cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salient Measures of an Engaged Computing Education Community

This innovative practice work-in-progress paper presents measurement and analysis of a comprehensive model of pedagogical change in the computing college of a large, urban university in the United States. Our approach to change has two major thrusts: (1) a model for systemic change in the culture and climate of computing education, and (2) pedagogical patterns that transform students who enter undergraduate computing programs from people with an interest in computing to people who identify as computing professionals. We collected a total of 940 student survey responses across four semesters. Survey items gauged students’ connection to their peers and their profession and were used to create a composite measure of peer learning and professional identity. Exploratory Factor Analysis indicates an internally consistent factor structure composed of 18 items with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91. In this paper, we present the methodology for measurement and analysis, describe our rationale in an engaged computing education context, and discuss how studying the constructs of peer learning and professional identity contributes to the knowledge base of the computing education community.
A Clean Approach to Flutter Development through the Flutter Clean Architecture Package

Flutter is a popular UI framework for developing mobile applications by Google. It has caught traction in recent years. However, Flutter developers have to deal with a state management issue when developing their applications. In order to solve this problem, multiple architectues have been developed. This paper proposes a new Flutter architecture based on the Clean Architecture by Uncle Bob. The Flutter Clean Architecture proposed in this paper is packaged and released through a Flutter package. The architecture is tested by developing a full application from scratch using the package and documenting the process. The Flutter Clean Architecture provides a solution to the state management problem as well as a potential overall choice for Flutter mobile application architecture.
Cesarean delivery technique in obese women

Abstract A cesarean delivery in the obese parturient presents unique challenges. While many of the techniques standardly used in cesarean delivery should continue to be used, there are some considerations and modifications that can limit the excessive morbidity and mortality for this population. Preoperative planning and delivery techniques are further elucidated in this chapter. Multidisciplinary team preparations (including obstetrics, maternal fetal medicine, anesthesia, neonatology, and other specialties as needed) should be considered, particularly in women with increasing body mass index.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Dismisses Antitrust Case Challenging Patent Thicket (Humira)

Whether behavior relating to a patent thicket presents an antitrust issue is a nuanced question. But a recent ruling involving the biologic Humira shows how not to decide these issues. This short piece discusses the court’s opinion and highlights its errors analyzing sham behavior, patent settlements, and antitrust injury.
Coronary and cerebral thrombosis in a young patient after mild COVID-19 illness: a case report.

Background COVID-19 has spread worldwide and has caused significant morbidity and mortality. Myocardial injury and thrombo-embolism are known complications for those with severe forms of disease. The incidence and risk factors for these complications for those patients who are asymptomatic or with mild forms of COVID-19 is unknown. Case summary In this report we describe the case of a 35-year-old man with no past cardiac history who presented with chest pain and a high-sensitivity troponin level of 386 ng/L in the context of an unspecified mild viral illness 1 month previously. Diagnostic evaluation revealed a new cardiomyopathy, left ventricular thrombus, and mid right coronary artery thrombosis. The coronary thrombosis was treated with thrombectomy. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies returned positive. He initially did well post-procedure; however, prior to discharge, he developed a second arterial thrombo-embolism event, a middle cerebral artery stroke. He was treated with thrombectomy and remains hospitalized. Discussion Recognition that mild COVID-19 can be complicated by subsequent cardiac injury and/or coagulopathy is important. As more people recover from this viral illness and return to normal activity levels, discussion among cardiac experts has begun regarding screening for occult myocardial injury in those who plan to resume competitive athletic activity. This case highlights the need for investigation regarding (i) the duration of thrombophilia after recovery from illness; (ii) the population that should receive thromboprophylaxis; and (iii) the duration of thromboprophylaxis therapy for COVID-19.
The Effect of Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility, and Emotional Intelligence on Self-Efficacy and Functional Outcomes Among Chronic Pain Clients

Chronic pain-related research has increased substantially during the last decade. However, empirical studies addressing mental health interventions to increase self-efficacy and reduce functional impairments is limited. This study investigated whether better functional outcomes (physical and psychosocial daily functioning) and greater self-efficacy among persons with chronic pain is associated with mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and emotional intelligence (N = 148). Two multiple regression analyses, each controlling for demographic factors, indicated that psychological flexibility predicted both daily functioning and self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence predicted self-efficacy among chronic pain clients. Mental health benefits of psychological flexibility and emotional intelligence can therefore potentially be used by psychotherapists to help boost clients’ positive beliefs in, and ability to function with, chronic pain.
Impact of equal access healthcare on race disparities in bladder cancer.

399Background: Outcomes in bladder cancer are disproportionately worse for black patients compared to white patients. We hypothesize these disparities arise in part due to differences in access to ...
Active magnetic regenerative cooling with smaller magnets

Abstract Magnetocaloric heat pumping near room temperature, a.k.a. magnetic cooling, relies on the active regenerator cycle to achieve functional temperature spans and realize economic and societal benefits promised by this emerging solid-state cooling technology. The cycle itself depends upon synchronizing oscillating flow of a heat transfer fluid through a solid porous active material matrix, or the refrigerant, with periods when the refrigerant is in the highest available (field-on) and in nearly zero (field-off) magnetic fields to accomplish heat transfer. With this in mind, we analyze varying flow and magnetic field wave forms and the timing between when the fluid is pumped and when the magnetic field is turned on and off. We demonstrate that the volume and the cost of permanent magnet generating the field changes can be cut nearly in half with little to no effect on the device temperature span and cooling power normalized by the refrigerant mass.
Effect of an Oral Calcium Chloride Gel on Prevention of Hypocalcemic Relapses in Dairy Cattle

Hypocalcemic relapses affect about 25 to 40% of all dairy cows that are successfully treated for clinical milk fever. Oral calcium supplements may have benefit in reducing the incidence of hypocalcemic relapses, but have not been evaluated for this purpose. Seventy spontaneous cases of milk fever in Holstein cows were used in a prospective, double-blind field study to evaluate the efficacy of an oral calcium gel (Balance TM, Bayer Animal Health, Shawnee Mission, KS) in preventing hypocalcemic relapses.
A Deep Learning-Based Automatic Contour Quality Assurance Pipeline for Complex Anatomy on MRI.

Purpose/Objective(s) Despite the recent significant improvement on deep learning (DL)-based auto-segmentation, review and editing on auto-segmented contours are often needed to avoid errors. Such a manual time-consuming process is not desirable, particularly for recently introduced MR-guided adaptive radiation therapy (MRgART). To eliminate this manual process, we have previously proposed automatic contour quality assurance (ACQA) methods to automatically verify contour accuracy and have demonstrated that the ACQA methods worked well for most of organs, except for complex anatomy (e.g., stomach, bowels). This study aims to develop a DL-based ACQA pipeline specifically for complex organs that have inherent anatomy variations and intensity heterogeneity on MRIs. Materials/Methods The proposed pipeline includes the following major parts: 1) image pre-processing consisting of bias correction, normalization, intensity clipping, gas/high intensity contents filling and image cropping, 2)generation of three-channel RGB images by combining 30% core, inner shell and 4mm outer shell, 3) data augmentation through randomized 3D and 2D rotation, scaling and translation, 4) abnormal detection using statistical geometrical features extracted from ground truth contours (geo-check), and 5) training of a convolutional neural network (CNN) image classification model using samples passing geo-check. The DL auto-segmented contours of stomach on T2-weighted abdominal MRIs from 54 patients were utilized (40 for training and five-fold cross validation and 14 for independent test). A slice was labeled as inaccurate if the contour on the slice has mean distance to agreement (MDA) ≥2 mm or 95% Hausdorff distance (HD) ≥10 mm as compared to the ground truth. The labels were then manually checked to avoid mislabeling. The model performance was evaluated using area under curve (AUC) from receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), predicting accuracy and F1 score. Results A total of 139,230 sample images were generated for model training and 4826 for testing. The percentage of accurate slices identified were 64% and 72%, respectively, for the training and testing datasets. The average AUC/accuracy/F1 were 0.94/0.88/0.94 for cross validation, and 0.9/0.85/0.9 and 0.92/0.88/0.92 for the DL without or with geo-check over all testing cases. For each testing patient, the accuracy/F1 score were in the range of 0.78-0.98/ 0.71–0.99 with a median value of 0.89/0.91. The execution time for a testing contour was less than 1 second on a I7 CPU and a GTX 1060 GPU. Conclusion The proposed DL-ACQA method can quickly and automatically identify accurate and inaccurate contour slices after auto-segmentation of complex anatomy, e.g., stomach. With further development, this method may be integrated into current workflow, facilitating efficient and accurate segmentation in routine treatment planning or MRgART.
Iterative Receiver Design

Iterative processing is an important technique with numerous applications. Exploiting the power of factor graphs, this detailed survey provides a general framework for systematically developing iterative algorithms for digital receivers, and highlights connections between important algorithms. Starting with basic concepts in digital communications, progressively more complex ideas are presented and integrated resulting in the development of cutting-edge algorithms for iterative receivers. Real-world applications are covered in detail, including decoding for turbo and LDPC codes, and detection for multi-antenna and multi-user systems. This accessible framework will allow the reader to apply factor graphs to practical problems, leading to the design of new algorithms in applications beyond digital receivers. With many examples and algorithms in pseudo-code, this book is an invaluable resource for graduate students and researchers in electrical engineering and computer science, and for practitioners in the communications industry. Additional resources for this title are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521873154.
Excitonic Ion and Auger Photoemission in Organic Crystals

When an insulator is subjected to ionizing radiation of high intensity, relatively large concentrations of mobile excited states such as excitons and electrons (holes) can coexist. The possibility of creating a bound state (excitonic ion) between the electron (or hole) and an exciton was first suggested by Lampert [1], and several theoretical papers have since appeared that have discussed the question of the stability of such a state consisting of a free electron (or hole) and an exciton of either the Frenkel type or Wannier type [2–7]. The Frenkel exciton is an electrically neutral, electronically excited mobile state of a crystal, and it is the collective counterpart of the isolated excited molecule. The Wannier exciton is an electrically neutral, mobile electronic state of a crystal, and it is based on the correlated hole-electron pair [eh]. The spatial extent of the hole-electron pair can vary from near-neighbors (charge-transfer or CT exciton) to those of large-radius [8]. The first experimental evidence for the existence of an excitonic ion in an organic crystal was presented by Arnold, Pope and Hsieh [9]. These authors were looking into the suggestion of Pope and Kallman [10] that earlier experiments of Pope et al [11] could represent the interaction of a free carrier and a free or trapped CT exciton.
Scheduling based on time-sensitivity for wireless sensor network

A key factor affecting the lifetime of wireless sensor networks(WSN) is its limited energy. Firstly, ratio of energy cost of different parts of a sensor node and time-dependent difference of data gathered is presented. Then, in order to prolong the lifetime of WSN under the limited energy, time-sensitivity of sensor is defined, sensors are classified based on it, scheduling for data gathering with time-sensitivity is presented and the ratio of energy saving is analyzed theoretically. Finally, the scheduling for data gathering based on time-sensitivity is implemented on Micaz platform, experimental data is gathered by simulation and measurement. The result illuminates that the scheduling based on time-sensitivity can reduce energy consumption by reducing data quantity transmitted, and it is more observable as the time-sensitivity become lower.
Properties of Closed-Cell Butyl and Nitrile Materials:

Closed-cell materials were prepared from two types of thermosetting elastomers, carboxyacrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer (nitrile) and isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl), containing carbon black reinforcing filler. A chemical blowing agent, p,p'-oxybis(benzene-sulfonyl hydrazide), which decomposes rapidly between 153° and 160°C with a release of nitrogen, and a low-pressure compression molding process were used in the fabrication. The resulting cellular materials had densities between 0.66 and 0.84 g/cc. The curing characteristics of the formulations were studied with an oscillating disk rheometer. Viscoelastic properties were gathered with a dynamic mechanical analyzer over a-90° to 80°C temperature interval. Other properties, such as an abrasion resistance and compression set, were also determined The data indicate that the cellular nitrile materials should excel in applications where wear-resistance is needed and butyl materials in applications where good flexibility and energy dissipation at low temperatures are desired.
Review of Harold J. Morowitz’s Book: The Emergence of Everything: How the World Became Complex

Motowitz's book outlines 28 examples of said emergence, ranging from the making of our nonuniform universe, the emergence of stars and the elements of the periodic table, the solar system, planetary structures, universal metabolism, prokaryotic life, eukaryotic life, multicellular organisms, animals, humans, mind, philosophy and spirituality. You can find this book at Amazon: The Emergence of Everything: How the World Became Complex .
A subtractive approach to molecular engineering of dimethoxybenzene-based redox materials for non-aqueous flow batteries

The development of new high capacity redox active materials is key to realizing the potential of non-aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs). In this paper, a series of substituted 1,4-dimethoxybenzene based redox active molecules have been developed via a subtractive design approach. Five molecules have been proposed and developed by removing or reducing the bulky substituent groups of DBBB (2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzene), a successful overcharge protection material for lithium-ion batteries. Of these derivatives, 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene (23DDB) and 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene (25DDB) are particularly promising as they demonstrate favorable electrochemical characteristics at gravimetric capacities (161 mA h g−1) that approach the stability limit of chemically reversible dimethoxybenzene based structures. Diffusivity, solubility, and galvanostatic cycling results indicate that both 23DDB and 25DDB molecules have promise for non-aqueous RFBs.
Physical activity, psychological distress, and receipt of mental healthcare services among cancer survivors.

Physical activity confers multiple health benefits in the general population. This study examined the associations of physical activity with serious psychological distress (SPD) and receipt of mental healthcare services among U.S. adult cancer survivors. We analyzed data from 4,797 cancer survivors (aged ≥18 years) and 38,571 adults without cancer who participated in the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. SPD was assessed using the Kessler-6 questionnaire. Adjusted prevalence and prevalence ratios were estimated by conducting log-linear regression analysis while controlling for potential confounders. Overall, 6.6 % of cancer survivors (vs. 3.7 % of adults without cancer, P 0 to <150 min/week and ≥150 min/week were 62 % and 61 % (P < 0.001 for both) less likely to report SPD, respectively; cancer survivors who engaged in physical activity ≥150 min/week were 33 % (P < 0.05) less likely to report receiving mental healthcare services. Additionally, the inverse association between physical activity and receiving mental healthcare services persisted among women with breast or reproductive cancers and among men and women with gastrointestinal cancers. The inverse associations between physical activity and SPD or receiving mental healthcare services suggest that physical activity may play a role in improving mental health among cancer survivors. Healthcare clinicians may consider routinely monitoring and assessing the psychological well-being of cancer survivors and educate them about the potential benefits of physical activity in improving their mental health.
Transvenous coronary ultrasound imaging. A novel approach to visualization of the coronary arteries.

BACKGROUND Catheter-based ultrasound is a new imaging modality to examine endovascular detail in the coronary circulation. This technique requires direct placement of the catheter in the arterial segment of interest. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the feasibility of a less invasive approach by imaging the coronary arterial circulation by using a 5F (30 MHz) imaging catheter placed in the cardiac venous system. Using simultaneous fluoroscopy, we studied anesthetized closed-chest dogs (n = 6) and human subjects undergoing right heart catheterization (n = 11). After cannulation of the coronary sinus, the circumflex coronary artery (Cx) was visualized from the great cardiac vein (GCV), and on advancing the catheter into the anterior interventricular vein (AIV), the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was identified. Where artery and vein were parallel to each other, circular cross-sectional images of the coronary artery were obtained, whereas oblique and transverse orientation of artery to vein produced ellipsoid images or long-axis images. In the dogs, ultrasound-determined cross-sectional area of the coronary arteries (4.81 +/- 0.18 mm2) correlated closely with angiography (4.77 +/- 0.21 mm2) (r = 0.91, p less than 0.001). In humans, the Cx was readily visualized from the GCV in all subjects but because of anatomic variability, the LAD was seen less consistently from the AIV (73%). There was significant correlation between ultrasound-determined cross-sectional areas of the coronary arteries (8.25 +/- 0.34 mm2) with those from angiography (8.59 +/- 0.3 mm2) (r = 0.82, p = 0.001) in humans. In all subjects, the ultrasound transducer could be safely advanced into the AIV to the cardiac apex. Limitations of the technique include ultrasonic penetration problems, caused in part by the large size of human coronary veins and variability in artery-vein relations. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that transvenous imaging of coronary arteries with intravascular ultrasound is a less invasive, promising new approach to the study of structure and morphology in the coronary vasculature.
Cardiac transplantation for giant coronary artery aneurysms complicating Kawasaki disease.

Abstract Coronary artery aneurysm formation is a well-known and widely reported complication of Kawasaki disease with the incidence ranging from 15 to 25%.1 Most aneurysms are small and, in general, are associated with a favorable prognosis. In contrast, giant aneurysms (>8 mm in diameter) are associated with higher morbidity and mortality, despite antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy.2 Systemic urokinase has been used to treat coronary artery thrombosis of these aneurysms, but with limited success.3 Coronary artery bypass graft surgery currently appears to be the most effective therapy for ongoing ischemia, but serious limitations exist.4 Although cardiac transplantation now is used widely to treat a number of lethal cardiac diseases affecting children, this therapeutic approach has not been reported in the management of coronary involvement in Kawasaki disease.
The oxoglutarate reductive carboxylation pathway: a review.

Abstract Acetyl Coenzyme A is required for a variety of processes in the cytosol such as lipogenesis as well as a variety of acetylations. One mechanism whereby these acetyl groups are provided is a metabolic pathway by which oxoglutarate (or glutamate) is translocated from the mitochondria and is reductively carboxylated to isocitric acid in the cytosol. This is then converted to citrate which cleaved to acetyl CoA and oxaloacetate by ATP citrate lyase. This pathway has been termed the Oxoglutarate Reductive Carboxylation Pathway. The C 2 units produced are used for such acetyl CoA requiring processes as fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis; the C 4 units are used in some tissues for gluconeogenesis. In tissues other than those of the nervous system the contribution of carbon units by this pathway is profoundly influenced by the nutritional state of the animal. In starved animals, where fatty acid synthesis is curtailed, the conversion of labeled glutamate to C 4 and C 2 units for gluconeogenesis and fatty acids is severely depressed. In carbohydrate-fed animals, or with animals maintained under conditions which stimulate fatty acid synthesis, glutamate conversion by this pathway may reach 50–60% of the radiolabeled glutamate utilized. Other conditions which influence the function of this pathway are the developmental stage of the organism such as in the fetal vs adult ruminant or the developmental stage of the brain, the presence or absence of insulin, and the yearly cycle of hibernating animals.
The Effectiveness of a Direct Instruction Paradigm for Teaching Main Idea Comprehension.

THIS STUDY investigated the effectiveness of a direct instruction model for teaching children the comprehension skill of main idea. Sixty-six, sixth-grade students, blocked on achievement level, were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: a Strategy group, in which subjects received intensive main idea instruction according to a direct instruction paradigm developed by the author; a Basal group, in which subjects were administered massed basal lessons on main idea comprehension from a current, popular basal series; or a Control group, in which subjects engaged in unrelated vocabulary development exercises. A series of dependent measures assessing students' ability to recognize and produce explicit and implicit main ideas at the paragraph and short passage levels indicated a powerful treatment effect favoring the Strategy group over both the Basal and Control groups. These results are interpreted as further support for the efficacy of a direct instruction paradigm for teaching children reading comprehension skills.
Human embryonic stem cells express elevated levels of multiple pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members

Two of the greatest challenges in regenerative medicine today remain (1) the ability to culture human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) at a scale sufficient to satisfy clinical demand and (2) the ability to eliminate teratoma-forming cells from preparations of cells with clinically desirable phenotypes. Understanding the pathways governing apoptosis in hESCs may provide a means to address these issues. Limiting apoptosis could aid scaling efforts, whereas triggering selective apoptosis in hESCs could eliminate unwanted teratoma-forming cells. We focus here on the BCL-2 family of proteins, which regulate mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. We used quantitative PCR to compare the steady-state expression profile of all human BCL-2 family members in hESCs with that of human primary cells from various origins and two cancer lines. Our findings indicate that hESCs express elevated levels of the pro-apoptotic BH3-only BCL-2 family members NOXA, BIK, BIM, BMF and PUMA when compared with differentiated cells and cancer cells. However, compensatory expression of pro-survival BCL-2 family members in hESCs was not observed, suggesting a possible explanation for the elevated rates of apoptosis observed in proliferating hESC cultures, as well as a mechanism that could be exploited to limit hESC-derived neoplasms.
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide facilitates the late component of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced discharge in the cat superior cervical ganglion

Abstract The intra-arterial administration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP, 1–10 μg, i.a.) to the cat superior cervical ganglion facilitated or unmasked the late component but not the early component of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 0.5–50 μg, i.a.)-induced postganglionic discharge. The facilitation occurred in acutely and chronically decentralized ganglia. The early and late 5-HT discharges were blocked by MDL-72222, a 5-HT antagonist, but not by cholinergic antagonists. These data together with previous observations indicate that VIP selectively facilitates slow cholinergic and non-cholinergic excitatory mechanisms in autonomic ganglia.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand (TRAIL) Protein-induced Lysosomal Translocation of Proapoptotic Effectors Is Mediated by Phosphofurin Acidic Cluster Sorting Protein-2 (PACS-2)

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis of liver cancer cell lines requires death receptor-5 (DR5)-dependent permeabilization of lysosomal membranes. Ligated DR5 triggers recruitment of the proapoptotic proteins Bim and Bax to lysosomes, releasing cathepsin B into the cytosol where it mediates mitochondria membrane permeabilization and activation of executioner caspases. Despite the requirement for lysosome membrane permeabilization during TRAIL-induced apoptosis, little is known about the mechanism that controls recruitment of Bim and Bax to lysosomal membranes. Here we report that TRAIL induces recruitment of the multifunctional sorting protein phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein-2 (PACS-2) to DR5-positive endosomes in Huh-7 cells where it forms an immunoprecipitatable complex with Bim and Bax on lysosomal membranes. shRNA-targeted knockdown of PACS-2 prevents recruitment of Bim or Bax to lysosomes, blunting the TRAIL-induced lysosome membrane permeabilization. Consistent with the reduced lysosome membrane permeabilization, shRNA knockdown of PACS-2 in Huh-7 cells reduced TRAIL-induced apoptosis and increased clonogenic cell survival. The determination that recombinant PACS-2 bound Bim but not Bax in vitro and that shRNA knockdown of Bim blocked Bax recruitment to lysosomes suggests that TRAIL/DR5 triggers endosomal PACS-2 to recruit Bim and Bax to lysosomes to release cathepsin B and induce apoptosis. Together, these findings provide insight into the lysosomal pathway of apoptosis.
Crystalline to Amorphous Transformation in Ion-Bombarded Silicon

Lattice expansion in oxygen-bombarded Si has been measured as a function of average energy into atomic processes per unit volume, E, and of post-bombardment annealing temperature. Crystalline defects such as the divacancy, localized modes of implanted O+, and changes in the band edge absorption were also measured for the same ranges of E and of post-bombardment annealing temperature. For single energy implants, two transitions were found for the lattice expansion versus 8. The first, E 1, is the point at which saturation of the expansion first begins. Below E 1, both expansion and simple defects have an annealing stage around 150°C. Above E 1, the lattice expansion reaches a plateau until E ≥ E 2. For E 1 < E < E 2, annealing of the expansion does not correlate with annealing of the simple defects. The region between E 1 and E 2 is described by other authors as amorphous. However, crystalline defects are observed in this region. At E 2, the lattice expansion sharply increases. The change at E 2 is believed to result from further expansion as macroscopic disorder occurs throughout the implanted region.
Increased number of beta-adrenergic receptors in the hypertrophied myocardium

Development of cardiac hypertrophy is associated with depletion of endogenous catecholamine stores and increased inotropic response to exogenous catecholamines. A biochemical basis for these changes is provided by the observation that the number of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors - as reflected in specific [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding - is increased in hypertrophy without a change in the affinity of dihydroalprenolol for the binding sites or in the capacity of isoproterenol to displace dihydroalprenolol. This change in beta-receptor numbers may be an important adaptive mechanism for preserving the contractile performance of the hypertrophied myocardium.
Floc properties and settling velocity of San Jacinto estuary mud under variable shear and salinity conditions

Abstract The flocculation properties of a natural silt–clay mud taken from the San Jacinto estuary near Houston, TX were investigated over a range of suspended sediment concentrations, salinities, and turbulent shear rates. The study was conducted in a laboratory using a paddle mixer to create a turbulent shear field for driving the flocculation process; floc settling velocity and size attributes were measured in a settling column with a camera system and image analysis. In general, maximum floc sizes were observed at turbulent shear rates less than 30 s−1. For turbulent shear rates less than 50 s−1, flocs originating in saline water at 10 and 15 ppt were larger and more loosely packed than those created in freshwater at identical turbulent shear rates and suspended sediment concentrations. At turbulent shear rates of 50 s−1, floc properties of size, submerged specific gravity and fractal dimension were approximately equal for all conditions. Two ranges of behavior were observed in regards to the fractal dimension of flocs at a constant turbulent shear rate. In the first region, for floc sizes less than 200 μ m , a variable fractal dimension was needed to describe the submerged specific gravity as a function of floc size. It is suggested that this variability in fractal dimension may physically be the result of ploysized primary particles. In the second region, for floc sizes greater than 200 μ m , a constant fractal dimension was found to suffice in describing the submerged specific gravity. The constant fractal dimension for this second region was nf=2.3 for freshwater flocs and nf=1.95 for saltwater flocs. Based on the observation of the two-region behavior, a new variable fractal dimension model is presented using a simple exponential decay which asymptotically approaches a constant fractal dimension at a specified floc size. The model itself is based on the uniform-size primary particle formulation of the relationship between floc size and fractal dimension, but the equation was able to model the average shift from variable to constant fractal dimension, which was thought to primarily be due to polysized primary particles.
Advanced studies at the VISA FEL in the SASE and seeded modes

Abstract The VISA (Visible to Infrared SASE Amplifier) program has been in operation at the BNL ATF since the year 2000. The program has produced numerous results including, demonstrated saturation at 840 nm with a gain length of 18 cm, chirped beam amplification with the observation of anomalously large bandwidth of the emitted radiation, and successful benchmarking of a start-to-end simulation suite to measured results. This paper will review the prior results of the VISA program and discuss planned novel measurements, including detuning studies of a 1 μ m seeded amplifier, and measurements of the orbital angular momentum of the emitted radiation. The installation of a dedicated chicane bunch compressor followed by an x-band linac to mitigate energy spread will allow for high-current operations (reduced saturation length, and deep-saturation studies). Other measurements, such as coherent transition undulator radiation, are also proposed.
A practical state machine project

A widely noted problem in teaching undergraduate theory courses is a lack of student interest related to the perception of theory as being irrelevant and impractical. To counter this we added a programming project that produces working code for a vending machine, an obviously practical problem. The project is based on state machine automata implemented with the SEI's PACC starter kit, which directly maps state machine models, represented in a domain specific language, into executable code. This allows the student to see a direct and obvious mapping between a state machine based design and a functioning product.
Solubilization of TX-100™ and PEG-PPG-PEG in Liquid Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) at the subcritical, near-critical, and supercritical states has been found to be a powerful solvent with tunable characteristics. It is currently considered an alternative solvent to the conventional organic solvents and has attracted numerous industrial activities (processes). However, CO2 has been limited in its application due to challenges with dissolving polar macromolecules, which limits its applications. This article presents the solubilization of surfactant; octylphenol ethylene oxide (TX-100™) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly (propylene glycol)-block-poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG-PPG-PEG) in liquid carbon dioxide. The TX-100™ is solubilized in the liquid CO2 in a programmable phase equilibrium analyzer at varying temperatures and pressures. The emulsion characteristics as well as the water capacity of TX-100™ and PEG-PPGPEG each in liquid CO2 is predicted by using ethyl acetate as substituted solvent. For PEG-PPG-PEG and TX-100™ emulsion systems, microemulsion form at water...
Crystal and molecular structure of an organic thiocyanate complex: (CH3SCN)Cr(CO)5

Abstract The molecular structure of (CH3SCN)Cr(CO)5 has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a  6.572(1), b  12.034(3), c  13.783(3) A,β  96.48(3)° with four molecules per cell. The structure was refined by the full matrix least squares techniques to a final crystallographic discrepancy factor R  Σ∥Fo∥  ∥Fc∥/Σ∥Fo∥ of 0.038 based on 1513 unique observed reflections (I > 3σ(I)). The methyl thiocyanate ligand was found to be coordinated via the nitrogen atom with structural parameters essentially identical to those of the free, gaseous CH3SCN. The coordination geometry around the chromium atom is octahedral with the CrC distance (1.831(4) A) to the trans CO ligand shorter than those (1.905(4) A, average) to the cis CO groups.
Prolactin and immunomodulation

Abstract purpose: To review the recent exploration of the role of prolactin in immune function. materials and methods: Studies published that were identified through a MEDLINE search as well as through the bibliographies of those articles enumerated. results: Both humoral and cell-mediated immunity are compromised in hypophysectomized rats. The reintroduction of prolactin to these animals restores their immune function. Prolactin receptors have been identified on the membranes of white blood cells; furthermore, lymphocytes have been shown to secrete prolactin. Cyclosporin A directly competes with prolactin for binding to these receptors. This may be one mechanism of the immunosuppressive action of cyclosporin A. In addition to diminished levels, prolactin excess may also result in immunocompromise. This has been demonstrated in lactating female and prolactin-treated male rats, as well as hyperprolactinemic humans. Finally, prolactin abnormalities have been described in a number of immunologic disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus, adjuvant arthritis, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, and autoimmune uveiitis and thyroid disease. Dopaminergic agents that suppress serum prolactin are now being used in clinical trials to treat a number of autoimmune diseases and to prevent rejection in organ transplant recipients. conclusion: At physiologic levels, prolactin is trophic for lymphocytes. Either too much, or too little, prolactin may be immunosuppressive. Lymphocytes produce a prolactin-like substance. Prolactin may play a role in a number of auto-immune processes.
A General Approach to Gibbs Phenomenon

Gibbs phenomenon occurs for most approximations based on standard orthogonal expansions, as well as for those based on integral operators. It also occurs in interpolations and other types of approximations. We consider a general approach to approximation based on delta sequences in an attempt to better understand the concept.
7‐Acetylcytochalasin B: Differential effects on sugar transport and cell motility

Cytochalasin B (CB) is a potent inhibitor of sugar transport and cell motility in animal cells. We have synthesized and characterized the CB derivative 7-acetylcytochalasin B (CBAc) and have found that it has differential effects on transport and motile processes in fibroblasts. The derivative inhibited sugar transport in human red cells, 3T3 cells, and chicken embryo fibroblasts at micromolar concentrations, although it was less potent than its parent compound. Unlike CB, which causes fibroblasts to round up and arborize at less than 10 microM, CBAc had no effect on fibroblast morphology and membrane ruffling at concentrations as high as 90 microM. Competitive binding experiments using [3H] CB showed that the affinity of CBAc for sites related to sugar transport in the red cell membrane is about one-fourth of that of CB. In contrast, similar experiments using [3H] dihydrocytochalasin B (a derivative which inhibits cell motility but not sugar transport) showed that the affinity of CBAc for sites associated with red cell spectrin and actin is only about 1/20 of that of dihydrocytochalasin B. This study demonstrates that acetylation of the C-7 hydroxyl group of CB reduces its effect on cell morphology and motility much more than its ability to inhibit sugar transport. This observation, together with our earlier work with dihydrocytochalasin B, establishes that the pharmacologic effects of CB on fibroblasts result from the binding of the drug to two distinct classes of receptors and that these receptors interact with different parts of the cytochalasin molecule.
Preoperative evaluation of hospitalized patients.

Carefully managing patients undergoing elective surgeries is difficult in the perioperative setting. However, this becomes increasingly complex in patients hospitalized for acute conditions that may or may not be related to the pending surgery. Not only must the consulting physician take into consideration any complications inherent to the surgical procedure, but must also consider all related comorbidities of the acute condition for which the patient was initially hospitalized plus any existing chronic conditions. A careful systematic approach should be undertaken in these circumstances, which consists of (1) perioperative risk stratification, (2) medical optimization, and (3) perioperative risk reduction. Risk stratification is determined by the patient's inherent perioperative cardiac risk factors, whereas medical optimization and risk reduction are actively determined during the hospital course. For perioperative risk stratification, the Revised Cardiac Risk Index is the simplest tool for accurately identifying those patients at increased perioperative risk for cardiac mortality and morbidity. Medical optimization involves performing any necessary preoperative testing that would help identify concurrent undiagnosed medical conditions that might require preoperative intervention or the initiation of certain medication regimens to optimize disease treatment. Lastly, perioperative risk reduction includes any modalities that would be started to decrease the risk of potential perioperative cardiac, pulmonary, or other surgery-related comorbidities. Mt Sinai J Med 75:442–448, 2008. © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Two-dimensional depth-averaged finite volume model for unsteady turbulent flow

A two-dimensional (2D) depth-averaged model is developed for simulating unsteady turbulent shallow-water flows with dry–wet fronts (e.g. dam-break flow). The model is based on 2D depth-averaged Reynolds-averaged Navier stokes equations coupled with the k−ϵ turbulence model. The high-resolution MUSCL scheme (monotone upstream-centred schemes for conservation laws) is implemented to minimize numerical diffusions. A novel augmented Harten–Lax–van Leer-contact Riemann solver is used to solve the governing equations simultaneously. A body-fitted mesh is generated by using the Cartesian cut-cell method to accommodate irregular boundaries. The model is tested against two laboratory experiments to examine whether or not turbulence model is essential for simulating unsteady turbulent flow. The results show that the addition of the k−ϵ turbulence model significantly improves the modelling results at places of strong turbulence activities. To further improve the results, a more accurate turbulence model for unsteady...
Hybrid solar high-temperature hydrogen production system

A new solar hydrogen production system has been designed and simulated. The system operates at high temperatures with the use of a hybrid solar collector and a high-temperature electrolyser. The results show that the new hybrid high-temperature system can double the overall system efficiency over the classical PV hydrogen system operating at atmospheric temperatures.
Long-term cytotoxicity of orthodontic direct-bonding adhesives.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the potential toxic effects of several orthodontic adhesives immediately after polymerization and at various time intervals up to 2 years postpolymerization by means of an in vitro overlay assay. Adhesive samples were incubated on tissue cultures containing an agar overlay with a vital dye (neutral red). Viable cells were stained red; nonviable cells were unstained. The circular pattern of nonviable cells demonstrated a zone of inhibition that was measured and compared. All materials tested showed cytotoxic effects immediately after polymerization and the toxic effect decreased with time postpolymerization. However, 2 years after initial polymerization, significant zones of inhibition indicating continued in vitro toxicity were still evident in all but one of the adhesives.
Reexamination of the conformations of dimethyl phosphate anion in water

Abstract Monte Carlo simulations were employed to calculate the relative free energies of hydration for the gauche-gauche (gg), gauche-trans (gt), and trans-trans (tt) conformers of the dimethyl phosphate anion. Relative to the gg conformer, the free energy of hydration of the gt conformer is 0.2 kcal mol −1 higher, while that of the tt conformer is 2.6 kcal mol −1 lower. In combination with the free energy differences for the isolated molecules (Liang et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115 (1993) 1537), these results indicate that in aqueous solution the gg conformer is most stable, but the gt and tt conformers have comparable stabilities. The entropic contribution to the free energy of hydration is thought to be an important factor.
Repulsive Interactions Shape the Morphologies and Functional Arrangement of Zebrafish Peripheral Sensory Arbors

Summary Background: Trigeminal sensory neurons detect thermal and mechanical stimuli in the skin through their elaborately arborized peripheral axons. We investigated the developmental mechanisms that determine the size and shape of individual trigeminal arbors in zebrafish and analyzed how these interactions affect the functional organization of the peripheral sensory system. Results: Time-lapse imaging indicated that direct repulsion between growing axons restricts arbor territories. Removal of one trigeminal ganglion allowed axons of the contralateral ganglion to cross the midline, and removal of both resulted in the expansion of spinal cord sensory neuron arbors. Generation of embryos with single, isolated sensory neurons resulted in axon arbors that possessed a vast capacity for growth and expanded to encompass the entire head. Embryos in which arbors were allowed to aberrantly cross the midline were unable to respond in a spatially appropriate way to mechanical stimuli. Conclusions: Direct repulsive interactions between developing trigeminal and spinal cord sensory axon arbors determine sensory neuron organization and control the shapes and sizes of individual arbors. This spatial organization is crucial for sensing the location of objects in the environment. Thus, a combination of undirected growth and mutual repulsion results in the formation of a functionally organized system of peripheral sensory arbors.
John Franklin Genung and the nineteenth century definition of rhetoric

This article describes Genung's definition of rhetoric in relations to major writers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The small ice cap instability in seasonal energy balance models

Results from a two-dimensional energy balance model with a realistic land-ocean distribution show that the small ice cap instability exists in the Southern Hemisphere, but not in the Northern Hemisphere. A series of experiments with a one-dimensional energy balance model with idealized geography are used to study the roles of the seasonal cycle and the land-ocean distribution. The results indicate that the seasonal cycle and land-ocean distribution can influence the strength of the albedo feedback, which is responsible for the small ice cap instability, through two factors: the temperature gradient and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle. The land-ocean distribution in the Southern Hemisphere favors the small ice cap instability, while the land-ocean distribution in the Northern Hemisphere does not. Because of the longitudinal variations of land-ocean distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, the behavior of ice lines in the Northern Hemisphere cannot be simulated and explained by the model with zonally symmetric land-ocean distribution. Model results suggest that the small ice cap instability may be a possible mechanism for the formation of the Antarctic icesheet. The model results cast doubt, however, on the role of the small ice cap instability in Northern Hemisphere glaciations.
Formation of the N2-acetyl-2,6-diaminopurine oligonucleotide impurity caused by acetyl capping

Abstract The acetyl ‘capping’ reaction routinely employed during phosphorothioate oligonucleotide synthesis has been implicated in the formation of an impurity species with a mass 41 amu greater than the expected oligonucleotide molecule. The impurity has been found to arise by conversion of a protected guanine nucleobase to N 2 -acetyl-2,6-diaminopurine. A two-part mechanism is proposed consisting of transamidation of the protecting group on guanine and substitution of guanine’s O 6 atom.