cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coaching Versus Competency to Facilitate Professional Identity Formation

Professional identity formation, with its focus on the development of professional values, actions, and aspirations, is the ideal goal of medical education. Medicine is a community of practice, and medical education is a socialization process by which novice trainees become full community members. The authors believe coaching provides an ideal means for promoting this socialization process to develop a learner's identity as they engage in the community. Coaching involves an orientation toward growth and development, valuing reflection and nurturing continuous reflection, and embracing failure as an opportunity for learning. However, there are challenges to implementing coaching in medical education. Competency-based medical education has provided clear outcomes (competencies) for medical education and programs of assessment around these competencies. Yet, there is a tension in medical training between professional identity formation (the process of socialization into the profession) and the formal assessment process. The ideal of multiple low-stakes assessments and written evaluations, intended as formative assessments, are perceived by residents as high-stakes evaluations with significant consequences for their future. The authors present a resident story that highlights this tension. They outline Goffman's theory of impression management, postulating that medicine's assessment system encourages residents to stage a performance for evaluators that displays their competence and conceals their perceived weaknesses. This performance hinders coaching and the formation of an appropriate professional identity. Coaching, the authors believe, provides a model that aligns assessment and professional identity formation. Given the challenges to implementing coaching in medical education, the authors propose several questions to contemplate when integrating coaching into medical education to facilitate the goal of professional identity formation.
A META-ANALYSIS OF BEMPEDOIC ACID FOR DYSLIPIDEMIA IN STATIN-INTOLERANT PATIENTS

There is lack of evidence for the treatment of statin intolerant patients with dyslipidemia. We aimed to study the safety and efficacy of bempedoic acid (BPA) in this population. Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane library were searched for randomized controlled trials in adults with dyslipidemia
Kidney biopsy is required for nephrotic syndrome with PLA2R+ and normal kidney function: The CON view

The main obstacle to medical progress is dogma.—Gabriel Richet Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adult patients of European decent (1,2). This morphologic pattern of injury is characterized by thickening of the glomerular capillary wall on light microscopy, presence of Igs (usually IgG and C3) deposition along the capillary walls on immunofluorescence microscopy, and subepithelial deposits along the glomerular basement membrane on electron microscopy (EM) (3). Primary MN, responsible for approximately 80% of cases, is a renal-limited autoimmune disease caused by circulating antibodies targeting antigens on the surface of the podocyte (4). The target antigen has been identified as the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R) in 70%–80%, the thrombospondin type-1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A) in 1%–5%, and the recently described neural EGF-like 1 protein (NELL-1) in 5%–10% of cases (5⇓–7). In approximately 20% of patients, MN is secondary to infections (hepatitis B), systemic autoimmune diseases (SLE), drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), or malignancy (8). Traditionally, the gold standard for diagnosis of MN has been a kidney biopsy. However, the recent availability of assays for PLA2R has revolutionized the way we approach MN. There are two validated and commercially available assays for anti-PLA2R antibody: one is an ELISA, which provides a quantitative antibody titer and is 66.9% sensitive and 99.6% specific, and the other is a semiquantitative immunofluorescence assay test (IFA), which is 77.1% sensitive and 100% specific reported as positive, indeterminate, or negative. A large body of evidence supports a central role for serology in diagnosis and management of MN. The evidence is most explicit for PLA2R-associated MN, as this is the most common and longest recognized form. To start, the specificity of anti-PLA2R antibodies for a diagnosis of MN is close to 100% (9). Positive anti-PLA2R …
The Japanese settler unconscious: Goblin Slayer on the ‘Isekai’ frontier

This paper looks at recent isekai (‘different world’) anime in relation to 2018s Goblin Slayer. It argues the latter is a settler-colonialist critique of the unconscious structural violence within ...
Study protocol: A lifestyle intervention for African American and Hispanic prostate cancer survivors on active surveillance and their partners

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in both African American and Hispanic men. Active surveillance is a treatment option for low- or very low-risk prostate cancer survivors, and lifestyle interventions have been found to reduce the disease progression and improve the quality of life for both survivors and their partners. To date, no lifestyle interventions that specifically target African American or Hispanic men and their partners exist. This protocol describes a study that tests the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial, a lifestyle intervention developed to enhance healthy lifestyle and quality of life among African American and Hispanic men on active surveillance and their partners. A mixed-method study, including a two-arm randomized controlled trial (n = 30 dyads in the intervention arm and n = 10 dyads in the control arm) and in-depth interviews, will be conducted. Intervention arm participants will receive bi-weekly health coaching calls (a total of 12 calls based on Motivational Interviewing), as well as physical activity-specific (e.g., power point slides, print materials about physical activity, and activity trackers for self-monitoring) and nutrition-specific education (e.g., two nutrition counseling sessions from a registered dietitian, print materials about nutrition, and food intake recording for self-monitoring) over 6 months. All participants will be assessed at baseline, month 3, and month 6. Blood will be collected at baseline and month 6 from the prostate cancer survivors. Finally, in-depth interviews will be conducted with subsamples (up to n = 15 dyads in the intervention arm and up to n = 5 dyads in the control arm) at baseline and months 3 and 6 to conduct a process evaluation and further refine the intervention. If effective, the intervention may have a higher health impact compared with a typical lifestyle intervention targeting only survivors (or partners), as it improves both survivors’ (tertiary prevention) and partners’ health (primary prevention). Results from this study will provide important information regarding recruiting racial/ethnic minority cancer survivors and their partners. Lessons learned from this study will be used to apply for a large-scale grant to test the impact of the dyadic intervention in a fully powered sample. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT No. 03575832 ) registered on 3 July 2018.
Chapter 51 – New Generation Ground-Based Optical/Infrared Telescopes

The telescope is a crucial tool for astronomers. This chapter gives an overview of the recent advances in ground-based telescope construction and instrumentation for visible and infrared wavelengths, which have spurred extraordinary advances in our understanding of the solar system. Although space-based observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope have also immensely enriched our understanding of the solar system we live in, the results from space observatories are discussed elsewhere in this encyclopedia. Astronomers strive to build ever-larger telescopes to collect as much light as possible. While cosmologists need the large collecting area of telescopes to study the distant universe, solar system astronomers need the large collecting area to study both nearby small objects and faint objects at the limits of our solar system, and to exploit the high angular resolution they provide. We discuss current and future telescope projects that promise to make further discoveries possible and enable the study of solar systems other than our own. Advances in instrumentation have in equal measure revolutionized the way astronomy is pursued. We discuss three major advances in this chapter: the construction of ever-larger telescopes, the use of the large-format solid-state detector for visible and infrared wavelengths, and the development of adaptive optics (AO). The construction of large telescopes is in a period of great innovation and advance, leading to collecting areas undreamed of a few decades ago. The development of large-format arrays has led to ambitious digital sky surveys and networks of telescopes. The sky surveys allow searches for objects that may collide with Earth as well as objects at the edge of the solar system. The development of AO is reaching maturity and is allowing routine observations to be made at the diffraction limit at the largest telescopes in the world. The limitation on image sharpness imposed by the atmosphere since the invention of the telescope is now removed with AO.
Biomechanical Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in the Developing Embryo

The contribution of biomechanical forces to hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development in the embryo is a relatively nascent area of research. Herein, we address the biomechanics of the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition (EHT), impact of force on organelles, and signaling triggered by extrinsic forces within the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM), the primary site of HSC emergence. Hemogenic endothelial cells undergo carefully orchestrated morphological adaptations during EHT. Moreover, expansion of the stem cell pool during embryogenesis requires HSC extravasation into the circulatory system and transit to the fetal liver, which is regulated by forces generated by blood flow. Findings from other cell types also suggest that forces external to the cell are sensed by the nucleus and mitochondria. Interactions between these organelles and the actin cytoskeleton dictate processes such as cell polarization, extrusion, division, survival, and differentiation. Despite challenges of measuring and modeling biophysical cues in the embryonic HSC niche, the past decade has revealed critical roles for mechanotransduction in governing HSC fate decisions. Lessons learned from the study of the embryonic hematopoietic niche promise to provide critical insights that could be leveraged for improvement in HSC generation and expansion ex vivo.
Differences in Immediate Postoperative Outcomes Between Robotic-Assisted TKA and Conventional TKA.

Abstract Background Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a growing technique in adult reconstruction. The variations between robotic-assisted and conventional TKA could lead to changes in immediate postoperative outcomes. We aimed to evaluate for differences in postoperative pain, discharge day, as well as post-hospital disposition (home vs subacute rehabilitation facility [SAR]) between robotic-assisted and conventional TKA. Methods We retrospectively identified 2 cohorts of patients who underwent either conventional or robotic-assisted TKA between January 2019 and July 2019. Their average pain scores from postoperative day 0, day 1, and day 2 were recorded. Their postoperative discharge day was recorded, as well as their disposition to either home or a SAR. Preoperatively, all patients are offered robotic-assisted TKA, and only those who want the procedure and undergo a preoperative CT scan receive the robotic-assisted surgery. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. Results One hundred sixty-six patients were identified with 83 in each cohort. No differences between age, race, and gender were found. Despite minor variations in pain levels, the overall postoperative pain score analysis did not strongly favor one technique over the other. The robotic-assisted group had a significantly higher amount of patients discharged to home instead of a SAR and also had a shorter time to discharge than the conventional group. Conclusions Robotic-assisted TKA has similar postoperative pain scores compared with conventional TKA. The robotic-assisted cohort demonstrated other benefits including earlier discharge and are more likely to be discharged home instead of a SAR.
Abstract 15620: Diagnostic Performance of Ultra-high-resolution CT Coronary Angiography in Patients With Severe Coronary Artery Disease: Initial Experience

Introduction: Conventional resolution coronary CTA (CRCT) is frequently avoided in patients with heavy calcification and prior stents given the diminished diagnostic accuracy. Ultra-high-resolution...
Mass‐tag barcoding for multiplexed analysis of human synaptosomes and other anuclear events

Mass-tag cell barcoding has increased the throughput, multiplexing, and robustness of multiple cytometry approaches. Previously, we adapted mass cytometry for cells to analyze synaptosome preparations (mass synaptometry or SynTOF), extending mass cytometry to these smaller, anuclear particles. To improve throughput and individual event resolution, we report here the application of palladium-based barcoding in human synaptosomes. Up to 20 individual samples, each with a unique combinatorial barcode, were pooled for labeling with an antibody cocktail. Our synaptosome protocol used six palladium-based barcoding reagents, and in combination with sequential gating increased the identification of presynaptic events approximately fourfold. These same parameters also efficiently resolved two other anuclear particles: human red blood cells and platelets. The addition of palladium-based mass-tag barcoding to our approach improves mass cytometry of synaptic particles.
Modeling Crack Growth Resistance Using Computational Cells with Microstructurally—Based Length Scales

Many metals which fail by void growth mechanism display a macroscopically planar fracture process zone of one or two void spacing in thickness characterized by intense plastic flow in the ligaments between the voids. To model this process cell elements, each of which contains a void, are employed on the plane ahead of the initial crack. The linear dimension of these elements is D. We use Gurson model to describe the hole growth in a cell resulting in material softening and, ultimately, loss of stress carrying capacity leading to void coalescence and formation of new crack surface thereby advancing the crack. The void-free material surrounding the cells is described by the J 2 flow theory of plasticity. The two cell parameters, D and f 0 , characterize the mean spacing and volume fraction of voids in the material lying in the plane of fracture. Finite element calculations have been carried out for plane strain, mode I crack growth under small scale yielding. A wide range of fracture behavior is captured by proper combinations of D and fo. Resistance curves are calculated for crack extensions two orders of magnitude larger than D. The parameters affecting fracture resistance are discussed emphasizing the roles of microstructural parameters and continuum properties of the material. Geometry effects on fracture resistance are investigated by way of the T-stress. As a final application, resistance curves for a deep and a shallow crack bend bar are computed. These are compared with experimental data.
SU-E-P-09: Compliance With Evidence-Based Treatment Planning DVH Guidelines In An Academic Multi-Site Radiation Oncology Practice Setting

Purpose: To evaluate the compliance with evidence-based treatment planning organ-at-risk (OAR) guidelines in a single institution with four practice sites. Methods: Two hundred thirteen head and neck cancer patients treated between September 2009 and September 2013 were retrospectively selected. Consensus treatment planning guidelines, including OAR dose constraints, were established based on institutional experience and published data. Data spanned a time period of 2 years prior to (n=112) and 2 years post-enactment (n=101) of the guidelines. We investigated the differences in the frequency with which (1) OARs were contoured and (2) OAR DVH goals were met. Trends in the proportion with OAR contours over time was tested using linear regression. Trends in the proportion of contoured OARs achieving clinical DVH goals were similarly tested. The proportion of patients contoured and meeting DVH goals before and after guidelines was compared using a test of proportions. Results: When the proportion of cases with OAR contours before and after guidelines were compared, we observed an increase from 75% to 87% (p=0.02) for the brainstem, decrease from 97% to 88% (p=0.01) for the cord and increase from 47% to 77% (p<0.001) for the mandible. For the proportion of cases with OAR contours in which clinicalmore » goals were met, a significant decrease from 99% to 90% was observed for the cord V48<0.3% (p=0.001). A significant decrease in the proportion of cases with left parotid contours (from 92% to 73% (p=0.03)) was observed over 2 years after guideline enactment and the proportion meeting the clinical DVH goal of V30<50% increased significantly from 36% to 50% (p=0.007) over the 2 years after guidelines. Conclusion: The enactment of OAR planning guidelines resulted in an increase in OAR contour compliance, overall. In cases with OAR contours, there was little to no change in the proportion that met clinical goals.« less
Spectrally efficient comb source with coupled microresonators

We demonstrate a spectrally efficient parametric comb source for WDM applications using a Si 3 N 4 dual-coupled microring resonator. This geometry allows for operating wavelength flexibility and avoidance of mode crossings for stable comb generation.
Expressiveness of Streaming String Transducers

Streaming string transducers define (partial) functions from input strings to output strings. A streaming string transducer makes a single pass through the input string and uses a finite set of variables that range over strings from the output alphabet. At every step, the transducer processes an input symbol, and updates all the variables in parallel using assignments whose right-hand-sides are concatenations of output symbols and variables with the restriction that a variable can be used at most once in a right-hand-side expression. It has been shown that streaming string transducers operating on strings over infinite data domains are of interest in algorithmic verification of list-processing programs, as they lead to Pspace decision procedures for checking pre/postconditions and for checking semantic equivalence, for a well-defined class of heap-manipulating programs. In order to understand the theoretical expressiveness of streaming transducers, we focus on streaming transducers processing strings over finite alphabets, given the existence of a robust and well-studied class of ``regular'' transductions for this case. Such regular transductions can be defined either by two-way deterministic finite-state transducers, or using a logical MSO-based characterization. Our main result is that the expressiveness of streaming string transducers coincides exactly with this class of regular transductions.
Chained to the Title: Why the UPC Should Allow Real Property to Transfer by Small Estate Affidavit

This Note questions whether the Uniform Probate Code must necessarily exclude real property from small estates, and proposes that the UPC adopt a change, similar to Indiana’s deviation, that allows real property to be considered an asset for small estates. This Note also discusses the background of the UPC, the probate process, and the housing market. This note additionally provides an analysis of transferring the title of low-value real property upon death. Finally, this Note provides the contribution of revising the UPC to allow low-value real property to transfer by small estate affidavit.
Case 13: A Lesson Well Learned

Forced air patient warming system such as Bair Hugger (BH) (Augustine Medical Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, USA) is a clinically effective patient warming device. Forced air is entrained through a microbial filter (0.2 μm pore size). The air is heated and blown through a detachable hose. The hose is attached to blankets with perforation on its underside. However a potential disadvantage is that BH may blow contaminated air over the surgical wound [1–4]. It does that by sucking pathogens from the floor and delivering them to the surgical field if the filter is not working or exhausted. The BH can also mobilize the patient skin organisms onto the surgical field. Pathogens from the BH tubing (which has been lying on the floor between cases) can also be delivered to the surgical field.
Prospective evaluation of patient satisfaction after the use of brachytherapy specific educational materials for cervical cancer

Abstract Background Cervical cancer patients are faced with an enormous amount of medical information in a complex oncology field with sophisticated treatments including brachytherapy. We investigated the use of enhanced vs. standard brachytherapy–specific educational materials on patient-reported satisfaction during the informed consent process for intracavitary high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials A single-institution, prospective, randomized trial was performed to study patient-reported satisfaction with novel educational materials for high-dose-rate brachytherapy in women undergoing definitive radiation for cervical cancer. Results Fourteen women receiving informed consent with a customized educational booklet were randomized between no further intervention and take-home educational materials. The weighted average for 10 of 11 survey questions was higher in the intervention arm but ranged between 4 (agree) and 5 (strongly agree) for all questions in both arms. The mean weighted patient satisfaction scores ± standard deviations in the control arm and the intervention arms were 54.3 ± 6.4 and 57.5 ± 2.7, respectively (p = 0.26). Conclusions Knowledge acquisition is presumed to be part of the coping process for women facing increased stress during a cancer diagnosis. A brachytherapy-specific, visual, patient-educational booklet and take-home materials used to supplement the informed consent process for high-dose-rate brachytherapy resulted in high levels of patient-reported satisfaction among women treated with cervical cancer.
How is ‘welfare‐to‐work’ shaped by contingencies of economy, welfare policy and human capital?

This research weighed the impact made by the economy, welfare policy and human capital on unemployed welfare mothers in the USA. Specifically, it asked how welfare mothers’ employment status, poverty status, and enrolment for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are affected by these three factors. Longitudinal data from the Survey of Income Program Participation (SIPP) provided a sample of TANF mothers. The SIPP data shed light on modes of economic adaptation exhibited by these mothers. Event history analysis was applied to the data (for years 1996–2000), and results were obtained showing that restrictive welfare policies combined with high unemployment can boost the number of working poor Americans by severing them from TANF. Human capital contingencies – which here comprised development of the sample's occupational skills, work experience and education – helped TANF mothers gain employment and even leave welfare. Some were able to do so and live above the poverty level. Social support, especially family support, was another factor included in this study that was found to be of some use to unemployed mothers in terms of finding work. Results bear several implications for TANF policy.
β Cell-Specific CD4+ T Cell Clonotypes in Peripheral Blood and the Pancreatic Islets Are Distinct

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease mediated by β cell-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. Tracking β cell-specific T cells is one approach to monitor the diabetogenic response in at risk or diabetic individuals. Such analyses, however, are limited to PBL because T cells infiltrating the pancreatic islets are normally inaccessible. A key issue is whether peripheral β cell-specific T cells accurately reflect those cells infiltrating the target tissue. We investigated the properties of CD4 + T cells specific for a mimetic epitope recognized by the BDC2.5 clonotypic TCR in NOD mice. Soluble IA g7 -Ig (sIA g7 -Ig) multimer complexes covalently linked to a mimetic BDC peptide (sIA g7 -mBDC) were used to identify or isolate CD4 + T cells from PBL and the islets of NOD mice. A temporal increase in sIA g7 -mBDC binding (g7-mBDC + ) T cells corresponding with the progression of β cell autoimmunity was detected in both PBL and islets in NOD female mice. In contrast to T cells in PBL, however, the majority of islet g7-mBDC + T cells exhibited a type 1 phenotype, and mediated diabetes upon transfer into NOD. scid recipients. TCR-β and CDR-β gene usage of single islet-infiltrating g7-mBDC + CD4 + T cells from individual NOD mice showed a restricted repertoire dominated by one or two clones typically expressing TCR β-chain variable TRBV-15. In contrast, a distinct and diverse TCR repertoire was detected for PBL-derived g7-mBDC + T cells. These results demonstrate that PBL and islet CD4 + T cells specific for a given β cell epitope can differ regarding pathogenicity and TCR repertoire.
Relating Kansas Offenses

This Article examines Kansas case law addressing the interrelationship of drug offenses. The case law is marked not only by uncertainty, but also by inconsistency. ls In fact, the only seeming constant has been an approach of legal formalism l6 that often produces results that make little sense as a matter of statutory interpretation or policy. The Kansas Supreme Court's recent Schoonover decision tries to systematize the formalism. Even if the systematization effort succeeds in reducing uncertainty, it has produced and will continue to produce seriously unsound results. This Article proposes an alternative. Its approach is rooted in realism about the legislative process and sensitivity to the overall aims of the criminal code. In its emphasis on careful attention to context and legislative purpose, this approach bears considerable affinity with the legal process school that grew out of critiques of legal formalism.
The Detection of Helicobacter hepaticus Using Whispering-Gallery Mode Microcavity Optical Sensors

Current bacterial detection techniques are relatively slow, require bulky instrumentation, and usually require some form of specialized training. The gold standard for bacterial detection is culture testing, which can take several days to receive a viable result. Therefore, simpler detection techniques that are both fast and sensitive could greatly improve bacterial detection and identification. Here, we present a new method for the detection of the bacteria Helicobacter hepaticus using whispering-gallery mode (WGM) optical microcavity-based sensors. Due to minimal reflection losses and low material adsorption, WGM-based sensors have ultra-high quality factors, resulting in high-sensitivity sensor devices. In this study, we have shown that bacteria can be non-specifically detected using WGM optical microcavity-based sensors. The minimum detection for the device was 1 × 104 cells/mL, and the minimum time of detection was found to be 750 s. Given that a cell density as low as 1 × 103 cells/mL for Helicobacter hepaticus can cause infection, the limit of detection shown here would be useful for most levels where Helicobacter hepaticus is biologically relevant. This study suggests a new approach for H. hepaticus detection using label-free optical sensors that is faster than, and potentially as sensitive as, standard techniques.
The Role of Query Sessions in Interpreting Compound Noun Phrases

The meaning of compound noun phrases can be approximated in the form of lexical interpretations extracted from text. The interpretations hint at the role that modifiers play relative to heads within the noun phrases. In a study examining the role of query sessions in explaining compound noun phrases, candidate interpretations of compound noun phrases are extracted from pairs of queries that belong to the same query session. Experimental results over multiple evaluation sets of noun phrases show a higher accuracy of the interpretations when extracted from query sessions rather than from individual queries.
The Cost of Care

The cost of reimbursement that we are getting from the government doesn’t even come close to covering our cost. We had to close our inpatient hospice unit because we did not want to give substandar...
Dispersal of Larvae by Equatorial Ocean Currents and its Importance to the Zoogeography of Shoal-water Tropical Species

Dispersal of Larvae by Equatorial Ocean Currents and its Importance to the Zoogeography of Shoal-water Tropical Species
Median regression and the missing information principle

Median regression analysis has robustness properties which make it an attractive alternative to regression based on the mean.In this paper,the missing information principle is applied to a right-censored version of the median regression model,leading to a new estimator for the regression parameters.Our approach adapts Efton's derivation of self-consistency for the Kaplan-Meier estimator to the context of median regression;we replace the least absolute deviation estimating function by its (estimated) conditional expectation given the data.For discrete covariates the new estimator is shown to be asymptotically equivalent to anad hocestimator introduced by Ying,Jung and Wei,and to have improved moderate-sample performance in simulation studies.
Psychological Correlates of Frontalis EMG and Pain in Tension Headache

SYNOPSIS Frontalis EMG, headache pain ratings, and psychological measures of personality and physical-emotional symptom complaints were obtained from female tension headache patients. Whereas there was no relationship between EMG and headache pain measures, personality factors were significantly associated with patient pain ratings. Physical-emotional symptom complaints were significantly related to frontalis EMG, consistent with the notion of a psychological component to tension headache.
Evaluation Capacity within State-Level School Counseling Programs: A Cross-Case Analysis:

Many state departments of education have revised their state school counseling models to reflect the ASCA National Model for school counseling programs. Only a few states have developed statewide evaluation systems to gather information about program effectiveness and/or to promote effective local program evaluation. This qualitative study describes the statewide evaluation systems of two states (Missouri and Utah), which differ greatly in their state educational policymaking contexts. The authors also present recommendations for establishing a statewide evaluation system.
Molecular mechanisms causing anomalously high thermal expansion of nanoconfined water.

Anomalously high thermal expansion is measured in water confined in nanoscale pores in amorphous silica and the molecular mechanisms are identified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using an accurate dissociative water potential. The experimentally measured coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of nanoconfined water increases as pore dimension decreases. The simulations match this behavior for water confined in 30 A and 70 A pores in silica. The cause of the high expansion is associated with the structure and increased CTE of a region of water ∼6 A thick adjacent to the silica. The structure of water in the first 3 A of this interface is templated by the atomically rough silica surface, while the water in the second 3 A just beyond the atomically rough silica surface sits in an asymmetric potential well and displays a high density, with a structure comparable to bulk water at higher pressure.
TU-A-12A-04: Quantitative Texture Features Calculated in Lung Tissue From CT Scans Demonstrate Consistency Between Two Databases From Different Institutions

Purpose: To evaluate the consistency of computed tomography (CT) scan texture features, previously identified as stable in a healthy patient cohort, in esophageal cancer patient CT scans. Methods: 116 patients receiving radiation therapy (median dose: 50.4Gy) for esophageal cancer were retrospectively identified. For each patient, diagnostic-quality pre-therapy (0-183 days) and post-therapy (5-120 days) scans (mean voxel size: 0.8mm×0.8mm×2.5mm) and a treatment planning scan and associated dose map were collected. An average of 501 32x32-pixel ROIs were placed randomly in the lungs of each pre-therapy scan. ROI centers were mapped to corresponding locations in post-therapy and planning scans using the displacement vector field output by demons deformable registration. Only ROIs with mean dose <5Gy were analyzed, as these were expected to contain minimal post-treatment damage. 140 texture features were calculated in pre-therapy and post-therapy scan ROIs and compared using Bland-Altman analysis. For each feature, the mean feature value change and the distance spanned by the 95% limits of agreement were normalized to the mean feature value, yielding normalized range of agreement (nRoA) and normalized bias (nBias). Using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, nRoA and nBias were compared with values computed previously in 27 healthy patient scans (mean voxel size: 0.67mm×0.67mm×1mm) acquired at a different institution. Results: nRoA was significantly (p<0.001) larger in cancer patients than healthy patients. Differences in nBias were not significant (p=0.23). The 20 features identified previously as having nRoA<20% for healthy patients had the lowest nRoA values in the current database, with an average increase of 5.6%. Conclusion: Despite differences in CT scanner type, scan resolution, and patient health status, the same 20 features remained stable (i.e., low variability and bias) in the absence of disease changes for databases from two institutions. Identification of these features is the first step towards quantifying radiation-induced changes between preand post-therapy scans. Supported, in part, by NIH Grant Nos. S10 RR021039, and P30 CA14599, the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, Imaging Research Institute, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, and The Institute for Translational Medicine Pilot Award, The University of Chicago.
Vector-boson decay modes of the nucleon in N=1 supergravity model.

A general analysis of the vector-boson decay modes of the nucleon in N = 1 supergravity unified models is carried out using the full set of W-gaugino, gluino, and Z-gaugino dressing diagrams of LLLL and RRRR dimension-five operators. It is shown that the third-generation effect with a heavy top quark (m/sub t/> or approx. =40 GeV) leads to an enhancement of the vector-boson decay modes nu-barrho and nu-bar..omega.. and a relative suppression of nu-barK( modes in domains discussed recently where nu-bar..pi.. modes dominate the nu-barK modes of the nucleon decay. The parameter space where these enhancements occur is numerically investigated and is found to be non-negligible. Branching ratios and partial lifetimes for the decay modes for a class of models are given.
Congenital anterior chest wall deformities of diaphragmatic origin.

The deformities of the anterior chest wall commonly known as funnel chest, pigeon breast and Harrison's grooves for which the author has suggested the terms congenital chondrosternal depression, congenital chondrosternal prominence and congenital chondrocostal grooves respectively, are discussed as a related group of congenital deformities of the anterior chest wall. The present concepts of the etiology of these deformities, such as rickets, upper respiratory obstructions and severe cough and dyspnea are analyzed and refuted. It is acknowledged that these conditions do aggravate the extent of these deformities. Another concept is suggested to explain the mechanism and production of these deformities. In normal chests the normal muscular portion of the anterior division of the diaphragm contracts and pulls the anterior leaf of the trefoil membranous portion of the diaphragm toward the anterior chest wall which remains stationary. If the anterior portion is underdeveloped or has relatively less muscle fibers or is more tendinous it will be pulled dorsally by the rest of the musculature of the diaphragm and produce an inspiratory retraction of its anterior chest wall attachment. As the character and composition of this anterior portion of the diaphragm varies, so will the pull on the anterior chest wall. The variation in the amount and the site of the pull will correspondingly affect the degree of severity and type of each one of these three deformities.
The Knotting of Equilateral Polygons in R3

It was proved in [4] that the knotting probability of a Gaussian random polygon goes to 1 as the length of the polygon goes to infinity. In this paper, we prove the same result for the equilateral random polygons in R3. More precisely, if EPn is an equilateral random polygon of n steps, then we have provided that n is large enough, where ∊ is some positive constant.
Economically organized hierarchies in WordNet and the Oxford English Dictionary

Good definitions consist of words that are more basic than the defined word. There are, however, many ways of satisfying this desideratum. For example, at one extreme, there could be a small set of atomic words that are used to define all other words; i.e., there would be just two hierarchical levels. Alternatively, there could be many hierarchical levels, where a small set of atomic words is used to define a larger set of words, and these are, in turn, used to define the next hierarchically higher set of words, and so on to the top-level of very specific, complex words. Importantly, some possible organizations are more economical than others in the amount of space required to record all the definitions. Here I ask, How economical are dictionaries? I present a simple model for an optimal set of definitions, predicting on the order of seven hierarchical levels. I test the model via measurements from WordNet and the Oxford English Dictionary, and find that the organization of each possesses the signature features expected for an economical dictionary.
The sensitivity of bladder wash flow cytometry, bladder wash cytology, and voided cytology in the detection of bladder carcinoma

The sensitivity of voided urinary cytology (VUC), bladder wash cytology (BWC), and bladder wash flow cytometry (BWFCM) in detecting cancer was studied in 70 patients with biopsy-proven bladder tumors. There were 11 Grade I papillomas, 14 Grade II TA, 18 Grade II-III TIS, 19 Grade II-III T1, and eight Grade II-III T2 carcinomas. One to five VUCs per patient (mean, 2.63) were obtained within the 24 hours preceding biopsy. At endoscopy a bladder wash specimen was obtained and divided for cytologic and flow cytometric examinations. For all tumor categories combined, the sensitivity for one, two, and three voided cytology examinations per patient was 41%, 41%, and 60%, respectively. The sensitivity of a single BWC was 61%, of a single BWFCM, 83%. Thus, one BWFCM is more sensitive than three VUC (binomial test; P = 0.006); one BWC is more sensitive than two VUC (P = 0.01); and one BWFCM is more sensitive than one BWC (P = 0.003). These findings remain significant when papillomas are excluded from the analysis (P less than or equal to 0.03) and when papillomas and T2 tumors are jointly excluded (P less than or equal to 0.02). Only four of 70 patients (6%) had their cancers detected by VUC and/or BWC rather than BWFCM. In summary, irrigation cytology specimens are more sensitive than voided urinary cytology, and bladder wash flow cytometry is more sensitive than either in diagnosing bladder cancer. Flow cytometry is more sensitive because of the better sampling of bladder irrigation compared with voided urine and because of the measurement technique itself.
The cultivation of a help desk dashboard

Wayne State University Computing and Information Technology (C&IT) Help Desk implemented a relevant, user-friendly, organized, inclusive, and aesthetically-pleasing centralized resource, the C&IT Help Desk Dashboard to connect our first-tier, student support staff to frequently accessed knowledge. This increased efficiency by decreasing incident escalations, talk time, and second-tier interruptions.In developing the Dashboard (after its initial stint on a Blackboard course site), a Lead Help Desk Technician (HDT) was tasked with creating a simple HTML document containing links to various C&IT resources. The Dashboard's logic was written with PHP, or PHP: Hypertext Pre-processor, used in collaboration with a MySQL database. Using a WordPress back end, the Dashboard pulls posts from its database and publishes them on its front page. It includes an announcement system for timely communication of problems and important news to student staff. These technologies drove implementation of the timesheet notification system, login system, and our customer service survey results tool, allowing flexible access to data through user-specific variables.In a short period of time, the C&IT Help Desk implemented a free, flexible, custom tool to help student assistants' access knowledge quickly to help customers. What began as a functional dashboard, including the ability to post announcements and search all of Wayne State's institutional documentation from a central location, evolved into a relatively complex web application using modern web technologies to streamline customer interactions. This increase in knowledge accessibility and integration decreased first-tier stress, increased organizational confidence and provided tangible benefits for customers and support personnel alike.
Pertussis toxoid structure: A collaboration and comparison of two-dimensional liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, ultraperformance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometryE, and capillary liquid chromatography–matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–tandem mass spectrometry

The overall structure of pertussis toxoid has been established by analysis of its tryptic digest using two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2D-LC-MS/MS), capillary liquid chromatography-matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (CapLC-MALDI-MS/MS), and ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(E) (UPLC-MS(E)). In addition to oxidation and hydrolysis of amino acids losses of terminal peptides are observed. On-line UPLC-MS(E) generated a similar sequence coverage as the other two methods that involved off-line fraction collection. In light of recent favorable comparisons to data-dependent acquisition, UPLC-MS(E) should be the initial method of choice for analysis of a peptide mixture of moderate complexity.
Formation of intermetallic Pt-Zr compounds between Pt electrodes and ZrO2-based electrolytes, and the decomposition voltage of yttria-doped ZrO2

Abstract According to recent thermodynamic results, intermetallic compounds between Pt and Zr have unusually high stabilities, characterized by low activities of zirconium. Accordingly, a reaction between platinum electrodes and doped ZrO 2 electrolytes in solid state galvanic cells is expected if the oxygen activity is small. Pt−Zr compounds have been formed by coulometric titration from platinum using yttria-doped zirconia. A constant thermodynamic zirconium activity is present when equilibrium exists between two Zr−Pt compounds, and this is measured in situ by steady state e.m.f. values. The influence of the formation of Zr−Pt compounds on the general thermodynamic cell performance is described. The zirconium activity is only slightly dependent upon the Zr/Pt ratio. At 1000°C the formation of intermetallic Zr−Pt compounds appears at 1225 mV at the low oxygen partial pressure side of Pt electrodes in galvanic cells with ZrO 2 +10 mol % Y 2 O 3 electrolytes and reference oxygen pressures of 1 atm. The corresponding oxygen partial pressure is 4×10 −20 atm. The Gibbs formation energy of cubic yttria-doped zirconia is determined to be 897.57 kJ mol −1 (−214,380 cal mol −1 ) at 1000°C. The decomposition voltage of theelectrolyte is 2220 mV versus 1 atm oxygen partial pressure at 1000°C. The results are reported over the temperature range between 900 and 1100°C.
A Bayesian Measurement Error Model for Misaligned Radiographic Data

An understanding of the inherent variability in micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) data is essential to tasks such as statistical process control and the validation of radiographic simulation tools. These data present unique challenges to variability analysis due to the relatively low resolution of radiographs, and also due to minor variations from run to run which can result in misalignment or magnification changes between repeated measurements of a sample. Such positioning changes artificially inflate the variability of the data in ways that mask true physical phenomena. We present a novel Bayesian nonparametric regression model that incorporates both additive and multiplicative measurement error in addition to heteroscedasticity to address this problem. We use this model to assess the effects of sample thickness and sample position on measurement variability for an aluminum specimen. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Autonomic nervous system and control of cardiac rhythm.

THE advent of drugs with the capacity to block the cardiac effects of catecholamines has provoked new interest in the study of the induction and blockade of rhythm disorders of the heart. Many of these new agents, such as pronethalol, depress disorders of the ventricular rhythm induced by both catecholamines and digitalis1–3. Initially, it was thought that depression of ventricular arrhythmia induced by digitalis was caused by the action of pronethalol in blocking the effect of catecholamines on the heart. It is now apparent, however, that the capacity of pronethalol to depress ventricular arrhythmia induced by digitalis is not related to the blockade of catecholamines4–6. Recently, Roberts and his colleagues6,7 have noted similar effects on digitalis-induced ventricular arrhythmia by pronethalol and β-TM10, an agent which prevents release of catecholamines from the adrenergic nerve terminals8, and have suggested that the anti-arrhythmic effect of pronethalol, like that of β-TM10, may be caused by an action of the drug on adrenergic nerve terminals.
Prevalence of and risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with Crohn's disease

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) can commonly involve the terminal ileum, which is the site of B12 absorption. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of vitamin B12 abnormalities in a population with CD and to identify risk factors associated with B12 abnormalities in CD. Methods: The medical records of 201 patients with CD evaluated at a tertiary care center were retrospectively reviewed to determine the prevalence of B12 deficiency and to evaluate factors associated with B12 deficiency. The prevalence of B12 deficiency in a control population of 40 patients with ulcerative colitis was also assessed. Results: The prevalence of an abnormal serum B12 concentration in patients with CD was 18.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.1–23.8%) compared with 5% (95% CI, 0–11.8%) (P = 0.035) in ulcerative colitis controls. Risk factors for B12 deficiency in patients with CD included prior ileal (odds ratio [OR], 7.22; 95% CI, 1.97–26.51) or ileocolonic (OR, 5.81; 95% CI, 2.09–16.12) resection and the need for ongoing medical therapy (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.03–6.47). Neither disease location nor duration was independently associated with the risk of B12 deficiency. Conclusions: Vitamin B12 abnormalities are common in patients with CD and patients with a prior ileal or ileocolonic resection are at particular risk. Routine screening for B12 deficiency in patients with CD is warranted. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007)