cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
It is all in the bag: collodion bag versus HistoGel cell block method.

Introduction We performed a comparison of cell blocks prepared with the collodion bag and HistoGel to evaluate the ease of embedding and cutting, performance with low cellularity specimens, time and cost per specimen, and value to support immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics. Materials and methods We processed 11 fresh, unfixed effusions using both the collodion bag and the HistoGel cell block preparation methods. Six immunohistochemistry stains were tested on 2 of the body fluids. DNA was extracted and quantified, and polymerase chain reaction cycle thresholds were evaluated from cell blocks prepared from 5 of the body fluids. The comparison parameters included embedding difficulty, cutting resistance, adequacy, cell yield, cell preservation, immunohistochemistry stain quality, DNA quantity, integrity, and purity. The time and cost to prepare each specimen was compared using normalized values for preparation of specimen, cost per year, and cost per specimen. Results Each parameter was assessed for both cell block preparation methods. All 3 of the samples with moderate or poor cell yield were low-volume (5-mL) samples prepared with the HistoGel method. In contrast, the collodion bag method produced a good yield with all three 5-mL samples. DNA recovery was greater in the collodion bag method. Similar crossing threshold values in purity reactions indicated equally high-quality matrix properties for the collodion bag and HistoGel preparations. Preparation of the specimen was 10 minutes faster with the collodion bag method, and the cost for the collodion bag method was $0.24 more expensive per cell block than using the HistoGel. Conclusions The collodion bag method produced superior cell blocks for both morphologic and molecular studies more consistently, with lower volume specimens and with less time per specimen.
Quantifying hospital services by carbon footprint: A systematic literature review of patient care alternatives

Abstract Importance Reducing the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector can be achieved along with quality patient outcomes at lower environmental impact. Objective For the first time to categorize peer-reviewed articles that report quantitative improvement in greenhouse gas emissions related to medical devices and services, overview of trends, and identify some gaps for future research. Data sources Database searches resulted in 822 peer-reviewed articles (January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2016) on healthcare and environmental sustainability. Study selection A systematic review methodology identifies, critically evaluates, and integrates the findings. Articles reviewed 1) provided quantitative global warming potential (GWP) information, 2) were published in peer-reviewed journals, and 3) were related to one of the twelve hospital service categories. Results Patient care teams are substantially limited by a lack of data related to the environmental impact of their services. Of the one of three potential environmental scopes—travel-related energy, direct energy, and the procured goods and equipment embodied energy—only six articles covered all three scopes. Conclusions and relevance This research provides healthcare nurses, physicians, and administrators with the location of procedures, patient-based decisions, and other avenues to hospital sustainability improvements in twelve hospital service categories.
DNN-based Contingency Screening Module for Voltage Stability analysis

Fast and accurate contingency screening (CS) has become a key enabler for secure operation of the power system. This is due to market activities, complex controls, and power supply intermittency that is caused by the integration of renewable energy sources. This paper proposes an online CS scheme for power systems voltage stability analysis (VSA) using deep neural networks (DNNs). The DNN model receives a snapshot of the power system status from state estimator. This snapshot contains information about the current topology of the system, the voltages at different buses and the loading of lines and generators. The model is trained to classify the state of the system as secure (stable) or insecure (unstable) under different system loading and contingency conditions. Three power system security constraints were considered: (1) the MVA loading of lines and generators is less than 110% of its rated value; (2) the voltage magnitude at the buses is within limits; and (3) the power flow solution is converged. Violating any of these conditions, the power system is considered insecure. Contingencies that lead to insecure operation are sorted in a list based on the number of violated conditions for further analysis. The proposed scheme is tested on the ISO New-England IEEE 39 bus system. The test results show that the proposed scheme is suitable for online applications.
From Bayreuth to Fiume: D’Annunzio, Wagner, and the Death of Italian Opera

This chapter probes Gabriele D’Annunzio’s conflicted relationship with Italian opera and his ambition to return to the genre’s origins. D’Annunzio’s engagement with opera was built on a restless dissatisfaction with its conventions and cliches: harshly critical of contemporary productions, he found that Italian composers did not live up to the ideals established first by the Florentine Camerata. Initially, D’Annunzio pointed to Richard Wagner as the artist who could revive Greek tragedy through his ambition to create a “total work of art.” Ultimately, however, D’Annunzio sought to overcome Wagner’s model and advocated a return to Monteverdi, first working to effect this return in his novels, then with his unrealized plans to build an Italian performance space—a Mediterranean equivalent of Wagner’s Festival House in Bayreuth.
Organization Design and Management

As healthcare organizations examine how to design and adapt their management structures to ensure quality is being measured and improved, considerations around the functioning of systems and the management of change become crucial. The inherent financial and service-driven complexities of the healthcare industry and its systems require a mosaic approach to organizational structures and processes. Healthcare institutions must develop organizational structures in response to the requirements of dynamic external and internal stakeholders whose interests and motives do not categorically coincide. Organizations must be structured to embody the specific needs of their identity and mission. This chapter discusses the multiple structural approaches that have evolved to accommodate the explicit concerns of organizations whether a large academic medical center, large group practice, smaller community hospital, or an integrated healthcare system.
Diamond membranes for x-ray lithography

Diamond membranes are being developed for x-ray lithography masks. Typically these 1-3 im thick membrane films are deposited on Si substrates using microwave driven plasmas. To obtain smooth films with uniform tensile stress spray and electrophoretic deposition of 0. 1 zm diamond seeds were used to control the initial nucleation and growth of the diamond films. The films have a room ternperature tensile stress of 25-125 MPa. The temperature dependence of the stress is due to the tensile growth stress of the diamond film and the thermal stress of the diamond-Si layer structure. The films have a biaxial modulus of 800 GPa. X-ray lithography masks have been made and used to print patterns with x-rays from a synchrotron source. 1 .
Implementation of Postoperative Standard Opioid Prescribing Schedules Reduces Opioid Prescriptions Without Change in Patient-reported Pain Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To implement Standard Opioid Prescribing Schedules (SOPS) based on opioid use following urologic surgeries and to evaluate how evidence-based prescribing schedules affect opioid use and patient reported outcomes. METHODS Patients who underwent urologic surgeries within 6 procedure subtypes at UNC Health during the 2 study time periods (“pre-SOPS”: 7/2017-1/2018, “post-SOPS”: 7/2018-1/2019) were invited to complete a survey analyzing postoperative opioid usage, storage and disposal, and patient reported outcomes (including pain interference using a validated questionnaire). A pharmacy database provided medication prescribing data and patient demographics. During the pre-SOPS time period, baseline outcomes were measured. Following the pre-SOPS period, usage amounts were analyzed and Standard Opioid Prescribing Schedules were developed to guide prescriptions during the post-SOPS period. Descriptive summary statistics and appropriate t test or r2 were calculated. RESULTS A total of 438 patients within 6 procedure types completed the survey (pre-SOPS: 282 patients, post-SOPS: 156 patients). Pre-SOPS, patients were prescribed significantly more 5-mg oxycodone tablets than used (20.9 vs 7.8, P CONCLUSION Adherence to data-driven postoperative opioid prescribing schedules reduce opioid prescriptions and use without compromising pain interference or patient satisfaction. These results have important implications for urologists’ ability to decrease opioid prescriptions and fight the opioid epidemic.
Shelve Under: Podcast, (podcast), Toronto Public Library

Shelve Under is a bi-weekly podcast created by library staff from Toronto Public Library: Christina, Jason, Mike and Wendy. The podcast explores topics about culture, Toronto, and the services of t...
Fault Early Warning and Location of Dry-Type Air-Core Reactor Based on Neural Networks

In the power system, dry-type air-core reactor can protect the power system from major damage when a short circuit happens. In general, the earlier the fault is detected, the less damage it will cause. Most of the existing methods only focus on the whole temperature change of the equipment, and ignore the local changes, which may hide the early signs of fault and make it is difficult to provide immediately early warning. In addition, when fault happens, the location information of the fault is extremely important for maintainers to maintain equipment. However, most of the current methods can only give the running status of the equipment, but not the fault location. In this paper, we propose a new method to diagnose dry-type air-core reactor faults. This method is a hierarchical multi-level neural network that includes sub-networks and main networks, where sub-networks are used to infer the status of each region, and the main network is used to infer the status of whole equipment. Our method not only can give warn of faults early, but also can provide the specific location of the fault in time. The verification experiments show that proposed method is feasible and effective.
Multi-symplectic discontinuous Galerkin methods for the stochastic Maxwell equations with additive noise.

One- and multi-dimensional stochastic Maxwell equations with additive noise are considered in this paper. It is known that such system can be written in the multi-symplectic structure, and the stochastic energy increases linearly in time. High order discontinuous Galerkin methods are designed for the stochastic Maxwell equations with additive noise, and we show that the proposed methods satisfy the discrete form of the stochastic energy linear growth property and preserve the multi-symplectic structure on the discrete level. Optimal error estimate of the semi-discrete DG method is also analyzed. The fully discrete methods are obtained by coupling with symplectic temporal discretizations. One- and two-dimensional numerical results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed methods, and optimal error estimates and linear growth of the discrete energy can be observed for all cases.
Black patients with COVID-19 had increased risk for 30-d mortality, PE, and other adverse outcomes vs. White patients.

SOURCE CITATION: Metra B, Summer R, Brooks SE, et al. Racial disparities in COVID-19 associated pulmonary embolism: a multicenter cohort study. Thromb Res. 2021;205:84-91. 34274560.
An analysis of white students' evaluations of black instructors in predominantly white colleges and universities

The study was designed to determine if skin color makes a difference in instructor ratings by predominantly white classes in a predominantly white university. The basis for such an investigation is contingent upon two factors occuring in higher education today: (1) the increased emphasis upon student evaluation of faculty and (2) the increased efforts to employ more black faculty at predominantly white colleges and universities. As a result, the black instructor hired by the administration of a predominantly white uni­ versity must be evaluated by white students. Therefore, it is essential to determine if all faculty are rated equally, regardless of one's skin color. In addition to determining if instructor skin color made a difference in student evaluations, students' sex and class level (under division, upper division and graduate division) were considered as factors that might effect black and white faculty ratings. Therefore, a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial design with a repeat measure was employed. The study was conducted using two separate video tapes. The two tapes were divided into two parts. The white in­ structor presented part 1 of tape I and part 2 of tape II while the black instructor presented part 2 of tape I and part 1 of tape II.
Chapter 2 Techniques for the Study of Lampbrush Chromosomes

Publisher Summary The largest known chromosomes are found in the developing oocytes of salamanders. These and the similar chromosomes from oocytes of other animals were long ago compared to an old-fashioned lampbrush, and this epithet has been applied to them ever since. The lampbrush comparison refers to the hundreds of lateral projections––in reality, loops––which give these chromosomes a hairy or woolly appearance. The loops are the site of very active ribonucleoprotein synthesis and are of great interest for the studies of chromosome physiology. Although best known from the amphibians, lampbrush chromosomes are found in oocytes of many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate. The well-known fuzziness of spermatocyte chromosomes is due to loop-like projections. In oocytes, the lampbrush condition persists for many weeks or months but eventually the chromosomes contract to form typical rod-shaped elements at the first meiotic metaphase. The lampbrush condition is not, therefore, aberrancy limited to a few vertebrate species but is a modification of normal chromosomes characteristic of a wide variety of animals. The structural modifications seen during the lampbrush stage may very well characterize synthetically active chromosomes.
A note on the value of combining short-term earnings forecasts: A test of Granger and Ramanathan☆

This paper conducts an empirical analysis of the approaches to obtaining linear combinations of forecasts. Simulated quarterly earnings were modeled using three ARIMA models. One-quarter ahead forecasts were then developed. These forecasts were combined using alternative approaches. The most accurate forecasts were obtained by adding a constant term and not constraining the weights to add up to one. The differences in the accuracy rankings were found to be statistically significant. The results are similar to those obtained by Granger and Ramanathan (1984).
Family Bookmaking: An Approach to Support Parent-Child Language Interactions in Natural Environments

This study examined the effectiveness of family bookmaking to promote early language development. Forty-two children receiving early intervention services and their families participated in the study. Our results suggest that family bookmaking engages parents, increases the quality of parent-child language interactions, and increases children’s understanding of language.
Autoinhibitory control of the CaV1.2 channel by its proteolytically processed distal C-terminal domain.

Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels of the CaV1 family initiate excitation–contraction coupling in cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscle and are primary targets for regulation by the sympathetic nervous system in the ‘fight-or-flight’ response. In the heart, activation of β-adrenergic receptors greatly increases the L-type Ca2+ current through CaV1.2 channels, which requires phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) anchored via an A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP15). Surprisingly, the site of interaction of PKA and AKAP15 lies in the distal C-terminus, which is cleaved from the remainder of the channel by in vivo proteolytic processing. Here we report that the proteolytically cleaved distal C-terminal domain forms a specific molecular complex with the truncated α1 subunit and serves as a potent autoinhibitory domain. Formation of the autoinhibitory complex greatly reduces the coupling efficiency of voltage sensing to channel opening and shifts the voltage dependence of activation to more positive membrane potentials. Ab initio structural modelling and site-directed mutagenesis revealed a binding interaction between a pair of arginine residues in a predicted α-helix in the proximal C-terminal domain and a set of three negatively charged amino acid residues in a predicted helix–loop–helix bundle in the distal C-terminal domain. Disruption of this interaction by mutation abolished the inhibitory effects of the distal C-terminus on CaV1.2 channel function. These results provide the first functional characterization of this autoinhibitory complex, which may be a major form of the CaV1 family Ca2+ channels in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells, and reveal a unique ion channel regulatory mechanism in which proteolytic processing produces a more effective autoinhibitor of CaV1.2 channel function.
Water scarcity: moving beyond indexes to innovative institutions.

Water scarcity is a media darling often times described as a trigger of conflict in arid regions, a by-product of human influences ranging from desertification to climate change, or a combination of natural- and human-induced changes in the water cycle. A multitude of indexes have been developed over the past 20 years to define water scarcity to map the "problem" and guide international donor investment. Few indexes include groundwater within the metrics of "scarcity." Institutional communication contributes to the recognition of local or regional water scarcity. However, evaluations that neglect groundwater resources may incorrectly define conditions as scarce. In cases where there is a perception of scarcity, the incorporation of groundwater and related storage in aquifers, political willpower, new policy tools, and niche diplomacy often results in a revised status, either reducing or even eliminating the moniker locally. Imaginative conceptualization and innovative uses of aquifers are increasingly used to overcome water scarcity.
Field transformation and phase control in μm-scale metallic waveguides

The transformation of optical fields and the control of phase in metallic waveguides within a scale of several wavelengths is achieved. Optical devices are being fabricated using electron-beam lithography and a lift-off process.
c-src gene product in developing rat brain is enriched in nerve growth cone membranes

Differentiating rat neurons express high levels of the protooncogene product pp60c-src, a 60-kDa tyrosine kinase of unknown function encoded by c-src. pp60c-src was found to be concentrated at least 9-fold in membranes from a subcellular fraction of nerve growth cones, the motile tips of outgrowing neuronal processes. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of cultured chick retinal explants showed pp60c-src in neuronal growth cones and processes, with the antigen particularly concentrated in growth cones of long neurites. pp60c-src in growth cone membranes was an active tyrosine-specific protein kinase with elevated tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity and reduced electrophoretic mobility characteristic of the form of pp60c-src in central nervous system neurons. pp60c-src was present at lower levels in subcellular fractions from mature rat brain but synaptosomal membranes were not enriched. Preferential localization of an active form of pp60c-src in nerve growth cone membranes and persistence of pp60c-src in mature neurons suggest that this tyrosine kinase is important in growth cone-mediated neurite extension and synaptic plasticity.
Supply elasticities in the presence of adjustment costs

Abstract The adjustment-cost model of investment provides a rigorous basis for deriving a firm's price elasticity of supply over various lengths of run. Moreover, parameters of the adjustment-cost function itself play a prominent role in determining the size of the elasticity over the medium and long run. In this article we demonstrate how to derive supply elasticities from the optimization problem of a firm and argue that correct treatment of adjustment costs is essential to obtaining realistic behavior from general equilibrium models.
Global methods for protein glycosylation analysis by mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry has been an analytical tool of choice for glycosylation analysis of individual proteins. Over the last 5 years several previously and newly developed mass spectrometry methods have been extended to global glycoprotein studies. In this review we discuss the importance of these global studies and the advances that have been made in enrichment analyses and fragmentation methods. We also briefly describe relevant sample preparation methods that have been used for the analysis of a single glycoprotein that could be extrapolated to global studies. Finally this review covers aspects of improvements and advances on the instrument front which are important to future global glycoproteomic studies.
Sexual health recovery after prostatectomy, external radiation, or brachytherapy for early stage prostate cancer

Each of the three most common contemporary treatments for localized prostate cancer, radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, can have adverse effects on sexual health. Sexual health outcome can be improved by treatment-specific factors, such as the use of nerve-sparing technique during radical prostatectomy, or worsened by the use of androgen deprivation before external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy. Contemporary studies that have used validated questionnaires to evaluate multiple components of patient-reported sexuality following prostate cancer treatments provide benchmarks of sexual outcome expectations that are of interest to patients selecting their prostate cancer treatment.
Effects of serum concentration on some growth characteristics of cultured murine parietal yolk sac carcinoma cells.

Abstract Murine parietal yolk sac carcinoma cells were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy to determine the ultrastructural changes resulting from growth, in vitro, in media containing different serum concentrations. Cells grown in medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) formed spherical bodies, were generally oval with numerous surface microvilli, well-organized microtubules, abundant free polysomes and a well-developed Golgi apparatus. By contrast, cells grown in 1% FBS failed to form multicellular spheres, were generally flattened over the growth surface and lacked the surface and intracellular features demonstrated when cells were grown in 10% serum. These differences could explain the alterations in the glycosylation of secreted glycoprotein associated with culture in the presence of low serum.
Pancreatic polypeptide stimulates gastric motility through a vagal-dependent mechanism in rats

Abstract The present study examined the influence of peripherally administered pancreatic polypeptide (PP) on vagal control of gastric motility. The jugular vein was cannulated in urethane-anesthetized rats and a strain gauge was sewn onto the antrum to monitor motility. Intravenous infusion of rat PP (2–200 pmol over 45 min) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in antral contraction amplitude. The motility response to i.v. PP was eliminated by pretreatment with atropine or bilateral vagotomy. In contrast to i.v. infusion, close intra-arterial infusion of PP into the gastric circulation had no effect on motility suggesting that PP does not act upon peripheral afferent terminals or directly within the stomach. These results support the hypothesis that circulating PP indirectly enhances gastric motility through a vagal cholinergic mechanism.
Experimental and computational laser tissue welding using a protein patch

An in vitro study of laser tissue welding mediated with a dye-enhanced protein patch was conducted. Fresh sections of porcine aorta were used for the experiments. Arteriotomies were treated using an indocyanine green dye-enhanced collagen patch activated by an 805-nm continuous-wave fiber-delivered diode laser. Temperature histories of the surface of the weld site were obtained using a hollow glass optical fiber-based two-color infrared thermometer. The experimental effort was complemented by simulations with the LATIS (LAser-TISsue) computer code, which uses coupled Monte Carlo, thermal transport, and mass transport models. Comparison of simulated and experimental thermal data indicated that evaporative cooling clamped the surface temperature of the weld site below 100 °C. For fluences of approximately 200 J/cm2, peak surface temperatures averaged 74°C and acute burst strengths consistently exceeded 0.14x106 dyn/cm (hoop tension). The combination of experimental and simulation results showed that the inclusion of water transport and evaporative losses in the computer code has a significant impact on the thermal distributions and hydration levels throughout the tissue volume. The solid-matrix protein patch provided a means of controllable energy delivery and yielded consistently strong welds.
Initial MCNP6 Release Overview

MCNP6 is simply and accurately described as the merger of MCNP5 and MCNPX capabilities, but it is much more than the sum of those two computer codes. MCNP6 is the result of five years of effort by ...
The Use of Tactile and Vestibular Stimulation to Reduce Stereotypic Behaviors in Two Adults With Mental Retardation

In this study, two institutionalized adults with mental retardation were treated twice weekly over a 7-month period with activities that provided tactile and vestibular stimulation for the purpose of reducing stereotypic behaviors. Statistically significant treatment effects were demonstrated, but the target behaviors continued at a high and variable rate. Greater treatment frequency may be necessary for therapeutic benefit to occur in adults. Future single case studies need to be completed, with each variable manipulated systematically and with closer adherence to previous studies.
Virtualization in optical networks from network level to hardware level [invited]

Elastic optical networking is attracting much attention as a promising solution to achieve spectrum-efficient transport of higher data rates at 100 Gbits/s and beyond. If we draw an analogy to virtualization in cloud computing, it can be seen as network level resource virtualization of optical networks where spectrum resources in optical links are segmented as shareable resources and adaptively aggregated to create a wide variety of optical channels (OChs). In this paper, we discuss the benefits of introducing virtualization into the optical domain from the viewpoints of the network level and the hardware level. In elastic optical networks, a frequency slot through which an OCh is transported and the OCh itself are explicitly decoupled. While the adaptability in the frequency slot is brought about by bandwidth variable wavelength-selective switches, the adaptability in an OCh is yielded by digital coherent technology that is employed in transponders and regenerators. It is emphasized that in order to achieve transponders and regenerators that accommodate heterogeneous traffic demands in an economical manner, simply being adaptive is not enough, and being shareable is essential. We refer to this concept as hardware level virtualization. As examples, we describe a multiflow transponder and an elastic regenerator with results that show proof of concept. Based on the hardware virtualization concept, we propose an elastic optical transport system (EOTS) architecture that enables cost- and energy-efficient IP traffic offloading to the optical domain and improves programmability and automation of optical networks.
Unsteady spray flame propagation in a closed volume

Abstract A hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian method is employed to study a laminar unsteady propagating flame through an air/fuel-vapor/fuel-droplet mixture in a one-dimensional closed constant volume combustor. The gas-phase properties are obtained by using a continuum approach, whereas the computation of liquid-phase properties is based on a Lagrangian approach. A quiescent mixture of air and fuel mist is ignited by providing a hot wall at the end of the combustor. Following ignition, a flame initiates and propagates into the cold spray mixture. The characteristics of the propagating spray flame are presented in terms of the profiles of gas-phase and liquid-phase properties. The effects of initial droplet size, equivalence ratio, and fuel volatility are studied. Propagation rate is not a monotonic function of droplet size for all equivalence ratios; spray flame speeds can be faster than the premixed flame speed at certain equivalence ratios. Both a premixed character, due to prevaporization, and a diffusion flame character is seen to be present in the results.
The inside alkoxy effect in intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloadditions : ab initio and force field modeling

Abstract MM2 parameters based on ab initotransition structures for nitrile oxide cycloaddition on allyl ethers were developed for INOC reactions.
Microtubular Spherulites: Development and Growth in Solutions of Bacteriochlorophyll Protein

Macromolecules of the water-soluble complex of bacteriochlorophyll protein can assemble in vitro to form fully developed spherulites composed of radiating microtubules. The changes that occur in the pattern of long-range order during the growth of these structures are typical of the development of the spherulitic crystal habit in numerous other materials of nonbiological origin.
Cinacalcet Monotherapy in Neonatal Severe Hyperparathyroidism: A Case Study and Review

Context Neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT) is a severe form of familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia characterized by severe hypercalcemia and skeletal demineralization. In most cases, NSHPT is due to biallelic loss-of-function mutations in the CASR gene encoding the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), but some patients have heterozygous mutations. Conventional treatment consists of iv saline, bisphosphonates, and parathyroidectomy. Objective The aim of this project was to characterize the molecular basis for NSHPT in an affected newborn and to describe the response to monotherapy with cinacalcet. Methods Clinical and biochemical features were monitored as cinacalcet therapy was initiated and maintained. Genomic DNA was obtained from the proband and parents. The CASR gene was amplified by PCR and sequenced directly. Results The patient was a full-term male who developed hypotonia and respiratory failure soon after birth. He was found to have multiple fractures and diffuse bone demineralization, with a marked elevation in serum ionized calcium (1.99 mmol/L) and elevated serum levels of intact PTH (1154 pg/mL); serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was low, and fractional excretion of calcium was reduced. The serum calcium level was not reduced by iv saline infusion. Based on an extensive family history of autosomal dominant hypercalcemia, a diagnosis of NSHPT was made, and cinacalcet therapy was initiated with a robust and durable effect. Molecular studies revealed a heterozygous R185Q missense mutation in the CASR in the patient and his father, whereas normal sequences for the CASR gene were present in the patient's mother. Conclusions We describe the first use of cinacalcet as monotherapy for severe hypercalcemia in a newborn with NSHPT. The rapid and durable response to cinacalcet suggests that a trial of calcimimetic therapy should be considered early in the course of NSHPT.
Improving software security via runtime instruction-level taint checking

Current taint checking architectures monitor tainted data usage mainly with control transfer instructions. An alarm is raised once the program counter becomes tainted. However, such architectures are not effective against non-control data attacks. In this paper we present a generic instruction-level runtime taint checking architecture for handling non-control data attacks. Under our architecture, instructions are classified as either Taintless-Instructions or Tainted-Instructions prior to program execution. An instruction is called a Tainted-Instruction if it is supposed to deal with tainted data. Otherwise it is called a Taintless-Instruction. A security alert is raised whenever a Taintless-Instruction encounters tainted data at runtime. The proposed architecture is implemented on the SimpleScalar simulator. The preliminary results from experiments on SPEC CPU 2000 benchmarks show that there are a significant amount of Taintless-Instructions. We also demonstrate effective usages of our architecture to detect buffer overflow and format string attacks.
Inelastic shadowing effects in multiple scattering

Abstract The projectile-nucleon scattering amplitudes used as input into multiple scattering theories of projectile-nucleus scattering naturally include the effects of coupling to inelastic (i.e., production) channels. We employ a multichannel separable potential to describe the projectile-nucleon interaction and show that within the fixed nucleon framework we can obtain the nuclear elastic scattering amplitude. This includes terms outside the conventional formalisms, corresponding to intermediate propagation in the inelastic channels both above and below inelastic threshold. We refer to this as inelastic shadowing. In a two-channel approximation, we show that knowledge of the projectile-nucleon elastic scattering phase shifts plus specification of the inelastic threshold energy are sufficient to determine the off-shell coupled-channel transition matrix, implying that the nuclear amplitude can be calculated within this model without any detailed information about the inelastic channels. We study this solution quantitatively for some model problems and for pion scattering, with the general result that inelastic shadowing can be significant whenever the elementary interaction has important channel coupling. For pion scattering in the energy regime characterized by strongly absorptive resonances, we find, for example, that the effect of inelastic shadowing is much more important than that due to two-nucleon correlations.
Intestinal Transport of Glucose and Amino Acids in Experimental Uremia

Summary: The effects of chronic uremia on the intestinal transport of amino acids and glucose were assessed by an in vivo perfusion technique in young uremic rats and pair-fed controls. The experimental rats were rendered uremic by a modification of the conventional nephrectomy, and control animals were sham operated. All intestinal perfusions were performed 4 to 6 wk after completion of surgical induction of uremia. The mean BUN of the experimental group at the time of evaluation of intestinal transport was 79 ± 18 mg/dl (mean ± S.E.) compared to 23 ± 9 mg/dl (P < 0.02) in control animals. A 20-cm-long segment of proximal jejunum was perfused in vivo with Krebs-Henseleit buffers containing amino acids and carbohydrates with 14C-and 3H-labeled tracers. The jejunal absorption of tyrosine was significantly increased in uremic rats: 5.63 ± 0.42 as compared to 3.47 ± 0.28 nmoles/min cm in the controls (P < 0.001). Similarly, the absorption of phenylalanine was increased in the uremic rats; 5.79 ± 0.41 versus 3.74 ± 0.32 nmoles/min cm in the control rats (P < 0.001). Confirmation that increased phenylalanine absorption represented a true lumen-to-blood flow was obtained by measurement of [3H]phenylalanine in blood drawn from the aorta after 60 min of perfusion. The blood count in uremic rats was 2,307 ± 257 dpm/ml versus 1173 ± 172 dpm/ml in controls (P < 0.01). The absorption of glucose along the jejunum was also increased in the uremic rats over the controls both at 4 and 40 mM. At 4 mM, the absorption in uremic rats was 27.79 ± 1.84 versus 21.02 ± 1.66 nmoles/min cm (P < 0.01) in controls. At 40 mM, the values were 228.5 ± 16.3 and 170.9 ± 16.9 nmoles/min cm, respectively (P < 0.02). In contrast, the absorption of histidine and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid was not significantly different between uremic and control animals. The alterations in jejunal transport were associated with a decreased incorporation of [3H]phenylalanine into protein in the cell membrane-rich portion of intestinal mucosal scrapings (43.7 ± 4.7 nCi/g protein versus 94.2 ± 13.1 nCi/g protein in controls; P < 0.01). There was also secretion of glucose from blood-to-intestinal lumen, which was significantly greater in uremic than in control animals: 1.41 ± 0.16 versus 0.87 ± 0.05 nmoles/min cm (P < 0.01). These results are consistent with an alteration of the integrity of the jejunal mucosa in uremia which affects its permeability and alters the transport of nutrient. Speculation: The decreased incorporation of phenylalanine into membrane-bound material of the jejunal mucosa and the increased blood-to-lumen flux of glucose in uremic rats may indicate a defect in the integrity of the intestinal mucosa. This may be associated with an altered premeability, which facilitates increased intestinal absorption of solutes. These kinds of changes in uremia seem to be different in pathogenesis from those induced by malnutrition per se. The observed changes in jejunal absorption appear to compensate for, rather than to contribute to, the malnutrition and growth failure typical of chronic uremia.
New Dielectric Resonances in Mesoscopic Ferroelectrics

A new type of dielectric resonance has been observed in several mixed ferroelectrics, ${\mathrm{KTa}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Nb}}_{x}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (KTN), ${\mathrm{K}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{TaO}}_{3}$ (KLT), and ${\mathrm{PbMg}}_{1/3}{\mathrm{Nb}}_{2/3}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (PMN), also known as relaxor ferroelectrics. This resonance and its metastability (persistence over long periods of time) in KTN in the paraelectric phase provides clear evidence, in relaxors, for the presence of permanent polar nanoregions and strong polarization-strain coupling. The frequencies calculated from the elastic constant reveal the unexpected clamped nature of the resonance. These results point to the essential role of polar regions in the relaxor behavior.
Cell division and trichome breakage in Beggiatoa

The process ofBeggiatoa trichome division was elucidated through phase-contrast microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Trichome breakage and dispersion is accomplished by the formation of sacrificial cells (necridia) at various points within the trichome. Upon dying, the sacrificial cells lyse, dividing the trichome into two daughter trichomes. This process is identical with that found in many oscillatorian blue-green bacteria, but differs from the mechanism of trichome division in most of the other flexuous gliding bacteria. Cellular division within the trichome occurs by septation, involving the cytoplasmic membrane and the electron-dense L2 (peptidoglycan) layer. The outer envelope layers do not take part in division.
Adsorption of uranyl on gibbsite: A time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy study.

Uranyl adsorbed on gibbsite at pH 4.0-8.0 and ionic strengths (ISs) 0.001-0.4 M (NaClO4) in the absence of carbonate was studied using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLIFS) under cryogenic conditions. TRLIFS data showed the presence of several distinct emission components. Their contributions were determined using the evolving factor analysis approach. Four components denoted as species A, B, C, and D were discerned. Each of them was characterized by a characteristic response to pH and IS changes and also by a unique combination of the values of the fundamental transition energy E0,0, vibronic spacing E, and half-width of the vibronic lines W. Species A and B were major contributors to the overall emission. They were mainly affected by the pH and predominated below and above pH 5.0, respectively. In contrast with that, the contribution of species C was noticeable only at IS = 0.001 M, while it was suppressed or absent at high IS values. It was concluded that species A and B are likely to correspond to inner-sphere surface aluminol complexes AlO-(UO2)+ and AlO-(UO2)OH, while species C was hypothesized to correspond to electrostatically bound uranyl complexes (predominantly [UO2(OH)3]-).
Development of new nano-particle-strengthened martensitic steels

Abstract Nano-sized precipitates were produced in nitrogen-containing commercial martensitic steels by a new thermomechanical treatment (TMT). A steel with the TMT should have a maximum operating temperature >50 °C over the steel given a conventional heat treatment. A >100 °C increase should be possible for a steel developed for the TMT.
Positive solutions of a nonlinear initial-value problem on half-line

The nonlinear initial-value problemu″(t)+f(t,u(t))=0,u(t0)+bu′(t0)=c,t0≥0,b≤0,c≥0, is considered for positive solutions on [t0, ∞). Existence of positive solutions is proved without the hypothesis thatf(t, ω)≥0 (or ≤0), using the lattice fixed point theorem. A monotonicity condition inf(t, ω) is used to prove the uniqueness of the solution of the initial-value problem. Whenf(t, ω)≥0 (or ≤0), uniqueness is also obtained under a sublinearity condition onf(t, ω).
Classical positioning decreases subclavian vein cross-sectional area in children.

Background: Recommendations for subclavian vein catheter placement in children are extrapolated from adult experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal body position to optimize the size of the subclavian vein in children for percutaneous catheter placement. Methods: Children underwent ultrasound imaging of the subclavian vein in four supine body positions: head in a neutral position with the chin midline (NL) and no shoulder roll (SR); head turned 90 degrees away (TA) and no SR; head NL with an SR; and head TA with an SR. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the subclavian vein was calculated and statistical significance was determined using the Student's t test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: Nine children participated in the study, with a mean age of 5.3 years. The CSA of the subclavian vein was 0.39 ± 0.24 cm 2 with the head NL and no SR, compared with 0.31 ± 0.20 cm 2 with the head TA or 0.32 ± 0.23 cm 2 with the head TA and SR. This represented a significant reduction in the CSA of the subclavian vein by 22% and 18%, respectively (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In children, the recommended maneuvers of turning the head or turning the head and placing a posterior shoulder roll significantly reduce the cross-sectional area of the subclavian vein. Maintaining the head in a normal position with the chin midline without a shoulder roll optimizes subclavian vein size. Positioning children in this manner may serve to reduce the morbidity associated with percutaneous subclavian vein cannulation.
A prospective evaluation of the clinical presentation of pediatric pelvic fractures.

Background: We sought to describe pediatric, blunt trauma patients with pelvic fracture (PF) and to evaluate pelvis examination sensitivity and specificity. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of blunt trauma patients at a Level I pediatric trauma center. A pediatric emergency medicine physician attempted to diagnose a PF, solely on the basis of the history and pelvis examination. Patients with blunt trauma but no pelvic fracture (NPF) were used as controls. Results: We enrolled 140 patients (16 PF, 124 NPF), and no significant differences were found regarding median age, gender, injury mechanism, acuity, and medical outcome. Approximately 25% of PF patients had iliac-wing fractures; 37%, single pelvic ring; 25%, double pelvic ring; and 13%, acetabular fractures. Eleven patients with PF had an abnormal pelvis examination (69% sensitivity), compared with six NPF patients (95% specificity, negative predictive value 0.91). Conclusion: Pediatric patients with PF have low mortality and few complex fractures. The pelvis examination appears to have both high specificity and negative predictive value.
Threat perceptions in acute chemical disasters

Abstract This paper describes the differential perception of disaster threat exhibited by 300 organizational respondents in 19 American communities. Statistical analysis of the relationships between threat perception and selected social climate variables is conducted in an attempt to identify some of the factors that influence this differential perception of threat. In particular, the finding that three chemically related disaster agents are ranked in the top four probable community disasters is examined. Implications of this finding for chemical disaster planning are noted as well as some corrective measures which might be undertaken to improve preparedness for acute chemical emergencies.
Isonychia spp. and macroinvertebrate community responses to stressors in streams utilizing the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (BiTIE) method

Abstract Exposures of caged organisms in situ have proven to be a useful way to improve exposure realism and link to stressor effects in aquatic assessments of hazard or risk. A novel cage system, the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (B i TIE), was developed for benthic macroinvertebrates (surrogate species, resident populations and communities) to separate low and high flow effects, and major chemical classes of stressors in streams. Three resin types were used to separate the chemical stressors in the streams Honey Creek and Little Beavercreek, Ohio, USA: Dowex™ Optipore™ (non-polar organics), zeolite (ammonia), and polywool (control). Isonychia spp. sensitivity was compared to Chironomus tentans , and no significant differences were found ( p > 0.05). Isonychia spp. growth (length) showed a stressor response in the zeolite treatments, and community testing revealed improved metric responses in the Dowex™ treatments. The B i TIE chamber system demonstrated stressor–response relationships using sublethal and multimetric endpoints.
Increasing the power of association studies with affected families, unrelated cases and controls

When studying the genetics of inherited diseases, researchers often collect data on affected families, unrelated cases, and healthy controls. However, the joint analysis of such heterogeneous data is difficult, and the simpler analysis of homogeneous subsets is often suboptimal. For example, while case-control tests of association are sensitive to allele frequency differences, the preferential transmission of risk alleles from heterozygous parents to their affected offspring is typically ignored. Similarly, the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) fails to incorporate the difference in allele frequencies when testing for association. To boost the power of modern genetic studies, we propose POPFAM—a fast and efficient test of association that can accommodate large affected families, unrelated cases, and controls. We use simulations to assess the type I error and power of POPFAM across different genetic models, and minor allele frequencies. For comparison, we examine the power of competing methods: the trend test, a Wald test (equivalent to the TDT), and SCOUT. Our results show that POPFAM maintains the correct type I error, and that it is more powerful than the trend test or the TDT. It performs as well as, or better than the likelihood ratio test SCOUT, which was developed specifically for case-parent/case-control data. Furthermore, when applied to the HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) genotypes of 401 type 1 diabetic families, POPFAM confirmed the previously reported association between DRB1*03:01 and microvascular complications (p = 0.04). In general, we expect our proposed test to facilitate the identification of clinically important genomic regions, and to better inform the design of follow-up sequencing efforts.