially difficult to evaluate American social insurance objectively.
A cyberinfrastructure for community resilience assessment and visualization

Disaster resilience is a major societal challenge. Cartography and GIS can contribute substantially to this research area. This paper describes a cyberinfrastructure for disaster resilience assessm...
Radiation dose from breastfeeding following administration of thallium-201.

Radiation exposure to a breast feeding infant was estimated when the mother underwent a nuclear medicine procedure using 201TI. Methods: A lactating mother was administered 111 MBq of 201TI for a brain scan. Breast milk samples were collected over a period of three days, and the rate of 201TI secretion was determined. The infant was not breast fed during that time. Based on our data, we determined the time-activity function for radioactivity in the breast milk. From these data, and assuming an intake of 1000 ml/day, we calculated the fraction of administered activity that might be taken in by the infant. We also calculated the intake assuming breastfeeding delays of 2, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 500 hr. Results: We calculated the radiation dose to various organs and the effective dose to an infant and a 1-yr-old for breastfeeding delays of 2 to 500 hr. The effective dose to a 1-yr-old from an administration of 111 MBq of 201TI to the mother ranged from 0.90 mSv to 0.00072 mSv, and the effective dose to a newborn ranged from 1.6 mSv to 0.0013 mSv depending on delay time. Conclusion: Our estimates of radiation exposure to an infant from breastfeeding indicate that in this case, a 1-yr-old would have received less than the NCRP9s proposed limit on annual effective dose to members of the general public of 1 mSv with a 48-hr delay and no restrictions on holding the child. A newborn would have received less than the proposed infrequent exposure limit of 5 mSv without any delay or restrictions in breastfeeding.
Sustainable energy systems: Cyber-physical based intelligent mangement of micro-grids

Sustainable energy has slowly but surely becoming relevant source of energy in many parts of the world. From US to Europe to Asia and South Pacific and on to Middle East, photovoltaic and wind energies are the desired sources. Such new and expanded sources of energy is fast creating numerous sources of distributed generations and creating a great number of micro-grids of energy. However, intermittency nature of both of these sources would make it very difficult to rely on for instantaneous need for electricity in urban or rural areas.
The Influence of Acidic Pond Water on Amphibians: A Review

Acidic pond water may influence the reproduction of amphibians by causing direct mortality of embryos and larvae, and/or by disrupting trophic relationships between amphibians and other aquatic organisms. The embryo is the most sensitive stage of development and may abort soon after exposure to very low pH or eventually fail to hatch at a more moderate pH. Larvae are killed by disruption of Na and CI balance. The toxicity of pond water is governed by complex interactions of pH, temperature, and the concentrations of Al, Ca, and organic acids. The reduction in recruitment associated with acidification of ponds affects both the local distribution and abundance of amphibians. The relative importance of different mechanisms of acidification of amphibian breeding sites is unknown. Amphibian breeding ponds are generally small, low in buffering capacity, and darkly stained by humic substances, making it difficult to discriminate between the contribution of acid from atmospheric input and natural sources (such as sphagnum and organic acids). It is however quite clear that temporary ponds are extremely vulnerable to acidification by rain and that they require continued monitoring in order to detect future changes in biological and/or chemical characteristics.
Structural analysis of sensor domains from the TMAO-responsive histidine kinase receptor TorS

Histidine kinase receptors respond to diverse signals and mediate signal transduction across the plasma membrane in all prokaryotes and certain eukaryotes. Each receptor is part of a two-component system that regulates a particular cellular process. Organisms that use trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) as a terminal electron acceptor typically control their anaerobic respiration through the TMAO reductase (Tor) pathway, which the TorS histidine kinase activates when sensing TMAO in the environment. We have determined crystal structures for the periplasmic sensor domains of TorS receptors from Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. TorS sensor domains have a novel fold consisting of a membrane-proximal right-handed four-helical bundle and a membrane-distal left-handed four-helical bundle, but conformational dispositions differ significantly in the two structures. Isolated TorS sensor domains dimerize in solution; and from comparisons with dimeric NarX and Tar sensors, we postulate that signaling through TorS dimers involves a piston-type displacement between helices.
High-performance computing of wind turbine aerodynamics using isogeometric analysis

Abstract In this article we present a high-performance computing framework for advanced flow simulation and its application to wind energy based on the residual-based variational multiscale (RBVMS) method and isogeometric analysis. The RBVMS formulation and its suitability and accuracy for turbulent flow in a moving domain are presented. Particular emphasis is placed on the parallel implementation of the methodology and its scalability. Two challenging flow cases were considered: the turbulent Taylor–Couette flow and the NREL 5 MW offshore baseline wind turbine rotor at full scale. In both cases, flow quantities of interest from the simulation results compare favorably with the reference data and near-perfect linear parallel scaling is achieved.
Molecular dynamics simulations of salicylate effects on the micro- and mesoscopic properties of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer

Salicylate, an amphiphilic molecule and a popular member of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug family, is known to affect hearing through reduction of the electromechanical coupling in the outer hair cells of the ear. This reduction of electromotility by salicylate has been widely studied, but the molecular mechanism of the phenomenon is still unknown. In this study, we investigated one aspect of salicylate's action, namely the perturbation of electrical and mechanical membrane properties by salicylate in the absence of cytoskeletal or membrane-bound motor proteins such as prestin. In particular, we simulated the interaction of salicylate with a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer via atomically detailed molecular dynamics simulations to observe the effect of salicylate on the microscopic and mesoscopic properties of the bilayer. The results demonstrate that salicylate interacts with the bilayer by associating at the water-DPPC interface in a nearly perpendicular orientation and penetrating more deeply into the bilayer than either sodium or chloride. This association has several affects on the membrane properties. First, binding of salicylate to the membrane displaces chloride from the bilayer-water interface. Second, salicylate influences the electrostatic potential and dielectric properties of the bilayer, with significant changes at the water-lipid bilayer interface. Third, salicylate association results in structural changes, including decreased headgroup area per lipid and increased lipid tail order. However, salicylate does not significantly alter the mechanical properties of the DPPC bilayer; bulk compressibility, area compressibility, and bending modulus were only perturbed by small, statistically insignificant amounts by the presence of salicylate. The observations from these simulations are in qualitative agreement with experimental data and support the conclusion that salicylate influences the electrical but not the mechanical properties of DPPC membranes.
Conference Proceedings and Consensus Statements of the Millennium Conference 2007: A Collaborative Approach to Educational Research

Background: Research in medical education is stymied by a variety of methodological, logistical, and institutional challenges. Multicenter collaboration may advance the current state of medical education research by increasing subject sample size, harnessing the power of collective expertise, and garnering visibility for issues of national importance. Summary: We convened the “Millennium Conference 2007: A Collaborative Approach to Educational Research” in May 2007 to consider the role of national initiatives in addressing challenges in educational research. We selected 9 medical schools through a competitive application process to participate as school teams. We led participants through structured discussions about the challenges of educational research and the opportunities offered through national collaboratives. School teams also met to refine their current local educational research initiatives. Conclusions: A group of committed stakeholders met to consider a national educational research agenda. The...
Structure of laminar sooting inverse diffusion flames

Abstract The flame structure of laminar inverse diffusion flames (IDFs) was studied to gain insight into soot formation and growth in underventilated combustion. Both ethylene–air and methane–air IDFs were examined, fuel flow rates were kept constant for all flames of each fuel type, and airflow rates were varied to observe the effect on flame structure and soot formation. Planar laser-induced fluorescence of hydroxyl radicals (OH PLIF) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH PLIF), planar laser-induced incandescence of soot (soot PLII), and thermocouple-determined gas temperatures were used to draw conclusions about flame structure and soot formation. Flickering, caused by buoyancy-induced vortices, was evident above and outside the flames. The distances between the OH, PAH, and soot zones were similar in IDFs and normal diffusion flames (NDFs), but the locations of those zones were inverted in IDFs relative to NDFs. Peak OH PLIF coincided with peak temperature and marked the flame front. Soot appeared outside the flame front, corresponding to temperatures around the minimum soot formation temperature of 1300 K. PAHs appeared outside the soot layer, with characteristic temperature depending on the wavelength detection band. PAHs and soot began to appear at a constant axial position for each fuel, independent of the rate of air flow. PAH formation either preceded or coincided with soot formation, indicating that PAHs are important components in soot formation. Soot growth continued for some time downstream of the flame, at temperatures below the inception temperature, probably through reaction with PAHs.
An extension of Lagrange's method to certain systems of first order partial differential equations

Abstract A modification of the method of characteristics has been developed to solve systems of first order hyperbolic partial differential equations where the characteristic curves are essentially identical. This method is applicable to fluid mixtures whose component fluid velocities are the same. Techniques were developed to find the solutions at desired points in space and time and to handle the conditions at the boundaries. Results of the application of this method to the solution of ion density distributions in the Earth's ionosphere are illustrated.
Error accumulation effects for the a posteriori RLSL prediction filter

This paper presents a numerical analysis of the a posteriori recursive least-squares lattice filter with indirect updating. The important problem of finite precision effects in adaptive RLS lattice filters is addressed for this particular filter algorithm but the technique is applicable to many other versions. New recursions for the filter residuals and the filter powers (forward and backward) are derived which describe the effects of arithmetic errors that originate at one stage (m) and are passed to the next stage (m+1). These recursions permit an arithmetic error analysis at the zeroth filter stage to have meaning at all future filter stages. Effects from machine precision, /spl eta/, are linked to the forgetting factor, /spl lambda/, and time, n, to derive bounds for arithmetic error growth at the zeroth filter stage. These results provide an explicit upper bound on the forgetting factor that ensures acceptable error propagation. Additionally, we offer a computationally inexpensive way to monitor arithmetic error effects during the normal execution of the filter algorithm through a running error analysis. >
Renal arteriography in the evaluation of unexplained hypertension in children and adolescents

Arteriography demonstrated renal artery stenosis in 24% of 101 selected patients whose hypertension was first diagnosed before the age of 20 years. Arteriographic findings were normal in 58%. The prevalence of RAS was greater in the younger than in the older age groups. An abdominal bruit and urographic abnormalities were frequently observed in association with RAS. Adequate follow-up information was available for 16 patients who underwent vascular repair or nephrectomy for RAS. In 14 of the 16, the hypertension was eliminated (81%) or definitely reduced (6%).
Retort-resistant tofu prepared by incubation with microbial transglutaminase.

Abstract Addition of Ca2+-independent microbial transglutaminase with glucono-δ-lactone before a coagulation step of packed tofu manufacturing process made the tofu retort-resistant. The enzyme treatment effectively suppressed retort-induced water-release and hardening of the tofu sample pieces packed with water in a retort-pouch. The occurrence of polymerized soybean proteins in the enzyme-treated tofu was found.
HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP): a chronic progressive neurologic disease associated with immunologically mediated damage to the central nervous system.

This review examines information on clinical, pathological and immunological events in the slowly progressive neurologic disorder associated with the human T lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) term...
The Interleukin-1β Gene Is Transcribed from a Poised Promoter Architecture in Monocytes

Cytokine transcription is usually regulated by transcription factor binding and chromatin remodeling following an inducing signal. By contrast, these data showed the interleukin (IL)-1beta promoter assembles into a "poised" structure, as evidenced by nuclease accessibility and loss of core histones immediately surrounding the transcription start site. Strikingly, these properties do not change upon transcriptional activation by lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, association of two key transcriptional activators, PU.1 and C/EBPbeta, is robust pre- and post-stimulation indicating the IL-1beta promoter is packaged into a nontranscribed but poised promoter architecture in cells capable of rapidly inducing IL-1beta. Monocyte stimulation causes recruitment of a third factor, IRF-4, to the IL-1beta enhancer. PU.1 phosphorylation at a CK2 kinase consensus element is required for this recruitment. We showed that CK2 phosphorylates PU.1, CK2 inhibitors abrogate IL-1beta induction, and CK2 inducibly associates with the IL-1beta enhancer. Taken together, these data indicate a novel two-step mechanism for IL-1beta transcription: 1) formation of a poised chromatin architecture, and 2) phosphorylation of an enhancer-bound factor that recruits other activators. We propose that this poised structure may generally characterize rapidly activated genes.
The Twisted Laplacian on ℂ n and the Sub-Laplacian on H n

In the article, we study the non-isotropic twisted Laplacian where . We have found its spectrum and the associated eigenfunctions, its fundamental solution, and the associated heat kernel explicitly through its connection with the Kohn's sub-Laplacian on the Heisenberg group. We study the solution of the wave equation associated with L a , and prove a result of the finite speed propagation of its fundamental solution.
Reactions to children's faces: Resemblance affects males more than females

Abstract Since cuckoldry risk is asymmetrical, we hypothesized that parental investment would be more affected by paternal than maternal resemblance. To test this hypothesis, we asked subjects hypothetical questions about investing in children under conditions in which their faces or those of other people had been morphed with photographs of children. Males were more likely to choose a face they had been morphed with as the most attractive, the child they were most likely to adopt, the child they would like to spend the most time with, the child they would spend US$50 on, and the child they would least resent having to pay child support for. Reactions to children's faces by females were much less affected by resemblance.
BETAMETHASONE IN DENTISTRY. A CLINICAL REPORT.

Abstract A double-blind study of betamethasone (Celestone) was conducted among 210 adults who required fairly extensive oral surgical procedures. Coded but otherwise indistinguishable vials containing sixteen tablets of 0.6 mg. betamethasone or sixteen identical-appearing placebo tablets were used. The dose was four tablets daily for 4 days, beginning on the day of the surgical procedure. The expected degrees of pain, infection, edema, trismus, and ecchymosis were recorded before surgery, and the actual degree of these symptoms was recorded for 5 days postoperatively. Third-day results were compared with the expected occurrence. When the code was broken, it was found that 110 patients had received the active drug and 100 had received the placebo. The differences between the treated and control groups indicated that the incidence and extent of postoperative sequelae, with the exception of trismus, were less with betamethasone than with the placebo, although the reduction in pain, infection, and ecchymosis was not impressive. However, the reduction in edema was marked. The decrease in incidence and extent of postoperative sequelae leads us to believe that betamethasone promotes healing of the traumatized tissues.
Plasma lipid concentrations correlate inversely with CPB-induced interleukin-6 release

Purpose Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is characterized by translocation of intestinal endotoxin and subsequent endogenous production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). Plasma lipid fractions, especially high density lipoproteins, bind and neutralize endotoxin and, therefore, inhibit endotoxin-induced macrophage cytokine production, including IL-6. Increased IL-6 plasma levels have been implicated in adverse consequences associated with CPB. Previous studies demonstrated large interpatient variability in IL-6 plasma levels after CPB. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma lipid concentrations and the concentrations of IL-6 following CPB in humans.
Influence of dendritic structure on firing pattern in model neocortical neurons

Neocortical neurons display a wide range of dendritic morphologies, ranging from compact arborizations to highly elaborate branching patterns. In vitro electrical recordings from these neurons have revealed a correspondingly diverse range of intrinsic firing patterns, including non-adapting, adapting and bursting types. This heterogeneity of electrical responsivity has generally been attributed to variability in the types and densities of ionic channels. We show here, using compartmental models of reconstructed cortical neurons, that an entire spectrum of firing patterns can be reproduced in a set of neurons that share a common distribution of ion channels and differ only in their dendritic geometry. The essential behaviour of the model depends on partial electrical coupling of fast active conductances localized to the soma and axon and slow active currents located throughout the dendrites, and can be reproduced in a two-compartment model. The results suggest a causal relationship for the observed correlations between dendritic structure and firing properties and emphasize the importance of active dendritic conductances in neuronal function.
SU‐E‐T‐585: Inverse Optimization Using Smoothness Control for Rotating Shield Brachytherapy

Purpose: To present an optimization method for Rotating‐Shield Brachytherapy (RSBT) treatment plans that produces smoothly‐varying dwell time distributions, enabling the efficient delivery of smooth dose distributions. Methods: For each of 5 cervical cancer cases, a beamlet set with fine azimuthal emission angle (11.25 degree) were generated by TG‐43 dose calculation model. These beamlets are called baseline beamlets. Delivery plans that use baseline beamlets are called baseline plans. To optimize a baseline plan, a dose optimizer was used to assign dwell times to each beamlet with two objectives balanced: (i) the total dif‐ference between the delivered dose and the prescribed dose of the surface voxels is minimized; and (ii) the total variation (TV) of the dwell times is minimized. The optimization was done by solving a quadratic programming (QP) problem. For comparison, a simulated annealing based inverse optimization was performed and the computational time was limited by 5 minutes per case. The impact of the smoothness was investigated by performing dual rotating‐shield brachytherapy (D‐RSBT) planning with the baseline plans. Results: The total variation of the dwell times from the QP‐generated plans decreased by a factor ranging from 5 to 93 relative to the SA‐generated plans. The delivery efficiency curves were improved given delivery time budget limited below ∼20 min/fx. With the delivery time specified at 15 min/fx, the high‐risk clinical target volume D90 from D‐RSBT was improved by 15% on average compared to SA method, ranging from −20% to 30%. Conclusions: Improving the smoothness of baseline plans potentially improves the delivery quality of RSBT as the dose distribution quality of a smoothed baseline plan is easier to maintain with limited delivery time than an unsmoothed one. Minimizing the total variation in the optimization process increases the smoothness of D‐RSBT dose distributions relative to techniques that neglect dwell time smoothness.
Spectroscopic and microscopic study of the corrosion of iron–silicon steel by lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) at elevated temperatures

Abstract The performance of iron–silica alloys with different silicon composition was evaluated after exposure to an isothermal bath of lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE). Four alloys were evaluated: pure iron, Fe–1.24%Si, Fe–2.55%Si and Fe–3.82%Si. The samples were exposed to LBE in a dynamic corrosion cell for periods from 700 to 1000 h at a temperature of 550 °C. After exposure, the thickness and composition of the oxide layer were examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), including sputter depth profiling. Particular attention was paid to the role, spatial distribution, and chemical speciation of silicon. Low-binding-energy silicon (probably silicates or SiO 4 4 - ) was found in the oxide; while elemental silicon (Si) was found in the metal as expected, and silica (SiO2) was found at the bottom of the oxide layer, consistent with the formation of a layer between the oxide and the metal. Alloys with low concentrations of Si contained only silicate in the oxide. Alloys with higher concentrations of Si contained a layer of silica at the boundary between the oxide and the bulk metal. All of the alloys examined showed signs of oxide failure. This study has implications for the role of silicon in the stability of the oxide layer in the corrosion of steel by LBE.
Ultra-low nonlinearity EDFAs employing multi-mode EDF with effective mode area of 81um2

Employing the large Aeff EDFs that can maintain the single-mode operation, the four-wave-mixing cross-talk over L-band has been suppressed by 10dB compared with the conventional EDFs when the output signal power is set to +28dBm.
The Relationship between Promotions Committees' Identification of Problem Medical Students and Subsequent State Medical Board Actions.

Studies have found unprofessional behavior in medical school was associated with disciplinary action by state medical boards. For medical schools, promotions committees are responsible for identifying which students do not demonstrate academic performance and professional behavior acceptable for promotion and graduation. The objective of this study was to determine if student identification by promotions committees during medical school was associated with disciplinary actions by state medical boards later in practice. We reviewed 20 years of promotions committees’ records from a single institution and noted students identified by promotions committees for performance or behavioral issues. These were compared with disciplinary action reports from the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) for graduates. Over the two decades, 2,131 students matriculated and 2,078 of these graduated. The promotions committees identified 140 students for poor academic performance or behavioral problems (140/2,078, 6.7 %). Of these, 108 students graduated. FSMB records showed 29 of the 2,078 graduates had sanctions by state boards (29/2,078, 1.4 %). Only four students that had actions by state medical boards were among the 108 graduated students identified by medical school promotions committees (4/108, 3.7 %). Of the students not identified by promotions committees, 25 eventually had disciplinary actions (25/1,970, 1.3 %). The odds of having state medical board action if identified by promotions committees was 3.0 (CI 1.02–8.8, p < 0.05). In conclusion, identification of students by medical school promotions committees was later associated with state medical board actions. However, most graduates with state medical board actions were not identified by medical school promotions committees.
Time-trend free run orders with the minimum level changes

Time trend free run orders of factorial designs with the minimum number of level changes are very desirable in many applications. In this paper, a new construction technique is discovered to provide linear trend free run orders of sn factorial designs with the minimum number of level changes for all even positive integers s. Furthermore, when s is an odd positive integer, a run order of sn is constructed which has the minimum number of level changes, and whose time count does not increase along with n.