cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Reasoning in the Presence of Imperfect Security Requirements

Self-adaptive systems have received great attention in the last decade. In the context of self-adaptive systems, adaptive security concerns with adjusting protection mechanisms at runtime while changes occur in the operating environment. One of the challenges with self-adaptation paradigm is that the reasoning engine must leverage existing requirements and constraints and at the same time deal with different types of imperfections due to absence of knowledge or data. The problem arises when the existing runtime requirements models offer no explicit support for imperfections. By imperfections, we mean the values of some attributes of interest are not available at certain points. To address this problem, we propose uncertain reasoning based on imperfect requirements using non-monotonic logic. We model security requirements, system executions and changes in operation environment through non-monotonic logic that explicitly represents imperfect information and accounts for uncertainty.
Influence of Solvent on Radical Trap-Assisted Dimerization and Cyclization of Polystyrene Radicals

The extent of dimerization in radical trap-assisted atom transfer radical coupling (RTA-ATRC) was studied as a function of solvent composition, with accelerated rates of coupling observed in solvent mixtures consisting of THF and hydrocarbons compared to either pure solvent. Aggregation of the nitroso radical trap was speculated to be responsible for the trend in coupling rates of RTA-ATRC reactions, with less polar solvents such as hydrocarbons favoring the active, monomeric form. The mixed solvent system of THF and cyclohexane was found to be transferrable to the synthesis of macrocyclic PS by intramolecular RTA-ATRC, with 50/50 (v/v) THF:cyclohexane reaction medium giving higher yields of cyclic product compared to reactions performed in the pure solvents.
Introduction: Preface to a Post-Capitalist Pastoral Theology

Rogers-Vaughn describes a shift in individuals seeking counseling: a greater degree of self-blame and shame, an increased incidence of mood disorders and addictions, and a more fragmented sense of self. He attributes this shift, and an accompanying deterioration of social well-being, to neoliberal capitalism’s villainization of the less fortunate and promotion of a “survival of the fittest” mentality. This introduction provides a preview of the ways in which neoliberalism has compromised the social fabric, leading to an erosion of community and growing economic inequality. Drawing from his allegiance to the working class and commitment to the care of souls tradition, Rogers-Vaughn calls for a post-capitalist revision of pastoral care and theology that emphasizes social and political conditions, rather than individual decisions and behaviors, as the root of human suffering.
Integrierte Informationssysteme — die Aufgaben der Unternehmensleitung

Die neunziger Jahre werden von einem umwalzenden Wertewandel im Umgang mit der Unternehmensressource “Information” bestimmt. Die Methoden der Informationsver arbeitung selbst sind im Wandel begriffen — und mit ihnen unser Informationsbewustsein. Wir befinden uns auf dem Weg von der traditionellen Datenverarbeitung als Rationalisie rungsmittel hin zur Informationstechnologie als strategisches Mittel eines Unternehmens. Daraus resultiert, das Informationen als Produktionsmittel verstanden werden, die es ebenso zu bewirtschaften gilt wie die klassischen Produktionsfaktoren Arbeitskraft, Kapital und Material.
Tracking dynamic piecewise-constant network topologies via adaptive tensor factorization

This paper deals with tracking dynamic piecewise-constant network topologies that underpin complex systems including online social networks, neural pathways in the brain, and the world-wide web. Leveraging a structural equation model (SEM) in which only second-order statistics of exogenous inputs are known, the topology inference problem is recast using three-way tensors constructed from observed nodal data. To facilitate real-time operation, an adaptive parallel factor (PARAFAC) tensor decomposition is advocated to track the topology-revealing tensor factors. Preliminary tests on simulated data corroborate the effectiveness of the novel tensor-based approach.
James Nayler and Jacob Boehme's "The Way to Christ"

Carole Dale Spencer explores the possible influences of the German mystic Jacob Boehme on the radical incarnational Christology of James Nayler, prolific writer and leader of the early Quaker movement. Spencer theorizes that Nayler’s dramatic literal imitation of Christ, termed his “fall,” may have been motivated by Boehme’s idea of “a divine signature.” Nayler’s “fall” discredited his leadership, sparked a more conservative, less mystical turn, and led to a rejection of the Behmenist faction within the early Movement. Spencer shows how Nayler’s so-called confessional writings, written “post-fall” contain echoes of Boehme’s The Way to Christ, yet enabled him to be reunited with Quakers. His writings later became a respected part of the Quaker canon, continuing the mystical trajectory into the evolving Society of Friends and on into the present.
Differential expression of homing receptor ligands on tumor associated vasculature that control CD8 effector T cell entry

Although CD8+ T cells are critical for controlling tumors, how they are recruited and home to primary and metastatic lesions is incompletely understood. We characterized the homing receptor (HR) ligands on tumor vasculature to determine what drives their expression and their role in T-cell entry. The anatomic location of B16-OVA tumors affected the expression of E-selectin, MadCAM-1, and VCAM-1, whereas the HR ligands CXCL9 and ICAM-1 were expressed on the vasculature regardless of location. VCAM-1 and CXCL9 expression was induced by IFNγ-secreting adaptive immune cells. VCAM-1 and CXCL9/10 enabled CD8+ T-cell effectors expressing α4β1 integrin and CXCR3 to enter both subcutaneous and peritoneal tumors, whereas E-selectin enabled E-selectin ligand+ effectors to enter subcutaneous tumors. However, MadCAM-1 did not mediate α4β7+ effector entry into peritoneal tumors due to an unexpected lack of luminal expression. These data establish the relative importance of certain HRs expressed on activated effectors and certain HR ligands expressed on tumor vasculature in the effective immune control of tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(12); 1062-73. ©2017 AACR.
Novel FR-900493 Analogues That Inhibit the Outgrowth of Clostridium difficile Spores

The spectrum of antibacterial activity for the nucleoside antibiotic FR-900493 (1) can be extended by chemical modifications. We have generated a small focused library based on the structure of 1 and identified UT-17415 (9), UT-17455 (10), UT-17460 (11), and UT-17465 (12), which exhibit anti-Clostridium difficile growth inhibitory activity. These analogues also inhibit the outgrowth of C. difficile spores at 2× minimum inhibitory concentration. One of these analogues, 11, relative to 1 exhibits over 180-fold and 15-fold greater activity against the enzymes, phospho-MurNAc-pentapeptide translocase (MraY) and polyprenyl phosphate-GlcNAc-1-phosphate transferase (WecA), respectively. The phosphotransferase inhibitor 11 displays antimicrobial activity against several tested bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium spp., and Mycobacterium smegmatis, but no growth inhibitory activity is observed against the other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The selectivity index (Vero cell cytotoxicity/C. difficileantimicrobial activity) of 11 is approximately 17, and 11 does not induce hemolysis even at a 100 μM concentration.
Desiderata for the Principles of Compilation of a Canon of Buddhism and Medicine

“Buddhist medicine” is a neologism that first took root in the mid-twentieth century and has been gaining traction over the last few decades. While specialists treat this phrase as a heuristic device best used with caution, the 100-volume compendium collection Complete Works of Chinese Buddhist Medicine and Pharmacopeia ( Zhongguo Fojiao yiyao quanshu 中國佛教醫藥全書, 2011) is a concretization of vague terminology into an actual body of works. The present article reviews the claims of the editors of the Complete Works of Chinese Buddhist Medicine and Pharmacopeia against the works actually included in the compendium to find that the selection criteria was inadequate and choice of exemplars haphazard. Attempting an intellectual history of the present, the article analyses the editors’ motivations in light of the politics of canon compilation in the late imperial period, finding that the claim of mastering a comprehensive body of knowledge remains institutionally attractive in the contemporary People’s Republic of China, even if it is divorced from critical scholarly abilities comparable to those of the editors of Qing dynasty scholars. Cognizant that Digital Humanities projects continue to rely on printed compendiums for the texts they digitize, the article closes with suggested guidelines for the compilation of future collections on Buddhism and medicine in order to make them more useful to present day scholars.
The Four-Color Theorem. By Rudolf Fritsch and Gerda Fritsch, translated from the German by J. Peschke

(1999). The Four-Color Theorem. By Rudolf Fritsch and Gerda Fritsch, translated from the German by J. Peschke. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 106, No. 8, pp. 785-787.
Effects of endotoxin on proliferation of human hematopoietic cell precursors.

In examining the effects of corticosteroids on hematopoiesis in vitro, we observed that results were highly dependent on the lot of commercial fetal calf serum (FCS) utilized. We hypothesized that this variability correlated with the picogram (pg) level of endotoxin contaminating the FCS. Randomly obtained commercial lots of FCS contained 0.39 to 187 pg/ml of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Standard FCS concentrations in hematopoietic precursor proliferation assays (granulocyte-marcrophage colony forming units [CFU-GM]) resulted in final LPS levels as high as 40 pg/ml. LPS (2–5 pg/ml) added to essentially endotoxin-free cultures, induced human mononuclear cell release of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Lots of FCS induced the release of IL-1, IL-6, and G-CSF from human mononuclear cells and the release of these factors correlated with the level of contaminating LPS. Human bone marrow CFU-GM proliferation, in response to granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), positively correlated with the level of LPS contaminating the FCS and the FCS-induced release of IL-6 from mononuclear cells. CFU-GM proliferation of human bone marrow cluster of differentiation (CD) 34+CD14-cells were not affected by the presence of endotoxin. These data suggest that LPS at 2–5 pg/ml may induce bone marrow accessory cell release of hematopoietic growth factors, thus altering proliferative response of hematopoietic precursors and confounding the study of exogenously added cytokines to culture systems.
Developmental Variations of the Peripheral Fundus

Generally, at least one developmental variation of the peripheral retina is present in 20 to 47% of all eyes. Developmental variations have the following features: they are present at birth, persist throughout life, have mirror symmetry between the two eyes, and often have an associated dentate-ciliary process alignment abnormality in the same quadrant as the developmental variation. The developmental variations are listed in Table 3.1.
105 – Neuroendocrine Aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This chapter discusses how endocrine findings in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) potentially inform hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis alterations associated with the disorder. Findings on basal cortisol levels, as well as 24-h excretion and circadian rhythm of cortisol, are presented, with the most common finding (low basal cortisol) discussed as a possible pretraumatic risk factor for developing PTSD. Also discussed are data on other factors that are likely to be involved in PTSD risk and pathology (i.e., CRF, ACTH, cortisol-binding globulin, and glucocorticoid receptors), and findings from endocrine challenge studies (such as the dexamethasone suppression test). These empirical findings on biologic alterations in PTSD are then compared with various models of HPA-axis dysfunction (notably enhanced negative feedback inhibition vs. adrenal insufficiency). The authors conclude that enhanced negative feedback inhibition seems most consistent with the range of findings that have been reported on PTSD, and therefore, is likely to play an important role in the disorder's pathology and pathogenesis. The chapter closes with a discussion of challenges and open questions in endocrine research on PTSD.
Association between benzene and congenital anomalies in Oklahoma, 1997-2009

Objectives Although the most common cause of death in infants, little is known about the aetiology of congenital anomalies. Recent studies have increasingly focused on environmental exposures, including benzene. While benzene is known to affect the central nervous system, the effects on the developing fetus are unclear. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the association between ambient benzene exposure and the prevalence of congenital anomalies among 628 121 singleton births in Oklahoma from 1997 to 2009. We obtained benzene from the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment for the census tract of the birth residence. We used modified Poisson regression with robust SEs to calculate prevalence proportion ratios (PPRs) and 95% CIs between quartiles of benzene exposure and critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs), neural tube defects (NTDs) and oral clefts adjusted for maternal education and tobacco use. Results Median benzene exposure concentration in Oklahoma was 0.57 µg/m3. We observed no association between benzene exposure and oral clefts, CCHDs or NTDs. When specific anomalies were examined, we observed an increased prevalence of cleft lip among those exposed to the second quartile of benzene compared with the first (PPR 1.50, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.13), though no association with higher levels of exposure. Conclusions Our findings do not provide support for an increased prevalence of anomalies in areas more highly exposed to benzene. Future studies would benefit from pooling data from multiple states to increase statistical power and precision in studies of air pollutants and specific anomalies.
Two-and-One Set of Arms MMC-Based Multilevel Converter With Reduced Submodule Counts

Multilevel inverters are receiving increasing attention recently. Among different multilevel topologies, modular multilevel converter (MMC) seem to be a promising topology in the medium-voltage and high power applications. But similar to other multilevel topologies, one drawback is high count of power semi-conductor devices and associated gate driver and protection circuitry. This paper proposes a new MMC based inverter that can produce the same output voltage as a conventional MMC but with significantly reduced number of power semi-conductor devices. This is achieved by introduction of an extra middle arm to the conventional MMC. The new topology offers significant reduction in size and cost of the overall system through reducing the number of SM capacitors, high-frequency switches, related gate-driver and protection circuits, heat sinks, and the capacitor voltage measurements. This paper first describes the new topology and explains its switching states and mathematical model then it provides simulation results to verify the theoretical outcomes.
Dirt, Saliva and Leprosy: Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Infectious Effects

Ancient Egyptians smeared a mixture of dark soil on their eyelids and believed it protected eyes from unknown forces (illness). Recent studies have proven that the dark soil across the Nile River is rich in natural compounds including lead sulfide, which in low levels, promotes the production of nitric oxide (240-fold) by keratinocytes, with strong immune stimulatory and antimicrobial properties. Current investigations reveal anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious activities—including cytokines and chemokines—in saliva, as well as its friendly microbiota, which lines the surface of the oral cavity, its protection against inflammatory and infectious organisms in the stoma and other organs, such as the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In fact, saliva may soon become a safe and practical surrogate biomarker for genomic/proteomic evaluations and to replace painful blood drawing and its side effects. Another example is leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, a chronic inflammatory syndrome and neglected tropical disease, which affects the skin, and peripheral and trigeminal neurons causing a lack of sensation to heat and cold and loss of extremities. Leprosy has horrified humans for over 2000 years, as lepers were considered unclean sinners and were subsequently drawn out of towns. This communication scrutinizes the past and the present state of saliva and leprosy to encounter possible mystery and/or wisdom in ancient healing as the mixture of “sputum and dirt” as reported in the biblical time.
Validation of a Brief Form of the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory

The Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory–Trainee Form (SWAI-T) is among the most frequently used instruments for measuring the quality of supervisor–supervisee relationships within counselor supe...
Probable Vancomycin Induced Neutropenia: A Case Report.

Vancomycin has been used for a long time to manage resistant gram-positive bacterial infections. Neutropenia is an uncommon and potentially serious adverse effect associated with vancomycin use. Herein we present a case of probable vancomycin induced neutropenia which resolved with discontinuation of the antibiotic. Since blood counts are monitored routinely these days in both outpatient and inpatient setting, due consideration needs to be given to vancomycin induced neutropenia in patients who are on long term antimicrobial therapy.
Domestic sex trafficking of minors: medical student and physician awareness

Abstract Study Objective Our aim was to assess: (1) medical trainee and practicing physician awareness about domestic sex trafficking of minors; and (2) whether respondents believe that awareness of trafficking is important to their practice. Design and Setting We designed an anonymous electronic survey, and a convenience sample was collected from June through October 2013. Participants Voluntary participants were 1648 medical students, residents, and practicing physicians throughout the United States. Interventions and Main Outcome Measures Data were analyzed for correlations between study cohort characteristics and: (1) agreement with the statement: "knowing about sex trafficking in my state is important to my profession"; (2) knowledge of national statistics regarding the sex trafficking of minors; and (3) knowledge of appropriate responses to encountering a trafficked victim. Results More practicing physicians than residents or medical students: (1) agreed or strongly agreed that knowledge about human trafficking was important to their practice (80.6%, 71.1%, and 69.2%, respectively; P = .0008); (2) correctly estimated the number of US trafficked youth according to the US Department of State data (16.1%, 11.7%, and 7.9%, respectively; P = .0011); and (3) were more likely to report an appropriate response to a trafficked victim (40.4%, 20.4%, and 8.9%, respectively; P = .0001). Conclusion Although most medical trainees and physicians place importance on knowing about human trafficking, they lack knowledge about the scope of the problem, and most would not know where to turn if they encountered a trafficking victim. There exists a need for standardized trafficking education for physicians, residents, and medical students.
The Role of Ancillary Techniques in Salivary Gland Cytopathology Specimens

Salivary gland tumor aspiration cytology is a useful preoperative test to guide the most appropriate clinical and surgical management for these patients. Although salivary gland cytology is often useful to distinguish between non-neoplastic lesions, benign neoplasms and malignant neoplasms, there remain many challenges in this area. Specifically, these tumors are uncommon and may have considerable morphologic overlap, especially in the setting of a malignant tumor. This article reviews some of the immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of more common salivary gland neoplasms that pathologists and cytotechnologists may encounter. When used in combination with morphologic features, such ancillary testing can be useful to further refine the differential diagnosis, more strongly favor a particular entity, or in some instances confidently provide a specific diagnosis.
Mass spectrometry imaging to detect lipid biomarkers and disease signatures in cancer

Background Current methods to identify, classify, and predict tumor behavior mostly rely on histology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular determinants. However, better predictive markers are required for tumor diagnosis and evaluation. Due, in part, to recent technological advancements, metabolomics and lipid biomarkers have become a promising area in cancer research. Therefore, there is a necessity for novel and complementary techniques to identify and visualize these molecular markers within tumors and surrounding tissue. Recent findings Since its introduction, mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has proven to be a powerful tool for mapping analytes in biological tissues. By adding the label-free specificity of mass spectrometry to the detailed spatial information of traditional histology, hundreds of lipids can be imaged simultaneously within a tumor. MSI provides highly detailed lipid maps for comparing intra-tumor, tumor margin, and healthy regions to identify biomarkers, patterns of disease, and potential therapeutic targets. In this manuscript, recent advancement in sample preparation and MSI technologies are discussed with special emphasis on cancer lipid research to identify tumor biomarkers. Conclusion MSI offers a unique approach for biomolecular characterization of tumor tissues and provides valuable complementary information to histology for lipid biomarker discovery and tumor classification in clinical and research cancer applications.
Diseases of the Prostate

The prostate is an inhomogeneous organ. This is true in both normal and diseased states, and it results in a great deal of complexity when the prostate is imaged. Further, though the prostate is affected by a limited number of disease processes, it is not at all uncommon to find these diseases occurring concurrently, especially in the aging male. Generally speaking, three diseases occur in the prostate. These are prostatitis, beign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and adenocarcinoma. Of course, within these broad categories there are other quite rare entities that can occur in the gland such as transitional cell carcinoma arising in the prostatic urethra, endometrioid tumors in the utricle, and sarcomas in the connective tissue elements, including the rhabdomyosarcomas occurring in young boys. Further, metastases from primary tumors elsewhere, most commonly lung or malignant melanoma, are occasionally found. However, this discussion will concern itself with the triad of infection, BPH, and prostatic cancer. Trauma to the prostate usually involves the prostatomembranous urethral junction, and will be covered in the chapter on the urethra.
RORα phosphorylation by casein kinase 1α as glucose signal to regulate estrogen sulfation in human liver cells.

Estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) metabolically inactivates estrogen and SULT1E1 expression is tightly regulated by multiple nuclear receptors. Human fetal, but not adult, livers express appreciable amounts of SULT1E1 protein, which is mimicked in human hepatoma-derived HepG2 cells cultured in high glucose (450 mg/dL) medium. Here, we have investigated this glucose signal that leads to phosphorylation of nuclear receptor RORα (NR1F1) at Ser100 and the transcription mechanism by which phosphorylated RORα transduces this signal to nuclear receptor HNF4α, activating the SULT1E1 promoter. The promoter is repressed by non-phosphorylated RORα which binds a distal enhancer (-943/-922 bp) and interacts with and represses HNF4α-mediated transcription. In response to high glucose, RORα becomes phosphorylated at Ser100 and reverses its repression of HNF4α promoter activation. Moreover, the casein kinase CK1α, which is identified in an enhancer-bound nuclear protein complex, phosphorylates Ser100 in in vitro kinase assays. During these dynamic processes, both RORα and HNF4α remain on the enhancer. Thus, RORα utilizes phosphorylation to integrate HNF4α and transduces the glucose signal to regulate the SULT1E1 gene in HepG2 cells and this phosphorylation-mediated mechanism may also regulate SULT1E1 expressions in the human liver.
Computer Applications in Full-Scale Aircraft Fatigue Tests

The development of computerized load processing techniques for application to a full-scale fatigue test of the aft fuselage and empennage of a Canadian Forces CT-114 (Tutor) aircraft is described. The procedures used to select significant end points from the flight loads and to eliminate nondamaging maneuvers are presented together with the development of the test actuator loads required to simulate the flight cases. The optimization procedure used to minimize the error in the applied load distribution, based on the sensitivity of stresses at critical locations to errors in the test loads, is also given. The integration of the load control and multichannel data acquisition systems is described. By taking and automatically checking data on specific load cycles on a continuous basis throughout the test, it was possible to get immediate notification of any structural changes that occurred and check the functioning of the test system. Two examples are given that demonstrate the use of this integration.
With a little help from my (her) friends: The role of friend support on the negative effects of work engagement for married couples

Abstract In this study, we examine an employee's personal social support received from friends and how it may benefit not only that employee, but also her or his spouse. By examining this unique source of support, we contribute to our understanding of the work-family interface and how this might differ for husbands and wives. Using social support resource theory as a theoretical framework, we theorize that social support from friends insulates employees from the resource depletion related to high work engagement that contributes to emotional exhaustion and depression through its effects on work-to-family conflict. Integrating insights from crossover theory, we also predict that a spouse's resource depletion will be reduced in strength when the focal employee enjoys stronger social support from friends. The results of a study of 176 dual-earner married couples across two time periods supported our predictions that personal social support from friends diminished experienced conflict; however, wives' social support from friends played a moderating role for men while this effect did not hold for women, suggesting that these processes operate differently for men and women when we consider them as a married couple and examine the crossover of spouse's social support from friends. We conclude by discussing implications of these results for theory and practice.
Trends and causes of readmission following peripheral vascular intervention in patients with peripheral vascular disease.

OBJECTIVES To study the risk factors associated with 30-readmission postperipheral vascular intervention (PVI) in peripheral artery disease (PAD). BACKGROUND There has been a paucity of data regarding the trend and predictors of PVI readmission. METHODS We performed an observational cohort study of patients admitted with peripheral vascular disease for PVI using the NRD for the years 2010-2014. PVI was defined as angioplasty, atherectomy, and/or stenting of lower limb vessels. RESULTS A total of 453,278 patients (30-day readmission n = 97,235). The mean age of study population was 68.6 ± 12.2 years and included 43.8% women. The 30-day readmission post-PVI was 21.5% (p = .034). Cardiovascular causes constitute 44% of readmission. Chronic limb ischemia and intermittent claudication were two most common cardiovascular causes constituting 11.7 and 4.9% cases of readmissions. Other cardiac causes of readmissions included heart failure (4.64%), dysrhythmias (1.4%), and acute myocardial infarction (1.7%). The high-risk factors for of all-cause 30-day readmission were hypertension, CLI, diabetes, renal failure, dyslipidemia, smoking, chronic pulmonary disease, and atrial fibrillation (p < .005). Length-of-stay was greater than 5 days for 56.2 and 75.4% paid by Medicare. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows an average yearly readmission rate of 21.5% post-PVI. Chronic comorbidities and prolonged hospitalization were associated with higher risk of readmission.
Decision regret 3 and 6 months after treatment for head and neck cancer: An observational study of associations with clinicodemographics, anxiety, and quality of life.

BACKGROUND While quality of life (QOL), psychosocial health, and adverse treatment outcomes have been studied in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, decision regret is an important and understudied complication that can negatively impact future health care decision making. METHODS Data collected using a HNC patient registry with questionnaires administered at initial consultation visits plus 3 and 6 months after treatment completion was retrospectively analyzed. A visual analog anxiety scale and the University of Washington Quality of Life were given at clinic visits. Decision regret was determined using a validated scale. Demographic and clinical variables were collected retrospectively and at baseline. RESULTS Patients with higher anxiety and lower self-reported QOL had higher concurrent regret at 3-month (n = 140) and at 6-month (n = 82) post-treatment. Later disease stage at presentation, nonprimary surgical treatment, and lower health literacy were associated with greater regret. CONCLUSIONS Decision regret was highest in HNC patients with high anxiety, low QOL, and more advanced disease.
Output Feedback Tracking Controllers

All the position tracking controllers presented in Chapter 3 required fullstate feedback (FSFB). That is, the control implementation requires the measurement of the position and velocity of the mechanical system. Since the cost of implementing a FSFB controller for achieving position tracking would typically include the cost of motion sensors, this chapter addresses the problem of position tracking under the constraint of minimizing the sensor count (i.e., elimination of velocity measurements). Hence, we are motivated to investigate means of constructing velocity signal surrogates for use in closed-loop, position tracking control strategies, i.e., output feedback (OFB) controllers. A standard approach for removing velocity measurements is to apply the so-called backwards difference algorithm to the position measurements. Even though this method of eliminating velocity may provide reasonable performance, the use of this discrete-time velocity approximation is not satisfying from a theoretical viewpoint since the dynamics of the backwards difference algorithm are normally not included during the closed-loop stability analysis.
Inability of rat DPP4 to allow MERS-CoV infection revealed by using a VSV pseudotype bearing truncated MERS-CoV spike protein

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (Co-V) contains a single spike (S) protein, which binds to a receptor molecule, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4; also known as CD26), and serves as a neutralizing antigen. Pseudotyped viruses are useful for measuring neutralization titers against highly infectious viruses as well as for studying their mechanism of entry. In this study, we constructed a series of cytoplasmic deletion mutants of MERS-CoV S and compared the efficiency with which they formed pseudotypes with vesicular stomatitis virus. A pseudotype bearing an S protein with the C-terminal 16 amino acids deleted (MERSpv-St16) reached a maximum titer that was approximately tenfold higher than that of a pseudotype bearing a non-truncated full-length S protein. Using MERSpv-St16, we demonstrated the inability of rat DPP4 to serve as a functional receptor for MERS-CoV, suggesting that rats are not susceptible to MERS-CoV infection. This study provides novel information that enhances our understanding of the host range of MERS-CoV.
Some Great Myths of the History of Computing

While Computing is a relatively new field, the true history of information technology is being confounded by the promulgation of myths that hide and confuse the truth. The current students of computing and information technology grew up not knowing that there was a world before the personal computer, or monitors, or the mouse. or Windows, and have little concept of where we came from or the steps that led to the present-day state-of-the-art. Bringing an understanding of computing into the classroom has the effect of bringing humanity to an otherwise androidal society, to recognize those who have made important contributions to the world of information technology, and to identify ideas and concepts that have been lost in the plethora of innovation.
Accurate semi-empirical model for annealed proton exchanged waveguides in z-cut lithium niobate

This study develops an accurate method to estimate the proton dose after proton exchange (PE) by applying a soft anneal step, typically 10-30 hours at 210/spl deg/C, which solves the problems of instability and multi-phase composition of PE waveguides. The soft anneal process slows down with time and practically self-terminates once the refractive index step at 633 nm drops below 0.105, corresponding to a concentration x = 0.44 in the film H/sub x/Li/sub 1-x/NbO/sub 3/. Proton dose estimate after soft anneal can be done with 0.25 to 0.5% precision by prism coupling measurements allowing control of the waveguide nonlinear optical frequency converters (WNOFC) quasi-phase-matching (QPM) wavelength with 0.5-1 nm accuracy.
Maximum Power Tracking with Uniform Time Division among distributed power sources

Presented herein is Uniform Time Division (UTD) of Maximum Power Tracking for Distributed-Input Parallel-Output (DIPO) converter power systems. The primary objective of UTD for DIPO converters is to periodically spend equal time in processing maximum power from each of distributed sources using only one MPT non-linear controller. As a result, the UTD-MPT controller sequentially provides equal time intervals of processing maximum power flow from the power sources. Conventionally, the peak values of the distributed source power are concurrently tracked through converters controlled by their own independent MPT controllers without UTD. However, when peak power voltages of distributed power sources are slowly changed as compared to the MPT's response time, such concurrent MPT control for all of the power sources is not necessary. By utilizing UTD of MPT non-linear control, maximum use of available power obtained from each distributed power source is achieved using a single MPT non-linear controller. The resulting system and control architectures offer maximum power transfer with a lower part count. A DIPO power converter bus architecture with a battery-dominated output voltage is described herein. The power and control architectures for DIPO converters are validated through computer simulation for fault-tolerant UTD MPT control.
Pulse spectrum optimization for ultra-wideband communication

Ultra-wideband (UWB) communications employ very short pulses with different modulation that result in extremely wideband spectra for high data-rate links. These spectra are a function of both the spreading operation as well as the pulse shapes. We propose a pulse spectrum optimization technique based on classical filters. Non-ideal impulse characteristics are then considered and the optimum pulse derived for either minimal energy (highest spectral bandwidth). The motivation is to show that filtered pulses can achieve significant spectral control in direct baseband UWB signals for high data-rate communications.
Commentary on G. Octo Barnett's Report to the Computer Research Study Section

Dr. Barnett's report is an interesting and very well-written analysis of “the state of the art” of hospital information systems of the day (in 1966). Octo's many friends will miss the customary “aw shucks” charm of his personal presentations but cannot fail to delight in his carefully stated, wide-ranging views. These cover the many systems and problems he encountered, and (why are we not surprised?) his strong recommendations for improvement. The reader can see immediately that the views—and indeed the wisdom we read here—were wrought of hospital and computer laboratory experience, namely, the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Information Project, not lifted from a lecture or book. A bit of history: the MGH project was important and unique in several ways. I had the opportunity to site visit it many times, always with admiration and amazement. The work was funded jointly by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Hospital Association. This may not have been unique, but I know of no other such research funding partnership. The project was undertaken jointly by the distinguished Boston engineering firm Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc., along with MGH. Jordan Baruch and Octo Barnett were the Principal Investigators for their organizations. They called their effort “the development of a real-time Time-Shared computer system to be used in storage and retrieval of information in the medical environment.”1 In his report, Barnett goes far beyond just the MGH project in summarizing medical computer developments for the NIH Study Section. For the reader who wants an excellent two-volume description of this kind of research, there is nothing to compete with Stacy and Waxman.2 Who will be the first reader to find the following statement? “The computer system has the storage capacity, computing capacity, and communication capacity to serve approximately 4000 hospital beds using …
Exposure to ambient particulate matter induces a NASH-like phenotype and impairs hepatic glucose metabolism in an animal model

Background & Aims: Air pollution is a global challenge to public health. Epidemiological studies have linked exposure to ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 lm (PM2.5) to the development of metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of PM2.5 exposure on liver pathogenesis and the mechanism by which ambient PM2.5 modulates hepatic pathways and glucose homeostasis. Methods: Using ‘‘Ohio’s Air Pollution Exposure System for the Interrogation of Systemic Effects (OASIS)-1’’, we performed
Psychiatric consultation through continuing education in correctional institutions

Abstract It is only recently that courts have seriously turned their attention to the constitutional rights of prison inmates for medical and psychiatric treatment. Reflecting this attention, there has been a significant increase in the number of mental health professionals working in correctional facilities, a development described by Nassi. 1 Many of these professionals encounter difficult conditions in their work environment: overcrowding in the institution; punitive rather than therapeutic attitudes; inadequate facilities for clinical work; and a shortage of other mental health personnel to help with the large amount of work. 2,3 Many of them also face perplexing and weighty decisions in their work: assessing whether an inmate is a danger to himself and/or others; assessing whether an inmate has the capacity to be law abiding if released on parole; deciding what is the most suitable treatment for a particular inmate; and advising custody personnel on how to manage inmates who are disruptive to others. Furthermore, working in correctional facilities presents the treaters with a special set of ethical and social concerns 4,5,6 that not only contribute to their need for help in making decisions but their need for support in facing the invevitable dilemmas of these settings. Help for the helpers in correctional institutions is clearly needed. In this paper, we will describe one approach to helping the helpers in correctional institutions through psychiatric consultation. This psychiatric consultation has an unusual format—it is provided indirectly through Continuing Education sessions with mental health personnel working in correctional facilities. This approach is well suited to meet the particular characteristics of the correctional work environment. Here we shall describe this approach, its multiple functions, and how it compares with other types of psychiatric consultation in other settings.
Heat transfer of TEMHD driven lithium flow in stainless steel trenches

Abstract The Lithium/Metal Infused Trenches (LiMITs) concept, which utilizes the thermoelectric magnetohydrodynamic (TEMHD) driven flowing liquid lithium to cool the divertor surface, has been successfully demonstrated at the University of Illinois. The IR camera results show that such self-driven flowing liquid lithium in the open surface stainless steel trench structure can withstand heat fluxes of up to 10 MW/m 2 for 10 s without significant evaporation. A clear asymmetric temperature distribution was observed from the IR result and such asymmetry can be affected by the direction of the driven magnetic field. Thermocouples are embedded in different positions to monitor the temperature within the lithium. These direct measurements also reveal that flowing liquid lithium can effectively bring the heat from the direct heating area and the efficiency can be influenced by magnetic field and heating power.
Use of principal factor analysis in the study of three stem termination types of soybean

The study was conducted to identify plant characters associated with seed yield in close soybean plant spacings. Lines selected from two F6 soybean populations in the F10 generation segragating for degree of stem termination were grown in two locations. Traits measured included lengths of developmental stage. plant and canopy height, number of nodes, lodging at different stages, raceme lengths, and number of nodes and branch number of nodes. One problem in analyzing data and drawing conclusions from such a study is related to the complex nature of the interrelationships of a large number of traits. Another, not unrelated problem, involves the calculation of multiple-regression equations with multicolinearities. Because of these problems, factor analysis was used to study the correlation matrix to identify sets of variables related to the same biological concept or function. The variables within sets were determined for each stem termination type, and measurements of these variables were standardized. Means were calculated by using the sum of the standardized variables for each set. Multiple regression was used to study the relationships between sets as the independent variables and yield as the dependent variable. Individual traits were selected from within each set and substituted in the multiple regression equations calculated with the mean value for each set. With use of this technique to determine multiple regression equations, the resulting equations involved measurements of different biological functions instead of repeated measurements of the same function in the plant. It was found that, in the determinate stem type, the measurement of the seed-filling period and branch number of nodes could possibly be used to predict yield while, in the semideterminate stem type, the measurement of the ‘fixed capital’ function and terminal raceme length were possibly useful. Finally, in the indeterminate stem type, the measurement of the ‘fixed capital’ could be used, but it had a very low predictive value.
Influence of surfactants on an extracellular lipase fromPhythium ultimum

The activity of an extracellular lipase from the fungusPythium ultimum was studied as a function of emulsion properties, and the amount and type of surfactants used in preparing the emulsions. The highest emulsified globule surface area as a function of surfactant concentration and emulsion stability were in the order taurocholic acid >Triton X-100>3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS). Lipase activity was dependent on both the type and the concentration of surfactant, with taurocholic acid and CHAPS giving tenfold stimulation over the control at 0.1 and 0.8 mM, respectively. The evidence suggests that the influence of surfactant is related more to interaction with the enzyme at the oil-water interface than to providing greater interfacial surface area.
Diffusion performance of major steel-making countries: alternative econometric tests

The purpose of this study is to compare the speed of diffusion in major steel-making countries. This is a cross-system analysis, involving industrial market countries (Western Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan), quasi-market economies (selected newly industrializing countries, India), and the central planning states (the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe). The study reveals that at least in this, significant case, the latter countries are clearly inferior, i.e. slower.
Community Mental Health: A Religion Established by Congress?

Our civilization imposes an almost intolerable pressure on us and it calls for a corrective. Is it too fantastic to expect that psycho-analysis in spite of its difficulties may be destined to the task of preparing mankind for such a corrective? Perhaps once more an American may hit on the idea of spending a little money to get the 'social workers' of his country trained analytically and to turn them into a band of helpers for combating the neuroses of civilization. 4 Aha! a new kind of Salvation Army ! ' Why not? Our imagination always follows patterns....1 Thus spake Sigmund Freud. And it came to pass that in the days of the last decade, America gave birth to a system of community mental health centers, conceived of the funding by the federal government. The messengers brought the good tidings of this great joy, which shall be to all people. Then the soldiers of Nader's Raiders came and threatened the life of the young child. The conclusion of this scripture lies in the realm of prophecy. Is the community mental health system in this country part of a new secular religion? Many have called attention to the increasing reliance on secular psy chotherapy as there is a decreasing use of the therapeutic resources of organized religion 2 Szasz has noted "the dissemination of a collectivistic mental health ethic as a kind of secular religion."3 Religion traditionally has aided its adherents in the value judgments of life. In the medical model of mental health, do we not substitute the words "healthy" and "sick" for the terms "good" and "evil" in our value judgments? But is there a change in meaning? We still want to convey the message: "Thou shalt be healthy; thou shalt not be sick." Are those who speak for a nonmedical model for social change any less involved with value judgments? Dollard and Miller speculated that even though a system atic knowledge was developed to enable professionals to change cultural pat terns that seemed detrimental, the experts still would have to decide what kind of people to create:
Lithium cation enhances anion binding in a tripodal phosphine oxide-based ditopic receptor

A tripodal ditopic receptor presents H-bond donors and a phosphine oxide to potential guests. In the idealized binding conformation, an endohedral PO functionality provides enhanced halide binding in the presence of lithium with the greatest ΔΔG° observed for bromide, while minimal changes in Ka are observed in the presence of sodium.