[en] We present an efficient parallel algorithm and its implementation for computing the diagonal of H^-1 where H is a 2D Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian discretized on a rectangular domain using a standard second order finite difference scheme. This type of calculation can be used to obtain an accurate approximation to the diagonal of a Fermi-Dirac function of H through a recently developed pole-expansion technique LinLuYingE2009. The diagonal elements are needed in electronic structure calculations for quantum mechanical systems HohenbergKohn1964, KohnSham 1965,DreizlerGross1990. We show how elimination tree is used to organize the parallel computation and how synchronization overhead is reduced by passing data level by level along this tree using the technique of local buffers and relative indices. We analyze the performance of our implementation by examining its load balance and communication overhead. We show that our implementation exhibits an excellent weak scaling on a large-scale high performance distributed parallel machine. When compared with standard approach for evaluating the diagonal a Fermi-Dirac function of a Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian associated a 2D electron quantum dot, the new pole-expansion technique that uses our algorithm to compute the diagonal of (H-z_i I)^-1 for a small number of poles z_i is much faster, especially when the quantum dot contains many electrons.

[en] We report a case of multiple myeloma in which the CT only shows osteolytic lesions and MRI only shows compressive fractrue, but the scan shows some interesting imaging that make us to think of multiple myeloma. (authors)

[en] Mathematical development of Lin's theory of flux is presented. Based on the Theory, when a chemical reaction system is subjected to a high time rate of temperature change, it changes from equilibrium to non-equilibrium conditions. It is proved mathematically that, when a gas system is subjected to a high time rate of temperature increase, the activities of particles (molecules, atoms or nuclei, and electrons) are increased: the particles are accelerated; frequencies and amplitudes of electron and atomic vibrations in a molecule increased; average kinetic energy of the particles increased; atomic bonds are ruptured; electrons are caused to leave their orbits. If most or all of the electrons leave their orbits, the gas fluid becomes plasma, which is very active chemically. The acceleration of nuclei in the dynamic condition can lead to nuclear reactions. In the pilot plant studies conducted at Research Triangle, NC, USA, for SO₂ conversion to SO₃ by rapid heating, a 10-ft high vertically fired combustor (VFC) was used. Air containing 0.5% SO₂ is forced continuously through the VFC, where it is heated by burners for conversion of SO₂ to SO₃. During the idle period of operation, no external heat is added to the system by turning off the burners. It is observed that, as the air passing through the VFC during the idle period of sixteen hours, the temperature of the flowing air consistently rises up rapidly from ambient temperature (90 deg F) at inlet of the VFC to an average temperature as high as 582 deg F (in the range of 840 deg F to 455 deg F) at one section of the VFC, an increase of about 500 deg F. The air flow temperature increase of such large magnitude and long duration clearly indicates that nuclear reactions are present in VFC. It is also found that the water vapour in the air stream has completely disappeared in the VFC, for no sulphuric acid formation resulting from the reaction of water and SO₃ is detected there. Presumably, the water vapour in the air is initially converted to hydrogen and oxygen by rapid heating, which further leads to nuclear reactions, involving transformation of hydrogen ions to protons. In the dynamic condition, electrons are driven off from their orbits, neutrons are released, and protons are produced from the hydrogen ions. The mutual bombardments and direct impacts between the elements of the air produce various nuclear reactions including nuclear fusion. The possible nuclear reactions are shown in the body of the paper. (author)

[en] Objective: To estimate dual-source CT effective doses under four different examination protocols. Methods: After putting TLDs in the Alderson Radiation Therapy Phantom, we scanned the phantom under two different examination protocols. Then effective doses were calculated with the acquired absorbed doses of organs and tissues. Tissue weighting factors recommended by the ICRP were adopted in the calculation. Effective doses were also calculated using the AAPM recommended method by which the DLP was multiplied by the K factor. Results: Effective doses under two different examination protocols were obtained. The effective doses were 3.66 and 2.98 mSv respectively when phantom were used. The effective doses were 2. 81 and 1.55 mSv respectively calculated using the K value recommended by AAPM and were all lower than that obtained using phantom. Conclusion: Under the head scan mode, the absorbed dose of crystalline lens is high. Effective doses calculated using the method recommended by AAPM were lower than those using the Alderson Radiation Therapy Phantom. (authors)

[en] In this talk, we discuss issues relevant to the detections of Earth- skimming/mountain-penetrating tau neutrinos. We first argue that there are non-negligible astrophysical tau neutrino fluxes due to neutrino flavor oscillations. We then discuss the rationale for detecting Earth-skimming and mountain-penetrating tau neutrinos. The ν_τ → τ conversion efficiencies and the tau-lepton event rate are presented. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Highlights: • MSC exosomes promote Tregs proliferation by upregulating IL-10 and TGF-β1 in asthma. • MSC exosomes enhance immunosuppression capacity of Tregs from asthmatic patient. • The effect of MSC exosomes on Tregs may be mediated by APCs. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are both potent immune-modulators. The aberrant proliferation and function of Tregs plays an important role in the development of asthma. Our previous studies have demonstrated the role of MSCs in promoting proliferation and immune-modulating of Tregs, as well as alleviating airway inflammation of asthmatic mice. In the present study, we isolated exosomes secreted by MSCs and investigated their immunomodulation effect on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of asthmatic patient. We found that MSC exosomes upregulated IL-10 and TGF-β1 from PBMCs, thus promoting proliferation and immune-suppression capacity of Tregs. Furthermore, antigen presenting cells (APCs) but not CD4+ T cells-dependent pathway was shown to be possible mechanism involved in MSC exosome-mediated regulation. Our data elucidated the key role of exosomes in immune-modulation of MSCs, and suggested the therapeutic potential of MSC exosomes for asthma.

[en] This work evaluates the operating characteristics of radioimmunoassay (RIA), previously developed for the determination of thyrotropin (TSH) in extracts of human hypophysis. The analysis of quality control parameters, carried out by the measurement of specificity, accuracy, precision and sensitivity, showed the main characteristics for the assessment of reliable assays, presenting a wide and appropriate range for the determination of TSH in hypophysis extracts. (author)

[en] This study aims to estimate the effective doses of dental X-ray devices under common scanning protocols. After putting TLDs in the Alderson Radiation Therapy Phantom, we exposed the phantom under common scanning protocols of three dental X-ray devices, namely CBCT, dental panoramic machine and intraoral round cone device. Then effective doses were calculated using the measured absorbed doses of organs and tissues. Tissue weighting factors recommended by the ICRP were adopted in the calculation. Effective doses under common scanning protocols of three Dental X-ray devices were obtained. The effective dose of dental CT was 0.20 mSv, and that of dental panoramic machine and intraoral radiography were 0.013 and 0.0050 mSv, respectively. The tissue absorbed doses of dental CT scan were 0.63 mGy of brain, 7.7 mGy of salivary glands, 8.7 mGy of thyroid and 4.0 mGy of the lens of the eye. The tissue absorbed doses from dental panoramic machine are 0.62 mGy of salivary glands and 0.25 mGy of thyroid. And finally the tissue absorbed dose of intraoral radiography was 0.80 mGy of salivary gland. Among the three dental X-ray devices studied, dental CBCT scan can cause much higher effective dose than the other two. Brain, salivary glands, thyroid and the lens of the eye are tissues receiving relatively higher absorbed doses. (authors)

[en] The standard treatments of glioblastoma include surgery, postoperative radiotherapy and concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide-based chemotherapy. Radiotherapy is directly related to the overall survival rate. Nevertheless, the standard delineation of target volume during radiotherapy remains controversial. In this article, different standpoints upon the range of delineation of tumor volume were analyzed and the recurrence pattern of glioblastoma after radiotherapy was summarized. Besides, the technical causes of the failure to accurately delineate the tumor outline were identified. It is of significance to deliver individualized delineation of target volume by referring to the clinical and pathological characteristics of each patient. Finally, the application prospect of radiotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma was discussed in this article, aiming to enhance the accuracy of target volume delineation during radiotherapy and maximize the clinical benefits to the patients. (authors)