cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acetazolamide, Nifedipine and Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors: Rationale for Their Utilization as Adjunctive Countermeasures in the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Effective treatments for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak are urgently needed While anti-viral approaches and vaccines are being considered immediate countermeasures are unavailable The aim of this article is to outline a perspective on the pathophysiology of COVID-19 in the context of the currently available clinical data published in the literature This article appreciates clinical data published on COVID-19 in the context of another respiratory illness - high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) Both conditions have significant similarities that portend pathophysiologic trajectories Following this potential treatment options emerge Both COVID-19 and HAPE exhibit a decreased ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen with concomitant hypoxia and tachypnea There also appears to be a tendency for low carbon dioxide levels in both as well Radiologic findings of ground glass opacities are present in up to 86% of patients with COVID-19 in addition to patchy infiltrates Patients with HAPE also exhibit patchy infiltrates throughout the pulmonary fields, often in an asymmetric pattern and CT findings reveal increased lung markings and ground glass-like changes as well Widespread ground-glass opacities are most commonly a manifestation of hydrostatic pulmonary edema Similarly, elevated fibrinogen levels in both conditions are likely an epiphenomenon of edema formation rather than coagulation activation Autopsy results of a COVID-19 fatality revealed bilateral diffuse alveolar damage associated with pulmonary edema, pro-inflammatory concentrates, and indications of early-phase acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) HAPE itself is initially caused by an increase in pulmonary capillary pressure and induces altered alveolar-capillary permeability via high pulmonary artery hydrostatic pressures that lead to a protein-rich and mildly hemorrhagic edema It appears that COVID-19 and HAPE both discretely converge on ARDS In light of this, a countermeasure that has been shown to be effective in the analogous condition of HAPE is Acetazolamide Acetazolamide has a myriad of effects on different organ systems, potently reduces hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, improves minute ventilation and expired vital capacity Other therapeutics to consider that are also directed towards decreased pulmonary pressure include Nifedipine and Phosphodiesterase inhibitors This review describes COVID-19 in parallel to HAPE Deranged respiratory parameters that are present in both conditions are highlighted The utilization of medications found to be effective in HAPE, for the treatment of COVID-19, is proposed Given the medical emergency of a growing contagion and the thousands of lives at stake, expedient attempts to improve survival are needed Acetazolamide, Nifedipine and Phosphodiesterase inhibitors may be potential countermeasures
Effects of the Th1 and Th2 stimulatory cytokines interleukin-12 and interleukin-4 on human immunodeficiency virus replication

The cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-4 play important roles in the development of Th1-like (type-1) and Th2-like (type-2) T-cell responses, respectively, and there is evidence that type-1/type-2 T helper imbalances are important in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. With this background, we examined the effects of these cytokines on HIV replication. Neither stimulated HIV replication in fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). However, in prestimulated PBMC, IL-12, and to a greater extent, IL-4 as well as IL-2, induced production of HIV p24 antigen over 7 days of culture (no cytokine 3,900 x/divided by 1.31 [GM x/divided by SEM] pg/mL; IL-12, 34,300 x/divided by 1.39 pg/mL; IL-4, 283,000 x/divided by 1.14 pg/mL; and IL-2, 328,000 x/divided by 1.31 pg/mL). Neither IL-12- nor IL-4-induced HIV replication was attributable to induction of IL-1, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, or TNF-beta. Both IL-12- and IL-4-induced HIV replication was associated with selective loss of the CD4+ subset in stimulated cultures. IL-4 stimulated HIV replication in monocyte/macrophages, while IL-12 had little or no effect in these cells. Finally, HIV replication stimulated by IL-12 or IL-4 was inhibited by dideoxynucleosides. Thus, IL-12 and IL-4 enhance HIV replication and HIV-induced cell death in prestimulated PBMC. Through killing of the CD4+ T cells stimulated by these cytokines, this may result in inappropriate type-1/type-2 responses in HIV-infected patients and contribute to their Th1 immunodeficiency.
Risk of Relapse in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis With Persistent Endoscopic Healing: A Durable Treatment Endpoint.

Background Deep remission in patients with UC has relied on initial achievement of biochemical, endoscopic, and/or histological remission. We evaluated persistent symptomatic remission and endoscopic healing (EH: Mayo endoscopy score [MES] 0 or 1) on consecutive endoscopic examinations as a durable treatment endpoint. Methods In a retrospective cohort study, we estimated and compared cumulative risk of clinical relapse in patients with persistent EH, with and without persistent histological remission and depth of EH, among adults with active UC treated-to-target of symptomatic remission and EH who achieved and maintained symptomatic remission and EH over two serial endoscopic assessments. We also explored risk of relapse in patients with persistent EH whose therapy was de-escalated. Results Of 270 patients who initially achieved EH with treatment-to-target, 89 maintained symptomatic remission and EH on follow-up endoscopy [interval between EH1 and EH2, 16 months]. On follow-up after EH2 [median, 19 months], 1-year cumulative risk of relapse in patients with persistent EH was 11.5%, and with persistent histological remission was 9.5%. Seventeen patients with persistent EH, who underwent de-escalation of therapy, did not have an increased risk of relapse as compared with patients who continued index therapy [5.3% vs 14%, p = 0.16]. Conclusions Patients with active UC treated-to-target of clinical remission, who achieve and maintain symptomatic remission and EH over consecutive endoscopies, have a low risk of relapse, particularly in a subset of patients who simultaneously achieve histological remission. Persistent EH should be examined as a treatment endpoint suggestive of deep remission.
‘Somebody that looks like me’ matters: a qualitative study of black women’s preferences for receiving sexual health services in the USA

Research dedicated to understanding the sexual experiences of Black women has historically been framed around adverse outcomes. There are limited data that can be used to understand the lived experiences of Black women related to sexual health care. Twenty-five Black women aged 18- 35 from across nine US states were interviewed to gain insight into their experiences and preferences for receiving sexual health services. Three themes were developed from their accounts: individual and structural barriers affect access to and perceived quality of care; service provider race and gender impact sexual health care experiences; and personalised care improves engagement. Findings suggest the need for culturally informed training for sexual health practitioners working with Black women.
Al-Jazeera English and Global News Networks: Clash of Civilizations or Cross-Cultural Dialogue?

This article examines the role of the global news media in either furthering the balkanization of the global news environment or moving towards a globally connected and engaged aggregation of publics. Drawing on the results of a six-country study of media viewing habits, cultural, political and cognitive dispositions of viewers of Al-Jazeera English in comparison to viewers of CNN International and BBC World, the authors outline two findings: (1) viewers worldwide turn to particular broadcasters to affirm rather than inform their opinions, meaning the global news media are likely to reinforce existing attitudes and stereotypes of cultural ‘others’; and (2) the longer viewers have been watching Al-Jazeera English, the less dogmatic they are in their thinking and thus more open to considering alternative and clashing opinions. The authors conclude by arguing that, when media jettison the principles embodied in ‘war journalism’, broadcasters can indeed have a latent yet substantial impact on fostering cross-cultural understanding and reconciliation.
Chiral Symmetry and ψ ′ → ψ π π Decay

Unbroken chiral symmetry (with a vanishing $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ term) relates the ${\ensuremath{\psi}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\psi}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ decay amplitude to three basic parameters. Two of these parameters put strong angular correlations in the amplitude which, apparently, are not observed. Taking these two parameters to vanish, we obtain an isotropic decay which is strongly peaked in the region where the invariant mass of the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ system is large.
Studying Adolescent Athletes for Evaluation of Mental Health and Substance Use in an Urban Setting

Studying Adolescent Athletes for Evaluation of Mental Health and Substance Use in an Urban Setting
Literary Origins of the Term, “School Psychologist”

The study of early literature related to school psychology provides a fruitful source for understanding contemporary professional events and issues. It also reveals historical information in confli...
U.S. Audit partner identification and auditor reporting

Abstract After a lengthy and protracted debate, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) adopted new rules requiring disclosure of the engagement partner’s name and information about other accounting firms on the new PCAOB Form AP, Auditor Reporting of Certain Audit Participants. We investigate the impact of this regulation on auditor behavior in the context of the auditor’s going concern report modification propensity. We document an increase in the propensity to issue a going concern report modification in the disclosure regime, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the Type I (‘false positives’) error rate. Thus, an unintended consequence of Rule 3211 is the potential reduction in the audit report's informativeness. Conceivably, a more significant repercussion is that going concern modifications can hasten bankruptcy for firms since financial institutions may be reluctant to lend money to firms with modified audit reports. An unjustified increase in the going concern modification rate as evinced in our paper may make U.S. capital markets potentially less attractive to young, upstart, albeit financially-distressed, companies.
Continuous Time Markov Processes: An Introduction

Markov processes are among the most important stochastic processes for both theory and applications. This book develops the general theory of these processes, and applies this theory to various special examples. The initial chapter is devoted to the most important classical example - one dimensional Brownian motion. This, together with a chapter on continuous time Markov chains, provides the motivation for the general setup based on semigroups and generators. Chapters on stochastic calculus and probabilistic potential theory give an introduction to some of the key areas of application of Brownian motion and its relatives. A chapter on interacting particle systems treats a more recently developed class of Markov processes that have as their origin problems in physics and biology. This is a textbook for a graduate course that can follow one that covers basic probabilistic limit theorems and discrete time processes.
High-temperature superconducting cable cooling systems for power grid applications

Abstract High-temperature superconducting (HTS) cable systems have been suggested as an effective method of transmitting very large amounts of electric power (up to 10 GW) over very long distances (thousands of kilometers). This is made possible mainly by the high-current-carrying capability of the HTS materials when operated below their critical temperatures and by their near-zero resistance to constant current. Most HTS cable concepts rely on liquid nitrogen or gaseous helium as the coolant. The essential requirements of a commercial HTS cable cryogenic system and the descriptions of several recent cryogenic system installations used at demonstration HTS cable projects are provided.
Dairying and Employment in the Amuri: 1983 to 2002

The dairy industry is currently experiencing a staff shortage, as are many other industries. It has experienced rapid expansion, and the situation is made worse by the poor image of the industry. This expansion has often occurred in areas with little prior dairying. The Amuri region, North Canterbury, is one such area. The conversion of farms to dairying began in I983, following the commissioning of the 17000-hectare Waiau Plains Irrigation Scheme in 1980. There are now 49 herds in the area. Some of the initial dairy farming experiences were very bad, giving all dairying in the region a poor reputation. The Amuri region is 'geographically isolated basin', and situated approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch, with limited social opportunities for the farm staff This resulted in extreme difficulties attracting and retaining good staff in the area. In response to this situation, the dairy farmers in the area formed the Amuri Dairy Employers Group, in March 2000. This group established a constitution including: Mandatory member employer training; Agreeing to an independent annual audit of member employment practices; and Agreeing to a Code of Practice for employment standards. I have undertaken a two-year investigation of the effects of the Amuri Dairy Employers Group, on dairy farming employment and the wider social effects in the Amuri area. A case-study approach has been used to gather the information. This research was conducted as part of a Masters of Commerce (Agriculture).
Further Experimental Studies in Wet-Brake Friction

This paper describes further experimental efforts to determine friction characteristics that define the chatter potential in wet-brake systems as used in tractors and other off-road applications. Changes and improvements to a bench facility described at the 1985 Off-Highway Conference are described. Of particular interest is the decision to examine the very low sliding velocity regime, particularly below 0.34 m/s sliding velocity. Interesting and informative data have been obtained by feeding the input of an accelerometer attached in effect to the caliper brake pads to a frequency analyzer. A spectrum of the energy developed by the vibrating pads over the frequency range of 0 to 250 Hz while the sliding velocity is increased from 0 to 0.85 m/s is obtained. Specifically, the area under the composite frequency curve from 70 to 125 Hz shows good correlation to the chatter propensity of the oil. The results of tests on several oils are described. The ultimate purpose of the research is to provide a relatively rapid screening test for evaluating brake oils for the John Deere-type qualification tests. The overall results emphasize the importance of a low ratio between the breakaway friction and the friction at moderate sliding velocities for low or nomore » chatter.« less
Putative nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits express differentially through the life cycle of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are the targets of neonicotinoids and spinosads, two insecticides used in orchards to effectively control codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Orchardists in Washington State are concerned about the possibility of codling moth field populations developing resistance to these two insecticides. In an effort to help mitigate this issue, we initiated a project to identify and characterize codling moth nAChR subunits expressed in heads. This study had two main goals; (i) identify transcripts from a codling moth head transcriptome that encode for nAChR subunits, and (ii) determine nAChR subunit expression profiles in various life stages of codling moth. From a codling moth head transcriptome, 24 transcripts encoding for 12 putative nAChR subunit classes were identified and verified by PCR amplification, cloning, and sequence determination. Characterization of the deduced protein sequences encoded by putative nAChR transcripts revealed that they share the distinguishing features of the cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel superfamily with 9 α-type subunits and 3 β-type subunits identified. Phylogenetic analysis comparing these protein sequences to those of other insect nAChR subunits supports the identification of these proteins as nAChR subunits. Stage expression studies determined that there is clear differential expression of many of these subunits throughout the codling moth life cycle. The information from this study will be used in the future to monitor for potential target-site resistance mechanisms to neonicotinoids and spinosads in tolerant codling moth populations.
Cooperative Relative Navigation for Space Rendezvous and Proximity Operations using Controlled Active Vision

This work aims to solve the problem of relative navigation for space rendezvous and proximity operations using a monocular camera in a numerically efficient manner. It is assumed that the target spacecraft has a special pattern to aid the task of relative pose estimation, and that the chaser spacecraft uses a monocular camera as the primary visual sensor. In this sense, the problem falls under the category of cooperative relative navigation in orbit. While existing systems for cooperative localization with fiducial markers allow full six-degrees-of-freedom pose estimation, the majority of them are not suitable for in-space cooperative navigation especially when involving a small-size chaser spacecraft, due to their computational cost. Moreover, most existing fiducial-based localization methods are designed for ground-based applications with limited range e.g., ground robotics, augmented reality, and their performance deteriorates under large-scale changes, such as those encountered in space applications. Using an adaptive visual algorithm, we propose an accurate and numerically efficient approach for real-time vision-based relative navigation, especially designed for space robotics applications. The proposed method achieves low computational cost and high accuracy and robustness via the following innovations: first, an adaptive visual pattern detection scheme based on the estimated relative pose is proposed, which improves both the efficiency of detection and the accuracy of pose estimates; second, a parametric blob detector called Box-LoG is used, which is computationally efficient; and third, a fast and robust algorithm is introduced, which jointly solves the data association and pose estimation problems. In addition to having an accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art cooperative localization algorithms, our method demonstrates a significant improvement in speed and robustness for scenarios with large range changes. A vision-based closed-loop experiment using the Autonomous Spacecraft Testing of Robotic Operations in Space ASTROS testbed demonstrates the performance benefits of the proposed approach.
Dietary fat saturation and gender/hormonal status modulate plasma lipids and lipoprotein composition

Abstract Male, female and ovariectomized (to mimic menopause) guinea pigs were fed a saturated (SFA) or a polyunsaturated (PUFA) fat diet for 4 weeks to determine the effects of dietary fat saturation on lipoprotein levels and composition and to assess whether gender and hormonal status modulate the cholesterolemic response. Both diets contained 15g/100 g fat and 0.04 g/100 g cholesterol and were identical in composition except for the type of fat. The SFA diet contained 50% saturated fat (25% lauric + myristic fatty acids), 25% PUFA and 25% monounsaturated fatty acids while the PUFA diet had 50% PUFA (linoleic acid), 25% monounsaturated and 25% SFA fatty acids. Plasma LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) was an average 21% lower in guinea pigs fed PUFA compared to those fed SFA (P
CAN INSTRUMENTAL VALUE BE INTRINSIC

In this article, I critique a common claim that instrumental value is a form of extrinsic value. Instead, I offer an alternative dispositional analysis of instrumental value, which holds that instrumental value can, in certain circumstances, be an example of intrinsic value. It follows, then, that a popular account of the nature of final value – or value as an end – is false: the Moorean identification of final value with intrinsic value cannot properly distinguish between value as an end and value as a means.
A Framework for the Optimizing of WWW Advertising

This paper discusses a framework and provides an overview of general methods for optimizing the management of advertisements on web servers. We discuss the major issues which arise in web advertisement management, and describe basic mathematical techniques which can be employed to handle such problems. These include a number of statistical, optimization and scheduling models.
Speech recognition using dynamic neural networks

The authors present an algorithm for isolated-word recognition that takes into consideration the duration variability of the different utterances of the same word. The algorithm is based on extracting acoustical features from the speech signal and using them as the input to a sequence of multilayer perceptron neural networks. The networks were implemented as predictors for the speech samples for a certain duration of time. The networks were trained by a combination of the back-propagation and the dynamic time warping (DTW) techniques. The DTW technique was implemented to normalize the duration variability. The networks were trained to recognize the correct words and to reject the wrong words. The training set consisted of ten words, each uttered seven times by three different speakers. The test set consisted of three utterances of each of the ten words. The results show that all these words could be recognized. >
Military healthcare providers reporting of adverse events following immunizations to the vaccine adverse event reporting system.

ABSTRACT Objectives: We studied military health care provider (HCP) practices regarding reporting of adverse events following immunization (AEFI). Methods: A convenience sample of HCP was surveyed to assess familiarity with Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), AEFI they were likely to report, methods used and preferred for reporting, and perceived barriers to reporting. We analyzed factors associated with HCP reporting AEFI to VAERS. Results: A total of 547 surveys were distributed with 487 completed and returned for an 89% response rate. The percentage of HCP aware of VAERS (54%) varied by occupation. 47% of respondents identified knowledge of at least one AEFI with only 34% of these indicating that they had ever reported to VAERS. More serious events were more likely to be reported. Factors associated with HCP reporting AEFIs in bivariate analysis included HCP familiarity with filing a paper VAERS report, HCP familiarity with filing an electronic VAERS report, HCP familiarity with VAERS, and ...
A non-probabilist principle of higher-order reasoning

The author uses a series of examples to illustrate two versions of a new, nonprobabilist principle of epistemic rationality, the special and general versions of the metacognitive, expected relative frequency (MERF) principle. These are used to explain the rationality of revisions to an agent’s degrees of confidence in propositions based on evidence of the reliability or unreliability of the cognitive processes responsible for them—especially reductions in confidence assignments to propositions antecedently regarded as certain—including certainty-reductions to instances of the law of excluded middle or the law of noncontradiction in logic or certainty-reductions to the certainties of probabilist epistemology. The author proposes special and general versions of the MERF principle and uses them to explain the examples, including the reasoning that would lead to thoroughgoing fallibilism—that is, to a state of being certain of nothing (not even the MERF principle itself). The author responds to the main defenses of probabilism: Dutch Book arguments, Joyce’s potential accuracy defense, and the potential calibration defenses of Shimony and van Fraassen by showing that, even though they do not satisfy the probability axioms, degrees of belief that satisfy the MERF principle minimize expected inaccuracy in Joyce’s sense; they can be externally calibrated in Shimony and van Fraassen’s sense; and they can serve as a basis for rational betting, unlike probabilist degrees of belief, which, in many cases, human beings have no rational way of ascertaining. The author also uses the MERF principle to subsume the various epistemic akrasia principles in the literature. Finally, the author responds to Titelbaum’s argument that epistemic akrasia principles require that we be certain of some epistemological beliefs, if we are rational.
Organization of the Micronuclear Genome of Oxytricha Nova

In the hypotrichous ciliated protozoan Oxytricha nova, approximately 95% of the micronuclear genome, including all of the repetitive DNA and most of the unique sequence DNA, is eliminated during the formation of the macronuclear genome. We have examined the interspersion patterns of repetitive and unique and eliminated and retained sequences in the micronuclear genome by characterizing randomly selected clones of micronuclear DNA. Three major classes of clones have been defined: (1) those containing primarily unique, retained sequences; (2) those containing only unique, eliminated sequences; and (3) those containing only repetitive, eliminated sequences. Clones of type one and three document two aspects of organization observed previously: clustering of macronuclear destined sequences and the presence of a prevalent repetitive element. Clones of the second type demonstrate for the first time that eliminated unique sequence DNA occurs in long stretches uninterrupted by repetitive sequences. To further examine repetitive sequence interspersion, we characterized the repetitive sequence family that is present in 50% of the clones (class three above). A consensus map of this element was obtained by mapping approximately 80 phage clones and by hybridization to digests of micronuclear DNA. The repeat element is extremely large (approximately 24 kb) and is interspersed with both macronuclear destined sequences and eliminated unique sequences.
Slow advances in fault-tolerant real-time distributed computing

Is fault-tolerant (FT) real-time computing a specialized branch of FT computing? The key issue in real-time (RT) computing is to economically produce systems that yield temporal behavior which is relatively easily analyzable and acceptable in given application environments. Fault-tolerant (FT) RT computing has been treated by the predominant segment of the FT computing research community as a highly specialized branch of FT computing. This author believes that the situation should be changed. It seems safe to say that FT techniques for which useful characterizations of temporal behavior have not been or cannot be developed, are at best immature, if not entirely useless. This means that FT RT computing is at the core of FT computing.
A simple GPU-accelerated two-dimensional MUSCL-Hancock solver for ideal magnetohydrodynamics

We describe our experience using NVIDIA?s CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) C programming environment to implement a two-dimensional second-order MUSCL-Hancock ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) solver on a GTX 480 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Taking a simple approach in which the MHD variables are stored exclusively in the global memory of the GTX 480 and accessed in a cache-friendly manner (without further optimizing memory access by, for example, staging data in the GPU?s faster shared memory), we achieved a maximum speed-up of ?126 for a 10242 grid relative to the sequential C code running on a single Intel Nehalem ( 2.8 GHz ) core. This speedup is consistent with simple estimates based on the known floating point performance, memory throughput and parallel processing capacity of the GTX 480.
Anisotropy-Based Sensing with Reference Fluorophores

We describe a new approach to fluorescence sensing based on measurements of steady-state anisotropies in the presence of reference fluorophores with known anisotropies. The basic concept is that the anisotropy of a mixture reflects a weighted average of the anisotropies of the emitting species. By use of reference fluorophores the starting anisotropy can be near zero, or near 0.9 for oriented films which contain the reference fluorophore. Changing intensities of the analyte result in changes in anisotropy. A wide dynamic range of anisotropies is available because of the freedom to select high or low starting values. Anisotropy-based sensing was demonstrated for pH using 6-carboxyfluorescein and for protein affinity or immunoassay using an oriented film with high anisotropy and a protein labeled with a metal-ligand complex. The latter measurements were performed with a simple light-emitting diode excitation source without an excitation polarizer. The sensitive range of the assay can be adjusted by changing the intensity of the reference fluorophore. Anisotropy-based sensing can have numerous applications in clinical and analytical chemistry.
Afterglows from gamma-ray bursters - A way to estimate the burster distance scale?

We calculate the strength of secondary gamma-ray signals that could be produced by positron annihilation in a medium surrounding a gamma-ray burster. We predict that such signals should be observable for a fairly wide range of conditions of this medium for bursts at both Galactic and cosmological distances. Furthermore, the time behavior of such signals together with the redshift measurement could be used to determine the distance scale to bursters.
Uncooled radiometric camera performance

Thermal imaging equipment utilizing microbolometer detectors operating at room temperature has found widespread acceptance in both military and commercial applications. Uncooled camera products are becoming effective solutions to applications currently using traditional, photonic infrared sensors. The reduced power consumption and decreased mechanical complexity offered by uncooled cameras have realized highly reliable, low-cost, hand-held instruments. Initially these instruments displayed only relative temperature differences which limited their usefulness in applications such as Thermography. Radiometrically calibrated microbolometer instruments are now available. The ExplorIR Thermography camera leverages the technology developed for Raytheon Systems Company's first production microbolometer imaging camera, the Sentinel. The ExplorIR camera has a demonstrated temperature measurement accuracy of 4 degrees Celsius or 4% of the measured value (whichever is greater) over scene temperatures ranges of minus 20 degrees Celsius to 300 degrees Celsius (minus 20 degrees Celsius to 900 degrees Celsius for extended range models) and camera environmental temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius. Direct temperature measurement with high resolution video imaging creates some unique challenges when using uncooled detectors. A temperature controlled, field-of-view limiting aperture (cold shield) is not typically included in the small volume dewars used for uncooled detector packages. The lack of a field-of-view shield allows a significant amount of extraneous radiation from the dewar walls and lens body to affect the sensor operation. In addition, the transmission of the Germanium lens elements is a function of ambient temperature. The ExplorIR camera design compensates for these environmental effects while maintaining the accuracy and dynamic range required by today's predictive maintenance and condition monitoring markets.
Erdheim-Chester disease demonstrated by bone radiograph and scans

Two cases of patients with Erdheim-Chester disease (EC) are presented with interesting scintigraphic findings. Differential diagnosis of bone scan and radiographic findings is briefly discussed.
Simulated Annealing and the Generation of the Objective Function: A Model of Learning During Problem Solving

A computational model of problem solving based on significant aspects of human problem solving is introduced. It is observed that during problem solving humans often start searching more or less randomly, becoming more deterministic over time as they learn more about the problem. This two-phase aspect of problem-solving behavior and its relation to learning is one of the important features this model accounts for. The model uses an accelerated simulated annealing technique as a search mechanism within a real-time dynamic programming-like framework upon a connected graph of neighboring problem states. The objective value of each node is adjusted as the model moves between nodes, learning more accurate values for the nodes and also compensating for misleading heuristic information as it does so. In this manner the model is shown to learn to more effectively solve isomorphs of the Balls and Boxes and Tower of Hanoi problems. The major issues investigated with the model are (a) whether such a simulated annealing-based model exhibits the kind of random-to-directed transition in behavior exhibited by people, and (b) whether the progressive discovery of the objective function, even when given very little or poor initial information, is a plausible method for representing the learning that occurs during problem solving and the knowledge that results from that learning.
Characterization of [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT binding to dopamine D2-like receptors expressed in cell lines

Abstract Recently, [ 125 I]S(−)5- OH-PIPAT [5- hydroxy -2-(N- n-propyl -N-3′- iodo -2′- propenyl)aminotetralin ] , a derivative of S(−)5-OH-DPAT(5-hydroxy-N,N-di-n-propyl-aminotetralin), was reported to be a better radioiodinated dopamine D2-like receptor ligand than the previously reported iodinated ligand, [ 125 I]R(+)7- OH-PIPAT . Therefore, in the present study, the binding profile of [ 125 I]S(−)5- OH-PIPAT to D2-like receptors expressed in cell lines was established. High binding affinity (Kd = 0.3–0.4 nM) and NaCl sensitivity were displayed with this ligand in membranes of human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells expressing either human D2 or rat D3 receptors and in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing human dopamine D4 receptors. Specific binding to D2 and D4 receptors was significantly increased in the presence of 2 mM MgCl2 and decreased in the presence of 100 μM 5′-guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (GMP-PNP). This finding is consistent with reports that 2-aminotetralin compounds display agonist properties. The specific binding to D3 receptors however, was not affected by either MgCl2 or GMP-PNP. This lack of GMP-PNP sensitivity for D3 receptors may result from inadequate G protein-receptor coupling in this cell line. The rank order of potency for inhibition of [ 125 I]S(−)5- OH-PIPAT binding with various dopamine agents was consistent with reported values for D2, D3 and D4 receptors. In membranes prepared from Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells infected with baculovirus that contains DNA encoding D3 receptors, [ 125 I]S(−)5- OH-PIPAT recognized only 70% of the receptor population labeled by [125I]NCQ298. This new ligand offers several unique advantages, including high specific activity, high binding affinity and selectivity for D2-like receptors, that make it an excellent probe for the investigation and the characterization of dopamine D2-like receptors.
Mining preconditions of APIs in large-scale code corpus

Modern software relies on existing application programming interfaces (APIs) from libraries. Formal specifications for the APIs enable many software engineering tasks as well as help developers correctly use them. In this work, we mine large-scale repositories of existing open-source software to derive potential preconditions for API methods. Our key idea is that APIs’ preconditions would appear frequently in an ultra-large code corpus with a large number of API usages, while project-specific conditions will occur less frequently. First, we find all client methods invoking APIs. We then compute a control dependence relation from each call site and mine the potential conditions used to reach those call sites. We use these guard conditions as a starting point to automatically infer the preconditions for each API. We analyzed almost 120 million lines of code from SourceForge and Apache projects to infer preconditions for the standard Java Development Kit (JDK) library. The results show that our technique can achieve high accuracy with recall from 75–80% and precision from 82–84%. We also found 5 preconditions missing from human written specifications. They were all confirmed by a specification expert. In a user study, participants found 82% of the mined preconditions as a good starting point for writing specifications. Using our mining result, we also built a benchmark of more than 4,000 precondition-related bugs.
Deep Brain Stimulation and Motor Cortical Stimulation for Neuropathic Pain

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an important treatment option for neuropathic pain. DBS has a considerable history, and it can be used successfully for a wide number of pain syndromes. Epidural motor cortex stimulation (MCS) also is a treatment option for neuropathic pain. Less invasive than DBS, MCS has been rapidly adopted and studied since first described in 1991. A growing body of literature supports the use of MCS for facial pain, though further study to better define the mechanism of action and the most appropriate patient populations is ongoing.
Self-assembly of two-dimensional coordination polymers with rigid and flexible building blocks

Abstract The reactions of CoBr2 with oxalic acid and BPE (1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane) or DPA (2,2′-dipyridylamine) under hydrothermal conditions resulted in projected two-dimensional coordination polymers [(C2O4)Co(BPE)]∞ and [(C2O4)Co(DPA)]∞.
Sucrose Translocation in the Sugar Beet

7. PLATENIUS, H. AND J. E. KNOTT. 1935. The pungency of the onion bulb as influenced by the stage of development of the plant. Proc. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 33: 481-83. 8. SAGHIR, A. R., L. K. MANN, R. A. BERNHARD, AND J. V. JACOBSEN. 1964. Determination of aliphatic monoand disulfides in Allium by gas chromatography and their distribution in the common food species. Proc. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 84: 386-98. 9. SAGHIR, A. R. 1964. Volatiles in A llium. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of California, Davis, California. 10. SEMMLER, F. W. 1892. Uber das atherische ol des Knoblauchs (Allium satizum). Arch. Pharm. 230: 434-48. 11. VIRTANEN, A. I. AND E. J. MATIKKALA. 1959. The isolation of S-methyl-cysteine sulphoxide and S-npropyl cysteinis sulphoxide from onion (Allium cepa) and the antibiotic activity of crushed onion. Acta Chemica Scanid. 13: 1898-1900. 12. VIRTANEN, A. I. 1962. Some organic sulfur compounds in vegetables and their significance in human nutrition. Angew. Chenm, Intern. Ed. 1: 299305. 13. WERTHEIM, T. 1844. Untersuchung des Knoblauchols. Ann. Chem. und Pharm. 51: 289-315. 14. YAMAGUCHI, M., S. SHANNON, F. D. HOWARD, AND M. A. JOSLYN. 1965. Factors affecting the formation of a pink pigment in purees of onion. Proc. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 86: In press.
Tau leaping of stiff stochastic chemical systems via local central limit approximation

Stiffness manifests in stochastic dynamic systems in a more complex manner than in deterministic systems; it is not only important for a time-stepping method to remain stable but it is also important for the method to capture the asymptotic variances accurately. In the context of stochastic chemical systems, time stepping methods are known as tau leaping. Well known existing tau leaping methods have shortcomings in this regard. The implicit tau method is far more stable than the trapezoidal tau method but underestimates the asymptotic variance. On the other hand, the trapezoidal tau method which estimates the asymptotic variance exactly for linear systems suffers from the fact that the transients of the method do not decay fast enough in the context of very stiff systems. We propose a tau leaping method that possesses the same stability properties as the implicit method while it also captures the asymptotic variance with reasonable accuracy at least for the test system S"[email protected]?S"2. The proposed method uses a central limit approximation (CLA) locally over the tau leaping interval and is referred to as the [email protected] The CLA predicts the mean and covariance as solutions of certain differential equations (ODEs) and for efficiency we solve these using a single time step of a suitable low order method. We perform a mean/covariance stability analysis of various possible low order schemes to determine the best scheme. Numerical experiments presented show that [email protected] performs favorably for stiff systems and that the [email protected] is also able to capture bimodal distributions unlike the CLA itself. The proposed [email protected] method uses a split implicit step to compute the mean update. We also prove that any tau leaping method employing a split implicit step converges in the fluid limit to the implicit Euler method as applied to the fluid limit differential equation.
Multifaceted Genitourinary Lymphoma

Lymphoma can involve all genitourinary organs, albeit with different rates of prevalence. Recognizing the diverse imaging presentations of this disease can facilitate its identification and hone patient management. This article provides a pictorial review of the genitourinary lymphoma and the pertinent organ-specific clinical manifestations of this disease.
High-speed frictional slip at metal-on-metal interfaces

Abstract In this study plate-impact pressure-shear friction experiments are employed to investigate dynamic slip resistance and time-resolved growth of molten metal films during dry metal-on-metal slip under extreme interfacial conditions. By employing a tribo-pair comprising of a hard tool-steel against a relatively low melt-point metal (7075-T6 Al alloy), interfacial normal stress of up to 5 GPa and slip speeds of approximately 250 m/s have been achieved. These extreme interfacial conditions are conducive to the development of molten metal film at the tribo-pair interface. A Lagrangian finite element code is developed to understand the evolution of the thermo-mechanical fields and their relationship to the observed slip response. The code accounts for dynamic effects, heat conduction, contact with friction, and full thermo-mechanical coupling. At temperatures below the melting point of the tribo-pair materials are described as isotropic, thermally softening, elastic–viscoplastic solids. For material elements with temperatures in excess of the melt temperature a purely Newtonian fluid constitutive model is employed. The results of this hybrid experimental–computational approach provide new insights into the thermo-plastic interactions during the high-speed metal-on-metal slip. During the early part of frictional slip the coefficient of kinetic friction is observed to decrease with increasing slip velocity. During the later part, transition in interfacial slip occurs from dry metal-on-metal sliding to the formation of molten Al film at the slip interface. During this slip phase, the interfacial resistance approaches the shear strength of the molten Al alloy under normal pressures of approximately 1–4.5 GPa and shear-strain rates of ∼10 7 s −1 . The results of the study indicate that under such extreme interfacial conditions molten aluminum films maintain a shearing resistance as high as 50–100 MPa. Scanning electron microscopy of the slip surfaces reveal molten aluminum to be smeared on the tribo-pair interface at high impact velocities. Also, the extent of the molten area, as observed from the SEM micrographs, increases with increasing impact velocities.
Analysis of phosphoenkephalins by combined high performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method based upon a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of phosphorylated peptides in a complex mixture of 14 phosphoenkephalins and their nonphosphorylated analogues is described. A narrow-bore column is directly connected to the ESI interface without the need of a solvent flow-splitter. A full-scan mass analysis in the positive-ion mode is used to provide the total ion current chromatogram and the molecular mass of each eluting component. Selective detection of phosphorylated peptides is achieved by selected-ion recording of the phosphate group marker ion (PO3 −) in the negative-ion mode. These two scans are acquired simultaneously on a single injection of the sample. The influence of water clusters on background ion current is also discussed.
Awakened leaders: born or made?

Purpose – This paper aims to review the leader of the twenty‐first century, the Awakened Leader. Based on information, collected from 11 leadership thinkers and practitioners, literature review, and the author's workplace observations, the article seeks to analyze some of the important experiences and skills that make awakened leaders so outstanding.Design/methodology/approach – This study was conducted as a qualitative study of the phenomenological kind, enriched with literature review. Interviews were executed from a pre‐validated interview protocol. The approach to the topic is: definition of awakened leadership; review of the essence of awakened leadership; reasoning of the determination regarding this leader being born or made; and perspectives toward awakened leadership.Findings – An interesting combination of qualities emerged for awakened leaders varying from morals and values, ethics, integrity, honesty and trust, to kindness, forgiveness, courage, love, and deep listening. As an interesting endn...