cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, early detection and survival in a privately insured US cohort

Background/aims Semiannual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is recommended in patients with cirrhosis; however, recent studies have raised questions over its utility. We investigated the impact of surveillance on early detection and survival in a nationally representative database. Methods We included patients with cirrhosis and HCC from the Optum database (2001-2015) with >6 months of follow-up between cirrhosis and HCC diagnoses. Surveillance adherence was defined as proportion of time covered (PTC), with each 6-month period after abdominal imaging defined as 'covered'. To determine the association between surveillance and mortality, we compared PTC between fatal and non-fatal HCC. Results Of 1001 patients with cirrhosis and HCC, 256 died with median follow-up 30 months. Median PTC by any imaging was greater in early-stage vs late-stage HCC (43.6% vs 37.4%, P = .003) and non-fatal vs fatal HCC (40.8% vs 34.3%, P = .001). In multivariable analyses, each 10% increase in PTC was associated with increased early HCC detection (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.12) and decreased mortality (HR 0.95; 95% CI 0.90-1.00). On subgroup analysis, PTC by CT/MRI was associated with early tumour detection and decreased mortality; however, PTC by ultrasound was only associated with early detection but not decreased mortality. These findings were robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions In a US cohort of privately insured HCC patients, PTC by any imaging modality was associated with increased early detection and decreased mortality. Continued evaluation of HCC surveillance strategies and effectiveness is warranted.
ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR FOR DETERMINATION OF THE OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS IN BIOLOGICAL LIQUIDS

The sensor is designed to measure the concentration of the dissolved oxygen in biological liquids, particularly in the blood stream or blood drop, and can be used in medical practice. Thus, in the treatment of hypoxia, which develops in the tissues due to the violation of the cell’s ability to absorb oxygen, it is necessary to control the part of the oxygen in the blood plasma that is not bound by hemoglobin. The same analysis is necessary for hyperbaric oxygenation of the blood in diseases of the lungs caused, particularly, in case of the coronavirus.......
Smooth muscle hyperplasia of the testicular adnexa: a clinicopathologic study of 12 cases.

Summary Smooth muscle hyperplasia of the testicular adnexa (SMH-TA) is a rare mass-forming intrascrotal lesion. Although benign, it can be a diagnostic challenge, as we have seen in our consult practice. Herein, we discuss our experience with these lesions over 14 years. Twelve SMH-TA cases were identified in our institutional records between 2005 and 2019. The morphologic features were reviewed. Clinical information was obtained from physicians’ notes. The mean age was 51 years (range, 24–82 years). Six cases were on the left side, five on the right, and one was bilateral. The most common presentations were orchialgia (n = 10) and mass (n = 6). Two patients had a concurrent incarcerated inguinal hernia, and one had a recent groin trauma. Past medical history included 5 patients with previous surgeries in the inguinal region, 2 with a history of treated infections, and 1 with persistent chronic orchitis. Eight patients have undergone ultrasound imaging which showed lesions (n = 4), hematoma (n = 1), undescended testis (n = 1), or no abnormalities (n = 2). Grossly, the mean size was 1.7 cm (range, 1.0–3 cm). The lesions had ill-defined, focally cystic, pink-tan nodular surface. Microscopically, the lesions were comprised of an ill-defined smooth muscle proliferation arranged in fascicles or haphazard fashion, growing in a periductal, perivascular, interstitial, or most commonly in a mixed pattern. SMH-TA is a rare benign entity that can present clinically as orchialgia and/or a suspicious intrascrotal mass. As suggested in previous studies, we believe that this lesion represents a reactive process.
Modeling Fine-Grained Human Mobility on Cellular Networks

Cellular network data has been proved as one of the most promising ways to understand large-scale human mobility due to its high penetration of cellphones and low collection cost. Most existing mobility models driven by cellular network data are based on either CDR (Call Detail Records) or data connection records. However, estimated mobility is biased with coarse granularities due to the insufficient data quality. Mobility modeling on cellular networks always suffer from the sparse spatial-temporal observations since user locations are recorded with cellphone activities. In this paper, to solve the issue, we design a system named FineCell to model fine-grained human mobility based on sparse cellular network data. The key challenge we address in FineCell is to achieve fine-grained mobility modeling with sparse cellular network data. In contrast to the existing works on human mobility, the novelty of the FineCell is to infer missing spatial and temporal observations caused by sensing gaps in cellular networks. More importantly, we evaluate FineCell with large-scale fine-grained ground truth data from the same cellular network. The evaluation results show FineCell achieve 9.8% lower error compared with state-of-the-art models.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy for oligometastatic gynecologic malignancies: A systematic review.

Abstract Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for oligometastatic gynecologic malignancies. Method A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE databases was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. “Oligometastatic” was defined as a limited number of uncontrolled/untreated metastatic lesions (typically ≤ 5), including regional nodal metastases. Primary outcomes were response rate (complete response or partial response), local control of oligometastatic lesions, and toxicity. Results Of 716 screened records, 17 studies (13 full length articles, 4 conference abstracts) were selected and analyzed as 16 unique studies. A total of 667 patients were treated with ~1071 metastatic lesions identified. Primary sites included ovarian (57.6%), cervical (27.1%), uterine (11.1%), vaginal (0.4%), vulvar (0.3%), and other/unspecified (3.4%). Most patients (65.4%) presented with a single metastatic lesion. Metastatic lesion sites included the abdomen (44.2%), pelvis (18.8%), thorax (15.5%), neck (4.6%), central nervous system (4.3%), bone (1.6%), and other/unspecified (11%). Of the lesions, 64% were nodal. Response rate (among 8 studies) ranged from 49% to 97%, with 7/8 studies reporting > 75% response rate. Local control ranged from 71% to 100%, with 14/16 studies reporting ≥ 80% local control. No grade ≥ 3 toxicities were observed in 9/16 (56%) studies. Median progression-free survival (PFS) (among 10 studies) ranged from 3.3 months to 21.7 months. Disease progression most commonly occurred outside of the SBRT radiation field (79% to 100% of failures). Conclusions SBRT for oligometastatic gynecologic malignancies is associated with favorable response and local control rates but a high rate of out-of-field progression and heterogeneous PFS. Additional study into rational combinations of SBRT and systemic therapy appears warranted to further improve patient outcomes.
Profiles of Enduring Emotional States (Moods)

The usefulness of the scales depends on their ability to differentiate individual children on the basis of past experience and current behavior as well as to evaluate groups of children or programs. We have chosen to look at five emotions, the ones that we feel have been studied the most and that are the most important in children’s lives. We recognize, however, that the number of emotions studied could be larger and that a truly representative sample would include more than five. Although our measurement system is still imperfect, the statistical procedures used to generate measures of five distinct emotions provide strong support for its use in a natural setting by observers with minimal training.
Development and usability evaluation of VOICES: A digital health tool to identify elder mistreatment.

Background/objectives A major barrier for society in overcoming elder mistreatment is an inability to accurately identify victims. There are several barriers to self-reporting elder mistreatment, including fear of nursing home placement or losing autonomy or a caregiver. Existing strategies to identify elder mistreatment neglect to empower those who experience it with tools for self-reporting. In this project, we developed and evaluated the usability of VOICES, a self-administrated digital health tool that screens, educates, and motivates older adults to self-report elder mistreatment. Design Cross-sectional study with User-Centered Design (UCD) approach. Setting Yale School of Medicine and the Agency on Aging of South-Central Connecticut. Participants Thirty eight community-dwelling and cognitively intact older adults aged 60 years and older, caregivers, clinicians, and social workers. Intervention A tablet-based self-administrated digital health tool that screens, educates, and motivates older adults to self-report elder mistreatment. Measurements Qualitative and quantitative data were obtained from: (1) focus groups participants including: feedback from open-ended discussion, demographics, and a post-session survey; (2) usability evaluation including: demographics, usability measures, comfortability with technology, emotional state, and open-ended feedback. Results Focus group participants (n = 24) generally favored using a tablet-based tool to screen for elder mistreatment and expressed comfort answering questions on elder mistreatment using tablets. Usability evaluation participants (n = 14) overall scored VOICES a mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 86.6 (median = 88.8), higher than the benchmark SUS score of 68, indicating excellent ease of use. In addition, 93% stated that they would recommend the VOICES tool to others and 100% indicated understanding of VOICES' information and content. Conclusion Our findings show that older adults are capable, willing, and comfortable with using the innovative and self-administrated digital tool for elder mistreatment screening. Our future plan is to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the use of VOICES in identifying suspicion of mistreatment.
Prevalence of COVID-19 Anxiety in Division I Student-Athletes

Anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent in athletes. The pandemic of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may increase risk for symptoms due to fear of exposure during competition or uncertainty regarding participation. The current study examined the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety in 437 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes and its association with psychological symptoms. Only 0.2% of participants endorsed COVID-19 anxiety symptoms above cutoff. COVID-19 anxiety did not change after postponement of fall sports or differ between persons competing in different seasons. However, higher levels of COVID-19 anxiety were significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Though student-athletes generally reported low levels of psychological symptoms, females endorsed significantly higher levels than males. Low levels of COVID-19 anxiety in student-athletes may reflect protective factors (e.g., health knowledge, emotion regulation) or the tendency for this population to minimize psychological symptoms. Further investigations on the psychological impact of COVID-19 in athletes is needed.
Participatory Media Literacy in Collaborative Video Annotation.

Collaborative Video Annotation (CVA) is a kludge where learners annotate video together, experiencing both the video and each other’s annotations in a dynamic discussion. Three scenes from small group CVA discussions were selected for analysis from 14 CVA discussions where 8–12 learners interacted via the annotation tool on top of a video. The twenty-second scenes were analyzed for semiotic meaning-making practices and this revealed a variety of participatory media literacy levels among these undergraduates. Topics of discussions were related but not identical, and the selected exemplars showed a range of attention to communicative features of the media. Discussions evolved in dramatically different ways due to the interplay of images, text, and learner choices. Results suggest that converged media require new literacies educators would be wise to explore and wiser still to educate our learners about.
Improved Sensor Model for Realistic Synthetic Data Generation

Synthetic, i.e., computer generated-imagery (CGI) data is a key component for training and validating deep-learning-based perceptive functions due to its ability to simulate rare cases, avoidance of privacy issues and easy generation of huge datasets with pixel accurate ground-truth data. Recent simulation and rendering engines simulate already a wealth of realistic optical effects, but are mainly focused on the human perception system. But, perceptive functions require realistic images modeled with sensor artifacts as close as possible towards the sensor the training data has been recorded with. In this paper we propose a method to improve the data synthesis by introducing a more realistic sensor model that implements a number of sensor and lens artifacts. We further propose a Wasserstein distance (earth mover’s distance, EMD) based domain divergence measure and use it as minimization criterion to adapt the parameters of our sensor artifact simulation from synthetic to real images. With the optimized sensor parameters applied to the synthetic images for training, the mIoU of a semantic segmentation network (DeeplabV3+) solely trained on synthetic images is increased from 40.36% to 47.63%.
Zhipan’s Account of the History of Buddhism in China vol.1: Fozu tongji, juan 34-38: From the Times of the Buddha to the Nanbeichao Era, by Thomas Jülch.

Zhipan’s Account of the History of Buddhism in China vol.1: Fozu tongji, juan 34-38: From the Times of the Buddha to the Nanbeichao Era, by Thomas Julch. Brill. 2019. X + 316pp. €116/$140. ISBN: 978-90-04-39620-3.
Characterization of commercial corona resistant magnet wire enamels using nanoindentation techniques

Corona resistant magnet wire has become an important focus in motor designs for low voltage, inverter duty applications. While the electrical properties of these materials are under study by motor and wire manufacturers, a better understanding of the mechanical properties of these wires will help reduce defects and product loss due to poor manufacturability. A number of commercially available corona resistant magnet wire coatings were compared using nanoindentation techniques; hardness and modulus of elasticity were measured. The wire enamels were examined in cross-section and differences in the topcoat and basecoat observed.
Learning the Wrong Lessons from "An American Tragedy"

This paper is a critique of Margaret Berger and Aaron Twerski, "Uncertainty and Informed Choice: Unmasking Daubert," forthcoming in the Michigan Law Review. Berger and Twerski propose that courts recognize a cause of action that would allow plaintiffs who claim injury from pharmaceutical products, but who do not have sufficient evidence to prove causation, to recover damages for deprivation of informed choice. Berger and Twerski claim inspiration from the litigation over allegations that the morning sickness drug Bendectin caused birth defects. Considering the criteria Berger and Twerski suggest for their proposed cause of action in the context of Bendectin, it appears that a pharmaceutical manufacturer could be held liable for failure to provide informed choice: (a) even when there was never any sound scientific evidence suggesting that the product caused the harm at issue, and there was an unbroken consensus among leading experts in the field that the product did not cause such harm; (b) when the product prevented serious harm to a significant number of patients, and prevented substantial discomfort to a much greater number, even when there were no available alternative products; (c) when a plaintiff claims that she would not have taken the product had she been informed of an incredibly remote and completely unproven risk; and (d) when the defendant is unable to prove a negative - that the product in question definitely did not cause the claimed injury. No rational legal system would allow such a tort. Putting the Bendectin example aside, the informed choice proposal has the following additional weaknesses: (1) it invites reliance on unreliable junk science testimony; (2) it ignores the fact that juries are not competent to resolve subtle risk assessment issues; (3) it reflects an unwarranted belief in the ability of juries to both follow limiting instructions and ignore their emotions; (4) it ignores the problems inherent to multiple trials - even if defendants were to win most informed choice cases, safe products could still be driven off the market by a minority of contrary verdicts; (5) it ignores the inevitable costs to medical innovation as pharmaceutical companies scale back on researching product categories that would be particularly prone to litigation; (6) to preempt litigation, pharmaceutical companies would overwarn, rendering more significant warnings less useful; and (7) FDA labeling requirements would arguably preempt the proposed cause of action.
In-vitro activity of nikkomycin Z alone and in combination with polyenes, triazoles or echinocandins against Aspergillus fumigatus.

The in-vitro activity of nikkomycin Z was investigated in combination with polyenes, triazoles or echinocandins against 20 clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus with the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) method. The drug interactions were classified as synergic (FICI ≤ 0.5), no interaction (FICI > 0.5, but FICI ≤ 4) or antagonistic (FICI > 4). The fungicidal activity of nikkomycin Z alone and in combination with a representative echinocandin (caspofungin) or triazole (voriconazole) was also examined with time-kill experiments and fungal cell viability assays. Two-drug combinations of nikkomycin Z with amphotericin B (FICI 3.59 ± 0.57), amphotericin B lipid complex (FICI 3.95 ± 0.74), liposomal amphotericin B (FICI 3.62 ± 0.98), itraconazole (FICI 2.0 ± 0.0), voriconazole (FICI 1.07 ± 0.37), posaconazole (FICI 2.20 ± 0.44) or ravuconazole (FICI 1.76 ± 0.44) showed no interactions, but the pairwise combination of nikkomycin Z with caspofungin (FICI 0.22 ± 0.19) or micafungin (FICI 0.35 ± 0.27) showed synergic activity against A. fumigatus. Time-kill studies and fungal cell viability assays showed that neither nikkomycin Z nor caspofungin alone possessed fungicidal activity against A. fumigatus, whereas a combination of these two drugs at concentrations ≥2 mg/L (≥ 0.031 × the concentration of drug that produced no visible growth) killed germinated conidia within 24 h in a concentration-dependent manner. These data suggest that two-drug combinations of nikkomycin Z with echinocandins, but not with polyenes and triazoles, have a synergic effect against A. fumigatus.
Large scale data warehouses on grid: Oracle database 10 g and HP proliant servers

Grid computing has the potential to drastically change enterprise computing as we know it today. The main concept of grid computing is viewing computing as a utility. It should not matter where data resides, or what computer processes a task. This concept has been applied successfully to academic research. It also has many advantages for commercial data warehouse applications such as virtualization, flexible provisioning, reduced cost due to commodity hardware, high availability and high scale-out. In this paper we show how a large-scale, high-performing and scalable grid-based data warehouse can be implemented using commodity hardware (industry-standard x86-based). Oracle Database 10g and the Linux operating system. We further demonstrate this architecture in a recently published TPC-H benchmark.
Slowly varying waves and shock structures in reaction-diffusion equations

Solutions of reaction-diffusion equations which, locally in space and time, are close to plane wave trains are investigated. Apart from certain exceptional (and localized) regions, such solutions are approximately described by solutions of a Hamilton-Jacobi equation obtained from the properties of ideal plane waves. This provides a fairly simple description of many features of the initial value problem, but implies that transition layers in which the approximate description is invalid will generally arise. The structure of these layers, which are mathematically analogous to gas-dynamic shocks, is investigated on the basis of the full equations.
Normal Metabolism of Morphine in a Cirrhosis

Morphine disposition and elimination was studied in 6 healthy male subject s and 6 male patients with cirrhosis, to assess the role of differences, if any, on the reported intolerance of morphine in cirrhosis. In addition the elimination of indocyanine green was studied in the same subjects on a separate occasion. The elimination half-life of indocyanine green was increased and its plasma clearance was markedly reduced in patients with cirrhosis as compared with controls (p less than 0.05). In contrast the disposition and elimination of morphine were unaffected by moderate to severe cirrhosis. Furthermore, while marked sedation was observed in normal subjects, the cirrhotics demonstrated mild sedation with no clinical evidence of hepatic coma. The normal elimination of morphine in cirrhosis is in contrast to the decreased elimination of high clearance drugs metabolized by oxidation, such as lidocaine and meperidine. Morphine is also normally a high clearance drug that is detoxified by conjugation with glucuronic acid. Since intra- or extrahepatic shunting, or both, in cirrhosis do not significantly impair morphine clearance, we postulate that significant extrahepatic morphine conjugation may occur in both normal subjects and in patients with cirrhosis. Furthermore, the reported morphine intolerance to the central effects of morphine cannot be explained by impaired drug elimination and increased availability of morphine to cerebral receptors.
Abstraction of reasoning for problem solving and tutoring assistants

This dissertation presents an approach to the abstraction of the reasoning of a knowledge-based agent that facilitates human-agent collaboration in complex problem solving and decision-making and the development of systems for tutoring expert problem solving to non-experts. Effective human-agent collaboration requires an ability of the user to easily understand the complex reasoning generated by the agent. The methods presented in this dissertation allow the partition of a complex reasoning tree into meaningful and manageable sub-trees, the abstraction of individual sub-trees, and the automatic generation of an abstract tree that plays the role of a table of contents for the display, understanding and navigation of the concrete tree. Abstraction of reasoning is also very important for teaching complex problem-solving to non-experts. This dissertation presents a set of integrated methods that allow the abstraction of complex reasoning trees to define abstract problem solving strategies for tutoring, the rapid development of lesson scripts for teaching these strategies to non-experts, and the automatic generation of domain-specific lessons. These methods are augmented with ones for learning and context-sensitive generation of omission, modification, and construction test questions, to assess a student’s problem solving knowledge. The developed methods have been implemented as an extension of the Disciple learning agent shell and have led to the development of the concept of learning and tutoring agent shell. This is a general tool for building a new type of intelligent assistants that can learn complex problem solving expertise directly from human experts, support human experts in problem solving and decision making, and teach their problem solving expertise to non-experts. The developed learning and tutoring shell has been used to build a prototype tutoring system in the intelligence analysis domain which has been used and evaluated in courses at the US Army War College and George Mason University.
Checking interference with fractional permissions

We describe a type system for checking interference using the concept of linear capabilities (which we call "permissions"). Our innovations include the concept of "fractional" permissions: reads can be permitted with fractional permissions whereas writes require complete permissions. This distinction expresses the fact that reads on the same state do not conflict with each other. One may give shared read access at one point while still retaining write permission afterwards. We give an operational semantics of a simple imperative language with structured parallelism and prove that the permission system enables parallelism to proceed with deterministic results.
ZBP-89 mediates butyrate regulation of gene expression.

Inducible p53-independent regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Waf1) transcription is mediated through its proximal GC-rich sites. Prior studies have shown that Sp1, Sp3 and the histone acetyltransferase coactivator p300 are components of the complexes that bind to these sites. Although Sp1 and Sp3 collaborate with p300, a direct interaction between Sp1 and p300 does not occur. Zinc-finger binding protein-89 (ZBP-89, also known as BFCOL1, BERF-1 and ZNF-148) is a Kruppel-type zinc-finger transcription factor that binds to the same GC-rich sequences as Sp1. We sought to determine whether ZBP-89 is a target of p300 during butyrate induction of p21(Waf1). This review summarizes the evidence that supports a crucial role for ZBP-89 in butyrate regulation of p21(Waf1). Adenovirus-mediated expression of ZBP-89 in HT-29 cells reveals that ZBP-89 potentiates butyrate induction of endogenous p21(Waf1) gene expression. DNA-protein interaction assays demonstrate that Sp1, Sp3 and ZBP-89 bind the p21(Waf1) promoter at -245 to -215. Coprecipitation assays reveal that p300 preferentially binds to the N-terminus of ZBP-89. ZBP-89 also induces p21(Waf1) through stabilization of p53. Although ZBP-89 binds mutant and wild-type p53, only wild-type p53 is stabilized. Moreover, mutant p53 shifts the subnuclear location of ZBP-89 to the nuclear periphery, which is a domain rich in heterochromatin. This finding led to the conclusion that mutant p53 exerts a dominant negative effect on ZBP-89. We propose that gene silencing by mutant p53 might be mediated by sequestering ZBP-89 within heterochromatin regions at the nuclear periphery. Overall, ZBP-89 is a butyrate-regulated coactivator of p53 and is able to induce p21(Waf1) gene expression through both p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms to inhibit cell growth.
Internal and external cue use following septal ablation in the rat

As a result of a proposed response-produced cue deficit in rats with septal damage, an attempt was made to determine whether rats with such damage would be overly dependent on exteroceptive cues. Normal and septal lesioned rats were trained to perform a behavioral chain where both exteroceptive and response-produced cues could be used. During extinction, these two sets of cues were placed in conflict in order to determine their relative contributions to performance of the chain. Septal rats primarily used response-produced cues, whereas normal animals randomly used the available cues. It was concluded that normal and septal lesioned rats differed in their use of external and internal information, but in a direction opposite to that suggested by the literature.
The Potential Utility of Physically Based Hydrologic Modeling in Ungauged Urban Streams

A wide range of hydrologic modeling tools based on geographic information systems are available to aid urban planning, design, and environmental assessment by providing an understanding of how urban development impacts water quality and water quantity. These tools range from complex, data-intensive, process-based simulation models to simpler, empirical, coefficient-based approaches. We use a case study watershed in San Diego, California, to illustrate the potential contribution of physically based models as a means to evolve conceptual understanding of geographic pattern and process, rather than the prediction of aggregate watershed behavior. We use the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System to examine interactions between internal watershed processes that lead to runoff production. Through this case study, we address the issue of limited streamflow data for model calibration, a requirement that is often difficult to meet in smaller, ungauged watersheds. We illustrate how flow data from a similar water...
Photodissociation of the Deuteron from 150 to 450 Mev

The photodissociation of the deuteron has been investigated for laboratory photon energies of 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 Mev at laboratory angles of 39, 56, 74, 93, 115, and 138 degrees. The process was identified by detecting the recoil protons in a range-ionization telescope. The total cross section has a relative minimum at 150 Mev followed by a relative maximum at 250 Mev where its values are 53\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}30}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and 63\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}30}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, respectively. From 150 to 250 Mev the center-of-momentum angular distributions have a strong forward maximum which diminishes at higher energies until the distributions become approximately symmetrical. There is qualitative agreement with meson theories on some points.
Caries inhibition potential of Er:YAG and Er:YSGG laser radiation

Dental hard tissues can be ablated efficiency by (lambda) equals 3 micrometers laser irradiation with minimal subsurface thermal damage. However, the potential of lasers operating in the region of the infrared for caries preventive treatments has not been investigated. In this study, the caries inhibition potential of Er:YAG ((lambda) equals 2.94 micrometers ) and Er:YSGG ((lambda) equals 2.79 micrometers ) laser radiation on dental enamel was evaluated at various irradiation intensities. Pulsed IR radiometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to measure the time-resolved surface temperatures during laser irradiation and to detect changes in the surface morphology. The magnitude and temporal evolution of the surface temperature during multiple pulse irradiation of the tissue was dependent on the wavelength, irradiation intensity, and the number of laser pulses. Radiometry and SEM micrographs indicated that ablation was initiated at temperatures of approximately 300 degree(s)C for Er:YAG and 800 degree(s)C for Er:YSGG laser irradiation, well below the melting and vaporization temperatures of the carbonated hydroxyapatite mineral component (m.p. equals 1200 degree(s)C). Nevertheless, there was marked caries inhibition for irradiation intensities below those temperature thresholds, notably 60% and 40% inhibition was achieved after Er:YSGG and Er:YAG laser irradiation, respectively. These results indicate that the Er:YSGG laser can be used effectively for both preventive dental treatments and for hard tissue removal.
Factors Affecting Virus Photoinactivation by a Series of Phenothiazine Dyes

A series of four phenothiazine dyes, including methylene blue (MB), were previously tested for their ability to photoinactivate viruses in red cell suspensions. One of the dyes, 1,9-dimethyl-3-dimethylamino-7-dimethylaminophenothiazine (1,9-dimethylmethylene blue), exhibited good intracellular and extracellular virucidal activity for several RNA and DNA viruses under conditions that minimally affected red cell properties. In order to understand why the virucidal specificity of 1, 9-dhnethylmethylene blue was greater than other phenothiazines tested, the physical and chemical properties of the dye were compared to three other closely related analogues (MB, 1,9-dimethyl-3-diethylamino-7-dlbutylaminophenothiazine [compound 4-140], 1,9-dimethyl-3-dimethylamino-7-diethylaminophenothiazine [compound 6-136]). All compounds required light and oxygen for virucidal activity and had relatively high singlet oxygen yields (>0.5), but 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue had a singlet oxygen yield approximately 50% greater than that of MB. In addition, the hydrophobicity/hydophilicity of the compounds varied, with the partition coefficients (2-octanol : water) ranging from 0.11 for MB to 3560 for compound 4-140. The dyes had the following affinities for DNA: 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue > compound 6-136 > MB ∼ compound 4-140. This order was similar to the order of activities for photoinactivation of the nonenveloped bacteriophage, R17, by the four compounds. Results with the most hydrophobic compound, 4-140, contrasted with those obtained with 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue. Compound 4-140 had a high affinity for protein and a low affinity for DNA. Although compound 4-140 and light inactivated the nonenveloped bacteriophage R17 poorly, the dye readily photoinactivated enveloped viruses in buffer. However, unlike results with 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue, viral inactivation of enveloped viruses by compound 4-140 was completely inhibited by the presence of red cells and plasma. Thus, the high affinity of 1,9-di-methyymethylene blue for DNA and the dye's efficient singlet oxygen yield suggest viral nucleic acid as a potential target, which could explain the photosensitizer's ability to inactivate viruses without adversely affecting anuclete red cells.
Special Section International Parallel Processing Projects: A Software Perspective

Industrial and academic researchers provide a glimpse into efforts to develop a faster, more powerful computer through methods beyond purely technological advances.
51 PREMATURITY AND CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE: DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE

The developmental effects of prematurity are still unclear, in part due to sample heterogeneity regarding severity of illness. We studied a medically more homogeneous population, 22 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Medical risk was assessed by obstetrical, neonatal and pediatric complications scales as well as the requirement for mechanical ventilation, supplemental oxygen and hospitalization. Development was examined with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 4,8 and 12 months age, corrected for degree of prematurity. Mean Mental Developmental Index increased from 76.7 at 4 months to 81.5 at 12 months. Mean Psychomotor Developmental Index decreased from 82.0 to 65.4 (MDI vs PDI 12 mos, t=4.59,p<.0007). Outcome was not related to gestational age or birthweight, nor severity of perinatal complications. Outcome was related to severity and chronicity of illness as measured by days requiring supplemental oxygen (r=-.53,p<.05) and total duration of hospitalization (r=-.65,p<.01). Social factors were also predictive with lower maternal age(r=.57,p<.03) education (r=.56,p <.03) and social class (r=.6l,p <.02) all relating to weaker mental development. The data suggest that motor development during the first year is more compromised by the combination of prematurity and chronic pulmonary disease than is mental development and that motor development worsens. Frequently examined medical risk factors are not predictive of outcome, while measures reflecting severity and chronicity of illness are.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for schizophrenia: An overview of treatment

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated to be a useful adjunct to medication and other standard treatments for schizophrenia patients. Although the cognitive approach to schizophrenia has become popular in the United Kingdom, it has received relatively little attention in the United States. The present paper serves as on overview of CBT for schizophrenia, with an emphasis on delusions. We discuss the purpose and enumerate the challenges of conducting CBT with schizophrenia patients, providing specific case examples and strategies — such as normalizing, collaboration, behavioral experiments, understanding the meaning of patients' delusions, role-plays, and imagery exercises — for handling such challenges. It is concluded that CBT can lead to decreased distress associated with patients' symptoms.
TRPV1 regulators mediate gentamicin penetration of cultured kidney cells

Transient receptor potential (TRP) receptors are, typically, calcium-permeant cation channels that transduce environmental stimuli. Both kidney epithelial and inner ear sensory cells express TRPV1, are mechanosensors and accumulate the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin. Recently, we showed that Texas Red-conjugated gentamicin (GTTR) enters kidney cells via an endosomeindependent pathway. Here, we used GTTR to investigate this non-endocytotic mechanism of gentamicin uptake. In serum-free buVers, GTTR penetrated MDCK cells within 30 s and uptake was modulated by extracellular, multivalent cations (Ca 2+ , La 3+ , Gd 3+ ) or protons. We veriWed the La 3+ modulation of GTTR uptake using immunocytochemical detection of unconjugated gentamicin. Membrane depolarization, induced by high extracellular K + or valinomycin, also reduced GTTR uptake, suggesting electropho
Translational efficiency of rpoS mRNA from Borrelia burgdorferi: Effects of the length and sequence of the mRNA leader region

Abstract Regulation of the enzootic cycle in Borrelia burgdorferi requires a shift to the RNA polymerase alternative sigma factor, RpoS. We used in vitro and in vivo assays to assess the relative importance of the putative Shine–Dalgarno sequence and its sequestration for the translational efficiency of rpoS . We created mutant leader regions in which we either removed the Shine–Dalgarno sequence, disrupted the secondary structure or both. Binding assays and toeprint assays demonstrated that both the presence and the availability of the Shine–Dalgarno sequence are important to the efficiency and specificity of ribosome binding. Adding a DsrA Bb mimic in the form of a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide increased the level and specificity of binding ribosomes to the transcript with an extended leader, presumably by making the Shine–Dalgarno sequence available for binding. In in vivo assays we confirmed that the Shine–Dalgarno sequence must be both present and un-sequestered in order for translation to proceed efficiently. The longer transcript was significantly better translated in B. burgdorferi at 37 °C than at 26 °C, lending support to the hypothesis that DsrA Bb acts as a temperature-dependent stimulator of translation. These studies demonstrate that translational regulation of gene expression in B. burgdorferi may be an important mechanism for responding to environmental signals important in the enzootic cycle.
Pretransplant urologic evaluation

Abstract Objective. Although a number of pretransplant urologic evaluations have been recommended in the literature, their efficacy has not been validated. This study was undertaken to evaluate a standardized urologic diagnostic protocol for potential adult transplant recipients. Methods. One hundred consecutive adult transplant candidates were prospectively evaluated with a complete history and physical examination, renal ultrasonography (US), voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), urinalysis, and urine culture. Other diagnostic studies including cystoscopy and retrograde pyelography were performed as indicated. Results. Urologic malignancies were diagnosed in 3 patients that included Stage A2 prostate cancer, Stage TA transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and Stage 11 renal cell carcinoma. The only significant abnormality detected by renal US was renal cell carcinoma in 1 patient. Twenty-six individuals had VCUG abnormalities, but these could not be predicted based on patient characteristics. However, VCUG was normal in all nondiabetic patients without voiding symptoms or a history of urinary tract infections. Thirteen patients had hematuria and were evaluated with cystoscopy and retrograde pyelography. One individual (7.6%) had a significant abnormality (bladder tumor) detected during cystoscopy. Retrograde pyelography demonstrated no clinically significant abnormalities in this patient group. Eighteen patients had sterile pyuria and underwent similar endoscopic evaluation. Cystoscopic examination was normal in all these individuals, and retro grade pyelography showed either normal or clinically insignificant papillary necrosis. Conclusions. Although renal US has a low diagnostic yield, all adult transplant candidates should undergo this study because of the high prevalence of renal cell carcinoma in this cohort. VCUG also should be performed prior to transplantation, but it may be omitted in nondiabetic patients without voiding symptoms or a history of urinary tract infection. Transplant candidates with hematuria warrant an endoscopic evaluation, although this may not be necessary in individuals with sterile pyuria.
Conversion of a porin-like peptide channel into a gramicidin-like channel by glycine to D-alanine substitutions.

The β-barrel and β-helix formation, as in porins and gramicidin, respectively, represent two distinct mechanisms for ion channel formation by β-sheet proteins in membranes. The design of β-barrel proteins is difficult due to incomplete understanding of the basic principles of folding. The design of gramicidin-like β-helix relies on an alternating pattern of L- and D-amino acid sequences. Recently we noticed that a short β-sheet peptide (xSxG)6, can form porin-like channels via self-association in membranes. Here, we proposed that glycine to D-alanine substitutions of the N-formyl-(xSxG)6 would transform the porin-like channel into a gramicidin-like β12-helical channel. The requirement of an N-formyl group for channel activity, impermeability to cations with a diameter >4 A, high monovalent cation selectivity, and the absence of either voltage gating or subconductance states upon D-alanine substitution support the idea of a gramicidin-like channel. Moreover, the circular dichroism spectrum in membranes is different, indicating a change in regular β-sheet backbone structure. The conversion of a complex porin-like channel into a gramicidin-like channel provides a link between two different mechanisms of β-sheet channel formation in membranes and emphasizes the importance of glycine and D-amino acid residues in protein folding and function and in the engineering of ion channels.
An Escape-Avoidance View of Catharsis:

A conceptualization pertaining to the "arousal" reducing concomitants of aggression is presented, along with supporting evidence. The paper suggests that hostility catharsis, when observed, may only be a special case of a more general set of behavioral-emotional learning processes involving the escape-avoidance paradigm. The possible relationships among aggressive behavior, autonomic conditioning, and cognitive processes are discussed. Implications for the treatment and control of problems of aggression are suggested and compared with those emanating from the hydraulic model.
Efficient N-sulfenylation of 2-azetidinones using S-substituted thiophthalimides

Abstract Reaction of N-unsubstituted β-lactams with various S-substituted thiophthalimides provides an efficient route to the corresponding N-thio-2-azetidinones.
Chemistry in aldol complexes of metal dications: dehydration of the bisligand species

Abstract The advent of electrospray has enabled the generation of microsolvated multiply charged metal ions. For dications, these had been produced for most common organic ligand classes including simple alcohols and ketones, but not aldols. Solution-phase aldol chemistry is reknown for dehydration and retro-aldol reactions. One of the simplest aldols is the acetone dimer, known as diacetone alcohol (DAA). It has recently been shown to coordinate gas-phase metal trications—the first precedent thereof for any protic solvent. Here we report on the formation and collisional fragmentation of DAA complexes for dications of divalent metals (M=Mg, Ca, Ba, Mn, Ni, Co, Fe, and Cu). Both retro-aldol and dehydration processes were observed in these species. Most notable is the extreme size-specificity of dehydration. Sequential loss of two waters dominates the dissociation of M 2+ (DAA) 2 for all metals studied, yielding extraordinary M 2+ (mesityl oxide) 2 peaks. However, M 2+ (DAA) 3 essentially do not dehydrate. This suggests a geometry of complexes with two DAA in the first solvation shell, perhaps in a bidentate arrangement involving both carbonyl and hydroxyl. Similarly to their simple alcohol analogs, charge-reduction of M 2+ (DAA) n proceeds via proton transfer, except in the case of Cu where proton and electron transfers compete. A comparison of the critical and minimum sizes for M 2+ (DAA) n and M 3+ (DAA) n reveals a major intrinsic gap between the stabilities of metal di- and trications in protic solvent complexes.
A Comparative Study of Family-of-Origin Perceptions: Counselor Education Students and Business Students

The differences in family-of-origin perceptions between counselor education students and business students were investigated. Gender differences also were explored. Participants completed several instruments designed to examine their perceptions of family health, family satisfaction, and family relationships. Counselor education students' perceptions differed from business students' perceptions on a measure of family intimacy and autonomy, but there were no significant differences between the two groups on other dimensions offamily-of-origin perceptions. Similarly, men and women differed from each other only on some of the measures used in this study. The implications for counselor training and supervision are discussed.
Primary amide and amine complexes of gallium and indium: X-ray crystal structures of [Me2Ga(μ-NH(tBu))]2, Me3Ga · NH2(tBu) and Me3In · NH2(tBu).

The reaction of Me2GaCl with LiNH(tBu) in diethylether at - 78°C produces the dinuclear primary amido-bridged complex [Me2Ga(μ-NH(tBu))]2 (1) in 76% yield. The tBuNH2 adducts Me3M · NH2(tBu), M  Ga (2), in (3), have been prepared in quantitative yield by the reactions of Me3M with tBuNH2 in toluene at - 78°C. The X-ray structure of 1 reveals that the Ga2N2 core is planar and that the tBu-N groups adopt an anti configuration. The solid state structures of 2 and 3 feature approximately tetrahedral nitrogen and metal geometries. In both compounds staggered arrangements are observed for the metal methyl groups and the nitrogen t-butyl groups. However, in 3 the arrangement is distorted so that no internal symmetry is present. In 2 the staggered geometry is symmetrical as indicated by the presence of a minor plane which contains the bonded atoms C(5), Ga, N, C(1) and C(2).
On the Uncertainty in the Correctness of Computer Programs

The use of digital computers in critical process control systems requires the formal assessment of the system reliability. Failures can be due to either component malfunctions or design faults. Only the latter are relevant in evaluating software reliability. Although it is preferable to prove whether the program meets its specification, this is not yet practical for real-time control programs. Further, the specification itself can be incorrect or incomplete due to the complex requirements.
Nanosecond resolved X-ray diffraction during pulsed laser annealing of silicon

Abstract The pulsed nature of the X-rays emitted from the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) was utilized to carry out a diffraction study of the near-surface structure and temperature of silicon following pulsed ruby laser annealing. To our knowledge, this was the first temporal X-ray diffraction investigation of a system at the nanosecond timescale. In this paper we describe experimental details concerning the synchronization of the laser with the X-ray bursts along with a description of the data collection technique and experimental results.