cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma with pseudoangiosarcomatous features and aberrant expression of vascular markers

Squamous cell carcinoma with pseudoangiosarcomatous features is a rare but well-recognized variant of squamous cell carcinoma. These tumors exhibit complex anastomosing channels lined by neoplastic cells, histologically mimicking a vasoformative mesenchymal tumor. Immunohistochemically, the published cases expressed epithelial markers and were consistently negative for vascular markers. Squamous cell carcinoma with pseudoangiosarcomatous features and aberrant expression of vascular markers has never been reported. Herein, we report two cases of metastatic poorly-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with pseudoangiosarcomatous morphologic features which showed immunoreactivity for vascular markers (CD31, Fli-1, and ERG). One case (left thigh skin squamous cell carcinoma with abdominal wall metastasis) showed strong and diffuse positivity for vascular markers, and the final diagnosis was confirmed with electron microscopy. The second case (squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary site with bone metastasis) showed patchy positivity for both squamous and vascular markers. This is the first report of squamous cell carcinoma with pseudoangiosarcomatous features and aberrant expression of vascular markers, which resembles angiosarcoma both morphologically and immunohistochemically, and may represent a potential diagnostic pitfall. It is of crucial importance for pathologists to be aware of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma with such unique features, so that misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment will be avoided.
Hobbes and Husserl

Although Husserl never engaged with Hobbes’ thinking, this essay explores the intriguing contrasts and differences between Husserl’s and Hobbes’ accounts of perception, imagination, judgment, knowledge, and metaphysics. Even if Husserl never developed a political philosophy, Husserl’s metaphysics of knowledge can be put into service of a more classical conception of citizenship in contrast to Hobbes’ view of the Leviathan.
Emotional Responses to Traffic Stops

Police traffic stops instill an emotional cost on drivers who fear an adverse outcome. These fears are particularly strong among minority drivers. We design an experiment and collect data in physiological response to viewing pictures of traffic stops, comparing these to standard images from the literature, reflecting neutral, positive, and threatening images. Many blacks respond to the image of a police officer approaching a car for a traffic stops as they do to other threatening images such as an attacking dog, attacking snakes, or a street scene with shooting soldiers. We explore the roles of various attitudinal predispositions in predicting a higher or lower level of emotional response to the traffic stop photos.
Peer Evaluation of Clinical Teaching Practices

Abstract Clinical education is an integral component of nursing student preparation for practice. Instructors facilitating this process should be evaluated by peers and students. This study examined responses to a survey on peer evaluation of clinical teaching practices implemented at select NLN accredited RN programs. The survey completed by randomly selected sample (N = 678) had a response rate of 11%. Results indicate that peer evaluation provided instructors with useful feedback about performance in preparing students for practice.
Design for cognitive support

Abstract Adverse events, avoidable complications caused by health-care management, occur in an overwhelming number of hospitalizations. By identifying areas in which clinicians would benefit from cognitive support and understanding the cognitive background of these areas, we are able to discuss how to best facilitate dynamic health-care. Health information technology, clinical practice redesign, and collaborative work are ways in which health-care organizations are seeking to attenuate the decision-making process. For example, clinical decision support (CDS) can be utilized in an electronic health record, electronic device, or even written documents, and it provides clinicians time-sensitive, patient-specific information in order to facilitate safe and effective patient care. Our case study describes the optimization of CDS for sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection that affects more than a million Americans every year.
A Multi-Timescale Two-Stage Robust Grid-Friendly Dispatch Model for Microgrid Operation

Uncertainty in renewable energy and load is a great challenge for microgrid operation, especially in islanded mode as the microgrid may be small in size and has limited flexible resources. In this paper, a multi-timescale, two-stage robust unit commitment and economic dispatch model is proposed to optimize the microgrid operation. The first stage is a combination of day-ahead hourly and real-time sub-hourly models, which means the day-ahead dispatch result must also satisfy the real-time condition at the same time. The second stage is to verify the feasibility of the day-ahead dispatch result in worst-case condition considering high-level uncertainty in renewable energy dispatch and load consumptions. In the proposed model, battery energy storage system (BESS) and solar PV units are integrated as a combined solar-storage system. The BESS plays an essential role to balance the variable output of solar PV units, which keeps the combined solar-storage system output unchanged on an hourly basis. In this way, it largely neutralizes the impact of solar uncertainty and makes the microgrid operation grid friendly. Furthermore, in order to enhance the flexibility and resilience of the microgrid, both BESS and thermal units provide regulating reserve to manage solar and load uncertainty. The model has been tested in a controlled hardware in loop (CHIL) environment for the Bronzeville Community Microgrid system in Chicago. The simulation results show that the proposed model works effectively in managing the uncertainty in solar PV and load and can provide a flexible dispatch in both grid-connected and islanded modes.
The Influences of Self-Improvement Motivation and Obsessive Self-Improvement on Psychological State of Undergraduate Student

The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of ‘SPEC pursuit’ in psychological aspect. In study 1, ‘SPEC pursuit’ was redefined as 'self-development', and self-development motivation (promoting, preventive) scale and obsessive self-development scale were developed to measure it. These three self-development scales (promoting, prophylactic, and obsessive) showed logically valid correlations with the regulatory focus scale (promoting, preventing), goal orientation scale (learning, performancel), worry and obsessive-compulsive scale. Study 2 was conducted to confirm the effect of three self-development on psychological variables related to career and employment (job anxiety, career maturity, career decision-making, career preparation behavior, internal prejudice, life satisfaction). As a result, the positive effect of the promotional self-development and the negative effect of the obsessive self-development were supported. On the other hand, the negative effect of preventive self-development, which was assumed to have a negative effect, was not observed. It is expected that the tools and results developed in this study will be used for desirable self-development guidance and counseling for students.
A new variant of the B-dot control for spacecraft magnetic detumbling

Abstract With using the B-dot control law for magnetic detumbling, there will be no need for angular velocity measurements. The B-dot control law is a torque projection-based controller, however, it is not guaranteed to have the dipole moment orthogonal to the magnetic field, especially as the angular velocity gets smaller during detumbling, resulting in a suboptimal torque vector. This paper presents a new variant of the B-dot control. By computing an equivalent angular velocity, based on the magnetic field data, it is possible to develop a control law that guarantees the magnetic dipole moment to remain in the plane orthogonal to the ambient magnetic field. Using Monte Carlo simulations, the proposed B-dot control is compared to two other variants of B-dot control laws: a simple B-dot control and a recent variable gain B-dot control. The results show that the proposed B-dot control outperforms the other B-dot control laws in terms of the speed of detumbling and the power consumption.
HEPARIN-INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIA POST RECENT CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING CAUSING LOSS OF VENOUS GRAFTS

Heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening idiosyncratic reaction to heparin products. Loss of bypass grafts can possibly happen in post coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) patients who develop HIT. A 78-year-old male with a past medical history significant for coronary artery
Reduced cigarette smoking during injectable extended-release naltrexone treatment for opioid use disorder.

The prevalence of tobacco cigarette smoking in the US has declined to approximately 15%, yet, it remains over 90% among individuals with opioid use disorder regardless of whether they are currently...
Nonlinear Elimination Applied to Radiation Diffusion

We apply a nonlinearly preconditioned, quasi-Newton framework to accelerate the numerical solution of the thermal radiative transfer (TRT) equations. This framework was inspired by the unpublished ...
Opportunistic muscle measurements on staging chest CT for extremity and truncal soft tissue sarcoma are associated with survival.

Background and objectives Computed tomography (CT) measurements of sarcopenia have been proposed as biomarkers associated with outcomes in various cancers and have typically been evaluated at the L3 vertebral level. However, staging imaging for patients with extremity and truncal soft tissue sarcoma (STS) often only includes chest CT imaging which precludes evaluation at L3. Therefore, we sought to evaluate muscle metrics at T12 on standard staging chest CT scans and evaluate for correlation with overall and event-free survival in patients with STS. Methods CT chest imaging for 89 patients with intermediate and high-grade STS (53 male, 36 female; 58.5 ± 19.0 years old, follow-up 37.4 ± 27.1 months) was reviewed on PACS at T12 for skeletal muscle density (SMD) and skeletal muscle index (SMI). Results Overall survival increased with increased SMD on univariate (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.61 [0.43, 0.86]) and age-adjusted analysis (HR = 0.65 [0.42, 0.89]. Event-free survival also increased with increased SMD in univariate analyses (HR = 0.68 [0.49, 0.95]) but did not maintain significance after adjusting for age (HR = 0.68 [0.43, 1.07]). SMI was not a predictor of overall or event-free survival. Conclusions Higher SMD measured on routinely obtained staging chest CTs in STS patients is associated with improved survival.
Relational Model: Structure and Architecture

This chapter introduces the relational model and defines database management systems, data relations, database tables, fields, primary keys, and types of relationships between tables (i.e., one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many). We describe how database systems fit within the framework of providers and clients, and we introduce the use of SQL.
Generalized solution in singular stochastic control: The nondegenerate problem

This paper is concerned with singular stochastic control for non-degenerate problems. It generalizes the previous work in that the model equation is nonlinear and the cost function need not be convex. The associated dynamic programming equation takes the form of variational inequalities. By combining the principle of dynamic programming and the method of penalization, we show that the value function is characterized as a unique generalized (Sobolev) solution which satisfies the dynamic programming variational inequality in the almost everywhere sense. The approximation for our singular control problem is given in terms of a family of penalized control problems. As a result of such a penalization, we obtain that the value function is also the minimum cost available when only the admissible pairs with uniformly Lipschitz controls are admitted in our cost criterion.
Inventory Problems with Partially Observed Demands and Lost Sales

This paper considers the case of partially observed demand in the context of a multi-period inventory problem with lost sales. Demand in a period is observed if it is less than the inventory level in that period and the leftover inventory is carried over to the next period. Otherwise, only the event that it is larger than or equal to the inventory level is observed. These observations are used to update the demand distributions over time. The state of the resulting dynamic program consists of the current inventory level and the current demand distribution, which is infinite dimensional. The state evolution equation for the demand distribution becomes linear with the use of unnormalized probabilities. We study two demand cases. First, the demands evolve according to a Markov chain. Second, the demand distribution has an unknown parameter which is updated in the Bayesian manner. In both cases, we prove the existence of an optimal feedback ordering policy.
High-fidelity hurricane surge forecasting using emulation and sequential experiments

Probabilistic hurricane storm surge forecasting using a high-fidelity model has been considered impractical due to the overwhelming computational expense to run thousands of simulations. This article demonstrates that modern statistical tools enable good forecasting performance using a small number of carefully chosen simulations. This article offers algorithms that quickly handle the massive output of a surge model while addressing the missing data at unsubmerged locations. Also included is a new optimal design criterion for selecting simulations that accounts for the log transform required to statistically model surge data. Hurricane Michael (2018) is used as a testbed for this investigation and provides evidence for the approach’s efficacy in comparison to the existing probabilistic surge forecast method.
SCoPTO: signalized corridor management with vehicle platooning and trajectory control under connected and automated traffic environment

This paper proposes a framework of signalized corridor management with vehicle platooning and trajectory control (SCoPTO) using connected automated vehicle (CAV) technologies. In this framework, th...
Neuroendocrine Functions in Lymphoid Tissues

The acidic protein chromogranin A has recently been detected in cells within immune tissues using immunohistochemical and immunoblotting analysis (Angeletti and Hickey, 1985). Although other neural and endocrine peptides have also been identified or found to have effects within these tissues (Plotnikoff et al., 1985; Smith et al., 1986; Wybran, 1985), the identification of chromogranin A has somewhat different implications. Individual neuropeptides such as enkephalins, endorphins, vasoactive intestinal peptide, are found in neuronal and endocrine vesicles only in tissue locations appropriate to their functions. Chromogranin A, however, is a pan-neuroendocrine marker protein, found in endocrine and some neurosecretory vesicles, but not in exocrine vesicles (Fischer-Colbrie et al., 1985; Lloyd and Wilson, 1983; O’Conner, 1983).
Improved organic acid purification through wafer enhanced electrodeionization utilizing ionic liquids

Abstract Purification of organic acids through electrodialysis has been studied extensively over the past two decades; however, little work has been done on attempting to utilize electrodialysis for solvent replacement for improved acid recovery. This study presents the use of ionic liquids as a secondary electrodialysis solvent in order to transport organic acids from a water phase into an ionic liquid phase. Specifically, the use of wafer enhanced electrodeionization techniques with ionic liquids is investigated to improve system performance. Incorporation of ionic liquids allows continuous separation with high solvent recyclability and low operation hazards. Through the use of wafer technology, current efficiencies reached 37–90% with energy consumption rates of approximately 1.25–2.80 kWh/kg acid recovered. Improved separation efficiencies were due to improved electrical conductance of the solutions provided by addition of the resin wafer into the cell compartments. The influence of solution conductivity and current density on separation performance was also studied. It was found that high current densities resulted in higher ion and water transport. Solubility of products, ionic liquid solution characteristics, and water contamination were also found to have a significant impact on current efficiency and power consumption. Through this project, separation of organic acids into ionic liquids with low energy requirements and high separation efficiencies was achieved.
Scene Segmentation in the Framework of Active Perception

It has been widely acknowledged in the Machine Perception community that Scene Segmentation problem is ill defined, and hence difficult! To make our primitives adequately explain our data, we perform feedback on processed sensory data to explore the scene. This is Active Perception, the modeling and control strategies for perception.
Outcomes of Kidney Retransplantation in Recipients with Prior Post‐Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is an uncommon but serious complication of solid organ transplantation. Reduction in immunosuppression is the mainstay of PTLD treatment, but it may precipitate graft loss. Retransplantation remains controversial, as immunosuppression resumption may trigger PTLD relapse. Herein, we describe the experience of eight patients who underwent kidney retransplantation after successful PTLD treatment. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology was not known before the first transplantation. PTLD was diagnosed 62.5 months (range 5-323 months) after transplantation and was confined to the renal allograft (n = 1), lymph nodes (n = 2), gastrointestinal tract (n = 4), or central nervous system (n = 1). Immunosuppression tapering (8/8), chemotherapy (6/8), oral cavity lymphoma excision (1/8), and allograft nephrectomy (1/8) led to hematological remission in all patients. Retransplantation was performed at a median of 55.5 months (range 29-95 months) after PTLD diagnosis. After a median follow-up of 62.5 months (range 2-125 months) allograft survival was 87.5% (seven functioning grafts, one failed graft from chronic rejection), with no recurrence of PTLD. In all, five patients remain alive; the other three died from causes other than PTLD. In conclusion, kidney retransplantation appears to be safe in patients with prior PTLD and without major risk of hematological recurrence provided that PTLD has remitted.
Phase I Trial to Determine the Safety, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacokinetics of RSR13, a Novel Radioenhancer, in Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme

PURPOSE: To determine the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic effect of 2-[4-(3,5-dimethylanilino)carbonyl]methyl]phenoxy]-2-methylproprionic acid (RSR13) 100 mg/kg/d with radiation therapy (RT) for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). RSR13, a synthetic allosteric modifier of hemoglobin (HgB), is a novel radioenhancing agent that noncovalently binds to HgB, thereby reducing oxygen binding affinity and increasing tissue oxygen release to hypoxic tissues. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this multi-institutional, dose frequency–seeking trial, 19 adult patients with newly diagnosed GBM received RSR13 100 mg/kg every other day or daily along with cranial RT (60 Gy/30 fractions). RSR13 was given over 1 hour by central venous access with 4 L/min of O2 by nasal cannula, followed by RT within 30 minutes. Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) determinations were performed. The PD end point was shift in P50, the oxygen half-saturation pressure of HgB. RESULTS: Grade 3 dose-limiting toxicity occurred innone of ...
Adaptive robust motion control of linear motors for precision manufacturing

Linear motors offer several advantages over their rotary counterparts in many precision manufacturing applications requiring linear motion; linear motors can achieve a much higher speed and have the potential of gaining a higher load positioning accuracy due to the elimination of mechanical transmission mechanisms. However, these advantages are obtained at the expense of added difficulties in controlling such a system. Specifically, linear motors are more sensitive to disturbances and parameter variations. Furthermore, certain types of linear motors such as the iron core are subject to significant nonlinear effects due to periodic cogging force and force ripple. To address all these issues, the recently proposed adaptive robust control (ARC) strategy is applied and a discontinuous projection-based ARC controller is constructed. In particular, based on the special structures of various periodic nonlinear forces, design models consisting of known basis functions with unknown weights are used to approximate those unknown nonlinear forces. On-line parameter adaptation is then utilized to reduce the effect of various parametric uncertainties such as unknown weights, inertia, and motor parameters while certain robust control laws are used to handle the uncompensated uncertain nonlinearities effectively for high performance. The resulting ARC controller achieves a guaranteed transient performance and a guaranteed final tracking accuracy in the presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities. In addition, in the presence of parametric uncertainties, the controller achieves asymptotic output tracking. Extensive simulation results are shown to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Microbial calorimetric analysis (MCA) of aqueous organic compounds.

Abstract Adapted bacteria used in heat conduction calorimetry may be developed as ‘analytical reagents’ for compounds that can be metabolized by such bacteria. Adaption can be done by growing cells such as E. coli on the analyte of interest, for example a sugar. Samples to be analyzed are mixed with adapted cells which aerobically metabolize the sought-for analyte, producing heat. The method is called microbial calorimetric analysis, MCA. Average requirements are 2–200 nanomoles of analyte, “carbon”, an excess of cells ca. 2–5 mg of cells, and 1–2 ml of air to maintain aerobicity. Heat production is usually completed in 300–600 sec at 25°. The combination of bacteria and heat conduction calorimetry is a sensor system having a sensitivity and selectivity dependent on bacterial adaption. The system is useful in analytical problems when analytes are in turbid suspension, are poor chromogens or not even prochromogenic. MCA takes advantage of the large aerobic heats usually generated by bacteria in active utilization of organic analytes. Typically from 20 to 70 kcal exothermic heat per mole of carbon atoms is generated, e.g., (−)300 kcal/mole glucose. Heat conduction calorimeters, batch mixing instruments, measure 2–100 millicalorie heat with ±3% error in each run. Bacteria can be grown on many different kinds of compounds. Accordingly it is fairly easy to create diverse, specific ‘analytical reagents” which function in MCA much as they function in their usual environment, in soils, etc. Intact, adapted bacteria have decided advantages over isolated enzymes as ‘biosensors’ for a number of practical reasons.
Web 2.0 and opportunities for small businesses

The burst of the dot-com balloon closed the era of Web 1.0. In the process, we observed the creation and disappearance of many small businesses globally. The dynamic and linked web pages provided new pathways to online businesses. However, most of the new online business models still followed the traditional practices of the industrial era which could be characterized by closeness, uniformity, and one-way communication. A new set of new technologies, called Web 2.0, offers new opportunities, blurs the boundaries between online and offline activities, opening a new era with flagships of openness, collaboration, and participation. In this study, by reviewing the properties of Web 2.0, we investigate opportunities for small businesses in the Web 2.0 era. The findings of this study can provide helpful guidelines for small businesses to begin using and leveraging Web 2.0.
Single Level Anterior Corpectomy and Fusion for Five Morbidly Obese Patients

Do higher graft/plate complication rates occur in morbidly obese patients undergoing single level anterior corpectomy fusion [ACF] alone, and do these patients, therefore, warrant simultaneous posterior fusion? To assess whether initial circumferential surgery should be performed in this unique population, the experience with 5 morbidly obese patients undergoing single level [ACF] performed with [3 patients] and without [2 patients] simultaneous posterior fusion [PF] and halo application were reviewed. Patients averaged 51 years of age and exhibited average Bone Mass Indices [BMI=kg/M2] of 46.8 [BMI=kg/m2]. Neurological examinations reflected moderate to severe spastic cervical myeloradicular syndromes [average Nurick Score of 4]. Two-level [adjacent] cervical pathology [with retrovertebral extension], included disc disease [2 patients], spondyloarthrosis/stenosis [5 patients], ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament [OPLL] [4 patients], and olisthy [2 patients]. Medical comorbidities included morbid obesity [5 patients], osteoporosis [5 patients], hypertension [5 patients], diabetes [3 patients], and coronary artery disease [2 patients]. Five patients underwent initial single level ACF consisting of two-level adjacent diskectomy with removal of the intervening vertebral body. Two patients originally underwent single level ACF alone and received hard cervico-thoracic orthoses [CTO]. The remaining 3 patients initially had simultaneous posterior fusions [PF] performed with halo immobilization [circumferential surgery]. The 3 patients undergoing initial circumferential surgery fused 4-8 months postoperatively. Two patients undergoing single level ACF alone, however, developed plate/graft extrusions one day and three weeks postoperatively. Both of these patients required secondary multilevel anterior corpectomy/fusion with posterior fusion and the application of a halo device. These latter patients fused within 7 and 9 postoperative months respectively. Odom’s criteria 1 year postoperatively revealed 2 excellent, 2 good, and 1 fair outcome. Conclusions: Morbidly obese patients undergoing single level ACF are at increased risk for plate/graft extrusion and should be considered candidates for initial simultaneous single-level ACF with posterior fusion and halo immobilization.
Automated Formal Verification of the DHCP Failover Protocol Using Timeout Order Abstraction

In this paper, we present automated formal verification of the DHCP Failover protocol. We conduct bounded model-checking for the protocol using {\it Timeout Order Abstraction} (TO-Abstraction), a technique to abstract a given timed model in a certain sub-class of loosely synchronized real-time distributed systems into an untimed model. A resulting untimed model from TO-abstraction is a finite state machine, and therefore one can verify the model using a conventional model-checker. We have verified the protocol by bounded model-checking up to depth 20. We also experimented with ''mutating'' the original code to examine the efficiency of bug-finding using TO-Abstraction. We used two mutated pieces of the original code. The first one represents a model that uses a stronger failure assumption. The second one represents a model that the protocol implementer has forgot to add a certain check of a received message. We found one counterexample for each of two pieces of mutated code. In particular, the counterexample that was found for the second mutated code had a complex scenario, and we believe that it is considerably difficult to find the counterexample by human or simulations.
An Approximation for the Distribution of the von Neumann Ratio

An approximation to the distribution of the von Neumann ratio T = used for testing independence. is presented. The approximation consists of treating [(n 2 – l)/(n 2 – 4)]½(1 – ½T) as a Pearson correlation coefficient on n + 3 observations. Probability points based on this approximation are compared with exact values and with values derived from two other approximations. It yields three decimal accuracy for n ≥ 9 and four decimal accuracy for n ≥ 15.
Birthing Rhetorical Monsters: How Mary Shelley Infuses Mêtis with the Maternal in Her 1831 Introduction to Frankenstein

According to Mary Shelley’s 1831 Introduction, her great novel is her “hideous progeny.” This proclamation along with numerous birthing metaphors place her Introduction within the obstetric discourse field of the maternal imagination, a theory which claimed that pregnant women’s imaginations had the power to deform their fetuses. More importantly, the maternal imagination, and thus Mary Shelley’s Introduction, is a form of metic rhetoric with a distinctly maternal flavor.
Bioethics and the theory of forms

This paper begins with a survey of current ethical issues in genetic engineering. It then proposes a principle by which the debates on genetic engineering might be guided. The trouble with these debates is that they get stuck on the slippery slope argument, knowing that slippery slope reasoning bodes ill, but unwilling to outline a general ethical principle.
Associations between sleep architecture and sleep-disordered breathing and cognition in older community-dwelling men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sleep Study.

Objectives: To examine the association between sleep architecture, sleep-disordered breathing, and cognition in older men. Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Setting: Six clinical sites in the United States. Participants: Two thousand nine hundred nine community-dwelling men aged 67 and older who were not selected on the basis of sleep problems or cognitive impairment. Measurements: Predictors were measured using in-home polysomnography: sleep architecture, nocturnal hypoxemia (any sleep time with arterial oxygen saturation <80%), apnea�hypopnea index (AHI), and arousal index. Cognitive outcomes were measured using the modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS), Trail-Making Test Part B (TMT-B), and the Digit Vigilance Test (DVT). Results: Analyses adjusted for age, race, education, body mass index, lifestyle, comorbidities, and medication use showed that participants who spent less percentage of time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep had lower levels of cognition; participants in the lowest quartile (<14.8%) took an average of 5.9 seconds longer on the TMT-B and 20.1 seconds longer on the DVT than those in the highest quartile (?23.7%). Similarly, greater percentage of time spent in Stage 1 sleep was related to poorer cognitive function. Participants in the highest quartile of Stage 1 sleep (?8.6%) had worse cognitive scores on average than those in the lowest quartile (<4.0%). Those with nocturnal hypoxemia took an average of 22.3 seconds longer to complete the DVT than those without, but no associations were found with 3MS or the TMT-B. Conclusion: Spending less percentage of time in REM sleep and greater percentage of time in Stage 1 sleep and having higher levels of nocturnal hypoxemia were associated with poorer cognition in older men. Further studies are needed to clarify the direction of these associations and to explore potential mechanisms.
Adaptive mixture importance sampling

Importance sampling involves approximation of functionals (such as expectations) of a target distribution by sampling from a design distribution. In many applications, it is natural or convenient to use a design distribution which is a mixture of given distributions. One typically has wide latitude in selecting the mixing probabilities of the design distribution. Furthermore, one can reduce variance by drawing fixed sized samples from the components of the design distribution, rather than drawing a random sample from the mixture. Here, we investigate the optimal allocation of sample sizes to each component and the optimal mixing probabilities. As the optimal choices involve typically unknown quantities, a two stage procedure is proposed which makes use of a pilot sample for estimating the allocation of sample sizes. After the final samples are available, optimal mixing probabilities can be obtained for each functional of the target distribution which is of interest. Applications are given to some problems...
Intermolecular potentials obtained from high-energy alkali scattering

Abstract Intermolecular potentials have been obtained from high-energy total cross sections for several alkali metal systems: CS + He, Ne, Ar, CH 3 NO 2 ; K + CH 4 , C(CH 3 ) 4 , C 6 H 6 , c-C 6 H 12 , CH 3 I, CCl 4 , SF 6 , N 2 . For the CS-rare gas cases and K + N 2 only the repulsive part was determined. For the rest both attractive and repulsive parts were seen.
Using a Product/Service Evaluation Frame: An Experiment on the Economic Equivalence of Product versus Service Alternatives for Message Retrieval Systems

Abstract Product/service alternatives represent a newly emerging competitive environment where, as a result of advancements in technolog y, competition between products and services capable of yielding the same functional benefits has increased. The purpose of this research effort is to determine whether the evaluation measures of perceived quality, perceived value, and willingness to buy vary when the options under investigation represent the cross-category comparison of a product and a service. In addition, the impact of temporal price frames, defined as economically equivalent means of stating price information, on product/service evaluations is investigated. One hundred twenty subjects were randomly assigned to a 3 × 2 between-subjects factorial design in which two temporal price frames and three product/service combinations were evaluated for their impact on product/service evaluations. Results indicate that consumers provide different evaluations for economically equivalent product/service temporal price frames.
Designing a system-on-system wargame

The need for a System-on-System Wargame is identified and a design and development approach outlined. The wargame is designed in a modular and fractal manner with three nets (C3ISR, system, and environment), with each entity represented on each net. The term “Third Generation Wargame” is clarified. Several contracts supporting this effort have been completed, other contracts are in progress, and still others are in planning or pending award. An internal project is also in progress.
The use of radiofrequency glow discharge-mass spectrometry (rf-GD-MS) coupled to gas chromatography for the determination of selenoaminoacids in biological samples

A radiofrequency glow discharge (rf-GD) has been used as an ion source for mass spectrometry using gas chromatography as the sample introduction technique for the speciation of seleno amino acids. The use of helium as the plasma gas allowed the monitoring of selenium's major isotope (80Se), interfered by polyatomic species when using Ar as the plasma gas. Optimization of the power and pressure of the source was undertaken to achieve the best sensitivity for selenium determination and detection limits of about 100 pg (as Se) have been obtained for the derivatized Se-methionine. Studying the cell pressure and power on the fragmentation patterns obtained for Se-methionine and Se-ethionine has also been undertaken to characterize the source. No significant variations were observed on the mass spectra under different operating conditions, although noticeable variation of the fragment intensities was observed. The system has been applied to the determination of Se-methionine in selenium-enriched yeast after enzymatic extraction of the corresponding species using Proteinase K to cleave the peptide bonds. The results obtained showed a Se-methionine content of about 78% in the enriched yeast.
Effects of Pivoting Neuromuscular Training on Pivoting Control and Proprioception

AB Purpose: Pivoting neuromuscular control and proprioceptive acuity may play an important role in anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The goal of this study was to investigate whether pivoting off-axis intensity adjustable neuromuscular control training (POINT) could improve pivoting neuromuscular control, proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance. Methods: Among 41 subjects, 21 subjects participated in 18 sessions of POINT (three sessions per week for 6 wk), and 20 subjects served as controls who did their regular workout. Both groups received pre-, mid-, and postintervention evaluations. Propensity score analysis with multivariable regression adjustment was used to investigate the effect of training on pivoting neuromuscular control (pivoting instability, leg pivoting stiffness, maximum internal, and external pivoting angles), proprioceptive acuity, and functional performance in both groups. Results: Compared with the control group, the training group significantly improved pivoting neuromuscular control as reduced pivoting instability, reduced maximum internal and external pivoting angles, increased leg pivoting stiffness, and decreased entropy of time to peak EMG in the gluteus maximus and lateral gastrocnemius under pivoting perturbations. Furthermore, the training group enhanced weight-bearing proprioceptive acuity and improved the single leg hop distance. Conclusion: Improvement of pivoting neuromuscular control in functional weight-bearing activities and task performances after POINT may help develop lower limb injury prevention and rehabilitation methods to reduce anterior cruciate ligament and other musculoskeletal injuries associated with pivoting sports.
Use of HBA 71 and anti-β2-microglobulin to distinguish peripheral neuroepithelioma from neuroblastoma

Peripheral neuroepithelioma (PN) can be difficult to distinguish from undifferentiated neuroblastoma (NBL) in the absence of molecular and cytogenetic studies. These primitive neural tumors of childhood are similar in morphology and immunocytochemistry, despite their distinct biochemical and behavioral characteristics. The recently developed monoclonal antibody HBA 71 is specific for the product MIC2, a marker of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors. Because beta 2-microglobulin also is selectively expressed by most tumors in this subset, we examined whether a combination of the antibodies HBA 71 and anti-beta 2-microglobulin could facilitate the differentiation of the two malignancies. We histologically confirmed the diagnoses of 45 paraffin-embedded tumors of presumed neuroectodermal origin (19 PNs and 26 NBLs) from the pathology files of St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Samples were immunohistochemically stained using HBA 71 and anti-beta 2-microglobulin. Molecular and cytogenetic data were correlated with the results in a subset of eight patients. Sixteen (84%) of the 19 PNs reacted with HBA 71 and 13 (76%) of 17 PNs reacted with anti-beta 2-microglobulin. None of the NBLs reacted with either antibody. Three PNs were identified by HBA 71 alone and one was identified by anti-beta 2-microglobulin alone. Cellular genetic findings were consistent with the results. HBA 71 and anti-beta 2-microglobulin, when used in combination, can facilitate the differential diagnosis of PN and NBL.
Natural pixel decomposition for computational tomographic reconstruction from interferometric projection: algorithms and comparison

A computational tomographic technique, termed the variable grid method (VGM), has been developed for improving interferometric reconstruction of flow fields under ill-posed data conditions of restricted scanning and incomplete projection. The technique is based on natural pixel decomposition, that is, division of a field into variable grid elements. The performances of two algorithms, that is, original and revised versions, are compared to investigate the effects of the data redundancy criteria and seed element forming schemes. Tests of the VGMs are conducted through computer simulation of experiments and reconstruction of fields with a limited view angel of 90 degree(s). The temperature fields at two horizontal sections of a thermal plume of two interacting isothermal cubes, produced by a finite numerical code, are analyzed as test fields. The computer simulation demonstrates the superiority of the revised VGM to either the conventional fixed grid method or the original VGM. Both the maximum and average reconstruction errors are reduced appreciably. The reconstruction shows substantial improvement in the regions with dense scanning by probing rays. These regions are usually of interest in engineering applications.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Infrared and X-ray Absorption Study of the Equilibria and Structures of Chromate, Bichromate, and Dichromate in Ambient Aqueous Solutions

The structure and equilibrium of chromate (CrO42-), bichromate (HCrO4-), and dichromate (Cr2O72-) in ambient aqueous solutions was investigated by both IR and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. The individual IR bands for each of these species have been identified, and quantitative analysis of the IR bands was used to examine the chemical equilibria. A dilution study at a constant, low solution pH revealed the speciation change from dichromate dominance at high total chrome concentration to bichromate dominance at low total chrome concentration, thereby unequivocally confirming the existence of the bichromate species. The equilibrium constants, obtained from the quantitative analysis of the IR data, agree well with previously reported values. The quantitative IR analysis also revealed that the asymmetric νas(CrO3) stretching frequency is virtually coincident for the bi- and dichromate. The complete structural analysis of chromate, bichromate, and dichromate was obtained from an XAFS stud...
Characterization of 25-hydroxyvitamin D binding protein from intestinal cells.

Abstract We have previously purified a cytosolic vitamin D metabolite binding protein (cDBP) from rat enterocytes, which has characteristics distinct from other vitamin D binding proteins. In these studies, we demonstrate that cDBP in a semi-purified fraction from human intestinal cells (Caco-2 cells) binds 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) with at least a 1000-fold greater affinity than 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) or 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Treatment of cells with 1,25(OH)2D reduced 25OHD binding to approximately one third that of the untreated cells (0.42 CPM/mg total protein vs 1.34 CPM/mg total protein, respectively). Finally, the cDBP is not immunoreactive to antibodies prepared against the C-terminus of the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). In summary, cDBP bound 25OHD with greater affinity than either 1,25(OH)2D or 24,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, the cytosolic binding activity was down-regulated by 1,25(OH)2D and cBDP is distinct from the nuclear VDR.
Evaluating the Community Health Legacy of WWI Chemical Weapons Testing

Spring Valley, Washington, DC, was built over a World War I chemical weapons development site. Testing activities caused wide dispersal of arsenic in soil and waste disposal resulted in localized subsurface contamination. Spring Valley presents an interesting case study, a contaminated physical environment, but a strongly health-protective social environment. To address a possible “healthy community” bias we selected a nearby comparison community with similar health-protective characteristics. Our study included a community health assessment, a spatial analysis of disease clustering and a chemical hazard assessment. Community health in Spring Valley is good. Rates of major causes of mortality and incidence of selected cancers are 20–70% lower than the nation’s. Rates of hypertension and related kidney disease mortality and certain potentially arsenic-related cancers are slightly elevated in Spring Valley over a comparison community. Registry-confirmed cancers are not more likely to cluster in higher contamination areas, odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval) = 0.60 (0.30, 1.11). Chemicals detected in disposal pits are associated with cancer, kidney, neurological and blood effects. In context of a healthy community, the elevated rates of certain mortality and cancer outcomes warrant continued monitoring. Follow-up on kidney, neurological and blood diseases was recommended. Urban environments are complex with close proximity of residents to a wide variety of commercial and government activities, past and present. Each community will have a mix of health-damaging and health protective factors. Our assessment combined descriptive and analytical epidemiology and environmental risk analyses and represents a flexible tool kit adaptable to unique community conditions.
Relations of Friendship Quality to Self-Esteem in Early Adolescence

The major goal of the study was to examine the relations of friendship quality to adolescent self-esteem over time. Seventh and eighth graders (n = 297) completed the same questionnaire in the fall...
Visual discrimination versus visuo-motor learning in interocular transfer in the fish

The hypothesis that interocular transfer in fish occurs in passive visual discrimination (PD), but not in visuo-motor learning (VM), was tested with 19 goldfish. An opaque eye cap was fitted on one eye before training, and later shifted to the other eye for the transfer test. In the VM problem, Ss had to learn new swimming patterns according to visual cues. The following PD problem involved a new pair of cues, but required the same swimming patterns. Results confirmed the hypothesis. Learning scores for each eye were comparable in the VM problem, but learning with the second eye was much faster in the PD problem.
The Role of Strong Electrostatic Interactions at the Dimer Interface of Human Glutathione Synthetase

The obligate homodimer human glutathione synthetase (hGS) provides an ideal system for exploring the role of protein–protein interactions in the structural stability, activity and allostery of enzymes. The two active sites of hGS, which are 40 A apart, display allosteric modulation by the substrate γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) during the synthesis of glutathione, a key cellular antioxidant. The two subunits interact at a relatively small dimer interface dominated by electrostatic interactions between S42, R221, and D24. Alanine scans of these sites result in enzymes with decreased activity, altered γ-GC affinity, and decreased thermal stability. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate these mutations disrupt interchain bonding and impact the tertiary structure of hGS. While the ionic hydrogen bonds and salt bridges between S42, R221, and D24 do not mediate allosteric communication in hGS, these interactions have a dramatic impact on the activity and structural stability of the enzyme.
Phenethylthiazolylthiourea (PETT) Compounds as a New Class of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors. 2. Synthesis and Further Structure−Activity Relationship Studies of PETT Analogs

Phenylethylthiazolylthiourea (PETT) derivatives have been identified as a new series of non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 RT. Structure−activity relationship studies of this class of compounds resulted in the identification of N-[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]-N‘-[2-(5-bromopyridyl)]thiourea hydrochloride (trovirdine; LY300046·HCl) as a highly potent anti-HIV-1 agent. Trovirdine is currently in phase one clinical trials for potential use in the treatment of AIDS. Extension of these structure−activity relationship studies to identify additional compounds in this series with improved properties is ongoing. A part of this work is described here. Replacement of the two aromatic moieties of the PETT compounds by various substituted or unsubstituted heteroaromatic rings was investigated. In addition, the effects of multiple substitution in the phenyl ring were also studied. The antiviral activities were determined on wild-type and constructed mutants of HIV-1 RT and on wild-type HIV-1 and mutant viruses derived thereof, ...