cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey on the immunization coverage rates and countermeasures among left-behind children aged 1-6 years old in Changsha rural areas

Objective To assess the immunization status of left-behind children vaccinated by vaccines of the national expanded program on immunization(EPI) in Changsha rural areas.Methods Multi-stage sampling was adopted to identify the random samples.1 027 left-behind children and 1 150 parents-accompanying children aged 1-6 years old from5 counties,20 townships and 120 villages were randomly sampled in this survey.Results The coverages of one dose of Bacilli Calmette-Guerin vaccine(BCG),three doses of hepatitis B vaccine(HepB3),three doses of oral poliomyelitis attenuated live vaccine(OPV3),the fourth dose of OPV(OPV4),three doses of diphtheria,tetanus and pertussis combined vaccine(DTP3),the fourth dose of DTP(DTP4),the first dose of measles-containing vaccine(MCV1),the second dose of MCV(MCV2),the first dose of Japanese encephalitis vaccine(JEV1),the second dose of JEV(JEV2),the first dose of group A meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine(MPV-A1),the second dose of MPV-A(MPV-A2),the first dose of group A and C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine(MPV-AC1) and hepatitis A vaccine(HepA) were 99.5%,98.3%,99.1%,62.4%,98.7%,86.2%,97.6%,91.7%,93.5%,71.2%,98.2%,83.0%,48.0% and 81.5% respectively.Furthermore,the coverage of MCV1,MCV2,OPV4,DTP4,JEV1,JEV2,MPV-A2and MPV-AC1for left-behind children were all significantly lower than those for the parents-accompanying children(P 0.05).Conclusions Primary immunization coverage of original EPI vaccines for left-behind children almost meets the national standard,but booster immunization coverage are relatively low,similar to those of the parents-accompanying.Corresponding measures should be taken to improve the immunization coverage and to reduce the incidence of vaccine preventable infectious diseases among left-behind children in Changsha rural areas.
The Bardic Tradition and Gaelic Devotional Literature

Thoughout the late medieval and early modern period, the conjunction of interests and social interconnections of the Gaelic secular elites (the aes dana and the chieftains) and the representatives of the institutional church preserved a vibrant and dynamic religious tradition that was distinctively Gaelic. Patterns of religiosity were highly influenced by certain aspects of bardic mentality, but were also thoroughly grounded in the ‘mainstream’ devotional outlook and practices of European Christendom.1 In many ways, the Irish pattern simply mirrors the religious situation in the rest of Europe during the pre-Reformation period. It only looks more exotic because of the less-familiar Irish social structures and devotional genres. Functionally, the aes dana were very similar to the high-profile humanist scholars in Continental Europe, mediating between Latin learning, clerical norms and an emerging secularized vernacular tradition.2 In Ireland, however, the process simply began a bit sooner. The Irish scholars had an ancient vernacular literature dating back to the early middle ages, and the coexistence of secular and clerical learned elites had been well established in Ireland since at least the twelfth century.3
A History of Modern Iran: The iron fist of Reza Shah

There is room in Iran for only one shah – and I will be that shah. Reza Shah THE COUP In the early hours of February 21, 1921, General Reza Khan, commander of the Cossack garrison in Qazvin, took control over Tehran with three thousand men and eighteen machine guns. This coup, hailed later as the glorious 3rd Esfand (February 21) liberation, launched a new era. Reza Khan, who had risen through the ranks, was self-educated – some claim semi-illiterate. He came from a military family that fled Russian advance into the Caucasus and received a fief in the fertile village of Alasht in the Sefid Rud region of Mazanderan. His relatives, including his father and grandfather, had served in the provincial regiment – the latter had been killed in the 1848 siege of Herat. Reza Khan himself had enrolled as a teenager in the Cossack Brigade. Rumor had it that he had at one time or another served as a stable boy, either for the royal palace, the Farmanfarmas, the Dutch legation, or the American Presbyterian Mission. During the civil war and the subsequent upheavals, he made his mark as an up-and-coming officer nicknamed “Reza Khan Maxim.” In later years when he built himself a palace in Mazanderan, he decorated the entryway with a large mosaic depicting a Maxim machine gun.
Improve Charging Distance with Resonant Repeaters

This chapter discusses opportunities to use the latest multi-hop wireless charging to improve recharge capability. Due to physical limitations, Mobile Chargers (MCs) only recharge one sensor node at a time, which has limited efficiency and scalability. With the short-range wireless charging reaching its maturity, recent advances in multi-hop wireless charging are gaining momentum and ready to provide fundamental support to address this problem. Unfortunately, the existing designs for single-node wireless charging cannot take advantage of such opportunities. In this chapter, we propose a new design that can relay wireless energy in multi-hops. Our method implements resonant repeater coils on sensor nodes. Once the MC is charging one sensor, the sensor can relay wireless energy to its neighbors. First, we present such novel design and discuss a method for estimating multi-hop charging efficiencies. Then we consider how to optimize network performance and achieve a balance between benefit and cost. A two-step approximation algorithm is proposed. We also discover there are more chances to further reduce the total system cost. Thus, we develop post-optimization procedures that can make use of the trade-offs between different types of energy cost. We also demonstrate simulation results to show significant improvements over single-node wireless charging.
The Dissertation Institute: Motivating doctoral engineering students toward degree completion

Data show that doctoral students in the United States, particularly those from underrepresented groups, are leaving at high rates before obtaining a degree because of the long, arduous and uncertain road to graduation. The primary goal of this NSF-funded research project is to offer the Dissertation Institute: a practical and timely experience for doctoral students in engineering disciplines to address issues germane to shortening time-to-degree and increasing degree completion rates, with emphasis upon underrepresented minority students (African American, Native American, Pacific Islanders American and Hispanic American). The project is a mixed-method, multi-year and multi-phased study that will create the opportunity for students from underserved populations to come together and participate in an intervention designed for their benefit. The framework guiding the project is Eccles' Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT). This work-in-progress will describe the overall project and the progress to date. We are currently in Phase 1 of the project. The research question guiding Phase 1 is: From the faculty/administrator and student perspectives, what success and value beliefs support and hinder the completion of the doctoral degree for underrepresented racial minority students in engineering disciplines? Findings will inform and facilitate the design of the Institutes in Phase 2.
Music and Routine

In this chapter, we present the musical practice session as a creative process that reveals insights about the function of routines and experimentation. This chapter offers an extended discussion of specific musical practices as generative forms of inquiry that can be used to extend critical approaches to pedagogy.
Valproate increases dopamine transporter expression through histone acetylation and enhanced promoter binding of Nurr1

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is the key regulator of dopaminergic transmission and is a target of several xenobiotics, including pesticides and pharmacological agents. Previously, we identified a prominent role for histone deacetylases in the regulation of DAT expression. Here, we utilized a rat dopaminergic cell line (N27) to probe the responsiveness of DAT mRNA expression to inhibitors of histone acetylation. Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) by valproate, butyrate and Trichostatin A led to a 3-10-fold increase in DAT mRNA expression, a 50% increase in protein levels, which were accompanied by increased H3 acetylation levels. To confirm the mechanism of valproate-mediated increase in DAT mRNA, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were used and demonstrated a significant increase in enrichment of acetylation of histone 3 on lysines 9 and 14 (H3K9/K14ac) in the DAT promoter. Expression of Nurr1 and Pitx3, key regulators of DAT expression, were increased following valproate treatment and Nurr1 binding was enriched in the DAT promoter. Together, these results indicate that histone acetylation and subsequent enhancement of transcription factor binding are plausible mechanisms for DAT regulation by valproate and, perhaps, by other xenobiotics.
High-Performance Recommender System Training Using Co-Clustering on CPU/GPU Clusters

Recommender systems are becoming the crystal ball of the Internet because they can anticipate what the users may want, even before the users know they want it. However, the machine-learning algorithms typically involved in the training of such systems can be computationally expensive, and often may require several days for retraining. Here, we present a distributed approach for load-balancing the training of a recommender system based on state-of-art non-negative matrix factorization principles. The approach can exploit the presence of a cluster of mixed CPUs and GPUs, and results in a 466-fold performance improvement compared with the serial CPU implementation, and a 15-fold performance improvement compared with the best previously reported results for the popular Netflix data set.
Molecules That Drive the Invasion and Metastasis of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Invasion and metastasis represent two of the most critical and rate ­limiting steps of cancer progression. It is very well known that IBC is lympho-angioinvasive and appears to be metastatic upon inception. Therefore, identifying and targeting molecules that regulate these critical steps formulate a logical treatment approach for IBC. This chapter focuses on the advancements that have taken place so far in terms of identifying unique molecular determinants that potentially drive IBC invasion and metastasis. Studies before 2000 established SUM149 and SUM190 IBC cell lines, identified hormonal status, differential expression of RhoC GTPase, LIBC (now known as WISP3) and E-cadherin, as potential metastatic markers along with creation of the MARY-X xenograft model. These findings developed a strong foundation for studies post 2001 that investigated various pre- and posttranslational signaling events, pro-angiogenic factors and potential targeted therapy approaches for IBC. We conclude this chapter with a comprehensive model summarizing all the breakthrough findings and their potential interdependence that could ultimately ­produce a unique response of preventing IBC invasion and metastasis.
What's New in Acellular Dermal Matrix and Soft-Tissue Support for Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction.

Of the nearly 90,000 implant-based breast reconstructions performed in the United States, the majority use internal soft-tissue support. Aesthetically, these constructs may allow for better positioning of prosthesis, improve lower pole expansion, and increase projection. They may have particular utility in direct-to-implant, nipple-sparing mastectomies, and prepectoral reconstructions. In recent years, new permutations of acellular dermal matrices have evolved with diverse shapes, sizes, form-factor innovations, and processing characteristics. The literature is largely limited to retrospective studies (and meta-analyses thereof), making robust comparisons of 1 iteration vis-a-vis another difficult. Although synthetic mesh may provide a cost-effective alternative in primary and secondary reconstruction, comparative studies with acellular dermal matrix are lacking. This review aims to provide a balanced overview of recent biologic and synthetic mesh innovation. As this technology (and concomitant techniques) evolve, the reconstructive surgeon is afforded more-and better-choices to improve care for patients.
Pediatric Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches for Skull Base Lesions in the Very Young: Is It Safe and Effective?

Introduction The fully endoscopic expanded endonasal approach (EEA) has been shown to be safe and efficacious in pediatric patients. However, in the very young patient (ages six and under), the anatomical challenge of working through a small nasal corridor is problematic. The ability to repair the skull base and use a nasoseptal flap (NSF) has also been called into question. Here, we review skull base resections using EEA in patients aged 6 years and younger. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric patients age 6 years and younger who underwent EEA skull base resections over a 3-year period (June 2014 through June 2017). Results Eight children aged 6 and under with seven tumor pathologies underwent an EEA for the resection of their skull base tumors, with a mean follow-up of 1.45 years. Only chordoma cases required multiple-staged resections. There are no tumor recurrences to date. A high-flow intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak was encountered in three cases, and there were no postoperative CSF leaks. CSF leaks were effectively repaired with NSFs. One patient suffered from postoperative hypopituitarism, one patient experienced recurrent epistaxis secondary to turbinate destruction by the tumor, and one patient expired 8 months postresection secondary to metastatic disease. Conclusion In our case series, EEA for skull base tumors in children aged 6 and under was a safe and effective surgical approach. Skull base defects are able to be effectively addressed with typical repairs including NSFs. Larger studies are warranted to further investigate this technique in this pediatric population.
The Method of Augmented Sampling

In this paper we present a new sampling scheme called the method of augmented sampling. The scheme is essentially a two sample procedure and is useful in surveys where all except one of the variates are similarly distributed and the distribution of the single variate differs markedly from the others. In the new method there is a basic sample in which we measure all the variates under enquiry. This sample is chosen so that the tolerances for all but one of the variates are met. A second sample is then drawn in which only one of the variates is measured. The size of the second sample is so determined that the tolerance for the remaining variate is met. A procedure for determining the sample sizes in each stratum such that this is achieved at a minimum cost is given.
Adapting UX to the design of healthcare games and applications

Abstract Games and simulations are used in healthcare for purposes including training, education, and promoting wellness. However, there is often disconnect between content creators and the healthcare providers or patients who use their products. This can result in negative experiences and perceptions. This article investigates research in user experience (UX) to examine how games and applications designed for use in healthcare are impacted by considerations such as design practices and users’ attitudes. By exploring the design of healthcare games and applications through the lens of user experience, the authors analyze current practices and develop specific design recommendations to improve future game-based scenarios. These six design recommendations are then applied to an example game, Medulla, to investigate their utility in framing a real-world example.
X-Aptamer Technology Identifies C4A and ApoB in Blood as Potential Markers for Schizophrenia

The field of proteomics is rapidly gaining territory as a promising alternative to genomic approaches in the efforts to unravel the complex molecular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. X-aptamer tech-nology has emerged as a novel proteomic approach for high-sensitivity analyses, and we hypothesized that this technology would identify unique molecular signatures in plasma samples from schizophrenia patients (n = 60) compared to controls (n = 20). Using a combinatorial library of X-aptamer beads, we developed a two-color flow cytometer-based approach to identify specific X-aptamers that bound with high specificity to each target group. Based on this, we synthesized two unique X-aptamer sequences, and specific proteins pulled down from the patient and control groups by these X-aptamers were identified by mass spectrometry. We identified two protein biomarkers, complement component C4A and ApoB, upregulated in plasma samples from schizophrenia patients. ELISA validation suggested that the observed differences in C4 levels in patients are likely due to the presence of the illness itself, while ApoB may be a marker of antipsychotic-induced alterations. These studies highlight the utility of the X-aptamer technology in the identification of biomarkers for schizophrenia that will advance our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder.
Structural, Spectroscopic, Electrochemical, and Magnetic Properties for Manganese(II) Triazamacrocyclic Complexes.

Abstract We report the synthesis of [Mn(tacud)2](OTf)2 (1) (tacud = 1,4,8-triazacycloundecane), [Mn(tacd)2](OTf)2 (2) (tacd = 1,4,7-triazacyclodecane), and [Mn(tacn)2](OTf)2 (3) (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane). Electrochemical measurements on the MnIII/II redox couple show that complex 1 has the largest anodic potential of the set (E1/2 = 1.16 V vs NHE, ΔEp = 106 mV) compared to 2 (E1/2 = 0.95 V, ΔEp = 108 mV) and 3 (E1/2 = 0.93 V, ΔEp = 96 mV). This is due to the fact that 1 has the fewest 5-membered chelate rings and thus is least stabilized. Magnetic studies of 1–3 revealed that all complexes remain high spin throughout the temperature range investigated (2–300 K). X-band EPR investigations in methanol glass indicated that the manganese(II) centers for 2 and 3 resided in a more distorted octahedral geometric configuration compared to 1. To ease spectral interpretation and extract ZFS parameters, we performed high-frequency high-field EPR (HFEPR) at frequencies above 200 GHz and a field of 7.5 T. Simulation of the spectral data yielded g = 2.0013 and D = −0.031 cm−1 for 1, g = 2.0008, D = −0.0824 cm−1, |E/D| = 0.12 for 2, and g = 2.00028, D = −0.0884 cm−1 for 3. These results are consistent with 3 possessing the most distorted geometry. Calculations (PBE0/6-31G(d)) were performed on 1–3. Results show that 1 has the largest HOMO-LUMO gap energy (6.37 eV) compared to 2 (6.12 eV) and 3 (6.26 eV). Complex 1 also has the lowest HOMO energies indicating higher stability.
Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: a route to practical hot carrier solar cells

Hot carrier distributions generated by the absorption of high-energy photons typically etherealize rapidly via various phonon-mediated relaxation processes. In this paper, it is shown that type-II quantum wells (QWs) exhibit stable non-equilibrium carrier distributions, which can be manipulated and stabilized independent of the photonic dispersion of the constituent materials. Moreover, it will be shown that the reduced overlap between electron and hole wave functions in type-II QWs, which inhibit radioactive recombination, play a critical role in hot carrier thermalization in these systems. Current-voltage characteristics from analogous MQW p-i-n structures show enhanced hot carrier photocurrent extraction with increasing optical excitation power. Specifically, upon increased photo-excitation the elevated thermal energy in the carrier distribution results in the tunneling of hot electrons from the QW and increased photo carrier collection.
Pharmacokinetics of the Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 Inhibitor AZD3965 in Mice: Potential Enterohepatic Circulation and Target-Mediated Disposition

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of the monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) inhibitor AZD3965 in mice after IV and oral administration and to develop mechanistic PK models to assess the potential enterohepatic circulation (EHC) and target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) of AZD3965. Female BALB/c mice were administered AZD3965 by IV injection (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) or oral gavage (100 mg/kg). Plasma samples were analyzed using LC/MS/MS, and PK parameters determined by compartmental and non-compartmental analyses. AZD3965 exhibited a large volume of distribution and rapid oral absorption, with a high oral bioavailability. Prominent reentry peaks were observed after both oral and IV administration, suggesting potential EHC of AZD3965 or of a potential glucuronide conjugate. The dose-dependent studies indicated greater than proportional increases in exposure, an increase in the terminal half-life, and decrease in clearance and volume of distribution with increasing IV doses, indicating nonlinear pharmacokinetics and potential TMDD of AZD3965. Mechanistic compartmental models were developed to characterize the complex pharmacokinetics of AZD3965. The current study represents the first comprehensive report of the pharmacokinetics of AZD3965 in mice, indicating the potential contribution of EHC and TMDD in the disposition of AZD3965.
Recent Advances in Development of NIR-II Fluorescent Agents

In the past decade, biological imaging in the second near infrared (NIR-II) window has emerged as a promising imaging method to visualize deep-tissue anatomical structures and profile internal physiological status. Owing to advantages in reduced light absorption, suppressed photon scattering, and minimized interference from tissue autofluorescence, NIR-II imaging presents advantages on improved penetration depth and high spatial resolution, opening up wide opportunities to unmask the underlying mechanisms of various physiological processes. An ideal NIR-II fluorophore for in vivo fluorescence imaging should have high quantum yields, red-shifted emission wavelengths as well as favorable pharmacokinetic properties in order to afford high imaging quality, monitor dynamic physiological process in real time, and mitigate safety concerns. Here, in this chapter, we summarize recent advances in rational design and optimization of NIR-II fluorescence imaging agents with superior properties as mentioned above, present their applications, and offer our opinions on the unique potentials of these imaging agents for future clinical translation.
Clouds on the Horizon: The Recombination of Political and Economic Power

Despite incentives that people have to support institutions that allow people without political power to exercise economic power, there are also incentives for those two types of power to recombine. Those with political power can use it to confiscate economic power. Alternatively, the political and economic elite can cooperate for their mutual benefit, and the resulting cronyism produces barriers to entry to protect economic power—and barriers to entry to protect political power. This recombination is less likely when power is vested in institutions rather than when it is vested in individuals whose power transcends institutional constraints.
Comparing View Factor modeling frameworks for the estimation of incident solar energy

Abstract View Factors are instrumental in using widely available horizontal solar radiation data for calculating the incident radiation on harvesting surfaces with arbitrary positions. This capability is notably useful for the design, optimization, and performance forecasting of solar devices. There are several main View Factor models (Liu-Jordan’s, Tian’s, and Badescu’s), which can lead to different theoretical implications and energy estimates. However, the assessments about the validity and underlying assumptions of these models are sometimes contradictory. Resolving this is important for utilizing the most appropriate framework given specific schemes and modeling goals. This work presents a comparative systematic analysis of a wide range of View Factor modeling frameworks with the purpose to gain a deeper understanding of the theoretical consistency and implications of the main View Factor models. The different sets of assumptions are evaluated through stochastic rays simulations and verified against integral models. Five frameworks for the Isotropic and Albedo View Factors were found to be consistent with Liu-Jordan’s model, two with Tian’s, and two with Badescu’s (partially); all with RMSE ⩽ 0.0014. Considering the most common ways to conceptualize the other components of the radiation, there was consistency with the Perez sky models (RMSE ⩽ 0.0055) for the View Factor of the Circumsolar radiation as a 25 ° cone and Horizon Brightening as a flat ring. For the View Factor of the Horizon Brightening as a 6.5 ° band, two regression models are introduced. By enabling a deeper insight into the sets of assumptions that are consistent with the main View Factor models, this work is valuable for the convergence and best implementation of the various theories in the modeling of incident solar radiation.
Use of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review.

Background: With over 37.8 million cases and over 1 million deaths worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a societal and economic upheaval of unparalleled magnitude. A positive transformation has been brought about by innovative solutions in the health care sector that aim to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on human health. For instance, the use of telehealth has been on the rise amidst this public health emergency. Objective: Given the unprecedented scale of the pandemic with no definitive endpoint, we aimed to scope the existing telehealth-related literature during a defined period of the ongoing pandemic (ie, January to June 2020). Methods: Our scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer Manual. We systematically searched PubMed and Embase databases with specific eligibility criteria. Data extracted from the shortlisted articles included first author and affiliation, journal title, publication type, terminologies used to describe telehealth and their accompanying definitions, health discipline or medical specialties and subspecialties wherein telehealth had been applied, the purpose of telehealth use, and the authors’ overall sentiment on telehealth use. We collated the available information and used descriptive statistics to analyze the synthesized data. Results: In all, 543 articles published across 331 different journals were included in this scoping review. The Journal of Medical Internet Research and its sister journals featured the highest number of articles (25/543, 4.6%). Nearly all (533/543, 98.2%) articles were in English. The majority of the articles were opinions, commentaries, and perspectives (333/543, 61.3%). Most authors of the articles reviewed were from high-income countries (470/543, 86.6%), especially from the United States of America (237/543, 43.6%). In all, 39 different definitions were used to describe terms equivalent to telehealth. A small percentage (42/543, 7.7%) of the articles focused on the provision of COVID-19–related care. Moreover, 49.7% (270/543) of the articles primarily focused on the provision of multiple components of clinical care, and 23% (125/543) of the articles focused on various specialties and subspecialties of internal medicine. For a vast majority (461/543, 84.9%) of the articles, the authors expressed a celebratory sentiment about the use of telehealth. Conclusions: This review identified considerable emerging literature on telehealth during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit mostly from high-income countries. There is compelling evidence to suggest that telehealth may have a significant effect on advancing health care in the future. However, the feasibility and application of telehealth in resource-limited settings and low- and middle-income countries must be established to avail its potential and transform health care for the world’s population. Given the rapidity with which telehealth is advancing, a global consensus on definitions, boundaries, protocols, monitoring, evaluation, and data privacy is urgently needed.
Human papillomavirus genotype distribution in head and neck cancer: Informing developing strategies for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.

Abstract Current clinical practice algorithms for HPV testing make no effort to discern the impact of genotypes for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). Data was collected for all patients with HNSCs that had undergone HPV testing at an academic hospital as part of clinical care (2012–2019). Screening was performed using real-time PCR targeting L1 of low and high-risk HPV types, followed by genotyping of positive cases. Genotype status was correlated with age, site and histologic parameters. Of the 964 patients tested, 68% had HPV-positive cancers. Most arose from the oropharynx (OP) (89%) and sinonasal tract (5%). The most frequent genotype was 16 (84.4%) followed by 35 (5.6%), 33 (4.1%), 18 (2.7%), 45 (1.1%), 69 (0.8%) and others (1.3%). There was an association between genotype (16 vs non-16) and tumor origin (OP vs non-OP) (p
Insulin Pump Therapy

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pump therapy was introduced to treat patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) more than 20 years ago1,2. At that time, most children and adolescents were being treated with one or two daily injections of mixtures of NPH and regular insulin of animal origin and treatment was adjusted based on urinary glucose excretion. With these inadequate methods, it’s not surprising that glucose levels often averaged over 300 mg/dl and that the children were at high risk for the later development of the devastating complications of diabetes. CSII offered the opportunity to more closely simulate the patterns of plasma insulin levels seen in normal children. The more predictable pharmacokinetics of fast-acting versus intermediate-acting insulin3 and the administration of bolus doses immediately prior to each meal were two obvious advantages of this approach to insulin replacement. The development of newer, smaller pumps with variable basal rate profiles allowed for a closer match in insulin needs, particularly overnight, leading to a reduction in nocturnal hypoglycemia.
HELIOSEISMIC CONSTRAINTS ON NEW SOLAR MODELS FROM THE MOSEC CODE

Evolutionary solar models are computed using a new stellar evolution code, MOSEC (Modular Stellar Evolution Code). This code has been designed with carefully controlled truncation errors in order to achieve a precision which reflects the increasingly accurate determination of solar interior structure by helioseismology. A series of models is constructed to investigate the effects of the choice of equation of state (OPAL or MHD-E, the latter being a version of the MHD equation of state recalculated by the author), the inclusion of helium and heavy-element settling and diffusion, and the inclusion of a simple model of mixing associated with the solar tachocline. The neutrino flux predictions are discussed, while the sound speed of the computed models is compared to that of the sun via the latest inversion of SOI-NMI p-mode frequency data. The comparison between models calculated with the OPAL and MHD-E equations of state is particularly interesting because the MHD-E equation of state includes relativistic effects for the electrons, whereas neither MHD nor OPAL do. This has a significant effect on the sound speed of the computed model, worsening the agreement with the solar sound speed. Using the OPAL equation of state and including the settling and diffusion of helium and heavy elements produces agreement in sound speed with the helioseismic results to within about +.-0.2%; the inclusion of mixing slightly improves the agreement.
Phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model dark matter searches on ice

We explore the capability of the IceCube/DeepCore array to discover signal neutrinos resulting from the annihilations of supersymmetric weakly interacting massive particles that may be captured in the solar core. In this analysis, we use a previously generated set of $\ensuremath{\sim}70\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{k}$ model points in the 19-dimensional parameter space of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model (pMSSM) which satisfy existing experimental and theoretical constraints. Our calculations employ a realistic estimate of the IceCube/DeepCore effective area that has been modeled by the IceCube collaboration. We find that a large fraction of the pMSSM models are shown to have significant signal rates in the anticipated IceCube/DeepCore 1825 d data set, including some prospects for an early discovery. Many models where the lightest supersymmetric particle only constitutes a small fraction of the total dark matter relic density are found to have observable rates. We investigate in detail the dependence of the signal neutrino fluxes on the lightest-supersymmetric-particle mass, weak eigenstate composition, annihilation products and thermal relic density, as well as on the spin-independent and spin-dependent scattering cross sections. Lastly, we compare the model coverage of IceCube/DeepCore to that obtainable in near-future direct-detection experiments and to pMSSM searches at the 7 TeV LHC.
Failure Characterization of a Structural Adhesive

Strength vs. rate-of-strain data show accurate, viscoelastic time-dependence for a bulk epoxy adhesive (Metlbond 1113) in tension and shear, but not in the adhesively lap-bonded state. A detailed analysis of the lap shear joints, combining results from neutron radiography, scanning electron microscopy and roughness measurements, indicated the dominance of internal voids and stress concentrations not present in the bulk state. A qualitative fracture mechanics approach was used to reconcile the results. A general methodology to elucidate practical adhesive bonding problems is suggested that combines elastic, plastic and surface characterization.
Chronic Liver Diseases Which Mallory-Denk Body (MDB) Form Progress to Hepatocellular Carcinoma is Involved in Ufmylation and FATylation Modification (LB493)

We previously reported the Mallory-Denk body (MDB) formation mechanism in DDC induced mice. To further provide clinical evidence whether chronic liver diseases which MDB form progress to hepatocell...
Specific elements of a new hemodynamics display improves the performance of anesthesiologists.

Objective.We tested the hypothesis that a monitoring display proposed by Blike et al. improves the performance of anesthesiologists. We measured the performance of anesthesiologists using the new display and compared it to their performance with at raditional display. We studied three different displays on how they affected recognition and differentiation of five etiologies ofshock–anaphylaxis, bradycardia, hypovolemia, ischemia and pulmonary embolus. Methods.The participants monitored heartrate, systemic arterial and pulmonary blood pressure, central venous pressure, and cardiac output during five shock states and five non-shock states. The resulting 10 data sets made up ten decision screens, which we presented randomly on a computer monitor to the subjects in one of three different formats (a Single Sensor Single Indicator (SSSI)Numericdisplay; anObjectdisplay; and an Object Minus Shapesdisplay). Subjects used soft-buttons on a computer touch-screen monitor to: a) advance to the next display; b) differentiate a non-shock state from a shock state; and, c) select the etiology of shock state represented by the display (Figure 4). The internal clock and memory of the computer made the collection of data automatic. Results.The subjects recognized a problem more rapidly with the help of a graphical “pointer on a referencescale” in both Objectdisplays, but their accuracy had not improved in comparison to the SSSI Numericdisplay. The shape of the Objectdisplay improved performance of etiology determination compared to the Object Minus Shapesdisplay andSSSI Numericdisplay. Testing (10 trials) was completed in less than 45 minutes. Conclusions.The new display with“emergent features” can improve the diagnostic performance of clinicians.
Imaging and Analysis of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in Giardia

Giardia intestinalis, a common parasitic protist, possesses a complex microtubule cytoskeleton critical for cellular function and transitioning between the cyst and trophozoite life cycle stages. The giardial microtubule cytoskeleton is comprised of highly dynamic and stable structures. Novel microtubule structures include the ventral disc that is essential for the parasite's attachment to the intestinal villi to avoid peristalsis. The completed Giardia genome combined with new molecular genetic tools and live imaging will aid in the characterization and analysis of cytoskeletal dynamics in Giardia. Fundamental areas of giardial cytoskeletal biology remain to be explored and knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of cytoskeletal functioning is needed to better understand Giardia's unique biology and pathogenesis.
Integrating Robot Design Competitions into the Curriculum and K-12 Outreach Activities

The Penn State Abington campus has integrated several mobile robot design competitions into project-based design activities to provide enhancement for undergraduate engineering and information sciences and technology courses and also to provide outreach to K-12 institutions. The robot competitions, which encourage interdisciplinary design, teamwork, and rapid prototyping, support a wide range of educational outcomes in a variety of courses. A survey of undergraduate students was also implemented to identify the key lessons learned and overall educational quality of the robot competition activities. Overall, the responses on the quality of the robot competition experience were very positive. The strategic selection and implementation of robot design competitions, such as described in this paper, provide a cost-effective approach to enhancing the curriculum, promoting retention, and encouraging interest in science and technology (STEM) careers in K-12 students.
Future possibilities in the prevention of breast cancer: Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists

The cyclic production of estrogen and progesterone by the premenopausal ovary accounts for the steep rise in breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. These hormones are breast cell mitogens. By reducing exposure to these ovarian hormones, agonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) given to suppress ovarian function may prove useful in cancer prevention. To prevent deleterious effects of hypoestrogenemia, the addition of low-dose hormone replacement to the LHRH agonist appears necessary. Pilot data with such an approach indicates it is feasible and reduces mammographic densities.
A hybrid particle–hydrogel composite for oligonucleotide-mediated pulsatile protein release

The development of pulsatile protein delivery systems is challenging and can advance the treatment of various human diseases. Herein, we introduce a novel composite as the delivery system using nucleic aptamers to retain and release target proteins at will. The composite was composed of affinity particles embedded in a hydrogel network where the affinity particles were functionalized with the aptamers. Not only did the aptamers function as binding sites for proteins in the composite, but also as triggering sites for the pulsatile release of proteins. To demonstrate this idea, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, its aptamer, and agarose hydrogel were used as the model. Microscopy imaging revealed that the particles were well distributed in the composite. The measured storage and loss moduli did not differ significantly in comparison of the composite with the native agarose gel, indicating that the incorporated particles did not alter the mechanical properties of the material. The release experiment showed that the protein release rate in the aptamer-incorporated composite dramatically decreased in normal conditions as compared to the control composite due to the high binding affinity of the aptamers. After being triggered by complementary oligonucleotides, the system could release the bound proteins in a pulsatile manner at predetermined time points.
Microchannel-cooled heatsinks for high-average-power laser diode arrays

Detailed performance results and fabrication techniques for an efficient and low thermal impedance laser diode array heatsink are presented. High duty factor or even CW operation of fully filled laser diode arrays is enabled at high average power. Low thermal impedance is achieved using a liquid coolant and laminar flow through microchannels. The microchannels are fabricated in silicon using a photolithographic pattern definition procedure followed by anisotropic chemical etching. A modular rack-and-stack architecture is adopted for the heatsink design allowing arbitrarily large two-dimensional arrays to be fabricated and easily maintained. The excellent thermal control of the microchannel cooled heatsinks is ideally suited to pump array requirements for high average power crystalline lasers because of the stringent temperature demands that result from coupling the diode light to several nanometers wide absorption features characteristic of lasing ions in crystals.
Antenatal dexamethasone enhances endothelin receptorB expression in hypoplastic lung in nitrofen-induced diaphragmatic hernia in rats

Abstract Background/Purpose: The hypoplastic lung and persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH) are the principle causes of high mortality and morbility in infants with congenital diaphragumatic hernia (CDH). Endothelin-1 (ET-1), which is produced by vascular endothelial cells and some leukocytes, plays a key role in modulating pulmonary vascular tone in PPH. Two different receptors (ET A and ET B ) for ET-1 have been characterized. Binding of ET-1 to ET A , which is present on smooth muscle cells in fetal lung, results in vasoconstriction. However, binding of ET-1 to ET B , which is present on endothelial cells results in vasodilation mediated by endogenous nitric oxide. Antenatal glucocorticoid therapy has been shown to prevent abnormal pulmonary arterial structural changes in animal model with CDH. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antenatal glucocorticoid administration on ET-1 system in nitrofen-induced CDH hypoplastic lung in rats. Methods: A CDH model was induced in pregnant rats after administration of nitrofen on day 9.5 of gestation. Dexamethazone (Dex) was given intraperitoneally on days 18.5 and 19.5 of gestation. Cesarean section was performed on day 21 of gestation. Rat ET-1 protein expression was measured in solubilized lung tissue extracts, by sandwich type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to evaluate the relative amount of ET-1, ET A , and ET B mRNA expression. Results: The ET-1 protein and mRNA expression of ET-1 and both receptors were increased significantly in CDH lung compared with controls. Although there was no significant difference in ET A mRNA expression between CDH lung with Dex treatment and without Dex treatment, ET B mRNA expression was elevated significantly in CDH lung with Dex treatment compared with CDH lung without Dex treatment. Conclusion: These findings suggest that antenatal glucocorticoid therapy may modulate pulmonary vascular tone in CDH hypoplastic lung by selectively upregulating local expression of ET B . J Pediatr Surg 35:203-207. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Work in progress — Project-Based Service Learning in engineering: Investigating partner relationships

Project-Based Service Learning (PBSL) is increasingly popular in engineering programs as a way to develop key student skills and address community needs. Since most PBSL projects have the intention of providing a service to a community, it is critical that partner voices are heard. However, there has been little research examining the roles and motivations of project clients. To address the community perspective, the authors have identified six organizations with longstanding (over five years) partnerships with Purdue University's Engineering Projects In Community Service (EPICS) program, and will interview 1–3 individuals associated with each. These partners have been involved with numerous EPICS projects over multiple years. Our major objectives are to investigate why organizations maintain long-term partnerships with EPICS, and develop recommendations for enhancing benefits to all stakeholders. Here we present a background literature review and description of the project scope and methods.
Clinicopathologic and molecular correlations of necrosis in the primary tumor of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND The presence of histologic necrosis in the primary tumor of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been suggested to be an important predictor of survival. The authors investigated the relation of tumor necrosis to other clinicopathologic factors known to be important prognostic indicators for patients with RCC. METHODS The records of 311 patients undergoing treatment for RCC were evaluated for basic clinicopathologic information including TNM classification, nuclear grade, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS), disease recurrence, and survival. The presence and extent of histologic necrosis of the primary tumors was recorded and correlated with clinicopathologic factors, carbonic anhydrase IX and Ki-67 expression, disease recurrence, and survival. RESULTS The presence of necrosis in the primary tumor of patients with RCC compared with patients with RCC without necrosis was associated with higher T classification (P 0.05). Patients with the presence of necrosis in the primary tumor had a lower 5-year disease recurrence-free rate compared with patients without the presence of necrosis (62% vs. 92%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The presence of necrosis in the primary tumor was associated with adverse prognostic factors such as high T classification, presence of lymph node disease and metastases, high grade, large tumor size, and poor ECOG PS. The extent of necrosis was found to be associated with the presence of lymph node disease and metastases and correlated with higher T classification, higher grade, greater tumor size, poorer ECOG PS, and higher UISS category. The presence of this histologic variant was an independent predictor of poor survival in patients with localized, but not metastatic, disease. In addition, Ki-67 expression served as a valuable surrogate marker for the presence of histologic tumor necrosis. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Detection of diethylnitrosamine in nitrite-rich water following treatment with rhodamine flow tracers

Abstract Extremely carcinogenic diethylnitrosamine (DENA) was found to form in up to 75% yield from the reaction of nitrite with the two commonly used water tracing dyes. Rhodamine B and Rhodamine WT, DENA was detected at trace levels (0.13–7.02 μg −1 ) in river water samples after treatment with the dye and nitrite. Analysis of these chemically treated environmental water samples required extensive separation techniques prior to acquisition of reliable analytical data using highly sensitive instruments for detection. The occurrence of DENA in nitrite-rich water treated with Rhodamines may pose a health hazard to general populations.