cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase Activity in Donor Breast Milk Influenced by Pasteurization Techniques

Breast milk contains bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL), which significantly increases the fat digestion capacity of newborns who have limited pancreatic lipase secretion in the first few months after birth. Problematically, Holder pasteurization used in non-profit milk banks to ensure the microbiological safety of donor milk for infants, particularly preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation age), destroys milk BSSL, thus limiting infant fat absorption capacity. Alternative strategies are needed to ensure the safety of donor milk while preserving BSSL activity. Three alternative pasteurization techniques-high-pressure processing (HPP, 550 MPa, 5 min), gamma cell irradiation (IR, 2.5 Mrads) and UV-C (254 nm, 0-33,000 J/L)-were compared with Holder pasteurization (low-temperature long-time, LTLT, 62.5°C, 30 min) for retention of BSSL activity in donor breast milk. As the time required for donor milk pasteurization by UV-C in published methods was not clear, donor breast milk was spiked with seven common bacterial strains and treated by UV-C for variable time periods and the minimum UV-C dosage required to achieve a 5-log10 reduction of CFU/mL was determined. Eight thousand two hundred fifty J/L of UV-C exposure was sufficient to achieve 5-log10 reduction of each of bacterial targets, including Bacillus and Paenibacillus spores. The retention of BSSL activity was highest after HPP (retaining 62% of the untreated milk BSSL activity), followed by UV-C (16,500 J/L), IR and LTLT (35, 29, and 0.3% retention, respectively). HPP was an effective alternative to pasteurize milk with improved retention of BSSL activity compared to Holder pasteurization. Future work should investigate the effect of alternative pasteurization techniques on the entire array of bioactive components in donor breast milk and how these changes affect preterm infant health outcomes. Implementation of HPP technique at milk banks could improve donor milk-fed infant fat absorption and growth.
A novel computational strategy for DNA methylation imputation using mixture regression model (MRM).

DNA methylation is an important heritable epigenetic mark that plays a crucial role in transcriptional regulation and the pathogenesis of various human disorders. The commonly used DNA methylation measurement approaches, e.g., Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation-27 and -450 BeadChip arrays (27 K and 450 K arrays) and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), only cover a small proportion of the total CpG sites in the human genome, which considerably limited the scope of the DNA methylation analysis in those studies. We proposed a new computational strategy to impute the methylation value at the unmeasured CpG sites using the mixture of regression model (MRM) of radial basis functions, integrating information of neighboring CpGs and the similarities in local methylation patterns across subjects and across multiple genomic regions. Our method achieved a better imputation accuracy over a set of competing methods on both simulated and empirical data, particularly when the missing rate is high. By applying MRM to an RRBS dataset from subjects with low versus high bone mineral density (BMD), we recovered methylation values of ~ 300 K CpGs in the promoter regions of chromosome 17 and identified some novel differentially methylated CpGs that are significantly associated with BMD. Our method is well applicable to the numerous methylation studies. By expanding the coverage of the methylation dataset to unmeasured sites, it can significantly enhance the discovery of novel differential methylation signals and thus reveal the mechanisms underlying various human disorders/traits.
Interventions Incorporating Interdisciplinary Teaming to Improve Chronic Pain Management in Primary Care: A Systematic Review

Current chronic pain management recommendations emphasize leveraging interdisciplinary care models, which rely on communication, coordination, and collaboration among multiple providers. We aimed to identify key features of interdisciplinary teamwork and teaming processes that facilitate improved pain outcomes for patients experiencing chronic pain in primary care settings. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library for English language, randomized studies published after 2009. Included studies had to report patient-reported pain outcomes (i.e. BPI total pain), include primary care as an intervention setting, and involve interactions between at least two providers and the patient over time. We assessed study quality with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We qualitatively synthesized findings on intervention characteristics related to teamwork and teaming processes and patient pain outcomes. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42020191467. We included 13 randomized studies with 14 total interventions in our review, of which 7 reported one or more significantly improved pain outcome compared to controls over 6 to 12 months of observation. Most studies involved multiple primary care practices in the USA or Canada. Five studies were evaluated either within the Indianapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) or the Portland VAMC. Other studies took place in primary care centers in Spain, Finland, the UK, and the Netherlands. Interventions with positive pain outcomes often described regularly scheduled patient contact, but there were few identified similarities about the communication, coordination, and collaboration processes among clinical intervention members. Care management and patient follow-up schedules were identified as key characteristics of teamwork or teaming in the interventions associated with improved pain outcomes. Despite widespread emphasis on interdisciplinary teams for pain management, high quality evidence about relevant team structures and teamwork and teaming processes remains limited. Care management and patient follow-up characterized primary care-based interventions involving teaming associated with improved pain outcomes.
Rattus Economicus: A neural model for rational regulation of water-seeking effort in rodents

Abstract In the laboratory, animals’ motivation to work tends to be positively correlated with reward magnitude. But in nature, rewards earned by work are essential to survival (e.g., working to find water), and the payoff of that work can vary on long timescales (e.g., seasonally). Under these constraints, the strategy of working less when rewards are small could be fatal. We found that instead, rats in a closed economy did more work for water rewards when the rewards were stably smaller, a phenomenon also observed in human labor supply curves. Like human consumers, rats also showed elasticity of demand, consuming far more water per day when its price in effort was lower. The neural mechanisms underlying such “rational” market behaviors remain largely unexplored. We propose a dynamic utility maximization model that can account for the dependence of rat labor supply (trials/day) on the wage rate (ml/trial), and also predict the temporal dynamics of when rats work. Based on data from mice, we hypothesize that SFOGLUT neurons in lamina terminalis continuously compute the instantaneous marginal utility of voluntary work for water reward, and causally determine the amount and timing of work.
Chapter 55 – Long-term Oxygen Therapy

Publisher Summary The use of oxygen as a therapeutic agent is well recognized. Oxygen therapy is a very well-studied treatment approach for severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This chapter reviews the effects of chronic oxygen therapy, its indications, and the various delivery systems available as implicated in COPD. Chronic oxygen therapy increases survival, decreases pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, improves exercise endurance and neuropsychologic performance, and improves sleep quality, thereby increasing the quality of life of patients with COPD. There are strict guidelines for oxygen prescription, and once a patient meets the criteria for oxygen prescription, the physician specifies the indication for oxygen, the type of system and liter flow at rest, and exercise and sleep. It is important to reevaluate patients within three months to document a persistent need for oxygen therapy. Patients should also be considered for oxygen-conserving devices to decrease oxygen flow and cost and ultimately to improve mobility.
Dermal Exposure to the Immunomodulatory Antimicrobial Chemical Triclosan Alters the Skin Barrier Integrity and Microbiome in Mice.

Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical used in healthcare settings that can be absorbed through the skin. Exposure to triclosan has been positively associated with food and aeroallergy and asthma exacerbation in humans and, although not directly sensitizing, has been demonstrated to augment the allergic response in a mouse model of asthma. The skin barrier and microbiome are thought to play important roles in regulating inflammation and allergy and disruptions may contribute to development of allergic disease. To investigate potential connections of the skin barrier and microbiome with immune responses to triclosan, SKH1 mice were exposed dermally to triclosan (0.5-2%) or vehicle for up to 7 consecutive days. Exposure to 2% triclosan for 5-7 days on the skin was shown to increase transepidermal water loss levels. Seven days of dermal exposure to triclosan decreased filaggrin 2 and keratin 10 expression, but increased filaggrin and keratin 14 protein along with the danger signal S100a8 and interleukin-4. Dermal exposure to triclosan for 7 days also altered the alpha and beta diversity of the skin and gut microbiome. Specifically, dermal triclosan exposure increased the relative abundance of the Firmicutes family, Lachnospiraceae on the skin but decreased the abundance of Firmicutes family, Ruminococcaceae in the gut. Collectively, these results demonstrate that repeated dermal exposure to the antimicrobial chemical triclosan alters the skin barrier integrity and microbiome in mice, suggesting that these changes may contribute to the increase in allergic immune responses following dermal exposure to triclosan.
Time and Power: Visions of History in German Politics from the Thirty Years’ War to the Third Reich: by Christopher Clark, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2019, x + 293 pp., $29.95/£25.00 (cloth)

In a wonderfully written and engaging text, Christopher Clark has crafted both a specific analysis of German politics and history over three-hundred years and a broad review of the changes in histo...
State-of-the-art beta-adrenoreceptor agonists for the treatment of asthma.

INTRODUCTION Asthma, a heterogeneous disease, is characterized by chronic airway inflammation and hyperreactivity. β2-adrenoreceptor agonists (β2-agonists) remain pivotal for asthma management. Short-acting β2-agonists (SABAs) result in rapid symptomatic alleviation and bronchospasm prevention. Patients experience significant clinical benefits from therapy with long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) with efficacy to bronchodilate, and prolonged lung function betterment. Recently discovered β2-agonists with longer half-lives offer once-daily dosing. AREAS COVERED The authors provide a thorough review of the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, tolerability, classification, and safety of β2-agonists through an in-depth review of current literature using these databases: U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM), PubMed Central, and NLM clinical trials. EXPERT OPINION β2- agonists act primarily on airway smooth muscle cells and are quintessential for adequate asthma management. Given their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, SABAs are used as rescue medication. Notably, the current Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) strategy document recommends using LABA/inhaled corticosteroid combinations both as a daily controller and as a rescue medication. Clinicians should assess this new treatment plan on a per-case basis, making sure to evaluate inhaler adherence and treat modifiable risk factors. The development of next-generation β2- agonists is an exciting research area that could significantly improve patients' adherence to treatment regimens and, consequently, asthma control and quality of life.
The Relation Between Stimulus Analyzability and Perceived Dimensional Structure1

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the relation between stimulus analyzability and perceived dimensional structure. The combination of integral dimensions yields stimuli that are phenomenologically fused or wholistic, whereas the combination of separable dimensions yields stimuli with perceptually distinct components. Operationally, integral dimensions produce a Euclidean metric in direct distance scaling, classifications based on a distance or similarity structure in a restricted classification task, a redundancy gain in speeded classification when the dimensions are correlated, and interference in a filtering task when the dimensions are orthogonal and selective attention is required. Some dimensional combinations meet these operational criteria extremely well; value and chroma of a single Munsell chip uniformly produce results that are consistent with the operational definition of integral dimensions and, similarly, size of circle and angle of radial line are clearly separable. The evaluation of the subjective independence of dimensional combinations by the algebraic properties of the additive difference model is important in drawing the distinction between integral and separable dimensions.
Anatomy-Based Visualizations of Diffusion Tensor Images of Brain White Matter

In this chapter, we consider the task of anatomically labeling diffusion tensor images of cerebral white matter to facilitate visualization as well as quantitative comparison of these data. The analogous labeling problem for structural magnetic resonance images of the brain has been extensively studied and we propose that advances in atlas-based techniques may be leveraged to anatomically segment the fiber-tractographic maps derived from diffusion tensor data. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated with data acquired of the corpus callosum, and implications of the results for callosal morphometry are discussed.
Low-dose protamine to facilitate earlier sheath removal from the femoral artery after peripheral endovascular intervention.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the safety of low-dose protamine administration to facilitate earlier vascular sheath removal. Background: Vascular access complications are the most common cause of postprocedural morbidity in patients undergoing peripheral endovascular intervention (PEI). Prolonged manual compression and closure devices do not eliminate these complications. Methods: A consecutive series of 166 patients who underwent PEI were retrospectively compared to an all-comers control group of 136 patients who did not receive protamine. The study population received an intravenous dose of protamine based upon the dose of heparin received and the length of the procedure. The arterial sheath was removed when activated clotting time was less than 220 seconds. Primary end-points included bleeding complications, comprised of groin hematomas and retroperitoneal bleeding, and vascular complications, comprised of pseudoaneurysms, access vessel thrombosis, and arteriovenous fistula formation. Results: The study population on average was older than the control group (71 vs. 67 years) and had a higher incidence of hypercholesterolemia (89.8% vs. 76.5%, P = 0.002). The average dose of protamine was 1.9 ± 0.83 mg, with a total dose of heparin of 5371 ± 1327 units. The time until sheath removal was 8.9 ± 8.6 minutes in the protamine group versus 188 ± 118 minutes in the control group (P < 0.001). There were no episodes of protamine anaphylaxis or adverse reactions. The access site complication rate between the 2 groups was statistically insignificant. Conclusions: This strategy offers an inexpensive, safe, and reliable method to achieve hemostasis and facilitate earlier sheath removal in patients undergoing PEI. (J Interven Cardiol 2011;24:278–284)
TEG: A High-Performance, Scalable, Multi-network Point-to-Point Communications Methodology

TEG is a new component-based methodology for point-to-point messaging. Developed as part of the Open MPI project, TEG provides a configurable fault-tolerant capability for high-performance messaging that utilizes multi-network interfaces where available. Initial performance comparisons with other MPI implementations show comparable ping-pong latencies, but with bandwidths up to 30% higher.
N 15 ( He 3 , d ) O 16 Reaction and Structure of Oxygen-16

The structure of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ has been studied by means of the ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}({\mathrm{He}}^{3},d){\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ reaction. The experiments were performed with 16.00- and 24.90-MeV ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ beams from the tandem Van de Graaff accelerator at Rochester. Reaction products were analyzed and recorded automatically by means of a high-resolution magnetic spectrometer equipped with a sonic-spark counter connected to an on-line computer system. In the region of excitation up to about 22 MeV, 14 lines have been identified with levels of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$, all having odd parity except the ground state (which was strongly excited), the first excited state (which was weakly excited), and the third excited state (which was barely detectable). Many well-known states were not seen. The experimental data have been analyzed by use of distorted-wave Born-approximation (stripping theory) calculations, and the results have been compared with expectations from wave functions of the shell model and of the "mixed model" exemplified in the work of Brown and Green and of Kelson. The strengths of the transitions are mostly found to be in good agreement with predictions of the mixed model and, where applicable, the shell model, although the $J={2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, $T=0$ state at 12.53 MeV seems somewhat too strongly excited. However, a strongly excited state tentatively identified as a ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, $T=0$ state of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ lying at 13.12 MeV is not predicted by any of the theories used in the comparisons.
Soto-Like Syndrome And Cortical Malformation Associated With Chromosome 19p13.2 Microdeletion Including Nuclear Factor-1X (NFIX) (P7.335)

Objective: To report a case of a 4-year old girl with Sotos syndrome phenotype, cortical malformation, and a 19p13.2 microdeletion including NFIX. Background: Sotos syndrome patients exhibit macrocephaly, tall stature, characteristic facial features, intellectual disabilities, and deletions or other mutations involving NSD1 (Nuclear Receptor Binding SET Domain Protein 1). About 10% patients with Soto-like features are NSD-1 negative. Some are attributed to mutations in NFIX, a gene that encodes for a CCAAT-binding transcription factor that plays a critical role in brain development. NFIX mutations have a suggested role in 19p-associated neurobehavioral phenotype including overgrowth, autism, epilepsy and corpus callosal abnormalities. However, cortical malformation with heterotopias as seen in our patient have not been previously described with 19p13.2 microdeletion and Soto-like features. Design/methods: Brain MRI was performed using standard protocol. Peripheral blood was sent for FISH analysis using NSD1-specific probe. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) was performed using Affymetrix Cytoscan HD. Results: A 4-year-old girl presented to the neurology clinic for evaluation of developmental delay. She had expressive language delay, cognitive delay and poor interpersonal skills. She also showed abnormal behaviors with emotional dysregulation. Examination was notable for weight and head size above 2 SD and height at 2 SD, facial dysmorphisms, poor eye contact, scripted speech and hypotonia. Family history was unremarkable. Based on her clinical features, Sotos syndrome was suspected but NSD1-specific FISH was negative. Brain MRI revealed grey matter heterotopias, abnormal cortical folding, thinning of occipital white matter and dysmorphic ventricles. CMA revealed a heterozygous 350 kb interstitial microdeletion at chromosome locus 19p13.2 encompassing 18 genes including NFIX (exons 1-8); arr[hg19] 19p13.2(12,846,509-13,196,290)x1. Parental genetic testing has been recommended. Conclusions: Cortical abnormalities including heterotopias can be phenotypic manifestations of the 19p13.2 microdeletion syndrome with NFIX. NFIX deletion should be considered in NSD1-negative Soto-like syndrome. Disclosure: Dr. Karmarkar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Amarillo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Larsen has nothing to disclose.
Chapter 11 – Taxes and Corporate Finance

This chapter reviews tax research related to domestic and multinational capital structure, debt maturity, payout policy, compensation policy, risk management, earnings management, leasing, pensions, R&D partnerships, tax shelters, transfer pricing, and organizational form. For each topic, the theoretical arguments explaining how taxes can affect corporate decision making and firm value are reviewed, followed by a summary of the related empirical evidence and a discussion of unresolved issues. Tax research generally supports the hypothesis that high-tax rate firms pursue policies that provide tax benefits. Many issues remain unresolved, however, including understanding whether tax effects are of first-order importance, why firms do not pursue tax benefits more aggressively, and whether investor-level taxes affect corporate actions.
Exploiting pervasive enterprise chronicles using unstructured information management

Strides made in semiconductor technology and pervasive devices are fueling the ability to amass ever-increasing volumes of rich multimedia data chronicling the activities and experiences of enterprise employees. Rich content analytics are crucial to exploit the potential of such electronic chronicles, which represent a vital untapped resource in today's enterprises. This paper describes a system called Picasso that adds a new dimension to enterprise search and mining, by capturing and structuring information surrounding employee activities and making available vital insights from such information through our unstructured information management architecture (UIMA).
Developing a Construct of Women’s Sexual Freedom in the Mexican Context

Protecting women’s sexual freedom has evolved as a modern value through a long process of social, economic, and institutional changes brought about by the ascend of human rights principles and societal engagements such as the feminist movement. We suggest that the concept of sexual freedom accommodates a more encompassing expression of the simultaneous demand for all aspects of personal, socioeconomic, and political resources related to the pursuit of women’s well-being. The purpose of this study is to develop a construct of women’s sexual freedom in the Mexican context. The data are from the National Survey on the Dynamics of Households Relationships, 2011. We use exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to model women’s sexual freedom and test for invariance between working and non-working women. Results indicate that women’s sexual freedom consists of four factors: reproductive rights, physical intimate partner violence, sexual intimate partner violence, and violence inflicted by others.
Sartre's View of Kierkegaard as Transhistorical Man

This paper illuminates the central arguments in Sartre's UNESCO address, 'The Singular Universal." The address begins by asking whether objective facts tell us everything there is to know about Kierkegaard. Sartre's answer is negative. The question then arises as to whether we can lay hold of Kierkegaard's "irreducible subjectivity" by seeing him as alive for us today, i.e., as transhistorical. Sartre's answer here is affirmative. However, a close inspection of this answer exposes a deeper level to the address. The struggle to find a place for Kierkegaard within the world of objective knowledge is an allegory. It mirrors Sartre's struggle to find a place for his existentialism within the Marxism that dominates his later thinking.
Quantification of left-to-right shunts using a PO2-electrode cardiac catheter.

A rapid, simple and low-cost method is presented for intracardiac left-to-right shunt quantification in children with congenital heart disease. The percentage of shunt is calculated from data obtained by continuousPo2 measurement during oxygen inhalation, using a nondisposable intravascularPo2-electrode cardiac catheter.
Target preparation techniques

Abstract The techniques for the preparation of 33 thin film self-supporting and carbon backed targets are described. Target thicknesses range from 10μg/cm2 to 1500 μg/cm2. In addition general procedures used in target making are discussed.
Direct Adaptive Individual Blade Pitch Control for Large Wind Turbines

In this paper a theory of Adaptive Disturbance Rejection Control is used to design an individual blade pitch controller for a utility scale wind turbine. The goal of the Adaptive Disturbance Rejection Control is to regulate the blade pitch angle individually to reduce the asymmetrical loading in blade due to vertical wind shear and also to reject the unnecessary disturbance introduced by the wind turbulence. The applicability of the theory is illustrated by implementing the controller in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)s 5 MW wind turbine model and simulating it in MATLAB/Simulink.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Paragangliomas: Assessment of prognosis by histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural techniques

To predict clinical outcome, we studied 42 paragangliomas from 37 patients by routine histology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. A panel of antisera to neuron-specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin, and met-enkephalin was used to identify chief (type I) cells, and S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) sustentacular (type II) cells. The intensity of staining of type I cells and the density of type II cells were assessed semiquantitatively (0 to 4+) in a total of 38 tumors. A total of 23 of 24 low-grade tumors (solitary, multiple, or associated with other neoplasms; 95.8%) contained type II cells immunoreactive with either S-100 protein or GFAP, and all were positive when S-100 protein and GFAP were used in combination. Five of the nine intermediate-grade (recurrent and/or locally aggressive) tumors were identified as glomus jugulare tumors (GJT). Three intermediate-grade GJTs were devoid of GFAP-reactive type II cells and four GJTs were negative for S-100 protein. Type II cells were identified in only one of five high-grade (malignant) paragangliomas and that tumor contained vanishingly rare cells that were weakly S-100 protein positive but GFAP negative. Sustentacular cell density and chief cell staining intensity were both inversely related to tumor grade. The most sensitive chief cell marker was NSE (92.1%), followed by chromogranin (84.2%). The least sensitive (73.0%) and specific marker was met-enkephalin. Combinations of NSE or chromogranin with met-enkephalin identified chief cells in all cases. Electron microscopy identified neurosecretory granule-containing chief cells, but was of less value in delineating sustentacular cells because of their scarcity and the absence of specific features. By comparison, immunohistochemistry was superior in identifying sustentacular cells. The use of an immunohistochemical panel, in addition to routine histology, can confirm the diagnosis of a paraganglioma and can give an indication of the likely prognosis for a patient.
Mycobacteria manipulate macrophage recruitment through coordinated use of membrane lipids

The evolutionary survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human tuberculosis, depends on its ability to invade the host, replicate, and transmit infection. At its initial peripheral infection site in the distal lung airways, M. tuberculosis infects macrophages, which transport it to deeper tissues. How mycobacteria survive in these broadly microbicidal cells is an important question. Here we show in mice and zebrafish that M. tuberculosis, and its close pathogenic relative Mycobacterium marinum, preferentially recruit and infect permissive macrophages while evading microbicidal ones. This immune evasion is accomplished by using cell-surface-associated phthiocerol dimycoceroserate (PDIM) lipids to mask underlying pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In the absence of PDIM, these PAMPs signal a Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent recruitment of macrophages that produce microbicidal reactive nitrogen species. Concordantly, the related phenolic glycolipids (PGLs) promote the recruitment of permissive macrophages through a host chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)-mediated pathway. Thus, we have identified coordinated roles for PDIM, known to be essential for mycobacterial virulence, and PGL, which (along with CCR2) is known to be associated with human tuberculosis. Our findings also suggest an explanation for the longstanding observation that M. tuberculosis initiates infection in the relatively sterile environment of the lower respiratory tract, rather than in the upper respiratory tract, where resident microflora and inhaled environmental microbes may continually recruit microbicidal macrophages through TLR-dependent signalling.
Volume tracking of interfaces having surface tension in two and three dimensions

Solution algorithms are presented for tracking interfaces with piecewise linear (PLIC) volume-of-fluid (VOF) methods on fixed (Eulerian) two-dimensional (2-D) structured and three-dimensional (3-D) structured and unstructured grids. We review the theory of volume tracking methods, derive appropriate volume evolution equations, identify and present solutions to the basic geometric functions needed for interface reconstruction and volume fluxing, and provide detailed algorithm templates for modern 2-D and 3-D PLIC VOF interface tracking methods. We discuss some key outstanding issues for PLIC VOF methods, namely the method used for time integration of fluid volumes (operator splitting, unsplit, Runge-Kutta, etc.) and the estimation of interface normals. We also present our latest developments in the continuum surface force (CSF) model for surface tension, namely extension to 3-D and variable surface tension effects. We identify and focus on key outstanding CSF model issues that become especially critical on fine meshes with high density ratio interfacial flows, namely the surface delta function approximation, the estimation of interfacial curvature, and the continuum surface force scaling and/or smoothing model. Numerical results in two and three dimensions are used to illustrate the properties of these methods.
Electronic absorption of carboxylic acids and their anions

Abstract Electronic spectra of formic, acetic, mono-, di-, trichloro- and trifluoroacetic, glycolic, cyanoacetic, pivalic, α-methoxyacetic, lactic, oxalic, tartaric and citric acids and betaine and of corresponding anions were recorded. The acid forms of all the carboxylic acids studied show a medium-strong π → π * and a weak n → π * absorption band, the latter in the 220–250-nm region. The corresponding anions (or the completely dissociated forms of polybasic acids) show the π → π * absorption bands, but no indication of a shoulder corresponding to a n → π * transition. Changes in the absorbance in the wavelength region corresponding to the n → π * transition with addition of alkali metal hydroxides can be used for end-point detection in titrations. Changes of these absorbances in solutions of buffers or strong acids can be used for p K determinations. A p K value of 0.89 (at μ = 0.5) was found for dichloroacetic acid; approximate p K values were established by means of the H o acidity scale for trichloroacetic acid (—0.80) and trifluoroacetic acid (—0.92). Finally, absorbances in the 220–250-nm region can be used for determination of carboxylic acids in solutions of strong acids, and some buffers, like phosphate or borate.
Understanding and addressing religion among people with mental illness

This article reviews recent advances in the domain of psychiatry and religion that highlight the double-edged capacity of religion to enhance or damage health and well-being, particularly among psychiatric patients. A large body of research challenges stereotyped views of religion as merely a defense or passive way of coping, and indicates that many people look to religion as a vital resource which serves a variety of adaptive functions, such as self-regulation, attachment, emotional comfort, meaning, and spirituality. There is, however, a darker side to religious life. Researchers and theorists have identified and begun to study problematic aspects of religiousness, including religiously-based violence and religious struggles within oneself, with others, and with the divine. Religious problems can be understood as a by-product of psychiatric illness (secondary), a source of psychiatric illness (primary), or both (complex). This growing body of knowledge underscores the need to attend more fully to the potentially constructive and destructive roles of religion in psychiatric diagnosis, assessment, and treatment. In fact, initial evaluative studies of the impact of spiritually integrated treatments among a range of psychiatric populations have shown promising results. The article concludes with a set of recommendations to advance future research and practice, including the need for additional psychiatric studies of people from diverse cultures and religious traditions.
Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia enhances radiation therapy: A study in mouse models of human prostate cancer

AbstractPurpose: We aimed to characterise magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia (mNPH) with radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer.Methods: Human prostate cancer subcutaneous tumours, PC3 and LAPC-4, were grown in nude male mice. When tumours measured 150 mm3 magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) were injected into tumours to a target dose of 5.5 mg Fe/cm3 tumour, and treated 24 h later by exposure to alternating magnetic field (AMF). Mice were randomly assigned to one of four cohorts to characterise (1) intratumour MIONP distribution, (2) effects of variable thermal dose mNPH (fixed AMF peak amplitude 24 kA/m at 160 ± 5 kHz) with/without RT (5 Gy), (3) effects of RT (RT5: 5 Gy; RT8: 8 Gy), and (4) fixed thermal dose mNPH (43 °C for 20 min) with/without RT (5 Gy). MIONP concentration and distribution were assessed following sacrifice and tissue harvest using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Prussian blue staining, respectively. Tumour growth was monitored and compared among ...
Capacitance extraction for the nanoscale on-chip interconnects

Single-level and multipath interconnect structures embedded in dielectrics on a silicon substrate are designed for simulation and capacitance extractions for these nanoscale 3D structures are done using the SILVACO TCAD tools. Simulation results are used to study the dependences of the ground and coupling capacitances on the permittivity of the dielectric material used and the thickness of the overlapping dielectric in addition to the geometry of the interconnect structure.
Variational constitutive updates for microstructure evolution in hcp metals

Magnesium and its alloys are promising materials for lightweight applications. Unfortunately, the macroscopic formability of such materials is relatively poor at room temperature and these metals are characterized by a complex mechanical response. This response is a result of the interplay between different deformation modes at the microscale. Since magnesium is a material showing a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure of the underlying atomic lattice, plasticity caused by dislocations and deformation-induced twinning are the most relevant deformation modes. Within the present paper, two different recently advocated modeling approaches suitable for capturing such modes at the microscale are analyzed. It is shown that both models can be rewritten into a variationally consistent format where every aspect is naturally driven by energy minimization. In addition to this already known feature, it turns out that both models are based on the same minimization problem. The difference between the models results from different constraints enforced within the variational principle. For getting further insight into the interaction between dislocations and twinning interfaces, accompanying atomistic simulations based on molecular dynamics are also performed. The results of such simulations enter the micromechanical model through the initial plastic deformation within the twinned phase (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A comparison of several dynamic programming models of the made-to-order production situation

This paper examines the relationships among several dynamic programming models of the made-to-order production situation. The models consider the impacts of both learning and production rate changes on optimal program costs. The comparisons among the models suggest that a type of economic duality links the solutions. The results of this research suggest a method of transformation which may provide a useful means for finding tractable solutions to similar dynamic programming problems.
Impaired Cerebrovascular Hemodynamics Are Associated With Cerebral White Matter Damage

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) in elderly individuals with vascular diseases are presumed to be due to ischemic small vessel diseases; however, their etiology is unknown. We examined the cross-sectional relationship between cerebrovascular hemodynamics and white matter structural integrity in elderly individuals with vascular risk factors. White matter hyperintensity volumes, fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) were obtained from MRI in 48 subjects (75±7years). Pulsatility index (PI) and dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) was assessed using transcranial Doppler ultrasound of the middle cerebral artery. Dynamic cerebral autoregulation was calculated from transfer function analysis (phase and gain) of spontaneous blood pressure and flow velocity oscillations in the low (LF, 0.03 to 0.15 Hz) and high (HF, 0.16 to 0.5 Hz) frequency ranges. Higher PI was associated with greater WMH (P<0.005). Higher phase across all frequency ranges was associated with greater FA and lower MD (P<0.005). Lower gain was associated with higher FA in the LF range (P=0.001). These relationships between phase and FA were significant in the territories limited to the middle cerebral artery as well as across the entire brain. Our results show a strong relationship between impaired cerebrovascular hemodynamics (PI and dCA) and loss of cerebral white matter structural integrity (WMH and DTI metrics) in elderly individuals.
The pending GLAST mission

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is a high-energy (20 MeV - 300 GeV) gamma-ray astronomy mission planned for launch in 2005. GLAST will be very useful for studies of particle acceleration in the Universe. Topics of interest include active galactic nuclei and their jets, extragalactic and Galactic diffuse emissions, dark matter, supernova remnants, pulsars, and the unidentified high-energy gamma-ray sources. The sensitivity is expected to be ∼2 × 10—9 photons cm—2 s—1 (> 100 MeV) for a 2-year all-sky survey, which is a factor of more than 30 improvement in sensitivity over the EGRET Telescope onboard the Compton Observatory.
Inactivation of rat ovarian 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase by N-alkylmaleimides☆

A series of N-alkylmaleimides, varying in chain length from N-ethylmaleimide and N-butyl to N-octyl, inclusive, was shown to effectively inactivate rat ovarian 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase at pH 7.7, 25 degrees C. The apparent second-order rate constants for inactivation were observed to increase with increasing chain length of the N-alkylmaleimide used. Positive chain length effects were also indicated by the Kd values for N-alkylmaleimides calculated from double-reciprocal plots resulting from the saturation kinetics observed in the inactivation reactions. The maximum rate constant for inactivation at enzyme saturation was 0.3 min-1 for each maleimide studied. NADP-and coenzyme-competitive inhibitors such as 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate and various adenosine derivatives protected the enzyme against maleimide inactivation, whereas no protection was observed with the steroid substrate, 20 alpha-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one. The pH profile for maleimide inactivation indicated the involvement of an enzyme functional group with a pKa near 8.0. Sulfhydryl modification was also indicated by fluorescein mercuric acetate inactivation and titration experiments. Inactivation of the enzyme by a lysine-modifying reagent exhibited a pH profile differing from that observed in the maleimide inactivation process. It is proposed that N-alkylmaleimides inactivate the enzyme through covalent modification of sulfhydryl groups located in a nonpolar region of the enzyme.
Cryopreservation and semen quality in patients with Hodgkin's disease

Background. Cryopreservation of semen from patients with Hodgkin's disease yields fewer motile sperm than from fertile men without Hodgkin's disease. However, although poor sperm quality and subfertility have been associated with Hodgkin's disease, whether the disease adversely affects sperm quality is not clear because many studies evaluated semen quality after chemotherapy or radiation therapy had begun. Furthermore, the effect of cryopreservation on semen quality in these patients is unknown. This study investigated pretreatment sperm quality and the effect of cryopreservation on semen quality in patients with Hodgkin's disease. Methods. Specimens from 39 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 30 normal volunteers who underwent sperm banking over a 5-year period were analyzed. No patient had undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy before sperm banking. The nitrogen vapor technique, using Test-Yolk buffer with glycerol as a cryoprotective agent, was used for cryopreservation. Prefreeze and postthaw motile sperm count (MSC) and motion characteristics, namely motility, curvilinear velocity (VCL), linearity, amplitude of lateral head movement (ALH), and motility index, were compared between the two groups. Results. Prefreeze values for MSC (P = 0.0001), motility (P = 0.0001), motility index (P = 0.0001), and VCL (P = 0.0019) differed significantly between patients and donors. Except for linearity and ALH, postthaw sperm MSC, motility, VCL, and motility index decreased significantly (P = 0.0001) in both groups. However, the percentage decline in semen quality from prefreeze to postthaw values did not differ significantly between donors and patients. Conclusion. The pretreatment semen quality in patients with Hodgkin's disease is poor compared with that of normal fertile men. However, half the patients had a normal MSC, so a clinical diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease does not predict cryopreservation outcome adequately. Semen cryopreservation should be encouraged as a routine part of the therapeutic management of men of reproductive age who will undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease. Cancer 1995; 75:2732–6.
An Evolving Relativistic Jet Model for the BL Lacertae Object Markarian 421

Coordinated observations of the nearby BL Lacertae object Mrk 421 obtained during May 1980, January 1984 and March 1984, are described. These observations give a time-frozen picture of the continuous spectrum of Mrk 421 at X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and radio wavelengths. The observed spectra have been fitted to an inhomogeneous relativistic jet model described by Hutter and Mufson. The studies show that it is difficult to describe the data by a single jet whose properties vary as a function of time in a self-consistent manner unless the flat spectrum, hard X-ray tail present in January 1984 is due to an additional short-lived component of emission. These jet models are compared with homogeneous, spherically symmetric, synchrotron self-Compton models for this source.
Interaction of nucleic acid bases with single-walled carbon nanotube

Abstract Theoretical investigations at the M05-2X DFT level employing the 6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p), 6-31+G(d,p) and cc-pVDZ basis sets show that all nucleic acid bases (NABs), guanine, adenine, cytosine, thymine and uracil form stable stacking complexes with the zigzag (7,0) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT). The values of the BSSE corrected interaction energy suggested that among the bases guanine forms the most stable complex. The other bases generate complexes of similar stability with the considered SWCNT that are less stable than the guanine-SWCNT dimer.
The Maryland Redesign of Teacher Education: A Commitment to System Reform

Abstract The authors trace the national reform movement in teacher education and make explicit connections between elements of that reform and a particular instance of statewide reform in the state of Maryland. Components in the The Holmes Group, Carnegie Commission, NCATE, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards are compared and contrasted to the components of Maryland's Redesign of Teacher Education. The authors conclude with a challenge to other states to share their reform efforts to enrich the national dialogue.
Dietary inhibition of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits by 2-ethyl-n-caproic acid.

Summary Four groups of rabbits were fed for 10 weeks on diets composed of rabbit pellets and lard (2.5%) and containing either cholesterol (2 %), 2-ethyl- n -caproic acid (2.5 %), or both. Blood samples obtained at two-week intervals were analyzed for α - and β -lipoprotein lipids; at the end of the experiment, the aortic intima was graded for atheromatous plaques, and aorta and liver lipid contents were determined. The major changes in serum lipids during cholesterol feeding occurred in the β -lipoprotein fraction, and the dietary feeding of 2-ethyl- n -caproate had no effect on any of the individual lipid fractions in either control or experimental animals. As with the serum lipids, 2-ethyl- n -caproate had no effect on increases in aortic free and esterified cholesterol due to cholesterol feeding. However, rabbits on 2-ethyl- n -caproate, plus lard, plus cholesterol diet showed aortic atheroma of 5.5—20.4 % (mean, 12.9 ± 2.4), while rabbits fed on lard plus cholesterol had aortic involvement of 20–83% (mean, 46.5 ± 11.2).
Rheumatoid factors in patients with silicosis with round nodular fibrosis of the lung in the absence of rheumatoid arthritis with a note on the failure to induce such factors in animals.

Sera of 10 patients with silicosis and round nodular fibrosis of the lung in the absence of rheumatoid arthritis had positive rheumatoid factor tests. The proteins responsible for this were identical or at least closely related to those seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It was not possible to induce “rheumatoid factor-like” proteins in rats and guinea pigs by prolonged injections of silica. The possible significance of these proteins in the pathogenesis of the disease is discussed. Le sero de 10 patientes con silicosis e fibrosis a nodulos ronde del pulmon in le absentia de arthritis rheumatoide habeva positive tests pro factor rheumatoide. Le proteinas responsabile pro isto esseva identic o al minus intimemente relationate con illos vidite in patientes con arthritis rheumatoide. Il non esseva possibile inducer proteinas de “typo factor rheumatoide” in rattos e porcos de India per prolongate injectiones de silice. Es discutite le signification possibile de iste proteinas in le pathogenese del morbo.
Low-Temperature Solution Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanotubes

Zinc oxide nanotubes (ZnO-NTs) have been successfully synthesized at ∼60°C using wet chemical method. ZnO-NTs have diameters of 100–200 nm and lengths of 1–2 μm. Transmission electron microscopy shows that as-synthesized NTs are single-crystal hexagonal structure and grown along [0001] direction. X-ray diffraction, ultravisible absorption, and photoluminescence results reveal that thermal treatments at low temperature of <500°C in air cannot apparently improve the crystal properties of as-synthesized ZnO.