cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Delayed Transition to Oral Feeding in Infants with Single Ventricle Physiology.

Objectives To describe the duration of time to achieve exclusive oral feeding in infants with single ventricle physiology and to identify risk factors associated with prolonged gastrostomy tube dependence. Study design Single center, retrospective study of infants with single ventricle physiology. The primary outcome was duration of time required to achieve oral feeding. Transition periods were defined as exclusive oral feeding by Glenn palliation (early), by 1 year of age (mid), or after 1 year of age (late). Results Seventy-eight infants were analyzed; 46 (59%) were discharged to home with a gastrostomy tube after the initial hospitalization. Overall, 39 infants (50%) achieved early transition, 14 (18%) mid, and 18 (23%) late. The group who achieved early transition had a higher percentage of preoperative oral feeding (P Conclusion Preoperative oral feeding may potentially be a modifiable factor to help improve early transition to oral feeding.
El momento Mitre: Retórica y aporías de una república liberal nacionalista rioplatense

Fil: Olivares, Nicolas Emanuel. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Centro de Investigaciones Juridicas y Sociales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Centro de Investigaciones Juridicas y Sociales; Argentina
Localized juvenile spongiotic gingival hyperplasia: A report of 27 cases

Author(s): Wang, Michael Z; Jordan, Richard C | Abstract: BackgroundLocalized juvenile spongiotic gingival hyperplasia (LJSGH) is a poorly understood but distinctive inflammatory hyperplasia occurring in children and young adults. Fewer than 100 cases have been reported since its initial description.MethodsDuring the period of 2015 to 2018, cases of LJSGH were identified, retrieved and their clinical and histopathological data reviewed.ResultsThere were 27 cases, with a median age of 13 years (range 7-72 years). Twenty-four of 27 patients were less than 20 years old, and in three cases the patients were over 60 years of age. The most commonly affected site was the anterior maxillary gingiva presenting as a solitary, red, and papillated lesion. Typical microscopic findings included elevated areas of variably acanthotic, spongiotic nonkeratinized epithelium with elongated rete ridges, accompanied by a neutrophilic-rich infiltrate. An abrupt transition between epithelium affected by LJSGH and normal mucosa was characteristic. LJSGH typically exhibited full-thickness epithelial expression of CK19 without expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors.ConclusionsThe clinical and histopathologic characteristics of LJSGH are unique and consistent. Despite the name, the condition is not limited to juveniles and can occur in adults. LJSGH in adults and juveniles shares the same spectrum of histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings.
Analyzing Visible Light Communication Through Air–Water Interface

In underwater wireless networks (UWNs), conventionally there is no direct communication between an underwater node and a remote command center. A floating base-station is often used to serve as an interface to a UWN; such a base-station would typically have both acoustic and radio modems to communicate with underwater nodes and off-shore centers, respectively. Although employing an airborne base-station would avoid the logistically-complicated surface nodes deployment, communication across the air-water interface becomes the main challenge since it involves two mediums. This paper promotes a novel way to interconnect UWNs to airborne base-stations through visible light communication (VLC) links. The paper analyzes the viability of VLC across the air-water interface by determining the coverage area and intensity inside the water for a light transmitter placed in the air. We show that enough intensity can be achieved for VLC communication even in the presence of a wavy water surface. We then provide guidelines for using single and multiple light sources to establish robust VLC links under rough environmental conditions like high water current and turbidity. Our approach is validated using simulation and a lab experiment is done to validate the simulation result for flat water surfaces.
A CMOS Photonic Optical PAM4 Transmitter Linearized using Three-Segment Ring Modulator

A scheme to realize Optical PAM-4 transmitter by driving a three-segment microring modulator with tunable voltage-mode drivers is presented. This proposed scheme provides linearly spaced PAM-4 levels and is further categorized into two schemes, namely higher "0" and lower "1" tuning. The two schemes are verified using co-simulation of voltage-mode drivers implemented in 65nm CMOS and Verilog-A compact models for photonic components based on a silicon photonic process from IMEC. Also, the robustness of our proposed scheme can be proved by achieving high linearity when phase-shifter length variation is present.
Reducing Energy Losses at the Organic–anode-buffer Interface of Organic Photovoltaics

Understanding the sources of energy loss in organic photovoltaic cells can ultimately lead to increasing their power-conversion efficiency. Here we explore energy losses at the interface between an archetype structure comprising a vacuum-deposited tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene/${\mathrm{C}}_{70}$ bulk-heterojunction active layer and several anode buffer layers (ABLs) using a combination of experimental and computational tools. The composition of the active organic region adjacent to the ABL interface is controlled independently from that in the bulk to determine energy losses that are attributed to charge transfer between the organic active region and the ABL. The open-circuit voltage (${V}_{\mathrm{OC}}$) can be varied over a range of 120 meV without affecting the short-circuit current and fill factor by growing an interface layer whose composition ranges from 100% ${\mathrm{C}}_{70}$ to 0% ${\mathrm{C}}_{70}$ in tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene at the active-region--ABL interface. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to quantitatively evaluate the magnitude of the interfacial energy loss and change in ${V}_{\mathrm{OC}}$ with various interface-layer compositions. When the interface layer consists of neat ${\mathrm{C}}_{70}$ that permits nondissipative hole tunneling into the ABL, the interfacial energy loss is reduced and ${V}_{\mathrm{OC}}$ increases by 20--40 mV compared with conventional devices with a homogenous mixed active region.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate activates the MAP3K1-JNK pathway to promote epithelial movement and morphogenesis

MAP 3 kinase 1 (MAP3K1) plays an essential role in embryonic eyelid development. It regulates epithelial morphogenesis through the spatial-temporal activation of Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), resulting in forward progression of the embryonic eyelid epithelial cells to enable eyelid closure. The developmental signals that activate the MAP3K1-JNK pathway are still unknown, mainly due to the lack of suitable keratinocyte lines to elucidate the mechanisms of pathway regulation. To address this deficiency, we developed a straightforward method for long-term culture of mouse keratinocytes in feeder-free conditions using Ca2+-free media. Cells grown under these conditions displayed characteristic basal epithelial morphology and keratin 14 expression, but did not form tight- or adherens-junctions. Increased extracellular Ca2+ levels restored the formation of cell-cell junctions. Using keratinocyte lines derived from wild type and Map3k1-deficient mice, we found that sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) activated the JNK-c-JUN pathways in a manner dependent on MAP3K1 kinase activity and that this MAP3K1-mediated signaling led to epithelial cell migration. The in vivo roles of this pathway were examined through crossing of genetic mutant mice. Loss-of-function of the S1P receptor (S1pr) 2/3 became haploinsufficient only when combined with Map3k1 and Jnk1 mutations such that the compound mutants displayed eyelid closure defects, suggesting these gene products cooperated in eye morphogenesis. Results of this work establish the S1PR-MAP3K1-JNK pathway as a crucial signaling mechanism for epithelial cell movement and morphogenesis.
Association of Allostatic Load with All-Cause and Cancer Mortality by Race and Body Mass Index in the REGARDS Cohort

Among 29,701 Black and White participants aged 45 years and older in the Reasons forGeographic and Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS) study, allostatic load (AL) was defined asthe sum score of established baseline risk-associated biomarkers for which participants exceeded aset cutoff point. Cox proportional hazard regression was utilized to determine the association of ALscore with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality, with analyses stratified by body-mass index, agegroup, and race. At baseline, Blacks had a higher AL score compared with Whites (Black mean ALscore: 2.42, SD: 1.50; White mean AL score: 1.99, SD: 1.39; p < 0.001). Over the follow-up period,there were 4622 all-cause and 1237 cancer-specific deaths observed. Every unit increase in baselineAL score was associated with a 24% higher risk of all-cause (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.27) and a 7%higher risk of cancer-specific mortality (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.12). The association of AL withoverall- and cancer-specific mortality was similar among Blacks and Whites and across age-groups,however the risk of cancer-specific mortality was higher among normal BMI than overweight orobese participants. In conclusion, a higher baseline AL score was associated with increased risk ofall-cause and cancer-specific mortality among both Black and White participants. Targetedinterventions to patient groups with higher AL scores, regardless of race, may be beneficial as astrategy to reduce all-cause and cancer-specific mortality.
A systematic review of intensive outpatient care programs for high-need, high-cost patients

Five percent of the patient population accounts for 50% of U.S. healthcare expenditures. High-need, high-cost patients are medically complex for numerous reasons, often including behavioral health needs. Intensive outpatient care programs (IOCPs) are emerging, innovative clinics which provide patient-centered care leveraging multidisciplinary teams. The overarching goals of IOCPs are to reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations (and related costs), and improve care continuity and patient outcomes. The purpose of this review was to examine the effectiveness of IOCPs on multiple outcomes to inform clinical care. A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify articles. Six studies were included that varied in rigor of research design, analysis, and measurement of outcomes. Most studies reported results on healthcare utilization (n = 4) and costs (n = 3), with fewer reporting results on patient-reported and health-related outcomes (n = 2). Overall, there were decreasing trends in emergency department visits and hospitalizations. However, results on healthcare utilization varied based on time of follow-up, with shorter follow-up times yielding more significant results. Two of the three studies that evaluated costs found significant reductions associated with IOCPs, and the third was cost-neutral. Two studies reported improvements in patient-reported outcomes (e.g., satisfaction, depression, and anxiety). Overall, these programs reported positive impacts on healthcare utilization and costs; however, few studies evaluated patient characteristics and behaviors (e.g., engagement in care) which may serve as key mechanisms of program effectiveness. Future research should examine patient characteristics, behaviors, and clinic engagement metrics to inform clinical practice.
Epidural Steroid Injections

The incidence of lower back or neck pain and related radicular pain has become increasingly common throughout the industrialized and developing world. Epidural injections for management of back pain and radicular pain have been performed for decades. It is the most commonly utilized intervention for managing chronic and acute lower back pain. Improvement in anatomic knowledge, coupled by major advances in medical equipment and imaging devices, has led to rapid growth in use of epidural steroid injections beyond the lower back pain treatment. Cervical, thoracic, and sacral anatomic sites are becoming more utilized to target spine pain by interventional clinicians. This chapter describes patient selection; indications and contraindications; techniques and anatomic considerations for interlaminar, transforaminal, and caudal approaches; complications; and the scientific evidence behind these procedures.
The courtship dance of a lesser bird of paradise figured in J. E. Gray's Illustrations of Indian zoology (1830–1835)

Thomas Hardwicke's acquisition of drawings of the lesser bird of paradise (Paradisaea minor) and the subsequent publication of his painting of the male bird performing its elaborate courtship ritua...
Using Ultrasound Color Doppler Twinkling to Identify Biopsy Markers in the Breast and Axilla.

Abstract In breast radiology, ultrasound detection of biopsy markers or clips for localization purposes is often challenging, especially in the axilla. The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that the surface roughness of biopsy clips would elicit a twinkling signature on color Doppler, making them more readily identifiable by ultrasound. Ultrasound color Doppler imaging of 12 biopsy markers was performed and consensus scoring of the degree of twinkling (0 [no twinkling] to 4 [exuberant twinkling]) was obtained for each of the markers. The surface roughness characteristics of the markers were measured using 3-D coherence scanning interferometry. The 3 markers scoring at least 3 for twinkling in vitro were cork, Q and Vision. Of these 3 markers, only the cork marker scored a 4 ex vivo and in cadaveric tissue. Surface roughness metrics demonstrated a positive estimated correlation with the twinkling scores (rho = 0.33, 95% CI = [–0.48 to 0.84]). Of the 12 markers tested, the markers that twinkled corresponded to surface roughness measured with non-contact 3-D optical imaging. Qualitatively, lower color scales and color frequencies optimized twinkling, but the most specific qualitative predictor of confidence in twinkling was insensitivity to changes in color scale and color frequency values.
Acute Palliative Physical Therapy Services for a Patient With Metastatic Rectal Cancer and Subsequent Spinal Cord Compression.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths with approximately 40%-50% of people diagnosed experiencing subsequent metastases. Surgery is the only curative treatment for colorectal cancer, although chemotherapy and radiation are often used neoadjuvantly or adjuvantly to decrease recurrence rates and improve survival. Many individuals experience adverse effects and physical impairments secondary to extensive medical treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this case is to signify the important role of physical therapy in the continuum of care of a patient diagnosed with metastatic rectal cancer and subsequent spinal cord compression. The patient was a 70-year-old male admitted to the hospital for lower extremity (LE) numbness and weakness secondary to metastatic rectal cancer. Seventeen months prior to hospitalization, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer and underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation followed by laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection with posterior prostatectomy en bloc with a colostomy. Adjuvant chemotherapy included FOLFIRI. While hospitalized, the patient experienced spinal cord compression secondary to metastasis and elected decompressive laminectomy with discectomy for palliation. Due to the poor prognosis of metastatic rectal cancer, the patient's functional mobility and independence declined throughout hospitalization. The patient was able to achieve one of two personal goals; he was able to tolerate sitting in an upright position for his daughter's wedding but unfortunately did not return home prior to expiration. Although the patient suffered eventual mortality, consistent physical therapy allowed him to achieve a major life goal, serving as an important motivator and improved quality of life (QoL) even in end-of-life conditions. Unfortunately, physical therapy services are often overlooked and under-utilized in patients with terminal conditions receiving palliative care, despite the growing body of literature supporting the benefits. By utilizing rehabilitation in reverse as well as skilled maintenance, physical therapy assists in maintaining mobility and achieving personal goals of individuals with terminal cancer, thus improving QoL even with a poor prognosis.
Quantized critical supercurrent in SrTiO 3 -based quantum point contacts

Superconductivity in SrTiO3 occurs at remarkably low carrier densities and therefore, unlike conventional superconductors, can be controlled by electrostatic gates. Here, we demonstrate nanoscale w...
Villous adenomas of the duodenum

Abstract A patient with multiple villous adenomas of the duodenum is described. Endoscopy plays an essential role in the management of these neoplasms. If no evidence of invasive malignancy is found on multiple endoscopic biopsies, wide local excision is the initial procedure of choice. Invasive malignancy found in either the endoscopic biopsy or the surgical specimen is indication for pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Fanconi Anemia: Prenatal Diagnosis in 30 Fetuses at Risk

We report our experience, since 1978, with prenatal diagnosis in fetuses at risk for Fanconi anemia. Amniotic fluid cells from 30 fetuses from 24 families were monitored for baseline and diepoxybutane-induced chromosomal breakage. Seven of the fetuses at risk were diagnosed as affected; baseline and diepoxybutane-induced breakage ranged from 0.18 to 0.45 and 0.69 to 0.96 breaks per cell, respectively. The range of baseline and diepoxybutane-induced chromosomal breakage in amniocytes from the 23 pregnancies at risk that were diagnosed prenatally as unaffected ranged from 0 to 0.08 and 0 to 0.13 breaks per cell, respectively. Four of these cases were also diagnosed as normal on the basis of chromosomal breakage studies in cells obtained by chorionic villus sampling. The range of baseline and diepoxybutane-induced breakage in cells from five control fetuses was 0 to 0.05 and 0 to 0.10 breaks per cell, respectively. Of the pregnancies diagnosed as affected, two were carried to term, whereas five were terminated. One newborn and two abortuses had congenital malformations including abnormalities of the thumb and radius. The other affected live-born infant, now 5 1/2 years old, has severe growth retardation and pancytopenia. No Fanconi anemia-associated malformations were found in any of the other fetuses or newborns studied. In all cases in which tissue was available for study, diagnoses were confirmed by chromosome breakage studies. This method thus permits reliable detection of Fanconi anemia.
Generation of a different type of .BETA.-kallikrein from porcine pancreatic .ALPHA.-kallikrein by the action of chymotrypsin - Observation of proteolytic processing occurring around "kallikrein autolysis loop" region.

The generation of a different type of β-kallikrein, designated Cβ-kallikrein, from α-kallikrein by chymotryptic action was ascertained by the following observations : 1) When α-kallikrein was incubated with chymotrypsin, an increase of esterolytic activity of kallikrein was observed. 2) In sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Cβ-kallikrein was found to be different from the β-kallikrein obtained from α-kallikrein by tryptic digestion, and was designated Tβ-kallikrein. 3) N-Terminal amino acid sequence analyses of internal light and heavy chains of Cβ-kallikrein indicated that N-termini of the light and the heavy chains were isoleucine and lysine, respectively, and that the heavy chain had most of the "kallikrein autolysis loop" sequence in its N-terminal end. In the case of Tβ-kallikrein, N-termini of the light and the heavy chains were isoleucine and alanine, respectively, and the light chain retained the "kallikrein autolysis loop" region in its C-terminal end. These observations demonstrated that Cβ-kallikrein was different from the β-kallikrein prepared from autolyzed pancreas, Aβ-kallikrein, which had lost the "kallikrein autolysis loop" sequence. Structural differences of the above four kallikreins (α-, Tβ-, Cβ- and Aβ-) result in somewhat different enzyme properties. The kinetic constants for the hydrolysis of synthetic substrates (Nα-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester and Nα-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester) of these kallikreins differed from each other, and inhibitory profiles against α1-antitrypsin were also different. These observations suggest that the "kallikrein autolysis loop" region may play an important role in the regulation of kallikrein activity in vivo.
A novel cluster-based image retrieval

A region-based image retrieval is an approach for more efficient and semantically meaningful retrieval using description of image regions. In this paper we present a novel cluster oriented image retrieval system. A cluster is a collection of regions that are coherent in their features. A privileged component of the system is the constructing of cluster signature (CS) and their feature ranking. The CS features are texture, color, and shape of the clusters centroids. Another distinguishing aspect of the system is its integration of a robust unsupervised learning for the detection of region that allows cluster-based search. The system is evaluated using two different databases and proved to provide successful retrieval results supported by precision estimation.
On the Evolution of User Authentication: Non-bilateral Factors

In this position note we review the notion of "User Authentication," i.e., the idea of a person facing the computer and in need of authenticating herself to the system in order to get access to her account. We analyze the state of the art of user authentication and that of "Authentication Factors," i.e., the techniques and instruments the user can present to the computer. We compare the state of the art of these factors with the acceptable textbook view.
Haem oxygenase-1 prevents cell death by regulating cellular iron

Haem oxygenase-1 (HO1) is a heat-shock protein that is induced by stressful stimuli. Here we demonstrate a cytoprotective role for HO1: cell death produced by serum deprivation, staurosporine or etoposide is markedly accentuated in cells from mice with a targeted deletion of the HO1 gene, and greatly reduced in cells that overexpress HO1. Iron efflux from cells is augmented by HO1 transfection and reduced in HO1-deficient fibroblasts. Iron accumulation in HO1-deficient cells explains their death: iron chelators protect HO1-deficient fibroblasts from cell death. Thus, cytoprotection by HO1 is attributable to its augmentation of iron efflux, reflecting a role for HO1 in modulating intracellular iron levels and regulating cell viability.
Barton obstetric forceps; An analysis of 277 cases

Abstract This study is based on 277 deliveries by Barton forceps at Bellevue Hospital during the ten-year period from Jan. 1, 1940, to Dec. 31, 1949. In this interval there were 17,877 patients delivered. Barton forceps were used in 1.55 per cent of the cases and constituted 68.4 per cent of the midforceps used. Lyman Guy Barton presented his obstetric forceps at a meeting of the New York Obstetrical Society on Nov. 10, 1925. 1 The first clinical trial of the Barton forceps was reported by Bachman of Philadelphia in 1927. 2 The following year Barton, Caldwell, and Studdiford published their paper on the new forceps. 3 Since that date no paper on the Barton forceps has appeared in this country and only four papers in the world literature. 4–7 Furthermore, the Barton forceps have received scant attention in our textbooks with the single exception of Paul T. Harper's Clinical Obstetrics published in 1930. The Barton forceps was designed primarily to secure a cephalic application to a head lying in the transverse in the upper pelvis. The problem was not a new one. Uytterhoven of Brussels, in 1805, designed an anteroposterior forceps, one branch of which was to be applied against the promontory of the sacrum and the other against the symphysis pubis. The forceps was never used on a living patient. In 1849, Baumers of Lyons, unaware of his predecessor's work, invented an anteroposterior asymmetric forceps. Cazeaux said of this forceps, "I am convinced that the biparietal application of the blades, which is impossible with the ordinary forceps, is sometimes easy with that of Baumers,' and I think it right to recommend their application in transverse position." In 1893, Murdoch Cameron of Glasgow, devised an axis-traction forceps the anterior blade of which is applied behind the symphysis pubis and the posterior in front of the sacrum grasping the head upon its lateral aspects. At about the same time L. H. Farabeuf designed his Prehenseur-levier-mensurateur with a hinged anterior blade. 8 Barton, probably unaware of his predecessor's attempts to solve the problem of transverse arrest at the inlet, designed an instrument which is one of the few unique contributions to American obstetrics.
A mutation suppressing streptomycin dependence. II. An altered protein on the 30 s ribosomal subunit.

Abstract Escherichia coli, strain K106, is a spontaneous revertant from a streptomyc-independent strain in which the requirement for streptomycin for growth is suppressed by a mutation outside the strA locus. Previous studies have shown that the mutant cells have a slower growth rate than the streptomycin-sensitive wild type and have a defect in the assembly of the 50 s ribosomal subunit; the monosomes from the mutant have an altered response to streptomycin when assayed for the ability to support in vitro polypeptide synthesis primed with polyuridylic acid. In this report we show that the relative sensitivity of the mutant ribosomes to streptomycin is a property of the 30 s subunit. In addition, when natural messenger is used in a cell-free system, combinations containing either 30 s or 50 s subunits from the mutant have substantially reduced functional capacity. Chromatography on phosphocellulose of the ribosomal proteins of the mutant and the wild type shows no differences in 50 s proteins; however, K106 30 s subunits contain one protein which elutes from the column at a position different from the analogous protein of either the wild-type or the streptomycin-dependent strains. This protein is not the protein altered in streptomycin-resistant or dependent ribosomes. The relation of the altered ribosomal protein to the complex mutant phenotype is discussed.
Nuclear and cortical histology for brightfield microscopy.

Publisher Summary A number of “classic” ciliate stains have been developed, handed down, and improved in ways that have enabled researchers to visualize cortical morphology and nuclear configurations in permanent slide mounts of ciliated protozoans using conventional brightfield microscopy. This chapter describes three of these procedures because they are commonly used with the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila . The Chatton–Lwoff silver stain for Tetrahymena is used to visualize patterns of basal bodies within the ciliary rows and oral apparatus as well as contractile vacuoles in a wide variety of ciliates. Protargol staining produces exquisite permanent samples of cortical microtubule staining along with nuclear staining. This procedure requires practice and “fiddling” to achieve the highest quality preparations. Giemsa stain is a reliable method for producing permanent slides revealing nuclear configurations in growing or conjugating cells.
Routing transmission lines via Steiner trees

A novel Steiner tree problem and algorithmic solution are presented in which the Euclidean plane is partitioned into hexagonal cells, each cell having an associated cost traverse. The goal is to minimize the cost required to connect together a set of specified given points. The applications of this problem to power transmission and distribution are presented along with a genetic algorithm, which quickly generates high quality solutions.
Empowering Fast Incremental Computation over Large Scale Dynamic Graphs

Unprecedented growth of online social networks, communication networks and internet of things have given birth to large volume, fast changing datasets. Data generated from such systems have an inherent graph structure in it. Updates in staggering frequencies (e.g. edges created by message exchanges in online social media) impose a fundamental requirement for real-time processing of unruly yet highly interconnected data. As a result, large-scale dynamic graph processing has become a new research frontier in computer science.In this paper, we present a new vertex-centric hierarchical bulk synchronous parallel model for distributed processing of dynamic graphs. Our model allows users to easily compose static graph algorithms similar to the widely used vertex-centric model. It also enables incremental processing of dynamic graphs by automatically executing user composed static graph algorithms in an incremental manner. We map widely used single source shortest path and connected component algorithms to this model and empirically analyze the performance on real-world large scale graphs. Experimental results show that our model improves the performance of both static and dynamic graph computation compared to the vertex-centric model by reducing the global synchronization overhead.
In situ metal tip sharpening of scanning probe microscopes.

This article demonstrated a new approach for fabrication and sharpening of metal tips of scanning probe microscopes. Experimentally, a metal tip was heated and melted by a focused laser light. The tip was then sharpened by a strong electric field and consolidated as the laser was turned off. With a low-vacuum and a high-voltage source, a 25-µm indium-coated platinum wire was sharpened to a tip with diameters below 50 nm. The minimal tip radius by this method is estimated to be below 1 nm. With this technique, in situ tip sharpening for SPM would be possible.
Uniqueness, Advantages, Challenges, Solutions, and Perspectives in Therapeutics Applying RNA Nanotechnology

The field of RNA nanotechnology is rapidly emerging. RNA can be manipulated with the simplicity characteristic of DNA to produce nanoparticles with a diversity of quaternary structures by self-assembly. Additionally RNA is tremendously versatile in its function and some RNA molecules display catalytic activities much like proteins. Thus, RNA has the advantage of both worlds. However, the instability of RNA has made many scientists flinch away from RNA nanotechnology. Other concerns that have deterred the progress of RNA therapeutics include the induction of interferons, stimulation of cytokines, and activation of other immune systems, as well as short pharmacokinetic profiles in vivo. This review will provide some solutions and perspectives on the chemical and thermodynamic stability, in vivo half-life and biodistribution, yield and production cost, in vivo toxicity and side effect, specific delivery and targeting, as well as endosomal trapping and escape.
Fundamentals of Steroid Chemistry and Biochemistry

Steroids are a unique class of chemical compounds found throughout the animal and plant kingdom. This class includes sterols such as cholesterol and ergosterol, bile acids, and steroid hormones. Chemical research on steroids began with isolation and structure determination, and major research efforts focused on total synthesis and on the development of numerous reactions for modifying the steroid scaffold. Methods in microbial transformations of steroids were developed to produce large quantities of steroid starting materials at reduced costs. Research in steroid biochemistry first began with studies on the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroids, followed soon thereafter by investigations on the biochemical mechanism of action of steroids. Over the past several decades, steroid biochemistry and molecular biology have focused on steroidogenic enzymes, nuclear steroid receptors, and gene expression. The discovery of the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and the report of the contraceptive effects of estrogen and progestin preparations illustrated for the first time that steroids could be considered as medicinal agents. As a result, extensive research on the medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical studies of steroid agonists and antagonists has evolved and continues to provide new insights and new medicinal agents for therapies in many different diseases and chemoprevention strategies. Keywords: steroid synthesis; steroid biosynthesis; steroid metabolism; steroid receptors; cholesterol; pregnenolone; cortisol; aldosterone; progesterone; testosterone; estradiol
Direct determination of the excited state energies of the xanthophylls diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin from Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Abstract Steady-state and femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectra of diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin were measured in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions at 293 K. The difference in energy between the visible S 0 → S 2 transitions from the steady-state absorption measurements and the S 1 → S 2 transitions observed in the transient absorption spectra in the NIR region yields precise values of the S 1 energies. The data are important for evaluating the mechanism by which excess energy is dissipated by algal systems that interconvert these xanthophylls in response to changes in photon flux levels in the marine environment.
Impact of Medicare Prospective Payment System on Acute Rehabilitation Outcomes of Patients With Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Qu H, Shewchuk RM, Chen Y, Deutsch A. Impact of Medicare prospective payment system on acute rehabilitation outcomes of patients with spinal cord injury. Objective To examine the impact of Medicare's inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS) on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes for patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Retrospective study. Setting Twelve SCI Model Systems. Participants A sample of Medicare (n=296) and non-Medicare (n=3110) patients was selected from the National SCI Statistical Center Database from 1996 to 2006. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Motor FIM score change and length of stay (LOS). Results LOS decreased by about 5.8 days a year (P Conclusions Although significant decreases in LOS were observed for Medicare patients after IRF PPS implementation, Medicare patients' improvements in motor function did not decrease. Non-Medicare patients with SCI also experienced shortened stays after Medicare IRF PPS implementation, but had equivalent FIM score gains compared with their counterparts who received inpatient rehabilitation care before PPS implementation. IRF PPS implementation was associated with shorter stays, but was not associated with lower functional improvement.
CARDIAC ARREST SECONDARY TO SEVERE NEURO-CARDIOGENIC SYNCOPE AND DYSAUTONOMIA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING HEAD UP TILT TEST (HUTT)

Cardiac arrest is rare in pediatric patients with dysautonomia. We are reporting our institutional experience of children with cardiac arrest during HUTT. Since October 2010 we performed 356 HUTT on children with dysautonomia (age 6–21 years). The studies were performed with continuous monitor of
Checking the censored two-sample accelerated life model using integrated cumulative hazard difference

In this paper, new statistical tests for the censored two-sample accelerated life model are discussed. From the estimating functions using integrated cumulative hazard difference, stochastic processes are constructed. They can be described by martingale residuals, and, given the data, conditional distributions can be approximated by zero mean Gaussian processes. The new methods, based on these processes, provide asymptotically consistent tests against a general departure from the model. A graphical method is also discussed. In various numerical studies, the new tests performed better than the existing method, especially when the hazard curves cross. The proposed procedures are illustrated with two real data sets.
Adaptive virtual rapport for embodied conversational agents

In this paper I describe my research goals and hypotheses regarding human-computer relationships with embodied conversational agents (ECAs). I include important studies of related research that inform and direct my own efforts. I explain the current state and some technical aspects of the ECAs I have contributed to create, and past experiments regarding human-ECA familiarity, ECA design and analysis, and multiparty ECA interaction, including our semi-automated corpora collection techniques, analysis methodology, and their respective results to date. Finally, I conclude with an overall presentation of all current studies I have worked on, and future possibilities for my final dissertation and post-dissertation research related to virtual human-ECA rapport.
The strength, hardness and ductility of Ni3Al with and without boron

Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of grain size (2–1100 μm) and temperature (77–1023 K) on the strength, hardness and ductility of stoichiometric Ni3Al with (0.35 at.%) and without boron. The results show that grain refinement strengthens and hardens the alloys at low temperatures (< 873 K), but weakens them at high temperatures; lowers the magnitude of the anomalous thermal strengthening, leading to thermal weakening; and effects a “ductile to more ductile” transition in Ni3 Al + B at room temperature and a brittle to ductile transition in both alloys at elevated temperatures (⩾ 673 K). Grain refinement has little effect on the room-temperature ductility of Ni3 Al and on the work hardening rate. The addition of boron hardens coarse-grained material but softens fine-grained aggregates. These results are explained in terms of deformation and fracture mechanisms.
Synthesis of 6-amino-6-(4-aminobenzyl)-1,4,8,11-tetra-azacyclotetradecane, a new pentadentate polyamine ligand, and crystal structure of its Co(III) complex

The facile synthesis of the hydrochloride salt of the 6-amino-6-(4-aminobenzyl)-1,4,8,11-tetra-azacyclotetradecane L 3 is reported. The Co(III) complex of this new pentadentate ligand crystallizes in the space group P 2 1 / n , with a =15.5901(3), b =8.9267(2), c =20.6011(4) A, β =100.5960(10)°. X-ray crystal structure analysis has shown the 6-amino group axially coordinated to the metal center, and the cyclam moiety taking a trans I configuration. Water coordinates at the sixth site. The axial Co–N distance is 1.935(3) A, and the cyclam core nitrogen–Co distances are in the range between 1.957(3) and 1.964(3) A, shorter than previously reported data for similar macrocyclic complexes. The crystal structure of the complex [Cu(L 2 )(NO 3 ) 2 ] (L 2 : 6-nitro-6-(4-nitrobenzyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane), synthetic precursor to the L 3 ligand is also reported. It crystallizes in the space group P 2 1 / n , with a =19.49560(10), b =8.38520(10), c =15.8518(2) A, β =111.03°.
Towards a Standard Method for the Measurement of Organic Carbon in Sediments

Abstract The precisions achieved by two different methods for analysis of organic carbon in soils and sediments were determined and compared. The first method is a rapid dichromate oxidation technique (Walkley-Black) that has long been a standard in soil chemistry. The second is an automated coulometric titration method for which commercial instrumentation is available. The latter method shows relative standard deviations that are six to twenty times smaller than the dichromate oxidation technique. Development of a standardized sediment with a low level of organic carbon is recommended in order to facilitate the evaluation of the precision and accuracy of organic carbon measurement techniques.
Considering therapeutic options in the real world

When choosing a drug regimen, physicians can rely on two models: their own clinical experience and results from clinical trials. Both options have problems. Overall, patients with persistent asthma symptoms often have improved outcomes with the use of long-term controller medications on a daily basis to prevent exacerbations of symptoms. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are generally recognized as being the most effective treatment for the underlying inflammatory characteristics of asthma. However, despite adequate dosing, some patients with persistent asthma remain symptomatic while taking an ICS. Therefore, it may be beneficial to administer combination therapy with an ICS and a long-acting β-agonist (LABA) in this subset of asthma patients. Another anti-inflammatory choice for persistent asthma is the leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), either as monotherapy or in combination with an ICS. Regardless of what treatment regimen a physician chooses to prescribe, the choice of medication depends on many factors, including patient preference, physician comfort with the regimen, and cost.
On the characterization and computation of best monotone approximation in L p [0,1] for 1≤p<∞

On considere l'espace de Banach Lp=Lp[0,1] et on note Mp⊂Lp le treillis convexe ferme de fonctions croissantes dans Lp. On dit que g*∈Mp est une meilleure Lp-approximation croissante pour f∈Lp si on a ∥f-g*∥≤∥F-g∥ pour tout g∈Mp. On donne une nouvelle caracterisation de telles meilleures approximations et on l'utilise pour developper des algorithmes de calcul dans le cas p=2
Comparison of relativistic magnetron oscillator models for phase-locking studies

Four magnetron oscillator models are constructed and analyzed for the study of relativistic magnetron phase locking physics: the extended spoke model, the magnetron-specific equivalent model, the van der Pol equation, and the magnetron oscillator equation. The spoke model reproduces the magnetron specific conductance and susceptance features that are incorporated into other models. The equivalent circuit model and the magnetron oscillator equation model generate the same set of predictions concerning phase-locking condition, locking time, saturation amplitude and final phase. Both models predict a wider locking bandwidth and a shorter locking time as results of the frequency pushing effect. The van der Pol model solved in the fast time scale reveals the dependence of locking time on injection power and oscillator growth rate as well as on injection frequency.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Online Energy Estimation of Relational Operations in Database Systems

Data centers are well known to consume a large amount of energy. As databases are one of the major applications in a data center, building energy-aware database systems has become an active research topic recently. The quantification of the energy cost of database systems is an important task in design. In this paper, we report our recent efforts on this issue, with a focus on the energy cost estimation of query plans during query optimization. We start from building a series of physical models for energy estimation of individual relational operators based on their resource consumption patterns. As the execution of a query plan is a combination of multiple relational operators, we use the physical models as a basis for a comprehensive energy model for the entire query. To address the challenge of maintaining accuracy under system and workload dynamics, we develop an online scheme that dynamically adjusts model parameters based on statistical signal modeling. Our models are implemented in a real database management system and evaluated on a physical test bed. The results show that our solution achieves a high accuracy (worst-case error 13.7 percent) despite noises. Our models also help identify query plans with significantly higher energy efficiency.
Performance studies of a multilayer-based radiation pulse slicer for Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) applications

The SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), an X-ray Free- Electron Laser (XRFEL) designed to operate over a fundamental energy range of 1 - 8.5 keV, is expected to produce ultra-short pulse lengths down to approximately 200 fs. Even though this represents an enormous decrease with respect to currently available high-brightness X-ray sources, it is believed that for a number of proposed LCLS applications (e.g., imaging or structural studies of molecular clusters with highly focused pulses) it will become necessary to reduce the pulse duration even further, possibly by as much as 1-2 orders of magnitude. Of the various compressive or chopping (i.e., slicing) optical techniques considered for shortening the pulse, the focus of one of our recent studies has been on a recently proposed slicing scheme based on the interaction of a longitudinally chirped LCLS pulse with a specially designed multilayer. The chopping mechanism is the selective reflection of only that sub-interval of the pulse that fulfills the multilayer Bragg condition. Of particular interest are the reflection efficiency and the distortion induced in the temporal fine structure of the reflected pulse, both of which can be critical to the efficacy of the scheme for a given application. Here we present results of selected parameter studies of different multilayer-based beam chopper systems using codes and LCLS radiation models developed at SSRL and LLNL.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
T Cells Enhance Stem-Like Properties and Conditional Malignancy in Gliomas

Background Small populations of highly tumorigenic stem-like cells (cancer stem cells; CSCs) can exist within, and uniquely regenerate cancers including malignant brain tumors (gliomas). Many aspects of glioma CSCs (GSCs), however, have been characterized in non-physiological settings.
Latitude and intersocietal variation of human sexual dimorphism of stature

In a recent article Alexander et al.(1979) argue that intersocietal variation in human sexual dimorphism of stature can be explained by differing degrees of male- male competition for mates found in different types of societal marriage systems. In this paper we reexamine their data and suggest that their results may be more simply explained by reference to the latitude of the societies in their sample. Our investigation indicates that latitude has a significant influence on the degree of societal sexual dimorphism of stature. Peoples of the arctic region and the short peoples of the equatorial regions are less dimorphic in stature than midlatitude peoples. Thus, we conclude that the sociobiological hypothesis presented by Alexander et al.cannot alone explain the intersocietal variation in sexual dimorphism of stature and that environmental factors must be taken into account in the explanation of such variation.