cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated With Electronic Health Record Usage Among Primary Care Physicians After Hours: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: There is limited published data on variation in physician usage of electronic health records (EHRs), particularly after hours. Research in this area could provide insight into the effects of EHR-related workload on physicians. Objective: This study sought to examine factors associated with after-hours EHR usage among primary care physicians. Methods: Electronic health records usage information was collected from primary care pediatricians in a large United States hospital. Inclusion criteria consisted solely of being a primary care physician who started employment with the hospital before the study period, so all eligible primary care physicians were included without sampling. Mixed effects statistical modeling was used to investigate the effects of age, gender, workload, normal-hour usage, week to week variation, and provider to provider variation on the after-hour usage of EHRs. Results: There were a total of 3498 weekly records obtained on 50 physicians, of whom 22% were male and 78% were female. Overall, more EHR usage during normal work hours was associated with decreased usage after hours. The more work relative value units generated by physicians, the more time they spent interacting with EHRs after hours (β=.04, P<.001) and overall (ie, during normal hours and after hours) (β=.24, P<.001). Gender was associated with total usage time, with females spending more time than males (P=.03). However, this association was not observed with after-hours EHR usage. Provider to provider variation was the largest and most dominant source of variation in after-hour EHR usage, which accounted for 52% of variance of total EHR usage. Conclusion: The present study found that there is a considerable amount of variability in EHR use among primary care physicians, which suggested that many factors influence after-hours EHR usage by physicians. However, provider to provider variation was the largest and most dominant source of variation in after-hours EHR usage. While the results are intuitive, future studies should consider the effect of EHR use variations on workload efficiency.
Role of an Implementation Economics Analysis in Providing the Evidence Base for Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening.

Purpose and objectives Since 2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has funded organizations across the United States to promote screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) to detect early CRC or precancerous polyps that can be treated to avoid disease progression and death. The objective of this study was to describe how findings from economic evaluation approaches of a subset of these awardees and their implementation sites (n = 9) can drive decision making and improve program implementation and diffusion. Intervention approach We described the framework for the implementation economics evaluation used since 2016 for the Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) Learning Collaborative. Evaluation methods We compared CRC interventions implemented across health systems, changes in screening uptake, and the incremental cost per person of implementing an intervention. We also analyzed data on how implementation costs changed over time for a CRC program that conducted interventions in a series of rounds. Results Implementation of the interventions, which included provider and patient reminders, provider assessment and feedback, and incentives, resulted in increases in screening uptake ranging from 4.9 to 26.7 percentage points. Across the health systems, the incremental cost per person screened ranged from $18.76 to $144.55. One awardee's costs decreased because of a reduction in intervention development and start-up costs. Implications for public health Health systems, CRCCP awardees, and CDC can use these findings for quality improvement activities, incorporation of information into trainings and support activities, and future program design.
Dietary patterns and associations with BMI in low-income, ethnic minority youth in the USA according to baseline data from four randomised controlled trials.

Few studies have derived data-driven dietary patterns in youth in the United States (US). This study examined data-driven dietary patterns and their associations with BMI measures in predominantly low-income, racial/ethnic minority US youth. Data were from baseline assessments of the four Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) Consortium trials: NET-Works (N=534; 2-4-year-olds), GROW (N=610; 3-5-year-olds), GOALS (N=241; 7-11-year-olds), and IMPACT (N=360; 10-13-year-olds). Weight and height were measured. Children/adult proxies completed 3 24-hour dietary recalls. Dietary patterns were derived for each site from 24 food/beverage groups using k-means cluster analysis. Multivariable linear regression models examined associations of dietary patterns with BMI and percentage of the 95th BMI percentile. Healthy (produce and whole grains) and Unhealthy (fried food, savory snacks, and desserts) patterns were found in NET-Works and GROW. GROW additionally had a dairy and sugar-sweetened beverage based pattern. GOALS had a similar Healthy pattern and a pattern resembling a traditional Mexican diet. Associations between dietary patterns and BMI were only observed in IMPACT. In IMPACT, youth in the Sandwich (cold cuts, refined grains, cheese, and miscellaneous [e.g., condiments]) compared to Mixed (whole grains and desserts) cluster had significantly higher BMI [β=0.99 (95% CI: 0.01, 1.97)] and percentage of the 95th BMI percentile [β=4.17 (95% CI: 0.11, 8.24)]. Healthy and Unhealthy patterns were the most common dietary patterns in COPTR youth, but diets may differ according to age, race/ethnicity, or geographic location. Public health messages focused on healthy dietary substitutions may help youth mimic a dietary pattern associated with lower BMI.
Fatigue performance and life prediction of cast aluminum under axial, torsion, and multiaxial loadings

Abstract Many industrial components made of cast aluminum alloys are subjected to multiaxial loadings, while most of research on these materials are on uniaxial loading condition. This article investigates the fatigue performance of A356-T6 aluminum alloy produced by high pressure die cast (HPDC) under different loading conditions. In addition to obtaining monotonic and cyclic deformation behaviors, fatigue tests were performed under axial, torsion, in-phase and out-of-phase combined loadings. In order to study the fatigue crack growth mechanism, few tests were also conducted under cyclic torsion with static tension or compression. It was observed that the fatigue cracks in all specimens initiated from defects, mainly porosity, and grew on the plane of maximum principal stress. Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) damage parameter was used to correlate the fatigue data. The experimental fatigue life data were predicted using small crack growth models and from the crack initiating defect on the fracture surfaces. The fatigue lives under different loading conditions were also predicted using the maximum defect size estimated by extreme value statistics. Very good agreements with the experimental lives under different loading conditions were obtained.
Study on the effect of pore-scale heterogeneity and flow rate during repetitive two-phase fluid flow in microfluidic porous media

Various energy recovery, storage, conversion and environmental operations may involve repetitive fluid injection and thus, cyclic drainage–imbibition processes. We conducted an experimental study for which polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based micromodels were fabricated with three different levels of pore-space heterogeneity (coefficient of variation, where COV = 0, 0.25 and 0.5) to represent consolidated and/or partially consolidated sandstones. A total of 10 injection-withdrawal cycles were applied to each micromodel at two different flow rates (0.01 and 0.1 ml min−1). The experimental results were analysed in terms of flow morphology, sweep efficiency, residual saturation, the connection of fluids and the pressure gradient. The pattern of the invasion and displacement of the non-wetting fluid converged more readily in the homogeneous model (COV = 0) as the repetitive drainage–imbibition process continued. The overall sweep efficiency converged between 0.4 and 0.6 at all tested flow rates, regardless of different flow rates and COV in this study. In contrast, the effective sweep efficiency was observed to increase with higher COV at the lower flow rate, while that trend became reversed at the higher flow rate. Similarly, the residual saturation of the non-wetting fluid was largest at COV = 0 for the lower flow rate, but it was the opposite for the higher flow-rate case. However, the Minkowski functionals for the boundary length and connectedness of the non-wetting fluid remained quite constant during repetitive fluid flow. Implications of the study results for porous media-compressed air energy storage (PM-CAES) are discussed as a complementary analysis at the end of this paper. Supplementary material: Figures showing the distribution of water (Fig. S1) and oil (Fig. S2) at the end of each drainage and imbibition step in different microfluidic pore-network models are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5276814 Thematic collection: This article is part of the Energy Geoscience Series available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/energy-geoscience-series
An Analysis of the Fan Beam CT Reconstruction Kernel

An analysis of the integral kernels for two well-known fan beam CT reconstruction algorithms has been performed. It was found that the kernel for the standard O(Ω4) fan beam tomography reconstruction has an essential bandregion larger than prior numerical analyses had revealed. Here, Ω denotes the essential bandwidth in the reconstructed image. It is also shown that the approximate kernel used in the O(Ω3) convolution-backprojection reconstruction algorithm has an essential bandregion which is significantly different from that of the fan beam data. These calculations imply that properly sampled implementations of the reconstruction algorithms require the fan beam projection data to be available at higher sampling densities than is needed for the recovery of the fan beam data. The fan beam data must either be resampled to the finer mesh before applying the reconstruction algorithms or else acquired on the finer mesh.
Single-ion hydration thermodynamics from clusters to bulk solutions: Recent insights from molecular modeling

Abstract The importance of single-ion hydration thermodynamic properties for understanding the driving forces of aqueous electrolyte processes, along with the impossibility of their direct experimental measurement, have prompted a large number of experimental, theoretical, and computational studies aimed at separating the cation and anion contributions. Here we provide an overview of historical approaches based on extrathermodynamic assumptions and more recent computational studies of single-ion hydration in order to evaluate the approximations involved in these methods, quantify their accuracy, reliability, and limitations in the light of the latest developments. We also offer new insights into the factors that influence the accuracy of ion–water interaction models and our views on possible ways to fill this substantial knowledge gap in aqueous physical chemistry.
Optical spectra of Co2+ in three synthetic silicate minerals

Polarized optical absorption spectra of three synthetic Co-bearing silicates, orthopyroxene, olivine and beryl, were studied at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. In all three matrices, Co enters octahedral structural sites as the Co^(2+) ion. In accordance with the d^7 electronic energy level diagram, the spectra show three distinct band systems which are assumed to originate from three spin-allowed dd transitions of Co^(2+), ^4T_(1g)(^4F) → ^4T_(2g)(^4F), ^4T_(1g)(^4F) → ^4A_(2g)(^4F), and ^4T_(1g)(^4F) → ^4T_(1g)(^4P). The number of bands is different in different matrices and is regulated by the splitting of electronic states, symmetry selection rules for electronic transitions between them, and Co^(2+) ion distribution between non-equivalent structural sites. Due to a strong preference of Co^(2+) for the M2 site and the greater intensities (oscillator strengths) of electronic dd transitions for Co^(2+) in the M2 site, M2 Co^(2+) bands prevail in the (Mg,Co)SiO_3 orthopyroxene spectra. In olivines, the number of bands is larger than in orthopyroxene due to the combined contribution of both M1 Co^(2+) and M2 Co^(2+) ions. By comparison of the (Mg,Co)_2SiO_4 and Co_2SiO_4 olivine spectra, the bands caused by M1 Co^(2+) and M2 Co^(2+) were distinguished. The spectra of Co-bearing beryls, Be_3Al_2[Si_6O_(18)], prepared by both flux and hydrothermal growth, indicate that Co enters the structure mostly as Co^(2+) in the octahedral Al-site.
High Assurance: Provably Secure Systems and Architectures

Critical cyber-physical systems, whose failure or compromise could have severe consequences, require a priori assurance that they will not fail, due to either natural causes or willful attacks by malicious agents. Unlike conventional systems, which historically are replete with exploitable flaws and which require conscientious patching to correct discovered vulnerabilities, critical systems must be developed in a way that provides a basis for confidence that they are free from vulnerabilities before deployment. High assurance system development involves rigorous design and implementation checking, and discipline that goes beyond even the best commercial development practices. A provably secure system is one whose security mechanisms can be proven to be correctly implemented and to enforce the desired security policy. Keywords: high assurance; secure architectures; evaluation; certification and accreditation; formal methods; formal verification; formal security policy; proof
Electronic structure and reactivity in double Rydberg anions: characterization of a novel kind of electron pair

A double Rydberg anion (DRA) consists of a stable cationic core and two electrons in a diffuse Rydberg orbital. These anions correspond to a local minimum on a potential energy surface where more stable isomers may exist. Experimental and theoretical works have contributed to a better understanding of the unusual electronic structure of these molecules. With electron propagator calculations and analysis of the electron localization function, some relationships between electronic structure and reactivity in DRAs are considered.
Sedentarism: a concept analysis.

TOPIC. Concept analysis of sedentarism. PURPOSE. To analyze the concept of sedentarism and provide a definition and model of sedentarism to guide practice and research. SOURCES. Published literature. CONCLUSIONS. Prevention and treatment of sedentarism is a priority for healthcare providers serving all developmental groups. Research is urgently needed to describe the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of sedentarism, and to identify the most effective intervention strategies and public policy changes to promote a physically active lifestyle.
Dynamic nets-to-TSVs assignment in 3D floorplanning

We propose a new scheme of dynamic nets-to-TSVs assignment during floorplanning for 3D-ICs. A nontrivial area occupied by TSVs, their physical dimensions, location on the layout and the nets-to-TSVs assignment, are some of the key factors influencing the wirelength, TSV count and chip area, and consequently, impact the total delay. We address the above issues by simultaneous placement of TSV islands with circuit blocks, assignment of nets to TSV islands during floorplanning and directly optimizing interconnect delay. TSVs induce significant thermo-mechanical stress in nearby silicon, and to reduce the impact of stress, we incorporate pitch and Keep-Out-Zone (KOZ) around TSVs in our approach. The proposed dynamic nets-to-TSVs assignment approach, improves solution compared to a previously used fixed nets-to-TSVs assignment, by achieving on average 6–9% delay reduction. Analysis for various TSV aspect ratios using the proposed assignment method is also presented.
[24]Control of blood cell differentiation and mechanisms of neoplasia

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the control of blood cell differentiation and the mechanisms of neoplasia. The experimental approaches discussed in the chapter relate to the specific problems of the control of blood cell differentiation and neoplastic transformation and also to the more general problem in developmental biology—differential gene expression. The chapter discusses elementary issues related to the construction of a neuron or a liver cell. Both of these cell types contain identical genetic information that is differentially expressed in a tissue-specific fashion. The chapter discusses the action of erythropoietin in inducing the growth and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells as a model for investigating the regulation of change in coordinated gene expression. The knowledge of early changes in gene expression seen in experimentally induced erythroid differentiation can be used to move back out of the nucleus to investigate those signal pathways responsible for these changes. Further insight into gene regulation by such signaling pathways is gained from artificially downregulating the signal transduction elements themselves. This combination of experimental approaches offers a powerful series of tools with which the regulation of human gene expression can be elucidated.
An intelligent agent for optimal river-reservoir system management

[1] A generalized software package is presented for developing an intelligent agent for stochastic optimization of complex river-reservoir system management and operations. Reinforcement learning is an approach to artificial intelligence for developing a decision-making agent that learns the best operational policies without the need for explicit probabilistic models of hydrologic system behavior. The agent learns these strategies experientially in a Markov decision process through observational interaction with the environment and simulation of the river-reservoir system using well-calibrated models. The graphical user interface for the reinforcement learning process controller includes numerous learning method options and dynamic displays for visualizing the adaptive behavior of the agent. As a case study, the generalized reinforcement learning software is applied to developing an intelligent agent for optimal management of water stored in the Truckee river-reservoir system of California and Nevada for the purpose of streamflow augmentation for water quality enhancement. The intelligent agent successfully learns long-term reservoir operational policies that specifically focus on mitigating water temperature extremes during persistent drought periods that jeopardize the survival of threatened and endangered fish species.
Kinematics of Disks Around T Tauri Stars

The presence of circumstellar disks around T Tauri stars (TTs) is stronglysupported by narrow- and broad-band spectroscopic evidence at many wavelengths (cf. Sargent 1995). Spatially resolved observations of the associated velocity field are needed to establish whether or not the circumstellar material is centrifugally supported and available to planet formation. Past studies relied on averaged presentations of the data such as rotation curves or Position-Velocity diagrams and often led to ambiguous or conflicting interpretations. Synthetic spectral line maps generated by a kinematic model provide a more precise identification of the circumstellar velocity field, as illustrated by modeling of rotating disks around the TTs GM Aurigae (Koerner et al., 1993) and the T-Tauri multiple system GG Tauri (Dutrey et al., 1994). To adequately study younger stars, a radial velocity component must be added to such a model and parameterized in a physically appropriate way.
Exploitative and Deceptive Resource Acquisition Strategies The Role of Life History Strategy and Life History Contingencies

Life history strategy (LHS) and life history contingencies (LHCs) should theoretically influence the use of exploitative and deceptive resource acquisition strategies. However, little research has been done in this area. The purpose of the present work was to create measures of exploitative strategies and test the predictions of life history theory. Pilot studies developed and validated a behavioral measure of cheating called the Dot Game. The role of individual LHS and LHCs (manipulated via validated story primes) on cheating was investigated in Study 1. Studies 2a through 2c were conducted to develop and validate a self-report measure called the Exploitative and Deceptive Resource Acquisition Strategy Scale (EDRASS). Finally, Study 3 investigated life history and EDRASS. Results indicated that while LHS influences exploitative strategies, life history contingences had little effect. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Nitrate-based niche differentiation by distinct sulfate-reducing bacteria involved in the anaerobic oxidation of methane

Diverse associations between methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacterial groups (SRB) often co-occur in marine methane seeps; however, the ecophysiology of these different symbiotic associations has not been examined. Here, we applied a combination of molecular, geochemical and Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) coupled to nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (FISH-NanoSIMS) analyses of in situ seep sediments and methane-amended sediment incubations from diverse locations (Eel River Basin, Hydrate Ridge and Costa Rican Margin seeps) to investigate the distribution and physiology of a newly identified subgroup of the Desulfobulbaceae (seepDBB) found in consortia with ANME-2c archaea, and compared these with the more commonly observed associations between the same ANME partner and the Desulfobacteraceae (DSS). FISH analyses revealed aggregates of seepDBB cells in association with ANME-2 from both environmental samples and laboratory incubations that are distinct in their structure relative to co-occurring ANME/DSS consortia. ANME/seepDBB aggregates were most abundant in shallow sediment depths below sulfide-oxidizing microbial mats. Depth profiles of ANME/seepDBB aggregate abundance revealed a positive correlation with elevated porewater nitrate relative to ANME/DSS aggregates in all seep sites examined. This relationship with nitrate was supported by sediment microcosm experiments, in which the abundance of ANME/seepDBB was greater in nitrate-amended incubations relative to the unamended control. FISH-NanoSIMS additionally revealed significantly higher 15N-nitrate incorporation levels in individual aggregates of ANME/seepDBB relative to ANME/DSS aggregates from the same incubation. These combined results suggest that nitrate is a geochemical effector of ANME/seepDBB aggregate distribution, and provides a unique niche for these consortia through their utilization of a greater range of nitrogen substrates than the ANME/DSS.
Maintaining legibility, structure, and style of information layout in dynamic display environments

LIGA (Layout Intelligence for Graphics Automation) is a prototype system that contains graphic design knowledge about text and image layout. The goal of the program is to produce layouts that reflect the logical structure of the content, are legible for the given viewing context, and are consistent in style. The system can generate effective layouts of information as well as adapt layouts on the fly to accommodate changes in the presentation environment.
Stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with glomus jugulare tumors.

Object. Microsurgical removal of glomus jugulare tumors is frequently associated with injury of the lower cranial nerves. To decrease the morbidity associated with tumor management in these patients, gamma knife surgery (GKS) was performed as an alternative to resection. Methods. Between 1990 and 2003, 42 patients underwent GKS as the primary management (19 patients) or for recurrent glomus jugulare tumors (23 patients). Facial weakness and deafness were more common in patients with recurrent tumors than in those in whom primary GKS was performed (48% compared with 11%, p = 0.02). The mean tumor volume was 13.2 cm 3 ; the mean tumor margin dose was 14.9 Gy. The mean follow-up period for the 39 patients in whom evaluation was possible was 44 months (range 6–149 months). After GKS, 12 tumors (31%) decreased in size, 26 (67%) were unchanged, and one (2%) grew. The patient whose tumor grew underwent repeated GKS. Progression-free survival after GKS was 100% at 3 and 7 years, and 75% at 10 years. Six patients (15%) experienced new deficits (hearing loss alone in three, facial numbness and hearing loss in one, vocal cord paralysis and hearing loss in one, and temporary imbalance and/or vertigo in one). In 26 patients in whom hearing could be tested before GKS, hearing preservation was achieved in 86 and 81% at 1 and 4 years posttreatment, respectively. No patient suffered a new lower cranial nerve deficit after one GKS session; the patient in whom repeated GKS was performed experienced a new vocal cord paralysis 1 year after his second procedure. Conclusions. Gamma knife surgery provided tumor control with a low risk of new cranial nerve injury in early follow-up review. This procedure can be safely used as a primary management tool in patients with glomus jugulare tumors that do not have significant cervical extension, or in patients with recurrent tumors in this location.
Differences between tethered polyelectrolyte chains on bare mica and hydrophobically modified mica.

This study investigates the structures of layers of amphiphilic diblock copolymers of poly(t-butyl styrene)−poly(styrene sulfonate) (PtBS−PSS) adsorbed on both the bare mica surface (hydrophilic) and an octadecyltriethoxysilane (OTE)-modified mica surface (hydrophobic). When the surface is rendered hydrophobic, the nonsoluble block exhibits stronger interaction with the surface and higher adsorbed masses are achieved. Interaction forces between two such adsorbed layers on both substrates were measured using the surface forces apparatus. The effect of salt concentration (Cs) and molecular weight (N) on the height of the self-assembled layers (L0) was examined in each case. The resulting scaling relationship is in good agreement with predictions of the brush model, L0 ∝ N1.0 in the low-salt limit and L0N-1 ∝ (Cs/σ)-0.32 in the salted regime, when adsorption takes place onto the hydrophobized mica surface. For adsorption on the bare mica surface, L0N-0.7 ∝ Cs-0.17 agrees with the scaling prediction of the sp...
A theorem on block designs

Abstract In this note we state and prove the following theorem and then comment briefly on its combinatorial significance.
EPA-0264 – A Cost-utilty analysis of venlafaxine xr compared with duloxetine and ssris for the treatment of major depressive disorder in italy

Introduction Depression is a highly prevalent disease and its costs can be burdensome to both patients and payers. Objectives To compare the short-term costs, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness associated with major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment with venlafaxine XR and major market comparators (duloxetine and two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs], namely escitalopram and sertraline HCL) in Italy from the Italian National Health Service perspective. Aims To inform treatment decisions based on cost effectiveness of MDD treatments. Methods A decision tree structure was used to model MDD treatment over 1 year. Patients were treated with one of the model comparators and based on published clinical literature; either remained depressed, achieved response but no remission, or achieved remission. Drug costs were set to the reimbursed price for the recommended dose of each treatment. Costs of hospitalization and utility weights were based on depression status. Results Venlafaxine XR was estimated to be the most effective treatment (0.736 quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]) followed by the SSRIs (0.731) and duloxetine (0.714). Total annual MDD-related costs for venlafaxine (€691) were estimated to be lower than all comparators (duloxetine=€1,308, escitalopram=€874) except sertraline HCL (€638), owing largely to drug cost differences and hospitalization savings associated with better projected depression status. Venlafaxine was cost-saving (more effective, less costly) compared with duloxetine and escitalopram. The incremental cost per QALY gained vs. sertraline HCL was €9,844. Conclusions Based on the model, venlafaxine XR represents a cost-effective treatment option for MDD in Italy and may result in costsavings depending on the comparison.
N‐Myc is a downstream target of RET signaling and is required for transcriptional regulation of p18Ink4c by the transforming mutant RETC634R

Abstract Inherited activating mutations in RET predispose humans to Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type-2 (MEN2). The MEN2A-specific mutation RETC634R, RET2A, has been shown to simultaneously downregulate the CDKIs p18 and p27, and upregulate cyclin D1. Importantly, the loss of p18 is necessary and sufficient for RET2A-mediated hyperproliferation. The loss of N-Myc in mice results in embryonic lethality due to a lack of neuronal progenitor cells that fail to proliferate, correlate with accumulation of p18 and p27. Therefore, N-Myc may regulate expression of both CDKIs. Also, N-Myc is expressed predominantly in neuroendocrine cells that give rise to the primary cell types affected in MEN2A. Together these studies suggest that N-Myc is a downstream target of RET2A signaling that prevents accumulation of p18 and/or p27. We report that MAPK activation by RET2A leads to a transient induction of N-Myc mRNA and protein levels, and that N-Myc induction is required to maintain low p18 and p27 levels. Induced N-Myc levels correlate with increased binding of N-Myc to an initiator consensus binding site in the p18 promoter, and this binding is essential for RET2A-mediated transcriptional regulation of p18. Finally, loss of N-Myc induction prevents RET2A-mediated hyperproliferation. Our results demonstrate for the first time that N-Myc is a downstream target of RET2A signaling, and propose that induction of N-Myc by RET2A is a key step leading to lower p18 levels during MEN2A tumorigenesis.
Developing a mentorship program for clinical researchers.

AbstractIntroduction:In academic health centers, the number of physician investigators and the number of research studies headed by clinicians has been declining. The U.S. Institute of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health suggest improved mentoring is important to reversing these trends.Me
Quiescent T cells: actively maintaining inactivity

New evidence suggests that mediators of T cell quiescence and immune suppression converge on a common transcriptional program. Tob, a member of a family of anti-proliferation regulators, actively maintains T cell quiescence by interacting with components of the TGF-β signal transduction pathway.
Neural responses to infants linked with behavioral interactions and testosterone in fathers.

Abstract Few fMRI studies have investigated the brain-behavioral basis of parenting in human fathers. Ten fathers were videotaped and gave salivary testosterone samples while interacting with their 2–4 months old infants, and viewed video clips of their own infant and an unfamiliar age-, ethnicity- and sex-matched other infant during an fMRI protocol. Infant stimuli activated a network of prefrontal and subcortical brain regions. Furthermore, a subset of these regions activated significantly more to own (OWN) than other (OTHER) infants. Finally, neural responses to OWN versus OTHER were linked with paternal sensitivity, paternal reciprocity, and testosterone. In sum, our results provide a novel perspective on the links between brain, behavior, and hormones in fathers.
Gene silencing in filamentous fungi: RIP, MIP and quelling

We discuss three major processes that silence genes in filamentous fungi. Repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) causes permanent silencing of repeated genes inNeurospora crassa by peppering them with G:C to A:T mutations during the premeiotic stage of the sexual cycle. A related process, methylation induced premeiotically (MIP), operates during the sexual cycle inAscobolus immersus andCoprinus cinereus to reversibly silence repeated sequences by methylating them. Both processes appear to use a homologous pairing mechanism to sense the presence of duplications. Both MIP and RIP result in dense methylation of cytosines located in nonsymmetrical sequences. This methylation is either always (for MIP) or sometimes (for RIP) maintained during vegetative growth by a novel, epigenetic maintenance mechanism that is not well understood. The third silencing process, quelling inN. crassa, appears to involve post-transcriptional or cotranscriptional disruption of gene expression by transcripts produced from certain transgene loci. This form of silencing seems similar to silencing processes described in many plant species. Each of these genesilencing processes involves silencing of repeated sequences. Thus each is potentially useful for preventing proliferation of selfish DNA elements and for maintaining genome integrity by suppressing chromosomal rearrangements.
Characterization and evaluation of extended defects in CZT crystals for gamma-ray detectors

Abstract Material homogeneity is critical in achieving high-performance in all types of radiation detectors. This requirement is not inevitably satisfied in today's commercial detector-grade CdZnTe (CZT) material because it contains high concentrations of extended defects, in particular, Te inclusions, dislocation networks, and twin- and subgrain-boundaries that affect the energy resolution and the efficiency of the devices. Defects, such as grain boundaries and cracks that completely block charge-carrier transport are impermissible in CZT radiation-detectors at concentrations exceeding certain threshold values. Our group in Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) conducts systematic studies, detailing the roles of crystal defects in CZT detectors and the mechanisms underlying their formation and effects. We employ infrared transmission microscopy, white beam X-ray diffraction topography, and high-spatial-resolution X-ray response mapping to identify particular types of defects and reveal their relationship with the devices' performances. In this article, we summarize some of the most important results that our group obtained over the past 5 years.
Ultrasound-Assisted Deposition Of Dielectric Films

The effects of ultrasound-assisted deposition (UAD) of ZrOx , Ta0x , and MgFx films on their optical properties have been investigated. The direction of vibration is transverse to the direction of growing films on substrates that are glued to tubular piezoelectric transducers driven by a power amplifier. Results indicate that ultrasonic powers above 20 W/cm2 are required to induce detectable changes in UV absorption and vacuum-to-air shifts of spectral profiles. UAD is likely to induce oxygen and fluoride deficiencies in oxide and fluoride films and increase the packing density of films. No significant changes between UAD and conventional films were observed in x-ray diffraction analysis, humidity testing, and Nomarski microscopy.
An investigation of the fracture behavior of coarse-grained heat-affected zones in A707 steel welds

This article presents the results of an experimental study of the effects of heat input and temperature on the crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) in the coarse-grained heat-affected zones (CG HAZs) that are generally considered to be the weakest sections of fusion welded structures. The study focuses primarily on the fracture mechanisms in CG HAZs in submerged-arc-welds (SAWs) between A707 steel base metal. The first section of the article explores the effects of heat input on the fracture toughness (CTOD) of the CG HAZs. Following a description of the microstructures in HAZs and inclusions in the CG HAZs, the article summarizes the effects of heat input (1.2, 1.8, and 2.6 MJ/m) on the CTOD. The underlying fracture mechanisms are elucidated via detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The results of multiple CTOD tests at 4.4 °C (in the transition temperature regime) are analyzed within a statistical framework. The measured distributions of CTOD data are shown to be well described by Weibull statistics. The second section of the article focuses on the effects of temperature on the CTOD. The study of fracture in the lower-shelf and transition-temperature regimes indicates that the ductile-to-brittle transition occurs between −10 and 23 °C. Fracture initiation in both the lower-shelf and transition-temperature regimes is shown to occur by ductile tearing, prior to a transition to cleavage fracture. The dimple size variations in the stable tearing regime are shown to be well described by Weibull statistics. The implications of the results are discussed for analysis of CG HAZ fracture.
Sequence analysis of eukaryotic retroid proteins

The eukaryotic retroid family is comprised of retroviruses, retrotransposons, two classes of DNA viruses (caulimoviruses of plants and hepadnaviruses of animals), retroposons, and cellular organelle group II introns and plasmids. The presence of reverse transcriptase-like sequences in these various genetic elements defines membership in this family. Retroid reverse transcriptase sequence similarities clearly indicate a shared ancestor for this gene. Generally, different retroid lineages conserve retroviral-like gene content, order and homologue similarity. The retroposons and group II introns and plasmids are an exception to such conservation, suggesting that either recombination and/or independent gene assortment has played a role in the evolution of this retroid lineage. The multiple sequence analysis of the retroid proteins indicates the current limits of methods used in deduction of distant sequence relationships. Subsequent manual refinement of the data suggests several areas of future computational development that will be necessary to adequately assess the most distant of protein relationships, as the sequence database increases.
The motion and stability of a dual-spin satellite during the momentum wheel spin-up maneuver.

The stability of a dual-spin satellite system during the momentum wheel spin-up maneuver is treated both analytically and numerically. The dual-spin system consists of: a slowly rotating or despun main-body; a momentum wheel (or rotor) which is accelerated by a torque motor to change its initial angular velocity relative to the main part to some high terminal value; and a nutation damper. A closed form solution for the case of a symmetrical satellite indicates that when the nutation damper is physically constrained for movement (i.e. by use of a mechanical clamp) the magnitude of the vector sum of the transverse angular velocity components remains bounded during the wheel spin-up under the influence of a constant motor torque. The analysis is extended to consider such effects as: the motion of the nutation damper during spin-up; a non-uniform motor torque; and the effect of a non-symmetrical mass distribution in the main spacecraft and the rotor. An approximate analytical solution using perturbation techniques is developed for the case of a slightly asymmetric main spacecraft.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Abstract Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a fulminating opportunistic infection of the brain that occurs in approximately 4% of AIDS patients. The need to diagnose and treat PML is urgent in patients with HIV as the infections are synergistic [Vazeux R, Cumont M, Girard P, et al. Severe encephalitis resulting from co-infection with HIV and JC virus. Neurology 1990;40:944–8]. Brain biopsy was previously required for definitive diagnosis. With positive JCV PCR CSF results and MR findings characteristic of PML, brain biopsy can be avoided in many AIDS patients [Weber T, Turner RW, Frye B, et al. Specific diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy by polymerase chain reaction. J Infect Dis 1994;169:1138–41; Moret H, Guichad M, Matherson S, et al. Virological diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: detection of JC virus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue of AIDS patients. J Clin Microbiol 1993;10:3313; Post MJD, Yiannoutsos C, Simpson D, et al. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in AIDS: are there any MR findings useful to patient management and predictive of patient survival? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 1989;20:1896–906]. A case is presented here and an overview of relevant literature is given.
Avian cholera and temporal changes in wetland numbers and densities in Nebraska's rainwater basin area.

This article updates the status of Nebraska’s remaining natural palustrine wetlands in the rainwater basin area and relates the density of semipermanent wetlands to avian cholera (Pasteurella multocida) epizootics. Comparison of 1965 to 1981 data indicates only 445 (11,436 ha) of 668 (12,357 ha) temporary, seasonal, and semipermanent wetlands (excavated or impounded wetlands excluded) remain in the rainwater basin area. We estimate that these 445 basins represent 11% of the original number of natural wetland basins and 30% of the original area. Our data suggest this loss of wetland habitat contributes to the disease by concentrating migrating waterfowl on fewer wetlands. Avian cholera epizootics were inversely related to semipermanent wetland basin densities.
Grid-scale rampable dispatchable storage: Cascaded use of advanced battery technology to increase energy security in Alaska

The Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) seeks to address issues related to operation of wind-diesel hybrid systems in remote Alaska communities, and showcase technologies that have potential for reducing fossil fuel consumption and energy costs. One storage solution is the integration of a battery system. Currently, lead acid batteries have insufficient lifetimes to justify their use in such an integrated system. An alternative technology is the flow battery energy storage system (FBESS), which consists of a battery stack with flowing fluids. These batteries have the advantage of allowing additional capacity simply by adding larger storage tanks and additional fluids. ACEP's battery performance testing involves characterization in relation to manufacturer specifications. Since many of these products are either in the development phase or new to the market, the aim is to verify performance and assess suitability for operation amid the challenges unique to Alaska, notably extreme temperatures and isolated wind-diesel hybrid power systems.
From archives to the book trade: Private statute rolls in England, 1285‐1307

(1995). From archives to the book trade: Private statute rolls in England, 1285‐1307. Journal of the Society of Archivists: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 193-206.
Teaching criminal investigation/criminalistics with Fatal Vision/Fatal Justice

This article discusses how two publications can be utilized as a practical pedagogical tool when teaching courses covering criminal investigations and criminalistics. The first book, Fatal Vision, has proven to be a useful tool in complementing a criminal investigations textbook with a real-life scenario that students can analyze and draw upon to understand the importance of evidence collection at a crime scene. The second book, Fatal Justice, has proven to be the natural extension of the first book, which serves as a useful tool in explaining the connection between evidence collection and forensic science, providing a real-world, in-depth, and controversial exploration of criminalistics.
(Hyper) local news aggregation: Designing for social affordances

Abstract Being able to debate, reflect, form opinions, consider counter evidence and make informed decisions is a foundation of civic life in democratic societies. Government benefits from broad participation in collective decision making in terms of sustainable outcomes (e.g., greater consensus) and quality of life in our cities and communities. These collective decision making capabilities are undermined by a strange combination of diminishing (or extinct) local print media, especially local newspapers, and by its obverse, a plethora of information and communication opportunities that are scattered across numerous disparate and decentralized websites and resources (e.g., webpages, RSS feeds, social network software, email, listservs, podcasts, tweets). To address this problem, a number of news aggregators have emerged that capture local content from dispersed sites. To facilitate civic engagement, these sites also need to support social interaction and information exchange. In this paper we review the state of the art in local news aggregation in the U.S. and their support for social affordances (social trust, networks and interaction) that are essential to civic participation. We present a system we call the Virtual Town Square (VTS) that we have developed for local news aggregation that supports social affordances. We summarize briefly the design strategies and techniques (e.g., algorithms) we used to cluster topics and user generated content derived from existing local sources. This system should lead to a replicable model for other U.S. communities.
The role of the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver, in the metabolism of radiothyroxine.

introduction THE role of the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver, in the metabolism of thyroid hormone has been debated for years. Older experiments on biliary excretion and gastrointestinal reabsorption of thyroidal substances have been summarized by Elmer (1938), and more recent studies, some with more refined and others with newer technics, by Monroe and Turner (1949). From these studies has arisen the concept that the “liver rids the body of excess thyroxine.” Certain doubts concerning the validity of this idea have been raised by recent observations with minute amounts of radioactive thyroxine and other radioactive thyroidal materials in the human and the rat (Hamilton et at., 1949; Albert and Keating, 1949; Albert et al., 1949; Albert and Keating, 1951). Considerable radioactivity was constantly found to be localized in the region of the liver in the human. Direct analysis of tissues in the rat disclosed that the liver and gastrointestinal tract concentrated large amounts of. I131 after the ...