cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simplet-dependent regulation of β-catenin signaling influences skeletal patterning downstream of Cx43.

ABSTRACT The correct positioning of joints in the vertebrate skeleton is not well understood. Mutations in connexin43 ( cx43 ) cause the short segment phenotype of the zebrafish short fin ( sof b123 ) mutant. We have shown that Cx43 suppresses evx1 expression, a transcription factor required for joint formation. Here, we provide novel insights into how Cx43 influences evx1 transcription. First, we find that Simplet (Smp) knockdown recapitulates the sof b123 phenotypes of reduced regenerate length and reduced segment length, and we find evidence for synergy between cx43 and smp . Moreover, knockdown of Smp increases the evx1 expression, similar to cx43 knockdown. Previous studies have shown that Smp is required for the nuclear localization of β-catenin. Indeed, β-catenin activity is required for segment length, and is reduced in both sof b123 mutants and following Smp knockdown in regenerating fins. We further show that blocking canonical Wnt signaling results in a synergistic reduction in segment length in sof b123 /+ heterozygotes. Together, our findings suggest that both Smp and β-catenin function in a common molecular pathway with cx43 to influence both evx1 expression and joint location.
Effect of surface-bulk partitioning on the heterogeneous oxidation of aqueous saccharide aerosols.

The OH-initiated heterogeneous oxidation of mixed saccharide aqueous aerosols is investigated using an atmospheric-pressure flow tube coupled to off-line analysis of the particle composition. For equimolar monosaccharide/disaccharide aqueous aerosol mixtures, the decay of the disaccharide is found to be significantly slower than that of the monosaccharide. Molecular dynamics simulations of the mixed aqueous solutions reveal the formation of a ∼10 A disaccharide exclusion layer below the water surface. A simple chemical model is developed to discuss the possible effect of the disaccharide surface partitioning on the heterogeneous kinetics. The observed decays are consistent with a poor spatial overlap of the OH radical at the interface with the disaccharide in the particle bulk. The effect of partitioning on the heterogeneous oxidation of atmospheric organic aerosols is discussed.
Educational Expectations of Immigrant Students: Does Tracking Matter?:

Immigrants are known to have high expectations to matriculate into college and achieve a college degree. Yet the majority of the studies that examine the educational expectations of immigrant youth...
Reliability of clinical diagnosis of masses of the cerebellopontine angle: A retrospective multi-institutional study.

Abstract Objectives To assess the accuracy of pre-operative diagnosis of masses of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) when compared to surgical pathology. Design Retrospective chart review. Participants Patients who underwent surgery for CPA masses at two tertiary care institutions from 2007 to 2017. Main outcome measures Percent concordance between pre-operative and surgical pathologic diagnosis; sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for predicted diagnoses. Results Concordance between pre-operative diagnosis and surgical pathology was 93.2% in 411 sampled patients. Concordance was 57.9% for masses other than vestibular schwannoma. Prediction of vestibular schwannoma and meningioma had high positive (0.95 and 0.97, respectively) and negative (0.76 and 0.99, respectively) predictive values. Prediction of facial neuroma had sensitivity of 0.13 and positive predictive value of 0.25. Headache (p = 0.001) and facial weakness (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with different pathologic profiles. Hearing loss was associated with differences in diagnostic prediction (p = 0.02) but not with differences in surgical pathology (p > 0.05). Conclusions Comparison between pre-operative predicted diagnosis and surgical pathology for cerebellopontine angle masses is presented. Vestibular schwannoma and meningioma were effectively identified while rarer CPA masses including facial neuroma were rarely identified correctly. Clinicians caring for patients with CPA masses should be mindful of diagnostic uncertainty which may lead to changes in treatment plan or prognosis.
World-Sheets from Super Yang-Mills

discretized AdS5 × S 5 superstring with the kappa-symmetry fixed in the killing gauge and in the expansion corresponding to the weak ’t Hooft coupling expansion in the SYM. We find that some of their properties are identical, although further studies are required to obtain a more precise comparison. Our result suggests a mechanism thorough which the world-sheet emerges dynamically from N = 4 SYM and this enables us to derive the manner in which the AdS5 × S 5 superstring is reproduced in the AdS/CFT correspondence.
How Institutional Contexts Shape Professional Responsibility

In this chapter, I analyze the relationships that professionals have with key stakeholders in their environment and how those relationships facilitate or constrain responsible professional behavior. Beginning with a review of different definitions of professional responsibility, I discuss the importance to professionals of maintaining legitimacy in the eyes of salient stakeholders and the potential sanctions (including access to resources and the continued ability to perform one’s role) that can arise from compliance with stakeholders’ expectations about professional responsibility. To illustrate the complexity of a professional’s stakeholder environment, I develop a stakeholder map through which to identify salient stakeholders based on the closeness of their relationship to the professional, from personal to distant relationships (e.g., from a micro-level “personal” doctor–patient or teacher–student relationship to a macro-level “distant” doctor–insurer or teacher–policymaker relationship). Other influential variations in a professional’s stakeholder relationships are noted, such as relative power between the stakeholder and the professional, as well as the tenure and stability of their relationship. I emphasize that the interests of multiple stakeholders often can conflict with one another, placing incompatible demands on how professionals can or should behave responsibly. The ethical dimension is also discussed, based on the observation that stakeholders with the closest relationship to a professional (i.e., patients and students) are often in the most vulnerable and least powerful position to advocate for their interests vis-a-vis the interests of others in the environment.
Genome-wide association analysis of age-at-onset traits using Cox mixed-effects models

Abstract Age-at-onset is one of the critical phenotypes in cohort studies of age-related diseases. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of age-at-onset can provide more insights into genetic effects on disease progression, and transitions between different stages. Moreover, proportional hazards or Cox regression generally achieves higher statistical power in a cohort study than a binary trait using logistic regression. Although mixed-effects models are widely used in GWAS to correct for population stratification and family structure, application of Cox mixed-effects models (CMEMs) to large-scale GWAS are so far hindered by intractable computational intensity. In this work, we propose COXMEG, an efficient R package for conducting GWAS of age-at-onset using CMEMs. COXMEG introduces fast estimation algorithms for general sparse relatedness matrices including but not limited to block-diagonal pedigree-based matrices. COXMEG also introduces a fast and powerful score test for fully dense relatedness matrices, accounting for both population stratification and family structure. In addition, COXMEG handles positive semidefinite relatedness matrices, which are common in twin and family studies. Our simulation studies suggest that COXMEG, depending on the structure of the relatedness matrix, is 100∼100,000-fold computationally more efficient for GWAS than coxme for a sample consisting of 1000-10,000 individuals. We found that using sparse approximation of relatedness matrices yielded highly comparable performance in controlling false positives and statistical power for an ethnically homogeneous family-based sample. When applying COXMEG to a NIA-LOADFS sample with 3456 Caucasians, we identified the APOE4 variant with strong statistical power (p=1e-101), far more significant than previous studies using a transformed variable and a marginal Cox model. When investigating a multi-ethnic NIA-LOADFS sample including 3456 Caucasians and 287 African Americans, we identified a novel SNP rs36051450 (p=2e-9) near GRAMD1B, the minor allele of which significantly reduced the hazards of AD in both genders. Our results demonstrated that COXMEG greatly facilitates the application of CMEMs in GWAS of age-at-onset phenotypes.
The TRegion Interface and Compiler Optimizations for OpenMP Target Regions

OpenMP is a well established, single-source programming language extension to introduce parallelism into (historically) sequential base languages, namely C/C++ and Fortran. To program not only multi-core CPUs but also many-cores and heavily parallel accelerators, OpenMP 4.0 adopted a flexible offloading scheme inspired by the hierarchy in many GPU designs. The flexible design of the offloading scheme allows to use it in various application scenarios. However, it may also result in a significant performance loss, especially because OpenMP semantics is traditionally interpreted solely in the language front-end as a way to avoid problems with the “sequential-execution-minded” optimization pipeline. Given the limited analysis and transformation capabilities in a modern compiler front-end, the actual syntax used for OpenMP offloading can substantially impact the observed performance. The compiler front-end will always have to favor correct but overly conservative code, if certain facts are not syntactically obvious.
Pediatric Ganglion Cyst Recurrence: Location Isn't the Only Risk Factor.

INTRODUCTION Ganglion cysts represent the most common benign soft-tissue masses of the hand and wrist, most are treated nonoperatively, with relatively few local recurrences. Few studies have identified risk factors for recurrence in the pediatric population. The aim of this study is to identify risks of cyst recurrence and to establish if ultrasonographic imaging aids in the prediction of recurrence. METHODS A single-center retrospective chart review was performed, identifying patients diagnosed with a ganglion cyst of the hand or wrist. Demographic information, cyst characteristics, and ultrasound examination reports were documented. Standard statistical and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS A total of 132 cysts were identified in 126 patients and the average age was 8.5 years old. The most common location was the dorsal wrist (57/132, 43.2%). There were 14 recurrences [11/14, (79%) dorsal wrist, 3/14 (21%) volar wrist, 0/14 (0%) in nonwrist locations]. The risk of recurrence was significantly greater for dorsal wrist cysts than nonwrist locations (odds ratio=18.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 316.65; P=0.048); there was no statistical difference in recurrence rates between dorsal and volar cysts (P=0.15). Recurrence was noted in older patients (12.2 vs. 8.1 y, P<0.001) and those patients with painful masses (P=0.02). Patients undergoing surgical excision had a higher risk of recurrence than those who did not undergo surgical excision (P<0.001). Cyst volume as measured by ultrasound was performed in 37 cysts, with repeat ultrasounds in 12 cases demonstrating a decreased volume of 0.85 cm at baseline to 0.35 cm with repeat examination (P=0.40). In patients that received at least 1 ultrasound, there were no differences in cyst volume between those that recurred and those that did not (P=0.40). CONCLUSIONS Risk factors for recurrence in pediatric patients with a ganglion cyst include older age, symptomatic masses, cysts located around the wrist, and those requiring surgical excision. Ultrasound examination of cyst volume did not predict recurrence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III-therapeutic.
Anomalous chemically induced electron spin polarization in proton-coupled electron transfer reactions: insight into radical pair dynamics

Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy has been used to study the proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) reaction between a ruthenium complex (Ru(bpz)(bpy)2) and several substituted hydroquinones (HQ). After excitation at 355 nm, the HQ moiety forms a strong hydrogen bond to the exposed N atoms in the bpz heterocycle. At some point afterwards, a PCET reaction takes place in which an electron from the O atom of the hydrogen bond transfers to the metal center, and the proton forming the hydrogen bond remains on the bpz ligand N atom. The result is a semiquinone radical (HQ˙), whose TREPR spectrum is strongly polarized by the triplet mechanism (TM) of chemically induced dynamic electron spin polarization (CIDEP). Closer examination of the CIDEP pattern reveals, in some cases, a small amount of radical pair mechanism (RPM) polarization. We hypothesize that when the HQ moiety has electron donating groups (EDGs) substituted on the ring, S–T− RPM polarization is observed in HQ˙. These anomalous intensities are accounted for by spectral simulation using polarization from S–T− mixing. The generation of S–T− RPM is attributed to slow radical separation after PCET due to stabilization of the positive charge on the ring by EDGs. Results from a temperature dependence support the hypothesis.
Characteristics of functional connectivity based on cerebellum at resting state on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective To explore the characteristics of functional connectivity based on cerebellum at resting state and the brain functions related to cognitive function on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Thirty ADHD children (ADHD group) were diagnosed at ADHD Specialist Clinic of Changzhou Children′s Hospital, Nantong University from June 2015 to July 2017, and 33 healthy children (healthy control group) were selected from a normal school in Changzhou.Then, they received the functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) scans.Finally, the differences of the characteristics of functional connectivity were compared between the 2 groups based on cerebellum which had been found with dysfunction on the previous study of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation. Results It all showed positive activated brain regions when comparing ADHD group and healthy control group based on left cerebellum (-49.5, -58.5, -18.5) as ADHD children′s functional connectivity scores were higher in left middle frontal gyrus[volume=835 mm3, coordinate(-27, -21, 51)], right middle frontal gyrus[volume=755 mm3, coordinate(45, -3, 6)], right superior temporal gyrus[volume=256 mm3, coordinate(45, -24, -6)], left limbic lobe[volume=513 mm3, coordinate(-15, -3, -18)], and there were statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (t=4.10, 4.38, 3.97, 3.32, all P<0.05). Conclusions There exist abnormal functional connectivity between cerebellum and left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus and left limbic lobe.It may be one of the brain mechanisms of the main clinical manifestations of the decreasing of attention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness and the dysfunction of cognitive function. Key words: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Cerebellum; Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging; Functional connectivity; Cognitive function
Barriers and supports affecting wellness and academic success of student service members and veterans: An exploration using photo elicitation.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated supports and barriers to academic success and wellness for college student service members and veterans (SSM/V) attending a metropolitan university. Participants and Methods: Two student service members/veterans took three-five photographs depicting their daily experiences over one-three weeks across two academic years. Photo elicitation interviews were conducted to obtain the meaning of these experiences in relation to wellness. Results: Despite initial challenges regarding integration to the college context, participants demonstrated an evolution of positive growth in dimensions of wellness, including the development of new social networks, leisure interests, health habits, and strategies for academic success. Challenges to physical wellness included injuries incurred during deployment that posed temporary barriers to activity engagement. Conclusions: The Transition Theory of Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman provides a framework for understanding the transition of SSM/V, including recommendations for resources relative to the situation, the self, social support, and coping strategies.1.
Chapter: “Health Law and Ethics”

Law and ethics are both essential attributes of a high-functioning health care system and powerful explainers of why the existing system is so difficult to improve. U.S. health law is not seamless; rather, it derives from multiple sources and is based on various theories that may be in tension with one another. There are state laws and federal laws, laws setting standards and laws providing funding, laws reinforcing professional prerogatives, laws furthering social goals, and laws promoting market competition. Complying with law is important, but health professionals also should understand that the legal and ethical constraints under which health systems operate must themselves adapt if health systems science is to advance.
Introduction: Turkey’s National Television in Transnational Context

The Turkish television industry has undergone great transformation during the past three decades and enjoyed unprecedented success among national and transnational audiences alike. This chapter reconsiders the rise of Turkish television as a global player and an emerging national industry from a new theoretical perspective by situating Turkish television within the contemporary global developments of international television markets and within its own national history, economic, political, and cultural dynamics. By providing different examples of key turning points in its history, we offer a brief overview of TV production, distribution, and reception in Turkey since the beginning of the industry. We also illustrate how societal debates around television content, such as Turkish TV dramas (dizis), have ignited the question of representation and caused a struggle over official narratives, resulting in the entwining of the industry and production processes with politics. In our introductory chapter, we argue that with the increasing demand for content and the expansion of access to online TV platforms, emerging TV industries play an intricate and complex role in reshaping global television flows. Therefore, the case of the Turkish TV industry constitutes a significant example for understanding the current structural transformations in global television and sheds light on the interplay between national and transnational production, distribution, and reception processes.
Safety and efficacy of pharmacologic weight loss in patients with cirrhosis.

Background Obesity poses unique risks in patients with advanced liver fibrosis; however, given surgical risks of bariatric surgery in cirrhosis treatment recommendations are currently limited to lifestyle interventions. This study seeks to inform a potential treatment gap by describing the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic weight loss in patients with advanced liver disease. Methods A retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record was conducted for all patients in the Scripps Health system from 2005 to 2017 with established advanced liver fibrosis that were prescribed medications associated with weight loss. The primary outcome was safety as defined by the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Secondary outcomes included total body weight loss, reasons for medication discontinuation, medication adverse events, and hospitalization before and after medication initiation. Results Thirty-eight patients and 63 prescriptions were included in the final analysis. The most frequently prescribed medication associated with weight loss was metformin (63%, n = 24) followed by a GLP-1 agonist (39%, n = 15). There was no significant effect of weight-loss medication on MELD score (p > 0.18) or number of hospitalizations when adjusting for subject (p > 0.26). There was a significant adjusted mean weight loss of 2.2 kg (p 0.05). Conclusion Pharmacologic weight loss in patients with advanced liver fibrosis appears feasible based on preliminary safety and efficacy outcomes in this study. Future prospective studies are warranted to evaluate a potential significant treatment gap in the management of obesity in this vulnerable population.
Influence of Social Acceptability and Product Attributes on Consumers’ Attitude and Intention of Using Smart Apparel

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of social acceptability along with functional, expressive, aesthetic, and tracking attributes on consumers’ attitude and intention of using smart apparel. An online survey was conducted with a nationwide convenience sample of 563 U.S. men and women whose age was 18 years old and over. Participants first watched a short video clip of introducing a smart apparel prototype and then completed the survey. The results demonstrated the importance of considering social acceptability of smart apparel along with functional and expressive attributes to predict consumers’ attitude and intention of its use. Social acceptability along with expressive and tracking attributes were the most significant determinants for predicting consumers’ attitude and intention of using smart apparel. This study assists future researchers to gain better insights into social acceptability for predicting consumers’ expectations of wearable technology.
Alginate and guar gum spray application for improving soil aggregation and soil crust integrity

Abstract The destruction of soil through wind erosion is a common issue across the world, but especially for arid and semi-arid regions that deal with water scarcity. The cost due to wind erosion, on and off-site is gravely concerning; requiring both innovative and easily implemented methods to prevent this loss of non-renewable resource. The determining factor of soil loss due to wind erosion is the soil aggregate size, i.e. smaller aggregates are easier to move than large ones. The application of the polysaccharide spray strengthens the soil crust binding soil particles together protecting topsoil from wind erosion. Sprayable polysaccharide solutions applied to soil significantly increased the mean size aggregate diameter of soils 1.5 times thus reducing their susceptibility to wind erosion. The polysaccharide spray application also significantly increased the mechanical strength of the soil indicating an increase in soil crust integrity when applied. We determined the aggregation of the soil is dependent on the infiltration of the spray through the topsoil.
Hurvich, Leo Maurice 1910–2009

Leo Maurice Hurvich was born in Malden, Massachusetts on September 11, 1910. He obtained his undergraduate and doctoral degrees (1936) from Harvard University. He remained at Harvard as a researcher until 1947, investigating distance perception with his future wife Dorothea Jameson and others, a subject of particular interest during the Second World War.
School commute time, chronotype, and altered HPA axis functioning during adolescence.

Abstract Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal gland (HPA) axis functioning has been linked with daily demands during adolescence. A ubiquitous, yet understudied daily demand in the lives of youth is the commute to school, which may be associated with the diurnal rhythm of cortisol as demonstrated in prior research among adults. The current study hypothesized that longer school commute times would be associated with altered HPA axis functioning as demonstrated by a heightened cortisol awakening response (CAR) and flatter diurnal slope. Additionally, given that the HPA axis follows a diurnal rhythm and adolescence is marked by changes in the circadian rhythm, adolescents with a more evening chronotype were hypothesized to evince even more altered HPA axis functioning in the face of long school commute times. A total of 269 adolescents (M = 16.38 years, SD = 0.74) provided saliva samples at wake, 15-min. post-wake, and 30-min. post-wake for the calculation of CAR and at dinnertime and bedtime for the calculation of diurnal slope, completed up to 8 nights of sleep actigraphy, and self-reported school commute time. Results suggest that more evening chronotype youth with longer school commute times evince a higher CAR, but not an altered diurnal slope. The present findings may have implications for adolescent mental health as higher CAR has been associated poor mental health and heightened stress.
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on healthcare-associated infections in 2020: A summary of data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on healthcare-associated infection (HAI) incidence in US hospitals, national- and state-level standardized infection ratios (SIRs) were calculated for each quarter in 2020 and compared to those from 2019. METHODS: Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), ventilator-associated events (VAEs), select surgical site infections, and Clostridioides difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia laboratory-identified events reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network for 2019 and 2020 by acute-care hospitals were analyzed. SIRs were calculated for each HAI and quarter by dividing the number of reported infections by the number of predicted infections, calculated using 2015 national baseline data. Percentage changes between 2019 and 2020 SIRs were calculated. Supporting analyses, such as an assessment of device utilization in 2020 compared to 2019, were also performed. RESULTS: Significant increases in the national SIRs for CLABSI, CAUTI, VAE, and MRSA bacteremia were observed in 2020. Changes in the SIR varied by quarter and state. The largest increase was observed for CLABSI, and significant increases in VAE incidence and ventilator utilization were seen across all 4 quarters of 2020. CONCLUSIONS: This report provides a national view of the increases in HAI incidence in 2020. These data highlight the need to return to conventional infection prevention and control practices and build resiliency in these programs to withstand future pandemics.
SU-E-T-369: Evaluating Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy Relative to Passive Scattering Proton Therapy for Increased Vertebral Column Sparing in CSI of Pediatric Patients

Purpose: To investigate the trade-off between vertebral column sparing and thecal-sac target coverage in craniospinal irradiation (CSI) of pediatric patients treated with passive-scattering (PS) and intensity modulated (IMPT) proton therapy. Methods: We selected 2 pediatric patients treated with PS CSI for medulloblastoma. Spinal irradiation was re-planned with IMPT. For all cases, we assumed prescription dose of 23.4 Gy(RBE), with the spinal canal receiving at least 95% of 23.4 Gy(RBE). PS planning was performed using the commercial system XiO. IMPT planning was done using the Astroid planning system. Beam arrangements consisted of (a) PS posterior-anterior (PA) field, PS-PA, (b) IMPT PA field, IMPT-PA, and (c) two posterior oblique IMPT fields, IMPT2 (-35°, 35°). Dose distributions were re-calculated using TOPAS Monte Carlo, along with LET distributions, to investigate LET variations within the target and vertebra anatomy. Variable RBE-weighed dose distributions were also calculated based on a dose and LET-dependent biophysical model. Dosimetric data were compared among the plans for the target volume, spinal cord and adjacent critical organs (thecal-sac and cauda equina). Results: IMPT2 resulted in better sparing of the posterior vertebral column (entrance region posterior to thecal-sac), where planned dose was approximately 6–8Gy(RBE). For IMPT-PA and PS-PA the MC-calculated dose to the posterior vertebral column was, on average, 20Gy and 18Gy respectively. For IMPT2 higher mean-LET (5keV/µm/(g/cm3)) values were observed in anterior vertebral column (beyond the thecal-sac) relative to IMPT-PA and PS-PA, where mean-LET was 3.5keV/µm/(g/cm3) and 2.5keV/µm/(g/cm3) respectively. The higher LET region observed for both IMPT plans was in the distal end of treatment fields, where dose delivered was less 5Gy(RBE). Conclusion: The two-oblique proton beams IMPT2 best spared the spinal column, while reducing the dose to the posterior spinal column from 18–20 to 6–8 Gy(RBE). The best LET distribution was obtained with the PS-PA fields.
Forecasting long-term electric price volatility for valuation of real power options

In a competitive market wholesale electricity prices drive the value of generating assets, wholesale contracts, and retail commitments. Forward prices for power unambiguously set the current value of these assets, but as in most commodity markets these prices exhibit extreme volatility. Understanding this price volatility helps quantify the risks of market participation, but also is critical to valuing options conditional on those prices. When these volatilities are unknown due to thin forward markets and a lack of price history forecasting them accurately has great business value. This paper outlines a structural approach to estimating market volatility and demonstrates its application to valuing a real option, in this case a gas-fired peaking generating unit.
Static and quasi-dynamic load balancing in parallel FDTD codes for signal integrity, power integrity, and packaging applications

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is a robust technique for calculating electromagnetic fields, but practical problems, involving complex or large geometries, can require a long time to calculate on any one single-processor computer. One computer with many processors or many single-processor computers can reduce the computation time. However, some FDTD cell types, e.g., PML cells, require more computation time than others. Thus, the size and shape of the individual process allocations can significantly influence the computation time. This paper addresses these load balancing issues with static and quasi-dynamic approaches. The message-passing interface (MPI) library is applied to a three-dimensional (3D) FDTD code. Timing results including speedup and efficiency, are presented for trials run on a cluster of sixteen processing nodes and one server node. Two examples are shown in this paper, a power bus with 16 decoupling capacitors and a five layer power distribution network. In such models, the problem size and complexity make modeling with a serial code impractical and time consuming for engineering. Models with several million cells take days to run, but proper implementation, including load balancing, can reduce this execution time to hours on a sufficiently powerful cluster.
MEMS optical position sensor for sun tracking

We demonstrate a sun tracking sensor fabricated in the MultiMEMS SensoNor process. The sensor uses a quadrant photodetector to determine the position of a projected shadow. Differential measurement of pairs of photodiodes allows simultaneous dual-axis readings. The sensing structure was manufactured in the commercial MultiMEMS process, so it can be easily reproduced in large quantities. The device was tested from −45° to +45° to verify performance. Results show a linear correlation between a mapped output and angle of incident light with an R2 value of 0.995. The small size, robust structure, and minimal post-processing make it well-suited for sun tracking applications.
Uncertainty quantification of multidimensional dynamical systems based on adaptive numerical solutions of the Liouville equation

Abstract Propagation of uncertainty in multidimensional dynamical systems, in the presence of parametric uncertainties, can be quantified by the solution of the underlying Liouville equation that governs the evolution of a multivariate joint probability density function of random variables associated with states and parameters. In this paper we propose an efficient numerical solution of the Liouville equation that involves (a) sampling at Gauss-quadrature nodes of random variables corresponding to uncertain parameters and (b) evolution of the associated conditional probability density functions using a finite difference method with time-adaptive computational domains in multiple dimensions. The proposed approach is designed to accurately predict long-time statistics of random variables corresponding to system states, including moments and probability density function, for dynamical systems of moderate dimension. The proposed approach is applied to four different dynamical systems, including (i) single spring–mass system, (ii) Van der Pol oscillator, (iii) double spring–mass system and (iv) a typical section nonlinear aeroelastic model. When compared to a conventional finite difference based numerical solution on a fixed grid, the solution obtained from the proposed adaptive grid based approach involves a considerable reduction in the required number of grid points for equivalent accuracy. For the single spring–mass system, for which an analytical solution is found, comparison with Monte Carlo simulation results indicates that the proposed adaptive numerical solution approach is generally one to two orders of magnitude more computationally efficient for a given level of accuracy.
Vestibular influences on autonomic cardiovascular control in humans

There is substantial evidence that anatomical connections exist between vestibular and autonomic nuclei. Animal studies have shown functional interactions between the vestibular and autonomic systems. The nature of these interactions, however, is complex and has not been fully defined. Vestibular stimulation has been consistently found to reduce blood pressure in animals. Given the potential interaction between vestibular and autonomic pathways this finding could be explained by a reduction in sympathetic activity. However, rather than sympathetic inhibition, vestibular stimulation has consistently been shown to increase sympathetic outflow in cardiac and splanchnic vascular beds in most experimental models. Several clinical observations suggest that a link between vestibular and autonomic systems may also exist in humans. However, direct evidence for vestibular/autonomic interactions in humans is sparse. Motion sickness has been found to induce forearm vasodilation and reduce baroreflex gain, and head down neck flexion induces transient forearm and calf vasoconstriction. On the other hand, studies using optokinetic stimulation have found either very small, variable, or inconsistent changes in heart rate and blood pressure, despite substantial symptoms of motion sickness. Furthermore, caloric stimulation severe enough to produce nystagmus, dizziness, and nausea had no effect on sympathetic nerve activity measured directly with microneurography. No effect was observed on heart rate, blood pressure, or plasma norepinephrine. Several factors may explain the apparent discordance of these results, but more research is needed before we can define the potential importance of vestibular input to cardiovascular regulation and orthostatic tolerance in humans.
African American kindergartners' spoken narratives: Topic associating and topic centered styles☆

Abstract This article discusses narrative styles of 48 African American low-income urban kindergartners. The starting point for this study was the work of Michaels (1981,1986, 1991) who found that during a classroom activity known as “sharing time,” African American first-graders tended to produce narratives that did not cohere around single topics but around a series of loosely and often unclearly related episodes, a style Michaels called topic associating. This was in contrast to the Caucasian first-graders who tended to use a topic centered style. The results of the study presented here, however, reveal that of the 48 kindergarten children, 16 told topic associating stories and 28 told topic centered stories. Although storybook and fairy tale themes and structures were present across the two narrative styles, they were found most clearly in 9 of the topic centered narratives. Results show that although the patterns that Michaels reported were indeed found with these younger, urban, African American children in an uninterrupted storytelling context, these patterns were not the dominant ones. Examples of the styles are discussed, paying particular attention to the thematic and structural characteristics in the topic associating style. Issues concerning contexts for speech and literacy in the classrooms of these and other U.S. students are discussed.
Convergence of Rad6/Rad18 and Fanconi Anemia Tumor Suppressor Pathways upon DNA Damage

Extremely high cancer incidence associated with patients with Fanconi anemia (FA) suggests the importance of the FA signaling pathway in the suppression of non-FA human tumor development. Indeed, we found that an impaired FA signaling pathway substantially contributes to the development of non-FA human tumors. However, the mechanisms underlying the function of the FA pathway remain less understood. Using RNA interfering approach in combining with cell proliferation and reporter assays, we showed that the function of FA signaling pathway is at least partly mediated through coupling with hRad6/hRad18 signaling (HHR6 pathway). We previously reported that FANCD2 monoubiquitination, a hallmark of the FA pathway activation, can be regulated by HHR6. Here we found that hRad18 can also regulate activation of the FA pathway. More importantly, we found that FANCD2 is capable of modulating activity of DNA translesion synthesis polymerase eta, an effector of HHR6 pathway. These results provide novel insights into how the FA pathway is intertwined with HHR6 pathway to maintain chromosomal stability and suppress the development of human cancer, representing an important conceptual advance in the field of FA cancer research.
Geometric design of functional surfaces

Abstract The design of geometric shapes with physical constraints, such as hydrodynamic and aerodynamic constraints reflecting the functionality of the shapes, remains an important problem in cagd . This paper presents a method to design surfaces by incorporating physical constraints involving surface normal vectors. The design of functional surfaces is formulated as a linear problem using vector calculus. The final surface is an integral non-uniform B-spline surface, which is the solution of the linear equation system resulting from the least-squares fitting of the given grid points and the normal vectors at these points. The geometric design of propeller blade surfaces in conjunction with hydrodynamic analysis illustrates the method.
Frontal Blood Flow Changes in Recovery From Coma

Two-dimensional studies of cortical blood flow were conducted in 20 closed head injury patients in a comatose state and subsequently in 9 patients as they recovered to an awake and responding state. Comatose patients showed a reduction of frontal flow compared to the resting pattern observed in age matched normal volunteers. In most patients the normal anterior-to-posterior flow gradient was reversed. Increases in global flow, while in coma, tended to exaggerate this reversal. Patients who survived showed a normalization of the regional flow pattern as they regained consciousness. The marked reduction of frontal blood flow in the comatose state was independent of locus of injury as determined by computed tomography (CT) scan data. Combined with previous CBF studies of sensory and cognitive activation, these findings suggest that frontal reduction may be a nonspecific effect of any state or condition involving reduced directed mental activity. This, in turn, raises questions about recent interpretations of...
Clinical applications of preferential looking measures of visual acuity.

Abstract We have undertaken 3 lines of research aimed at the eventual transformation of the laboratory-based preferential looking (PL) acuity-testing procedures into clinically-useful techniques. (1) The first line of research involves studies of the parameters of PL testing, and the establishing of norms for various groups. The results show that acuity development is closely tied to gestational age, that infants' acuity is reduced at low luminances but does not vary significantly at levels above 1 log cd/m 2 , and that monocular acuity is poorer than previously-published binocular acuity norms. (2) The second line involves the development of a shortened procedure (the ‘diagnostic grating’ procedure) that maximizes the certainty of gaining the most critical information from an infant in a short time. In this procedure, the infant is tested with a low spatial frequency grating to screen for blindness or total lack of visual response, and another grating of a spatial frequency that is diagnostic of normal acuity for children of the patient's age. Based on the results with these two gratings and the time available, the child is then tested with other gratings to refine the acuity estimate. (3) The third line of research involves using the procedure, in a laboratory setting, with individual infants and children at risk for visual acuity deficits. Longitudinal case histories of patients with strabismus, ptosis, and suspected blindness are presented.
Recognition of ten base pairs of DNA by head-to-head hairpin dimers.

Hairpin polyamides coupled head-to head with alkyl linkers of varying lengths were synthesized, and their DNA binding properties were determined. The DNA binding affinities of six-ring hairpin dimers Im-Im-Py-(R)[Im-Im-Py-(R)^(HNCO(CH)nCO)γ-Py-Py-Py-β-Dp]^(NH)γ-Im-Py-Py-β-Dp (1−4) (where n = 1−4) for their 10-bp, 11-bp, and 12-bp match sites 5‘-TGGCATACCA-3‘, 5‘-TGGCATTACCA-3‘, and 5‘-TGGCATATACCA-3‘ were determined by quantitative DNase I footprint titrations. The most selective dimer Im-Im-Py-(R)[Im-Im-Py-(R)^(HNCO(CH2)2CO)γ-Py-Py-Py-β-Dp]^(NH)γ-Im-Py-Py-β-Dp (2) binds the 10-bp site match site with an equilibrium association constant of K_a = 7.5 × 10^(10) M^(-1) and displays 25- and 140-fold selectivity over the 11-bp and 12-bp match sites, respectively. The affinity toward single base pair mismatched sequences is 4- to 8-fold lower if one hairpin module of the dimer is affected, but close to 200-fold lower if both hairpin modules face a single mismatch base pair. The head-to-head hairpin dimer motif expands the binding site size of DNA sequences targetable with polyamides.
Failure to sustain recovery of Na,K-ATPase function is a possible mechanism for striatal neurodegeneration in hypoxic–ischemic newborn piglets

Abstract Hypoxia–ischemia (HI) in the newborn can lead to a variety of sensorimotor abnormalities, including movement and posture disorders. Striatal neurons undergo necrosis after HI in piglets, but mechanisms for this neuronal death are not understood. We tested the hypothesis that Na,K-ATPase is defective in striatum early after HI. Piglets (1 week old) were subjected to 30 min hypoxia (arterial oxygen saturation 30%) and then 7 min of airway occlusion (oxygen saturation 5%), producing asphyxic cardiac arrest. Animals were resuscitated and recovered for 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Neuronal necrosis in the striatum is progressive [14] . Na,K-ATPase activity (percent of control) was 60, 98, 51, and 54% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after HI, respectively. Intrastriatal differences in enzyme activity were detected histochemically, with the putamen showing greater loss of Na,K-ATPase activity than caudate after 12 h recovery. Immunoblotting showed that the levels of the α 3 isoform (localized exclusively to neurons) were 85, 115, 101, and 79% of sham control at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Levels of β 1 , the predominant β isoform, were similar to α 3 , while levels of the α 1 subunit, the catalytic isoform found in neurons and glia, were 182, 179, 226, and 153% at the same recovery times. We conclude that early inactivation of Na,K-ATPase function participates in the pathogenesis of striatal neuron necrosis, but that loss of enzyme function early after HI is not caused by depletion of composite α/β subunits.
Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in resonance‐stabilized systems

The 3-substituted-2-methoxybenzoic acid system exhibits resonance-stabilized intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the 2-methoxy oxygen and the adjacent carboxylic acid. This intramolecular hydrogen bond can be disrupted by adding another substituent with variable size on the neighboring 3-position of the ring. To relieve steric strain, the system must sacrifice hydrogen bonding and/or resonance stabilization. Full-energy optimizations have been done at HF/D95V (valence double-zeta Dunning–Huzinaga), HF/6-31G* (Pople), HF/D95 (full double-zeta Dunning–Huzinaga), HF/D95V(d, p), and HF/6-31+G(d, p). Further single-point calculations were done at MP2/D95V, MP2/6-31G*, MP2/D95, MP2/D95V(d, p), and MP2/6-31+G(d, p). The thermal populations of various conformational states including the hydrogen-bonding conformation are presented. The computational results were compared with the experimental thermal population of hydrogen bonding determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. Results indicate that polarization of the second-row elements in intramolecular hydrogen bonding and perturbation-theory calculations that correct for electron correlations are very important for intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Adding polarization and diffuse functions to the hydrogens, while useful, are quite costly for these systems and do not seem to be as important. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 70: 863–875, 1998
Depression of constitutive murine cytochromes P450 by staphylococcal enterotoxin B.

Most in vivo studies demonstrating decreased activities of hepatic cytochromes P450 with inflammation have used Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as the inflammatory stimulant. But products of Gram-positive bacteria, such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), also stimulate inflammatory mediators, albeit with a different pattern than LPS. Therefore, effects of SEB on the regulation of murine constitutive P450s were determined in this study and compared with those of LPS. LPS-responsive C3H/HeN and LPS-unresponsive C3H/HeJ mice were injected with either LPS (0.5 mg/kg) or SEB (0.66 to 6.6 mg/kg), and hepatic cytochromes P450 and serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, nitrate/nitrite, and serum amyloid A concentrations were determined up to 24 hr. HeJ mice were generally less responsive than HeN mice to both stimuli, with lower cytokine, nitrate/nitrite, and serum amyloid A responses. However, in both mouse strains SEB caused more prolonged cytokine, higher nitrate/nitrite, and lower serum amyloid A concentrations than LPS. Despite these differences, in HeN mice, after both SEB and LPS administration, total P450 concentrations were equally depressed by 40%. Both SEB and LPS depressed CYP1A1 and 1A2 microsomal protein concentrations by 45 and 30%, respectively; CYP2E1 by 64%; and CYP3A by 70%. There was comparable inhibition of enzymatic activities. In HeJ mice, SEB was only slightly more effective in depressing P450s than LPS, as might be expected. These data showed that the Gram-positive bacterial inflammatory stimulant SEB caused effects on murine hepatic cytochromes P450 similar to those of LPS, even though the pattern of inflammatory mediators induced after SEB exposure was different.
Research directions for coevolution of rules and routers

Design rules in advanced IC manufacturing processes are increasingly problematic for modern router architectures and algorithms. This paper first reviews types and causes of "difficult" design rules, as well as implications for current routing approaches. Next, some basic router components are assessed with respect to future viability. Last, the paper discusses prospects for future "coevolution" of design rules and detailed routing methods.