cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Long-Lifespan Single-Phase Single-Stage Multi-Module Inverter for PV Application

This paper proposes a new single-phase single-stage multi-module inverter for PV applications, and presents its operating principle and control strategy to manage the mismatch between input and output power. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this inverter: 1) reduces the requirement of link bus capacitance, thus, allowing the use of small reliable film capacitors to increase the system's lifespan; 2) is modular for an easy expansion to higher power; 3) implements Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and DC-AC inversion in one power conversion stage; 4) has the potential to reduce total cost per watts and creates a more compact design comparing to conventional microinverter-based PV system.
Sleep apnea and galectin-3: possible sex-specific relationship

Sleep apnea is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Elevated plasma galectin-3 levels, a biomarker associated with myocardial fibrosis, are also associated with adverse cardiovascular events, including heart failure. Our objective was to determine the relationship between severity of sleep apnea and plasma levels of galectin-3 and to determine whether this relationship was modified by sex. We performed a cross-sectional study of 471 Mexican Americans from Starr County, TX who underwent an overnight, in-home sleep evaluation, and plasma measurement of galectin-3. Severity of sleep apnea was based on apnea hypopnea index (AHI). Multivariable linear regression modeling was used to determine the association between categories of sleep apnea and galectin-3. We also tested for interactions by sex. The mean age was 53 years, and 74% of the cohort was female. The prevalence of moderate to severe sleep apnea (AHI > 15 apnea–hypopnea events per hour) was 36.7%. Moderate to severe sleep apnea was associated with increased levels of galectin-3 in the entire population, but we identified a statistically significant interaction between galectin-3 levels and category of sleep apnea by sex (p for interaction = 0.02). Plasma galectin levels were significantly higher in women with moderate or severe sleep apnea than women with no/mild sleep apnea (multivariable adjusted p < 0.001), but not in men (p = 0.5). Sleep apnea is associated elevated galectin-3 levels in women but not men. Our findings highlight a possible sex-specific relationship between sleep apnea and galectin-3, a biomarker of potential myocardial fibrosis that has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
Nearly Constant Tile Complexity for any Shape in Two-Handed Tile Assembly

Tile self-assembly is a well-studied theoretical model of geometric computation based on nanoscale DNA-based molecular systems. Here, we study the two-handed tile self-assembly model or 2HAM at general temperatures, in contrast with prior study limited to small constant temperatures, leading to surprising results. We obtain constructions at larger (i.e., hotter) temperatures that disprove prior conjectures and break well-known bounds for low-temperature systems via new methods of temperature-encoded information. In particular, for all $$n \in \mathbb {N}$$ , we assemble $$n \times n$$ squares using $$O(2^{\log ^*{n}})$$ tile types, thus breaking the well-known information theoretic lower bound of Rothemund and Winfree. Using this construction, we then show how to use the temperature to encode general shapes and construct them at scale with $$O(2^{\log ^*{K}})$$ tiles, where K denotes the Kolmogorov complexity of the target shape. Following, we refute a long-held conjecture by showing how to use temperature to construct $$n \times O(1)$$ rectangles using only $$O(\log {n}/\log \log {n})$$ tile types. We also give two small systems to generate nanorulers of varying length based solely on varying the system temperature. These results constitute the first real demonstration of the power of high temperature systems for tile assembly in the 2HAM. This leads to several directions for future explorations which we discuss in the conclusion.
The role of lineage, hemilineage and temporal identity in establishing neuronal connectivity in the Drosophila larval CNS

Abstract The mechanisms specifying neuronal diversity are well-characterized, yet it remains unclear how or if these mechanisms regulate neuronal morphology and connectivity. Here we map the developmental origin of 78 bilateral pairs of interneurons from seven identified neural progenitors (neuroblasts) within a complete TEM reconstruction of the Drosophila newly-hatched larval CNS. This allows us to correlate developmental mechanism with neuronal projections, synapse targeting, and connectivity. We find that clonally-related neurons from project widely in the neuropil, without preferential circuit formation. In contrast, the two NotchON/NotchOFF hemilineages from each neuroblast project to either dorsal motor neuropil (NotchON) or ventral sensory neuropil (NotchOFF). Thus, each neuroblast contributes both motor and sensory processing neurons. Lineage-specific constitutive Notch transforms sensory to motor hemilineages, showing hemilineage identity determines neuronal targeting. Within a hemilineage, temporal cohorts target processes and synapses to different sub-domains of the neuropil, effectively “tiling” the hemilineage neuropil, and hemilineage/temporal cohorts are enriched for shared connectivity. Thus, neuroblast lineage, hemilineage, and temporal identity progressively restrict neuropil targeting, synapse localization, and connectivity. We propose that mechanisms generating neural diversity are also determinants of neural circuit formation.
Neuromusical Research and Young Children: Harmonious Relationship or Discordant Notes?

In recent years, there has been an upsurge of research on music and the developing brain. As brain imaging technology becomes more sophisticated, neuroscientists have been able to gain many insights into the developing brain as it perceives and processes musical information. Yet, there is still a fair amount of “misunderstanding, misapprehension, and misapplication” (Croft J, Mind Brain Edu 5(1):5–11, p. 6, 2011) of neuroscientific research in the arts and humanities, as well as in education. In this chapter, we offer a critical review of neuromusical research conducted with children aged 0–8. The chapter is divided into four parts: (1) a brief description EEG and MRI, two brain and the main imaging techniques used with young children; (2) a review of imaging studies published in the past decade (2008–2018) concerning music and young children; (3) the main criticisms associated with the works, coming primarily from scholars in the humanities, arts, and education fields; (4) Implications for research and practice in early childhood.
Infrared spectroelectrochemical configurations for in situ measurements

The choice of infrared (IR) spectroelectrochemical configurations and accessories depends on the type of reaction investigated. The mostly used system is Otto configuration where the electrolyte is squeezed between the electrode and the internal reflection element (IRE). However, another system with the film electrode deposited directly onto the flat side of the IRE (Kretsch­mann configuration) gains popularity, not only because of the increase in sen­sitivity, but also as it allows electrochemical reactions involving gas evolution. By the use of Fresnel equations for three-phase stratified medium we show that the strength of mean-square electric field (MSEF) at the metal/solution inter­face, associated with the dissipation of energy onto the adsorbed species in Otto configuration, is rather flexible in the choice of the optimal angle of inci­dence of the IR radiation and the thickness of the water layer. On the other hand, Kretschmann configuration is very sensitive to the parameters of the optical system, so the calculations of the MSEF are necessary to identify the optimal angle of incidence and the thickness of the metal layer that give max­i­mal enhancement in the mid-IR region where the bands of interest occur.
Advanced Heart Failure Therapies for Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Highlights •Many patients with adult CHD will experience a progressive decline in cardiopulmonary function leading to advanced HF. •These high-risk patients present unique anatomic and physiological challenges that may not be amenable to repair. •For highly selected patients, mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation offer excellent short- and long-term outcomes. •Prospective registries are needed to determine optimal timing of referral, risk factors for adverse outcomes, and strategies for preservation of end-organ function.
Some Aspects of Global Bifurcations and Chaos

In this chapter we will develop some techniques for describing what is meant by the term “chaos” as applied to deterministic dynamical systems. We will study the mechanisms that give rise to chaotic dynamics as well as develop analytical techniques for predicting (in terms of the system parameters) when these mechanics occur in specific dynamical systems.
A Holistic Approach for Detecting DDoS Attacks by Using Ensemble Unsupervised Machine Learning

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) has been the most prominent attack in cyber-physical system over the last decade. Defending against DDoS attack is not only challenging but also strategic. Tons of new strategies and approaches have been proposed to defend against different types of DDoS attacks. The ongoing battle between the attackers and defenders is full-fledged due to its newest strategies and techniques. Machine learning (ML) has promising outcomes in different research fields including cybersecurity. In this paper, ensemble unsupervised ML approach is used to implement an intrusion detection system which has the noteworthy accuracy to detect DDoS attacks. The goal of this research is to increase the DDoS attack detection accuracy while decreasing the false positive rate. The NSL-KDD dataset and twelve feature sets from existing research are used for experimentation to compare our ensemble results with those of our individual and other existing models.
Cyclo[18]carbon as an ultra-elastic molecular O-ring with unique mechanical properties

Abstract Recent atomic manipulation by an AFM tip created the first sp-hybridized carbon material – cyclo[18]carbon. Herein, we revealed the unique mechanical properties of cyclo[18]carbon by the first principle calculations. Under uniaxial tension, cyclo[18]carbon is ultra-elastic as demonstrated by a small Young’s modulus of 0.11 TPa and a tiny specific tensile stiffness of 7.0 × 106 N·m/kg, which are one and two orders of magnitude smaller than those of other carbon materials, respectively. The expansion and contraction of cyclo[18]carbon exhibit a relatively high specific stiffness of 9.95 × 108 N·m/kg, and it would be broken with an energy requirement of 34.14 eV. While uniaxial tension enables the insulator-semiconductor transition of cyclo[18]carbon, expansion enlarges its energy gap. Furthermore, the strain energy was proposed as a function of bond angle and bond length for uniaxially-stretched and expanded/contracted cyclo[18]carbon respectively, which sheds light on predicting the mechanical properties of certain materials. The unique properties of cyclo[18]carbon are of great interest for its potential use as an ultra-elastic molecular O-ring in nanomechanical system and molecular electronics and devices.
Abstract 14670: A Meta-analysis of Survival Outcomes Between Two Uncommon Mechanical Circulatory Support Device Combinations

Introduction: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and Impella devices are being used in increasing frequency for cardiogenic shock. Left ventricular unloading strategies are...
Interferometric speckle visibility spectroscopy (ISVS) for human cerebral blood flow monitoring

Infrared light scattering methods have been developed and employed to non-invasively monitor human cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, the number of reflected photons that interact with the brain is low when detecting blood flow in deep tissue. To tackle this photon-starved problem, we present and demonstrate the idea of interferometric speckle visibility spectroscopy (ISVS). In ISVS, an interferometric detection scheme is used to boost the weak signal light. The blood flow dynamics are inferred from the speckle statistics of a single frame speckle pattern. We experimentally demonstrated the improvement in the measurement of fidelity by introducing interferometric detection when the signal photon number is low. We apply the ISVS system to monitor the human CBF in situations where the light intensity is ∼100-fold less than that in common diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) implementations. Due to the large number of pixels (∼2 × 105) used to capture light in the ISVS system, we are able to collect a similar number of photons within one exposure time as in normal DCS implementations. Our system operates at a sampling rate of 100 Hz. At the exposure time of 2 ms, the average signal photoelectron number is ∼0.95 count/pixel, yielding a single pixel interferometric measurement signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of ∼0.97. The total ∼2 × 105 pixels provide an expected overall SNR of 436. We successfully demonstrate that the ISVS system is able to monitor the human brain pulsatile blood flow, as well as the blood flow change when a human subject is doing a breath-holding task.
Running a Pre-exascale, Geographically Distributed, Multi-cloud Scientific Simulation.

As we approach the Exascale era, it is important to verify that the existing frameworks and tools will still work at that scale. Moreover, public Cloud computing has been emerging as a viable solution for both prototyping and urgent computing. Using the elasticity of the Cloud, we have thus put in place a pre-exascale HTCondor setup for running a scientific simulation in the Cloud, with the chosen application being IceCube’s photon propagation simulation. I.e. this was not a purely demonstration run, but it was also used to produce valuable and much needed scientific results for the IceCube collaboration. In order to reach the desired scale, we aggregated GPU resources across 8 GPU models from many geographic regions across Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and the Google Cloud Platform. Using this setup, we reached a peak of over 51k GPUs corresponding to almost 380 PFLOP32s, for a total integrated compute of about 100k GPU hours. In this paper we provide the description of the setup, the problems that were discovered and overcome, as well as a short description of the actual science output of the exercise.
Resilience in Business

What is resilience, and how is a company's resilience measured? Scholars define organizational resilience as the ability to not only survive a hardship, but also to emerge stronger and better prepared to face new challenges in the future. All businesses experience adversity, but relatively few are able to transform these experiences into a catalyst for growth. Members of resilient organizations are also hopeful and confident in their abilities to cope with hardship and view challenges as opportunities to make their organizations better. This case includes the stories of four Virginia companies that employed different strategies for overcoming difficult situations, as told by the current leaders of these businesses. Taken together, these stories provide a range of examples of different approaches to leading through and learning from adversity. Excerpt UVA-OB-1080 Rev. Dec. 22, 2015 Resilience in Business What is resilience, and how is a company's resilience measured: By how long it has been in business, or by the severity of the obstacles it has had to overcome? By the strength of its balance sheet, or by the flexibility of its operational structures? Scholars define organizational resilience as the ability not only to survive a hardship, but to emerge stronger and better prepared to face new challenges in the future. All businesses experience adversity, but relatively few are able to harness those experiences as catalysts for growth. Members of these resilient organizations are hopeful and confident in their ability to cope with hardship, and view challenges as opportunities to make their organizations better. This case includes the stories of four Virginia companies that deployed different strategies for overcoming difficult situations, as told by their current leaders. These leaders were interviewed in 2015, but their stories extend back much further, showcasing a range of approaches to leading through—and learning from—adversity. Givens Books As a bookstore, we have been enormously challenged by the growth of the Internet and e-books. We feel that we have met these dangers head on and taken measures to ensure our survival. By making the grounds outside and the store design inside unique and their shopping experience extremely positive, it has become a favorite shopping place for a wide range of people from a large geographic area. . . .
Lack of Cas13a inhibition by anti-CRISPR proteins from Leptotrichia prophages

CRISPR systems are prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that use RNA-guided Cas nucleases to recognize and destroy foreign genetic elements, like bacteriophages and plasmids. To overcome CRISPR immunity, phages have evolved diverse families of anti-CRISPR proteins (Acrs), each of which inhibits the nucleic acid binding or cleavage activities of specific Cas protein families. Recently, Lin et al. (2020) described the discovery and characterization of 7 different Acr families (AcrVIA1-7) that inhibit type VI-A CRISPR systems, which use the nuclease Cas13a to perform RNA-guided RNA cleavage. In this Matters Arising article, we detail several inconsistencies that question the results reported in the Lin et al. (2020) study. These include inaccurate bioinformatics analyses, as well as reported experiments involving bacterial strains that are impossible to construct. The authors were unable to provide their published strains with which we might reproduce their experiments. We independently tested the Acr sequences described in Lin et al. (2020) in two different Cas13 inhibition assays, but could not detect anti-CRISPR activity. Taken together, our data and analyses prompt us to question the claim that AcrVIA1-7 reported in Lin et al. are bona fide type VI anti-CRISPR proteins.
Procedural Shading for Rendering the Appearance of Feathers

The appearance of a real-world feather is the result of light interactions with complex, patterned structures of varying scale; however, these have not yet been modeled for accurate rendering of feathers in computer graphics. Previously published works have presented simplified curve models for feather appearance. Using imaging from real feathers, we suggest why these approaches are not sufficient and provide motivation for building an appearance model specific to feathers. In that vein we demonstrate a new technique that takes into account the substructures of feathers during shading calculations to produce a more accurate far-field appearance.
Emergence of functional information from multivariate correlations.

The information content of symbolic sequences (such as nucleic- or amino acid sequences, but also neuronal firings or strings of letters) can be calculated from an ensemble of such sequences, but because information cannot be assigned to single sequences, we cannot correlate information to other observables attached to the sequence. Here we show that an information score obtained from multivariate (multiple-variable) correlations within sequences of a "training" ensemble can be used to predict observables of out-of-sample sequences with an accuracy that scales with the complexity of correlations, showing that functional information emerges from a hierarchy of multi-variable correlations.
Comparison of perceived health to physiological measures of health in Black and White women.

Abstract Background Obesity and sedentary lifestyles are prevalent among minority women. This study compared perceived and physiological measures of health in 35 non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and 155 non-Hispanic White (NHW) sedentary women. Methods Self-perception of body weight, physical shape and appearance, physical fitness, and eating habits were assessed via questionnaire using 10-point scales (1 = poor, 10 = excellent), and height, weight, aerobic capacity ( V O 2 max ), and 4-day food records were directly measured. Results Although body mass index (BMI, 30.3 ± 5.3 vs 27.2 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 ) and weight (82.7 ± 16.5 vs 73.1 ± 12.9 kg) were greater (both P = 0.0001) in NHB, groups were similar in self-perception of physical shape and appearance and weight. V O 2 max was lower in NHB compared to NHW (20.7 ± 4.5 vs 23.5 ± 4.6 ml · kg −1 · min −1 , P = 0.002), despite no difference between groups in self-perception of physical fitness. Finally, there was no difference between groups for self-perception of eating habits and percentage of calories derived from fat (%fat). The results were unchanged after adjusting for age, education, and income, except that %fat was greater in NHB compared to NHW (35.7 ± 6.3 vs 33.8 ± 6.9%, P = 0.03). Conclusions Although NHB were heavier, more obese, less fit, and consumed a greater %fat than NHW, they perceived their weight, physical shape and appearance, physical fitness, and eating habits to be no worse than those of their White counterparts. The perceptions of NHB regarding their weight, fitness, and eating habits may represent barriers to change.
Situation Awareness and Performance of Student versus Experienced Air Traffic Controllers

A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted to examine performance, workload, and situation awarenessof students and retired air traffic controllers using an on-line situation awareness probe technique. Performance of the students did not differ from the controllers on many of the performance variables examined, a finding attributed to extensive sector-specific simulation training provided to the students. Both students and controllers indicated that workload was higher and situation awareness was lower in scenarios where the traffic density was high. However, the subjective workload and situation awareness scores indicate that students were more negatively affected by traffic density. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Locational aspects of distributed generation

While distributed generation may in and of itself become a dominant force in the provision of energy in years to come, it is its capability to be used in numerous locations throughout the grid that potentially gives it its greatest value. Other attributes of specific grid locations (such as volatilities and price spikes) are examined from the perspective of the influence that it might have on the siting of a distributed generator.
Marginal Zone B Cells Regulate Antigen Capture by Marginal Zone Macrophages

The marginal zone (MZ) of the mouse spleen contains macrophages that express receptors that trap pathogens, including the scavenger receptor macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure and the C-type lectin specific intracellular adhesion molecule-grabbing nonintegrin receptor 1 (SIGN-R1). We previously reported that expression of SIGN-R1 was decreased in CD19-deficient mice. In this study, we demonstrate that SIGN-R1 is expressed on a subset of macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure (MARCO)+ macrophages. This subset is diminished when MZ B cells are absent due to either genetic developmental defects or following transient migration of B cells out of the MZ. When B cells return to the MZ, there is a delay in recovery of SIGN-R1–expressing macrophages. During this period, capture of Ficoll, which for the macrophages requires SIGN-R1, remains defective not only by the macrophages, but also by the B cells. Thus, MZ B cells regulate expression of molecules on macrophages that are important for trapping Ag, which, in turn, is required for Ag capture by the B cells.
Laser-generation of controlled localized perturbations for boundary-layer transition research

Controlled localized perturbations are generated in the freestream of a quiet supersonic wind tunnel, in order to investigate receptivity and laminar-turbulent transition under controlled conditions. The local 'hot-spot' disturbances are generated in air using a tightly focused Nd:YAG laser, via the photo-ionization effect. The injection-seeded laser operates at 532 nm and creates 7 ns pulses with energies to 240 mJ; the shot-to-shot energy repeatability is within about 3%. Measurements of the localized 'hot-spot' in stagnant air at 760 torr show an edge-spreading that is repeatable in both transverse and axial directions, to within 12%, as long as the 'hot-spot' is less than about 8 mm in diameter. Injection-seeding is essential to obtaining this repeatability. The repeatable shock-induced flow emanating from the focus suggests a new method of calibrating high-frequency flow sensors. Successful generation of the perturbations at Mach 4 is also demonstrated, although details of the high-frequency convective disturbances remain to be measured.
In vitro selection and characterization of cellulose-binding DNA aptamers

Many nucleic acid enzymes and aptamers have modular architectures that allow them to retain their functions when combined with other nucleotide sequences. This modular function facilitates the engineering of RNAs and DNAs that have more complex functions. We sought to create new DNA aptamers that bind cellulose to provide a module for immobilizing DNAs. Cellulose has been used in a variety of applications ranging from coatings and films to pharmaceutical preparations, and therefore DNA aptamers that bind cellulose might enable new applications. We used in vitro selection to isolate aptamers from a pool of random-sequence DNAs and subjected two distinct clones to additional rounds of mutagenesis and selection. One aptamer (CELAPT 14) was chosen for sequence minimization and more detailed biochemical analysis. CELAPT 14 aptamer variants exhibit robust binding both to cellulose powder and paper. Also, an allosteric aptamer construct was engineered that exhibits ATP-mediated cellulose binding during paper chromatography.
Abstract 375: Targeting pericytes in ovarian carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Purpose: Pericytes interact with and closely regulate endothelial cell function. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB/PDGF receptor (PDGFR) β plays a critical role in pericyte regulation, therefore highly specific inhibitors of this target are needed. We hypothesize that dual targeting of endothelial cells and pericytes provide a more efficacious antiangiogenic approach for ovarian cancer therapy. Experimental Design: The therapeutic efficacy of targeting endothelial cells (bevacizumab) and/or pericytes (PDGF-aptamer, AX102) was examined using SKOV3ip1 and HeyA8 orthotopic ovarian cancer models. The biomarkers, such as microvessel density (MVD), vascular maturation (pericyte coverage), and proliferative index (proliferating cell nuclear antigen, PCNA) were examined. Results: Bevacizumab inhibited tumor growth by 48% and 45% in the SKOV3ip1 and HeyA8 models, respectively. AX102 had minimal effect on the HeyA8 model, but increased tumor growth in the SKOV3ip1 model. However, bevacizumab plus AX102 was more effective than bevacizumab alone, and reduced 76 - 88% of tumor growth in both models. A longitudinal study using bioluminescence imaging in the HeyA8 model showed that a combination of bevacizumab, AX102 and paclitaxel caused tumor reduction by 65% (based on bioluminescence imaging). MVD and proliferative index counts were significantly reduced in the bevacizumab treatment groups, and pericyte coverage was significantly decreased in the AX102 treatment groups. Conclusions: Dual targeting of endothelial cells and pericytes demonstrates therapeutic potential as a unique anti-vascular approach in treating ovarian carcinoma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 375.
Toward a Typology of Business Education in the Internet Age

Many diverse forces are motivating institutions of higher education, particularly business schools, to develop and deliver education via the Internet. As higher education institutions explore this opportunity, the question of how courses and degree programs should be designed for effective online delivery via the Internet is a nontrivial concern and challenge. To address this concern and challenge, this paper articulates, defines, and justifies a typology consisting of four types of online distance education that can be pursued by institutions of higher education. The four online distance education types—Overview Model, Overview Model with Feedback, Technical-Skills Model, and Managerial Learning Model—can be differentiated along a number of content-related, delivery-related, and learning-related issues and have applicability at various educational levels. In addition, the paper highlights and discusses five key lessons for institutions to consider in their desire to launch online distance education initiatives. These lessons provide insights not only for launch success but also for the ongoing sustainability of online distance education.
A comparison of body length, brood size and longevity as indices of chronic copper and zinc stresses in Daphnia magna

Abstract An evaluation of data from copper and zinc bioassays with Daphnia magna indicates that concentrations which have an adverse effect, as measured over a lifetime exposure, also cause a significant reduction in growth measured as body length of primiparous females. Both body length and longevity were more sensitive indices of chronic stress than was reproduction.
Prostate-specific antigen decline during salvage radiation therapy following prostatectomy is associated with reduced biochemical failure

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the prognostic value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline during salvage radiation therapy (SRT) after prostatectomy. Methods and materials We reviewed an institutional database and identified all prostate cancer patients who were treated with SRT between the years 2003 and 2010, had at least 1 PSA measurement during their SRT course, and had no history of androgen deprivation therapy use prior to or during SRT. Disease characteristics, treatment information, and clinical outcomes data were tabulated for each patient. The PSA response during SRT was defined as a PSA decline of at least 0.2 ng/mL compared with the pretreatment PSA level. Bivariate and multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed to identify predictors of biochemical recurrence. Results Sixty-four patients met eligibility criteria for this analysis. Median PSA before SRT was 0.63 ng/mL (interquartile range: 0.42-1.00). With a median follow-up time of 70 months after SRT, 5-year actuarial rates for biochemical control and metastasis-free survival were 61% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48%-75%) and 88% (95% CI, 79%-97%), respectively. The median number of PSA measurements per patient during SRT was 3 (range, 1-5). On bivariate analysis, PSA response during SRT and positive surgical margins were significantly associated with a decreased risk of biochemical recurrence (BR), with hazard ratios of 0.160 (95% CI, 0.059-0.431, P P = .035). On multivariate analysis, PSA response during SRT and positive surgical margin were independent, favorable predictors for BR, with hazard ratios of 0.171 (95% CI, 0.063-0.463, P P = .039). The 5-year biochemical control rate for PSA responders was 81%, compared with 37% for nonresponders ( P Conclusions Prostate-specific antigen decline during SRT may be a valuable prognostic factor for subsequent clinical outcomes. Future studies should investigate the value of monitoring PSA during SRT and how PSA response may be used to personalize therapy.
Predictors of four functional tasks in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of performance on four functional tasks in adults with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Design Descriptive correlation. Methods A voluntary sample of 78 community dwelling adults who reported knee pain and were previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee were timed while they performed the functional tasks of going down and getting up off of the floor and ascending and descending a flight of stairs as quickly as possible. Subjects were also evaluated for their joint pain while performing these activities, their leg strength, perceptions of joint pain, stiffness, functional ability, and other health status information. Findings This study indicates that knee extension strength (quadriceps), joint pain during the activity, perceptions of functional ability and body weight combined can predict between 39% and 56% of the variance in the time to perform four functional tasks in adults with OA of the knee. Conclusion Interventions that improve quadriceps strength and reduce joint pain and body weight along with facilitating perceptions of functional ability may have a positive impact upon the ability to get down to and rise up off of the floor and ascend/descend stairs in adults with OA of the knee.
Fibrin adherent CHO cell behavior in response to chelators and enterotoxin.

Abstract Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells attach to fibrin with a round morphology and differentiate into stretched form when cell density increases. This morphological differentiation is accelerated and accentuated by striking elongation following the addition of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) or cholera toxin (CT). In contrast to the prompt effect within 2–4 h after db-cAMP, there is a characteristic lag in the onset of CT effect. CHO cell attachment to fibrin was substantially more resistant to release by EDTA or EGTA than were cells attached to plastic. While cell attachment to fibrin could be gradually released by EDTA, adherence was relatively resistant to release by EGTA, suggesting that Mg 2+ may be important in cell adherence to fibrin.
Relationships between Physical Activity and other Health-Related Behaviors in a Representative Sample of U.S. College Students

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity and other health-related behaviors among a representative sample of U.S. college students. Data from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed to explore the associations between high and low levels of physical activity and cigarette smoking, binge drinking, cocaine use, marijuana use, other illegal drug use, physical fighting, seatbelt use, fruit and vegetable consumption, number of sexual partners, suicide ideation, and body mass index. We calculated descriptive statistics, crude odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and used logistic regression models to determine adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% CIs. Cigarette smoking (AOR = 1.54; CI = 1.13, 2.10), inconsistent seatbelt use (AOR – 1.71; CI = 1.14, 2.55), and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (AOR = 4.24; CI – 2.94, 6.13) were significantly associated with low levels of physical activity among college student...
Chemotherapy Operations Planning and Scheduling

Chemotherapy operations planning and scheduling in oncology clinics is a complex problem due to several factors such as the cyclic nature of chemotherapy treatment plans, the high variability in resource requirements (treatment time, nurse time, pharmacy time) and the multiple clinic resources involved. Treatment plans are made by oncologists for each patient according to existing chemotherapy protocols or clinical trials. It is important to strictly adhere to the patient’s optimal treatment plan to achieve the best health outcomes. However, it is typically difficult to attain strict adherence for every patient due to side effects of chemotherapy drugs and limited resources in the clinics. In this study, our aim is to develop operations planning and scheduling methods for chemotherapy patients with the objective of minimizing the deviation from optimal treatment plans due to limited availability of clinic resources (beds/chairs, nurses, pharmacists). Mathematical programming models are developed to solve ...
Two-Element Generation of Orthogonal Groups over Finite Fields

Abstract Minimal sets of generators of the orthogonal groups on nonsingular quadratic spaces over a finite field are studied. All such orthogonal groups are shown to be generated by two elements, with the possible exception of two low-dimensional cases.
Maternal practices that influence Hispanic infants' health and cognitive growth.

OBJECTIVES: Infants born to immigrant mothers, including Hispanic mothers, display birth weight and mortality advantages, compared with other disadvantaged groups. We examined prenatal biological factors and maternal practices that account for this advantage. Then we estimated the extent to which healthy birth outcomes, along with maternal and family factors, contribute to the health and cognitive functioning of Hispanic infants. METHODS: A representative US sample of 8114 newborns, including 1450 newborns of Hispanic mothers, was drawn randomly in 2001. We compared the mean attributes of infants in subgroups that vary in maternal practices, family attributes, and acculturation levels. We accounted for variations in newborns9 gestational age and size for gestational age and their health status and cognitive functioning at 9 months of age. RESULTS: Mexican-heritage and less-acculturated mothers were no more likely than white mothers to bear premature or small-for-gestational age infants, despite large social class disparities, which was explained in part by Hispanic women9s low level of prenatal tobacco use. Parenting practices and lower class status of Hispanic mothers then began to slow infants9 cognitive development, compared with white infants, because of weaker maternal education and cognitive facilitation during interaction tasks and larger family size. CONCLUSIONS: These findings extend earlier research, detailing healthy births among most immigrant Hispanic women. Robust birth outcomes contribute to the early health and cognitive growth of Hispanic infants, but risk factors linked to maternal and home practices overtake these early protective factors by late infancy. Robust births and early health indicators displayed by Hispanic infants should not distract pediatricians from attending to uneven cognitive growth.
Managing comorbid complications in patients with common variable immunodeficiency

Abstract Objective To review the literature related to the identification and treatment of secondary complications associated with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Data Sources The databases of PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE were searched for articles pertaining to comorbid conditions occurring in patients with CVID and effective treatment for or management of those conditions. Study Selections Articles were selected based on their relevance to the focus of this review, with an emphasis on clinical phenotypes and biomarkers that can help identify patients with CVID and a secondary complication and issues related to their clinical management. Results Noninfective complications have generated a better understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of CVID by helping to define clinical and immunologic phenotypes of this disease. These clinical phenotypes have been correlated with different survival risks. Conclusion Emerging and ongoing research on clinical phenotypes and biomarkers of CVID may help identify and better target treatment for patients with CVID who will develop secondary complications. It is hoped that through this improved knowledge of outcomes, more appropriate treatment for patients can be targeted.
The ST segment/heart rate slope as a predictor of coronary artery disease: Comparison with quantitative thallium imaging and conventional ST segment criteria

The ST segment shift relative to exercise-induced increments in heart rate, the ST/heart rate slope (ST/HR slope), has been proposed as a more accurate ECG criterion for diagnosing significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Its clinical utility, with the use of a standard treadmill protocol, was compared with quantitative stress thallium (TI) and standard treadmill criteria in 64 unselected patients who underwent coronary angiography. The overall diagnostic accuracy of the ST/HR slope was an improvement over TI and conventional ST criteria (81%, 67%, and 69%). For patients failing to reach 85% of their age-predicted maximal heart rate, its diagnostic accuracy was comparable with TI (77% and 74%). Its sensitivity in patients without prior myocardial infarctions was equivalent to that of thallium (91% and 95%). The ST/HR slope was directly related to the angiographic severity (Gensini score) of CAD in patients without a prior infarction (r = 0.61, p less than 0.001). The ST/HR slope was an improved ECG criterion for diagnosing CAD and compared favorably with TI imaging.
Exploiting binding-induced changes in probe flexibility for the optimization of electrochemical biosensors.

Electrochemical sensors employing redox-tagged, electrode-bound oligonucleotides have emerged as a promising new platform for the reagentless detection of molecular analytes. Signal generation in these sensors is linked to specific, binding-induced changes in the efficiency with which an attached redox tag approaches and exchanges electrons with the interrogating electrode. We present here a straightforward means of optimizing the signal gain of these sensors that exploits this mechanism. Specifically, using square-wave voltammetry, which is exquisitely sensitive to electrode reaction rates, we can tune the frequency of the voltammetric measurements to preferentially enhance the signal associated with either the unbound or target-bound conformations of the probe. This allows us to control not only the magnitude of the signal gain associated with target binding but also the sign of the signal change, generating “signal-on” or “signal-off” sensors. This optimization parameter appears to be quite general: we...
Acoustic emission transducer based on PZT nanofibers

A lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanofiber based acoustic emission (AE) transducer in a polymer matrix composite form is presented. The PZT nanofibers, with diameters varying from 60 nm to 85 nm, were electrospun and aligned across the interdigitated electrodes. The acoustic responses of the PZT nanofiber transducer were demonstrated by mounting the transducer on the surface of a steel table. The signal attenuation curves were measured to characterize the properties and demonstrate the anisotropic sensitivity of the PZT nanofiber transducer. The PZT nanofiber AE transducer will open up new applications for monitoring small scale structures.
On the efficiency of stereologic volumetry as commonly implemented for three-dimensional digital images.

Abstract The aim of the study was to demonstrate, for certain ideal shapes (right cylinders) and for representative neuroanatomical images, that stereologic volumetry of three-dimensional images is more efficient when the sampling grid is placed randomly on each cross-section rather than identically across sections. As an example, the special case of mathematical right cylinders is presented, and an informal proof is provided. For neuroanatomical images, a custom computer program estimated volume with either the fixed- or random-grid method, using the same cross-sectional slices and first-slice test grid position for each method. The slice spacing, grid size, and starting grid position were randomly varied within practical constraints for 100 000 trials in each image. For right cylinders, the random-grid method is always more efficient than the fixed-grid method. For the neuroanatomic images tested, relative variance was up to three times higher for the fixed-grid method than for the random-grid method, especially for test grids with few grid intersections (`hits') per section. With the random-grid method, relative variance is primarily dependent on the total number of hits rather than on the distribution of hits per section. Implementation of the random-grid method for stereologic volumetry in three-dimensional images should in general improve sampling efficiency.
Metastatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma of the Penis Managed With Surgery and Interferon-α

Hemangioendothelioma of the penis is a rare tumor, with approximately 11 cases reported in the literature and only 1 case with documented metastases. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) arising in the skin is extremely rare, with the majority of documented cases developing in association with an underlying bone tumor.1 We report a case of metastatic EHE of the penis managed by multimodal therapy with long-term followup. CASE REPORT A 46-year-old white male presented to his primary care physician with a nodule in the left groin that was managed with antibiotics for a presumed infection. When the lesion progressed an excisional biopsy showed EHE in a lymph node. Seven months later skin nodules developed in the subcutaneous lymphatics of the penis as well as the groin. The patient underwent resection of the nodules and inguinal nodes in the left groin, and subcutaneous stripping of penile lymphatic tissue, leaving the skin intact. The surgical margin in the penile specimen was approximately 1 mm from EHE within vascular spaces. He was subsequently referred to us for further treatment. At presentation there was no evidence of recurrence in the penis and the left groin had healed. There was a palpable mobile 1 to 2 cm node medial to the right femoral vessels, which was negative on fine needle aspiration. A staging brain computerized tomogram revealed a left frontal lobe periventricular lesion, which was stereotactically biopsied using magnetic resonance imaging guidance and demonstrated demyelination and reactive gliosis. We then performed an en bloc resection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the penis, upper scrotum and lower abdominal wall, with continuous bilateral superficial and deep inguinal lymph node dissection, and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection (fig. 1, A). The abdominal defect was closed by advancement techniques and an unmeshed thick split-thickness skin graft was used to cover the entire penis up to the glans. The remaining scrotal sac was advanced to cover the testes (fig. 1, B). Pathological evaluation showed multifocal residual EHE in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue with metastasis to the right superficial inguinal lymph nodes and left pelvic lymph nodes (fig. 2). After an uneventful recovery the patient was placed on 10 million units interferon- 3 times weekly for 1 year. He tolerated therapy with usual flu-like symptoms. At last followup the patient was 65 months following surgery and had no evidence of recurrent disease on physical examination or whole body computerized tomography. He is able to have satisfactory erections with sildenafil and the only sequela of the surgery is minimal right ankle edema. DISCUSSION
Rapid Determination of Tungsten in Steel by Neutron Activation and γ-ray Spectrometry

A NEUTRON activation analysis method has been devised for the non-destructive, rapid determination of tungsten in steel