cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proposition et vérification formelle de protocoles de communications temps-réel pour les réseaux de capteurs sans fil

Les RCsF sont des reseaux ad hoc, sans fil, large echelle deployes pour mesurer des parametres de l'environnement et remonter les informations a un ou plusieurs emplacements (nommes puits). Les elements qui composent le reseau sont de petits equipements electroniques qui ont de faibles capacites en termes de memoire et de calcul ; et fonctionnent sur batterie. Ces caracteristiques font que les protocoles developpes, dans la litterature scientifique de ces dernieres annees, visent principalement a auto-organiser le reseau et a reduire la consommation d'energie. Avec l'apparition d'applications critiques pour les reseaux de capteurs sans fil, de nouveau besoins emergent, comme le respect de bornes temporelles et de fiabilite. En effet, les applications critiques sont des applications dont dependent des vies humaines ou l'environnement, un mauvais fonctionnement peut donc avoir des consequences catastrophiques. Nous nous interessons specifiquement aux applications de detection d'evenements et a la remontee d'alarmes (detection de feu de foret, d'intrusion, etc), ces applications ont des contraintes temporelles strictes. D'une part, dans la litterature, on trouve peu de protocoles qui permettent d'assurer des delais de bout en bout bornes. Parmi les propositions, on trouve des protocoles qui permettent effectivement de respecter des contraintes temporelles mais qui ne prennent pas en compte les specificites des RCsF (energie, large echelle, etc). D'autres propositions prennent en compte ces aspects, mais ne permettent pas de garantir des bornes temporelles. D'autre part, les applications critiques necessitent un niveau de confiance tres eleve, dans ce contexte les tests et simulations ne suffisent pas, il faut etre capable de fournir des preuves formelles du respect des specifications. A notre connaissance cet aspect est tres peu etudie pour les RcsF. Nos contributions sont donc de deux types : * Nous proposons un protocole de remontee d'alarmes, en temps borne, X-layer (MAC/routage, nomme RTXP) base sur un systeme de coordonnees virtuelles originales permettant de discriminer le 2-voisinage. L'exploitation de ces coordonnees permet d'introduire du determinisme et de construire un gradient visant a contraindre le nombre maximum de sauts depuis toute source vers le puits. Nous proposons par ailleurs un mecanisme d'agregation temps-reel des alarmes remontees pour lutter contre les tempetes de detection qui entrainent congestion et collision, et donc limitent la fiabilite du systeme. * Nous proposons une methodologie de verification formelle basee sur les techniques de Model Checking. Cette methodologie se deroule en trois points, qui visent a modeliser de maniere efficace la nature diffusante des reseaux sans fil, verifier les RCsF en prenant en compte la non-fiabilite du lien radio et permettre le passage a l'echelle de la verification en mixant Network Calculus et Model Checking. Nous appliquons ensuite cette methodologie pour verifier RTXP.
Epidemiology of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive and fatal form of invasive breast cancer. The disease affects approximately 2.5% of breast cancer patients in the United States typically with younger age of onset and higher incidence in African-Americans. Incidence rates vary due to the clinical nature, rather than pathological, of the diagnosis. Changes to the SEER coding rules will also likely have an impact on IBC reporting rates. Epidemiological observations have also suggested geographic differences in the incidence of IBC but without resulting in the identification of risk factors. Few risk factors have been established but associations have been noted with African American race and younger age of onset, as well as high BMI. Decreased survival rates in patients with ER-negative tumors have also been noted. An ongoing registry is being conducted at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to address this issue. It is a prospective registry, and although relatively small, some observations of note can be made. The patients enrolled on the registry have a mean age at diagnosis of 55 years and over half of the patients present with ER-negative tumors. Also 18% of the patients reported a first-degree relative with breast cancer. The majority was overweight or obese and were former or still currently smokers. The registry includes sites in both the United States and internationally and information collected in the registry will be used in order to further elucidate the etiology and risk factors for IBC.
Web Quality of Service

The commercialization of the Internet has made this medium a prime venue for conducting business and selling a myriad of priced services. The World Wide Web provides a uniform and widely accepted application interface used by these services to reach multitudes of clients. These changes place the Web infrastructure at the center of a new marketplace with increasing requirements for service quality, predictability, and reliability in an unpredictable and highly dynamic environment. This chapter describes policies and mechanisms for meeting these requirements in contemporary Web services. It surveys the state of the art in quality of service provisioning, describes the most important open challenges, and concludes with an outlook on some emerging directions and novel foundations for providing software performance guarantees on the Web. Keywords: data pull model; data push model; differentiated services; persistent connections; QoS; transcoding; web hosting
독일검찰제도의 탄생과 그 시사점

Uber die Herkunft der Staatsanwaltschaft aus rechtsstaatlichem und liberalen Gedankengut gab es bislang einen common sense. Als einflussreich erwiesen sich in dieser Hinsicht vor allem die Arbeiten Eberhard Schmidts. Nach Schmidt war die Staatsanwaltschaft als Gesetzeswachter Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts in das deutsche Rechtsleben getreten. Die Geburt der Staatsanwaltschaft erscheint also im Licht des Fortschritts und der Humanisierung der Strafrechtspflege. Dabei gibt es jedoch gute Grunde, dieser Deutung zu misstrauen. Der erste ergibt sich aus der Regelung des Unterstellungsverhaltnisses der Staatsanwaltschaft. Der zweite Misstrauensgrund ergibt sich daraus, dass der Justizverwaltungsminister und Gesetzgebungsminister die Geburt der Staatsanwaltschaft massgeblich durchgefuhrt haben. Nach den neuen Literaturen entwarf die Ministerialburokratie eine Staatsanwaltschaft, die den Bedurfnissen der Regierung entsprach. Die Staatsanwaltschaft war also weder ein “Kind der Revolution noch ist ihre Einfuhrung auf liberal-rechtsstaatliches Gedankengut zuruckzufuhren. Aus diesen Grunden befurchte man, dass hinter dem “Wachter des Gesetzes” sich das “Organ der Staatsregierung verbarg. Deshalb sollte die Macht und Tatigkeit der Staatsanwaltschaft inneren Grenze enthalten. In Sud-Korea werden die Reform der Staatsanwaltschaft zur Zeit heftig diskussiert. In Bezug darauf lehrt uns die Geburt der deutschen Staatsanwaltschaft, dass der Reform der Staatsanwaltschaft die richtigen Bedeutungen vom Wachter des Gesetzes nicht uberschreiten sollte.
Conjunction, sequence, and interval relations in event stream processing

The conjunction operator can be augmented with temporal constraints to define an arbitrary pattern of events in event stream processing (ESP). However, using temporal constraints to specify patterns can be complex. This research has defined an operator hierarchy, where the top of the hierarchy defines the conjunction operator and the leaves of the hierarchy define more specific semantics associated with a sequence of events. The use of the specialized operators simplifies pattern expression and make the sequence semantics clear. Furthermore, in an experimental study, patterns using operators from the hierarchy outperform patterns expressed using the conjunction operator with temporal constraints in run time performance, further validating the usefulness of the operator hierarchy.
Tubal pregnancy associated with tubal tuberculosis

Abstract A case of tubal pregnancy associated with tuberculous salpingitis is reported. The remarkable fetal development through a five to six months' period probably resulted from previous tuberculous thickening of the tube wall, preventing earlier rupture.
SU-E-J-113: Effects of Deformable Registration On First-Order Texture Maps Calculated From Thoracic Lung CT Scans

Purpose: To determine the stability of eight first-order texture features following the deformable registration of serial computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods: CT scans at two different time points from 10 patients deemed to have no lung abnormalities by a radiologist were collected. Following lung segmentation using an in-house program, texture maps were calculated from 32×32-pixel regions of interest centered at every pixel in the lungs. The texture feature value of the ROI was assigned to the center pixel of the ROI in the corresponding location of the texture map. Pixels in the square ROI not contained within the segmented lung were not included in the calculation. To quantify the agreement between ROI texture features in corresponding pixels of the baseline and follow-up texture maps, the Fraunhofer MEVIS EMPIRE10 deformable registration algorithm was used to register the baseline and follow-up scans. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare registered scan pairs by computing normalized bias (nBias), defined as the feature value change normalized to the mean feature value, and normalized range of agreement (nRoA), defined as the range spanned by the 95% limits of agreement normalized to the mean feature value. Results: Each patient’s scans contained between 6.8–15.4 million ROIs. All ofmore » the first-order features investigated were found to have an nBias value less than 0.04% and an nRoA less than 19%, indicating that the variability introduced by deformable registration was low. Conclusion: The eight first-order features investigated were found to be registration stable. Changes in CT texture maps could allow for temporal-spatial evaluation of the evolution of lung abnormalities relating to a variety of diseases on a patient-by-patient basis. SGA and HA receives royalties and licensing fees through the University of Chicago for computer-aided diagnosis technology. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25GM109439.« less
Overview no. 86: The effect of surface stress on crystal-melt and crystal-crystal equilibrium

Abstract The effect of surface stress on the equilibrium conditions at crystal-melt, coherent crystal-crystal and greased crystal-crystal interfaces is investigated by using a variational method to test for equilibrium. In all three cases, the interface between the phases is modelled as a Gibbsian dividing surface, and the excess internal energy associated with the interface is allowed to depend on both the deformation of the interface and the crystallographic normal to the interface. The position of an interface can vary due to both deformation at the interface and transformation between the two phases at the interface (accretion), and so we define a special variation that accounts for both. Thus, surface stress appears explicitly in both the force and energy balances at crystal-melt and coherent crystal-crystal interfaces. In particular, an interfacial strain energy term appears in the energy balance at these interfaces; this term gives the energy of deforming the interface against the force associated with the surface stress, and is a new result from this analysis. Anisotropy also appears in this energy balance through a term that can be expressed by using Cahn and Hoffman's ξ-vector. Finally, it is shown that a greased crystal-crystal system differs from crystal-melt and coherent crystal-crystal systems in that two independent deformations and crystallographic normals can be defined at a greased interface. However, by partitioning the excess energy associated with a greased interface between these deformations and normals, one can reduce the equilibrium conditions at a greased interface to those that obtain if the two crystals would interact only through a thin fluid layer at the interface.
Guidelines for Identification of Concrete in a Materials Property Database

Guidelines for the identification of concrete in a materials property database are presented to address the complex problem of distinguishing one concrete from another. These guidelines are based on a logical scheme for systematically organizing and subdividing data and information about concrete and its constituents; they reflect consensus recommendations for a multilevel material description and designation system. Aspects of the guidelines include a classification system used to establish a series of primary identifiers, methods for reporting constituent information and mixture proportions, fields describing the source of the concrete and its processing history, and recommendations for reporting baseline or reference properties.
History, networks, and the quest for power: ancient political competition in the Lower Motagua Valley, Guatemala

Capturing the fluid, dynamic interactions that constitute political form and change is best accomplished by adopting a network perspective. This approach calls attention to how power contests are waged close to the ground by self-reflexive agents who co-operate within wider webs to mobilize material and conceptual resources in support of common political projects. Political contests are, thus, waged within networks of networks in which decisions are made and across which the consequences of those choices are felt. This framework is used to disentangle the outcomes of a dramatic event in Mesoamerican prehistory: the beheading of one lowland Maya monarch by his erstwhile subordinate. The case study illustrates how political processes are best grasped as the results of initiatives instigated by variably well-informed agents of all ranks, living in diverse locales, who co-operate with some and compete with others to take advantage of new opportunities to define and meet their goals. Resume Pour saisir les interactions fluides et dynamiques qui constituent la forme et le changement en politique, la meilleure approche pourrait etre une analyse de reseaux. L’accent est alors place sur la facon dont les luttes de pouvoir sont menees au ras du sol par des agents reflexifs cooperant au sein de reseaux plus larges en vue de mobiliser des ressources materielles et conceptuelles a l’appui de projets politiques communs. Les competitions politiques s’inscrivent donc dans des reseaux de reseaux, ou les decisions sont prises et dans lesquels leurs consequences sont ressenties. Ce cadre est utilise pour demeler les tenants et les aboutissants d’un evenement dramatique de la prehistoire d’Amerique Centrale : la decapitation d’un monarque maya des plaines par un ancien subordonne. Cette etude de cas montre l’interet d’apprehender les processus politiques comme les resultats d’initiatives prises par des agents de tous rangs, plus ou moins bien informes et vivant dans des lieux divers, qui cooperent avec certains et sont en concurrence avec d’autres pour profiter des nouvelles occasions de definir et d’atteindre leurs buts.
Surviving the shifting focus from basic research to clinical activities in reproductive endocrinology and infertility

Important members of our clinical and scientific community are defecting to the private sector as frustration with academic medical centers grows intolerable. Departments need to rethink traditional paradigms for assigning research, teaching, and clinical care duties to allow faculty the time to do these activities with the care and attention they deserve.
Vibrational spectroscopy in high temperature dense fluids

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) in conjunction with a two-stage light-gas gun has been used to obtain vibrational spectra of shock-compressed liquid N{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, CO, and their mixtures, as well as liquid N{sub 2}O. The experimental spectra are compared to spectra calculated using a semiclassical model for CARS intensities to obtain vibrational frequencies, peak Raman susceptibilities, and linewidths. The derived spectroscopic parameters suggest thermal equilibrium of the vibrational populations is established in less than a few nanoseconds after shock passage. Vibrational temperatures obtained are compared to those derived from equation-of-state calculations. The variation of the vibrational frequency shift at pressure with species concentration in mixtures is investigated.
Steady-state heat conduction in multilayered composite plates and shells

A study is made of a predictor-corrector procedure for the accurate determination of the temperature and heat flux distributions in thick multilayered composite plates and shells. A linear through-the-thickness temperature distribution is used in the predictor phase. The functional dependence of temperature on the thickness coordinate is then calculated a posteriori and used in the corrector phase. Extensive numerical results are presented for linear steady-state heat conduction problems, showing the effects of variation in the geometric and lamination parameters on the accuracy of the thermal response predictions of the predictor-corrector approach. Both antisymmetrically laminated anisotropic plates and multilayered orthotropic cylinders are considered. The solutions are assumed to be periodic in the surface coordinates. For each problem the standard of comparison is taken to be the analytic three-dimensional solution based on treating each layer as a homogeneous anisotropic medium. The potential of the predictor-corrector approach for predicting the thermal response of multilayered plates and shells with complicated geometry is discussed.
Stress Analysis of Functionally Graded Thick-Cylinders Subjected to Mechanical and Thermal Loads

Thermo-mechanical stresses in functionally graded (FG) thick-walled cylindrical vessels are investigated in this paper. The cylinder is assumed to be made of a functionally graded material (FGM) with varying material properties in the radial direction. The modulus of elasticity, thermal conductivity, and coefficient of thermal expansion are expressed using power laws. The hollow cylinder is subjected to axisymmetric mechanical and thermal loading. Governing equations are developed for the desired configuration by using equations of equilibrium, stain-displacement relation, and Hooke’s law. A computer program is written in Maple −14 to show the effect of the power indices on the radial, tangential, axial, and Von-Mises stress distributions. The results are compared from the work available in the existing literature. Results show that the Von-Mises stress can be relaxed for specific gradients. Thus, appropriate gradients can be used to make functionally graded cylindrical vessels to maintain structural integrity when subjected to severe mechanical and thermal loads.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Contrast Media Use in Radiation Oncology: A Prospective, Controlled Educational Intervention Study with Retrospective Analysis of Patient Outcomes

Purpose Intravenous contrast media (ICM) administration is recommended as part of radiation therapy simulation in a variety of clinical scenarios but can cause adverse events. The aims of this study were to assess radiation oncology residents' knowledge about ICM and to determine if an educational intervention (EI) could improve this level of knowledge. In conjunction, risk factors and adverse events related to ICM use were retrospectively analyzed before and after the EI to determine whether any improvements in patient outcomes could be realized. Methods Over 2 years, 21 residents in radiation oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center participated in a pretest-EI-posttest study based on the ACR's Manual on Contrast Media . Medical and radiation therapy records were reviewed, and ICM use, risk factors, and adverse events were recorded. Results There was no significant difference in residents' understanding of ICM use in residents of different years of training ( P = .85). Understanding of ICM use increased in residents who attended the EI ( P P = .48). Of the 6,852 radiation therapy simulations that were performed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, 1,350 (19.7%) involved ICM. Mild adverse events occurred in a few patients ( Conclusions The EI effectively improved short-term understanding of ICM use. However, the effect was not sustained. The frequency of adverse events related to ICM use was small and not significantly affected by the EI.
Phylogeny of zebrafish, a ‘model species’, within Danio, a ‘model genus’

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important model for vertebrate development, genomics, physiology, behavior, toxicology, and disease. Additionally, work on numerous Danio species is elucidating evolutionary mechanisms for morphological development. Yet, the relationships of zebrafish and its closest relatives remain unclear possibly due to incomplete lineage sorting, speciation with gene flow, and interspecies hybridization. To clarify these relationships, we first constructed phylogenomic data sets from 30,801 restriction-associated DNA (RAD)-tag loci (483,026 variable positions) with clear orthology to a single location in the sequenced zebrafish genome. We then inferred a well-supported species tree for Danio and tested for gene flow during the diversification of the genus. An approach independent of the sequenced zebrafish genome verified all inferred relationships. Although identification of the sister taxon to zebrafish has been contentious, multiple RAD-tag data sets and several analytical methods provided strong evidence for Danio aesculapii as the most closely related extant zebrafish relative studied to date. Data also displayed patterns consistent with gene flow during speciation and postspeciation introgression in the lineage leading to zebrafish. The incorporation of biogeographic data with phylogenomic analyses put these relationships in a phylogeographic context and supplied additional support for D. aesculapii as the sister species to D. rerio. The clear resolution of this study establishes a framework for investigating the evolutionary biology of Danio and the heterogeneity of genome evolution in the recent history of a model organism within an emerging model genus for genetics, development, and evolution.
Impacts of Frequent Assimilation of Surface Pressure Observations on Atmospheric Analyses

AbstractTo investigate the impacts of frequently assimilating only surface pressure (PS) observations, the Data Assimilation Research Testbed and the Community Atmosphere Model (DART/CAM) are used for observing system simulation experiments with the ensemble Kalman filter. An empirical localization function (ELF) is used to effectively spread the information from PS in the vertical. The ELF minimizes the root-mean-square difference between the truth and the posterior ensemble mean for state variables. The temporal frequency of the observations is increased from 6 to 3 h, and then 1 h. By observing only PS, the uncertainty throughout the entire depth of the troposphere can be constrained. The analysis error over the entire depth of the troposphere, especially the middle troposphere, is reduced with increased assimilation frequency. The ELF is similar to the vertical localization function used in the Twentieth-Century Reanalysis (20CR); thus, it demonstrates that the current vertical localization in the 20C...
The Effect of Alternate Periods of Learning and Forgetting on Economic Manufacturing Quantity

Abstract A method for incorporating the effects of learning and forgetting in the calculation of economic manufacturing quantity is presented. A solution procedure is derived and illustrated by an example.
Prolactin and TSH responses to TRH and to haloreridol in schizophrenic patients before and after treatment

Abstract The prolactin (PRL) and the TSH responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH, 0.4 mg i.v.) and to haloperidol (5 mg i.m.) were studied in 11 male schizophrenic patients in a drug-free state and after treatment with haloperidol, 60 mg daily. The PRL responses observed after i.m. haloperidol in the drug-free state, on average 35.4 ng/ml, were abolished after treatment, indicating complete receptor blockade, while the PRL responses to TRH were preserved, although moderately reduced (from 19.4 to 14.8 ng/ml on average). The TSH responses to TRH were unaltered by the treatment (means 8.25 and 7.74 mIU/1). The results show that the TSH and partially the PRL releasing actions of TRH are not mediated via receptors that are effectively blocked by haloperidol.
Making Time for Family: Schemas for Long-Term Family Memory

Accurate and detailed accounts of what people are doing when where and for how long tell us a great deal about their lives. But the question of how we use our time is quite different from the issue of how we experience our time. Anthropological research on time has shown that people’s experience of time is dependent upon the cultural models of time available to them (Evans-Pritchard 1969; Geerts 1973; Gell 1992; Shore 1996). The experience of time is also always retrospective, dependant upon how people recall their activities. In order to affect recall, cultural models of time must also become cognitive models (Cole 2004). Our project goal at the MARIAL Center at Emory University is to understand how family members develop a sense of common identity through shared memory schemas that helped define a distinctive kind of autobiographical memory that we call ‘‘family memory’’ (Kendall-Taylor and Shore 2002; Fivush in press; Fivush et al. in press; Shore 2008; Shore 2005). ‘‘Family memory’’ lies at the intersection of shared activities and memory and the conversations and narratives through which these activities and objects become transformed into durable shared memory schemas. While such longterm family memory is presumably grounded in a wide range of shared activities, it turns out to be highly selective, and depending on structures of cognitive salience that are negotiated in the course of family conversations (Bartlett 1932; Fitzgerald 1988; Fivush in press b). This particular research project is based upon numerous family conversations with four middle-class working families in a small town in north central Georgia. These conversations were recorded approximately every two weeks over a period of two years. During these conversations families recounted and debated the typical organization of family activities during the year, the season, and the day. Families were allowed to establish their
Occurrence and Fate of Nitrosamines and Nitrosamine Precursors in Wastewater-Impacted Surface Waters Using Boron As a Conservative Tracer

Using boron as a conservative tracer of municipal wastewater effluents, a mass balance was developed to determine river flowrates that requires only wastewater discharge flowrates and boron concentrations in wastewater effluents and in the river upstream and downstream of these discharges. Furthermore, this method permits calculation of the percentage of the river deriving from wastewater. This method could be useful within river sections featuring no independent data regarding river discharge. We assessed the decay of nitrate and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors within an engineered treatment wetland and, using our boron analysis technique to account for dilution, within the Quinnipiac River (CT). Although both decayed with several day half-lives, their slow decay indicates they can persist to impact downstream drinking water supplies. Concentrations of NDMA and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) were measurable within the river, but concentrations of four other nitrosamines, their precursors, and NMOR p...
Construction of nonlinear droop relations to optimize islanded microgrids operation

In this digest nonlinear droop relations are suggested to optimize the operation of islanded microgrids. By using nonlinear droop, many microgrid operation aspects can be optimized in addition to the inherent advantages of the droop control. In the proposed method, the droop relations are allowed to have any nonlinear shape as along as that shape satisfies certain characteristics required for the stability and proper operations of the microgrid. One case is studied in detail in the paper to explain the procedure of constructing the nonlinear droops that minimize the operation cost and share the reactive power effectively among the sources. The selected droop structure is a mixture of polynomials and fractional-exponents polynomials whose parameters are selected using two-stage particle swarm optimization algorithm. Through simulation, the proposed method is explained and its effectiveness is verified.
A comparative analysis of subgroup structure and spatial relationships in captive baboons and squirrel monkeys

Subgroup structure, spacing patterns, and the relationship between spatial and behavioral interations were compared for captive baboons and squirrel monkeys. Analysis of the structure, intensity, and permanence of subgroups revealed that the baboons formed low intensity, overlapping subgroups which were relatively flexible while the squirrel monkeys segregated into permanent, high intensity, mutually exclusive cliques. Clique associations and social proximity relationships were found to be better predictors than dominance rank of the nature and frequency of behavioral interactions in the two colonies.
Osteogenesis imperfecta and odontogenesis imperfecta

Abstract A review of the pertinent literature is presented. Conspicuous by its absence is any record of a fracture of a mandible or maxilla. A family of 13, 5 members of which are afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta and 2 spontaneous recent mutations, are reported. Six generations of a family with odontogenesis imperfecta are reported, and the oral manifestations of 5 surviving members are described. There is an extremely limited correlation between osteogenesis imperfecta and odontogenesis imperfecta in the patients studied. Two patients with osteogenesis imperfecta exhibited extensive attrition of the deciduous teeth and one had translucent and greenish brown permanent teeth. No symptoms of osteogenesis imperfecta were observed in the family afflicted with odontogenesis imperfecta. One patient with osteogenesis imperfecta developed an osteitis or an osteomyelitis following each extraction of teeth. This was probably caused by fractures of the alveolar process at the time of surgery. Blue scleras or a history of frequent or easily sustained fractures should forewarn dentists anticipating any bone surgery. At the suggestion of the authors, the ingestion of sodium fluoride is being tried to treat a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta. The results of this therapy will be reported at a future date.
Soft Computing Approaches for Human-Autonomous Agent Communication

This paper describes soft computing approaches for human-agent communications in the context of influencing decision making behavior. Several methods are illustrated including using a personâ€™s predispositions and generalization techniques that allow issues to be viewed in a more favorable light with social interaction persuasion tendencies modeled with soft computing. The context of a robotic assistant for the elderly is used to illustrate the various communication techniques. Finally the related topic of negotiations using some the developed techniques is presented.
GATA3 expression in paragangliomas: a pitfall potentially leading to misdiagnosis of urothelial carcinoma

GATA3 is a zinc-finger transcription factor, which is expressed in various normal and neoplastic tissues. Amongst tumors, it labels urothelial carcinoma, collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney, breast carcinoma, lymphoma and, uncommonly, endometrial carcinoma. Few studies have investigated its positivity in various neoplasms that may mimic urothelial neoplasms. In this study, we evaluated GATA3 expression in urinary bladder paragangliomas, which may closely mimic urothelial carcinomas. We retrieved 12 cases of paragangliomas from the urinary bladder and 20 cases of paragangliomas from non-urologic sites using the Hopkins Pathology Data Base system. GATA3 was positive in 10 of the 12 (83%) urinary bladder paragangliomas studied on routine slide sections. Most (6/12) of the staining was diffusely strong (3+) staining, whereas the rest (4/12) that were positive showed mixed intensities (strong 3+ to moderate 2+). The 20 paragangliomas from other sites were constructed into tissue microarrays, wherein three cores from each tumor were taken. Fifteen out of 20 (75%) paragangliomas outside of the bladder were positive for GATA3 staining. Moderate (2+) or strong (3+) staining was seen in 13/20 (65%) of extravesical paragangliomas, ranging from 5 to 100% of the cell labeling (mean 59%, median 60%). In the remaining 7/20 (35%) cases, only weak (2/7) or negative (5/7) immunoreactivity for GATA3 was seen. An additional 15 cases of metastatic paraganglioma from various primary sites were retrieved with 12 of 15 (80%) metastatic paragangliomas staining positively for GATA3. Overall, for paragangliomas, regardless of site, 78.7% were positive for GATA3. Recognition of this finding will aid pathologists in preventing a misdiagnosis of a urothelial tumor based on GATA3 expression, which is critical given the differences in treatment, follow-up and prognosis between bladder paragangliomas and urothelial carcinoma.
A note on Shanteau's ‘averaging versus multiplying combination rules of inference judgment’☆

Abstract Shanteau (1975) claimed to have presented a ‘critical test’ which favored the averaging over the multiplicative (or additive) description of the inference process. This note points out features of data overlooked by Shanteau which yield precisely the opposite conclusion. However, slightly more complex versions of either model than discussed by Shanteau can handle all the results. In particular, an additive model with only two more parameters than the one tested by Shanteau describes his data, in addition to the results of a number of other studies on sequential information processing.
Evaluation of N-methyl-N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide for environmental analysis under both EIMS and electron capture NICIMS conditions and comparison to trimethylsilyl reagents under EIMS

N-Methyl-N-tert-butyldimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) is a silylating agent with a range of applicability in clinical and environmental analysis, particularly when substrates possess at least moderate acidity. In this paper, we demonstrate its applicability and limitations as a reagent for environmental analysis by comparing and contrasting two different target analyte problems in a sewage effluent matrix. In one case, electron ionization was used for the determination of three potential endocrine disrupting compounds: 17β-oestradiol, ethynyl oestradiol, and oestrone where the phenolic functionality was silylated with MTBSTFA and compared with results using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) as the reagent. In this instance, a large volume of effluent was subjected to either solid-phase extraction followed by cleanup using high-performance gel permeation chromatography (AppI) or liquid/liquid extraction followed by SPE fractionation and HPLC fractionation (AppII). The method using...
Recombinant expression and enzymatic subsite characterization of plasmepsin 4 from the four Plasmodium species infecting man.

Abstract Plasmepsin 4 from Plasmodium falciparum and orthologs from Plasmodium malariae , Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium vivax have been expressed in recombinant form, and properties of the active site of each enzyme characterized by kinetic analysis. A panel of chromogenic peptide substrates systematically substituted at the P3, P2, P2′ and P3′ positions was used to estimate enzyme/ligand interactions in the corresponding enzyme subsites based upon kinetic data. The kinetic parameters k cat , K m and k cat / K m were measured to identify optimal substrates for each enzyme and also sequences that were readily cleaved by the plasmepsins but poorly by host aspartic peptidases. Computer generated models were utilized to compare enzyme structures and interpret kinetic results. The orthologous plasmepsins share highly similar subsite specificities. In the S3 and S2 subsites, the plasmepsin 4 orthologs all preferred hydrophobic amino acid residues, Phe or Ile, but rejected charged residues such as Lys or Asp. In S2′ and S3′ subsites, these plasmepsins tolerated both hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues. Subsite specificities of the plasmepsin 4 family of orthologs are similar to those of human cathepsins D and E, except in S3′ where the plasmepsins accept substrates containing Ser significantly better than either of these human aspartic proteases. Peptidomimetic methyleneamino reduced-peptide inhibitors, which have inhibition constants in the picomolar range, were prepared for each plasmepsin 4 ortholog based upon substrate preferences. A peptidomimetic inhibitor designed for plasmepsin 4 from P. falciparum having Ser in P3′ had the lowest K i of the series of inhibitors prepared, but did not significantly improve the selectivity of the inhibitor for plasmepsin 4 versus human cathepsin D.
Penta­europium dicadmium penta­anti­monide oxide, Eu5Cd2Sb5O

The title compound, Eu5Cd2Sb5O adopts the Ba5Cd2Sb5F-type structure (Pearson symbol oC52), which contains nine crystallographically unique sites in the asymmetric unit, all on special positions. One Eu, two Sb, and the Cd atom have site symmetry m..; two other Eu, the third Sb and the O atom have site symmetry m2m; the remaining Eu atom has 2/m.. symmetry. Eu atoms fill penta­gonal channels built from corner-sharing CdSb4 tetra­hedra. The isolated O atom, i.e., an oxide ion O2−, is located in a distorted tetra­hedral cavity formed by four Eu cations.
Spin fluctuations and high temperature superconductivity in the antiferromagnetically correlated oxides: YBa2Cu3O7; YBa2Cu3O6.63; La1.85Sr0.15CuO4

Abstract The evidence from NMR experiments for the existence of strong temperature dependent antiferromagnetic correlations among nearly localized Cu2+ spins in the cuprate oxide planes is reviewed. It leads naturally to a description of the normal state as a nearly antiferromagnetic Fermi liquid in which the magnetic excitations are commensurate, or very nearly so, antiferromagnetic paramagnons whose spectrum at low frequencies can be obtained from fits to NMR experiments, and whose coupling to quasiparticles on a 2D square lattice is responsible for the measured anomalous transport and optical properties. Recent work by Monthoux, Balatsky and Pines demonstrates that the retarded quasiparticle interaction induced by these paramagnons can lead to a superconducting state with dx2−y2 symmetry, a high transition temperature, and energy gap behavior comparable to those measured. NMR experiments on the superconducting state are shown to support d-wave pairing, while existing penetration depth experiments do not appear to provide conclusive evidence concerning the pairing state.
An effective congestion control scheme for ATM networks

Congestion control is considered one of the most challenging issues of ATM. Simulation results are presented which show the performance superiority of the proposed scheme as compared to the conventional leaky bucket scheme. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single-electron detachment cross sections for 5-50-keV H- ions incident on helium, neon, and argon atoms.

Absolute measurements of the total single-electron detachment (SED) cross sections ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}10}$ for 3--50-keV ${\mathrm{H}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ions incident on helium atoms and for 5--50-keV ${\mathrm{H}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ions incident on neon and argon atoms are reported in this paper. The present SED cross sections for helium and neon targets are of similar magnitude but have a different energy dependence. By contrast, the SED cross sections for argon targets are significantly larger than either of the other two target species reported in this paper. Comparisons are made with the previous measurements and calculations in the literature.
Microinstability theory of two-energy-component toroidal systems

The microinstability theory of the two-energy-component toroidal system is developed and applied to systems typical of those in proposed fusion break-even experiments. The energetic ion beam distributions Fb(v||, v⊥, t) obtained from approximate solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation are studied for high-frequency microinstabilities arising from or in both transient and collisional equilibrium states. For typical beam-plasma parameters, the system is shown to be stable to high-frequency modes during the parallel injection of a continuous, monoenergetic source.
An acoustic study of Kabardian vowels

The results of a spectrographic study of the Kabardian vowel system confirm reports in the literature that phonetic vowel quality in Kabardian is determined by the preceding consonant. The data further show that there are three distinct phonetic categories along the F1 axis in the vowel space, and that the contextually determined variation in vowel coloring generally respects this division. Durationally, a correspondence was found between vowel height and duration. While the durational differences were found to be comparable to those reported in languages with contrastive vowel length, the differences were interpreted as a phonetic strategy to enhance the perceptual salience of the vertical vowel system.
The Aedes aegypti Toll Pathway Controls Dengue Virus Infection

Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of dengue viruses, utilizes its innate immune system to ward off a variety of pathogens, some of which can cause disease in humans. To date, the features of insects' innate immune defenses against viruses have mainly been studied in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which appears to utilize different immune pathways against different types of viruses, in addition to an RNA interference–based defense system. We have used the recently released whole-genome sequence of the Ae. aegypti mosquito, in combination with high-throughput gene expression and RNA interference (RNAi)-based reverse genetic analyses, to characterize its response to dengue virus infection in different body compartments. We have further addressed the impact of the mosquito's endogenous microbial flora on virus infection. Our findings indicate a significant role for the Toll pathway in regulating resistance to dengue virus, as indicated by an infection-responsive regulation and functional assessment of several Toll pathway–associated genes. We have also shown that the mosquito's natural microbiota play a role in modulating the dengue virus infection, possibly through basal-level stimulation of the Toll immune pathway.
Commentary: Moving Beyond Crisis, Crossroads, and the Abyss in the Disciplinary Formation of Planning:

The article explicates the contours of an academic discipline and builds an argument in favor of viewing planning as an evolving discipline. As part of our argument, we discuss the unique historical trajectory of the planning discipline, its emphasis on practice and public scholarship, and how this contrasts to the traditional social sciences. We argue that planning scholars need to reorient toward the discipline’s central organizing concept, Friedmann’s knowledge-action framework, and to engage in an ongoing dialectical process of refinement, revision, and extension. To illustrate this point, we provide an example of how recent scholarly work on collective action and social movement contributes to the terrain of planning thought.
The Long-Term Effects of Neonatal Seizures

The highest incidence of seizures occurs during the first hours to days after birth. The immature brain is prone to seizures because of reduced inhibition. GABA, which is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mature brain, is depolarizing and excitatory in the immature brain. Seizures are an ominous sign, indicating either an acquired brain insult or a genetic abnormality. While the primary outcome determinant of neonatal seizures is etiology, whether seizures can result in long-term adverse consequences independently is not clear. While the clinical data is uncertain, there is now a considerable body of evidence indicating that in animals, neonatal seizures can adversely alter the developing brain. Animal data indicates that the sequelae of seizures are strongly age dependent; seizures will affect the developing and plastic neuronal circuitry much differently than the fixed circuitry of the mature brain. Seizures at an early developmental stage can dramatically affect the construction of networks, resulting in severe and permanent handicaps in some patients. In the young brain, the long-lasting detrimental consequences of seizures are caused by an alteration of developmental programs rather than by neuronal cell loss, as occurs in adults. In animal models, neonatal seizures result in decreases in neurogenesis, sprouting of mossy fibers, and long-standing changes in signaling properties. Seizures in rat pups are also associated with abnormalities in firing patterns of single cells in the hippocampus. Furthermore, these anatomic and physiologic changes correlate well with behavioral dysfunction.
An empirical pseudo‐Bayes approach to determining a weighted‐summation for use in generalized linear models

Studies have consistently shown that exposure to certain pesticides can be linked to adverse health conditions in both children and adults. These effects are complicated by exposure to multiple pesticides in the form of a chemical mixture. In this manuscript a methodology is presented that simultaneously summarizes the exposure profile into a representative value, yet maintains information on the individual constituents. An empirical Pseudo-Bayes (EB) approach is used to create a weighted-summation of the chemical concentrations, where Monte-Carlo methods are used to derive the weights from prior distributions based on information from the univariate relationships between each chemical and some response. This weighted summation is used to estimate a relationship between the set of chemicals and the response. A simulation study is used to compare the EB approach with two traditional approaches used in chemical exposure risk assessment, and an example is provided using pesticide data and metabolic hormone concentrations from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.