cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lumbar Strain and Lumbar Disk Herniation

Lumbar strain and lumbar disk herniation are common spine conditions. This chapter outlines the typical presentation, key anatomy, and diagnostic and treatment strategies.
SGX-BigMatrix: A Practical Encrypted Data Analytic Framework With Trusted Processors

Recently, using secure processors for trusted computing in cloud has attracted a lot of attention. Over the past few years, efficient and secure data analytic tools (e.g., map-reduce framework, machine learning models, and SQL querying) that can be executed over encrypted data using the trusted hardware have been developed. However, these prior efforts do not provide a simple, secure and high level language based framework that is suitable for enabling generic data analytics for non-security experts who do not have concepts such as "oblivious execution". In this paper, we thus provide such a framework that allows data scientists to perform the data analytic tasks with secure processors using a Python/Matlab-like high level language. Our framework automatically compiles programs written in our language to optimal execution code by managing issues such as optimal data block sizes for I/O, vectorized computations to simplify much of the data processing, and optimal ordering of operations for certain tasks. Furthermore, many language constructs such as if-statements are removed so that a non-expert user is less likely to create a piece of code that may reveal sensitive information while allowing oblivious data processing (i.e., hiding access patterns). Using these design choices, we provide guarantees for efficient and secure data analytics. We show that our framework can be used to run the existing big data benchmark queries over encrypted data using the Intel SGX efficiently. Our empirical results indicate that our proposed framework is orders of magnitude faster than the general oblivious execution alternatives.
Recognition and Management of Renovascular Hypertension

It is essential to differentiate patients who have hypertension caused by a renovascular lesion from those who have renal arterial disease and unrelated hypertension. For the former, surgery, can o...
Never Mind the Trolley: The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles in Mundane Situations

Trolley cases are widely considered central to the ethics of autonomous vehicles. We caution against this by identifying four problems. (1) Trolley cases, given technical limitations, rest on assumptions that are in tension with one another. Furthermore, (2) trolley cases illuminate only a limited range of ethical issues insofar as they cohere with a certain design framework. Furthermore, (3) trolley cases seem to demand a moral answer when a political answer is called for. Finally, (4) trolley cases might be epistemically problematic in several ways. To put forward a positive proposal, we illustrate how ethical challenges arise from mundane driving situations. We argue that mundane situations are relevant because of the specificity they require and the scale they exhibit. We then illustrate some of the ethical challenges arising from optimizing for safety, balancing safety with other values such as mobility, and adjusting to incentives of legal frameworks.
Comparative Study of Zeolite A Synthesis in Batch and Semibatch Reactors

A comparative study of molecular sieve zeolite A crystallization in batch and semi-batch crystallizers was conducted. Numerical simulations from a population balance model and experimental results for both crystallizer types are shown. The semi-batch crystallizer is shown to produce larger crystals on average than the batch crystallizer, however the reaction time and the standard deviation are both larger.
Gas-Phase Chemical Kinetics

This chapter is concerned with basic aspects of chemical reactions in the gas phase. Rate data for homogeneous gaseous reactions are given in Chapter 10. Heterogeneous kinetics are discussed in Chapter 9, while applications are treated in Part IV.
A Boundary Element Analysis of Natural Convection in Fluids and Porous Media

The Boundary Element Method (BEM) is used to solve the problem of steady-state laminar natural convection in a two-dimensional horizontal enclosure filled either with a fluid or a fluid-saturated porous medium. The enclosure is subjected to an end-to-end temperature difference. The convection terms in the governing equations are treated as body force terms, and an iterative procedure is used to solve the coupled flow and energy transport equations. The results obtained compare well with finite difference and finite element solutions to the same problem.
Virus-Induced Immunosuppression in Chickens

A healthy immune system is a cornerstone for poultry production. Any factor diminishing the immune responses will affect production parameters and increase cost. There are numerous factors, infectious and noninfectious, causing immunosuppression (IS) in chickens. This paper reviews the three viral diseases that most commonly induce IS or subclinical IS in chickens: Marek's disease virus (MDV), chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV), and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), as well as the interactions among them. MDV-induced IS (MDV-IS) affects both humoral and cellular immune responses. It is very complex, poorly understood, and in many cases underdiagnosed. Vaccination protects against some but not all aspects of MDV-IS. CIAV induces apoptosis of the hemocytoblasts resulting in anemia, hemorrhages, and increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. It also causes apoptosis of thymocytes and dividing T lymphocytes, affecting T helper functions, which are essential for antibody production and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) functions. Control of CIAV is based on vaccination of breeders and maternal antibodies (MAbs). However, subclinical IS can occur after MAbs wane. IBDV infection affects the innate immune responses during virus replication and humoral immune responses as a consequence of the destruction of B-cell populations. Vaccines with various levels of attenuation are used to control IBDV. Interactions with MAbs and residual virulence of the vaccines need to be considered when designing vaccination plans. The interaction between IBDV, CIAV, and MDV is critical although underestimated in many cases. A proper control of IBDV is a must to have proper humoral immune responses needed to control CIAV. Equally, long-term control of MDV is not possible if chickens are coinfected with CIAV, as CIAV jeopardizes CTL functions critical for MDV control.
Severe Exacerbation of Myasthenia Gravis Associated with Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy (P6.450)

Objective: Not applicable Background: Monoclonal antibodies that target either PD-1 or PD-L1 have recently been approved for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. These antibodies are immune checkpoint inhibitors which have been shown to exacerbate Myasthenia Gravis (MG) and other autoimmune diseases. While effective in preventing tumor cells from evading immune attack, immune checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab, an antibody directed against the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) receptor located on T-cells, may also cause immune dysregulation and could cause or potentiate pre-existing autoimmune conditions. Design/Methods: Not applicable Results: We present a patient with latent ocular MG treated with nivolumab for her stage IV non-small cell lung cancer who developed generalized MG and severe myasthenic crisis. Conclusions: Providers must be aware of the risks inherent to these novel therapies since they can have life-threatening effects. Disclosure: Dr. Cooper has nothing to disclose. Dr. Meriggioli has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Novartis. Dr. Bonomi has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Astra Zeneca, Biodesix, Bristol Myers Squibb, Clovis, Helsinn Pharmaceuticals, Imedex, Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, Roche-Genentech, and Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Malik has nothing to disclose.
An Investigation of SRSD to Teach Fractions to Students With Disabilities

In the current study we examined the effect of a self-regulated strategy development intervention on the fraction calculations of students with or at risk for disabilities using a multiple-baseline...
DIABLO/SMAC mimetics selectively kill HIV-1-infected resting memory CD4+ T cells: a potential role in a cure strategy for HIV-1 infection.

Despite advances in HIV therapy, there is no cure, and lifelong antiretroviral treatment is required to suppress viral replication. We hypothesized that HIV maintains the survival of latently infec...
Problem Record of the Month. No. 1, Part 2

(1970). Problem Record of the Month. No. 1, Part 2. American Journal of EEG Technology: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 65-68.
THE TRANSACTION VALUE APPROACH: A SYSTEMATIC METHOD OF DEFINING ECONOMYWIDE MODELS BASED ON SOCIAL ACCOUNTING MATRICES

Abstract The Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), a convenient way of giving a comprehensive and consistent picture of an economy, is used as the data base for many models. The paper describes the Transaction Value (TV) Approach, a systematic way of defining, estimating, and solving economywide multisectoral equilibrium models based on a SAM. SAM-based models define for each period a SAM with the same accounting structure as the base SAM. The behavioral equations of a SAM-based model are derived from independent descriptions of the economic agents, and the model is tied together by the accounting identities of the SAM. The TV approach has four advantages: the models are guaranteed to be consistent, it is easy to experiment with alternative formulations, most parameters can be estimated from the base SAM, and the underlying solution algorithm is guaranteed to converge under very general assumptions.
Preoperative opioid use is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications within a colorectal-enhanced recovery protocol

As the opioid epidemic escalates, preoperative opioid use has become increasingly common. Recent studies associated preoperative opioid use with postoperative morbidity. However, limited study of its impact on patients within enhanced recovery protocols (ERP) exists. We assessed the impact of preoperative opioid use on postoperative complications among colorectal surgery patients within an ERP, hypothesizing that opioid-exposed patients would be at increased risk of complications. Elective colorectal cases from August 2013 to June 2017 were reviewed in a retrospective cohort study comparing preoperative opioid-exposed patients to opioid-naive patients. Postoperative complications were defined as a composite of complications captured by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Logistic regression identified risk factors for postoperative complications. 707 patients were identified, including 232 (32.8%) opioid-exposed patients. Opioid-exposed patients were younger (57.9 vs 61.9 years; p < 0.01) and more likely to smoke (27.6 vs 17.1%; p < 0.01). Laparoscopic procedures were less common among opioid-exposed patients (44.8 vs 58.1%; p < 0.01). Median morphine equivalents received were higher in opioid-exposed patients (65.0 vs 20.1 mg; p < 0.01), but compliance to ERP elements was otherwise equivalent. Postoperative complications were higher among opioid-exposed patients (28.5 vs 15.0%; p < 0.01), as was median length of stay (4.0 vs 3.0 days; p < 0.01). Logistic regression identified multiple patient- and procedure-related factors independently associated with postoperative complications, including preoperative opioid use (p = 0.001). Preoperative opioid use is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications in elective colorectal surgery patients within an ERP. These results highlight the negative impact of opioid use, suggesting an opportunity to further reduce the risk of surgical complications through ERP expansion to include preoperative mitigation strategies for opioid-exposed patients.
Caffeine preserves quiet sleep in preterm neonates.

Caffeine is widely used in preterm neonates suffering from apnea of prematurity (AOP), and it has become one of the most frequently prescribed medications in neonatal intensive care units. Goal of this study is to investigate how caffeine citrate treatment affects sleep-wake behavior in preterm neonates. The observational study consists of 64 preterm neonates during their first 5 days of life with gestational age (GA) <32 weeks or very low birthweight of < 1500 g. A total of 52 patients treated with caffeine citrate and 12 patients without caffeine citrate were included. Sleep-wake behavior was scored in three stages: active sleep, quiet sleep, and wakefulness. Individual caffeine concentration of every neonate was simulated with a pharmacokinetic model. In neonates with GA ≥ 28 weeks, wakefulness increased and active sleep decreased with increasing caffeine concentrations, whereas quiet sleep remained unchanged. In neonates with GA < 28 weeks, no clear caffeine effects on sleep-wake behavior could be demonstrated. Caffeine increases fraction of wakefulness, alertness, and most probably also arousability at cost of active but not quiet sleep in preterm neonates. As such, caffeine should therefore not affect time for physical and cerebral regeneration during sleep in preterm neonates.
Case Report: Watching and Waiting? A Case of Incomplete Glenosphere Seating With Spontaneous Reversal in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty:

Introduction: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty is a useful procedure with broadening applications, but it has the best outcomes when used for rotator cuff tear arthropathy. However, this procedure is not without complications. While scapular notching and aseptic loosening are more common complications that have been extensively studied in the literature, dissociation of the glenoid component and incomplete glenosphere seating has not received much attention. Specifically, little research has explored appropriate management of incomplete seating of the glenosphere component, and no gold standard for treatment of this complication has emerged. Methods: In the case described here, an elderly patient with an incompletely seated glenosphere component post-operatively opted to pursue conservative management in order to avoid revision surgery if possible. Results: The partially engaged, superiorly directed components in this case exhibited spontaneous complete and symmetric seating of the glenosphere between six and twelve months post-operatively, indicating that conservative management of this complication in low-demand patients may be a viable option to avoid the risks associated with revision surgery. Conclusion: Further research should be pursued to explore what patient and prosthesis design factors may be suited to observation with serial radiographs when incomplete seating of the glenosphere component occurs.
Flame acceleration in a narrow channel with flow compressibility and diverging or converging walls

Abstract We study the effects of non-parallel (diverging or converging) channel walls on flame propagation and acceleration in planar and cylindrical narrow channels, closed at the ignition end and open at the other, accounting for thermal expansion in both the zero Mach number and weakly compressible flow limits. For parallel channel walls, previous work has shown that thermal expansion induces an axial flow in the channel, which can significantly increase the propagation speed and acceleration of the flame. In this study, we consider examples of diverging/converging linear walls, although our asymptotic analysis is also valid for curved walls. The slope of the channel walls is chosen so that the magnitude of the thermal-expansion induced flow through the channel obtained for parallel walls is modified at leading-order, thereby influencing the leading-order flame propagation. For zero Mach number flows, the effect of the diverging/converging channel walls is moderate. However, for weakly compressible flows, the non-parallel walls directly affect the rate at which pressure diffuses through the channel, significantly inhibiting flame acceleration for diverging walls, whereas the flame acceleration process is enhanced for converging walls. We consider several values of the compressibility factor and channel wall slopes. We also show that the effect of a cylindrical channel geometry can act to significantly enhance flame acceleration relative to planar channels. The study reveals several new physical insights on how non-parallel channel walls can influence the ability of flames to accelerate by modifying the flow and pressure distribution induced by thermal expansion.
Revealing Tissue-Specific SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Host Responses using Human Stem Cell-Derived Lung and Cerebral Organoids.

COVID-19 is a transmissible respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and has become a global health emergency. There is an urgent need for robust and practical in vitro model systems to investigate viral pathogenesis. Here, we generated human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived lung organoids (LORGs), cerebral organoids (CORGs), neural progenitor cells (NPCs), neurons, and astrocytes. LORGs containing epithelial cells, alveolar types 1 and 2, highly express ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and are permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces interferons, cytokines, and chemokines and activates critical inflammasome pathway genes. Spike protein inhibitor, EK1 peptide, and TMPRSS2 inhibitors (camostat/nafamostat) block viral entry in LORGs. Conversely, CORGs, NPCs, astrocytes, and neurons express low levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and correspondingly are not highly permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infection in neuronal cells activates TLR3/7, OAS2, complement system, and apoptotic genes. These findings will aid in understanding COVID-19 pathogenesis and facilitate drug discovery.
Named Data Networking for Genomics Data Management and Integrated Workflows

Advanced imaging and DNA sequencing technologies now enable the diverse biology community to routinely generate and analyze terabytes of high resolution biological data. The community is rapidly heading toward the petascale in single investigator laboratory settings. As evidence, the single NCBI SRA central DNA sequence repository contains over 45 petabytes of biological data. Given the geometric growth of this and other genomics repositories, an exabyte of mineable biological data is imminent. The challenges of effectively utilizing these datasets are enormous as they are not only large in the size but also stored in geographically distributed repositories in various repositories such as National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ), European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), and NASA's GeneLab. In this work, we first systematically point out the data-management challenges of the genomics community. We then introduce Named Data Networking (NDN), a novel but well-researched Internet architecture, is capable of solving these challenges at the network layer. NDN performs all operations such as forwarding requests to data sources, content discovery, access, and retrieval using content names (that are similar to traditional filenames or filepaths) and eliminates the need for a location layer (the IP address) for data management. Utilizing NDN for genomics workflows simplifies data discovery, speeds up data retrieval using in-network caching of popular datasets, and allows the community to create infrastructure that supports operations such as creating federation of content repositories, retrieval from multiple sources, remote data subsetting, and others. Named based operations also streamlines deployment and integration of workflows with various cloud platforms. Our contributions in this work are as follows 1) we enumerate the cyberinfrastructure challenges of the genomics community that NDN can alleviate, and 2) we describe our efforts in applying NDN for a contemporary genomics workflow (GEMmaker) and quantify the improvements. The preliminary evaluation shows a sixfold speed up in data insertion into the workflow. 3) As a pilot, we have used an NDN naming scheme (agreed upon by the community and discussed in Section 4) to publish data from broadly used data repositories including the NCBI SRA. We have loaded the NDN testbed with these pre-processed genomes that can be accessed over NDN and used by anyone interested in those datasets. Finally, we discuss our continued effort in integrating NDN with cloud computing platforms, such as the Pacific Research Platform (PRP). The reader should note that the goal of this paper is to introduce NDN to the genomics community and discuss NDN's properties that can benefit the genomics community. We do not present an extensive performance evaluation of NDN-we are working on extending and evaluating our pilot deployment and will present systematic results in a future work.
Analysis of the Innovation Trend in Cell-Free Synthetic Biology

Cell-free synthetic biology is a maturing field that aims to assemble biomolecular reactions outside cells for compelling applications in drug discovery, metabolic engineering, biomanufacturing, diagnostics, and education. Cell-free systems have several key features. They circumvent mechanisms that have evolved to facilitate species survival, bypass limitations on molecular transport across the cell wall, enable high-yielding and rapid synthesis of proteins without creating recombinant cells, and provide high tolerance towards toxic substrates or products. Here, we analyze ~750 published patents and ~2000 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the field of cell-free systems. Three hallmarks emerged. First, we found that both patent filings and manuscript publications per year are significantly increasing (five-fold and 1.5-fold over the last decade, respectively). Second, we observed that the innovation landscape has changed. Patent applications were dominated by Japan in the early 2000s before shifting to China and the USA in recent years. Finally, we discovered an increasing prevalence of biotechnology companies using cell-free systems. Our analysis has broad implications on the future development of cell-free synthetic biology for commercial and industrial applications.
Access to primary care and cognitive impairment: results from a national community study of aging Americans.

Background Despite a growing burden of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD) in the US, the relationship between health care and cognitive impairment prevention is unclear. Primary care manages risk causing conditions and risk reducing behaviors for dementia, so we examine the association between individual and area-level access to primary care and cognitive impairment in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Methods REGARDS participants with a cognitive assessment and vascular measurements at their baseline visit were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Cognitive impairment was defined as a Six-Item Screener (SIS) score Results Among 25,563 adults, living in a PCSA with low primary care supply was associated with 25% higher odds of cognitive impairment (OR 1.25 CI 1.07-1.45). Not having a regular source of medical care was associated with 14% higher odds of cognitive impairment (OR 1.14 CI 1.02-1.28), and living in a PCSA with high emergency department utilization was associated with 12% higher odds of cognitive impairment (OR 1.12 CI 1.02-1.23). Conclusions Our results are an important first step in understanding how health care may prevent cognitive impairment. They highlight the importance of primary care and suggest future work clarifying its role in preventing cognitive decline is imperative.
Understanding the Physical Interactions in the FGF21/FGFR/β-Klotho Complex: Structural Requirements and Implications in FGF21 Signaling

The endocrine fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) requires both fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and β-Klotho for signaling. In this study, we sought to understand the inter-molecular physical interactions in the FGF21/FGFR/β-Klotho complex by deleting key regions in FGFR1c or FGF21. Deletion of the D1 and the D1-D2 linker (the D1/linker region) from FGFR1c led to β-Klotho-independent receptor activation by FGF21, suggesting that there may be a direct interaction between FGF21 and the D1/linker region-deficient FGFR1c. Consistent with this, the extracellular portion of FGFR1c lacking the D1/linker region blocked FGF21 action in a reporter assay, presumably by binding to and sequestering FGF21 from acting on cell surface receptor complex. In addition, the D1/linker region-deficient FGFR1c had enhanced interaction with β-Klotho. Further, we demonstrated that deletion of the D1/linker region enhanced the formation of the FGF21/β-Klotho/FGFR1c ternary complex in both Biacore and asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation studies. Finally, we found that the N-terminus of FGF21 is involved in the interaction with FGFR1c and FGF21/β-Klotho/FGFR1c ternary complex formation. Taken together, our data suggest that the D1/linker region regulates both the FGF21/FGFR1c and FGFR1c/β-Klotho interaction, and a direct interaction of FGF21 with FGFR1c may be an important step in receptor-mediated FGF21 signaling.
High Blood Pressure Accelerates Gait Slowing in Well-Functioning Older Adults over 18-Years of Follow-Up

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the association between hypertension and decline in gait speed is significant in well-functioning older adults and whether other health-related factors, such as brain, kidney, and heart function, can explain it. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Cardiovascular Health Study. PARTICIPANTS: Of 2,733 potential participants with a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, measures of mobility and systolic blood pressure (BP), no self-reported disability in 1992 to 1994 (baseline), and with at least 1 follow-up gait speed measurement through 1997 to 1999, 643 (aged 73.6, 57% female, 15% black) who had received a second MRI in 1997 to 1999 and an additional gait speed measure in 2005 to 2006 were included. MEASUREMENTS: Mixed models with random slopes and intercepts were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Main explanatory factors included white matter hyperintensity progression, baseline cystatin-C, and left cardiac ventricular mass. Incidence of stroke and dementia, BP trajectories, and intake of antihypertensive medications during follow-up were tested as other potential explanatory factors. RESULTS: Higher systolic BP was associated with faster rate of gait speed decline in this selected group of 643 participants, and results were similar in the parent cohort (N=2,733). Participants with high BP (n=293) had a significantly faster rate of gait speed decline than those with baseline BP less than 140/90 mmHg and no history of hypertension (n=350). Rates were similar for those with history of hypertension who were uncontrolled (n=110) or controlled (n=87) at baseline and for those who were newly diagnosed (n=96) at baseline. Adjustment for explanatory factors or for other covariates (education, prevalent cardiovascular disease, physical activity, vision, mood, cognition, muscle strength, body mass index, osteoporosis) did not change the results. CONCLUSION: High BP accelerates gait slowing in well-functioning older adults over a long period of time, even for those who control their BP or develop hypertension later in life. Health-related measurements did not explain these associations. Future studies to investigate the mechanisms linking hypertension to slowing gait in older adults are warranted.
Metabolism of nitrosamines by purified rabbit liver cytochrome P-450 isozymes

The metabolism of nitrosamines by microsomal cytochrome P-450 (P-450) isozymes was studied in a reconstituted monooxygenase system. P-450 LM2, LM3a, LM3b and LM3c, LM4, and LM6 were purified, respectively, from the livers of phenobarbital-treated, ethanol-treated, untreated, isosafrole-treated, and imidazole-treated rabbits. Of these isozymes, LM3a had the highest N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase (NDMAd) activity with a Km of 2.9 mM and Vmax of 9.3 nmol/min/nmol. LM2, LM4, and LM6 exhibited NDMAd activity only at high N-nitrosodimethylamine concentrations, and isozymes LM3b and LM3c had poor activity even at the highest substrate concentrations examined. LM2, however, was more active than LM3a in the metabolism of N-nitrosomethylaniline. With each isozyme (LM3a or LM4), only one Km for NDMAd was observed, whereas with rabbit liver microsomes, multiple Km of 0.07, 0.27, and 36.8 mM were obtained. P-450 isozymes also catalyzed the denitrosation of nitrosamines at rates comparable to or lower than the demethylation, and the ratio of these two reactions was different with different nitrosamines. 2-Phenylethylamine and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, which were believed previously to affect NDMAd by mechanisms independent of P-450, were shown to be potent inhibitors of P-450-dependent NDMAd. These results further establish the role of P-450 isozymes in the metabolism of nitrosamines and indicate that LM3a is apparently responsible for the increased N-nitrosodimethylamine metabolism associated with ethanol treatment.
On sticky-sphere assemblies

As the simplest model of a frictional-cohesive granular material, a variant on the (Baxter 1968) sticky hard-sphere of statistical mechanics is proposed. The present model is characterized by a hard-sphere diameter σ, a coefficient of sliding friction μ and a adhesive contact force T. It is argued that, depending on the initial density and disorder of the packing and on the magnitude of T/po σ 3, where p0 is a con- finement pressure, assemblies of such particles should exhibit purely inelastic behavior, ranging from that of a coherent solid to that of a noncohesive granular media. Recent computer simulations of a similar model for rock strength (Huang 1999) suggest that a three-dimensional variant of the classical Coulomb model with cohesion may apply.
WE-A-210-01: Overview of Methods and Accreditation Updates

This presentation will focus on the present role of ultrasound medical physics in clinical practices. The first part of the presentation will provide an overview of ultrasound QC methodologies and testing procedures. A brief review of ultrasound phantoms utilized in these testing procedures will be presented. The second part of the presentation will summarize ultrasound imaging technical standards and professional guidelines by American College of Radiology (ACR), American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The current accreditation requirements by ACR and AIUM for ultrasound practices will be described and the practical aspects of implementing QC programs to be compliant with these requirements will be discussed. Learning Objectives: 1. Achieve familiarity with common ultrasound QC test methods and ultrasound phantoms. 2. Understand the coverage of the existing testing standards and professional guidelines on diagnostic ultrasound imaging. 3. Learn what a medical physicist needs to know about ultrasound program accreditation and be able to implement ultrasound QC programs accordingly.
BLACK HOLE UNIQUENESS THEOREMS

I review the black hole uniqueness theorem and the no hair theorems established for physical black hole stationary states by the early 80’. This review presents the original and decisive work of Carter, Robinson, Mazur and Bunting on the problem of no bifurcation and uniqueness of physical black holes. Its original version was written only few years after my proof of the Kerr-Newman et al. black hole uniqueness theorem 23 has appeared in print. The proof of the black hole uniqueness theorem relies heavily on the positivity properties of nonlinear sigma models on the Riemannian noncompact symmetric spaces with negative sectional curvature. It is hoped that the first hand description of the original developments leading to our current understanding of the black hole uniqueness will be found useful to all interested in the subject.
A self-consistent theory of ferromagnetic waveguide accelerators driven by electron beams

A fully self-consistent theory of ferromagnetic waveguide accelerators driven by a relativistic electron beam is developed. The theoretical analysis is based on Faraday's law, which provides a second-order partial-differential equation of the azimuthal magnetic field, under the assumption that /spl muspl epsivspl Gt/1 . Here /spl mu/ and /spl epsiv/ are the permeability and dielectric constant of the waveguide material. The azimuthal magnetic field and axial acceleration field are obtained in forms of integral equations for an arbitrary profile of the drive-beam current I(t). >
Class-Specific Histone/Protein Deacetylase Inhibition Protects Against Renal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury and Fibrosis Formation

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of renal dysfunction and renal failure. Histone/ protein deacetylases (HDACs) regulate gene accessibility and higher order protein structures and may alter cellular responses to a variety of stresses. We investigated whether use of pan- and class-specific HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) could improve IRI tolerance in the kidney. Using a model of unilateral renal IRI, we investigated early renal function after IRI, and calculated fibrosis after IRI using an automated scoring system. We found that pan-HDAC inhibition using trichostatin (TSA) yielded significant renal functional benefit at 24‐96hours (p<0.001). Treated mice developed significantly less fibrosis at 30 days (p<0.0004). Class I HDAC inhibition with MS-275 yielded similar effects. Protection from fibrosis formation was also noted in a cold ischemia transplant model (p<0.008) with a trend toward improved cold ischemic survival in TSA-treatedmice.Theseeffectswerenotaccompanied by induction of typical ischemic tolerance pathways or by priming of heat shock protein expression. In fact, heat shock protein 70 deletion or overexpression did not alter renal ischemia tolerance. Micro-RNA 21, known to be enhanced in vitro in renal tubular cells that survive stress, was enhanced by treatment with HDACi, pointing to possible mechanism.
Dissection of receptor folding and ligand-binding property with functional minireceptors of LDL receptor-related protein

The LDL receptor-related protein (LRP) is a large, multifunctional endocytic receptor that binds and endocytoses a variety of structurally and functionally distinct ligands. LRP contains four putative ligand-binding domains. However, only domains II, III and IV, but not domain I, bind the receptor-associated protein (RAP), a molecular chaperone and universal antagonist for LRP. In order to dissect the function of RAP in LRP folding and to examine the ligand-binding properties of LRP, we generated LRP minireceptors that represent each of the four putative ligand-binding domains (termed mLRP1, mLRP2, mLRP3 and mLRP4, respectively). We found that proper folding and trafficking of mLRP2, mLRP3, mLRP4, but not mLRP1, is facilitated by coexpression of RAP. When these mLRPs were stably expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells that lack the endogenous LRP, we found that each of these receptors was processed and traffics through the secretory pathway. Cell surface expression of these minireceptors was quantitatively examined by flow cytometric analyses. Using these minireceptor cell lines to map the ligand-binding domains, we found that although the majority of LRP ligands bind to both domain II and domain IV, Pseudomonas exotoxin A utilizes only domain IV for its binding to LRP. We conclude that while domains II and IV of LRP share many ligand-binding properties, each of the putative ligand-binding domains of LRP is unique in its contribution to ligand binding.
Plasma and red blood cell concentrations of amiodarone during chronic therapy

Amiodarone and a metabolite, desethylamiodarone, were measured in plasma of 55 patients and in both plasma and red blood cell (RBC) in 28 patients who received chronic amiodarone treatment. The assay for amiodarone and desethylamiodarone was performed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. During chronic treatment, median plasma concentration of amiodarone was 2.80 micrograms/ml and desethylamiodarone was 2.20 micrograms/ml. In matched samples, plasma amiodarone concentration exceeded RBC amiodarone concentration (p less than 0.001) and the RBC-to-plasma concentration ratio averaged 0.31. The plasma desethylamiodarone concentration was not significantly different from its RBC concentration, and the RBC-to-plasma concentration ratio averaged 1.29. There was a linear correlation between plasma concentrations of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone (r = 0.82) and between RBC concentrations of drug and metabolite (r = 0.71). Drug or metabolite concentrations in plasma and RBCs correlated directly with daily dosage of amiodarone. Adverse side effects during chronic amiodarone therapy were related most strongly to RBC drug and metabolite concentrations. The group with adverse side effects had a significantly higher RBC concentration of amiodarone, 150 vs 0.75 micrograms/ml (p less than 0.001), than did patients free of adverse effects. After dosage reduction, side effects abated and plasma and RBC concentrations of drug and metabolite decreased. These data indicate that there is an expected range of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone concentrations during chronic treatment and that adverse side effects correlate best with RBC concentrations of drug and metabolite. Red cell concentrations may reflect the amount of unbound, free amiodarone and desethylamiodarone in plasma.
Contracts for First-Class Classes

First-class classes enable programmers to abstract over patterns in the class hierarchy and to experiment with new forms of object-oriented programming such as mixins and traits. This increase in expressive power calls for tools to control the complexity of the software architecture. A contract system is one possible tool that has seen much use in object-oriented programming languages, but existing contract systems cannot cope with first-class classes. On the one hand, the typical contract language deals only with plain values such as numbers, while classes are higher-order values. On the other hand, contract specifications are usually contained within class definitions, while classes as values call for a separate contract language.This article presents the design and implementation of a contract system for first-class classes as well as a two-pronged evaluation. The first one states and proves a “blame correctness” theorem for a model of our language. The theorem shows that when the contract system assigns blame to a component for a contract violation, the component is indeed responsible for providing the nonconforming value. The second part, consisting of benchmarks and case studies, demonstrates the need for the rich contract language and validates that our implementation approach is performant with respect to time.
Aspects of the Ecology and Ethology of the Cleaning Fish, Labroides phthirophagus Randall1

Zusammenfassung Putzerstationen scheinen bestandig zu sein, die Putzerfische wandern aber von einer zur anderen. Besonders zahlreich sind die Putzer in der Kaneohe Bay auf der Windseite von Riffblocken. Labroides phthirophagus ist dort haufiger einzeln als in Paaren zu finden. Diese Art ist ein obligater Putzer, frist als Jungtier wie als Erwachsener vor allem parasitische Copepoden und Isopodenlarven, im Aquarium aber auch anderes Futter. Die Putzer putzen gleichmasig den ganzen Tag uber, ohne bestimmte Arten zu bevorzugen. Haufigste Putzkunden sind die haufigsten vorkommenden Arten. Die Putzerverhaltensweisen von L. phthirophagus treten in bestimmter Folge auf. Im Aquarium uberwiegen Inspizieren und Appetenzverhalten; je langere Zeit der Putzer inspiziert, desto haufiger frist er am Kunden. L. phthirophagus pflanzt sich das ganze Jahr hindurch fort, bevorzugt an sonnigen Tagen mit ruhigem, klaren Wasser.
Immobilization of Hanford LAW in iron phosphate glasses

Abstract Iron phosphate glasses containing 30 w% of a high sodium and sulfur Hanford low-activity waste (LAW) simulant was successfully melted in electric furnaces at 1000–1050 °C for 2–3 h. No sulfate salt segregation or crystalline phases were detectable in the glassy wasteform when examined by scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer. This suggests that the waste loading in the iron phosphate glasses will not be limited by the SO 3 content of the LAW as is currently the case in borosilicate glasses. At 30 wt% LAW, the iron phosphate glass wasteform satisfies DOE’s product consistency test and vapor hydration test requirements for aqueous chemical durability, but the chemical durability depends upon the overall composition. The high fluidity and electrical conductivity of the iron phosphate melts suggest that iron phosphate wasteforms can be melted in a hot or cold crucible induction melter as an alternative to melting in a joule-heated melter. These properties combined with a significantly higher waste loading offer a considerable savings in time, energy and cost for vitrifying the Hanford LAW in iron phosphate glasses.
Toward a model of hierarchical change: Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt and naval innovation

A dual focus on humanistic and behavioral approaches offers a promising means of assessing individual initiative in hierarchical change. A case study of Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt's attempt at innovation in the United States Navy provides one illustration of the dualistic model's applicability.
Infrared study of chemisorption of methylamines on transition metal salts

Abstract The gas-solid chemisorption reactions of mono-, di- and trimethylamine were studied at room temperature using infrared absorption spectroscopy in the range 4000−400 cm −1 . The i.r. spectra of the amines adsorbed onto Zn 2+ and Co 2+ halides were compared and discussed with regard to shifts in fundamental vibrational frequencies upon chemisorption. The negative shift in the symmetric CN stretching frequency shows a possible relationship to the chemisorption reactivity of the methylamines.
Understanding the Processes of Patient Navigation to Reduce Disparities in Cancer Care: Perspectives of Trained Navigators from the Field

Patient navigation (PN) programs are being widely implemented to reduce disparities in cancer care for racial/ethnic minorities and the poor. However, few systematic studies cogently describe the processes of PN. We qualitatively analyzed 21 transcripts of semistructured exit interviews with three navigators about their experiences with patients who completed a randomized trial of PN. We iteratively discussed codes/categories, reflective remarks, and ways to focus/organize data and developed rules for summarizing data. We followed a three-stage analysis model: reduction, display, and conclusion drawing/verification. We used ATLAS.ti_5.2 for text segmentation, coding, and retrieval. Four categories of factors affecting cancer care outcomes emerged: patients, navigators, navigation processes, and external factors. These categories formed a preliminary conceptual framework describing ways in which PN processes influenced outcomes. Relationships between processes and outcomes were influenced by patient, navigator, and external factors. The process of PN has at its core relationship-building and instrumental assistance. An enhanced understanding of the process of PN derived from our analyses will facilitate improvement in navigators’ training and rational design of new PN programs to reduce disparities in cancer-related care.
Attachment Theory and Substance Abuse: Etiological Links

Some often describe substance abuse as a disease with no cure. An alternative etiology of substance abuse may be examined through a modern attachment theory lens. Examining substance abuse as a symptom of an underlying problem rather than a stand-alone disease leads to discussing alternative treatments. This article explores substance abuse as a faulty activation of attachment strategies stemming from insecure attachment relationships in infancy and early childhood. Attachment theory–based clinical treatment of this disorder could both diminish symptoms and cure the incurable. Implications for practice are also discussed as future research in the area of attachment and substance abuse is greatly encouraged.
Trends in Northern Hemisphere Surface Cyclone Frequency and Intensity

Abstract One of the hypothesized effects of global warming from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases is a change in the frequency and/or intensity of extratropical cyclones. In this study, winter frequencies and intensities of extratropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere for the period 1959–97 are examined to determine if identifiable trends are occurring. Results indicate a statistically significant decrease in midlatitude cyclone frequency and a significant increase in high-latitude cyclone frequency. In addition, storm intensity has increased in both the high and midlatitudes. The changes in storm frequency correlate with changes in winter Northern Hemisphere temperature and support hypotheses that global warming may result in a northward shift of storm tracks in the Northern Hemisphere.
Aerosol layers over the Pacific Ocean: Vertical distributions and optical properties as observed by multiwavelength airborne lidars

[1] Scattering properties of tropospheric aerosol layers were observed with airborne lidars during the Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) airborne campaigns covering a wide range of latitude and longitude over the Pacific Ocean. Lidar data at 0.532, 1.064, 1.54, and 9.25 μm wavelengths are used to study the vertical profiles and optical properties of the marine boundary layer (MBL) as well as elevated dust layers due to transport of material from Asia. The lidars were calibrated to provide absolute aerosol backscatter coefficients at their respective wavelengths. The lidar data are compared with predictions based on commonly used dust and sea salt aerosol refractive index and size distribution parameters. Published observations of aerosol characteristics from onboard in situ sensors are used to verify locations where mineral dust aerosol dominated the aerosol optical properties in the free troposphere. Relative humidity has a major impact on the observed MBL aerosol scattering characteristics. The multiwavelength observations of the dust layers are consistent with the assumption that for the particle size range that dominates the scattering properties the particle size distribution varies little over 103 km transport distances and is not strongly dependent on altitude. A nonsphericity effect on the dust scattering, in particular the suppression of backscattering at the shorter lidar wavelengths, is discussed in the context of data comparisons with model predictions. The observations of the sea salt aerosol scattering in the remote MBL indicate that at altitudes above 150 m in optically clear conditions the influence of the supermicron coarse mode is minor compared with that of the submicron accumulation mode.
On the Strength of Einstein's Unified Field Equations

Einstein's concept of the “strength” of a system of field equations, which has been related in a simple way to the amount of initial data required for the system, is examined for his last unified field theory. The apparently surprising weakness of this system is traced to the high order of the associated electromagnetic field equations. These equations allow the existence of purely electric longitudinal waves, in spite of the absence of any “photon mass.”