cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The statistical validity of nursing home survey findings.

Objectives The Medicare nursing home survey is a high-stakes process whose findings greatly affect nursing homes, their current and potential residents, and the communities they serve. Therefore, survey findings must achieve high validity. This study looked at the validity of one key assessment made during a nursing home survey: the observation of the rate of errors in administration of medications to residents (med-pass). Design Statistical analysis of the case under study and of alternative hypothetical cases. Setting A skilled nursing home affiliated with a local medical school. Participants The nursing home administrators and the medical director. Intervention Observational study. Measurements The probability that state nursing home surveyors make a Type I or Type II error in observing med-pass error rates, based on the current case and on a series of postulated med-pass error rates. Results In the common situation such as our case, where med-pass errors occur at slightly above a 5% rate after 50 observations, and therefore trigger a citation, the chance that the true rate remains above 5% after a large number of observations is just above 50%. If the true med-pass error rate were as high as 10%, and the survey team wished to achieve 75% accuracy in determining that a citation was appropriate, they would have to make more than 200 med-pass observations. In the more common situation where med pass errors are closer to 5%, the team would have to observe more than 2000 med-passes to achieve even a modest 75% accuracy in their determinations. Conclusion In settings where error rates are low, large numbers of observations of an activity must be made to reach acceptable validity of estimates for the true rates of errors. In observing key nursing home functions with current methodology, the State Medicare nursing home survey process does not adhere to well-known principles of valid error determination. Alternate approaches in survey methodology are discussed.
Algorithms for Computing Minimal Unsatisfiable Subsets of Constraints

Much research in the area of constraint processing has recently been focused on extracting small unsatisfiable "cores" from unsatisfiable constraint systems with the goal of finding minimal unsatisfiable subsets (MUSes). While most techniques have provided ways to find an approximation of an MUS (not necessarily minimal), we have developed a sound and complete algorithm for producing all MUSes of an unsatisfiable constraint system. In this paper, we describe a relationship between satisfiable and unsatisfiable subsets of constraints that we subsequently use as the foundation for MUS extraction algorithms, implemented for Boolean satisfiability constraints. The algorithms provide a framework with which many related subproblems can be solved, including relaxations of completeness to handle intractable instances, and we develop several variations of the basic algorithms to illustrate this. Experimental results demonstrate the performance of our algorithms, showing how the base algorithms run quickly on many instances, while the variations are valuable for producing results on instances whose complete results are intractably large. Furthermore, our algorithms are shown to perform better than the existing algorithms for solving either of the two distinct phases of our approach.
Chiral ligand exchange potentiometric aspartic acid sensors with polysiloxane films containing a chiral ligand N-carbobenzoxy-aspartic acid.

An enantioselective molecular sensor was fabricated by inserting a chiral ligand, N-carbobenzoxy-l-aspartic acid (N-CBZ-l-Asp) or N-CBZ-d-Asp, into an octadecylsiloxane (ODS) monolayer by polysilox...
Phosphatidic acid is a potent and selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and an inhibitor of ceramide-mediated responses.

Abstract In the present study, we report that phosphatidic acid (PA) functions as a novel, potent, and selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). The catalytic subunit of PP1α was inhibited by PA dose-dependently in a noncompetitive manner with a K i value of 80 nm. The inhibition by PA was specific to PP1 as PA failed to inhibit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) or PP2B. Furthermore, PA was the most effective and potent inhibitor of PP1 compared with other phospholipids. Because we recently showed that ceramides activated PP1, we next examined the effects of PA on ceramide stimulation of PP1. PA inhibited both basal and ceramide-stimulated PP1 activities, and ceramide showed potent and stereoselective activation of PP1 in the presence of PA. Next, the effects of PA on ceramide-induced responses were examined. Molt-4 cells took up PA dose- and time-dependently such that by 1 and 3 h, uptake of PA was 0.37 and 0.65% of total PA added, respectively. PA at 30 μm and calyculin A at 10 nm (an inhibitor of PP1 and PP2A at low concentrations), but not okadaic acid at 10 nm (a PP2A inhibitor at low concentrations) prevented poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase proteolysis induced by C6-ceramide. Moreover, the combination of PA with okadaic acid prevented retinoblastoma gene product dephosphorylation induced by C6-ceramide. These data suggest that PA functions as a specific regulator of PP1 and may reverse or counteract those effects of ceramide that are mediated by PP1, such as apoptosis and retinoblastoma gene product dephosphorylation.
The Social and Political Matrix of Environmental Attitudes: An Analysis of the Vote on the California Coastal Zone Regulation Act.

A two-part analysis of the vote in Proposition 20 from the 1972 California election was undertaken. The first part focused on relationships between sentiment in favor of this measure and of that pro or con various other propositions and contests on the same ballot that were of interest as a reflection of social, political, and environmental attitude. Analysis of these votes, based on a state-wide sample of 2,379 precincts, showed the vote on Proposition 20 to be moderately related to several other measures of a social-philosophy significance, but only to a lesser extent to the presidential vote and to another proposition involving a different environmental issue. The second part examined demographic correlates of the vote on Proposition 20, finding only a modest relationship to education and even lower correlations with income and home ownership. The findings indicate a relatively low degree of association between sentiment on an environmental conservation issue such as this one and political preference a...
A pattern matching language for spatio-temporal databases

We propose a pattern matching language for spatio-temporal databases. The matching process in time dimension is based upon the evolutionary nature of time, but in spatial dimension it is based on placement, shape and sizes of regions. The concept of pattern matching introduced in this paper is independent of the choice of the underlying model for spatio-temporal databases. In particular, the pattern matching language seamlessly extends our SQL-like query language ParaSQL for spatio-temporal databases. The pattern matching language would also have application in active databases, because patterns can be used as triggers.
Combining virtual reality and multimedia techniques for effective maintenance training

This paper describes a virtual reality (VR) system developed for use as part of an integrated, low-cost, stand-alone, multimedia trainer. The trainer is used to train National Guard personnel in maintenance and trouble-shooting tasks for the M1A1 Abrams tank, the M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicle and the TOW II missile system. The VR system features a modular, extensible, object-oriented design which consists of a training monitor component, a VR run time component, a model loader component, and a set of domain-specific object behaviors which mimic the behavior of objects encountered in the actual vehicles. The VR system is built from a combination of off-the-shelf commercial software and custom software developed at RTI.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Focused intervention may enhance phoneme-awareness skills in pre-literate children with a speech disorder1

1 Abstracted from: Hesketh, A., Dima, E., & Nelson, V. 2007. Teaching phoneme awareness to pre-literate children with speech disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Int J Lang Comm Dis 42: 251–271. Source of funding: Health Foundation
COMPARISON OF BLADDER NECK PRESERVATION TO BLADDER NECK RESECTION IN MAINTAINING POSTPROSTATECTOMY URINARY CONTINENCE

Objectives This study compares the effectiveness of a bladder neck preservation procedure with that of bladder neck resection in maintaining postprostatectomy urinary continence.
Regeneration of tobacco plants from crown gall tumors

Tissue culture methods have been developed for regeneration of normal appearing tobacco plants from bacteria-free crown gall strains incited byAgrobacterium tumefaciens C58, IIBV7, B6, CGIC, A6NC, 27, and AT4. Regenerants fall into two categories depending on the properties of tissues from these plants. The first type of regenerant was obtained from tumors incited byA. tumefaciens C58 and it retained the potential for expression of tumor characteristics such as a nonrequirement for phytohormones (auxin and cytokinin) by explants in vitro and the presence of detectable concentrations of nopaline. Normal appearing plants obtained from C58 tumors had much lower concentrations of nopaline than the corresponding tumor tissue (130 versus 1700 μg per g dry wt) indicating a parallel repression of abnormal growth and nopaline concentrations in regenerants. The second type of regenerant was obtained from tumors incited by the otherA. tumefaciens strains and was characterized by requirements for phytohormones by explants in vitro and the apparent lack of octopine or nopaline in regenerant tissues.
Expeditious chemoenzymatic synthesis of homogeneous N-glycoproteins carrying defined oligosaccharide ligands.

An efficient chemoenzymatic method for the construction of homogeneous N-glycoproteins was described that explores the transglycosylation activity of the endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Arthrobacter protophormiae (Endo-A) with synthetic sugar oxazolines as the donor substrates. First, an array of large oligosaccharide oxazolines were synthesized and evaluated as substrates for the Endo-A-catalyzed transglycosylation by use of ribonuclease B as a model system. The experimental results showed that Endo-A could tolerate modifications at the outer mannose residues of the Man3GlcNAc-oxazoline core, thus allowing introduction of large oligosaccharide ligands into a protein and meanwhile preserving the natural, core N-pentasaccharide (Man3GlcNAc2) structure in the resulting glycoprotein upon transglycosylation. In addition to ligands for galectins and mannose-binding lectins, azido functionality could be readily introduced at the N-pentasaccharide (Man3GlcNAc2) core by use of azido-containing Man3GlcNAc oxaz...
SP100 expression modulates ETS1 transcriptional activity and inhibits cell invasion

The ETS1 transcription factor is a member of the Ets family of conserved sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins. ETS1 has been shown to play important roles in various cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, lymphoid development, motility, invasion and angiogenesis. These diverse roles of ETS1 are likely to be dependent on specific protein interactions. To identify proteins that interact with ETS1, a yeast two-hybrid screen was conducted. Here, we describe the functional interaction between SP100 and ETS1. SP100 protein interacts with ETS1 both in vitro and in vivo. SP100 is localized to nuclear bodies and ETS1 expression alters the nuclear body morphology in living cells. SP100 negatively modulates ETS1 transcriptional activation of the MMP1 and uPA promoters in a dose-dependent manner, decreases the expression of these endogenous genes, and reduces ETS1 DNA binding. Expression of SP100 inhibits the invasion of breast cancer cells and is induced by Interferon-α, which has been shown to inhibit the invasion of cancer cells. These data demonstrate that SP100 modulates ETS1-dependent biological processes.
Infrared thermal velocimetry for nonintrusive flow measurement in silicon microfluidic devices

Measurement of velocity is essential for verification of the performance of many microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based fluidic devices. MEMS devices are usually made of silicon which is transparent at infrared wavelengths. Infrared thermal velocimetry has been developed to measure the velocity in silicon microchannels utilizing the infrared transparency of silicon. Applications are broad and include MEMS fluidic devices and bio-fluidic elements. Briefly, an infrared laser heats the flowing fluid in a silicon microchannel and the recording of the thermal image of the moving heated liquid permits determination of the average flow velocity. It has been demonstrated that this method can be used to measure a wide range of velocities (1 cm/s–1 m/s or higher) with an accuracy of ±10%. The velocity of the maximum radiative intensity point (VMRIP) along the center of the channel is chosen to characterize the velocity in the channel. Numerical results show good agreement with the experimental results.
Intracranial tumor lysis and cerebral edema after administration of intrathecal methotrexate: a case report and discussion

Methotrexate is a common agent used in the management of hematological malignancies, but is often associated with the development of diverse central nervous system adverse events, such as seizures. We present a case of seizures after intrathecal administration of methotrexate, during the management of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. There was complete resolution of the CNS lesions after chemotherapy along with the interval development of diffuse cerebral edema. We hypothesize that tumor lysis is the underlying mechanism of this untoward event, resulting in the corresponding clinical presentation.
791-1 Linear Relationship Between Rates of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty and Rates of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in the United States Medicare Population

Invasive management of coronary artery disease (CAD) includes Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery (CABG). Indications for CABG and PTCA are well established. Whether PTCA alters the incidence of CABG is unknown. If PTCA is an effective invasive alternative to CABG, then where PTCA is aggressively performed, rates of CABG should be lower than in other locations with lower PTCA rates. We tested whether the performance of PTCA decreases the incidence of CABG comparing practice patterns in all 50 States. We examined the Medicare volume of PTCA from 805 hospitals and of CABG from 783 hospitals in the United States (US) from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) database for 1992. Volumes of procedures were aggregated by State. Census data for population age g 65 was obtained from the US Census Bureau for 1990. For all 50 States, as the rate of PTCA per 100,000 population age g 65 (PTCA/l00,000) increased, there was an increase in the rate of CABG per 100,000 population age g 65 (CABG/l00,000) (r 2 = 0.67, P l 0.0001) with rates of PTCA/l00,000 and CABG/l00,000 ranging from 89 to 831 and 299 to 1108 respectively. For the 10 States with the greatest population age g65 years, the relationship was similar (r 2 = 0.84, P = 0.0002) with rates of PTCA/l00,000 and CABG/l00,000 ranging from 130 to 503 and from 378 to 764 respectively. We conclude: 1) Rates of PTCA/100,000 and CABG/l00,000 vary considerably from State to State despite established indications, 2) High rates of PTCA/100,000 are associated with high rates of CABG/l00,000 suggesting that PTCA does not substitute for CABG in the invasive treatment of CAD, 3) Among the 10 most populous States, low rates of both procedures were associated with a Certificate of Need program and public disclosure of hospital and physician volume and mortality results for CABG surgery, 4) Appropriateness studies for PTCA and CABG should be performed on an individual statewide basis to further investigate the considerable inter-state variability.
Protection by Transfected Rat or Human Class 3 Aldehyde Dehydrogenases against the Cytotoxic Effects of Oxazaphosphorine Alkylating Agents in Hamster V79 Cell Lines: DEMONSTRATION OF ALDOPHOSPHAMIDE METABOLISM BY THE HUMAN CYTOSOLIC CLASS 3 ISOZYME (∗)

Expression of class 3 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-3) has been associated with acquired or inherent resistance to oxazaphosphorine (OAP) antineoplastic alkylating agents (e.g. cyclophosphamide). We previously demonstrated that expression of transfected rat ALDH-3 can confer OAP-specific resistance in human MCF-7 cells (Bunting, K. D., Lindahl, R., and Townsend, A. J. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 23197-23203). However, the aldophosphamide intermediate inactivated by human class 1 ALDH (hALDH-1) has not proven to be a good substrate for the purified hALDH-3. We have examined the ability of transfected human or rat ALDH-3 to confer OAP resistance in V79/SD1 cells. Clones expressing elevated human (386-5938 milliunits/mg) or rat (4-597 milliunits/mg, benzaldehyde/NADP+ substrate) ALDH-3 activity were 1.3- to 12-fold resistant to mafosfamide relative to control cells (
Sensory seizure mimicking a psychogenic seizure

A patient had episodes of bilateral paresthesias with retained consciousness. The attacks were clinically considered to be psychogenic seizures. Electroencephalography indicated that the attacks were epileptic, perhaps originating from the second sensory area. Electroencephalographic recording of a seizure is essential in differentiating epileptic from psychogenic episodes.
Fever and rash in a young man.

Dr. Lisa Thomas: Today’s case is that of a 30-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) complaining of 3 days of fever and 1 day of a new rash. The patient was in his usual state of health until 4 days before ED presentation, when he developed diffuse myalgias and severe exhaustion followed by sore throat, neck pain, and subjective fevers. On the morning of presentation, his temperature was 40.6 C (105 F) orally and he also noted the onset of a new erythematous, macular rash that began on his upper chest and spread quickly over his torso, face, arms, and legs. The rash was not itchy or painful. He was worried about the high fever and new rash and so he presented to the ED. The patient had no significant past medical history and he was fully immunized. His only medications were acetaminophen 650 mg and ibuprofen 800 mg as needed for fever and myalgias over the past 3 days. There were no known drug allergies. The social history revealed no tobacco, alcohol, or drug use. The patient lived alone and was recently single after breaking up with his only male sexual partner 2 weeks previously. He had no history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and had no newpartners since the breakup. He had also had negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/STD testing 2 weeks prior. The patient had worked as a spiritual educator but had become unemployed 6weeks prior. Hewas volunteering at a church and actively seeking employment. The patient denied new products, pets, recent travel, significant outdoor exposures, or tick bites. The family history was non-contributory.
A comparison of methods for estimating soil microbial biomass carbon

Abstract Soil microbial biomass is an important ecological parameter because it acts as a source-sink in nutrient cycling processes and regulates many organic matter transformations. Appropriate methodologies must be developed to measure the microbial pools in natural and man-managed (agroecosystems) systems. Our objective was to compare and contrast the conventional chloroform fumigation incubation method (CFIM) with the chloroform fumigation direct extraction method (CFEM) using automated analyses of total organic carbon for determining microbial biomass carbon. Fresh soil samples were taken at 0–5- and 5–15-cm depths from two sites with different clay contents in the Georgia Piedmont and analyzed by both methods simultaneously. Both methods gave the same general trends of reduced microbial carbon with depth even when using different k c or k ec values. At 0–5 cm, each method gave different results for the high-clay (HC) sites. This further emphasizes the need to independently determine k c or k ec values for characteristically high clay soil in the Piedmont. The variability between replicates for CFIM was greater than CFEM. These preliminary results suggest that the CFEM using the total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer may be more appropriate for evaluating soil microbial biomass carbon, especially where a large number of samples are processed.
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers come of age

This manuscript reviews our efforts in demonstrating state-of-the-art planar, batch-fabricable, high-performance vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). All performance requirements for short-haul data communication applications are clearly established. We concentrate on the flexibility of the established proton-implanted AlGaAs-based (emitting near 850 nm) technology platform, focusing on a standard device design. This structure is shown to meet or exceed performance and producibility requirements. These include > 99% device yield across 3-in-dia. metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE)-grown wafers and wavelength operation across a > 100-nm range. Recent progress in device performance [low threshold voltage (Vth equals 1.53 V); threshold current (Ith equals 0.68 mA); continuous wave (CW) power (Pcw equals 59 mW); maximum and minimum CW lasing temperature (T equals 200 degree(s)C, 10 K); and wall-plug efficiencies ((eta) wp equals 28%)] should enable great advances in VCSEL-based technologies. We also discuss the viability of VCSELs in cryogenic and avionic/military environments. Also reviewed is a novel technique, modifying this established platform, to engineer low-threshold, high-speed, single- mode VCSELs.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Role of Motivation in Scientific Research II: A View of Creativity

Abstract It is emphasized that creativity is characterized by the discovery of new connections among conceptual or substantive matters or both. Motivation and persistence play a very important role in an individual's pursuit of the creative process. A person's capacity for thought generally needs to be learned. The discovery of the manner in which one's mind can be used in the creative process is in itself very fascinating. How the brain actually works is very poorly comprehended at this time. That need not inhibit its use or the development of its capacity as best one can.In scientific creativity, there is a very strong interplay between experiment and theory with both aspects of science evolving together. The prime feature of the scientific method is the use of evidence to justify conclusions. No matter how persuasive a concept, a model or a theory appears to be, until it is confirmed by observation it remains only a hypothesis.As an illustration of scientific creativity, a developing technique for dete...
The 1H chemical shielding anisotropies of acetylene and fluoroform, as measured in a smectic liquid crystal solvent

A new method of measuring the chemical shielding anisotropies of C2H2 and CHF3 is reported, which employs the use of a smectic phase liquid crystal solvent. The anisotropies obtained with this method are in good agreement with theoretical calculations. Δσ values are reported for acetylene and fluoroform as being +14·2 ± 0·3 and +9·4 ± 0·2 p.p.m. respectively. Large magnitudes of the ordering parameter S zz are obtained through the use of this method, which also essentially eliminates most effects due to temperature and phase changes. The method enables one to obtain the chemical shielding anisotropy from measurements in the smectic phase only and at a single temperature.
Mouse U14 snRNA is encoded in an intron of the mouse cognate hsc70 heat shock gene

Abstract Mouse U14 snRNA (previously designated mouse 4.5S hybRNA) is an evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic low molecular weight RNA capable of intermolecular hybridization with both homologous and heterologous 18S rRNA (1). A single genomic fragment of mouse DNA containing the U14 snRNA gene(s) has been isolated from a Charon 4A lambda phage mouse genomic library and sequenced. Results have surprisingly revealed the presence of three U14 snRNA-homologous regions positioned within introns 5, 6, and 8 of the mouse cognate hsc70 heat shock gene. Comparative analysis with the previously reported rat and human cognate hsc70 genes revealed a similar positioning of U14 snRNA-homologous sequences within introns 5, 6 and 8 of the respective rat and human genes. The U14 sequences contained in all three introns of all three organisms are highly homologous to each other and well conserved with respect to the diverging intron sequences flanking each U14-homologous sequence. Comparison of the mouse U14 snRNA sequence with the U14 DNA sequences contained in the three mouse hsc70 introns indicates that intron 5 is utilized for U14 snRNA synthesis in normally growing mouse ascites cells. Analysis of the determined mouse, rat, and human U14-homologous sequences and the upstream and downstream flanking regions did not reveal the presence of any previously defined RNA polymerase I, II, or III binding sites. This suggests that either higher eukaryotic U14 snRNA is transcribed from a unique transcriptional promoter sequence, or alternatively, is generated by intron processing of the hsc70 pre-mRNA transcript.
Meta-learning optimal parameter values in non-stationary environments

Many learning and heuristic search algorithms require tuning of parameters to achieve optimum performance. In stationary and deterministic problem domains this is usually achieved through off-line sensitivity analysis. However, this method breaks down in non-stationary and non-deterministic environments, where the optimal set of values for the parameters keep changing over time. What is needed in such scenarios is a meta-learning (ML) mechanism that can learn the optimal set of parameters on-line while the learning algorithm is trying to learn its target concept. In this paper, we present a simple meta-learning algorithm to learn the temperature parameter of the Softmax reinforcement-learning (RL) algorithm. We present results to show the efficacy of this meta-learning algorithm in two domains.
TAP study of NOx storage and reduction on Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/Ba/Al2O3

Abstract A systematic mechanistic study of NO storage and reduction over Pt/Al 2 O 3 and Pt/BaO/Al 2 O 3 is carried out using Temporal Analysis of Products (TAP). NO pulse and NO/H 2 pump-probe experiments at 350 °C on pre-reduced, pre-oxidized, and pre-nitrated catalysts reveal the complex interplay between storage and reduction chemistries and the importance of the Pt/Ba coupling. NO pulsing experiments on both catalysts show that NO decomposes to major product N 2 on clean Pt but the rate declines as oxygen accumulates on the Pt. The storage of NO over Pt/BaO/Al 2 O 3 is an order of magnitude higher than on Pt/Al 2 O 3 showing participation of Ba in the storage even in the absence of gas phase O 2 . Either oxygen spillover or transient NO oxidation to NO 2 is postulated as the first steps for NO storage on Pt/BaO/Al 2 O 3 . The storage on Pt/Ba/Al 2 O 3 commences as soon as Pt–O species are formed. Post-storage H 2 reduction provides evidence that a fraction of NO is not stored in close proximity to Pt and is more difficult to reduce. A closely coupled Pt/Ba interfacial process is corroborated by NO/H 2 pump-probe experiments. NO conversion to N 2 by decomposition is sustained on clean Pt using excess H 2 pump-probe feeds. With excess NO pump-probe feeds NO is converted to N 2 and N 2 O via the sequence of barium nitrate and NO decomposition. Pump-probe experiments with pre-oxidized or pre-nitrated catalyst show that N 2 production occurs by the decomposition of NO supplied in a NO pulse or from the decomposition of NOx stored on the Ba. The transient evolution of the two pathways depends on the extent of pre-nitration and the NO/H 2 feed ratio.
Disseminated Petriellidium boydii and pacemaker endocarditis.

Clinical and morphologic findings are described in a 62 year old woman with "mixed connective tissue disease" who received corticosteroid therapy, and in whom disseminated and fatal Petriellidium boydii infection with right-sided endocarditis developed. The patient was a gardener. The organism is ubiquitous in soil in many parts of the United States; therefore, it is likely that the infection was introduced by this means. Endocarditis due to P. boydii has not been reported previously. In the patient described, massive vegetations nearly obliterated the tricuspid valve orifice, encasing a pacemaker catheter which had been inserted eight years earlier. Although never previously isolated from blood cultures, P. boydii was isolated from 11 consecutive blood cultures. P. boydii is a true fungus and has only recently been appreciated as an opportunistic pathogen in a compromised host.
Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa–Associated Squamous-Cell Carcinoma: An Enigmatic Entity with Complex Pathogenesis

Expression of either collagen VII or the noncollagenous (NC1) fragment derived from it has been suggested to be indispensable for the development of squamous-cell carcinomas (SCCs) in patients affected by recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). This view is challenged here by the observation that SCCs do develop in RDEB patients lacking expression of collagen VII altogether. The aggressive behavior of RDEB-associated SCCs remains unexplained.
Methodology for fractionating suspended particles using ultrasonic standing wave and divided flow fields

Abstract A methodology to fractionate suspended particles according to size and/or acoustic properties is reported. This fractionation is accomplished by simultaneously subjecting the particles to a resonant acoustic field and a laminar flow field propagating in an orthogonal direction. The acoustic field induces a redistribution of the particles within the cross-section of a narrow separator channel while the laminar flow transports the particles along the separator channel towards the exit. By altering the strength of the flow relative to the strength of the acoustic field, the desired fractionation can be controlled. Proof-of-principle experiments conducted with binary mixtures of polystyrene particles are reported. The performance of the experimental device was analyzed using a model based on calculations of the trajectory of particles through the chamber. The acoustic method has potential to rapidly and selectively factionate suspended solids with very low specific power consumption.
Fast two-phase micropipeline control wrapper for standard cell implementation

A fast control wrapper for a micropipeline with two-phase control is presented. The wrapper is implemented in an Artisan 0.13 µ standard cell library that has not been augmented with any special cells for asynchronous design. The wrapper is approximately 25% faster than a more traditional approach that uses a Muller C-element.
SELF-ESTEEM AND CONSERVATISM AMONG FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS

In view of the previously reported relationship between self-esteem and authoritarianism as well as the promulgated kinship between authoritarianism and conservatism, this study used the Janis and Field Selfesteem Inventory and the Conservatism Scale to evaluate the relationship between self-esteem and conservatism for 93 white college women. R was .06 between the scales; older students were significantly less conservative than younger ones, Jews less conservative than both Catholics and Protestants, and students majoring in the social sciences were significantly less conservative than those majoring in either literature-arts or mathematics-natural sciences. There were no statistically significant differences for age, religion, or college major on the self-esteem inventory.
Moving the drama into the factory: the contribution of metaphors to services research

Although services research has made extensive use of metaphors, there is a need to understand the way metaphors incorporate assumptions about the phenomenon under study, the focus of research attention and managerial implications. Defines metaphors as a transfer of information from the familiar to the unfamiliar, emphasizing the cognitive rather than literary properties of metaphor. While several metaphors have been presented in the services literature, factory and drama metaphors predominate. An analysis of recent publications suggests that use of factory or drama metaphors reflects an implicit model of services, and researchers blend factory and drama metaphors to take into account the human qualities of service inputs. Addresses concerns expressed by those who criticize the use of metaphor in social science research and suggests that metaphors can contribute to increased creativity in services research.
Limits to clock synchronization induced by completely dephasing communication channels

Clock synchronization procedures are analyzed in the presence of imperfect communications. In this context we show that there are physical limitations which prevent one from synchronizing distant clocks when the intervening medium is completely dephasing, as in the case of a rapidly varying dispersive medium.
Calculation of cohesion and changes in electronic structure due to impurity segregation at boundaries in iron

It is well known that impurities in iron which segregate to grain boundaries can dramatically change physical properties. Carbon and boron tend to increase ductility while phosphorous and sulphur lead to embrittlement. Cohesion at boundaries in iron can be understood by studying changes in the iron d states responsible for bonding. Since the effects are quite localised, relatively small systems can be used to model the electronic structure. Both FLAPW and LKKR calculations show that the average energy of the d band is lower for B and C impurities and higher for P and S impurities. These results are consistent with the macroscopic changes in cohesion. rights reserved.
Hypnosis as an experimental dilemma.

Abstract Phenomena associated with the hypnotic state are sufficiently variable and overlap nonhypnotic phenomena to such an extent as to suggest that there is no specifically hypnotic state. Hypnosis seems to refer to a particular kind of procedure for producing altered states of consciousness. Communication is central to the hypnotic process. Viewed in this way, many other procedures, such as gestalt therapy or Esalen massage, not ordinarily thought of as hypnotic, become instances of hypnotic procedures. Hypnosis is part of a family of techniques for producing altered states of consciousness.
Cytologic characteristics of abnormal cells in prior "normal" cervical/vaginal Papanicolaou smears from women with a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.

BACKGROUND Some cervical/vaginal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears previously diagnosed as normal in women with a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) are found to contain abnormal cells on retrospective review. This study characterized and quantitated such cells in 100 Pap smears. METHODS One hundred prior negative Pap smears from 49 women with a newly diagnosed HSIL were rescreened, as were 107 negative Pap smears from 100 women with normal subsequent smears. Cases were assorted randomly so that the rescreener was unaware of the subsequent follow-up. RESULTS All 12 Pap smears found to contain atypical mature and immature metaplastic cells belonged to the group with a subsequent HSIL (P = 0.001). In addition, 18 of the 100 previously negative Pap smears (18%) had immature metaplastic cells without nuclear atypia compared with 4 of 107 Pap smears (4%) in the control group (P = 0.0007). CONCLUSIONS This study supports the observations of other authors that atypical metaplastic cells, especially those of the immature type, are associated with HSIL. These cells most likely are HSIL lesional cells, which are not easily recognizable as such. Immature metaplastic cells without atypia also were shown to be associated significantly with HSIL in this study. These cells may be unrecognizable lesional cells or a marker of increased risk for HSIL and deserve further study. [See editorial on pages 45–7, this issue.] Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 1999;87:56–9. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Optimal Resource Allocation with Time-varying Marketing Effectiveness, Margins and Costs

Abstract The importance of optimal marketing communications mix decisions is well-recognized by both marketing scholars and practitioners. A significant volume of work has addressed the problem of dynamic marketing mix optimization assuming constant effectiveness of marketing instruments. However, the effectiveness of marketing communications varies over time for a variety of reasons. Moreover, due to factors such as inflation or deflation in media prices and/or raw material inputs, there can be differential changes in the costs of communications and/or margins on the good (or service) sold over time. The academic literature offers little normative direction on how time-varying marketing effectiveness and costs drive optimal marketing-mix levels and their relative allocation. The authors shed light on these issues by solving a monopoly firm's finite horizon dynamic marketing communications mix optimization problem involving two marketing instruments with time-varying parameters, i.e., the marketing effectiveness parameters, media costs, and product margin are all allowed to vary over time. First, they find that the structure of the solutions is similar to that of the classic Nerlove–Arrow model, for a completely general nature of time-varying effectiveness. Second, their model can be used by managers to exactly determine whether and when to switch their marketing-mix emphasis (defined by the marketing element receiving the dominant portion of the budget) over a finite planning horizon. In sum, the authors expand knowledge on optimal allocation of marketing resources with time-varying effectiveness. They also extend their solution to incorporate multiple (more than two) marketing instruments.
Merging globally rigid graphs and sensor network localization

The sensor network localization problem with distance information is to determine the positions of all sensors in a network, given the positions of some of the sensors and the distances between some pairs of sensors. In [1], [2], [3], sequential localization algorithms were proposed for localizing classes of networks whose sensors possess either a “trilateration” or “bilateration” ordering, and graph rigidity theory was used to characterize those networks which can be either localized or efficiently localized by the proposed algorithms. In this work, we consider a decomposition and merging approach for localizing networks which can be applied towards networks whose sensors have neither a trilateration nor a bilateration ordering. We use graph rigidity theory to characterize the necessary graph properties of those subnetworks whose local solutions can be used to obtain a localization solution for the entire network.
Building America Research Benchmark Definition, Updated December 29, 2004

To track progress toward aggressive multi-year whole-house energy savings goals of 40-70% and onsite power production of up to 30%, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Residential Buildings Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed the Building America Research Benchmark in consultation with the Building America industry teams. The Benchmark is generally consistent with mid-1990s standard practice, as reflected in the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Technical Guidelines (RESNET 2002), with additional definitions that allow the analyst to evaluate all residential end-uses, an extension of the traditional HERS rating approach that focuses on space conditioning and hot water. A series of user profiles, intended to represent the behavior of a ''standard'' set of occupants, was created for use in conjunction with the Benchmark.
A high-explosive round for a rectangular railgun bore cross section

A railgun bore with a rectangular cross section was found to be advantageous for the launch of a hypervelocity kinetic energy penetrator (KEP). Since guns are rarely used to execute a mission with a single type of round, it was important to assess the feasibility for rounds other than a KEP. An analysis is presented to support the operation of a mass-stabilized round with a high-explosive (HE) payload from the same rectangular bore cross section. Design criteria and two bounding cases are provided to illustrate the effectiveness. Removal of material from the bore insulators can provide space for the mass-stabilized projectile base diameter. The resultant HE round provides an increased capability as compared to conventionally launched HE rounds in velocity, armor penetration, and payload capacity. Furthermore, launch of kinetic energy and HE munitions from the same launcher provides increased mission capability.
Using single-scattering albedo spectral curvature to characterize East Asian aerosol mixtures

Spectral dependence of aerosol single-scattering albedo (SSA) has been used to infer aerosol composition. In particular, aerosol mixtures dominated by dust absorption will have monotonically increasing SSA with wavelength while that dominated by black carbon absorption has monotonically decreasing SSA spectra. However, by analyzing SSA measured at four wavelengths, 440, 675, 870, and 1020 nm from the Aerosol Robotic Network data set, we find that the SSA spectra over East Asia are frequently peaked at 675 nm. In these cases, we suggest that SSA spectral curvature, defined as the negative of the second derivative of SSA as a function of wavelength, can provide additional information on the composition of these aerosol mixtures. Aerosol SSA spectral curvatures for East Asia during fall and winter are considerably larger than those found in places primarily dominated by biomass burning or dust aerosols. SSA curvature is found to increase as the SSA magnitude decreases. The curvature increases with coarse mode fraction (CMF) to a CMF value of about 0.4, then slightly decreases or remains constant at larger CMF. Mie calculations further verify that the strongest SSA curvature occurs at approx. 40% dust fraction, with 10% scattering aerosol fraction. The nonmonotonic SSA spectral dependence is likely associated with enhanced absorption in the shortwave by dust, absorption by black carbon at longer wavelengths, and also the flattened absorption optical depth spectral dependence due to the increased particle size.
Experimental Comparison of Conventional and Optical VTs, and Circuit Model for Optical VT

This paper compares the performances of an optical voltage transformer (OVT) and a conventional voltage transformer (VT) in a laboratory for steady state and transients. It also presents a developed equivalent circuit model for OVT. In addition, OVT impulse response has been investigated, and field records have been evaluated to confirm that optical systems can satisfactorily replace magnetic transformers. Both experimental results and field records show that the transient performance of an OVT is better than that of a conventional one, and the performance of OVT is comparable to that of the magnetic VT. Differences are found within experimental errors. A transfer function for OVT is derived by using the obtained frequency response characteristics. A circuit model is developed from the derived transfer function by using a network synthesis method. The model is verified through the frequency response results and tested with PSPICE simulation program. The results show that the developed model can be used as a legitimate OVT model.
Identifying irregularly shaped crime hot-spots using a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm

Spatial cluster detection techniques are widely used in criminology, geography, epidemiology, and other fields. In particular, spatial scan statistics are popular and efficient techniques for detecting areas of elevated crime or disease events. The majority of spatial scan approaches attempt to delineate geographic zones by evaluating the significance of clusters using likelihood ratio statistics tested with the Poisson distribution. While this can be effective, many scan statistics give preference to circular clusters, diminishing their ability to identify elongated and/or irregular shaped clusters. Although adjusting the shape of the scan window can mitigate some of these problems, both the significance of irregular clusters and their spatial structure must be accounted for in a meaningful way. This paper utilizes a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm to find clusters with maximum significance while quantitatively tracking their geographic structure. Crime data for the city of Cincinnati are utilized to demonstrate the advantages of the new approach and highlight its benefits versus more traditional scan statistics.
Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus metabolism in dogs given intravenous triacetin.

ABSTRACF Previous studies suggested that acetate in parenteral solutions may adversely affect mineral metabolism by causing sequestration ofinorganic phosphate and calcium in the liver. In this study, triacetin, a short-chain triglyceride of acetate and a potential parenteral nutrient, was infused for 3 h at an isocaboric rate in mongrel dogs (n = 6) to test its effects on serum phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium metabolism. There was no change in serum P or Ca. The serum Mgconcentration decreased from 0.7 ± 0.03 to 0.57 ± 0.03 mmol/L(p < 0.001) by 90 mm and remained at this level for the remainder ofthe study. The triacetin infusion did not influence fractional urinary Mg excretion; thus, the decrease in serum Mg was likely because ofan increase in cellular transport ofthis cation. A short-chain triglyceride administered to dogs at a rate approximating resting energy expenditure has no demonstrable adverse effects on mineral metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 1989;49:385-8.
Discovering affine equalities using random interpretation

We present a new polynomial-time randomized algorithm for discovering affine equalities involving variables in a program. The key idea of the algorithm is to execute a code fragment on a few random inputs, but in such a way that all paths are covered on each run. This makes it possible to rule out invalid relationships even with very few runs.The algorithm is based on two main techniques. First, both branches of a conditional are executed on each run and at joint points we perform an affine combination of the joining states. Secondly, in the branches of an equality conditional we adjust the data values on the fly to reflect the truth value of the guarding boolean expression. This increases the number of affine equalities that the analysis discovers.The algorithm is simpler to implement than alternative deterministic versions, has better computational complexity, and has an extremely small probability of error for even a small number of runs. This algorithm is an example of how randomization can provide a trade-off between the cost and complexity of program analysis, and a small probability of unsoundness.