cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The activity of organic anion transporter-3: Role of dexamethasone.

Abstract Human organic anion transporter-3 (hOAT3) is richly expressed in the kidney, where it plays critical roles in the secretion, from the blood to urine, of clinically important drugs, such as anti-viral therapeutics, anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics, antihypertensives, and anti-inflammatories. In the current study, we examined the role of dexamethasone in hOAT3 transport activity in the kidney HEK293 cells. Cis-inhibition study showed that dexamethasone exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of hOAT3-mediated uptake of estrone sulfate, a prototypical substrate for the transporter, with IC50 value of 49.91 μM. Dixon plot analysis revealed that inhibition by dexamethasone was competitive with a Ki = 47.08 μM. In contrast to the cis-inhibition effect of dexamethasone, prolonged incubation (6 h) of hOAT3-expressing cells with dexamethasone resulted in an upregulation of hOAT3 expression and transport activity, kinetically revealed as an increase in the maximum transport velocity Vmax without meaningful alteration in substrate-binding affinity Km. Such upregulation was abrogated by GSK650394, a specific inhibitor for serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinases (sgk). Dexamethasone also enhanced sgk1 phosphorylation. Our study demonstrated that dexamethasone exhibits dual effects on hOAT3: it is a competitive inhibitor for hOAT3-mediated transport, and interestingly, when entering the cells, it stimulates hOAT3 expression and transport activity through sgk1.
Asbestos and Silica

The potential role of altered immunity in the development of asbestos-related tumors has been recognized for several years. This was evident when the Report of the Advisory Committee on Asbestos Cancer to the Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer recommended that parameters of immunocompetence should be evaluated in asbestos-exposed patients (IARC, 1973). This brief review is organized to discuss some immunological alterations which have been reported to occur in asbestos exposed populations and to relate these findings to possible inflammatory and fibrogenic mechanisms related to pulmonary immunopathological effects in animals exposed to asbestos fibers. The reader is directed to a recent review by Rosenthal et al. (1998) for additional information on new developments on asbestos-related immunotoxicity.
De Novo DNM1L Variant in a Teenager With Progressive Paroxysmal Dystonia and Lethal Super-refractory Myoclonic Status Epilepticus.

Background: The dynamin 1-like gene (DNM1L) encodes a GTPase that mediates mitochondrial and peroxisomal fission and fusion. We report a new clinical presentation associated with a DNM1L pathogenic variant and review the literature. Results: A 13-year-old boy with mild developmental delays and paroxysmal dystonia presented acutely with multifocal myoclonic super-refractory status epilepticus. Despite sustained and aggressive treatment, seizures persisted and care was ultimately withdrawn in the context of extensive global cortical atrophy. Rapid trio-whole exome sequencing revealed a de novo heterozygous c.1207C>T (p.R403C) pathogenic variant in DNM1L. Immunofluorescence staining of fibroblast mitochondria revealed abnormally elongated and tubular morphology. Conclusions: This case highlights the diagnostic importance of rapid whole exome sequencing within a critical care setting and reveals the expanding phenotypic spectrum associated with DNM1L variants. This now includes progressive paroxysmal dystonia and adolescent-onset super-refractory myoclonic status epilepticus contributing to strikingly rapid and progressive cortical atrophy and death.
Standing Up or Standing By? Middle School Students and Teachers Respond to Bullying: A Responsive Program Evaluation

Using a responsive program evaluation method, the researchers conducted interviews with stakeholders following implementation of a brief classroom intervention, based on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), with 7th-grade students in 1 school. Thematic analysis yielded several themes related to participants' perspectives on bullying prevention, bystanding, outcomes of a cooperative learning classroom intervention, and recommendations for participative bullying prevention programs.
Comparing efficacy of lumen-apposing stents to plastic stents in the endoscopic management of mature peripancreatic fluid collections: a single-center experience

Introduction Mature peripancreatic fluid collection (MPFC) is a known and often challenging consequence of acute pancreatitis and often requires intervention. The most common method accepted is the "step-up approach," which consists of percutaneous drainage followed, if necessary, by minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy. Our paper aims to distinguish between plastic stents and lumen-apposing stents in the endoscopic management of MPFC in terms of morbidity, mortality, and haste of fluid collection resolution. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed at UMass Memorial Medical Center in patients with a diagnosis of MPFC. Utilizing medical records, clinical data, radiology, as well as endoscopic evidence, patients were differentiated by stent type used (plastic versus lumen-apposing) for the management of the MPFC. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the time to MPFC resolution following the placement of either plastic or lumen-apposing stents (on endoscopic ultrasound or computerized tomography scan) using a multivariate analysis with a logistic regression model. Results A total of 54 patients were included in this study from UMass Memorial Medical Center between 2012 and 2015. Twelve (22%) of these patients received lumen-apposing stents and 42 (78%) of these patients received plastic pigtail stents. For the lumen-apposing stent group, the mean interval between stent placement and resolution of MPFC was 57 days as compared to 102 days for plastic pigtail stents (p=0.02). The mean interval for placement/removal of lumen-apposing stents was 48 days as compared to 81 days for plastic pigtail stents (p=0.01). Stent migration was seen in 5 patients (11%) who received a plastic pigtail stent compared to 0 (0%) patients who received a lumen-apposing stent. Discussion Our study demonstrates that lumen-apposing stents result in a significant reduction in the interval between stent placement and MPFC resolution as well as the time from stent placement to removal, when compared to plastic pigtail stents, the prior standard-of-care. Our study reached similar conclusions regarding the number of stents placed. However, we did not find a significant difference between the complication rates, specifically peri- and postprocedural bleeding or perforation, between the 2 study groups, as demonstrated in prior papers.
Introduction and Fundamentals of Modeling Approaches for Polydisperse Multiphase Flows

An overview of the basic formulation and conceptual ideas needed for modeling polydisperse multiphase systems is provided. Special emphasis is given to systems exhibiting polydispersity in more than one internal coordinate. Such systems are described by a multivariate population balance equation, governing a number density function, which can be solved using sectional or moment methods. When the particle velocity is treated as a fluctuating quantity, the corresponding number density function is the one-point velocity density function used in kinetic theory. For this special case, a generalized population balance equation is employed to describe polydispersity in the velocity and other internal coordinates (such as the particle size.) Here, due to their flexibility in treating inhomogeneous flows, we focus on quadrature-based moment methods and show how moment transport equations can be derived from the generalized population balance equation for polydisperse multiphase flows. An example application to the one-dimensional spray equation is used to illustrate the modeling concepts.
Specifying Security at the Systems Analysis Level: Operational, Public-Image and Legal Aspects

Current software security approaches involving software and information assurance, involve security activities such as threat modeling, misuse cases, and rigorous testing during the development, implementation and maintenance phases of the software lifecycle. With OPL (operational, public-image, legal) model, we propose that security requirements should be elicited at the data field level from end-users during the requirements modeling phase of the lifecycle. The elicited classification can then be used to drive the process of identifying critical processes of software, which leads to more effective threat modeling and testing regimens downstream.
Solving uncertain MDPs by reusing state information and plans

While MDPs are powerful tools for modeling sequential decision making problems under uncertainty, they are sensitive to the accuracy of their parameters. MDPs with uncertainty in their parameters are called Uncertain MDPs. In this paper, we introduce a general framework that allows off-the-shelf MDP algorithms to solve Uncertain MDPs by planning based on currently available information and replan if and when the problem changes. We demonstrate the generality of this approach by showing that it can use the VI, TVI, ILAO*, LRTDP, and UCT algorithms to solve Uncertain MDPs. We experimentally show that our approach is typically faster than replanning from scratch and we also provide a way to estimate the amount of speedup based on the amount of information being reused.
Managerial Justice: A Field Study of the Initial Steps of Appeal

Most of the existing grievance literature has focused on formal legalistic processes. This exploratory field study discovered that many issues in the instant case site were dealt with informally via negotiation outside the formal hearings. Based on the author's experiences while working as a union officer for 20 months and an employee for 11 years, we attain a more accurate political portrait of what transpires in the initial stages of appeal. A largely tacit managerial system of justice comes to light in the author's encounters with stonewalling, runarounds, double talk, threats, coercive acts, snow jobs, misdirection, smoke screens, and disinformation.
Using a Simple, Inexpensive Undergraduate Isoelectric Focusing Experiment for Proteins and Nanomolecules To Help Students Understand Isoelectric Point and Its Real-World Applications

A laboratory experiment was designed for upper-level undergraduate students in a bioanalytical course to demonstrate the concept of isoelectric point (pI) and the theoretical and practical applications of isoelectric focusing (IEF). This simple and inexpensive IEF procedure requires the same minigel SDS-PAGE equipment that is already available in most biochemistry and biology laboratories. Students first use published mathematical formulas to predict the pI of a nanomolecule known as a polyamidoamine dendrimer and subsequently determine its pI by preparing and running an IEF gel using common proteins with well-established pI values as standards. The pI of the nanomolecule is determined from a calibration plot generated between migration distances and pIs of the protein standards. This experiment has been successfully performed by over 50 bioanalytical students over the past five years. Evidence from in-lab problems, lab reports, and postlab quizzes shows that the use of medical examples, protein computer ...
Navigating Blind in the Green Rush: Clinical Considerations and Harm Reduction Practices for Cannabis

Background The United States has recently experienced extensive changes in state policy regarding the use of cannabis for recreational and medicinal purposes. Despite its rapidly increasing accessibility and social acceptance, there is a striking dearth of research on cannabis as a treatment for medical and psychological conditions. Research on cannabis is difficult to conduct as it is classified as a schedule I drug with high potential for abuse and currently no accepted medical use in treatment. As a result, no standard dosing procedures exist and the lack of conclusive scientific evidence has left clinical providers without evidence-based guidelines about if, when, and how to guide clients on using cannabis safely. Objective To (1) provide critical psychoeducational information about cannabis and cannabis problems to guide client-provider conversations about cannabis use and (2) describe common clinical concerns around cannabis use, highlight special considerations for vulnerable populations, and review harm reduction techniques and practical resources that may help clinicians and their clients navigate safer cannabis use. Conclusion The removal of regulatory barriers would enable researchers to address key public health questions about the potential therapeutic and adverse effects of cannabis use. Additionally, funds for research, clinician education, and public health education initiatives are necessary to reduce risk around cannabis use in the United States.
Opioid Prescribing Patterns After Micrographic Surgery: A Follow-up Retrospective Chart Review.

BACKGROUND The abuse of opioids has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and leftover medications are a primary source for nonmedical pain relievers. A past study at the University of Utah showed that micrographic surgeons were likely overprescribing opioids, with 35% of patients receiving a postoperative prescription. OBJECTIVE To examine the current opioid prescribing habits of the micrographic surgeons at the University of Utah compared with those in 2010. METHODS Retrospective chart review of the patient records of 4 micrographic surgeons between February and May 2017. RESULTS Four hundred patient visits were reviewed. An opioid prescription was provided after 12% of encounters, 23% lower than in 2010 (p = .004). Younger patient age, increased number of stages and defect size, repair of the defect, and particular surgeons predicted opioid prescription. CONCLUSION The percentage of patients who received an opioid prescription after undergoing micrographic surgery at the University of Utah decreased from 35% in 2010 to 12% in 2017. Reports of the minimal need of opioids after micrographic surgery, the authors' past study showing an institutional tendency to overprescribe, and reports of the national opioid epidemic likely all contributed to the decrease in opioid prescriptions at the authors' institution.
β-Selective nucleoside analog synthesis from chlorofuranoses

Abstract A method to form glycosyl linkages between nitrogen-containing heterocycles and appropriately protected furanoses is described. The method is highly beta-selective, operationally simple, and utilizes readily available reagents making the process amenable to scaleup. Representative examples of coupling between chlorofuranoses and purines or pyrrolopyrimidines are described.
A new branch connecting thermogenesis and diabetes.

Systemic accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) is a major metabolic hallmark and contributor to insulin resistance associated with obesity. A recent report identifies SLC25A44 as the BCAA transporter in mitochondrial membranes and shows that BCAA catabolism in brown adipose tissue significantly affects thermogenic activity, systemic BCAA clearance, energy expenditure and overall metabolic health.
Bayesian Identification: A Theory for State-Dependent Utilities

We provide a revealed preference methodology for identifying beliefs and utilities that can vary across states. A notion of comparative informativeness is introduced that is weaker than the standard Blackwell ranking. We show that beliefs and state-dependent utilities can be identified using stochastic choice from two informational treatments, where one is strictly more informative than another. Moreover, if the signal structure is known, then stochastic choice from a single treatment is enough for identification. These results illustrate novel identification methodologies unique to stochastic choice. Applications include identifying biases in job hiring, loan approvals, and medical advice.
"OMICs" reveal the molecular basis of a rare blood group.

Blood groups are defined by membrane proteins that are either single-pass, multi-pass, or glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins. The antigens defining the blood groups can be either the proteins themselves or the complexes of sugars that decorate these membrane proteins. For antigens that are present at high frequency on red blood cells, transfusion incompatibility problems, due to the absence of undefined blood group antigens, may cause difficulty in finding matching blood. This transfusion complication can only be remedied when the identity of the blood group antigen is discovered. In this issue of Blood, Azouzi et al , using a combination of complementary “omic” approaches, reveal the molecular identity of a rare blood group (PEL) that was first reported almost 40 years ago by Daniels et al, the high frequency antigen, ABCC4 (an ATP-binding cassette [ABC]-transporter).
The impact of small loan programmes on employment for micro and small enterprises: evidence from a province in Iran

Governments have developed small loan programmes with a reduced interest rate to decrease unemployment in Iran. Using longitudinal, firm-level data from 2005 to 2010 in Iran, this study examines th...
Personalism and the Trajectories of Populist Constitutions

This article reassesses the relationship between populism, democracy, and constitutionalism in light of the strong tendency toward personalism that populism often carries. Populists who have taken ...
An Orchestration Platform that Puts Radiologists in the Driver's Seat of AI Innovation: A Methodological Approach.

Current AI-driven research in radiology requires resources and expertise that are often inaccessible to small and resource-limited labs. The clinicians who are able to participate in AI research are frequently well-funded, well-staffed, and either have significant experience with AI and computing, or have access to colleagues or facilities that do. Current imaging data is clinician-oriented and is not easily amenable to machine learning initiatives, resulting in inefficient, time consuming, and costly efforts that rely upon a crew of data engineers and machine learning scientists, and all too often preclude radiologists from driving AI research and innovation. We present the system and methodology we have developed to address infrastructure and platform needs, while reducing the staffing and resource barriers to entry. We emphasize a data-first and modular approach that streamlines the AI development and deployment process while providing efficient and familiar interfaces for radiologists, such that they can be the drivers of new AI innovations.
Voiceless Victims and Charity Saviors: How U.S. Entertainment TV Portrays Homelessness and Housing Insecurity in a Time of Crisis

Despite the social justice urgency and escalation of homelessness and housing insecurity in the United States, insufficient attention has been given to understanding how the country’s most popular scripted television programming depicts these issues and thus helps to shape public perceptions about them. In response, this study employs content analysis to explore how the 40 “most watched” scripted entertainment television programs in the United States represented these urgent social issues over one full season of programming. Results reveal several harmful paradigms of homelessness and housing insecurity being reinforced by popular culture programing, signaling a need for industry-wide scrutiny and narrative change. Among its central findings, this study highlights how charity-first solutions—rather than structural responses from government or private-sector actors—are overwhelmingly advanced on the basis of stigmatized portrayals of people experiencing homelessness. This underscores the need for more attention to the consequences of neoliberal narratives and hegemony within entertainment media.
Human Subjects Research, Ethics, Principles Governing Research with Human Subjects

Introduction Ethical Principles Respect for Persons Beneficence Justice Ethical Norms Good Research Design Competence of the Investigators Balance of Harms and Benefits Informed Consent Privacy and Confidentiality Equitable Selection of Subjects Compensation for Research-Induced Injury Procedural Norms Vulnerable Persons as Research Subjects Are the Basic Ethical Principles Universal? Keywords: human subjects research; ethics
Dermatopathologists' concerns and challenges with clinical information in the skin biopsy requisition form: a mixed-methods study.

Ineffective communication and failures in information transfer among health care providers plays a significant role in sentinel events and critical medical incidents [1] including laboratory medicine and skin pathology [2,3]. Diagnostic errors, [4,5] occur frequently (10–20%) and in dermatopathology, may occur at any point in the process resulting in adverse patient outcomes and increased healthcare costs. In one survey, pre-analytic errors accounted for 23% of medical errors in dermatology practice [6]. Each step in the skin biopsy care process is dependent on clear communication. Ideally, a specific clinical question accompanies an adequate sample to a pathologist who performs histopathologic interpretation – the gold standard for diagnosis – that is then sent back to the requesting clinician to help guide management. In reality, dermatopathologists often are given incomplete or inaccurate clinical information that hinders their ability to efficiently make diagnostic decisions and relay a definitive diagnosis back to the requester. [7] The skin biopsy requisition form serves as the primary and usually critical mode of communication between clinician and pathologist, but is susceptible to many of the problems associated with handoffs. The limited literature in dermatology highlights frequent missing clinical information in the requisition form that creates daily practice challenges for pathologists. This study aims to describe and evaluate the perceptions of the American Society of Dermatopathology (ASDP) members about the quality of clinical information from clinicians through an explanatory sequential mixed methods design.
Lithospheric topography, tilted plumes, and the track of the Snake River-Yellowstone hot spot

[1] The trace of the Snake River–Yellowstone hot spot is the world's best example of a mantle plume that has been overridden by continental lithosphere. The “standard model” calls for the plume head to rise under northern Nevada and be forced northward to form basalts of the Columbia Plateau; subsequent movement of North America to the southwest over the plume tail created a hot spot trace on the surface. We present a new conceptual model for the origin of this feature that resolves inconsistencies in the current standard model and explains the recent documentation of a thermal anomaly in the mantle below Yellowstone today that plunges ∼65° WNW. Our model implies that the plume tail was forced beneath thinned cratonic lithosphere to the SE along with part of the plume head and has remained in this orientation for the last 12 Ma. We infer that almost all of the volcanism in SE Oregon and SW Idaho prior to 12 Ma results from overriding the southern extension of the plume head, not the plume tail, and that a distinct plume tail hot spot track was not established until formation of the Bruneau-Jarbidge eruptive center around 12 Ma. The plume tail track may also be controlled by a preexisting structural boundary in lithosphere that is thinner than adjacent lithosphere. This model demonstrates the potential importance of lithospheric topography on controlling the surface manifestation of plume volcanism and the complexity that may arise when lithospheric thickness is nonuniform.
Political Attitude Holding and Structure The Effects of Newspaper and Television News

This article examines the effect of television and newspaper news exposure on the holding and structure of political attitudes. Ideological utility is treated as an intervening variable. and is defined as the usefulness of the traditional dimensions of liberal/conservative and left/right to a person in describing political beliefs. The more ideologically sophisticated are presumed to be more familiar with these dimensions and better able to place themselves accordingly. Data are from the 1976 University of Michigan CPS national election study (N = 2402). Attitude consistency is treated as a variance of a person's responses to a series of nine bipolar political issue scales, indicating how consistently liberal. conservative. or neutral are that person's attitudes. As hypothesized. both television and newspaper news exposure are positively associated with attitude holding at low levels of ideological utility. Counter to expectations. television news exposure is positively associated with attitude consistenc...
Using Remote Control Aerial Vehicles to Study Variability of Airborne Particulates

Airborne particulates play a significant role in the atmospheric radiative balance and impact human health. To characterize this impact, global-scale observations and data products are needed. Satellite products allow for this global coverage but require in situ validations. This study used a remote-controlled aerial vehicle to look at the horizontal, vertical, and temporal variability of airborne particulates within the first 150 m of the atmosphere. Four flights were conducted on December 4, 2014, between 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm local time. The first three flights flew a pattern of increasing altitude up to 140 m. The fourth flight was conducted at a near-constant altitude of 60 m. The mean PM₂.₅ concentration for the three flights with varying altitude was 36.3 μg/m³, with the highest concentration occurring below 10 m altitude. The overall vertical variation was very small with a standard deviation of only 3.6 μg/m³. PM₂.₅ concentration also did not change much throughout the day with mean concentrations for the altitude-varying flights of 35.1, 37.2, and 36.8 μg/m³. The fourth flight, flown at a near-constant altitude, had a lower concentration of 23.5 μg/m³.
On the Prospects for Ontology: Deflationism, Pluralism, and Carnap's Principle of Tolerance

In this paper, I critically discuss recent work on the role that the principle of tolerance plays in Rudolf Carnap's philosophy. Specifically, I consider how two prominent interpretations of Carnap's principle of tolerance can be used to argue for Carnap's anti-metaphysical views. I then argue that there are serious problems with these arguments, and I diagnose those problems as resulting, in part, from a tension between competing goals of Carnap's philosophical project.
Resolution of the scanning tunnel microscope

Abstract At a corrugated metal or semiconductor surface, incident waves are split into beams reflected by the surface and exponentially damped waves penetrating the vacuum region. A probing tip approaching this surface from the vacuum side collects these damped waves, resulting in a tunneling current flow between the surface and the tip. By relying on arguments like those used to derive resolution criteria for optical instruments, a similar formula can be found for free-electron-like metals. For a surface with a weak sinusoidal corrugation with amplitude h s 2 , the amplitude Δd 2 of the observed corrugation of the equicurrent surface decreases as Δ d h s = exp[−π 2 ( φ2m h 2 ) − 1 2 (d+r t a 2 ] , where φ=U−EF is the averaged lo (work function), U the potential, EF the Fermi energy, a the corrugation period, d the distance between the surface and tip. and rt the tip radius. The validity of this formula is confirmed by numerical computations of tunneling through a corrugated barrier.
Effect of sucralfate and its components on taurocholate-induced damage to rat gastric mucosal cells in tissue culture.

The present study evaluated the effect of sucralfate and its components, sucrose octasulfate and aluminum hydroxide, on: (1) damage to rat cultured gastric mucosal cells induced by sodium taurocholate in a neutral environment and in conditions independent of systemic factors, (2) prostaglandin E2 and on 6-keto prostaglandinF1α release by cultured cells, and (3) sulfhydryl content of cultured cells. Cell damage was quantitated by chromium-51 release assay. Prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto prostaglandinF1α were measured by radioimmunoassay. Total sulfhydryl content of cultured cells was determined calorimetrically. Microscopically, sucralfate was found to adhere tightly to epithelial cell surfaces despite frequent washings. Sucralfate 2 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml significantly decreased taurocholate-induced damage, reducing taurocholate-induced specific51Cr release by 11.8 points (equal to 29% decrease in cell damage, (P< 0.01) and 22.9 points (equal to 56% decrease in cell damage, (P<0.001), respectively. Sucrose octasulfate and aluminum hydroxide did not exert significant protection against damage induced by sodium taurocholate. The protective effect of sucralfate was not prevented by indomethacin, nor was it counteracted by the sulfhydryl blocker, iodoacetamide. Sucralfate, but not its components, significantly and dose-dependently stimulated prostaglandin E2 (r=0.94, P<0.05 and 6-keto prostaglandinF1α (r=0.89, P<0.05) production by cultured cells. Neither sucralfate nor its components affected sulfhydryl content of cultured cells. In conclusion, sucralfate, but not its components, (1) protects rat gastric mucosal cells against taurocholate-induced damage in conditions independent of systemic factors and in a neutral environment and (2) significantly stimulates prostaglandin production by cultured cells. (3) The protection by sucralfatein vitro does not seem to depend on its stimulatory effect on endogenous prostaglandin synthesis.
Activation of chlorine and fluorine by a phenylazo group towards nucleophilic aromatic substitution. Regioselective preparation of polysubstituted anilines

A phenylazo group was used for selective activation of ortho fluorine and chlorine atoms towards nucleophilic aromatic substitution with the propanethiolate anion. This enabled a regioselective synthesis of three substituted 4-alkoxyanilines. The regioselectivity of substitution was confirmed by comparison of experimental NMR chemical shifts with empirically predicted values. The observed reactivity of the substrates is discussed in the context of the substituent effect.
Phonon drag in disordered films and structures

Abstract Employing the quantum transport equation, we investigate the effect of electronic disorder on the phonon-drag thermopower. We consider the electron–phonon interaction via the deformation potential, which is strongly renormalized due to elastic electron scattering. The scattering potential of impurities, boundaries and defects is modeled by quasistatic scatterers and vibrating scatterers, which move in the same way as host atoms. In thin films, micro and nanostructures of the phonons relax mainly in a substrate, and the phonon-drag thermopower substantially depends on the character of electron scatterers. Vibrating scatterers decrease thermopower, while quasistatic scatterers (e.g. rigid boundaries) increase it. These changes in thermopower correlate to the disorder-induced modification of the electron–phonon relaxation rate.
An Analysis of Developing Turbulent Flow between a Moving Cylinder and a Concentric Tube

Abstract : A numerical analysis is made of developing and developed turbulent flow in the annular region between a cylinder moving at constant velocity within a fixed concentric tube. Turbulent shear is modeled by eddy viscosity, an a uniform velocity is assumed at the entrance to the annular region. The computations extend and modify the method of Sud and Chaddock (1981) to arbitrary Reynolds numbers and radius ratios. Approximate formulas are given for both developing and developed values of pressure drop, shear stress on the inner and outer walls, and total cylinder drag. (jd)
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for CMOS output buffers in scaled-down VLSI technology

Abstract To provide area-efficient output ESD protection for the scaled-down CMOS VLSI, a new output ESD protection is proposed. In the new output ESD protection circuit, there are two novel devices, the PTLSCR (PMOS-trigger lateral SCR) and the NTLSCR (NMOS-trigger lateral SCR). The PTLSCR is in parallel and merged with the output PMOS, and the NTLSCR is in parallel and merged with the output NMOS, to provide area-efficient ESD protection for CMOS output buffers. The trigger voltages of PTLSCR and NTLSCR are lowered below the breakdown voltages of the output PMOS and NMOS in the CMOS output buffer. The PTLSCR and NTLSCR are guaranteed to be turned on first before the output PMOS or NMOS are broken down by the ESD voltage. Experimental results have shown that the PTLSCR and NTLSCR can sustain over 4000 V (700 V) of the human-body-model (machine-model) ESD stresses within a very small layout area in a 0.6 μm CMOS technology with LDD and polycide processes. The noise margin of the proposed output ESD protection design is greater than 8 V (lower than −3.3 V) to avoid the undesired triggering on the NTLSCR (PTLSCR) due to the overshooting (undershooting) voltage pulse on the output pad when the IC is under normal operating conditions with 5 V VDD and 0 V VSS power supplies.
640 × 512 17 μm microbolometer FPA and sensor development

RVS has made a significant breakthrough in the development of a 640 x 512 uncooled array with a unit cell size of 17 μm x 17 μm, and performance approaching that of the 25μm arrays. The successful development of this array is the first step in achieving mega-pixel formats. This FPA is designed to ultimately achieve performance of (<50mK, f/1, 30 Hz) with an 8 msec time constant. The SB-400 is a highly productized ROIC and is designed to achieve very good sensitivity (low NETD and low spatial noise) and good dynamic range. The improved performance is through bolometer structure improvements and an innovative ROIC design. It also has a simple and flexible electrical interface which allows external electronics to be small, lightweight, low-cost, and low-power. Almost all adjustments can be made through the serial interface; hence there is no need for external adjustable (DAC) circuitry. The improved power supply rejection helps maintain highly stable detector and strip resistor bias voltages which helps reduce spatial noise and image artifacts. The combination of reduced FPA pixel size and improved effective thermal sensitivity enhances weapon sight performance by providing smaller, lighter-weight sights via reduced optics size or increased range via enhanced pixel resolution without increasing mass or increased range via improved NETD (lower f/#) without increasing mass. We will also provide an update on the enhanced performance and yield producibility of our NVESD ManTech 640 x 480 25μm arrays. We will also show the improvement in our uncooled common architecture electronics in terms of reduced power and size for helmet and rifle mounted sensors and a variety of missile applications.
Coordinated V-f and P-Q Control of Solar Photovoltaic Generators With MPPT and Battery Storage in Microgrids

The microgrid concept allows small distributed energy resources (DERs) to act in a coordinated manner to provide a necessary amount of active power and ancillary service when required. This paper proposes an approach of coordinated and integrated control of solar PV generators with the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control and battery storage control to provide voltage and frequency (V-f) support to an islanded microgrid. Also, active and nonactive/reactive power (P-Q) control with solar PV, MPPT and battery storage is proposed for the grid connected mode. The control strategies show effective coordination between inverter V-f (or P-Q) control, MPPT control, and energy storage charging and discharging control. The paper also shows an effective coordination among participating microresources while considering the case of changing irradiance and battery state of charge (SOC) constraint. The simulation studies are carried out with the IEEE 13-bus feeder test system in grid connected and islanded microgrid modes. The results clearly verify the effectiveness of proposed control methods. The simulations are carried out in Matlab and Simpowersystems.
Development of a Writing Attitude Survey for Grades 9 to 12: Effects of Gender, Grade, and Ethnicity:

In this study was developed an instrument for reliably and quickly assessing senior high school students' attitudes toward writing, primarily through modifying an instrument developed for Grades 4 to 8, and for examining the effects of gender, grade, and ethnicity on these students' attitudes toward writing. A 19-item survey instrument was administered to 870 students. There was no significant main effect for ethnicity, but effects for gender (girls had more positive attitudes toward writing than boys) and for grade. Students in Grade 12 had significantly more positive attitudes toward writing than students in Grades 9, 10, or 11.
Histocompatibility gene mutation rates in the mouse: a 25-year review

Mutation rates of H2 and non-H2 histocompatibility genes in the mouse are examined over a 25-year period. Detected by skin graft rejections, the mutations were screened in inbred and hybrid mice from a continuously maintained and monitored colony and from a regularly supplied set of mice provided from the National Cancer Institute for monitoring of genetic integrity. Twenty-five H2 mutations were recovered, involving the K, D, L, and Ab loci, as well as over 80 mutations of non-H2 histocompatibility genes. Aside from a single allele at a single locus (H2-K b ), the spontaneous mutation rate of H2 class I genes appears to be equivalent to that found estimated for non-H2 histocompatibility genes, and comparable to rates reported for a variety of mouse genes. This is in contrast with previous suggestions that H2 genes mutate at orders of magnitude greater than do “average” mammalian genes. The discrepancy is attributed to the H2-K b gene which accounts for over half of all reported H2 mutations and which mutates spontaneously at a rate of 1–2×10–4 per gene per generation. Furthermore, over half of the spontaneous H2-K b mutations result in a single mutant phenotype (the “bg” group) which involve similar changes at amino acid residues 116 and 121. Thus, the high spontaneous mutation rate for H2-K b appears to be the exception among major histocompatibility genes, rather than the rule.
Using empirical data to inform the ethical evaluation of placebo controlled trials

There has been considerable debate about the ethical acceptability of using placebo-controls in clinical research. Although this debate has been rich in rhetoric, considering that much of this research is predicated upon the assumption that data from this research is vital to clinical decision-making, it is ironic that researchers have introduced little data into these discussions. Using some published research concerning the use of placebo-controls in clinical research in hypertension and psychiatric drug trials, I suggest some ways that such data might be incorporated into the ethical analysis concerning placebo use in clinical trials. This approach promises to be important for enhancing conceptual and scientific understanding as well as public policy decision-making.
Otoplasty: what I do now--a 30-year perspective.

The author presents his otoplasty technique, a variation on Mustarde's original procedure, which he has used for more than 30 years in more than 200 otoplasties. Timing, indications, and photographic documentation are discussed, and the operative procedure, including the preoperative work-up and anesthesia, is described in step-by-step detail. Postoperative care and early and late complications, from infection to the dissatisfied patient, are discussed extensively.
The Native Production of the Sesquiterpene Isopterocarpolone by Streptomyces sp. RM-14-6

We report the production, isolation and structure elucidation of the sesquiterpene isopterocarpolone from an Appalachian isolate Streptomyces species RM-14-6. While isopterocarpolone was previously put forth as a putative plant metabolite, this study highlights the first native bacterial production of isopterocarpolone and the first full characterisation of isopterocarpolone using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass spectrometry. Considering the biosynthesis of closely related metabolites (geosmin or 5-epiaristolochene), the structure of isopterocarpolone also suggests the potential participation of one or more unique enzymatic transformations. In this context, this work also sets the stage for the elucidation of potentially novel bacterial biosynthetic machinery.
SU-FF-T-106: Clinical Implementation of Varian Enhanced Dynamic Wedges Into the Pinnacle Treatment Planning System: Monte Carlo Dosimetry and Patient-Specific Quality Assurance Techniques

Purpose: To present a commissioning study of enhanced dynamic wedges (EDWs) into the Pinnacle3treatment planning system (TPS) and to evaluate various QA techniques for validating the treatment plans using EDWs. Method and Materials: Dose distribution modeling for EDW fields in the Pinnacle3 TPS is based on a combination of open‐field beam data and the Varian “Golden Segmented Treatment Table” (GSTT) unique to each photon beam. To validate the EDW models, dose profiles of 6− and 10−MV photon beams from a Clinac 2100C/D were measured in water for depths from near‐surface to 31.5 cm for a wide range of field sizes and wedge angles using a linear detector array of 25 energy‐compensated diodes (LDA‐25) to integrate the dose at multiple points in the EDW field for each exposure. The EDW output factors for square fields from 4 to 20 cm wide were measured in solid water using a cylindrical ionization chamber at a depth of 10 cm on central axis. The 6− and 10−MV photon beams emerging from the treatment head of the Clinac 2100C/D were fully simulated using the BEAMnrc and DOSXYZnrc was used to calculate the central‐axis percentage depth doses and dose profiles for the open and dynamically‐wedged fields in a water phantom. Film and MapCHECK data were compared with Pinnacle3 and MC predictions. Results: (1) Pinnacle collapsed‐cone convolution algorithm and MC simulations agreed with the measured EDW dose distributions to an accuracy of better than 3%. (2) Measured EDW output factors used for monitor‐unit calculation in Pinnacle3 TPS agreed with the MC predictions within 1–2%. (3) EDW‐based treatment plans were satisfactorily validated using MapCHECK and chamber measurements. Conclusions: We have successfully modeled EDWs into the Pinnacle3 TPS and demonstrated that MapCHECK and films dosimetry constitute valuable QA tools for validating planned dose distributions resulting from dynamically‐wedged beams.
The deterioration of urban environments in developing countries: Mitigating the air pollution crisis in Tehran, Iran

An increasing concentration of people and economic activities as well as a growing vehicle fleet have contributed to high levels of air pollution in the large cities of developing countries. This paper uses the case study of Tehran, the capital of Iran, to address the problem of air pollution in the major cities of developing countries. Specifically, the paper reviews and evaluates the implementation of the 10-year master plan to control air pollution in Tehran since its introduction in 2000. The paper argues that, thus far, the full implementation of many of the strategies of the master plan has lagged behind and a gap has emerged between the plan and its practice. Looking into the future, the paper identifies a list of challenges that need to be addressed systematically and comprehensively in order to turn the master plan and its strategies into meaningful and coordinated practice. Lessons learned from the case study of Tehran will help other major cities in developing countries to combat the air pollution problem more effectively in the future.
Application Generation Framework for Real-Time Complex Event Processing

We propose to develop a framework which provides the ability to apply complex event processing in realtime domains, thus allowing an easier process of developing and maintaining specific solutions for real-time event-based systems, while upholding the real time requirements of the system. Specifically, we propose to develop a framework that includes an integrated development environment for defining rules, and, given a set of rules, generates code for a complex event processing application for which it is able to determine time bounds on the response of this application to a set of supported events. In particular, the tool helps determine a time bound for the execution time of the code corresponding to each rule. Many Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) applications, in domains such as financial services, manufacturing, gaming and military/aerospace, have real-time performance requirements. We present real-life industry use cases from these domains as motivation for the potential benefit in developing real-time complex event processing applications. In support of a feasibility argument for the proposed approach we present some preliminary experimental results obtained on a partially implemented tool.