cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selected papers from the 2019 International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2019)

Mathematics and computation has been the vanguard of nuclear engineering research and has repeatedly led the world of computational engineering and applied mathematics in innovation. Some examples ...
Charge carrier spatial distribution effects in photomodulated reflectivity of 4H-SiC and GaN

Photoinjecting free carriers into polar semiconductors can drastically modify the infrared (IR) optical properties of the material via coupling of the longitudinal optical phonon to the free-carrier plasma. We report a detailed description of how the IR response depends on the distribution of free carriers, which, in turn, depends on the penetration depth of the excitation. The three-dimensional spatial overlap of this distribution with a probe pulse dictates the IR response. We measure transient infrared reflectivity in the reststrahlen band region of 4H-SiC and GaN using multiple excitation wavelengths in order to show the effect of carrier spatial distributions. The sensitivity of the IR response to the carrier distribution can potentially offer an avenue for tuning that response in devices.
Training Surgical Residents to Communicate with Their Patients: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Objective Effective communication is critical in surgical practice and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education requires a focus on interpersonal and communication skills. Absent a national communication skills curriculum for surgical residents, individual programs have designed and implemented their own curricula. This scoping review explores communication training in North American surgical residency programs. Design The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, and included articles identified through searches of 6 publication databases conducted on June 25, 2019 and updated on April 2, 2020. Eligible studies described patient or family communication skills education for surgical residents in North America. Published abstracts were excluded. Article abstracts were screened by 2 reviewers. For articles meeting criteria, data on study setting, participants, curriculum design, educational techniques, and skills focus were extracted and analyzed. Results A total of 2724 articles were identified after removing duplicates; 84 articles were reviewed in full text. Thirty-three met study criteria including 4 from 2006 to 2009 and 29 after 2010. The most common skills education focused on breaking bad news, followed by a range of topics, such as empathy, end of life and/or palliative care discussions, medical error disclosure, shared decision making, and informed consent. Some of the training was part of larger curriculum including team training or professionalism. Over half of the studies involved general surgery learners. The most common form of education included didactics followed by practice with peers or simulated patients. Only half of the programs described curricula involving multiple training sessions which is important for ongoing development and skill reinforcement. Conclusions Effective communication skills are important, necessary, and increasingly incorporated into surgical training programs. While the literature is expanding, few surgical residency programs have described communication curricula. This review serves as a guide for programs interested in developing their own communication curricula for surgical residents.
Accelerated sampling Kaczmarz Motzkin algorithm for the linear feasibility problem

The Sampling Kaczmarz Motzkin (SKM) algorithm is a generalized method for solving large-scale linear systems of inequalities. Having its root in the relaxation method of Agmon, Schoenberg, and Motzkin and the randomized Kaczmarz method, SKM outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in solving large-scale Linear Feasibility (LF) problems. Motivated by SKM’s success, in this work, we propose an Accelerated Sampling Kaczmarz Motzkin (ASKM) algorithm which achieves better convergence compared to the standard SKM algorithm on ill-conditioned problems. We provide a thorough convergence analysis for the proposed accelerated algorithm and validate the results with various numerical experiments. We compare the performance and effectiveness of ASKM algorithm with SKM, Interior Point Method (IPM) and Active Set Method (ASM) on randomly generated instances as well as Netlib LPs. In most of the test instances, the proposed ASKM algorithm outperforms the other state-of-the-art methods.
Positron Effects on Polarized Images and Spectra from Jet and Accretion Flow Models of M87* and Sgr A*

We consider the effects of including a nonzero positron-to-electron fraction in the emitting plasma in semi-analytic models for M87 and Sgr A* on the polarized near-horizon submillimeter images observed by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). Our model for M87 is a semi-analytic fit to the force-free regions of a GRMHD jet simulation, and our model for Sgr A* is a standard radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF). For the RIAF disk, we include emission from electrons and positrons in a dominant thermal population with a small non-thermal tail. For the semi-analytic jet model, we include emission from a nonthermal electron and positron distribution and apply two classes of parametric emission models: a model with constant electron-to-magnetic pressure ratio, and a multi-zone model where synchrotron emission is exponentially suppressed above a critical plasma beta. In all of our models, the positron-to-electron ratio is fixed throughout the emission region. We generate polarized Stokes images and spectra from our models using general-relativistic ray tracing and radiative transfer. In the parameter space considered, we find that the polarized spectra are sensitive indicators of the plasma positron fraction. A high positron fraction enhances the circular polarization in submillimeter images due to Faraday conversion. The M87 jet model that best matches the spectral data is a sub-equipartition, evenly mixed pair/ionic plasma. Positron disk models for Sgr A* tend to have crescent-shaped intensity and electric vector polarization angle distributions, though they vary greatly in their circular polarization degree patterns and polarized spectra.
Medical school in the era of COVID-19: Innovations in direct near peer teaching of immunology/microbiology content during the pandemic

Background Near-peer teaching (NPT) is increasingly utilized in undergraduate medical education At our institution's NPT program, teachers are recruited and trained in the final block of their first year, involving simultaneous learning and teaching of Immunology and Microbiology content to classmates This year, in-person training and teaching was conducted virtually due to COVID19 This study aims to understand how NPT in a newly virtual curriculum impacted student experiences of learning infectious disease content Methods We conducted one-on-one interviews with student-learners and direct-peer student-teachers at the end of their first year in June 2020 Using constructivist grounded theory, we coded, reconciled, and analyzed interview transcripts to identify themes Results Qualitative analysis of interviews with students (n=5) and near-peer teachers (n=7) yielded the following themes: 1 Optimized learning environment: Direct peer teaching leads to students feeling more personally invested in their peers' lessons and wellbeing, creating a safe community and increased engagement despite the virtual format and recordings 2 Benefits of education technology: Teachers employed creative virtual learning modalities to promote students' mastery of challenging memorization-based microbiology content 3 COVID-19 relevance: Learning microbiology and immunology content synchronously with the COVID pandemic conferred more content relevance, but presented academic challenges due to social and personal stressors 4 Educator development: Despite the difficulty of occupying a dual student-teacher role, teachers derived many benefits from teaching, including improved communication skills, which extended to the clinic, content mastery, and increased confidence Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented disruptions in medical education However, the shift to virtual direct peer teaching presented an opportunity for creative virtual teaching strategies and increased lesson accessibility via recordings Unexpectedly, virtual lessons were perceived as non-inferior to in-person lessons Findings from this study support the use of virtual near-peer teaching programs in infectious diseases medical education
Prolonged hematologic toxicity following treatment with chimeric antigen receptor T cells in patients with hematologic malignancies

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T) is a novel intervention for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) and other hematologic malignancies. However, it is associated with prolonged hematologic toxicity (PHT) that is unpredictable and can significantly impair patients' quality of life. Reported here is a single-center experience with PHT in adult patients with R/R DLBCL who received commercial CAR T-cell therapy between March 1, 2018 and May 30, 2020. Prolonged hematologic toxicity was defined as ≥ grade 3 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia at day +30 after CAR T-cell therapy. Of the 31 patients identified, 18 patients (58%) developed PHT. Patients with PHT had a shorter 1-year overall survival (OS) than patients without PHT (36% vs. 81%, P 5000 ng/ml (P = .048), peak C-reactive protein (CRP) > 100 mg/L (P = .007), and ferritin greater than the upper limit of normal at day +30. Seven patients with PHT underwent a bone marrow biopsy after CAR T-cell therapy; all showed complete aplasia or were hypocellular with cellularity ranging from <5% to 10%. These findings identify PHT as a significant toxicity associated with CAR T-cell therapy and highlight the critical need for further investigations to describe PHT in larger cohorts and identify standards for management of this condition.
Partitioning of chalcophile and highly siderophile elements (HSEs) between sulfide and carbonated melts – Implications for HSE systematics of kimberlites, carbonatites, and melt metasomatized mantle domains

Abstract Highly Siderophile Elements (HSEs; Os, Ru, Ir, Rh, Pt, Pd, Au and Re) combined with their isotopic systematics (Re-Os and Pt-Os) are powerful tools for tracking evolution and genesis of mantle derived magmas. Given sulfides (accessory sulfide minerals and/or molten sulfides) are the primary hosts of HSEs in the mantle and low-degree carbonated melts are extracted from large portions of mantle volume, partitioning of HSEs between sulfide and carbonated melt might play a critical role in distributing HSEs between the mantle and crustal reservoirs. Although, partitioning of HSEs and chalcophile elements between sulfide melt and silicate melt has been previously studied, partitioning of these elements between sulfide melt and carbonated melts has not received much attention. Here we use high P-T experiments to determine the partitioning of HSEs and chalcophile elements (Ni, Co, Mo, Os, Ru, Pd, Pt and Re) between (i) sulfide melt and carbonated silicate melt (CO2 ~ 17 wt.%) and (ii) sulfide melt and carbonatitic melt (CO2 ~ >30 wt.%) at a pressure (P) of 3 GPa and temperatures (T) of 1300–1600 °C in graphite capsules. All experiments produced quenched Fe-sulfide melt blobs + carbonated silicate melt matrix. Concentrations of major elements were measured using electron microprobe, and HSEs and chalcophile elements were measured using LA-ICP-MS. We find that all the elements measured are compatible in the sulfide melt to varying degrees and their Dsulfide/carb. melt sequence is Mo D ¯ ) for carbonated peridotite using our experimentally measured D values, we model the HSE contents of mantle derived low-degree partial melts using an aggregate fractional melting equation and compare the primitive mantle normalized HSE patterns of our model with natural kimberlites, carbonatites, ocean island basalts, and alkaline basalts. We also calculate proportions of sub-lithospheric continental mantle (SCLM) xenolith detritus in the natural kimberlite and carbonatite samples from Karelian, Kaapvaal, Canadian shield and North China craton by using mass balance calculations based on Ru concentration in the primary carbonated melt and the SCLM xenoliths. Our calculations show that detritus proportion in natural kimberlites are 2–28% for Karelian, 7–28% for Kaapvaal, and 6–16% for Canadian shield, which are in agreement with previous studies using various other proxies. We also show that the extent of Re/Os fractionation is less for events of carbonate melt metasomatism as compared to similar events of basaltic melt metasomatism.
Promises Granted: Venture Philanthropy and Tech Ideology in Metajournalistic Discourse

The past half-decade has seen the rise of venture philanthropy in the journalism industry, a kind of charitable giving often driven by tech industry actors Google and Facebook working through inter...
Prioritized Reinforcement Learning for Analog Circuit Optimization With Design Knowledge

Analog circuit design and optimization manifests as a critical phase in IC design, which still heavily relies on extensive and time-consuming manual designing by experienced experts. In recent years, the development of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms draws attention with related techniques being introduced into the analog design field for circuit optimization. However, for robust and efficient analog circuit design, a smart and rapid search for high-quality design points is more desired than finding a globally optimal agent as in traditional RL applications, which was a point not fully considered in some previous works. In this work, we propose three techniques within the RL framework aiming at fast high-quality design point search in a data efficient manner. In particular, we (i) incorporate design knowledge from experienced designers into the critic network design to achieve a better reward evaluation with less data; (ii) guide the RL training with non-uniform sampling techniques prioritizing exploitation over high quality designs and exploration for poorly-trained space; (iii) leverage the trained critic network and limited additional circuit simulation for smart and efficient sampling to get high-quality design points. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed techniques.
Endogenous and Exogenous Adenosine Inhibit Granulocyte Aggregation Without Altering the Associated Rise in Intracellular Calcium Concentration

The effects of adenosine, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and an irreversible ADA inhibitor 2′-deoxycoformycin (DCF) on granulocyte aggregation in response to four different stimuli: the synthetic chemotaxin N-formyl-met-leu-phe (FMLP), zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP), the calcium ionophore A23187, and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were studied. Adenosine inhibited granulocyte aggregation in response to 10(- 7) mol/L FMLP in a dose-dependent fashion; inhibition in the presence of 1 mumol/L adenosine was 25% +/- 3% (SD) and was 50% (the maximal inhibition observed) with 1 mmol/L adenosine. Quantitatively similar results were obtained when ZAP or A23187 was used as the aggregant but the response to PMA was not affected. ADA not only reversed the inhibition due to adenosine but actually augmented the aggregation to FMLP by 118% +/- 9%. Similar results were obtained with ZAP and A23187 but not with PMA. These effects of ADA depended on its enzymatic activity as they could be blocked by preincubation with DCF. Fluorescent measurement of intracellular calcium in fura-2 loaded granulocyte suspensions established that neither adenosine nor ADA affected subsequent FMLP-stimulated calcium responses. Adenosine, therefore, may inhibit granulocyte responsiveness by blocking signal transduction at a point after calcium entry/mobilization but before activation of protein kinase C. Furthermore, the augmentation of responses seen with ADA suggests that endogenous adenosine may be a physiologic autocrine regulator of granulocyte function.
Chromosome diminution in Ascaris suum. Chromatin structure

Abstract Ascaris suum loses 56% of its nuclear DNA during chromosome diminution. Measured values of histones per nucleus are relatively constant, resulting in an approximate doubling of histone: DNA ratios during this process. Experiments were performed in an effort directed towards ascertaining the location of the increased histones. Repeat lengths of micrococcal nuclease protected pre- and post-diminution DNA were determined. Nuclear sap proteins from post-diminution nuclei were also examined in order to test the possibility of nuclear pools of free histones.
The Brain Sciences and Criminal Law Norms

Although neuroscience and the tools of brain imaging are sufficiently well developed to provide evidence of our neurobiological processing at a level of detail unimaginable until even decade ago (roughly the size of a grain of rice), they are not yet sufficiently developed to be consistently useful in the guilt phase of most criminal trials. Given the advances in imaging and behavioral genetics, however, neuroscience is sufficiently mature today to effect some global procedural and substantive changes in our criminal law jurisprudence based on our advanced understanding of behavioral norms - e.g., changes in the definitions of, and burdens of proof on the issue of competency. In this work, I survey many of the presuppositions that guide work in a jurisprudence grounded in neuroscience and behavioral genetics and suggest how the findings in these areas could useful in effecting real change.
Factors in the Successful Establishment of School-Based Clinics.

School-based clinics (SBCs), primary medical care delivered at schools, are cited by the federal government as one means of attaining the disease prevention and health promotion goals for American youth (Healthy People 200
Measurement of layer breathing mode vibrations in few-layer graphene

Layer-layer coupling plays a critical role in defining the physical properties of few-layer graphene. With respect to vibrations, for each layer thickness $N,$ interlayer coupling creates a set of $N\ensuremath{-}1$ out-of-plane layer breathing modes (ZO${}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) with finite frequencies at the zone center. Unlike the widely studied intralayer vibrations, the properties of these layer breathing modes (LBMs) are defined by the layer-layer interactions. Here we report the observation of distinct LBMs for Bernal stacked graphene of layer thicknesses $N$ $=$ 2--20 through measurement of electronically resonant overtone Raman bands. The Raman bands exhibit multipeak features that are unique for graphene samples of each layer thickness. The frequencies can be described well using a simple linear-chain model based on nearest-neighbor couplings between the layers.
Optimized layered integrated video encoding

Wireless video traffic has grown at an unprecedented rate and put significant burden on wireless networks. Multicast can significantly reduce traffic by sending a single video to multiple receivers simultaneously. On the other hand, wireless receivers are heterogeneous due to both channel and antenna heterogeneity, the latter of which is rapidly increasing with the emergence of 802.11n and 802.11ac. In this paper, we develop optimized layered integrated video encoding (LIVE) to guarantee reasonable performance to weaker receivers (with worse channel and/or fewer antennas) and allow stronger receivers to enjoy better quality. Our approach has three distinct features: (i) It uses a novel layered coding to naturally accommodate the heterogeneity of different video receivers; (ii) It uses an optimization framework to optimize the amount of time used for transmission and the amount of information to transmit at each layer under the current channel condition; and (iii) It uses an integrated modulation, where most video data are transmitted using soft modulation to enjoy efficiency and resilience while the most important video data are transmitted using a combination of soft modulation and conventional hard modulation to further enhance their reliability. To our knowledge, this is the first approach that handles MIMO antenna heterogeneity in wireless video multicast. We demonstrate its effectiveness through extensive Matlab simulation and USRP testbed experiments.
Linking Prevention, Detection, and Whistle-Blowing: Principles for Designing Effective Reporting Systems

This invited essay for a symposium dedicated to whistle-blowing research offers an overview of recent experimental and empirical research on social reporting and whistle-blowing behavior. Whistle-blowing laws serve a dual purpose. They serve both to instill ethical norms of behavior to prevent misconduct from occurring and to detect ongoing organizational corruption. The design of sound processes for reporting wrongdoing signals the significance that the organization and society attribute to compliance and ethical conduct. At the same time, whistle-blowing laws directly add to the texture of incentives and motivations of individuals in their decision about whether to blow the whistle. In recent years, there is a growing number of empirical and experimental research about ethical behavior and social enforcement. This article aims to illuminate what we know about the design of whistle-blowing protections, individual incentives, and effective reporting channels; and to suggest ways in which policy can benefit from the increasing depth in the social science research.
Mass Transport by Second Mode Internal Solitary Waves

Abstract : The overall scientific objective of the proposed effort is to improve our understanding of the propagation and mass transport of internal solitary waves (ISW), particularly mode-2 ISW, and their significance for coastal ocean processes. In recent years numerous observations of mode-2 ISW have been reported so that it appears that such waveforms may be more prevalent than previously thought. Large amplitude mode-2 solitary waves have unique properties, in particular they encompass regions of internal recirculation that enable mass transport over large distances. Transport of mass along a pycnocline can affect upper ocean mixing and distribution of biological and chemical constituents. Moreover, coherent ISW packets can have significant effects on the propagation and scattering of acoustic signals. The overall scientific objective of the proposed effort is to improve our understanding of the propagation and mass transport of internal solitary waves (ISW), particularly mode-2 ISW, and their significance for coastal ocean processes. In recent years numerous observations of mode-2 ISW have been reported so that it appears that such waveforms may be more prevalent than previously thought. Large amplitude mode-2 solitary waves have unique properties, in particular they encompass regions of internal recirculation that enable mass transport over large distances. Transport of mass along a pycnocline can affect upper ocean mixing and distribution of biological and chemical constituents. Moreover, coherent ISW packets can have significant effects on the propagation and scattering of acoustic signals. The overall scientific objective of the proposed effort is to improve our understanding of the propagation and mass transport of internal solitary waves (ISW), particularly mode-2 ISW, and their significance for coastal ocean processes.
Stochastic time-dependent current-density functional theory: a functional theory of open quantum systems

The dynamics of a many-body system coupled to an external environment represents a fundamentally important problem. To this class of open quantum systems pertains the study of energy transport and dissipation, dephasing, quantum measurement and quantum information theory, phase transitions driven by dissipative effects, etc. Here, we discuss in detail an extension of time-dependent current-density-functional theory (TDCDFT), we named stochastic TDCDFT [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 226403 (2007)], which allows the description of such problems from a microscopic point of view. We discuss the assumptions of the theory, its relation to a density-matrix formalism, and the limitations of the latter in the present context. In addition, we describe a numerically convenient way to solve the corresponding equations of motion and apply this theory to the dynamics of a one-dimensional gas of excited bosons confined in a harmonic potential and in contact with an external bath.
Carcinoma cuniculatum: not a verrucous carcinoma.

Background Carcinoma cuniculatum and verrucous carcinoma are both very well differentiated forms of squamous carcinoma and thus difficult to separate histologically from pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia. The diagnosis of each often requires clinical-pathologic correlation. Methods We reviewed the literature on cases reported as carcinoma cuniculatum and compared these to the cases originally reported by Aird et al. In addition, we report an additional case of this entity that we encountered in our practice. Results In reviewing the literature it is evident that most authors consider carcinoma cuniculatum and verrucous carcinoma to be synonymous even though Aird's original two cases had no verrucous features. The lack of a clear conceptual distinction between these two entities may cause diagnostic confusion. Conclusion The purpose of this report is to record a case of carcinoma cuniculatum which the authors believe to be similar to those reported by Aird et al., to emphasize the differences between carcinoma cuniculatum and verrucous carcinoma, and to explain how the lack of a clear conceptual distinction between these two tumors can lead to further delay in an already difficult diagnosis.
Aminolevulinic Acid-Based Tumor Detection and Therapy: Molecular Mechanisms and Strategies for Enhancement

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the first metabolite in the heme biosynthesis pathway in humans. In addition to the end product heme, this pathway also produces other porphyrin metabolites. Protoporphyrin (PpIX) is one heme precursor porphyrin with good fluorescence and photosensitizing activity. Because tumors and other proliferating cells tend to exhibit a higher level of PpIX than normal cells after ALA incubation, ALA has been used as a prodrug to enable PpIX fluorescence detection and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of lesion tissues. Extensive studies have been carried out in the past twenty years to explore why some tumors exhibit elevated ALA-mediated PpIX and how to enhance PpIX levels to achieve better tumor detection and treatment. Here we would like to summarize previous research in order to stimulate future studies on these important topics. In this review, we focus on summarizing tumor-associated alterations in heme biosynthesis enzymes, mitochondrial functions and porphyrin transporters that contribute to ALA-PpIX increase in tumors. Mechanism-based therapeutic strategies for enhancing ALA-based modalities including iron chelators, differentiation agents and PpIX transporter inhibitors are also discussed.
The Seven Deadly Virtues of Lobbyists: What Lawyer Lobbyists Really Do

Abstract The perception of lobbyists as a corrupt, antidemocratic force for dishonest governance is rooted more in myth than fact. Lobbyists are adaptive, forward-thinking expert advocates who are vital to a healthy, self-correcting representative democracy. Good lobbyists achieve results by building consensus. They give voice to and empower those who seek to petition the government. While existing laws are more than adequate to address, punish and discourage corruption, more can be done to assure transparency and to address the problem of unfair influence by expanding the access of the less advantaged to professional lobbying. Any attempt to improve lobbying should also focus on the rapidly changing nature of the profession in an increasingly complex, global policy arena, in which increasingly people engage with the government electronically. Moreover, understanding the links between fund raising by lobbyists and governance is a rich subject for further study. A starting point to consider reforms and imp...
The Use of Ventricular Assist Device Support in Children: The State of the Art

Improved survival, recognition, and management of patients with congenital heart disease have increased the number of pediatric patients with ventricular dysfunction. Many of these patients require mechanical support to bridge to transplant or recovery. Development of pediatric ventricular assist devices has lagged behind adult devices. Until recently, adult devices were used in pediatric patients, with suboptimal results in the smaller patient population. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be life saving, but is a poor choice for long-term support. The Berlin Heart EXCOR (Berlin Heart AG, Berlin, Germany) is a paracorporeal device with a variety of pumps for patients of all sizes. The PumpKIN Trial will compare this device to the Infant Jarvik 2000 (Jarvik Heart, New York, NY, USA) in a prospective, randomized study. The single ventricle population presents unique challenges to placement and proper functioning of assist devices. Data are anecdotal and mortality is high. A registry has been developed to assist in caring for this challenging population.
Red Arrow Products Smokin’ Into the Future: Facing Changing Diets and New Challenges in the Food Industry

This case study is intended for use by undergraduates studying agribusiness and agricultural economics. The case introduces a firm whose products are minor ingredients for an iconic, but declining food item. The learning outcomes sought from this case is to: i) understand the structural changes in the meat industry and its implications on the production and demand for hot dogs; ii) examine the sources of competitive advantage faced by ingredient suppliers; and iii) analyze the elements of organizational change and the adaptive solutions in a declining market. The study, inter alia, includes concepts from agribusiness strategic management (i.e., industry driving forces, economic market structure, and competitive advantage), and supply chain management to examine the firm and industry.
Psychosocial issues near the end of life.

End-of-life care has received increasing attention in the last decade; however, the focus continues to be on the physical aspects of suffering and care to the virtual exclusion of psychosocial areas. This paper provides an overview of the literature on the intra- and interpersonal aspects of dying, including the effects that psychosocial variables have on end-of-life decision-making; common diagnosable mental disorders (e.g., clinical depression, delirium); other types of personal considerations (e.g., autonomy/control, grief); and interpersonal/environmental issues (e.g., cultural factors, financial variables). Six roles that qualified mental health professionals can play (i.e., advocate, counselor, educator, evaluator, multidisciplinary team member, and researcher) are also outlined. Because psychosocial issues are ubiquitous and can have enormous impact near the end of life, properly trained mental health professionals can play vital roles in alleviating suffering and improving the quality of life of people who are dying.
Characterization of Interaction Layer in U-Mo-X (X = Nb, Zr) and U-Nb-Zr vs. Al Diffusion Couples Annealed at 600°C for 10 Hours

U-Mo has thus far proven to be one of the most feasible metallic fuel alloys for use in research and test reactors due to its high density and stability during irradiation. However, an adverse diffusional interaction can occur between the fuel alloy and the Al based matrix. This forms an interaction layer (IL) that has undesirable thermal properties and irradiation behavior leading to accelerated swelling and reduced fuel efficiency. This study focused on the effects of ternary alloying additions on the formation of IL between U based alloys and Al. Diffusion couples of U-8Mo-3Nb, U-7Mo-6Zr, and U-10Nb-4Zr (wt.%) vs. pure Al were assembled and annealed at 600°C for 10 hours. Both thickness and phase constituent analyses were performed via electron microscopy. The major phase constituent of the IL was determined to be the UAl3 intermetallic compound. The Nb and Zr alloying additions did not reduce growth rate of IL (1.3~1.4 m/sec1/2) as compared to couples made between binary U-Mo and Al (0.9~1.8 m/sec1/2).
Odontogenic carcinoma: a functional genomic comparison with oral mucosal squamous cell carcinoma

Intraosseous squamous cell carcinomas of the mandible arise de novo or secondary to a tumor or transformed cyst epithelium. Current diagnostic tests frequently fail to distinguish between these tumors, leading to confusing classification schemes. We report the functional genomic analysis of a mandibular odontogenic carcinoma. Malignant keratinocytes from the lesion were isolated using laser capture microdissection. Target sample generated from the total RNA of the LCM-procured cells was used to hybridize high-density oligonucleotide arrays. Functional genomic analysis of the odontogenic carcinoma database compared with four oral mucosal squamous cell carcinoma gene expression databases was performed. Preliminary results suggest a small subset of genes distinguish this odontogenic carcinoma from oral mucosal epidermoid carcinomas.
Exotic trees and shrubs along a roadside transect between Sydney and Brisbane

Summary Uncultivated specimens of 42 taxa of exotic trees and shrubs were found along a roadside transect extending from Wyong near Sydney to Ipswich near Brisbane. Of these, 31 taxa spanned two or more of ten defined regions. Distributions are related to both climatic and dispersal factors. Fruit trees (dispersed by vehicle passengers) were most widespread; some other taxa appear to be in process of spread. Fruit tree heights are also considered, as is the degree to which taxa are already naturalised. The importance of exotic woody plants is discussed, in particular on roadsides.
Correlation of the NBME advanced clinical examination in EM and the national EM M4 exams.

Introduction Since 2011 two online, validated exams for fourth-year emergency medicine (EM) students have been available (National EM M4 Exams). In 2013 the National Board of Medical Examiners offered the Advanced Clinical Examination in Emergency Medicine (EM-ACE). All of these exams are now in widespread use; however, there are no data on how they correlate. This study evaluated the correlation between the EM-ACE exam and the National EM M4 Exams. Methods From May 2013 to April 2014 the EM-ACE and one version of the EM M4 exam were administered sequentially to fourth-year EM students at five U.S. medical schools. Data collected included institution, gross and scaled scores and version of the EM M4 exam. We performed Pearson’s correlation and random effects linear regression. Results 303 students took the EM-ACE and versions 1 (V1) or 2 (V2) of the EM M4 exams (279 and 24, respectively). The mean percent correct for the exams were as follows: EM-ACE 74.8 (SD-8.83), V1 83.0 (SD-6.41), V2 78.5 (SD-7.70). Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the V1/EM-ACE was 0.51 (0.42 scaled) and for the V2/EM-ACE was 0.59 (0.41 scaled). The coefficient of determination for V1/EM-ACE was 0.72 and for V2/EM-ACE = 0.71 (0.86 and 0.49 for scaled scores). The R-squared values were 0.25 and 0.30 (0.18 and 0.13, scaled), respectively. There was significant cluster effect by institution. Conclusion There was moderate positive correlation of student scores on the EM-ACE exam and the National EM M4 Exams.
Emerging roles of BRCA1 in transcriptional regulation and DNA repair.

BRCA1 was the first breast cancer susceptibility gene to be identified and cloned. In individuals from high-risk families, mutations in BRCA1 increase the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer eight to tenfold, compared to the general population. How the BRCA1 protein product normally functions to suppress tumor formation and how defects in the gene can ultimately lead to breast cancer have been the focus of intense scrutiny by the scientific and medical communities. BRCA1 has intrinsic transactivation activity and is able to activate the p21 promoter. In addition, BRCA1 is linked to a number of genes involved in transcriptional regulation, including CtIP, c-Myc, the RNA holoenzyme complex, and the histone deacetylase complex. Moreover, BRCA1 is essential for cellular response to DNA damage repair. Inactivation of Brca1 in mouse embryonic stem and fibroblast cells results in increased cell sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents. In human cells, BRCA1 binds to both Rad50 and Rad51 and colocalizes with these proteins at repair foci. Part of BRCA1's response to DNA damage may in fact be corroborated through transcriptional regulation. The expression of GADD45, a DNA damage-responsive gene, is increased immediately after induction of BRCA1. Recently, BRCA1 was shown to repress estradiol (E2)-responsive ER-alpha-mediated transcriptional activity, potentially linking the multiple functions of BRCA1 to specific tissue targets. These recent developments in BRCA1 function are an encouraging step toward understanding the role of BRCA1 in breast cancer formation.
Collaborative and cooperative-learning in software engineering courses

Collaborative learning is a key component of software engineering (SE) courses in most undergraduate computing curricula. Thus these courses include fairly intensive team projects, the intent being to ensure that not only do students develop an understanding of key software engineering concepts and practices, but also develop the skills needed to work effectively in large design and development teams. But there is a definite risk in collaborative learning in that there is a potential that individual learning gets lost in the focus on the team's success in completing the project (s). While the team's success is indeed the primary goal of an industrial SE team, ensuring individual learning is obviously an essential goal of SE courses. We have developed a novel approach that exploits the affordances of mobile and web technologies to help ensure that individual students in teams in SE courses develop a thorough understanding of the relevant concepts and practices while working on team projects, indeed, that the team contributes in an essential manner to the learning of each member of the team. We describe the learning theory underlying our approach, provide some details concerning the prototype implementation of a tool based on the approach, and describe how we are using it in an SE course in our program.
Formation and specification of a Drosophila dopaminergic precursor cell

Dopaminergic neurons play important roles in animal behavior, including motivation, reward and locomotion. The Drosophila dopaminergic H-cell interneuron is an attractive system for studying the genetics of neural development because analysis is focused on a single neuronal cell type. Here we provide a mechanistic understanding of how MP3, the precursor to the H-cell, forms and acquires its identity. We show that the gooseberry/gooseberry-neuro (gsb/gsb-n) transcription factor genes act to specify MP3 cell fate. It is proposed that single-minded commits neuroectodermal cells to a midline fate, followed by a series of signaling events that result in the formation of a single gsb+/gsb-n+ MP3 cell per segment. The wingless signaling pathway establishes a midline anterior domain by activating expression of the forkhead transcription factors sloppy paired 1 and sloppy paired 2. This is followed by hedgehog signaling that activates gsb/gsb-n expression in a subgroup of anterior cells. Finally, Notch signaling results in the selection of a single MP3, with the remaining cells becoming midline glia. In MP3, gsb/gsb-n direct H-cell development, in large part by activating expression of the lethal of scute and tailup H-cell regulatory genes. Thus, a series of signaling and transcriptional events result in the specification of a unique dopaminergic precursor cell. Additional genetic experiments indicate that the molecular mechanisms that govern MP3/H-cell development might also direct the development of non-midline dopaminergic neurons.
Diamond stabilization of ice multilayers at human body temperature

Diamond is a promising material for wear-resistant medical coatings. Here we report a remarkable increase in the melting point of ice resting on a diamond $(111)$ surface modified with a submonolayer of ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$. Our molecular dynamics simulations show that the interfacial ice bilayer melts at a temperature $130\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ higher than in free ice, and relatively thick ice films ($2.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ at $298\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ and $2.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ at $310\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$) are stabilized by dipole interactions with the substrate. This unique physical effect may enable biocompatibility-enhancing ice overcoatings for diamond at human body temperature.
Dynamic mechanical behavior of carbonized black cherry wood (prunus serotina ehrh.)

Abstract Dynamic mechanical properties from 100 to 300°K have been determined for black cherry specimens carbonized up to 1200°K in a nitrogen atmosphere. It was found that the modulus of carbonized black cherry decreases and then begins to increase as a function of heat-treatment temperature. Modulus values appear to be at a minimum after carbonization to near 600°K. It is demonstrated that the internal friction (100 to 300°K) of the specimens after carbonization is complex.
Impairments in orienting to visual stimuli in monkeys following unilateral lesions of the superior sulcal polysensory cortex

Monkeys were tested for head and eye orientation to illuminated lamps in a hemisphere before and after serial, unilateral lesions of the polysensory superior temporal cortex (STS) or control lesions. Following STS lesions they were impaired in orienting to contralateral lamps; this impairment was more severe and persistent when a ipsilateral stimulus in the mirror-image position was simultaneously presented. These findings, together with deficits in manual reaching and grasping observed following STS lesions, support the view that the STS is part of a polysensory system controlling attention and exploratory movements.
Mixing at the head of a canyon: A laboratory investigation of fluid exchanges in a rotating, stratified basin

[1] Observations indicate that oceanic mixing is intensified near the head of submarine canyons. How the presence of canyon walls affects the local production and distribution of mixed fluid is an open question. These dynamics are addressed through rotating tank experiments which impose mixing at middepth at the closed end of a channel open to a larger body of water. Turbulence is generated in a linearly stratified fluid with initial buoyancy frequency N by means of a single bar oscillated with frequency ω. The mixed fluid quickly reaches a steady state height h ∼ (ω/N)1/2 independent of the Coriolis frequency f and collapses into the channel interior. A small percentage of the fluid exported from the turbulent zone enters a boundary current. The bulk forms a cyclonic circulation in front of the bar. As the recirculation cell expands to fill the channel, it restricts horizontal entrainment into the turbulent zone. Mixed fluid flux decays with time as t and is dependent on the size of the mixing zone and the balance between turbulence, rotation, and stratification. The recirculation cell is confined within the channel, and export of mixed fluid into the basin is restricted to the weak boundary current. As horizontal entrainment is shut down, long-term production of mixed fluid relies more on vertical entrainment. However, the scalings indicate that short-term dynamics are the most applicable to oceanic conditions.
Gas-to-liquid permeation in silicon-containing, crosslinked, glassy copotymers of methyl methacrylate

Abstract Copolymers of methyl methacrylate with disiloxane derivatives have been proposed as biomaterials for contact lens applications. Although glassy, these copolymers exhibit high oxygen permeability and adequate wettability so that they can be used for manufacture of hard, extended wear lenses. CrossHnked copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-1,3-bis(methacryloxymethyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-disiloxane), P(MMA-co-BMTDS), containing from 0.085 to 0.53 mole fraction of BMTDS were prepared and tested for oxygen permeation using a novel apparatus which simulates the atmosphere/lens/cornea conditions. The gas-to-liquid dissolved oxygen permeability, P gd , was determined and it was found to increase with BMTDS content Permeability values for P(MMA-co-BMTDS) at 34°C were significantly higher than for pure homopolymer PMMA, although these copolymers were glassy at this temperature. The increased oxygen permeation was attributed to increased oxygen solubility in the copolymers due to the presence of the -Si-0-bonds.
Interference phenomena of neutral K mesons

Abstract A systematic theoretical treatment of various interference phenomena of the neutral K mesons is presented. The phenomena are treated for the extreme case that CPT, CP, and T invariance are all violated. Consequences of these invariances are then derived. Section II gives the relationships imposed on the propagators by the invariance conditions and Section III presents the general analysis of the K1, K2 problem in terms of the propagator. In Section IV the space-time development of a K0 beam is treated and this is applied to the general problem of K0 decay in Section V. Section V also contains a discussion of the 2π decay mode while the leptonic modes are treated in Section VI. Finally, in Section VII the scattering and regeneration of K1 and K2 mesons is discussed with particular reference to regenerative forward scattering.
The Mechanism of Autoantibody Formation to Cartilage in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Possible Cross-Reaction of Antibodies to Dietary Collagens with Autologous Type II Collagen

In order to study the mechanism of autoantibody formation to type II collagen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), IgG and IgA antibodies in sera from 259 RA patients and 285 non-RA controls were evaluated for their specificity as to collagen type (I and II) and species (chick, bovine, and porcine) using an improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IgG and IgA anti-type II collagen antibodies were commonly found in both RA (IgG, 41%; and IgA, 45%) and non-RA (IgG, 36%; and IgA, 31%) sera. Both IgG and IgA collagen antibodies were highly reactive with one or more heterologous type II or type I collagen; however, approximately 35% of IgG and 50% of IgA antibody-positive sera from both RA patients and non-RA controls cross-reacted with human type II collagen (HII) to some degree. However, no antibodies specific to HII were observed in either RA or control sera. In individual patient sera, IgG and IgA antibodies had identical collagen-type and species specificities. Importantly, IgG anti-HII antibodies purified from RA sera by affinity chromatography reacted equally with human, chick and bovine type II collagens, suggesting reactivity with conserved epitopes shared by all three species. In contrast, purified IgG anti-HII antibodies from non-RA control sera commonly lacked reactivity with one or the other of the heterologous type II collagens, suggesting reactivity limited to epitopes shared by HII and only one of the heterologous type II collagens. These data suggest that dietary collagens could elicit circulating IgG and IgA anti-collagen antibodies that cross-react with autologous type II collagen. Also the epitope specificity of IgG autoantibodies may be relevant to the pathogenesis of RA.