cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Pancreatic Cancer—Distal Pancreatectomy

Distal pancreatectomy is the standard procedure for tumors located in the body and tail of the pancreas. In the last three decades, significant progress has been made with regard to technical aspects as well as perioperative care so that excellent mortality and morbidity rates can be achieved. Recently, there is growing evidence that distal pancreatectomy may be performed laparoscopically in selected patients, offering the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. Unfortunately, the oncologic outcomes for pancreatic adenocarcinoma remain poor, in part due to the late stage of presentation in most patients. We review the history of distal pancreatectomy, discuss current indications for performing this procedure, compare operative techniques in performing distal pancreatectomy, and review both the early complications seen in patients who have undergone a distal pancreatectomy and the long-term metabolic and oncologic outcomes of these patients.
Iterative game design in education

Educators should impart principles of iterative game design to their students as a best practice. Iterative processes allow player feedback to systematically inform design decisions. However, the constraints and conventions of academic practices pose several challenges for the adoption of iterative processes. Many students lack the confidence in their own abilities and the discipline to work in short iterations. A constant stream of testers is necessary for iterative design and providing that stream requires advance planning. Misinterpreting tester feedback can badly hurt morale. Finally, the tendency of both game development and academia to focus on a finished product may actually distract students from practicing the habits needed to conduct effective iterative design. Based on the student projects of the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab, this short paper looks into each of these challenges and proposes some potential solutions for introducing iterative game design in a higher education context.
Why does vantage point affect boundary extension

To determine if layout affects boundary extension (BE; false memory beyond view boundaries; Intraub & Richardson, 1989), 12 single-object scenes were photographed from three vantage points: central (0°), shifted rightward (45°), and shifted leftward (45°). Size and position of main objects were held constant. Pictures were presented for 15 s each and were repeated at test with their boundaries: (a) displaced inward or outward (Experiment 1: N=120), or (b) identical to the stimulus views (Experiment 2: N=72). When participants adjusted test boundaries to match memory, BE always occurred, but tended to be smaller for 45° views. We propose this reflects the fact that more of the 3-D scene is visible in the 45° views. This suggests that scene representation reflects the 3-D world conveyed by the global characteristics of layout, rather than the 2-D distance between the main object and the boundaries of a picture.
Scalable server and storage architectures for video streaming

Internet-based video streaming has significantly picked up in the market place, followed by almost a decade of intensive research and standard efforts. Not only are we interested in the current status of video streaming, but also the future that it is heading towards. The paper discusses scalable server and storage architectures for video streaming.
A mutation in Irak2c identifies IRAK-2 as a central component of the TLR regulatory network of wild-derived mice

In a phenotypic screen of the wild-derived mouse strain MOLF/Ei, we describe an earlier and more potent toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated induction of IL-6 transcription compared with the classical inbred strain C57BL/6J. The phenotype correlated with increased activity of the IkappaB kinase axis as well as p38, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase or c-Jun N-terminal kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. The trait was mapped to the Why1 locus, which contains Irak2, a gene previously implicated as sustaining the late phase of TLR responses. In the MOLF/Ei TLR signaling network, IRAK-2 promotes early nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity and is essential for the activation of p38 MAPK. We identify a deletion in the MOLF/Ei promoter of the inhibitory Irak2c gene, leading to an increased ratio of pro- to antiinflammatory IRAK-2 isoforms. These findings demonstrate that IRAK-2 is an essential component of the early TLR response in MOLF/Ei mice and show a distinct pathway of p38 and NF-kappaB activation in this model organism. In addition, they demonstrate that studies in evolutionarily divergent model organisms are essential to complete dissection of signal transduction pathways.
Morphological variation in a colonial marine hydroid: a comparison of size-based and age-based heterochrony

In studies of heterochrony, timing of development is generally measured relative to some intrinsic dimension, usually size, which serves as a proxy for time. A complementary approach is to measure timing relative to chronological time, an extrinsic dimension. Here, colony growth of a marine hydroid, Hydractinia echinata, is used to compare size- and age-based approaches to rate heterochronies. Colonies consist of feeding polyps; a basal, encrusting mat; and, in some cases, stolons which extend from the mat. Size is measured by the area covered by the mat and, if present, the stolons. Rate of polyp production was compared between colonies using clonal replicates grown in a common environment. Age-based comparisons employed polyp specific growth rates calculated over the same ontogenetic time interval for each replicate. Specific growth rates for colony area were also calculated; rates-ratios (polyp/area) provided size-based measures of polyp growth, anal- ogous to allometric coefficients commonly used in studies of rate heterochronies. These comparisons show that size can be a misleading referent for between-colony comparisons because the rate of areal growth is not constant among colonies. Size-based measures of changes in developmental rates may provide insight into patterns, but not necessarily processes, of heterochrony. The impli- cations of the pattern-oriented framework of size-based heterochrony should be considered in paleontological studies.
Evidence for an increased intake of sodium in hypertension based on urinary excretion of sodium.

ConclusionAmong 28 subjects with and without hypertension, the group with high blood pressure had significantly greater (p<.01) sodium intakes (as measured by urinary outputs) than did the group of non-hypertensives. This finding was in agreement with a hypothesis previously proposed, namely, that the level of sodium intake was of primary etiologic importance in the development of essential hypertension.
Analysis of monitoring results of iodine salt in households of kecheng district in 2011

Objective:To understand and grasp the condition of iodized salt in households in Kecheng area,providing scientific basis for the elimination of iodine deficiency.Methods:According to the "national iodized salt monitoring program(Amendment)",samples were selected and monitoring results of household consumption of iodized salt were analyzed.Results:In the detection of 288 samples of iodized salt in households,286 were eligible with the qualified rate of 99.31%,2 were non-iodized salt with the qualified rate of 0.69%.Conclusion:The qualified rate of iodized salt in households was 99.31% in Kecheng district.Though it has meet the standard,publicity and education as well as the supervision and monitoring of edible salt should still be strengthened to guarantee the residents to have iodized salt correctly.
Hyperammonaemia depresses glucose consumption throughout the brain

Recent studies showed that hyperammonaemia caused many of the metabolic changes in portacaval-shunted rats, a model of hepatic encephalopathy. These changes included a depression in the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlc), an indication of decreased brain function. 2. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine whether the depression of CMRGlc caused by ammonia is confined to certain brain structures, or whether the depression is an overall decrease in all structures, such as occurs in portacaval-shunted rats. To accomplish this objective, rats were made hyperammonaemic by giving them intraperitoneal injections of 40 units of urease/kg body wt. every 12 h; control rats received 0.154 m-NaCl. CMRGlc was measured 48 h after the first injection, by using quantitative autoradiography with [6-14C]glucose as a tracer. 3. The experimental rats had high plasma ammonia concentrations (control 70 nmol/ml, experimental 610 nmol/ml) and brain glutamine levels (control 5.4 mumol/ml). Hyperammonaemia decreased CMRGlc throughout the brain by an average of 19%. CMRGlc showed an inverse correlation with plasma ammonia, but a stronger correlation with the brain glutamine content. 4. Hyperammonaemia led to a decrease in CMRGlc throughout the brain that was indistinguishable from the pattern seen in portacaval-shunted rats. This is taken as further evidence that the cerebral depression found in portacaval-shunted rats is a consequence of hyperammonaemia. The observation that depression of CMRGlc correlated more closely with brain glutamine content than with plasma ammonia suggests that metabolism of ammonia is an important step in the pathological sequence.
Touch in Therapy: An Effort to Make the Unknown Known

This paper is an exploratory study based on interviews with four psycho-analytically-oriented therapists who touched their patients. It examines how the therapists and their patients conceptualized their experience. The therapists reported that the decision to touch, in the five cases presented here, was guided by the specific needs of their patients and their patient's circumstances rather than by their orientation and their overall attitude towards touch. Positive outcomes are reported in four out of the five cases. For these patients touch provided safety, grounded them in the here and now, promoted growth, integration and differentiation, and assuaged pain. In one case the outcome of touch for the patient is not known. Results are discussed in light of the literature on the use of touch.
The freeing of hands for open reduction and internal fixation.

This article presents a simple technique for consistent arm positioning during open reduction and internal fixation of fractures.
Distributed Scrum for Large-Scale and Mission-Critical Projects.

Distributed software development (DSD) is becoming popular due to the potential of delivering highquality software products in a timely and economical manner. Recently, practitioners started to apply agile software development methods to their DSD environment. However, there are not many empirical researches that have reported whether the agile methods are really viable for distributed software development. This paper illustrates the issues of the Scrum software development method in a geographically distributed software development team setting as it applies to large-scale and missioncritical projects. Through an in-depth case study, we examine how communication, coordination, and control issues are managed and what technologies are expected to mitigate the difficulties arising in distributed Scrum (DScrum). Finally, we suggest several ideas to overcome the issues discovered in this study.
Placenta previa and maternal hemorrhagic morbidity

AbstractObjective: Placenta previa is associated with maternal hemorrhage, but most literature focuses on morbidity in the setting of placenta accreta. We aim to characterize maternal morbidity associated with previa and to define risk factors for hemorrhage.Methods: This is a secondary cohort analysis of the NICHD Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network Cesarean Section Registry. This analysis included all women undergoing primary Cesarean delivery without placenta accreta. About 496 women with previa were compared with 24,201 women without previa. Primary outcome was composite maternal hemorrhagic morbidity. Non-hemorrhagic morbidities and risk factors for hemorrhage were also evaluated.Results: Maternal hemorrhagic morbidity was more common in women with previa (19 versus 7%, aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9–3.5). Atony requiring uterotonics (aRR 3.1, 95% CI 2.0–4.9), red blood cell transfusion (aRR 3.8, 95% CI 2.5–5.7), and hysterectomy (aRR 5.1, 95% CI 1.5–17.3) were also more common with previa. For women with pre...
Gene expression profiling in non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Although the current WHO classification (Swerdlow et al. WHO classification of tumours of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, 2008 [1]) for hematolymphoid neoplasms has delineated lymphomas based on the combined morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genotypic findings, further refinement is necessary especially in regard to therapeutics and prognostic implications. High-throughput gene expression profiling (GEP) using microarray technology (Schena et al. Science 270:467–470, 1995 [2]; Augenlicht et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:3286-3289, 1991 [3]) was developed about 20 years ago, and further refinement of the technology and analytical approaches has enabled us to routinely evaluate practically the entire transcriptome at a time. GEP has helped to improve the classification and prognostication of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) as well as improved our understanding of their pathophysiology and response to new therapeutics. In this paper, we will briefly review how this revolutionary tool has transformed our understanding of lymphomas and given us insight into targeted therapeutics. We will also discuss the current efforts in adapting the findings to routine clinical practice, the evolution of the research technology and directions in the future.
Auf der Suche nach Verantwortungskriterien

Die Darstellung der Verantwortungszusammenhange an einem Teilausschnitt des Klimaproblems legt die Frage nahe, ob es nicht allgemeingultige Kriterien gibt, die alle oder doch viele gleichartige Probleme losen helfen. In diesem Kapitel soll die Bedeutung solcher Kriterien oder Normen analysiert werden; als Beispiele werden die Tugenden und Maximen fur den naturethischen Bereich aufgegriffen.
One hop lookups for peer-to-peer overlays

Current peer-to-peer lookup algorithms have been designed with the assumption that routing information at each member node must be kept small, so that the bookkeeping required to respond to system membership changes is also small. In this paper, we show that this assumption is unnecessary, and present a technique that maintains complete routing tables at each node. The technique is able to handle frequent membership changes and scales to large systems having more than a million nodes. The resulting peer-to-peer system is robust and can route lookup queries in just one hop, thus enabling applications that cannot tolerate the delay of multi-hop routing.
Kinetic Mechanism of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to nicotinamide, pyridine, and other structural analogues. Aberrantly increased NNMT activity results in the depletion of SAM, nicotinamide (NAM), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+); NAM is required for NAD+ biosynthesis. SAM depletion impairs the methylation potential of the cell, resulting in hypomethylated histones and an altered epigenetic profile. In addition, decreased NAD+ levels negatively affect energy metabolism by disrupting oxidative phosphorylation. Because of its impact on epigenetic states and NAD+ levels, NNMT is implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases, making it an appealing target for therapeutic intervention. To gain insights that would guide the design of inhibitors and activity-based probes, we performed detailed kinetic studies of human NNMT. Herein, we report the kinetic mechanism of NNMT. Our initial velocity, product inhibition, and dead-end analogue inhibition studies collectively indicate that NNMT uses a rapid equilibrium ordered mechanism, where NNMT first binds SAM, which is followed by NAM. Methyl transfer occurs, and methylated NAM and S-adenosylhomocysteine are released consecutively.
Associations of medication measures and geriatric impairments with chemotherapy dose intensity in older adults with advanced cancer: A University of Rochester NCI Community Oncology Research Program study.

e22034Background: Older patients (pts) with cancer have more chemotherapy (chemo) toxicities leading to dose modifications. Few studies have evaluated the association of concomitant medications (me...
Spatiotemporal Magnitudes and Trends of Cover-Crop Evapotranspiration in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas

AbstractAlthough some benefits of growing cover crops have been recognized in agricultural production fields, wider adoption of these rotational crops requires quantitative information on actual ev...
Can AI help reliability analysis of 3D IC mobile devices

In the big data era, the use of consumer electronic products in all aspects of our life is manifested by the ubiquitous presence of mobile devices. The continuing demand for smaller size, more functionality, lower power consumption, and reduced cost is challenging. A paradigm change, from 2D IC to 3D IC, is occurring in microelectronic industry. The stacking of thin chips makes Joule heating to be the most serious yield and reliability issue. However, to remove heat a temperature gradient must exist, but a difference of 1°C across a μ-bump of 10 µm in diameter has a temperature gradient of 1000 °C/cm, which can cause thermomigration. Furthermore, system level electromigration occurs in weak links, and fracture occurs in intermetallic μ-bumps. In this talk, how to use artificial intelligence (AI) for faster reliability study will be discussed.
Movie Recommendation System Using Collaborative Filtering

As the business needs are accelerating, there is an increased dependence on extracting meaningful information from humongous amount of raw data to drive business solutions. The same is true for digital recommendation systems which are becoming a norm for consumer industries such as books, music, clothing, movies, news articles, places, utilities, etc. These systems collect information from the users to improve the future suggestions. This paper aims to describe the implementation of a movie recommender system via two collaborative filtering algorithms using Apache Mahout. Furthermore, this paper will also focus on analyzing the data to gain insights into the movie dataset using Matplotlib libraries in Python.
Cleaning and disinfecting protocols for hospital environmental surfaces: A systematic review of the literature

Background: Healthcare associated infections are a leading cause of illness and death in the United States and across the world. Environmental surfaces are considered non-critical, although recent evidence suggests that the built environment may contribute to the transmission of pathogens. Ineffective cleaning and disinfecting of environmental non-critical surfaces may increase risk of transmitting nosocomial pathogens leading to hospital acquired infections among hospital patients. Objective: This systematic review identifies elements of cleaning and disinfecting protocols, synthesizing the evidence to evaluate cleaning protocols that effectively reduce surface contamination and minimize risk of hospital acquired illness. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted with a clearly formulated research question and systematic approach to identify publications, select relevant studies, critically appraise the research through analysis of reported data, and reported the results according to the Cochrane methodology. Results: In total, 245 studies were initially identified with 19 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Emerging categories include chemical application methods, chemical application time, cleaning type and frequency, and interventions for training and monitoring. Conclusions: Establishing adequate cleaning protocols for hospital environments is a complex process which requires consideration of multiple components including mechanical action, chemical application materials, types of cleaning, chemical contact times, education and training of EVS staff, cleaning monitoring and feedback, no-contact cleaning methods, and self-disinfecting surfaces. Recommendations for protocol development based on the study results are provided.
Background calcium induced by subthreshold depolarization modifies homosynaptic facilitation at a synapse in Aplysia

Some synapses show two forms of short-term plasticity, homosynaptic facilitation, and a plasticity in which the efficacy of transmission is modified by subthreshold changes in the holding potential of the presynaptic neuron. In a previous study we demonstrated a further interactive effect. We showed that depolarizing changes in the presynaptic holding potential can increase the rate at which facilitation occurs. These experiments studied synaptic transmission between an Aplysia sensory neuron (B21) and its postsynaptic follower, the motor neuron (B8). We have also shown that subthreshold depolarizations of B21 produce widespread increases in its [Ca2+]i via activation of a nifedipine-sensitive current. To determine whether it is this change in 'background' calcium that modifies synaptic transmission we compared the facilitation observed at the B21-B8 synapse under control conditions to the facilitation observed in nifedipine. Nifedipine had a depressing effect. Other investigators studying facilitation have focused on Cares (i.e., the calcium that remains in a neuron after spiking). Our results indicate that facilitation can also be impacted by calcium channels opened before spiking begins.
Character Development to Facilitate Retention in a Storytelling Robot

The purpose of this research is to further the innovation of education technology and education based on technological theory mediated through robotic storytelling agents. Through the development of robotic applications, the researchers create a tool to improve the story and literacy-based retention rates of elementary level students. This investigation seeks to analyze the effects of student retention while participating in story-time with a SoftBank NAO robot that delivers the narrative of multiple characterizations through pre-programmed voice variability, LED lights, and motions. It is the ultimate goal of this research to study the impact of agent character distinctions in storytelling as compared to human storytellers.
Finite Element Methods for Elliptic Distributed Optimal Control Problems with Pointwise State Constraints (Survey)

Finite element methods for a model elliptic distributed optimal control problem with pointwise state constraints are considered from the perspective of fourth order boundary value problems.
Intraarticular Inflammation and Catabolic Markers in Femoroacetabular Impingement during Progression of Disease -comparison between early and late stage disease-:

Objectives:Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been proposed as an etiologic factor in up to 50% of osteoarthritis hips (OA). Inflammation is thought to be one of the main initiators of hip OA, ...
Promise and Potential Peril With Lumacaftor for the Trafficking Defective Type 2 Long-QT Syndrome-Causative Variants, p.G604S, p.N633S, and p.R685P, Using Patient-Specific Re-Engineered Cardiomyocytes

Background: The KCNH2-encoded Kv11.1 hERG (human ether-a-go-go related gene) potassium channel is a critical regulator of cardiomyocyte action potential duration (APD). The majority of type 2 long-...
Komodo-dragon cathelicidin-inspired peptides are antibacterial against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Introduction. The rise of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a growing crisis that requires development of novel therapeutics.Hypothesis. To this end, cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) represent a possible source of new potential therapeutics to treat difficult pathogens such as carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), which has gained resistance to many if not all currently approved antibiotics, making treatment difficult.Aim. To examine the anti-CRKP antimicrobial activity of the predicted cathelicidins derived from Varanus komodoensis (Komodo dragon) as well as synthetic antimicrobial peptides that we created.Methodology. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the peptides against CRKP. We also characterized the abilities of these peptides to disrupt the hyperpolarization of the bacterial membrane as well as their ability to form pores in the membrane.Results. We did not observe significant anti-CRKP activity for the predicted native Komodo cathelicidin peptides. We found that the novel peptides DRGN-6,-7 and -8 displayed significant antimicrobial activity against CRKP with MICs of 4-8 µg ml-1. DRGN-6 peptide was the most effective peptide against CRKP. Unfortunately, these peptides showed higher than desired levels of hemolysis, although in vivo testing in the waxworm Galleria mellonella showed no mortality associated with treatment by the peptide; however, CRKP-infected waxworms treated with peptide did not show an improvement in survival.Conclusion. Given the challenges of treating CRKP, identification of peptides with activity against it represents a promising avenue for further research. Given DRGN-6's similar level of activity to colistin, DRGN-6 is a promising template for the development of novel antimicrobial peptide-based therapeutics.
Current Praxis and Conceptualization of STEM Education: A Call for Greater Clarity in Integrated Curriculum Development

One issue surrounding contemporary STEM education is the ambiguity of what constitutes a “STEM” lesson. This ambiguity is in part due to STEM being comprised of four related but distinct fields. We conceptualize a STEM lesson as an integrated endeavor between these disciplines, where the resulting lesson involves skills and knowledge from all fields using a balanced approach. We believe that balanced integration creates opportunities for authentic learning. In this chapter, we communicate a review of recent secondary education practitioner literature that was collected and analyzed based on the amount of integration of the component STEM disciplines and the extent in which connections were made between these fields. We found that not only does there exist a wide variation in the types of lessons that are classified as “STEM,” but that most lessons exhibited a disciplinary bias towards one specific field. It is our belief that the observed imbalance in integration is due to several factors, including the wide range of stakeholders, the knowledge and experiences of teachers, and the constraints of a typical school day. We believe that greater clarity of what constitutes “STEM” may help teachers construct more balanced lessons, creating opportunities for authentic learning experiences.
Dynamics of local impacts in low-carbon transition: Agent-based modeling of lithium mining-community-aquifer interactions in Salar de Atacama, Chile

Abstract The global transition to low-carbon technologies has accelerated the extraction of lithium. Its associated implications on local socio-environmental systems, however, are often overlooked. This study develops an agent-based model, applied to the lithium extraction in Salar de Atacama, Chile to understand (1) how mining's brine pumping rates affect groundwater movements and (2) how changes in water resources affect social-stress dynamics under multiple projections of mining activities. The results show the groundwater declines significantly in the mining area with impacts spreading outwards to nearby communities. Communities near mining operations are most vulnerable to mining expansions, while more distant residents experience long-lasting impacts due to lower compensation and delayed groundwater recovery. We found the role of groundwater uncertainties in causing the mismatched evolution of environmental and social dynamics, thereby highlighting some governance challenges stemming from resource uncertainties. Our analysis also points to a possible striking increase in social stress resulting from the recent social overburden in the area, underlining the need of building community resilience. We discuss how improved resource governance, pathways to build community resilience, and alternative mining techniques to decouple water use can help industrial and regional decision-makers better manage the world's largest lithium production sites towards a sustainable future.
Low-voltage distribution network topology identification method based on characteristic current

The correct topology relationship is very important in low-voltage distribution network. The traditional topology identification method is not only low in accuracy and interference, but also low in efficiency. In order to solve this problem, a topology recognition method of low-voltage distribution network based on characteristic current is proposed, which aims to identify the topology of low-voltage substation accurately and efficiently by using intelligent sensing terminal, TMR high-sensitivity sensor and injecting characteristic current. Firstly, a low-voltage distribution network architecture based on intelligent sensing terminal and TMR sensor is constructed. Then, the theoretical basis of TMR sensor and characteristic current applied in station topology identification is analyzed. Finally, a practical example shows that the proposed method has high accuracy and strong tolerance, which is of great significance to improve the accuracy of user information identification, reduce the workload and reduce the cost.
Personal communications systems applications

25587-7 The only complete guide to designing state-of-the-art PCS applications. PCS represents a revolution in communications. It will support extraordinary new applications--but engineers must learn entirely new techniques to take full advantage of it. Personal Communications Systems Applications is the first comprehensive engineer's guide to PCS technology and applications. It presents essential, up-to-date research on a broad range of fundamental PCS design and implementation issues for both licensed and unlicensed PCS frequencies, including: * Design techniques that most effectively respond to PCS' inherent characteristics * Spectral efficiency issues and how to manage them in both TDMA and CDMA systems * Microcell design issues--with especially detailed coverage of handoff problems * Speech encoding, antenna and power issues, and more The book also provides detailed case studies of a wide variety of new PCS-related applications, including wireless LANs, adaptive mobile networks, PCS in maritime environments, mobile systems based on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, and much more. Learn how UPS is using hand-held PCS devices to register customers's signatures and transmit data back to a central computer virtually instantaneously. See how Wal-Mart is using PCS to streamline inventory and restocking. Through case studies like these, you'll develop an in-depth understanding of both the business and technical issues surrounding leading-edge PCS implementations. If you're involved in PCS application design and development--or if you plan to be--Personal Communications Systems Applications will be your most essential sourcebook
MEASURING DRIVER PERFORMANCE: INSTRUMENTATION, SOFTWARE, AND APPLICATION

A data collection and analysis system is described for an instrumented car research program. Transducers, electronic circuitry, and data recording are described, and data analysis procedures are indicated. Discussion includes the current experiments underway in the research program. System strengths and weaknesses are also indicated.
Working with culture: culturally appropriate mental health care for Asian Americans.

park m., chesla c.a., rehm r.s. & chun k.m. (2011) Working with culture: culturally appropriate mental health care for Asian Americans. Journal of Advanced Nursing67(11), 2373–2382. Abstract Aim. The aim of this study is to describe how mental healthcare providers adapted their practice to meet the unique needs of Asian Americans. Background. As the number of ethnic minorities and multicultural patients and families rapidly increases, cultural competency becomes an essential skill for all healthcare providers. The lack of knowledge about how healthcare providers grapple with diverse cultures and cultural competency limits the ability of others to deliver patient-centred care across cultural lines. Methods. Interpretive phenomenology guided the design and conduct of this study. Twenty mental healthcare providers who treated Asian Americans were recruited. Narrative data were collected through face-to-face, in-depth interviews between 2006 and 2007. Results/findings. Three characteristics of culturally appropriate care for Asian Americans were identified. Cultural brokering: providers addressed issues stemming from cultural differences via bicultural skills education. Asian American patients generally received broader education than current literature recommended. Supporting families in transition: providers assisted Asian American families during transition from and to professional care. Using cultural knowledge to enhance competent care: providers’ knowledge of Asian culture and flexible attitudes affected the care that they provided. Culturally competent providers were able to identify cultural issues that were relevant to the specific situation, and incorporated cultural solutions into the care provided. Conclusion. Culturally appropriate care is nuanced and context specific. Thus, more sophisticated and broader conceptualizations are necessary to prepare nurses for such complex practice.
A Framework for Designing Novel Magnetic Tiles Capable of Complex Self-assemblies

Self-assembly has been immensely successful in creating complex patterns at the molecular scale. However, the use of self-assembly techniques at the macroscopic level has so far been limited to the formation of simple patterns. For example, in a number of prior works, self-assembling units or tiles formed aggregates based on the polarity of magnetic pads on their sides. The complexity of the resulting assemblies was limited, however, due to the small variety of magnetic pads that were used: namely just positive or negative polarity. This paper addresses the key challenge of increasing the variety of magnetic pads for tiles, which would allow the tiles to self-assemble into more complex patterns. We introduce a barcode scheme which potentially allows for the generation of arbitrarily complex structures using magnetic self-assembly at the macro-scale. Development of a framework for designing such barcode schemes is the main contribution of the paper. We also present a physical model based on Newtonian mechanics and Maxwellian magnetics. Additionally, we present a preliminary software simulation system that models the binding of these tiles using magnetic interactions as well as external forces (e.g. wind) which provide energy to the system. Although we have not performed any physical experiments, nevertheless, we show that it is possible to use the simulation results to extract a higher level kinetic model that can be used to predict assembly yield on a larger scale and provide better insight into the dynamics of the real system.
High-Energy Radiation from Active Galactic Nuclei: Implications for AGN Unification Scenarios

The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) depend strongly on the relative orientation of the observer and the active galaxy. This is due both to geometrical obscuration and reprocessing by external gas and dust, and to the intrinsic anisotropy of the radiation fields produced near the central powerhouse. By taking into account orientation-dependent effects, different types of AGNs can be unified into a few simpler categories of sources. We describe the simplest versions of AGN unification scenarios for radio-quiet and radio-loud AGNs in view of the multiwavelength basis for their classification. Recent results from the new generation of gamma-ray telescopes show that the SEDs of radio-loud and radio-quiet Seyfert AGNs significantly soften at photon energies ≳ 100 keV. By contrast, the bulk of the power output can peak in the > 100 MeV regime in the radio-loud blazar class of AGNs. In the former case, the emission is probably formed when material is heated as it accretes onto a supermassive black hole, whereas in the latter case we are evidently viewing down a relativistically outflowing jet of matter. The possibility of detecting new classes of AGNs consisting of buried Seyferts, blazars, and misaligned blazars is considered.
Control of Fatty Acid Metabolism I. Induction of the Enzymes of Fatty Acid Oxidation in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli grows on long-chain fatty acids after a distinct lag phase. Cells, preadapted to palmitate, grow immediately on fatty acids, indicating that fatty acid oxidation in this bacterium is an inducible system. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that cells grown on palmitate oxidize fatty acids at rates 7 times faster than cells grown on amino acids and 60 times faster than cells grown on a combined medium of glucose and amino acids. The inhibitory effect of glucose may be explained in terms of catabolite repression. The activities of the five key enzymes of beta-oxidation [palmityl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl-CoA hydrase, beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and thiolase] all vary coordinately over a wide range of activity, indicating that they are all under unit control. The ability of a fatty acid to induce the enzymes of beta-oxidation and support-growth is a function of its chain length. Fatty acids of carbon chain lengths of C(14) and longer induce the enzymes of fatty acid oxidation and readily support growth, whereas decanoate and laurate do not induce the enzymes of fatty acid oxidation and only support limited growth of palmitate-induced cells. Two mutants, D-1 and D-3, which grow on decanoate and laurate were isolated and were found to contain constitutive levels of the beta-oxidation enzymes. Short-chain fatty acids (<C(8)) do not support growth of either the parent strain or the mutants D-1 and D-3. Evidence is also presented to show that decanoate is actively transported by the parent strain and by the mutants.
Diazepam Terminates Brief but Not Prolonged Seizures in Young, Naive Rats

Summary: Purpose: Ample evidence exists from both clinical and animal studies that the success of benzodiazepine intervention during status epilepticus (SE) in the mature nervous system is inversely related to seizure duration. This relationship has not been well studied in the developing nervous system. Methods: The objective of this study was to investigate the relation of age and success of diazepam (DZP) treatment in the lithium-pilocarpine model of secondarily generalized seizure in the rat by using naive rats of three age groups, roughly corresponding to the human ages of infancy (P15), adolescence (P20), and adult (P60). Results: In all age groups, the dosage of DZP that stopped the seizures at 5 min was not effective in terminating seizures at 60 min. This decline in efficacy was present as early as 15 min after seizure onset. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the inverse relation between the success of benzodiazepine intervention and seizure duration is observed in young as well as in adult rats and provide further evidence that intervention for SE should commence early.
The Initial Value Transport and Wave Problems

This chapter describes the initial value transport and wave problems. The transport equation is first-order and the wave problem is second-order; these two problems are grouped together as they have many properties in common, and both are classified as hyperbolic problems. Solutions to these hyperbolic problems often are very ill-behaved or even discontinuous. This naturally makes their approximation difficult. It is found that when diffusion is not present, the convection current or wind simply carries the initial and boundary conditions along with it, propagating any rough behavior into the interior of the region. From the physical nature of the problem, it is also clear that boundary values ought to be prescribed only on that portion of the boundary where the flux is inward. The boundary conditions may be specified around the entire boundary, but other boundary conditions are possible. It is suggested that as the wave equation is second-order in time, both the initial position and initial velocity of each portion of the string must be specified.
Heterostructured Au/Pd–M (M = Au, Pd, Pt) nanoparticles with compartmentalized composition, morphology, and electrocatalytic activity

The synthesis, processing, and galvanic exchange of three heterostructured nanoparticle systems is described. The surface accessibility and redox potential of a Au/Pd–Ag dumbbell nanoparticle, where a Au/Pd core/shell region, and a silver region make up the domains, was used to prepare the new nanostructures with controlled composition, morphology, and microstructure. Results indicate that the silver domain was particularly susceptible to galvanic displacement, and was exchanged to Au/Pd–M (M = Au, Pd, Pt). Interestingly, the dumbbell morphology remained after exchange, and the silver region was transformed to hollow, parachute, or concentric domains respectively. The morphology and microstructure change was visualized via TEM and HRTEM, and the composition changes were probed via STEM-EDS imaging and XPS. The electrocatalytic activity of the Au/Pd–M towards methanol oxidation was studied, with results indicating that the Au/Pd–Pt nanoparticles had high activity attributed to the porous nature of the platinum domains.
Gain functions for large herbivores: tests of alternative models

Summary 1 The gain function describes the amount of food consumed in a patch as a function of patch residence time. Gain functions play a central role in foraging theory but alternative functional forms portraying dynamics of gain have not been evaluated. We evaluated the strength of evidence in the data for alternative gain functions of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus, Rafinesque 1817) and blue duikers (Cephalophus monticola, Blythe 1848) feeding in patches composed of different plant species and plant sizes. 2 Gain functions decelerated with patch residence time, but there was considerable variation among individual animals and patch types in the nature of this response. Asymptotic and piecewise-linear models received the greatest support in the data. 3 Deceleration in gain was caused by a composite of effects that retarded instantaneous intake rate, including reductions in bite mass and increases in bite interval (time between successive bites). Bite interval increased as a result of increases in processing time of accumulated forage in the mouth, rather than increases in time allocated to cropping. 4 We demonstrated that unwarranted assumptions about the shape of gain functions can have profound effects on predictions of patch models. Predictions of the classical patch model using purely asymptotic gain functions contrasted sharply with predictions of model-averaged gain functions that were supported by the data.
Imaging continental breakup using teleseismic body waves: The Woodlark Rift, Papua New Guinea

This study images the upper mantle beneath the D'Entrecasteax Islands, Papua New Guinea, providing insight into mantle deformation beneath a highly rifted continent adjacent to propagating spreading centers. Differential travel times from P and S-wave teleseisms recorded during the 2010–2011 CDPapua passive seismic experiment are used to invert for separate VP and VS velocity models of the continental rift. A low-velocity structure marks the E-W axis of the rift, correlating with the thinnest crust, high heat flow, and a linear trend of volcanoes. This slow region extends 250 km along strike from the oceanic spreading centers, demonstrating significant mantle extension ahead of seafloor breakup. The rift remains narrow to depth indicating localization of extension, perhaps as a result of mantle hydration. A high-VP structure at depths of 90–120 km beneath the north of the array is more than 6.5% faster than the rift axis and contains well-located intermediate depth earthquakes. These independent observations place firm constraints on the lateral thermal contrast at depth between the rift axis and cold lithosphere to the north that may be related to recent subduction, although the polarity of subduction cannot be resolved. This geometry is gravitationally unstable; downwelling or small-scale convection could have facilitated rifting and rapid lithospheric removal, although this may require a wet mantle to be realistic on the required time scales. The high-V structure agrees with the maximum P,T conditions recorded by young ultra-high pressure rocks exposed on the rift axis and may be implicated in their genesis.
Prognostic Significance of CD44, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor α, and Cyclooxygenase 2 Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract Context.—Pathologic stage is the main prognostic factor for predicting outcome in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Because of its unreliability in predicting tumor progression, other factors are needed to provide additional prognostic information. Objective.—The expression of CD44, cyclooxygenase 2, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFR-α) was evaluated as a potential prognostic factor for survival in patients with RCC. Design.—Sixty-two patients (42 men and 20 women; median age, 61 years), undergoing partial (10 cases) or radical (55 cases) nephrectomy for RCC were retrospectively analyzed by immunohistochemical analysis for CD44, cyclooxygenase 2, and PDGFR-α expression. Impact of various factors on disease-specific and overall survival was calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results.—There was a gradual increase in CD44 and cyclooxygenase 2 expression with increasing RCC nuclear grade. In contrast, PDGFR-α expression showed no consistent relationship with nuclear grade....
Hypersensitive radical probe studies of Gif oxidations

Abstract Hypersensitive probes were employed in mechanistic studies of Gif oxidations. The results indicate that, unlike the case in enzyme catalyzed hydroxylation reactions, diffusively free radicals are formed in Gif oxidations of these substrates.