cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microcantilevers track single-cell mass

An array of microfluidic cantilevers measures the mass of single cells in a population over time and detects drug-induced changes in cell growth.
Children’s stereotypes of older adults: Evaluating contributions of cognitive development and social learning

Past research has investigated the development of stereotypes surrounding race and gender in children; however, there is a lack of literature examining the development of children’s stereotypes of ...
Post hoc ergo propter hoc : some benefits of rationalization

Research suggests that the explicit reasoning we offer to ourselves and to others is often rationalization, that we act instead on instincts, inclinations, stereotypes, emotions, neurobiology, habits, reactions, evolutionary pressures, unexamined principles, or justifications other than the ones we think we’re acting on, then we tell a post hoc story to justify our actions. I consider two benefits of rationalization, once we realize that rationalization is sincere. It allows us to work out, under practical pressure of rational consistency, which are good reasons to act on. Rationalization also prompts us to establish meaningful patterns out of merely permissible options.
Fast transaction logging for smartphones

Mobile databases and key-value stores provide consistency and durability through write-ahead logging. The traditional logging scheme appends the log records to the end of the log file and flushes the records to durable storage using fsync(). Due to the large block size of the underlying file system and the Journaling of Journal anomaly, the logging latency becomes the main bottleneck of the mobile databases. Our experimental results indicate that the logging latency accounts for more than 90% of the overall insert latency on a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Moreover, we observe a significant write amplification (up to 122×) induced by the traditional logging scheme. In this paper we present xLog, a fast transaction logging service leveraging qNVRAM, a nearly non-volatile memory for mobile devices. From our experimental results, xLog logs up to 77× faster than the traditional logging scheme, and speeds up the LevelDB Put operation by up to 10.7×. Moreover, xLog drastically reduces the write amplification of the traditional logging scheme, from 122× to less than 1.6×.
Reformulation of the Concept of Jahn-Teller Vibronic Coupling Effects in Theoretical Chemistry

Per-Olov Lowdin understood the role and place of vibronic coupling effects in theoretical chemistry at early stages of development of this trend. We met first in 1976, and he invited me to prepare a review of this topic for Advanced Quantum Chemistry. Two such reviews coauthored with my coworkers were published in 1982 and 1986 [1, 2]. From that time the problem of vibronic coupling of two or several electronic states under nuclear displacements from the reference high-symmetry configuration, known as the Jahn-Teller (JT) vibronic coupling effects, grew up to a whole approach to (a tool for) solving molecular and crystal problems (see [3, 4] and references therein). Research activity in this field is being especially pronounced during the last decade when it became clear that the JT effects play a significant role in understanding the origin of molecular and crystal properties, including such novel aspects as high-temperature superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance.
Warehouse Management: Productivity Improvement in Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

This chapter addresses productivity improvement in automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and order picking time reduction. A unit load multi-aisle AS/RS with a single storage/retrieval (S/R) machine is considered. The S/R machine, which is dedicated to all aisles, can simultaneously move in vertical and horizontal directions to perform storage and retrieval operations. An order can be a request for one or more items, and each item can be found in several storage locations in the warehouse. The objective is to formulate the order picking problem mathematically, and to propose algorithms that minimize the total time traveled by the S/R machine to complete the retrieval process of an order. We first formulate the problem as a nonlinear programing problem. Then, we develop a genetic algorithm as a meta-heuristic method as well as a heuristic algorithm, and provide a performance comparison between them. Finally, some numerical results from a large set of problems are presented.
Detecting Intruders and Preventing Hackers from Evasion by Tor Circuit Selection

The widely-used Tor network has become the most popular anonymous network that supports circuit-based lowlatency internet connections. However, recent security breach incidents reveal SSH have been used to launch attacks by malicious users. Although a server-side blocking mechanism which can identify SSH connections individually has been proposed, we have found that it is restricted to certain Tor circuit protocol versions and not for all SSH protocol implementations. The prior method is based on the difference of latency in the Tor network which may be subject to hacker manipulation by circuit selection in the Tor network. In this paper, we first present a set of attributes that can be used to detect SSH connection through Tor for all SSH handshake between client and server, by observing the network packets exchanges of the SSH protocol. In the second half of this paper, we show that the geographical location of the nodes in Tor circuit has an impact on the effectiveness of our metrics. If hackers know our detection algorithm, they may be able to evade the detection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our attacks detection by analyzing multiple Tor circuit selections. Finally, we identify and evaluate our detection algorithm and demonstrate that our algorithm achieves 98% accuracy under the most stringent condition.
Authenticity in horizontal marketing partnerships: A better measure of brand compatibility

Abstract Given the marketplace prominence of sponsorship, celebrity endorsement, co-branding and similar arrangements involving the pairing of brands in communications, valid methods to evaluate their effectiveness are of importance to both managers and researchers. While these relationships have traditionally been judged based on comparisons of the attributes of each brand (e.g. fit, congruity, similarity), we argue for the importance of evaluating the perceived authenticity of the relationship itself. To this end, this research adapts a perceived brand authenticity scale developed by Morhart et al. (2015) to a measure of horizontal marketing partnership authenticity (HMP-Authenticity). In three studies, the reliability, validity and nomological network of the adapted scale is shown. In a fourth study, diagnosticity of individual dimensions is explored. In a fifth study, a brief, 4-item scale is introduced and shown to give predictions consistent with those of the full scale.
Findings From the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System on Health-Related Quality of Life Among US Transgender Adults, 2014-2017.

This study compares health-related quality of life between US transgender and cisgender adults using data from the largest nationwide health survey to date to address transgender health.
Programming Public Space

Public space is complicated by the interests of all who use it and those who regulate its use: residents, local businesses, city policymakers, community organizations. As art museums consider extending beyond their walls to work in local neighborhood spaces, they are confronted by bureaucratic regulation, interpersonal and cultural issues, and legacies of structural exclusion that they must overcome. Negotiating these challenges to the design and programming of public space is addressed in this chapter by looking at Corona Plaza, a popular public square in Corona cooperatively led by local partners. This is followed by a discussion of policy work connecting art and culture to shaping neighborhoods. Art activism provides avenues for a wider range of voices to be heard in influencing community development.
Neutrino-nucleus cross sections for W -boson and trident production

The physics of neutrino-nucleus cross sections is a critical probe of the Standard Model and beyond. A precise understanding is also needed to accurately deduce astrophysical neutrino spectra. At energies above $\ensuremath{\sim}5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$, the cross section is dominated by deep inelastic scattering, mediated by weak bosons. In addition, there are subdominant processes where the hadronic coupling is through virtual photons, ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{*}$: (on-shell) $W$-boson production (e.g., where the underlying interaction is ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\ell}}+{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{*}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{W}^{+}$) and trident production (e.g., where it is $\ensuremath{\nu}+{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{*}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}+{\ensuremath{\ell}}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{\ensuremath{\ell}}_{2}^{+}$). These processes become increasingly relevant at TeV--PeV energies. We undertake the first systematic approach to these processes (and those with hadronic couplings through virtual $W$ and $Z$ bosons), treating them together, avoiding common approximations, considering all neutrino flavors and final states, and covering the energy range 10--${10}^{8}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$. In particular, we present the first complete calculation of $W$-boson production and the first calculation of trident production at TeV--PeV energies. When we use the same assumptions as in prior work, we recover all of their major results. In a companion paper [this issue, Phys. Rev. D 101, 036010 (2020)], we show that these processes should be taken into account for IceCube-Gen2.
“Divorcing” Your Business Partners

Unfortunately, the marriage of a new physician with a medical practice or a hospital is often not a match made in heaven. What started out as a union between two entities does not work out resulting in the physician and practice parting ways. If this happens to you, do not despair; you are not alone. It is possible to extricate yourself from a situation where one or both parties decide that the fit is not quite right. This chapter will discuss the reasons doctors leave a practice and what action steps you must do in order to leave with minimal emotional trauma to you, your patients, and the practice you have decided to vacate.
The Nature of Punishment Revisited: Reply to Wringe

This paper continues a debate about the following claim: an agent punishes someone only if she aims to harm him. In a series of papers, Bill Wringe argues that this claim is false, I criticize his arguments, and he replies. Here, I argue that his reply fails.
Chapter 68 – Eicosanoids I

: Eicosanoids are synthesized from dietary essential fatty acids. Naturally occurring eicosanoids are rapidly degraded in the body, thus permitting only local, cell-specific actions. Most eicosanoid metabolites are excreted in urine. NSAIDs inhibit the cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), but not the lipoxygenases. Glucocorticoids reduce PLA2 activity, thus reducing the availability of arachidonate for eicosanoid formation, and they also reduce COX-2 activity. TXs are produced in platelets, and upon release cause platelet aggregation and constriction of vascular smooth muscle. Prostacyclin (PGI2), produced by vascular endothelial cells, normally blunts the action of thromboxanes. Thrombin, PGI2, and PAF promote vascular smooth muscle relaxation. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids give rise to series 3 prostanoids, and the series 5 leukotrienes. Thrombin, collagen, ADP, 5-HT, and PAF promote platelet aggregation.
Paired states of fermions in two dimensions with breaking of parity and time-reversal symmetries and the fractional quantum Hall effect

We analyze pairing of fermions in two dimensions for fully gapped cases with broken parity (P) and time reversal (T), especially cases in which the gap function is an orbital angular momentum (l) eigenstate, in particular $l=\ensuremath{-}1$ (p wave, spinless, or spin triplet) and $l=\ensuremath{-}2$ (d wave, spin singlet). For $l\ensuremath{\ne}0,$ these fall into two phases, weak and strong pairing, which may be distinguished topologically. In the cases with conserved spin, we derive explicitly the Hall conductivity for spin as the corresponding topological invariant. For the spinless p-wave case, the weak-pairing phase has a pair wave function that is asympototically the same as that in the Moore-Read (Pfaffian) quantum Hall state, and we argue that its other properties (edge states, quasihole, and toroidal ground states) are also the same, indicating that nonabelian statistics is a generic property of such a paired phase. The strong-pairing phase is an abelian state, and the transition between the two phases involves a bulk Majorana fermion, the mass of which changes sign at the transition. For the d-wave case, we argue that the Haldane-Rezayi state is not the generic behavior of a phase but describes the asymptotics at the critical point between weak and strong pairing, and has gapless fermion excitations in the bulk. In this case the weak-pairing phase is an abelian phase, which has been considered previously. In the p-wave case with an unbroken $U(1)$ symmetry, which can be applied to the double layer quantum Hall problem, the weak-pairing phase has the properties of the 331 state, and with nonzero tunneling there is a transition to the Moore-Read phase. The effects of disorder on noninteracting quasiparticles are considered. The gapped phases survive, but there is an intermediate thermally conducting phase in the spinless p-wave case, in which the quasiparticles are extended.
The Murmur Online Learning Experience (MOLE) Curriculum Improves Medical Students' Ability to Correctly Identify Cardiac Murmurs.

Introduction Physical examination skills are receiving less attention in curricula and clinical practice, being supplanted by imaging and other technologies. We developed an online module to introd...
Cosmological constant and the use of cutoffs

Of the contributions to the cosmological constant, zero-point energy contributions scale as ${\ensuremath{\delta}}^{4}(0)\ensuremath{\sim}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{4}$ where $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ is an ultraviolet cutoff used to regulate the calculations. I show that such contributions vanish when calculated in perturbation theory. This demonstration uses a little-known modification to perturbation theory found by Honerkamp and Meetz and by Gerstein, Jackiw, Lee, and Weinberg which comes into play when using cutoffs and interactions with multiple derivatives, as found in chiral theories and gravity. In a path integral treatment, the new interaction arises from the path integral measure and cancels the ${\ensuremath{\delta}}^{4}(0)$ contributions. This reduces the sensitivity of the cosmological constant to the high energy cutoff, although it does not resolve the cosmological constant problem. The feature removes one of the common motivations for supersymmetry. It also calls into question some of the results of the asymptotic safety program. Covariance and quadratic cutoff dependence are also briefly discussed.
No evidence of increasing COVID-19 in health care workers after implementation of high flow nasal cannula: A safety evaluation.

Abstract Background Initial recommendations discouraged high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in COVID-19 patients, driven by concern for healthcare worker (HCW) exposure. Noting high morbidity and mortality from early invasive mechanical ventilation, we implemented a COVID-19 respiratory protocol employing HFNC in severe COVID-19 and HCW exposed to COVID-19 patients on HFNC wore N95/KN95 masks. Utilization of HFNC increased significantly but questions remained regarding HCW infection rate. Methods We performed a retrospective evaluation of employee infections in our healthcare system using the Employee Health Services database and unit records of employees tested between March 15, 2020 and May 23, 2020. We assessed the incidence of infections before and after the implementation of the protocol, stratifying by clinical or non-clinical role as well as inpatient COVID-19 unit. Results During the study period, 13.9% (228/1635) of employees tested for COVID-19 were positive. Forty-six percent of infections were in non-clinical staff. After implementation of the respiratory protocol, the proportion of positive tests in clinical staff (41.5%) was not higher than that in non-clinical staff (43.8%). Of the clinicians working in the high-risk COVID-19 unit, there was no increase in infections after protocol implementation compared with clinicians working in COVID-19 units that did not use HFNC. Conclusion We found no evidence of increased COVID-19 infections in HCW after the implementation of a respiratory protocol that increased use of HFNC in patients with COVID-19; however, these results are hypothesis generating.
Oxidation Behavior of Candidate NiCr Alloys for Engine Exhaust Valves: Part I—Effect of Minor Alloying Elements

Oxidation-induced degradation of structural materials employed as exhaust valves within internal combustion engines (ICEs) will be a relevant life-limiting mechanism, in addition to creep and mechanical fatigue, due to ever-increasing severity of operating temperatures and pressures. Ni–Cr-based alloys, which form external chromia-based scales at the relevant operating temperatures are being considered as suitable candidate materials. Thermal cycling of these alloys in water vapor-containing atmospheres, such as those present during hydrocarbon fuel combustion within ICEs, can considerably influence their oxidation behavior. In this study, the role of typical alloying additions such as Mn, Si, Al and Ti on the cyclic oxidation behavior of model NiCr–X (X = Mn,Si,Al,Ti) alloys exposed in dry air and air + 10% $$\hbox {H}_{2}\hbox {O}$$ at $$800\, ^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$ and $$950\, ^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$ was investigated. Combined additions of Mn and Si reduced scaling rates compared to binary Ni–22Cr alloys. The presence of water vapor possibly suppressed formation of NiMnCr spinel and thereby the Cr depletion in the alloy. Combined Al and Ti additions mainly resulted in accelerated oxidation kinetics due to the Ti doping of chromia scales. More porous external scales were observed in water vapor leading to a much deeper depth of nitridation in the Ni–22Cr–Al–Ti alloys.
Educating Respiratory Care Practitioners With Patient Case Scenarios Through High Simulation Mannequins Improves Satisfaction and Clinical Relevance

Background: Procedural and equipment competencies are a requirement for many respiratory care practitioners (RCP’s). Simulation based training may be used to improve knowledge and safety in areas of high risk and high-stress environments. Previous annual skills days in the RT department at UC Davis Health utilized lecture and hands on equipment training. We set out to see if including the use of high simulation mannequins with real life scenarios in skills day education would improve RCP satisfaction of education, relevance, and if the RCP felt there was an investment in their clinical knowledge. Methods: Two RCP clinical educators, five RCP’s, and two simulation specialists at UC Davis Health created and facilitated two high simulation scenarios utilizing mannequins at each of the 10 skills day in 2018. The high simulation mannequins spoke, had breath sounds, pulses, vital signs, and the ability to be ventilated on mechanical ventilators. Asthma and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) scenarios were created to educate the RCP clinical staff on assessment, treatments, and ventilation modalities of these disease processes. These scenarios were an hour long each, broken into three segments that accommodated three RCP’s to assess and treat the mannequin patients, while six of their RCP colleagues viewed and listened from a separate room. The entire group would then congregate for debriefing after each segment of the scenario. Results: 36 of the 123 (29%) RCP’s who attended the 2018 annual skills day responded to the anonyms online survey. 35 (97%) RCP’s felt that the topics were relevant to their daily practice. 34 (94%) RCP’s felt there was an overall improvement in skills day compared to previous years. All respondents (100%) felt the RT department was committed to furthering their knowledge and education. Conclusions: It is well understood that simulation is a safe and effective method of education for clinicians. These survey results show that RCP’s are satisfied with the case scenario and high simulation style of learning and feel it relevant to their everyday practice. Instituting this type of education may also contribute to the satisfaction that RT departments are dedicated to fostering their RCP staff9s clinical knowledge.
Shielding of Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 from Ultraviolet Radiation in Particles Generated by Sneezing or Coughing: Numerical Simulations of Survival Fractions

SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes within aerosol particles can be partially shielded from UV radiation. The particles refract and absorb light, and thereby reduce the UV intensity at various locations within the particle. Shielding has been demonstrated in calculations of UV intensities within spherical approximations of SARS-CoV-2 virions that are within spherical particles approximating dried-to-equilibrium respiratory fluids. The purpose of this paper is to calculate the survival fractions of virions (i.e., the fractions of virions that can infect cells) within spherical particles approximating dried respiratory fluids, and to investigate the implications of these calculations for using UV light for disinfection. The particles may be on a surface or in air. In this paper the survival fraction (S) of a set of virions illuminated with a UV fluence (F, in J/m2) is approximated as S=exp(-kF), where k is the UV inactivation rate constant (m2/J). The average survival fractions (Sp) of all the simulated virions in a particle are calculated using the calculated decreases in fluence. The results show that virions in particles of dried respiratory fluids can have significantly larger Sp than do individual virions. For individual virions, and virions in 1-, 5-, and 9-{micro}m particles illuminated (normal incidence) on a surface with 260-nm UV light, the Sp = 0.00005, 0.0155, 0.22 and 0.28, respectively, when kF=10. The Sp decrease to <10-7, <10-7, 0.077 and 0.15, respectively, for kF=100. Calculated results also show that illuminating particles with UV beams from widely separated directions can strongly reduce the Sp. These results suggest that the size distributions and optical properties of the dried particles of virion-containing respiratory fluids are likely important in effectively designing and using UV germicidal irradiation systems for microbes in particles. The results suggest the use of reflective surfaces to increase the angles of illumination and decrease the Sp. The results suggest the need for measurements of the Sp of SARS-CoV-2 in particles having compositions and sizes relevant to the modes of disease transmission.
Siblings Are Also at Risk for Abuse.

Approximately 9 of every 1000 children in the United States are identified as victims of maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, or sexual abuse.1 However, many cases of maltreatment are not identified,2 which has severe consequences for affected children.3 Although it is important to evaluate any child at risk for abuse, identifying risk can be challenging. In this issue of Pediatrics , Kisely et al4 evaluated whether siblings of children with suspected abuse are themselves at increased risk. These researchers followed a large cohort of sibling pairs in Australia. They found a 60-fold increase in abuse reports for siblings of children who had themselves been reported as abused previously. The risk was even greater when the mother was <20 years of age. … Address correspondence to Suzanne B. Haney, MD, MS, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, 8200 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68114. E-mail: shaney{at}childrensomaha.org
The Problem with Government Transparency

The push for more and more government transparency has been moderately successful. In theory, if people have access to more information about what government is doing, they are better able to hold government and their elected officials accountable. The problem is that the push for transparency has been focused only on the availability of information, not the form and content. The result is a plethora of websites and on-line documents that is so overwhelming, even the most seasoned researcher is loathe to collect any useful data. This paper looks at the development and future of government transparency in the US and what it means for the average American.
Advocacy Through Design: Partnering to Improve Online Communications and Connections in a Life Plan Community

Despite longstanding interests to understand user involvement in participatory, community-based research, we are still learning how including different users can influence the design process. In this paper, we share what we learned examining older adults' participation in formative studies conducted to redesign a resident-led, internal website at a Life Plan Community in a partnership with residents and staff. We administered questionnaires followed by focus groups and interviews to understand residents' experiences and concerns with the website; however, we found early in our process that several non-users participated advocating for changes outside the scope of our initial project goals. We reflect on how participation by different users, particularly non-users, helped us uncover design tensions related to underlying socio-technical concerns about the website. Our work builds on work promoting critical reflection in HCI. We extend work on participation, non-use, and advocacy in design and share practical examples of adapting our approach to prepare for design activities.
U.S. International Trade Commission Testimony

This testimony responds to a Congressional inquiry on the subject of "foreign censorship." It focuses on laws regulating Internet platforms, and because of the ITC's trade focus also prioritizes issues with potential economic impact. The initial filing June 24, 2021 filing addresses (1) competing concepts of "censorship" in platform regulation, (2) the role of informal government pressure or "jawboning" on platforms' global speech rules, (3) recent developments in non-U.S. governments' formal claims of extraterritorial jurisdiction to regulate speech, (4) emerging jurisdictional "hardball" practices, including "hostage" provisions in national laws regulating platforms, and (5) potential economic and competitive impact of recent and pending platform law developments. The post-hearing submission, addressing questions raised in the July 1, 2021 hearing, addresses (1) developments in India, (2) state action in intermediary liability laws, (3) studies attempting to quantify or otherwise empirically assess the economic impact of intermediary liability laws, (4) threats to end-to-end-encryption with both economic and speech-related consequences, with a list of experts and sources on the topic.
SU‐E‐J‐75: Automated Two Loop Optimization of a Treatment Planning System

Purpose: To establish a strategy of a two loop optimization with recorded interactions between a planner and a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) and to apply it to facilitate VMAT/IMRT planning with incorporation of prior knowledge-guidance. Methods: We first record some commonly used planner- TPS interactions as subroutines using Microsoft Visual Studio Coded UI. A recorded action is called back in C# application programming when the corresponding task needs to be accomplished. We implement a prior knowledge-guided VMAT/IMRT plan selection algorithm in a two loop optimization framework with an Eclipse TPS (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). In this implementation, the DVHs of a prior treatment plan are used to guide the search for a clinically optimal VMAT/IMRT treatment plan by iteratively evaluating and modifying the optimization parameters of a series of Eclipse plans. The approach is applied to the treatment planning of three clinical cases, a prostate case and two head and neck cases. Results: An automated two loop optimization is developed. The method is applied to guide VMAT/IMRT planning process and our results show that it is capable of finding clinically sensible treatment plans with little planner interactions. The process mimics a planner’s planning process and provides a solution that would otherwise require a huge amount of trial-and-error interactions of a planner. The results obtained using the approach are found to be either clinically acceptable or close to be acceptable. Conclusion: The proposed technique provides a valuable way to harness a commercial TPS by application programming via the use of recorded human-computer interactions. A prior knowledge guided plan selection is developed in the platform, which greatly facilitates the search of clinically acceptable plans. The development brings us a big step closer toward the goal of automated treatment planning in a clinical environment.
The Solar Resource

Given the importance of the sun as a source of renewable energy, this chapter develops a rather complete set of equations that can be used to estimate the solar resource available on a clear day at any location and time on earth. Data for actual solar energy at sites across the United States are also presented, and techniques for utilizing that data for preliminary solar systems design are presented.
Force-Extension and Force-Clamp AFM Spectroscopies in Investigating Mechanochemical Reactions and Mechanical Properties of Single Biomolecules

In every biological system, mechanical forces are present from the molecular scales, to the cellular levels, to the single-molecule level. In this chapter we describe current experimental methods of measuring forces and displacements of biological objects at the molecular length scales. To start with, we quickly review some key experimental techniques like the centroid tracking, FRET, magnetic and optical tweezers, and the atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods. We focus on the AFM methods, and namely on the force-extension (FX) and the force-clamp (FC) AFM-based spectroscopies. These methods are able to inform about conformational changes of the biomolecules subjected to a controlled stretching and/or compression. We discuss the limitations of displacement and force resolution and sensitivity, respectively. We mention some important technicalities in the FX and FC studies like the methods of fingerprinting the stretched biomolecules, and the ways of optimizing the AFM systems. Finally, we discuss the applications of the FX and FC methods in probing mechanical stability of proteins and polysaccharides, as well as using proteins as matrices to study disulfide reductions at the single molecule level. We close by discussing some shortcoming of the presented AFM-based spectroscopies.
Prevalence of cerebral palsy: estimations, calculations and neonatal care.

Dr Bhushan et al 1 published a very interesting article in the June issue of Pediatrics which should be helpful in planning for health care delivery to patients with cerebral palsy. We have performed further analysis on the estimations and calculations they reported and would like to make some comments and add some results with a somewhat different perspective. Prevalence has been classically defined as the "percent of a population being studied that is affected with a particular disease at a given time" 2 or as "the ratio between the number of people who have the disease at one point in time with the number of people at risk at that time." 3
Numerical Simulation of Coulombic Freezing

The fluid to crystalline solid first order phase transition of the classical one component plasma (OCP) has been studied by Monte Carlo simulation in three dimensions for temperatures below the thermodynamic freezing temperature (Γ = Z2e2/akT = 180, a = Wigner-Zeitz radius). With N = 686 we found freezing from a metastable supercooled fluid into microcrystals for values of Γ ranging from 250 to 700. In one case, Γ = 500, the system froze into a perfect bcc lattice from a random start. With more particles the system froze into two or more crystals one bcc and one fcc and smaller examples of hcp. The lattice planes were examined and various kinds of crystal defects could be observed. We developed a program for determining the local environment of each particle as bcc, fcc, hcp, or fluid in order to identify microcrystals in the system at any stage of the freezing process. Generally freezing proceeds rapidly when any single miciutrystal attains a sufficient size or roughly 60 to 70 particles. The observations of freezing seem to agree with classical nucleation theory. No separate glass phase (non-crystalline) was seen.
Assessing Mother to Offspring Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease Using Transgenic Mouse Models

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), or prion disease, of free-ranging and captive cervids (deer, elk and moose). The presence of sufficient infectious prions in the tissues, bodily fluids (urine, saliva, and blood) and environments of clinical and preclinical CWD-infected animals is thought to account for its high transmission efficiency. Recently it has been recognized that transmission from mother to offspring may contribute to the facile transmission of some TSEs. Although the mechanism of maternal transmission has yet to be elucidated, the extended asymptomatic TSE carrier phase, lasting years to decades, suggests that maternal transmission may have implications in the spread of prions. Placental trafficking and/or secretion in milk are two means by which maternal prion transmission may occur. In these studies we explore CWD maternal transmission during early and late CWD infection using a transgenic mouse model (TgCerPRP) expressing cervid prion protein. Naive and CWD-infected dams were bred during early (45 dpi) and late (120 dpi) infection and were allowed to bear and raise their offspring. Milk was collected from the dams for prion analysis, and the offspring were observed for TSE disease progression. Terminal tissues harvested from these dams and offspring were analyzed for prions. We have demonstrated: 1) that CWD-infected TgCerPRP females successfully breed and bear offspring, 2) the presence of PrP CWD in reproductive and mammary tissue harvested from CWD-infected dams, and 3) clinical disease progression in offspring born to CWD-infected dams. We are currently analyzing terminal tissue harvested from offspring born to CWD-infected dams for the detection of PrP CWD and amplification competent prions. These studies will provide insight into the potential mechanisms and biological significance associated with mother to offspring transmission of TSEs.
Relaxing environmental security: monitored functionalities and client-server computation

Definition of security under the framework of Environmental Security (a.k.a Network-Aware Security or Universally Composable Security) typically requires “extractability” of the private inputs of parties running a protocol. Formalizing concepts that appeared in an earlier work [19], we introduce a framework of “Monitored Functionalities,” which allows us to avoid such a requirement from the security definition, while still providing very strong composition properties. We also consider a specialization of the Environmental Security framework by designating one party as a “server” and all other parties as clients. Both these contributions in the work are aimed at being able to provide weaker Environmental Security guarantees to simpler protocols. We illustrate the usability of the Monitored Functionalities framework by providing much simpler protocols in the plain model than in [19] for some limited functionalities in the server-client model.
The impact of EGFR mutation status on outcomes in patients with resected stage I non-small cell lung cancers.

Background Mutations of the epidermal growth factor hormone receptor ( EGFR ) gene have been associated with improved treatment response and prognosis in advanced non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). However, their prognostic role in early-stage NSCLC is not well defined. In this study we sought to identify the pure prognostic role of EGFR mutation in patients with completely resected stage I NSCLC who received no adjuvant therapy. Methods Mutation status was tested in treatment-naive patients who had complete resection of stage I (T 1–2a N 0 ) NSCLC (from 2004 to 2011) using direct sequencing or multiplex polymerase chain reaction–based assay. Recurrence rates, disease-free survival, and overall survival were compared between EGFR -mutant and wild-type patients using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models. Results Three hundred seven patients were included in this study; 62 harbored tumors with EGFR mutations and 245 had wild-type EGFR. Tumors in patients with EGFR mutations were associated with a significantly lower recurrence rate (9.7% versus 21.6%; p = 0.03), greater median disease-free survival (8.8 versus 7.0 years; p = 0.0085), and improved overall 5-year survival (98% versus 73%; p = 0.003) compared with wild-type tumors. Lobectomy was the most frequently performed procedure, accounting for 209 of 307 operations. Among these patients, EGFR mutation was associated with superior overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.13 to 0.83; p = 0.017), with an estimated 5-year survival of 98% versus 70%. The presence of EGFR mutation ( p = 0.026) and tumor size less than 2 cm ( p = 0.04) were identified as independent prognostic markers for disease-free survival, whereas age, sex, and smoking status were not. Conclusions Completely resected stage I EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients have a significant survival advantage compared with EGFR wild-type patients. Mutation of the EGFR gene is a positive prognostic marker in completely resected stage I NSCLC.
Substitution mutations affecting a small region of the Moloney murine leukemia virus MA gag protein block assembly and release of virion particles.

Abstract A series of substitution mutations affecting the Moloney murine leukemia virus MA protein were introduced into a cloned proviral DNA, and the mutant DNAs were tested for their biological activity in NIH/3T3 cells and COS cells. Many of the mutant viruses were viable and replicated with kinetics indistinguishable from the wild type. Seven mutants with alterations in a small region (residues 7-14 from the amino terminus) were replication-defective. These mutants were blocked in assembly end release of the virion particles in NIH/3T3 cells and were defective in both gag and gag-pol gene function. The results suggest that this very small region near the amino terminus of both proteins is required for their membrane targeting or self-association. Three of the defective mutant DNAs were able to induce virion particle formation when present at high copy number in COS cells.
Lessons From a Clinical Life in Aphasia

Not only do clinicians play a role in shaping the lives of their clients, but they are shaped by the individuals they work with. This article interweaves selected aspects from the stories of 12 aphasic individuals into a story about some of the things they have taught me about my clinical life.
A kernel method for incorporating information on disease progression in the analysis of survival

SUMMARY This paper considers incorporating information on disease progression in the analysis of survival. A three-state model is assumed, with the distribution of each transition estimated separately. The distribution of survival following progression can depend on the time of progression. Kernel methods are used to give consistent estimators under general forms of dependence. The estimators for the individual transitions are then combined into an overall estimator of the survival distribution. A test statistic for equality of survival between treatment groups is proposed based on the tests of Pepe & Fleming (1989, 1991). In simulations the kernel method successfully incorporated dependence on the time of progression in some reasonable settings, but under extreme forms of dependence the tests had substantial bias. If survival beyond progression can be predicted fairly accurately, then gains in power over standard methods that ignore progression can be substantial, but the gains are smaller when survival beyond progression is more variable. The methodology is illustrated with an application to a breast cancer clinical trial.
Very-Large-Scale Motions in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Educed by Snapshot Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

Large-eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) under a wide range of stabilities are conducted to educe very-large-scale motions and then to study their dynamics and how they are influenced by buoyancy. Preliminary flow visualizations suggest that smaller-scale motions that resemble hairpins are embedded in much larger scale streamwise meandering rolls. Using simulations that represent more than 150 h of physical time, many snapshots in the $$xy$$ -, $$yz$$ - and $$xz$$ -planes are then collected to perform snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition and further investigate the large structures. These analyses confirm that large streamwise rolls that share several features with the very-large-scale motions observed in laboratory studies arise as the dominant modes under most stabilities, but the effect of the surface kinematic buoyancy flux on the energy content of these dominant modes is very significant. The first two modes in the $$yz$$ -plane in the neutral case contain up to 3 % of the total turbulent kinetic energy; they also have a vertical tilt angle in the $$yz$$ -plane of about 0 to 30 $$^\circ $$ due to the turning effect associated with the Coriolis force. Unstable cases also feature streamwise rolls, but in the convective ABL they are strengthened by rising plumes in between them, with two to four rolls spanning the whole domain in the first few modes; the Coriolis effect is much weaker in the unstable ABL. These rolls are no longer the dominant modes under stable conditions where the first mode is observed to contain sheet-like motions with high turbulent kinetic energy. Using these proper orthogonal decomposition modes, we are also able to extract the vertical velocity fields corresponding to individual modes and then to correlate them with the horizontal velocity or temperature fields to obtain the momentum and heat flux carried by individual modes. Structurally, the fluxes are explained by the topology of their corresponding modes. However, the fraction of the fluxes produced by the modes is invariably smaller than the fraction of energy they contain, particularly under stable conditions where the first modes are found to perform weak counter-gradient fluxes.
Dystrophin binding to nonmuscle actin

We purified actin from bovine brain by DNase I affinity chromatography in order to compare the binding of dystrophin to muscle actin with its binding to nonmuscle actin. While both beta- and gamma-nonmuscle actins are expressed in brain, Western blot analysis with isoform-specific antibodies indicated that our purified brain actin was exclusively the gamma-isoform. The recombinant amino-terminal, actin-binding domain of dystrophin bound to muscle and brain actin in a saturable manner (approximately 1 mol/mol actin) with similar Kd values of 13.7+/-3.5 and 10.6+/-3.7 microM, respectively. We further demonstrate that intact dystrophin in the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex bound with equal avidity to muscle and brain F-actin. These data argue that a preferential binding of dystrophin to nonmuscle actin is not the basis for its targeting to the muscle cell plasmalemma but do support the hypothesis that dystrophin is capable of interacting with filamentous actin in nonmuscle tissues.
Recent insights about relationships between nutrient availability, forms, and stoichiometry, and the distribution, ecophysiology, and food web effects of pelagic and benthic Prorocentrum species

The genus Prorocentrum includes six planktonic species that form high-biomass blooms, and at least nine predominantly benthic toxigenic species. Four of the plankters, including P. minimum, the only plankter reported to be toxigenic, are among the most commonly recognized harmful algae that are increasing in frequency, duration, and magnitude globally. Culture studies suggest a species group that generally grows maximally at inorganic nutrient N:P ratios just below Redfield proportions. However, field studies indicate that planktonic Prorocentrum species bloom when nutrients are at high N:P ratios relative to Redfield proportions. In the benthic species P. lima complex, toxin production has been shown to be inversely related to nutrient limitation, increasing when nutrient ratios are above Redfield proportions. Mixotrophy and allelopathy can play an important role in the interactions among planktonic Prorocentrum species, diatoms and other dinoflagellates, but little information is available for benthic taxa. The available information suggests that there are allelopathic interactions among benthic species and other algae, and that benthic species also can adversely affect finfish and shellfish health. While high growth rates may allow these plankters to initiate blooms, adaptive physiology is hypothesized to allow blooms to be maintained at less than maximal growth rates and at non-optimal N:P ratios. Given the projection for land-based nutrient export to continue to increase, it is expected that there will be further expansion of planktonic harmful Prorocentrum spp. globally and more intensive or more toxic benthic occurrences in the future.
NONTRANSPLANT OPTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF METABOLIC LIVER DISEASE : SAVING LIVERS WHILE SAVING LIVES

“When medicine has really succeeded brilliantly in technology, as in immunization or endocrine-replacement therapy, so that the therapeutic measures can be directed straight at the underlying disease mechanism and are decisively effective, the cost is likely to be very low indeed. It is when our technologies have to be applied halfway along against the progress of disease, or must be brought in after the fact to shore up the loss of destroyed tissue, that health care becomes enormously expensive. The deeper our understanding of a disease mechanism, the greater are our chances of devising direct and decisive measures to prevent disease, or to turn it around before it is too late.” Lewis Thomas (1).
手持ち式グラインダ(ディスクグラインダ)による金属研磨作業時の粉じん曝露と対策

実験では,軽作業台(W60 cm×D45 cm× H70 cm) 上に日立工機(株)製電気ディスクグラインダG18SP (使用電源電圧100V,消費電力1,140W,無負荷回転数 6,800 rpm,180mmレジノイド砥石A/WA24P装着)と 上半身人体模型(等身大トルソー)を固定して研磨作業 者を模し,ステンレス製固定台の上に載せた被削材(一 般構造用圧延鋼材 500mm× 75mm× 10mm)がバネ の張力により常に一定の力(500 gw)で砥石に押し当 たるよう配置して手持ち式グラインダ作業の再現とした (Fig. 1).1回の研磨時間は20~30分間とし,研磨時間 中の粉じん濃度をダミー作業者の呼吸域およびグライン ダ周辺半径1mの6点(左方向,左斜め前方,正面前方, 右斜め前方,右方向,右斜め後方)で測定した(Fig. 2). なお,Fig. 2に記した測定点1の床面からの高さは 145 cm,測定点2~7の床面からの高さは,砥石の高 さと同じ85 cmとした.研磨粉じんの濃度測定には柴田 科学(株)製慣性衝突式個人サンプラーNWPS‐254,ミ ニポンプMP‐Σ300およびガラス繊維ろ紙T60A20φ 25mmを使用して,吸入性粉じん(PM4)の質量濃度 を求めた.またグラインダ作業の粉じん対策の実験に際 しては,換気装置として興研(株)製ユニット式プッシュ プル型換気装置ラミナーMS‐01(フード開口面サイズ 70 cm×70 cm,プッシュ/プル・ユニット間隔=1.5m) を使用し,その一様流の風速測定には日本カノマックス (株)製熱線式風速計クリモマスターModel 6511を用い
Ultrafast Dielectric Response of Proteins from Dynamics Stokes Shifting of Coumarin in Calmodulin

The contributions of protein motions to the dielectric response in solvent-inaccessible regions of calmodulin are examined. Two-pulse and three-pulse stimulated-emission experiments are used to exa...