cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application note: A low-cost microcontroller-based system to monitor crop temperature and water status

A prototype system was developed and constructed for automating the measurement and recording of canopy-, soil-, and air temperature, and soil moisture status in cropped fields. The system consists of a microcontroller-based circuit with solid-state components for handling clock/calendar, sensor power, and data storage and retrieval functions. Sensors, including an analog soil moisture sensor, analog and digital temperature sensors, and a digital infrared thermometer, are widely available and inexpensive. The circuit board and sensor assemblies require approximately 4h to construct and test, and material costs totaled approximately US$84. Systems were built and tested during the 2009 growing season in a corn field to evaluate performance and suitability under local conditions. The sensors performed according to manufacturers' specifications, with accuracies of +/-0.4^oC, +/-1.4^oC, and +/-0.3^oC for air-, soil-, and canopy-temperature measurements, respectively. Soil moisture sensors were calibrated and provided measurements within +/-2kPa of the manufacturer's values. Reliability of data collection and storage averaged 91%, with most bad or missing data occurring during periods of inclement weather and electrostatic interference.
A modified theory for electrostatic probe measurements of particle mass flows in dense gas‐solid suspensions

Measurements of mass flows of a dense gas‐solid suspension have led to a modification of the electrostatic probe theory. Previous ball probe theory based on dilute gas‐solid suspensions has been extended to account for the effects of multiple scattering and sliding when applied to a dense gas‐solid suspension. The validation of the theory was shown by the experimental results.
Breast conserving surgery with preservation of the nipple-areola complex as a feasible and safe approach in male breast cancer: a case report.

Introduction Breast cancer in men is rare. The evidence about treatment has been derived from data on the management of the disease in women. The usual treatment is for male patients to undergo modified radical mastectomy. There is insufficient experience of breast conserving surgery with preservation of the nipple. The management of patients who demand such an approach for personal reasons remains a challenge for both the surgeon and oncologist.
Digital Topological Analysis of In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Microimages of Trabecular Bone Reveals Structural Implications of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by bone volume loss and architectural deterioration. The majority of work aimed at evaluating the structural implications of the disease has been performed based on stereologic analysis of histomorphometric sections. Only recently noninvasive imaging methods have emerged that provide sufficient resolution to resolve individual trabeculae. In this article, we apply digital topological analysis (DTA) to magnetic resonance microimages (mu-MRI) of the radius obtained at 137 x 137 x 350 microm3 voxel size in a cohort of 79 women of widely varying bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebral deformity status. DTA is a new method that allows unambiguous determination of the three-dimensional (3D) topology of each voxel in a trabecular bone network. The analysis involves generation of a bone volume fraction map, which is subjected to subvoxel processing to alleviate partial volume blurring, followed by thresholding and skeletonization. The skeletonized images contain only surfaces, profiles, curves, and their mutual junctions as the remnants of trabecular plates and rods after skeletonization. DTA parameters were compared with integral BMD in the lumbar spine and femur as well as MR-derived bone volume fraction (BV/TV). Vertebral deformities were determined based on sagittal MRIs of the spine with a semiautomatic method and the number of deformities counted after threshold setting. DTA structural indices were found the strongest discriminators of subjects with deformities from those without deformities. Subjects with deformities (n = 29) had lower topological surface (SURF) density (p < 0.0005) and surface-to-curve ratio (SCR; a measure of the ratio of platelike to rodlike trabeculae; p < 0.0005) than those without. Profile interior (PI) density, a measure of intact trabecular rods, was also lower in the deformity group (p < 0.0001). These data provide the first in vivo evidence for the structural implications inherent in postmenopausal osteoporosis accompanying bone loss, that is, the conversion of trabecular plates to rods and disruption of rods due to repeated osteoclastic resorption.
Perceptual masking: Peripheral vs central factors

Perceptual masking was studied under binocular and dichoptic conditions in order to separate peripheral and central interference effects. Under binocular conditions, when the test flash (TF) and the blanking flash (BF) fell on both retinas, both retroactive and proactive masking were demonstrated. Under dichoptic conditions, when the TF fell on one eye and the BF on the other eye, thus eliminating opportunity for intraretinal interference, there was partial retroactive perceptual masking and no proactive masking. These results suggest that binocular proactive masking is due to peripheral light adaptation, that binocular retroactive masking is due to both peripheral and central effects, and that dichoptic masking is due solely to central retrochiasmal interference. It is proposed that dichoptic retroactive perceptual masking affords a method of investigating central perception time, i.e., the time to consolidate a perceptual experience.
Ion transport by rabbit colon: II. Unidirectional sodium influx and the effects of amphotericin B and amiloride.

The unidirectional influx of Na from the mucosal solution into the epithelium ofin vitro descending rabbit colon (JmeNa) determined under short-circuit conditions, is comprised of two components: one represents entry of Na into transporting epithelial cells and is abolished by amiloride which also abolishes Na absorption (JnetNa). The other represents diffusional Na entry into paracellular pathways traversing the epithelium. In all instances, exposure of the mucosal surface to amphotericin B increased tissue conductance andJmeNa and elicited K secretion. Tissues showing a spontaneousIsc of approximately 4 μeq/cm2hr did not respond to amphotericin B with increasedIsc andJnetNa. However, in tissues characterized by a lowerIsc under control conditions, amphotericin B increasedIsc andJnetNa to approximately 4μeq/cm2hr. These findings suggest that amphotericin increasesJnetNa and elicits K secretion by disrupting the normal permselectivity of the mucosal membrane. Under these conditions the extrusion of Na from cell-to-serosal solution becomes the rate limiting step in transepithelial Na transport. Finally, a close correlation betweenJmeNa andJnetNa was observed when the rate of Na absorption varied either spontaneously or experimentally with amiloride, suggesting that the backflux of Na from cell-to-mucosal solution is undetectably small.
Existence and uniqueness results for a nonlinear differential equation arising in MHD Falkner–Skan flow

Abstract We establish the existence and uniqueness results over the semi-infinite interval [ 0 , ∞ ) for a class of nonlinear third order ordinary differential equations arising in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Falkner–Skan flows.
Sonographicaily Detected Portal Venous Air Secondary to Bowel Ischemia

A case in which portal venous air secondary to bowel necrosis from systemic lupus erythema-tosis was diagnosed by ultrasound examination is reported. Radiographic and computed tomo-graphic examinations failed to identify the abnormality. The sonographic findings were characteristic of this condition. Sonographic findings in cases of portal venous air are dis-cussed, as are guidelines for distinguishing be-tween this entity and pneumobilia.
LEAD - INDUCED LEUKOCYTOSIS IN FEMALE MICE

Lead acetate was shown to stimulate a striking leukocytosis in young adult female mice. The effect was manifest 4 days after lead injection and continued throughout the following 4 days. At the higher treatment level, lead induced an increase of 300% for both monocytes and neutrophils. The leukocytosis was due primarily to the elevated levels of neutrophils as suggested by a decrease in the ratios of peripheral agranulocytes to granulocytes. No differences from normal leukocyte cytology were observed in blood samples collected from animals receiving lead.
Exploring Public Attitudes Towards Approaches to Discussing Costs in the Clinical Encounter

BACKGROUND Patients’ willingness to discuss costs of treatment alternatives with their physicians is uncertain.
Transient analysis of Bernoulli serial lines: performance evaluation and system-theoretic properties

Transient behavior of production systems has significant practical and theoretical implications. However, analytical methods for analysis and control of production systems during transients remain largely unexplored. In the framework of serial production lines with Bernoulli machines and finite buffers, this article develops a mathematical model for transient analysis and derives closed-form expressions for evaluating the production rate, consumption rate, work-in-process, and probabilities of machine starvation and blockage during transients. In addition, a computationally efficient procedure based on recursive aggregation is developed to approximate the transient performance measures with high accuracy. Finally, based on the mathematical model derived, system-theoretic properties of several important system transient characteristics are studied.
Pulse oximetry at high altitude.

Abstract Luks, Andrew M., Erik R. Swenson. Clinician's corner: pulse oximetry at high altitude. High Alt. Med. Biol. 12:109–119, 2011.—Pulse oximetry is a valuable, noninvasive, diagnostic tool for the evaluation of ill individuals at high altitude and is also being increasingly used to monitor the well-being of individuals traveling on high altitude expeditions. Although the devices are simple to use, data output may be inaccurate or hard to interpret in certain situations, which could lead to inappropriate clinical decisions. The purpose of this review is to consider such issues in greater detail. After examining the operating principles of pulse oximetry, we describe the available devices and the potential uses of oximetry at high altitude. We then consider the pitfalls of pulse oximetry in this environment and provide recommendations about how to deal with these issues. Device users should recognize that oxygen saturation changes rapidly in response to small changes in oxygen tensions at high altitude...
Expression of the Lystbeige mutation is atheroprotective in chow-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Lystbeige mice crossed with hyperlipidemic low density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice (BgLDLr−/−) display increased lesion area and a more stable lesion morphology. To verify that the beige phenotype is not unique to LDLr−/− mice, we examined atherosclerosis in beige, apolipoprotein E-deficient mutant mice (BgApoE−/−). Severe diet-induced hyperlipidemia in BgApoE−/− mice resulted in increased aortic sinus lesion areas compared with controls. Minimal aortic lesions were observed in both genotypes on a chow diet. Nevertheless, BgApoE−/− mice displayed drastically reduced aortic sinus lesion growth. Reconstitution with bone marrow (BM) from green fluorescent protein mice created chimeric animals that allowed for the identification of donor-derived cells within lesions. Expressing the beige mutation exclusively in BM-derived cells had no impact on plaque development, yet the beige mutation in all cells except the BM-derived cells led to significantly larger aortic sinus lesion areas. Both mRNA and secreted protein levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 were altered in quiescent and phorbol ester-stimulated cultured macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells, and aortic endothelial cells isolated from BgApoE−/− mice. Thus, expression of the beige mutation in all cell types involved in lesion development contributed to atheroprotection in chow-fed ApoE−/− mice.
Test vehicle to characterize silicon to organic flip chip package thermomechanical interactions

The thermomechanical interaction of organic flip chip assembly is primarily driven by the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between die and package. This, in addition to emerging constraints like mechanically weaker silicon inter-layer dielectrics, lead free assembly and tighter bump pitch, etc., significantly increase the assembly yield and reliability challenges. Electrically sensitive short loop assembly test vehicles with representative product design features provide quick data turn and more coverage than live products to address these interconnect concerns. Yield and reliability data plus stress modeling and experimental measurements from assembly test vehicles highlight the importance of silicon and package test structures to understand die to package CTE mismatch induced stress, helping to identify the weak links in packaging architecture from materials, process and design.
Understanding Midcareer Development: From Whose Perspective?

By presenting their model of midcareer development, Power and Rothausen have turned counseling psychologists'attention to a set of lifespan career issues that have often been overlooked. I address three primary issues in this reaction to the model. First, their model highlights the unfortunate partitioning that has occurred in the study of career, resulting in a lack of communication and awareness across the multiple disciplines that focus on career issues. Second, a critical examination of their model indicates that it is not sufficiently connected to previous theory or research in vocational psychology, thereby undermining the model's potential utility. Third, the model is overly prescriptive, and appears to be focused on a narrowly defined group of individuals, further limiting the model's utility. Despite these limitations, Power and Rothausen's model does have implications for the theory, research, and practice of lifespan career development.
Algorithm design and synthesis for wireless sensor networks

Most of current research in wireless networked embedded sensing approaches the problem of application design as one of manually customizing network protocols. The design complexity and required expertise make this unsuitable for increasingly complex sensor network systems. We address this problem from a parallel and distributed systems perspective and propose a methodology that enables domain experts to design, analyze, and synthesize sensor network applications without requiring a knowledge of implementation details. At the core of our methodology is a virtual architecture for a class of sensor networks that hides enough system details to relieve programmers of the burden of managing low-level control and coordination, and provides algorithm designers with a clean topology and cost model. We illustrate this methodology using a real-world topographic querying application as a case study.
Are Children “Intuitive Theists”? Reasoning About Purpose and Design in Nature

Separate bodies of research suggest that young children have a broad tendency to reason about natural phenomena in terms of purpose and an orientation toward intention-based accounts of the origins of natural entities. This article explores these results further by drawing together recent findings from various areas of cognitive developmental research to address the following question: Rather than being "artificialists" in Piagetian terms, are children "intuitive theists"-disposed to view natural phenomena as resulting from nonhuman design? A review of research on children's concepts of agency, imaginary companions, and understanding of artifacts suggests that by the time children are around 5 years of age, this description of them may have explanatory value and practical relevance.
Protein dynamics in a family of laboratory evolved thermophilic enzymes.

Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study how protein solution structure and dynamics are affected by adaptation to high temperature. Simulations were carried out on a para-nitrobenzyl esterase (484 residues) and two thermostable variants that were generated by laboratory evolution. Although these variants display much higher melting temperatures than wild-type (up to 18 8C higher) they are both . 97% identical in sequence to the wild-type. In simulations at 300 K the thermostable variants remain closer to their crystal structures than wild-type. However, they also display increased fluctuations about their timeaveraged structures. Additionally, both variants show a small but significant increase in radius of gyration relative to wild-type. The vibrational density of states was calculated for each of the esterases. While the density of states profiles are similar overall, both thermostable mutants show increased populations of the very lowest frequency modes (, 10 cm 21 ), with the more stable mutant showing the larger increase. This indicates that the thermally stable variants experience increased concerted motions relative to wild-type. Taken together, these data suggest that adaptation for high temperature stability has resulted in a restriction of large deviations from the native state and a corresponding increase in smaller scale fluctuations about the native state. These fluctuations contribute to entropy and hence to the stability of the native state. The largest changes in localized dynamics occur in surface loops, while other regions, particularly the active site residues, remain essentially unchanged. Several mutations, most notably L313F and H322Y in variant 8G8, are in the region showing the largest increase in fluctuations, suggesting that these mutations confer more flexibility to the loops. As a validation of our simulations, the fluctuations of Trp102 were examined in detail, and compared with Trp102 phosphorescence lifetimes that were previously measured. Consistent with expectations from the theory of phosphorescence, an inverse correlation between out-of-plane fluctuations on the picosecond time scale and phosphorescence lifetime was observed. q 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
Challenging Two Mental Illness Stigmas: Personal Responsibility and Dangerousness

Two stigmatizing attitudes related to dangerousness and personal responsibility may undermine the opportunities of persons with serious mental illness. This study set out to examine path models that explain how these attitudes lead to discriminatory behavior and to assess the impact of antistigma programs on components of personal responsibility and dangerousness models. Two hundred thirteen persons were randomly assigned to one of five antistigma conditions: education on personal responsibility, education on dangerousness, contact with a person with serious mental illness where personal responsibility is discussed, contact where dangerousness is discussed, or no change. Persons completed an attribution questionnaire (AQ) representing personal responsibility and dangerousness path models at pretest, posttest, and 1-week followup. They also completed tasks that represented helping behavior. Goodness of fit indexes from linear structural modeling were mixed for both models but suggested that fear of dangerousness was a key attitude leading to discriminatory behavior. Results also showed that subjects who had contact with persons with serious mental illness experienced greater changes than subjects in the education or control groups did on measures of attribution and helping behavior.
Growing Pains: Cross-National Variation in Sex Segregation in Sixteen Developing Countries:

Using an occupational scheme with 43 categories (rather than the typical seven broad categories), this paper provides new information on cross-national patterns of occupational sex segregation in sixteen developing countries. Cross-national variation is investigated through the lens of a new theoretical framework that incorporates the importance of state policies that influence women's integration across the occupational structure. Multivariate analyses examine how three state policies (maternity leave, antidiscrimination, and protective legislation) are related to levels and patterns of segregation, while controlling for existing explanations for differences in segregation in developing countries: economic structure (economic development, dependency, and size of the service sector) and human capital. State policies were the strongest determinant of cross-national differences in levels of segregation, but two types of legislation had opposite effects: maternity leave is negatively related to levels of seg...
The Lay of the Land

A pervasive computing system is usually built upon a familiar set of technologies that have matured in the past two decades: microprocessors, high-speed data communication, sensors, pattern recognition, and sophisticated human interfaces. Yet, the ideas behind their application in a pervasive setting can be traced back to the origins of mechanical computing. Modern pervasive computing differs from these primitive examples because it attempts to hide or at least partially conceal the computer itself.
Development and validation of a screening instrument to assess the types and quality of foods served at home meals

Background Although there is growing interest in assessing the home food environment, no easy-to-use, low cost tools exist to assess the foods served at home meals, making it difficult to assess the meal component of the food environment. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a user-friendly screener to assess the types of foods served at home meals.
Carbon dioxide measurements in the stratosphere

A mass spectrometer experiment for the analysis of minor constituents in the stratosphere has been flown successfully four times from Palestine, Texas on board a balloon gondola. The carbon dioxide mixing ratio, which shows unexpectedly large variations in the stratosphere, reached 400 ppm in one particular night flight. This is about 20% higher than the ground value. Evidence is presented that the experiment performed well during each of the balloon flights. The isotopic ratio C-12/C-13 was measured and found in good agreement with previous air analyses showing a depletion of C-13.
Uniting the German nation: law, narrative, and historicity

This article analyzes the use of narrative form in law, specifically with reference to conflicts over unification of the German nation. Since the end of the Cold War, local actors have been repositioned in disputes over property, historiography, and penalties for the East German political elite. A just adjudication of these disputes is problematic given that the actors appeal to several different legal registers, each with its own principles of legitimacy derived from peculiar historical circumstances, which are not taken into consideration in the unification process. [Germany, nation, narrative, law, historicity, classification]
Diabetes Prevention: How Important Is Geographic Divergence Regarding the Role of Fish Intake?

Evidence-based health recommendations are founded on the assumption that quality of research and findings are largely reproducible (1). Prospective cohort studies that have examined how fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake are related to the risk of developing diabetes have yielded inconsistent findings. This issue of Diabetes Care includes articles from two research teams that each conducted a meta-analysis of fish intake and incident diabetes (Table 1) (2,3). Independently both teams found the same explanation for the lack of consistent findings and no overall association between fish intake and incident diabetes. Separating the studies based on geography yielded two distinctly opposing associations. Analysis of studies conducted in Western countries (U.S. and Europe) found that a higher intake of fish was associated with a higher incidence of diabetes, whereas analysis of studies conducted in Eastern countries (Asia and Australia) found that eating more fish was associated with a lower incidence of diabetes (2,3). View this table: Table 1 Meta-analysis criteria and overview of findings reported by Xun and He (2) and by Wallin et al. (3) These divergent associations raise a number of questions regarding variables that may account for the inconsistencies. Considerations should be given to environmental factors, e.g., wild versus farm raised, mercury content, differences in preparation methods, e.g., frying, and demographic and health characteristic confounding or interaction. A recent study of restaurant food intake and incident diabetes found the relationship between fried fish and diabetes was attenuated by BMI (4). The use of objective biomarkers for omega-3 fatty acid intake in the Cardiovascular Health …
The GCC’s Fixed Exchange Rate: A Major Anomaly for OCA Analysis

From the standpoint of traditional optimal currency area (OCA) analysis, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are a major anomaly. They successfully maintained pegged exchange rates among themselves for two decades while failing to meet a number of major OCA criteria. Contrary to the optimistic predictions of some of the most enthusiastic advocates of endogenous OCA analysis, intra-regional trade has remained low and there is little synchronisation of their business cycles or harmonisation of their fiscal positions. We argue that their success in operating a fixed rate regime has been due to a combination of high oil revenue, the heavy use of foreign workers and the limited extent to which their economies rely on market forces. These are conditions that are not met by most other countries.
Comparison of Russell's Resolution of the Semantical Antinomies with that of Tarski

In this paper we treat the ramified type theory of Russell [6], afterwards adopted by Whitehead and Russell in Principia mathematica [12], so that we may compare Russell's resolution of the semantical antinomies by ramified type theory with the now widely accepted resolution of them by the method of Tarski in [7], [8], [9].To avoid impredicativity the essential restriction is that quantification over any domain (type) must not be allowed to add new members to the domain, as it is held that adding new members changes the meaning of quantification over the domain in such a way that a vicious circle results. As Whitehead and Russell point out, there is no one particular form of the doctrine of types that is indispensable to accomplishing this restriction, and they have themselves offered two different versions of the ramified hierarchy in the first edition of Principia (see Preface, p. vii). The version in §§58–59 of the writer's [1], which will be followed in this paper, is still slightly different.To distinguish Russellian types or types in the sense of the ramified hierarchy from types in the sense of the simple theory of types, let us call the former r-types.There is an r-type i to which the individual variables belong. If β1, β2, …, βm are any given r-types, m ≧ 0, there is an r-type (β1, β2, …, βm)/n to which there belong m-ary functional variables of level n, n ≧ 1. The r-type (α1, α2, …, αm)/k is said to be directly lower than the r-type (β1, β2, …, βm)/n if α1 = β1, α2 = β2, …, αm = βm, k < n.
A fast fully 4D incremental gradient reconstruction algorithm for list mode PET data

We present a fully four-dimensional, globally convergent, incremental gradient algorithm to estimate the continuous-time tracer density from list mode positron emission tomography (PET) data. The rate function in each voxel is modeled as an inhomogeneous Poisson process whose rate function can be reconstructed using a cubic B-spline basis. The rate functions are then estimated by maximizing the objective function formed by the sum of the likelihood of arrival times and spatial and temporal smoothness penalties. We first provide a computable bound for the norms of the optimal temporal basis function coefficients, and based on this bound we construct an incremental gradient algorithm that converges to the solution. Fully four-dimensional simulations demonstrate the convergence of the algorithm for a high count dataset on a 4-ring scanner.
Erythromycin-induced Drug Interactions: An Illustrative Case and Review of the Literature

The authors report a case of erythromycin-induced carbamazepine toxicity in a 6-year-old child following use of erythromycin ethylsuccinate (50 mg/kg/day). Within 5 days of erythromycin use, vomiting, weakness, lethargy, ataxia, nystagmus, and cogwheeling movements developed. A serum carbamazepine concentration had increased from 11.9 mg/L (measured 1 week prior to antibiotic use) to 25.8 mg/L. Following erythromycin withdrawal, serum concentrations returned toward baseline, and symptoms resolved.Erythromycin has known effects on hepatic enzyme function, with altered cytochrome P-450 function. The dramatic reduction in carbamazepine clearance observed in this patient is similar to that reported when erythromycin is used concurrently with other drugs. A brief review of potentially significant erythromycin drug interactions is presented.
Sensory experience during locomotion promotes recovery of function in adult visual cortex

Recovery from sensory deprivation is slow and incomplete in adult visual cortex. In this study, we show that visual stimulation during locomotion, which increases the gain of visual responses in primary visual cortex, dramatically enhances recovery in the mouse. Excitatory neurons regained normal levels of response, while narrow-spiking (inhibitory) neurons remained less active. Visual stimulation or locomotion alone did not enhance recovery. Responses to the particular visual stimuli viewed by the animal during locomotion recovered, while those to another normally effective stimulus did not, suggesting that locomotion promotes the recovery only of the neural circuits that are activated concurrent with the locomotion. These findings may provide an avenue for improving recovery from amblyopia in humans. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02798.001
A new generation of middleware solutions for a near-real-time data warehousing architecture

The term "middleware" is used to identify software services and products that enable an integration communication model between application, data, business process, and web services especially in heterogeneous environments to be created and supported. In this paper, I propose that the enterprise service bus (ESB) middleware under the service-oriented architecture (SOA) can enable communication between the front and back-end layers of SOA integration that connects users with a data management layer. Including in this data management layer is a near-real-time data warehouse in addition to routing, security, message processing, and modeling capabilities. An ESB is one platform that helps achieve and support enterprise-wide SOA. The main issue to be addressed is the provision of access to a company-wide view of data wherever it resides. This is accomplished by building the SOA integration on top of the data warehouse. This will also use ESB middleware for integration solutions for existing applications and new business processes, along with the ability to pass data to any integration level. Most companies in the 21st century face increasing challenges to stay competitive, and accessibility and accuracy of information have become critical success factors. The traditional role of a data warehouse has been to support strategic decision making. This role has expanded to include more critical business tasks that support both strategic decisions and operational business processes. ESB has become an important part of the architectural framework for a business intelligence solution and is considered a critical component in the architecture of advanced near-real-time data warehouses.
Mediating Disputes In The Health Care Field

This paper will demonstrate how alternative dispute resolution (ADR) should be considered as a method of lessening the negative impact of litigation in the health care field. Probably, an even more important goal is to build and maintain relationships between and amongst parties so that future dealings can be enhanced. The first part of the paper will consider the importance of lowering the rhetoric between disputing parties. A second purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how student written scenarios can be role-played in the classroom so as to energize students in the learning process. Several mock mediations from these student developed cases will be discussed with video clips shown, as they were utilized in the Health and Employment Law 2005 Fall Semester undergraduate courses at Winthrop University. A final purpose is to consider the importance of student input into this learning method.
Kinematically constrained workspace control via linear optimization

We present a method for Cartesian workspace control of a robot manipulator that enforces joint-level acceleration, velocity, and position constraints using linear optimization. This method is robust to kinematic singularities. On redundant manipulators, we avoid poor configurations near joint limits by including a maximum permissible velocity term to center each joint within its limits. Compared to the baseline Jacobian damped least-squares method of workspace control, this new approach honors kinematic limits, ensuring physically realizable control inputs and providing smoother motion of the robot. We demonstrate our method on simulated redundant and non-redundant manipulators and implement it on the physical 7-degree-of-freedom Baxter manipulator. We provide our control software under a permissive license.
Don't Leave Me Tongue-Tied: A Review of Tongue-Tied America: Reviving the Art of Verbal Persuasion By Robert N. Sayler and Molly Bishop Shadel

Many scholars have written about the links between classical rhetoric, modern legal argument, and the teaching of law. However, it has always seemed like a long road from Aristotle’s canons of rhetoric to a courtroom’s podium. Tongue-Tied America helps us navigate that very path.
The impact of heat stress on intestinal function and productivity in grow-finish pigs

Heat stress is a physiological condition when animals can no longer regulate their internal euthermic temperature. When livestock such as pigs are subjected to this environmental stress, it can be detrimental to performance, health and well-being, and if severe enough even death. Growing pigs are particularly susceptible to heat stress and one of the major organs first affected by heat stress is the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, reductions in appetite, intestinal function and integrity and increased risk of endotoxemia can modify post-absorptive metabolism and tissue accretion. These changes in intestinal integrity may be a result of altered expression of tight junction proteins, increased circulating endotoxin concentrations and markers of cellular stress (heat shock and hypoxia response), which is evident as early on as 2 h after heat-stress onset. Due to restricted blood flow, the ileum is more severely affected compared with the colon. Interestingly, many of the negative effects of heat stress on intestinal integrity appear to be similar to those observed with pigs reared under reduced nutrient and caloric intakes. Altogether, these depress pig performance and health, and extend days to market. Despite this impact on the gastrointestinal tract, under heat-stress conditions, intestinal glucose transport pathways are upregulated. This review discussed how heat stress (directly and indirectly via reduced feed intake) affects intestinal integrity and how heat stress contributes to decreased growth performance in growing pigs.
The Application of the New York Times Rule in Hungarian Constitutional Jurisprudence – With a European Overview

Accordingly, the expression of an opinion containing a value judgment is unlimited within the defined scope of subjects and cases, while the statement of a fact may not be punished, unless the perpetrator was aware of the fallacy thereof, or was not aware of such a fallacy due to their failure to exercise the level of due diligence that may be expected from them. This test establishing the liability of the perpetrator for deliberate lies or in the event of negligence is rather similar to — but is not identical to — the New York Times rule formulated by the U.S. Supreme Court. The differences are significant: neither the New York Times rule nor its subsequent amendments contained any sharp distinction between facts and opinions. The New York Times ruling was passed in a civil law suit for damages, while the decision of the Hungarian Constitutional Court was adopted with regard to criminal law. The similar Hungarian standard lays down a significantly lower threshold of limitations: instead of recklessness, failure to meet the expected level of (professional) care is also sufficient. This may make it hard for journalists to be acquitted from liability, as the rules of their profession require the increased verification of the given statement. It is the duty of the person making the statement to prove that their conduct was appropriate and thus provides grounds for acquittal, as is general in European legal systems. The personal scope, however, is similar to that of the New York Times ruling: it is limited to the authorities, public officers and public political figures. At the same time, this personal scope has gradually become broader, paralleling the legal development in the US.
The Fate of L5-S1 With Low-Dose BMP-2 and Pelvic Fixation, With or Without Interbody Fusion, in Adult Deformity Surgery.

Study design Retrospective comparative case series. Objective Evaluate L5-S1 fusion rates when lower dose of bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) (average 3.2 mg) and pelvic fixation were used, with or without interbody fusion. Summary of background data Pseudarthrosis at L5-S1 is one of the most common complications of long fusions to the sacrum in adult deformity surgery. Strategies for decreasing pseudarthrosis include interbody fusion, use of BMP-2 at the lumbosacral junction, and the use of sacropelvic fixation, individually or in combination. High-dose BMP-2 (20-40 mg) placed posterolaterally has shown comparable fusion rates with interbody fusion. Methods Retrospective review of 61 consecutive patients with minimum 2-year follow-up at a single institution. All patients had an isolated posterior approach, 5 or more levels fused including L5-S1, use of pelvic fixation, and no prior L5-S1 procedures. The patients were divided in 2 groups for comparison on the basis of the use of an interbody cage/fusion at the L5-S1 level. Revision rates and implant-related complications were also reported. Results The fusion rate at L5-S1 was 97% (59/61), with no difference between the interbody and no interbody fusion groups (97% vs. 96%, P = 1.0). There were no significant differences in the radiographical parameters or deformity correction between the groups. The mean amount of BMP-2 used in the interbody group was 4.1 mg (2-10), 2.5 mg (0-8) in the disc space, and 1.6 mg (0-4) in the interbody cage, whereas there was no difference in the amount of recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 placed posterolaterally between the 2 groups (interbody fusion = 1.6 vs. non-interbody fusion = 2.0 mg, P = 0.08) along with autograft and allograft. The overall revision rate for L5-S1 nonunion was 1.6%. Conclusion The use of low dose of BMP-2 at the L5-S1 level in combination with sacropelvic fixation achieved satisfactory fusion rates in adult deformity surgery. No additional benefit was encountered by adding an interbody cage. Level of evidence 4.
Involvement of c-Fos in signaling grp78 induction following ER calcium release.

Release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) signals an increase in transcription of both the early response gene, c-fos, and the late response gene, grp78. We have used thapsigargin (TG), an ER calcium-ATPase pump inhibitor that induces calcium release from the ER, to investigate the possible involvement of c-Fos, a component of the AP-1 transcription factor, in grp78 induction. Two cell lines with markedly different responses to TG treatment were employed: the WEHI7.2 mouse lymphoma line in which TG fails to induce grp78, and the MDA-MB-468 mammary epithelial line in which TG induces grp78. In WEHI7.2 cells, TG-induced calcium release triggers a rapid increase in c-fos mRNA, but the level of c-Fos protein decreases due to degradation by the multicatalytic proteasome. C-FosΔC, a proteasome resistant c-Fos mutant with AP-1 activity similar to that of wild type c-Fos, restores grp78 induction in WEHI7.2 cells, detected by both Northern hybridization and a grp78 promoter-luciferase reporter assay. In MDA-MB-468 cells, TG-mediated calcium release induces a sustained elevation of c-Fos protein that precedes grp78 induction. A region of the grp78 promoter containing both ERSE and CORE regions, but missing TRE and CRE regions, is sufficient to mediate induction of reporter luciferase activity. Induction of this reporter was blocked by A-Fos, a dominant negative inhibitor of c-Fos. Also, the induction of grp78-luciferase reporter activity was inhibited by c-fos antisense mRNA. In summary, the findings indicate that c-Fos is involved in signaling grp78 induction following TG treatment, and that grp78 induction is inhibited by proteasome-mediated c-Fos degradation.
Microfocus x-ray generation with a high repetition rate laser

By focusing 1 mJ, 21 fs pulses to a 1.6 μm spot on solid Cu and Ge targets, x-ray line emission around 10 keV photon energy was produced with a 7 μm source size.
Effects of stressing test for determination of impurities during validation of the analytical procedure

The stressing test is one of the key tests validated specificity and sensitivity of analytical procedure of determination of impurities,and can provide information about degradation process and degradation products of drug substances and drug products.Due to complexity of the stressing test,there are a lot of problems in test design,confirmation of test parameters and test result evaluation.This article described how to effectively detect degradation products in the stressing test.
A Novel Out-driving Synchronous Rectifier Circuit

A novel out-driving synchronous rectifier(SR) circuit combined with out-driving and self-driving characteristics is proposed.It can deal with the issues of dead time and common conduction time in the self-driving SR circuit for forward converter.Using the circuit,the forward converter is able to work within wide range of input voltages.The principle of the circuit is described,and absolute safe-time is calculated.Finally,a 80 W prototype of forward converter is built and tested.
Dreaming in Narcolepsy

Although not included in the classic tetrad of symptoms, nocturnal dream experience shows a number of abnormalities in narcolepsy patients. While some of these are benign, others rise to the level of a significant complaint that can impair a patients’ daily functioning. For example, patients with narcolepsy are prone to suffer from nightmares, have uncomfortably intense dream experience, and, perhaps most pathologically, are often troubled by a confusion in which dreamed events are mistaken for reality. While all of these experiences occur in the general population, their incidence and severity is pronounced in narcolepsy. Some of these dream-related experiences may be traced to well-described sleep abnormalities in narcolepsy, including fragmented nighttime sleep and fragmented, early-onset REM periods. Understanding the unique qualities of dreaming in narcolepsy provides a more complete picture of the symptom profile and may additionally offer insight into disruptions of underlying sleep neurophysiology.
Employing a social justice framework to promote postsecondary transition for students with intellectual disability

Transition from high school to postsecondary education (PSE) and employment can be challenging for all youth, and particularly for youth with intellectual disability (ID). Promoting equity and access to PSE for students with ID is a social justice mandate, and high school counselors are uniquely positioned to assist youth with ID in accessing appropriate PSE options. This article describes how high school counselors can effectively support the postsecondary transition needs of students with ID through applying a framework of advocacy and social justice, using the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies.
Renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: glomerular pathology, classification, and future directions

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus is a common cause of glomerulonephritis. Despite improvements in the management of lupus nephritis, about 10–30% of patients develop end-stage kidney disease within 15 years. The renal biopsy provides crucial information to the clinician, as the choice of treatment is guided by the histopathologic findings. The light microscopic appearances and clinical features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus can vary considerably, reflecting the many patterns of histopathologic injury seen in this glomerulonephritis. This review illustrates the glomerular pathology and pathogenesis of lupus glomerulonephritis, and will focus on the most recent classification, the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) 2003 Classification of Lupus Nephritis.
How tandem gait stumbled into the neurological exam: a review.

Tandem gait testing is an integral part of the neurological exam. It is informative in a wide variety of disorders ranging from cerebellar disease to vestibular and peripheral neuropathies, parkinsonism, and other neurodegenerative conditions. We discuss the history and development of tandem gait testing as well as its technique, utility, and limitations in the assessment of neurological conditions. Tandem gait has emerged as a tool in the assessment of cerebellar disease, Huntington disease, idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonism, peripheral neuropathies, and vestibulopathies. Its origin can be deduced from experimental observation and clinical experience as far back as the early nineteenth century. Despite the long history and ubiquitous performance of tandem gait testing, there is no standardized, guideline-based protocol to model for more homogenous research and clinical practices. Such a protocol should be developed using historical texts and manuscripts as well as the consensus of the medical research community. With standard protocols, further studies could define the sensitivity of abnormal tandem gait testing in cerebellar disorders, more diffuse neurodegeneration, and peripheral pathologies. Tandem gait can be a useful marker of dysfunction in neurologic conditions whose pathologies extend beyond the vermis or vestibulocerebellar module to include interconnected networks throughout the nervous system.
FPGA implementation and comparison of AES-GCM and Deoxys authenticated encryption schemes

Authenticated Encryption (AE) schemes are key-based cryptographic algorithms that provide both goals of confidentiality of message and authenticity of the sender, simultaneously. Traditionally, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in Galois Counter Mode (AES-GCM), among several other approaches, has been employed for Authenticated Encryption. However, several lightweight cryptographic applications such as those used in sensor networks or RFID security can benefit from new AE schemes which can be constructed more efficiently. In this paper we provide evaluations for Deoxys, a third round candidate from the ongoing Competition for Authenticated Encryption: Security, Applicability, and Robustness (CAESAR). We describe simplified flow diagrams and a detailed summary on the timing performance, area, memory and energy requirements of AES-GCM and Deoxys, using our own implementations on Altera Cyclone V FPGAs. Our analysis shows that Deoxys requires 10% less energy per bit and 25% less LUTs as compared to AES-GCM.