cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Heterogeneous Multi-Scale Method

The heterogeneous multi-scale method (HMM) is a general strategy for dealing with problems involving multi-scales, with multi-physics, using multi-grids. It not only unifies several existing multi-scale methods, but also provide a methodology for designing new algorithms for new applications. In this paper, we review the history of multi-scale modeling and simulation that led to the development of HMM, the methodology itself together with some applications, and the mathematical theory of stability and accuracy.
First-Principles Theory of Competing Order Types, Phase Separation, and Phonon Spectra in Thermoelectric AgPb m SbTe m + 2 Alloys

Using a first-principles cluster expansion, we shed light on the solid-state phase diagram and structure of the recently discovered high-performance Pb-Ag-Sb-Te thermoelectrics. The calculated bulk thermodynamics favors the formation of coherent precipitates of ordered Ag(m)Sb(n)Te(m+n) phases immiscible with rocksalt PbTe, such as AgSbTe2. The solubility is high for Pb in AgSbTe2 and low for (Ag,Sb) in PbTe (8% vs 0.6% at 850 K). The differences in the phonon spectra of PbTe and AgSbTe2 suggest that these precipitates enhance the thermoelectric performance by lowering thermal conductivity.
The suction-assisted endoscopic suture technique: A simple method for endotracheal suturing.

Background Silicone stents are commonly employed to treat subglottic stenosis. A frequent complication is the tendency of stents to migrate. As such, various techniques to secure stents have been developed over the years, none of which have gained large popularity. We present a novel, low-cost, and easy-to-perform technique herein. Objectives To describe a novel surgical technique to secure silicone stents and prevent migration for management of subglottic stenosis. Materials and methods After standard excision and dilation of stenotic portions in the subglottic or trachea. A silicone stent is introduced in a standard fashion. To secure the stent, an 18-G needle loaded with braided suture is inserted through skin, trachea, and stent. Endoscopic visualization then permits the surgeon to grasp the suture with forceps. A separate transcutaneous puncture site is performed with an 18-G needle attached to a 10-cc syringe (plunger removed) and blue tip suction within the empty syringe, creating an airtight suctioning tool. The grasped suture is gently introduced into the eye of the needle and quickly travels into the 10-cc syringe with suction assist, leaving both extracorporeal ends of the suture to tie. Results This stitch has been employed on seven occasions on four patients. There have been no episodes of stent migration. A laboratory model found the 18-G needle and braided 3-0 suture performed optimally. Conclusions We present a novel surgical technique to secure silicone stents in management subglottic or tracheal stenosis. Level of evidence Level 4 Laryngoscope, 130:E346-E348, 2020.
Intramuscular fast-flow vascular anomaly contains somatic MAP2K1 and KRAS mutations

The term “intramuscular hemangioma capillary type” (IHCT) refers to a fast-flow vascular lesion that is classified as a tumor, although its phenotype overlaps with arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The purpose of this study was to identify somatic mutations in IHCT. Affected tissue specimens were obtained during a clinically indicated procedure. The diagnosis of IHCT was based on history, physical examination, imaging and histopathology. Because somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes can cause vascular malformations, we sequenced exons from 446 cancer-related genes in DNA from 7 IHCT specimens. We then performed mutation-specific droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to independently test for the presence of a somatic mutation found by sequencing and to screen one additional IHCT sample. We detected somatic mutations in 6 of 8 IHCT specimens. Four specimens had a mutation in MAP2K1 (p.Q58_E62del, p.P105_I107delinsL, p.Q56P) and 2 specimens had mutations in KRAS (p.K5E and p.G12D, p.G12D and p.Q22R). Mutant allele frequencies detected by sequencing and confirmed by ddPCR ranged from 2 to 15%. IHCT lesions are phenotypically similar to AVMs and contain the same somatic MAP2K1 or KRAS mutations, suggesting that IHCT is on the AVM spectrum. We propose calling this lesion “intramuscular fast-flow vascular anomaly.”
The effect of Medicaid expansion on prescriptions for breast cancer hormonal therapy medications.

Objective To quantify the effects of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on prescriptions for effective breast cancer hormonal therapies (tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors) among Medicaid enrollees. Data source/study setting Medicaid State Drug Utilization Database (SDUD) 2011-2018, comprising the universe of outpatient prescription medications covered under the Medicaid program. Study design Differences-in-differences and event-study linear models compare population rates of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitor (anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole) use in expansion and nonexpansion states, controlling for population characteristics, state, and time. Principal findings Relative to nonexpansion states, Medicaid-financed hormonal therapy prescriptions increased by 27.2 per 100 000 nonelderly women in a state. This implies a 28.8 percent increase from the pre-expansion mean of 94.2 per 100 000 nonelderly women in expansion states. The event-study model reveals no evidence of differential pretrends in expansion and nonexpansion states and suggests use grew to 40 or more prescriptions per 100 000 nonelderly women 3-5 years postexpansion. Conclusions Medicaid expansion may have had a meaningful impact on the ability of lower-income women to access effective hormonal therapies used to treat breast cancer.
Contact Open Books and Symplectic Lefschetz Fibrations (Survey)

This note surveys two fundamental tools that unlock several topological properties of contact and symplectic manifolds; open book decompositions and Lefschetz fibrations. In particular, we will focus on planar contact manifolds, those that correspond to an open book decomposition with genus zero pages, and provide some fundamental results concerning planar open book decompositions and planar Lefschetz fibrations. We also introduce a higher-dimensional notion of planarity, iterated planarity as in [2], and present an exposition of generalizations of some of those results to higher dimensions.
Sector magnets or transverse electromagnetic fields in cylindrical coordinates

Laplace's equation is considered for scalar and vector potentials describing electric or magnetic fields in cylindrical coordinates, with invariance along the azimuthal coordinate. A series of special functions are found which, when expanded to lowest order in power series in radial and vertical coordinates, replicate harmonic polynomials in two variables. These functions are based on radial harmonics found by Edwin M. McMillan forty years ago. In addition to McMillan's harmonics, a second family of radial harmonics is introduced to provide a symmetric description between electric and magnetic fields and to describe fields and potentials in terms of the same functions. Formulas are provided which relate any transverse fields specified by the coefficients in the power series expansion in radial or vertical planes in cylindrical coordinates with the set of new functions. This result is important for potential theory and for theoretical study, design and proper modeling of sector dipoles, combined function dipoles and any general sector element for accelerator physics. All results are presented in connection with these problems.
Damage monitoring in rock specimens with pre-existing flaws by non-linear ultrasonic waves and digital image correlation

Abstract Pre-existing discontinuities act as the primary source of damage initiation processes in rock masses, and consequently govern their overall deformational behavior. As laboratory tests are critical for establishing constitutive behavior of rocks, in this study, the impact of a pre-existing flaw on rock damage behavior has been analyzed through laboratory-scale experiments. For this purpose, prismatic Barre granite specimens with an existing flaw were progressively damaged under uniaxial loading condition. A state-of-the-art non-linear ultrasonic testing (NLUT) method – the Scaling Subtraction Method (SSM) – was implemented in tandem with the two-dimensional (2D) digital image correlation (2D-DIC) technique for monitoring the impact of the flaw on the rock damage processes. NLUT-SSM allowed for experimental tracking of damage progression by analyzing the elasto-dynamic non-linear response of the rock volume originating at dynamic levels of strain. The non-linear response was characterized through the frequency-domain based evaluation of the non-linear indicator in the ultrasonic imaging areas (UIA). The 2D-DIC full-field strain profiles enabled a strain-based quantitative assessment of the magnitude of tensile and shear damage visible on the rock surface through the estimation of non-elastic apparent tensile and shear strains. The stress-induced changes in the magnitude of the non-linear indicator in the UIA regions showed that the NLUT-SSM technique is sensitive to capture the signatures of rock damage initiation and progression, with the pre-flawed region showing a higher degree of variation in the magnitude of the non-linear indicator. The results also quantitatively demonstrate that damage initially nucleates at the flaw tips, with the flaw tips having a relatively higher magnitude of tensile and shear damage in comparison to other areas of the specimen. The correlation between the non-linear indicator and damage showed that non-linear indicator has a near-linear direct correlation with tensile damage. In contrast, the magnitude of the non-linear indicator increased in an inconsistent non-linear manner with continued accumulation of shear damage. These findings are significant, in the sense that very few prior studies quantitatively analyzed the influence of a pre-existing flaw on rock damage behavior and examined the primary rock damage mechanism (tensile or shear) influencing changes in non-linear ultrasonic characteristics.
Parallel server systems with cancel-on-completion redundancy.

We consider a parallel server system with so-called cancel-on-completion redundancy. There are $n$ servers and multiple job classes $j$. An arriving class $j$ job consists of $d_j$ components, placed on a randomly selected subset of servers; the job service is complete as soon as $k_j$ components out of $d_j$ complete their service, at which point the service of all remaining $d_j-k_j$ components is canceled. The system is in general non-work-conserving -- the average amount of new workload added to the system by an arriving class $j$ job depends on the system state. This poses the main challenge for the system analysis. The results of this paper concern both the system with fixed number of servers $n$ and the mean-field asymptotic regime when $n\to\infty$ while each job class arrival rate per server remains constant. The main question we address for the asymptotic regime is whether the steady-state asymptotic independence of server workloads holds. We prove that this property does hold under certain conditions, including the important special case when job components of each class $j$ are i.i.d. with an increasing-hazard-rate distribution.
Assays for studying normal versus suppressive ERAD-associated retrotranslocation pathways in yeast.

Summary In S. cerevisiae, we identified rhomboid pseudoprotease Dfm1 as the major mediator for removing or retrotranslocating misfolded membrane substrates from the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). Long-standing challenges with rapid suppression of dfm1-null cells have limited the biochemical study of Dfm1’s role in ER protein quality control. Here, we provide a protocol for the generation and handling of dfm1-null cells and procedures for studying normal vs. suppressive alternative retrotranslocation pathways. Our methods can be utilized to study other components involved in retrotranslocation. For complete information on the generation and use of this protocol, please refer to Neal et al. (2017 , 2018) ; Neal et al. (2019) ; Neal et al. (2020) .
An Examination of COVID‐19 Mortality in High‐Minority Nursing Homes

Research Objective Racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare have been highlighted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services? Nursing Home COVID-19 Public File, we examined the relationship between nursing home racial/ethnic mix and COVID-19 resident mortality. Additionally, we examined the effects of resident characteristics, market resource availability, and organizational characteristics as it relates to nursing home racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 mortality. Study Design Multivariate regressions were used to model the relationship between COVID-19 deaths and the proportion of racial/ethnic minority residents (Black and Hispanic residents). Given the over-dispersion of the count dependent variable (number of COVID-19 deaths), negative binomial regressions were used. We used four nested sequential models to examine the separate contributions of facility-level resident characteristics, resource availability, and other organizational characteristics to racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 deaths. In addition, we controlled for size and interstate differences using state fixed effects. Population Studied The study sample consisted of all US nursing homes included in the CMS Nursing Home COVID-19 Public File, or 15,382 nursing homes, which mirrors the national census of facilities. Principal Findings As of October 25, 2020, high minority nursing homes reported 6.5 COVID-19 deaths as compared to 2.6 deaths for nursing homes that had no racial/ethnic minorities. After controlling for interstate differences, facility-level resident characteristics, resource availability, and organizational characteristics, high-minority nursing homes had 61% more COVID-19 deaths (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR] =?1.61;p < 0.001) as compared to nursing facilities with no minorities. Conclusions From a policy perspective, nursing homes, that serve primarily minority populations, may need additional resources, such as, funding for staffing and personal protective equipment in the face of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the focus on healthcare disparities and societal inequalities in the delivery of long-term care. Implications for Policy or Practice This study shows the disparate effect that COVID-19 has had on nursing home mortality based on resident racial/ethnic mix. Even after controlling for interstate differences, facility-level resident characteristics, resource availability, and organizational characteristics, high-minority nursing homes had almost three times the probability of having COVID-19 deaths compared to those with no minorities. These findings highlight the existing and systemic health disparities in nursing homes and the tangible impact it has on racial/ethnic minorities. Death due to COVID-19 is greater risk for racial/ethnic minorities in nursing homes relative to White residents. Nursing homes that serve larger minority populations may need additional resources to combat this crisis.
David Oliver: Outpatient clinics' role in sustainability.

In 2018 the Royal College of Physicians published Outpatients: The Future—Adding Value through Sustainability ,1 arguing that the traditional care model for outpatient specialty opinion, diagnosis, and disease monitoring was no longer fit for purpose. This future focused report is worth revisiting as NHS elective services recover and incorporate learning from covid-19 but struggle for staff and facilities. The RCP authors, whose new article is now in BMJ Opinion,2 argued that outpatient clinics accounted for the highest volume of hospital activity and yet, when compared with pathways and targets for acute care, had received far less national policy attention for reform or improvement. Recommendations to improve value and sustainability included greater use of remote and “one stop” clinics; greater co-design, information signposting, and peer support with patients and …
The effect of vaginal lubricants on Neisseria gonorrhoeae

The possible interference of vaginal lubricants in culture diagnosis of gonorrhea was investigated by studying in vitro effect of selected lubricants on Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Two lubricants widely used in family planning and other clinics were demonstrated to have a bactericidal effect on N. gonorrhoeae when tested with more than one method. Gonococci were killed on contact with Lubrifoam, even at a 10 per cent concentration, and an exposure time as short as one minute was sufficient to inhibit the growth on chocolate agar medium. The K-Y jelly showed less inhibitory effect than Lubrifoam. These findings suggest that certain vaginal lubricants have bactericidal effects and their presence can inhibit the growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Development of aspergillus sinusitis in a patient receiving amphotericin B: Treatment with granulocyte transfusions

Fulminant Aspergillus sinusitis is a disease of immunocompromised hosts strongly associated with neutropenia. A case of sinusitis due to Aspergillus flavus that developed in a patient with acute leukemia during the third week of treatment with amphotericin B is described. Indium 111-labeled white blood cell scanning demonstrated uptake of granulocytes into the involved sinuses. Thereafter, use of granulocyte transfusions was associated with stabilization of the patient's clinical course.
Caring for America's Aging Population: A Profile of the Direct-Care Workforce

Kristin Smith is a family demographer at the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH; Reagan Baughman is an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at the same university. E-mail: kristin.smith@unh. edu or reagan.baughman@ unh.edu Direct-care workers constitute a low-wage, high-turnover workforce with low levels of health insurance; taking these characteristics into account guides the challenge of how to deal with the growing demand for long-term care by an aging U. S. population
Large Deviation Rates for Supercritical and Critical Branching Processes

This paper investigates large deviation results for the supercritical multi-type and the critical single type branching processes when conditioned on non extinction thus extending the results in [1] and [2] in two directions. We show for example that in the multitype supercritical case the probability of large deviation between the empirical population proportion and its stable limit decays geometrically. Similarly in the critical single type case the (large deviation) probability that the ratio of the population at time (n + 1) to that at time n deviates from one by more than decays at an algebraic rate. A number of similar results are presented here. Some open problems are indicated.
The Mechanism of Degradation of Duplex Deoxyribonucleic Acid by the recBC Enzyme of Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract Reaction intermediates formed during the degradation of duplex DNA by the recBC DNase have been characterized by sedimentation velocity, isopyknic centrifugation, electron microscopy, and susceptibility to various deoxyribonucleases which are specific for single-stranded DNA. It has been concluded that the intermediates are of two classes: (a) duplex molecules with single-stranded tails of several thousand nucleotides at the 3' and the 5' termini and (b) singlestranded fragments several hundred nucleotides in length. To explain the presence of these intermediates, even in synchronized reactions with DNA molecules in molar excess over enzyme, a reaction scheme for the degradation of duplex DNA is proposed. According to this scheme, the DNase unwinds the strands of the duplex from an end and clips off fragments several hundred nucleotides long from one strand, while remaining bound to the terminus of the undegraded strand. When a single-stranded tail of up to several thousand nucleotides is formed in this way, the enzyme switches strands and degrades the tail from its terminus, yielding a shortened, wholly duplex molecule. The cycle is then repeated until the molecule is entirely digested. The scheme recognizes the processive nature of the degradation of duplex DNA by this enzyme and hypothesizes that the ATP hydrolysis which accompanies DNA degradation is required for the unwinding reaction.
Diabetes and Behavioral Learning Principles: Often Neglected yet Well-Known and Empirically Validated Means of Optimizing Diabetes Care Behavior.

Managing diabetes is known to be invasive, pervasive, and unrelenting, making adherence to the treatment regimen difficult to accomplish. Ongoing clinical and research efforts have attempted to address the struggles faced by youth and adults with diabetes. Recent research supports the integration of behavioral interventions into clinical practice to assist patients and families with the goal of improving health outcomes. Empirically supported and well-documented behavioral learning principles, particularly positive reinforcement, are often underutilized in modern diabetes care. We posit that most diabetes care providers are aware of these principles. However, the constraints of today’s medical systems have become significant barriers to purposefully and consistently applying them to promote improved diabetes care. We provide a brief overview of basic behavioral principles and common barriers to implementation, discuss relevant interventions, and present several examples of applications in clinical settings. We conclude with recommendations to raise awareness regarding the importance of consistently integrating relevant behavioral learning principles and interventions into diabetes care settings.
Dental Anatomy Carving Computer-Assisted Instruction Program: An Assessment of Student Performance and Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of students exposed to two different instructional modalities for dental anatomy wax carving: CAI (computer-assisted instruction) using DVD technology, or traditional laboratory instruction. Students' self-assessment scores were also compared to faculty scores, and students' perceptions of their teaching modality were analyzed. Seventy-three first-year dental students (response rate 81 percent) participated in this randomized single blind trial, in which faculty graders were blinded to student group assignment. There were no statistical differences, as determined by the Wilcoxon non-parametric test and a t-test, between the faculty grades on the wax carving from the two teaching methods the students experienced. The student self-assessments revealed higher mean grades (3.0 for the DVD-only group and 3.1 for the traditional group) than the faculty actual mean grades (2.2 for both the DVD-only group and the traditional group) by almost one grade level on a 4.0 grade scale. Similar percentages of students in the traditional group had either favorable or unfavorable perceptions of their learning experience, while more students in the DVD-only group reported favorable perceptions. Students from both groups said they wanted more faculty feedback in the course. Based on these objective and subjective data, merging CAI and traditional laboratory teaching may best enhance student learning needs.
Wedging equity and environmental justice into the discourse on sustainability

This paper examines the problems and prospects for including meaningful indicators of intragenrational equity into the city based regional planning efforts unfolding around the globe. The central focus of the paper is on the challenges that environmental justice (EJ) activists face as they attempt to frame the problem of equity in ways that the general public would see as not only informative, but compelling. After reviewing examples of successful efforts to reframe debates about equity, the paper concludes with a discussion of a set of EJ concerns and indicators that have the greatest potential for capturing public attention and commitment despite mounting resistance to the use of redistributive policies in support of sustainability goals.
Khan academy: The illusion of understanding

This paper examines the ongoing challenge of defining what learning means from the perspective of the cognitive and learning sciences especially as it unfolds in on-line environments. To better define learning as well as offer guiding principles, the paper uses Khan Academy as an example of what some high profile individuals like Bill Gates are claiming to be the future of education. I offer five guiding observations that provide a structure for understanding the learning process and apply them to Khan Academy as a means of revealing what amounts to what I call the illusion of understanding and to replace that view of with a more authentic understanding of the learning process and the means to achieve it.
Peculiarities of the densification of zircon refractories in firing

The sintering of zircon products at high temperatures depends on the degree of decomposition of the zircon, accompanied by the formation of a large quantity of liquid phase and new crystal phases, which are present in the bond after cooling in the form of very fine grains uniformly distributed in the glass phase. The degree of decomposition of the zircon, and consequently the density of the products, increases with increase in the content of impurities and firing temperature; and furthermore the relationship between this and the temperature is stronger the greater the content of impurities. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve constant contents of impurities in the original raw materials and reduce to a minimum (10–20°C) the variation in temperature during firing of the specimens, and to improve the sintering so as to increase the soak at the final temperature.
Obesity identified by discharge ICD-9 codes underestimates the true prevalence of obesity in hospitalized children.

Objectives To define inpatient care of obese children with or without an obesity diagnosis. Study design A total of 29 352 inpatient discharges (18 459 unique inpatients) from a tertiary children's hospital were analyzed. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from measured height and weight. "Obesity" was defined as BMI ≥95th percentile by using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000 growth charts. "Diagnosed obesity" was defined by primary, secondary or tertiary International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for "obesity" or "overweight." Analyses controlled for multiple inpatient records per individual. Results A total of 5989 discharges from the hospital (20.4%) were associated with obesity, but only 512 discharges (1.7%) indicated obesity as a diagnosis. An obesity diagnosis identified only 5.5% of inpatient days for obese inpatients. Obese patients with an obesity diagnosis (Ob/Dx) had fewer hospital discharges per person and shorter lengths of stay than obese patients without an obesity diagnosis (Ob/No Dx). Patients with Ob/Dx had higher odds of mental health, endocrine, and musculoskeletal disorders than non-obese inpatients, but Ob/No Dx patients generally did not. Conclusions Inpatient obesity diagnoses underestimate inpatient utilization and misidentify patterns of care for obese children. Extreme caution is warranted when using obesity diagnoses to study healthcare utilization by obese children.
Optical Stethoscopy: Imaging With λ/20

Unprecedented optical image resolution has been obtained using a near-field optical scanner called "optical stethoscope": 20 to 30 nm with blue light of half a micron wavelength! Key element is an extremely small aperture (5-10 nm) placed at the very top of a sharply pointed pyramidal or conical screen. The aperture is scanned in the immediate proximity of the surface to be investigated. The amount of light transmitted by both aperture and sample depends sensitively on the optical properties of the sample in the immediate vicinity of the aperture.
The effects of tri-o-tolyl phosphate (TOTP) on the immune system of mice

Abstract Tri-o-tolyl phosphate (TOTP) is an industrial and environmental contaminant and has been shown to cause delayed neuropathy. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of this compound on the immune system. Several techniques were employed to test the humoral and cellular effects. Male Swiss-Webster mice were gavaged with three dose levels of TOTP (5, 50, 500 mg/kg) and one level of tri-m-tolyl phosphate (TMTP) (50 mg/kg) in corn oil once a week for 13 weeks. Control animals were given corn oil alone. Lymphocyte transformation was determined on cultures of splenic cells obtained from animals sacrificed at 1, 4, 8, and 13 weeks. Relative proliferation index (RPI) and stimulation index were calculated for phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, and lipopolysaccharide-treated cultures. Plaque formation by splenic cells and delayed hypersensitivity were evaluated for all dose levels after 4 weeks of treatment. Immunoglobulin levels in plasma were determined using immunoelectrophoresis. TOTP was found to cause a nondose-related suppression on lymphocyte proliferation after 8 and 13 weeks. No effects were seen on body or organ weights. Plaque-forming cells, delayed hypersensitivity, and immunoglobulin levels were not affected by either dose or time of treatment. These findings suggest that neither TOTP nor TMTP exhibit immunotoxic effects at dose levels used.
Flow in a mechanical bileaflet heart valve at laminar and near-peak systole flow rates: CFD simulations and experiments

Time-accurate, fully 3D numerical simulations and particle image velocity laboratory experiments are carried out for flow through a fully open bileaflet mechanical heart valve under steady (nonpulsatile) inflow conditions. Flows at two different Reynolds numbers, one in the laminar regime and the other turbulent (near-peak systole flow rate), are investigated. A direct numerical simulation is carried out for the laminar flow case while the turbulent flow is investigated with two different unsteady statistical turbulence modeling approaches, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) and detached-eddy simulation (DES) approach. For both the laminar and turbulent cases the computed mean velocity profiles are in good overall agreement with the measurements. For the turbulent simulations, however, the comparisons with the measurements demonstrate clearly the superiority of the DES approach and underscore its potential as a powerful modeling tool of cardiovascular flows at physiological conditions. The study reveals numerous previously unknown features of the flow.
Investigation of temperature dependence of fracture toughness in high-dose HT9 steel using small-specimen reuse technique

Abstract The temperature dependence of fracture toughness in HT9 steel irradiated to 3–145 dpa at 380–503 °C was investigated using miniature three-point bend (TPB) fracture specimens. A miniature-specimen reuse technique has been established: the tested halves of subsize Charpy impact specimens with dimensions of 27 mm × 3 mm × 4 mm were reused for this fracture test campaign by cutting a notch with a diamond-saw in the middle of each half, and by fatigue-precracking to generate a sharp crack tip. It was confirmed that the fracture toughness of HT9 steel in the dose range depends more strongly on the irradiation temperature than the irradiation dose. At an irradiation temperature 180 – 200 MPa m at 350–450 °C, and then decreased with the test temperature. At an irradiation temperature ⩾430 °C, the fracture toughness was nearly unchanged up to about 450 °C and decreased slowly with test temperatures in a higher temperature range. Such a rather monotonic test temperature dependence after high-temperature irradiation is similar to that observed for an archive material generally showing a higher degree of toughness. A brittle fracture without stable crack growth occurred in only a few specimens with relatively lower irradiation and test temperatures. In this discussion, these TPB fracture toughness data are compared with previously published data from 12.7 mm diameter disc compact tension (DCT) specimens.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN URBAN NEIGHBORING

Gender differences in neighboring are investigated using survey data from respondents in 81 Nashville neighborhoods. Of primary concern is why women neighbor more than men. Secondarily, the effects of life-cycle stage and socioeconomic status (SES) on neighboring are explored. Of these three, gender most strongly predicts neighboring activities, even with full and part time employment controlled. Life-cycle stage and SES are about equivalent in strength, although they significantly influence different neighboring measures. Findings suggest that the definition in American gender roles of women as bearers of emotional and social responsibilities accounts for their more extensive neighboring.
Effect of 0.5 ppm sulfur dioxide on the respiratory function of normal and asthmatic subjects.

This study was designed to test the effects of exposures to SO2 at a level of 0.5 ppm for 3 h (present level for secondary standards) on the pulmonary function of normal, nonsmoking subjects and of patients with a history of mild to moderate asthma but with no recent exacerbations. Ten lung function tests were applied; five were of the so-called “sensitive type”. During control periods, all subjects were exposed to ambient air for the full 3-h period. Double-blind procedures were used.
Thermodynamics and structural chemistry of compounds in the system MgOTiO2

Abstract Thermochemical and crystallographic properties of MgTi2O5, MgTiO3, and Mg2TiO4 have been studied to characterize stability relations, structural variations, and order-disorder phenomena. Enthalpies of formation, decomposition, and order-disorder transitions were determined by high-temperature solution calorimetry and transposed-temperature-drop calorimetry on synthetic powders. X-Ray lattice parameter measurements and Rietveld refinements of neutron diffraction data were used to evaluate intracrystalline cation distributions and their variation with quenching temperature. MgTiO3 is the most stable phase and apparently retains a fully ordered MgTi distribution to at least 1673 K. Both MgTi2O5 and Mg2TiO4 are stable only at high temperature because of the configurational entropy arising from cation disorder. The disorder in MgTi2O5 appears to vary continuously throughout the range 773–1373 K and is accompanied by changes in lattice parameters. Mg2TiO4 undergoes a cubictetragonal transition at 933 ± 20 K involving the appearance of long-range order on octahedral sites. However, thermochemical evidence suggests that MgTi octahedral short-range order changes gradually, perhaps over an interval of several hundred degrees. Models for describing the order-disorder and accompanying enthalpy changes are discussed.
Unusual mid-shaft fractures during long-term bisphosphonate therapy.

Summary Background Bisphosphonates are the most commonly prescribed medications for the treatment of osteoporosis. Although existing evidence supports a good safety profile, there is concern that chronic administration of these agents could result in severe suppression of bone turnover with increased risk of nonvertebral fractures. Objective The objective of this study was to report the clinical presentation, selected bone histomorphometry and X-ray images of patients who developed mid-shaft long bone fractures during bisphosphonate therapy, six of whom had bone biopsy for histomorphometery. Results Of the 13 patients who sustained atraumatic mid-shaft fractures, 10 were on alendronate and three were on risedronate therapy before the fractures. In addition to bisphosphonates, three patients were on oestrogen and two on tamoxifen concomitantly. Four patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis were on alendronate for 3–11 years along with glucocorticoid therapy. Bone histomorphometry showed severe suppression of bone turnover in five patients and low bone turnover in one patient. Conclusion Long-term bisphosphonate therapy may increase the risk of unusual long bone mid-shaft fractures. This is probably due to prolonged suppression of bone turnover, which could lead to accumulation of microdamage and development of hypermineralized bone. At present, the scope of this complication in the larger context of patients receiving bisphosphonate therapy remains unknown, but appears to be small.
Follow-up evaluation of national prostatic cancer project protocols and other studies

Abstract Objective This report describes follow-up data on various protocols fromthe National Prostate Cancer Project (NPCP) and other Phase I and Phase II studies dealing with possible new active agents. Methods Analysis of completed, ongoing, and projected trials for metastatic prostatecancer and hormone-refractory disease. Results Long-term results are now approaching 12 years for two protocols for stages B2-D1 prostate cancer. A significant survival difference in the D1 radiotherapy group is reported for those treated with estramustine phosphate. The number of nodes involved is an important prognostic factor. Other data suggest that methotrexate has an effect in combination with hormonal therapy for newly diagnosed metastatic disease. Methods for dealing with relapsing disease and the utilization of prostate-specific antigen allow greater precision in the evaluation of Phase II studies. Alternative agents such as diethylstilbestrol are inexpensive and can be given under intravenous therapy on an outpatient basis in high dosage with significant results and minimal toxicity. Conclusion The NPCP protocols, particularly studies of adjuvant therapy for localizeddisease, continue to suggest that adjuvant treatment has a survival benefit. Other new agents have yet to be tried in newly diagnosed metastatic disease. The results of NPCP studies may be further benefited by additional prospective randomized trials.
Metanephric Stromal Tumor Arising in a Patient With Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Syndrome

Metanephric stromal tumor (MST) is a recently recognized benign renal stromal tumor. MST is thought to be part of a spectrum of benign metanephric renal lesions, which also includes the epithelial lesion metanephric adenoma and the mixed stromal–epithelial lesion metanephric adenofibroma. Metanephric lesions may represent hyperdifferentiated counterparts to Wilms’ tumor (WT). MST characteristically shows renovascular angiodysplasia and juxtaglomerular (JG) cell hyperplasia. This is remarkably similar to the renal pathology described in neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) syndrome, a condition which is also associated with WT. Here, we report the first case of MST arising in a patient with NF-1. The patient presented with hypertension, and the MST was associated with florid angiodysplasia and JG cell hyperplasia. This case tightens the link between NF-1, WT, and MST.
The prediction of perceptual-motor learning from independent verbal and motor measures

Forty male college students were administered motor and verbal pretests and were given learning trials on a criterion task which required both motor and verbal skills. The pretests were employed as predictors to determine the relationship of verbal and motor abilities to early and late stages of perceptual-motor performance. It is suggested that verbal comprehension is more important early in perceptual-motor learning while motor skill is more critical in later learning.
Math anxiety and exposure to statistics in messages about genetically modified foods: effects of numeracy, math self-efficacy, and form of presentation.

Health risks are often communicated to the lay public in statistical formats even though low math skills, or innumeracy, have been found to be prevalent among lay individuals. Although numeracy has been a topic of much research investigation, the role of math self-efficacy and math anxiety on health and risk communication processing has received scant attention from health communication researchers. To advance theoretical and applied understanding regarding health message processing, the authors consider the role of math anxiety, including the effects of math self-efficacy, numeracy, and form of presenting statistics on math anxiety, and the potential effects for comprehension, yielding, and behavioral intentions. The authors also examine math anxiety in a health risk context through an evaluation of the effects of exposure to a message about genetically modified foods on levels of math anxiety. Participants (N = 323) were randomly assigned to read a message that varied the presentation of statistical evi...
Vapor Analysis of the Production by Banana Fruit of Certain Volatile Constituents

SUMMARY: Direct gas chromatographic vapor analyses were utilized to determine whether banana slices at different stages of ripeness in an in vitro system produced iso-amyl acetate and iso-amyl alcohol, known banana aroma constituents; and whether a precursor-product relationship could be observed between these compounds and L-leucine. Production of iso-amyl acetate by unripe slices was demonstrated based on experiments with metabolic inhibitors. The behavior of ripe and overripe slices was inconclusive since the vapor concentration of the acetate remained constant. The vapor concentration of iso-amyl alcohol was essentially unchanged at all ripeness stages. Investigations with L-leucine-U-14C showed conclusively that leucine was a precursor and that both compounds were continually produced at all ripeness stages. The interpretation of direct vapor analyses over respiring fruit is considered.
Human dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase: molecular cloning of cDNA and genomic DNA

Abstract Human tissues contain at least three well-characterized cytoplasmic sulfotransferase (ST) enzymes, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) ST and two of phenol ST (PST). DHEA ST catalyzes the sulfation of DHEA and other steroids. We cloned and expressed two cDNAs for human liver DHEA ST. The cloning strategy involved the design of PCR primers directed against two conserved domains in ST proteins. These primers were used to generate a specific PCR product that was then used successfully to clone cDNAs for DHEA ST from a human liver cDNA library. Two cDNAs were isolated that were approximately 1.1 and 1.8 kb in length. These two clones had identical open reading frames. Both cDNAs produced enzymatically active DHEA ST protein in a mammalian expression system. Northern blot analysis confirmed the presence of 1.1 and 1.8 kb transcripts in human liver. cDNAs for a number of eukaryotic enzymes have now been cloned, and they share significant sequence homology. These ST cDNAs appear to fall into distinct groups on the basis of amino acid sequences of the proteins that they encode, thus demonstrating that the enzymes comprise a gene superfamily. We have also isolated a genomic clone for human DHEA ST that contains approximately 3 kb of 5′-flanking sequence, exon 1 and 1.7 kb of intron 1. Characterization of the structure and regulatory elements of this gene should help to elucidate mechanisms involved in the regulation of DHEA ST in humans.
Dealing with device-dependency of color for device-independent color reproduction

Many people believe that in the future of high fidelity color reproduction, a Device- Independent Color Space (DICS) will be used to represent color image information. Discussions of DICS have focused on what CIE color space is most appropriate as a standard, how to calibrate input devices, and how to characterize output devices. However, the definition of Device-Independent Color has aroused a great deal of confusion in the literature. Does it mean a device-independent definition of color measurement? Does it mean a standardized color space such as a CIE space? Does it mean a method of color transformation such as EFI Color? Does it mean automated (no operator intervention) color matching? Does it mean open system architecture? Does a DICS truly represent color appearance? Does a DICS guarantee device-independency of color? In other words, is the device-dependency of color related only to the color coordinates that are used? If not, where does device-dependency come from? And how does one deal with device-dependency of color in DICS? In this paper, I will address all these issues.
Transcriptomic characterization of short duration endoplasmic reticulum stress on cultured human proximal tubule cells

Background Stress granules (SG) are formed as collections of protein and RNA (ribonucleoprotein structures) and continuously assembled/disassembled in response to stresses such as heat, osmotic, or oxidant stress; representing an attempt to survive the stress through salvage of important proteins and RNA. Recent research suggests diabetic nephropathy (DN) may change or alter SG biology and in conditions that model DN may involve the receptor for activated C-kinases (RACK1). The incorporation of RACK1 into stress granules may down-regulate programmed cell death and further may impart the ability to scaffold to and sequester key signaling proteins to affect cell survival or death. We hypothesized that the inappropriate or dysregulated scaffolding of proteins or RNA into stress granules may be of importance in the development of diabetic nephropathy. The goal of this study is to qualitatively and semi-quantitatively characterize the effects of cell culture conditions modeling diabetes and ER stress in conjunction with over-expression studies of SG stabilizing proteins on RNA transcripts.
New architecture single-phase micro inverter with cascaded low voltage DC/DC cells

A new architecture using multi-level lows voltage DC/DC cells with super high power density is presented in this paper. The new class inverter topology is based on cascaded low-voltage DC/DC converter cells that will benefit from the hyper-competitive DC/DC computer/telecom converter global supply chain and manufacturing infrastructures. Furthermore, the switching frequency of each DC/DC cell can be design at high switching frequency while boundary mode control is adopted to achieve zero voltage switching (ZVS) reducing switching loss of power semiconductors. In addition, a method is illustrated to achieve minimum number of the Total Harmonics Distortion (THD) based on the different stair-steps of output waveforms. Finally, the concept of the novel architecture is built by Matlab simulink to verify the feasibility. Finally, a prototype with single phase is also set up to test the performance and verify the new architecture for micro-inverter application.
Parent educational investment and children’s general knowledge development

Abstract Drawing on longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999, this study used IRT modeling to operationalize a parental educational investment measure based upon Lareau’s notion of ‘concerted cultivation.’ The analysis used multilevel piecewise growth models regressing children’s general knowledge achievement from kindergarten through the first grade on a measure of concerted cultivation and indicators of the family context. The measure of concerted cultivation explained over 30% of the SES gradient and an additional 20–25% of the race/ethnic general knowledge gaps at kindergarten entry after controlling for SES, and was larger than the SES coefficient in magnitude. These findings (a) lend partial support to Lareau’s contention that concerted cultivation explains SES learning advantages; (b) contradict the argument that net of SES, concerted cultivation is mostly unrelated to race/ethnic gaps; (c) and raises questions about the importance concerted cultivation for learning disparities after school entry.