cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ontology driven interoperability for agile applications, using information systems: Requirements and applications for agent mediated decision support

The continuous development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) supports Intelligent Decision Technologies (IDT) applications as featured in this journal. Networkcentric environments deliver this technology and make such applications principally accessible to the user wherever and whatever system is being used. While today’s networks have integrated the Internet and wireless technologies to enable technically reliable communication and coordination between dispersed systems, one of the urgent challenges is to achieve a common understanding between systems regarding how to interpret the data that are exchanged. Agent mediated solutions using ontological means are among the promising candidates that can contribute to a generally applicable solution The papers in this special issue originate from the domain of distributed complex and model-based information systems interacting with real-world systems. While distributed information systems of the first generation used proprietary protocols to solve problems mainly on the technical level of networking, the current standards are targeting the semantic level, which is the unambiguous exchange of data between implementations. The advent of the era of service-oriented architectures and intelligent software agents leads to new potentials, such as model-based operational services that can be composed by agents to fulfill the needs of a user to support business processes “on the fly.” However, models are meaningful abstractions of reality and, as such, use different assumptions and constraints. These different ideas are normally captured on the abstraction level above the implementation, which is known as the conceptual level. In order to describe complex and dynamic services such as model-based services, the unambiguous exchange of information is necessary, but not sufficient. The same data can be used in different contexts leading to different results. This pragmatic use of information must be part of the description of services to avoid variances within systems using both services to solve a common problem. Furthermore, the internal change over time in such services must be orchestrated. This is the dynamic component of the challenge. Finally, the services – or composing agents – must be aware of the assumptions and constraints under which the model is valid. This is the conceptual component. The Levels of Conceptual Interoperability Model (LCIM) was introduced to deal with the challenges of model-based services in agent-mediated environments. It distinguishes between technical layers ensuring that services can be integrated, implementation layers for
Osteosarcomatosis and metastatic osteosarcoma.

Multiple secondary osseous foci that appear within 5 months after the diagnosis of symptomatic, radiographically dominant tumor are classified as synchronously appearing multifocal osteosarcoma, so-called osteosarcomatosis (Figure 19-1). Because of its rapid onset and generally symmetric distribution, several theories have been proposed as to the origin of osteosarcomatosis. Several authors (1–6) have theorized that these multiple skeletal lesions represent multiple primary osteosarcomas of varying sizes and occur from the “multipotent preosseous tissue of the periosteum” [1]. Associated primitive preosseous rests [7] and humoral and cell-mediated immunity induced by specific neoplastic antigens [8,9] have also been proposed as possible etiologies. However, other authors [9, 10, 11, 12, 13] have suggested that these multiple synchronously appearing bone lesions actually represent rapidly appearing metastases.
Regeneration of axons from adult human retina in vitro

Abstract In an effort to establish an in vitro model of regenerating adult human central nervous system (CNS) neurons, we have investigated the potential for neurite growth from explants prepared from normal adult human retina. Eyes (donated for corneal transplantation) were removed within 2.0 h postmortem and stored on ice for 1.5 to 7.0 days. Retinal explants (1 mm 2 ) were prepared and cultured at 37°C on cellular or acellular substrata in an oxygen-rich, humidified atmosphere. Neurite outgrowth, visualized by neurofilament immunofluorescence, was observed only in the presence of Schwann cells, after a quiescent period of approximately 6 days in vitro . Of 50 explants cultured for 7 days or more on substrata containing Schwann cells, 43 showed evidence of viability in vitro and 28 extended neurites onto Schwann cell surfaces. Estimated rates of neurite growth on Schwann cell substrata reached a maximum of 0.22 mm/day. Neurites did not grow beyond the explant border onto culture substrata composed of either polylysine, laminin, type-I collagen, or monolayers of adult human retinal glia. These results demonstrate that under selected condition, explants prepared from adult human retina harbor viable neurons and that Schwann cells promote and support regeneration of neurites from these neurons in vitro , allowing systematic analysis of conditions favorable to axonal regeneration from adult human CNS neurons.
Multiple wavelet basis image denoising using Besov ball projections

We propose a new image denoising algorithm that exploits an image's representation in multiple wavelet domains. Besov balls are convex sets of images whose Besov norms are bounded from above by their radii. Projecting an image onto a Besov ball of proper radius corresponds to a type of wavelet shrinkage for image denoising. By defining Besov balls in multiple wavelet domains and projecting onto their intersection using the projection onto convex sets (POCS) algorithm, we obtain an estimate that effectively combines estimates from multiple wavelet domains. While simple, the algorithm provides significant improvement over conventional wavelet shrinkage algorithms based on a single wavelet domain.
Combination of multichannel single‐voxel MRS signals using generalized least squares

Purpose: To propose using the generalized least square (GLS) algorithm for combining multichannel single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) signals. Materials and Methods: Phantom and in vivo brain MRS experiments on a 7 T scanner equipped with a 32-channel receiver coil, as well as Monte Carlo simulations, were performed to compare the coefficient of variation (CV) of the GLS method with those of two recently reported spectral combination methods. Results: Compared to the two existing methods, the GLS method significantly reduced CV values for the simulation, phantom, and in vivo experiments. Conclusion: The GLS method can lead to improved precision of peak quantification. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:1445–1450. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimization of Tissue Nitrogen and Root-Shoot Allocation

Abstract A model is explored which describes the joint optimization of tissue nitrogen and root-shoot allocation in response to variation in nitrogen availability in the environment. The model plant is composed of root and shoot biomass and tissue nitrogen, and relative growth rate is the parameter maximized. A 'source' (uptake limited) model of joint tissue nitrogen and root-shoot allocation is reviewed (Hilbert, 1990) that optimally balances the uptake of carbon and nitrogen. Modifications including root respiratory costs and fixed root tissue nitrogen are explored. Then the role of tissue nitrogen in regulating 'sink' strength is combined with the balanced source model, and modified by assuming separate tissue nitrogen involved in source vs. sink. Generally, the results indicate that as available nitrogen increases, optimal root allocation declines and tissue nitrogen increases. These results appear to be robust for more complicated versions of the model provided that various internal nitrogen compartments 'compete' for the same nitrogen.
A new class of metrics for the macroscopic crystallographic space of grain boundaries

The macroscopic description of a defect-free, flat grain boundary in a pure material requires five degrees of freedom. There is a need to define the distance between boundaries in this five-dimensional space, because boundaries that are close together crystallographically should have similar properties. Morawiec has recently proposed such a metric, defined in terms of the misorientation of the two grains and their boundary normals. This approach has the disadvantage that there is no unique way of weighting the importance of the difference in disorientation compared to the difference in boundary normals, as was pointed out by Cahn and Taylor. In this work a metric is developed using a less familiar description of the crystallographic space which avoids this problem. Two technical results are proven, and a sample application to grain boundary properties is offered.
Comparison of ground-based and Viking Orbiter measurements of Martian water vapor: Variability of the seasonal cycle

Earth-based observations of Mars atmospheric water vapor are presented for the 1975-1976, 1977-1978, and 1983 apparitions. Comparisons are made with near-simultaneous spacecraft measurements made from the Viking Orbiter Mars Atmospheric Water Detection experiment during 1976-1978 and with previous earth-based measurements. Differences occur between the behavior in the different years, and may be related to the Mars climate. Measurements during the southern summer in 1969 indicate a factor of three times as much water as is present at this same season in other years. This difference may have resulted from the sublimation of water from the south polar residual cap upon removal of most or all of the CO2 ice present; sublimation of all of the CO2 ice during some years could be a result of a greater thermal load being placed on the cap due to the presence of differing amounts of atmospheric dust.
Mathematical model of iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery.

A mathematical model for predicting the plasma concentration profile of a drug following iontophoretic transdermal delivery has been developed. The effects of various factors in the delivery system design and the physicochemical properties of drugs on the permeation profile were simulated by solving the dynamic mathematical model for iontophoresis. The calculated results indicated that iontophoretically facilitated transdermal delivery is particularly effective for large molecules such as proteins and peptides which are usually ionized and penetrate the skin with great difficulty by conventional passive diffusion. The present model well described in vitro experimental data of iontophoretically facilitated transdermal delivery of a polypeptide. The model can be used to understand the quantitative effects of the mode of current application on the dynamics of the iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery.
Adsorption of selenite and selenate by nanocrystalline aluminum oxide, neat and impregnated in chitosan beads.

Abstract Nanocrystalline metal oxide impregnated chitosan beads (MICB) were successfully developed with nanocrystalline aluminum oxide (n-Al 2 O 3 ) to form n-Al 2 O 3 impregnated chitosan beads (AICB). AICB were able to simultaneously adsorb inorganic aqueous selenite and selenate more effectively than n-Al 2 O 3 or chitosan alone. For completeness, adsorption performance was also compared to n-TiO 2 , a widely studied adsorbent for selenium, and n-TiO 2 impregnated chitosan beads (TICB). For the selenite system, n-Al 2 O 3 was the primary active adsorbent responsible for removal as chitosan has a low affinity for selenite. For selenate, however, chitosan was the primary active adsorbent. The association constants for the adsorbent/adsorbate complexes and the relative amounts in which they are present supported this hypothesis. The association constants for selenate binding on n-Al 2 O 3 and chitosan were 1.215 × 10 −2 and 3.048 × 10 −3 , respectively, and the association constants for selenite binding on n-Al 2 O 3 and chitosan were 1.349 × 10 −2 and 1.990 × 10 −4 , respectively. For systems with coexisting selenite and selenate, AICB is potentially the most robust option as it maintained the most consistent performance regardless of fractionation of the selenium species. Kinetic studies and equilibrium isotherms were completed and effectively modeled using pseudo-second order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption theory, making it the first comprehensive systematic study of neat n-Al 2 O 3 and AICB for selenium adsorption. pH significantly impacted adsorption due to changes in the adsorbent surface charge; increasing pH corresponded with decreasing adsorbent performance, beginning at approximately pH 6.5–7 for AICB. The trend in performance due to the effect of pH indicated that selenate binds to the amine group in chitosan, as suggested by other studies. In addition, increasing background sulfate concentration was found to negatively impact adsorption efficacy for both selenite, and more significantly, selenate, as sulfate is known to compete with selenium oxyanions due to their similar structures. The results indicate that, in order to maintain consistent removal in more realistic systems, a pre-treatment process to manage sulfate will be necessary as indicated for other adsorbents implemented for selenium adsorption in aqueous systems.
Good Cop, Bad Cop: Quality of Parental Involvement in Type 1 Diabetes Management in Youth

Sustained parental involvement in diabetes management has been generally advised to counteract the deteriorating adherence and glycemic control often seen during adolescence, yet until recently, little attention has been given to the optimal amount, type, and quality of parental involvement to promote the best health outcomes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This review synthesizes research regarding the involvement of caregivers-primarily mothers and fathers-of youth with T1D, with a focus on biopsychosocial outcomes. The recent literature on parental involvement in diabetes management highlights a shift in focus from not only amount but also the types (e.g., monitoring, problem-solving) and quality (e.g., warm, critical) of involvement in both mothers and fathers. We provide recommendations for ways that both parents can remain involved to facilitate greater collaboration in shared direct and indirect responsibility for diabetes care and improve outcomes in youth with T1D.
Methionine adenosyltransferase and S-adenosylmethionine in the developing rat lens

Abstract Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) activity, and the concentration of its reaction product, S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), were measured in the lenses of rats of different ages; ranging from 1 day of age to over 1 yr. The highest specific activity of MAT was found in the lenses of the one day old rats (sp. ac. 0·327 units/mg−1 protein). After 1 week the specific activity had dropped to 0·067, and by 6 weeks had declined to adult levels (0·02 units/mg−1 protein). AdoMet concentrations were measured by HPLC in perchloric acid extracts. The highest concentration of AdoMet was found in the lenses of day-old rats (48·2 μ m ), and gradually declined with increasing age, reaching 5·5 μ m in the oldest rats. In addition, the specific activity of MAT was found to be higher in the lens epithelium than in the cortex plus nucleus. The specific activity of MAT is almost an order of magnitude higher in the lens epithelial fraction (0·099 units mg−1 protein) than in the combined cortex plus nucleus fraction (0·011 units mg−1 protein).
Combined ciprofloxacin and tinidazole therapy in the treatment of chronic refractory pouchitis.

Management of chronic refractory pouchitis, a common cause for pouch failure with pouch resection or diversion, is often challenging. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of ciprofloxacin and tinidazole in patients with chronic refractory pouchitis compared with mesalamine therapy. Sixteen consecutive ulcerative colitis patients with chronic refractory pouchitis (disease>4 weeks and failure to respond to>4 weeks of single-antibiotic therapy) were treated with a four-week course of ciprofloxacin 1 g/day and tinidazole 15 mg/kg/day. A historic cohort of ten consecutive patients with chronic refractory pouchitis treated with oral (4 g/day), enema (8 g/day), or suppository (1 g/day) mesalamine served as controls. The Pouchitis Disease Activity Index, clinical remission, clinical response, the Cleveland Global Quality of Life, the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Quality of Life, and the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaires scores were calculated before and after therapy and compared between the two treatment groups. Patients taking ciprofloxacin and tinidazole had a significant reduction in the total Pouchitis Disease Activity Index scores and subscores and a significant improvement in quality-of-life scores (P < 0.002). For patients in the mesalamine group, there was a significant reduction in the total Pouchitis Disease Activity Index scores only. Patients in the antibiotic group had a greater reduction in the total Pouchitis Disease Activity Index scores and a greater improvement in the quality-of-life scores than those in the mesalamine group (P ≤ 0.03). The rate of clinical remission and clinical response for the antibiotic group was 87.5 percent and 87.5 percent, respectively, and for the mesalamine group it was 50 percent and 50 percent, respectively (P = 0.069). Two patients in the antibiotic group (peripheral neuropathy and dysgeusia) developed adverse effects. Combination therapy with ciprofloxacin and tinidazole was generally well tolerated and was effective in treating patients with chronic refractory pouchitis.
Building a Resonance Framework for Word Recognition Using Design and System Principles

Basic elements of a principle-based approach to model development are presented. The approach is needed to understand the operation of models capable of complex behavior. The use of principles facilitates both assignment of explanatory credit and blame when testing models and guides refinement of models when they fail. Two types of principles are distinguished: design and system. Design principles relate model behavior to observable human behavior. System principles relate model behavior to assumptions about a model's formal structure (architectural axioms). The use of, and relationship between, such principles is illustrated by building the theoretical framework of resonance (S. Grossberg & G. O. Stone, 1986) through the successive addition of principles.
Insecticide resistance of German cockroaches from various areas of Louisiana.

In 1966, laboratory studies were conducted with German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), to determine their toxicological response to topically applied chlordane, malathion, diazinon, Baygon® ( o -isopropoxyphenyl methylcarbamate), and fenthion (Entex®). Cockroaches from 7 locations in Louisiana (Baton Rouge, Fort Polk, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans, and Shreveport) were compared with a susceptible strain for determination of resistance levels. At LD50 the highest levels of resistance were to: chlordane 452 fold (Lafayette); malathion 110 fold (Shreveport); diazinon 13 fold (New Orleans); Baygon 15 fold (Monroe); and fenthion 11 fold (Lafayette). At LD00 the values were to: chlordane 18 fold (Shreveport and Fort Polk); malathion 60 fold (Shreveport); diazinon 6 fold (Monroe); Baygon 9 fold (Monroe); and fenthion 2 fold (Fort Polk).
Structures and Reaction Pathways in Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Enamides: A Model DFT Study

The potential energy profile of Rh(I)-catalyzed hydrogenation of enamides has been studied for the simple model system [Rh(PH3)2(α-acetamidoacrylonitrile)]+ using a nonlocal density functional method (B3LYP). Intermediates and transition states along four isomeric pathways for dihydrogen activation have been located, and pathways for interconversion between isomeric reaction pathways have been explored. The general sequence of the catalytic cycle involves coordination of H2 to [Rh(PH3)2(α-acetamidoacrylonitrile)]+ to form a five-coordinate molecular H2 complex, followed by oxidative addition of the coordinated molecular hydrogen to form a dihydride complex, [RhH2(PH3)2(α-acetamidoacrylonitrile)]+. This dihydride is converted into an alkyl hydride by a migratory insertion reaction. Reductive elimination of the hydrogenated acetamidoacrylonitrile completes the catalytic cycle. No computational support for alternate H2 activation pathways, such as direct conversion of H2 and [Rh(PH3)2(α-acetamidoacrylonitril...
PERSONALIZING MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE CORRESPONDENCE

In their efforts to increase response rates for mail questionnaire surveys, researchers have explored the effectiveness of a wide range of variables, including the number and timing of mailings,' cash or prize incentives,2 stamped versus metered reply envelopes,3 printed versus mimeographed questionnaire forms, and various forms and wordings of cover letters.4 Many of these techniques are in fact designed to personalize the communication between the researcher and the respondent. The (often unstated) assumption is that the more the respondent feels his unique answers to be important, the more likely he is to fill in and return the questionnaire. In a recent attempt to explore systematically the effect of personalization on response rate, Simon found that a personally typed letter sent to the general public in two studies tended to increase the response rate by 7 and 8 per cent over a form letter.5 In these same two studies, personally typed letters to employees yielded mixed results. In one case, the response rate among employees improved marginally while in the other it declined. In a third study of hospital insurance subscribers, Simon achieved a 15 per cent greater response rate from his personally typed letter. Simon, however, concludes that ". . . per-
Efficient, failure resilient transactions for parallel and distributed computing

Scientific simulations are moving away from using centralized persistent storage for intermediate data between workflow steps towards an all online model. This shift is motivated by the relatively slow IO bandwidth growth compared with compute speed increases. The challenges presented by this shift to Integrated Application Workflows are motivated by the loss of persistent storage semantics for node-to-node communication. One step towards addressing this semantics gap is using transactions to logically delineate a data set from 100,000s of processes to 1000s of servers as an atomic unit.Our previously demonstrated Doubly Distributed Transactions (D2T) protocol showed a high-performance solution, but had not explored how to detect and recover from faults. Instead, the focus was on demonstrating high-performance typical case performance. The research presented here addresses fault detection and recovery based on the enhanced protocol design. The total overhead for a full transaction with multiple operations at 65,536 processes is on average 0.055 seconds. Fault detection and recovery mechanisms demonstrate similar performance to the success case with only the addition of appropriate timeouts for the system. This paper explores the challenges in designing a recoverable protocol for doubly distributed transactions, particularly for parallel computing environments.
Reply to Schlapbach et al

To the Editor—We thank Schlapbach et al for their comments on our recent prospective study of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in hospitalized children. Schlapbach and colleagues describe a fatal case of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) attributed to HMPV and reference several other published case reports of severe HMPV infection. Their letter raises several points worthy of discussion. First, the case described was diagnosed as HMPV infection by direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA). This approach has been shown to have reasonable sensitivity (62%–90%) for HMPV detection in clinical specimens, compared with real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and excellent specificity [1–3]. HMPV is an established primary cause of lower respiratory infection in children [4, 5]; thus, HMPV was likely to have been the major contributor to the ARDS process. However, DFA also was used to test for other common viruses, which were not detected; DFA and culture are less sensitive than real-time RT-PCR for other respiratory viruses [6, 7]. Therefore, viral coinfection cannot be excluded. Likewise, molecular testing for bacterial copathogens was not performed, making concomitant bacterial sepsis a possibility. Nucleic acid–based testing enhances detection of virtually all pathogens and is rapidly becoming the standard of practice. Second, the report revealed the potential severity of HMPV infection. Schlapbach et al suggest that a lower percentage of children with HMPV infection require intensive care than RSV-infected children; however, the data to support this contention are lacking. Most studies of adequate sample size that compare HMPV and RSV find that the clinical syndromes are virtually indistinguishable (reviewed in Deffrasnes et al [8]). Indeed, in our study, the rates of intensive care unit admission were similar for HMPV (3%) and RSV (2%), and there were no striking clinical differences between illnesses associated with the 2 viruses. As noted by Schlapbach et al, ARDS also has been described only rarely for RSV, with <20 reported cases. We agree that the prevalence of severe infections associated with HMPV, including ARDS, is probably underappreciated because of the lack of widespread use of HMPV diagnostic testing. Although death due to RSV and HMPV is rare in industrialized nations, global mortality associated with RSV in developing countries is substantial [9]. Because HMPV causes clinical disease similar to that associated with RSV, it is likely that HMPV is also associated with a sizable proportion of childhood mortality worldwide. Epidemiologic investigations in developing regions are critical to define these illnesses. One limitation of many hospital-based studies of respiratory viral infection is the inclusion of only 1 or 2 seasons; HMPV shows substantial variation in prevalence from over time [10]. Large, prospective, population-based studies using molecular diagnostics are needed to fully delineate the burden and spectrum of disease due to HMPV.
A foundation for support theory based on a non-Boolean event space

Abstract A new foundation is presented for the theory of subjective judgments of probability known in the psychological literature as “Support Theory”. It is based on new complementation operations that, unlike those of classical probability theory (set-theoretic complementation) and classical logic (negation), need not satisfy the principles of the Law of The Excluded Middle and the Law of Double Complementation. Interrelationships between the new complementation operations and the Kahneman and Tversky judgmental heuristic of availability are described.
ACUTE DIFFUSE MYCOTIC PNEUMONIA IN A 7‐MONTH‐OLD COLT

A 7-month-old Quarter horse colt developed acute diarrhea, laminitis, bilateral uveitis, and severe respiratory distress after intramuscular injection with a bacterial vaccine. Thoracic radiographs revealed diffuse unstructured, nodular interstitial, and peribronchial opacities throughout the lung. Despite intensive supportive therapy, the colt became progressively hypoxemic and died. At postmortem examination, severe multifocal to coalescing hemorrhagic, necrotizing fibrinous pneumonia was found. Histologic study revealed numerous branched septate fungal hyphae diffusely distributed throughout the lung parenchyma. Fungal culture of lung tissue grew Aspergillus fumigatus. This report presents the radiographic, clinical, and pathologic features of acute mycotic pneumonia in horses.
Non-integrability of equations governing pulse propagation in dispersion-managed optical fibers

Abstract We show that the equation governing pulse propagation in dispersion-managed optical fibers, as well as the reduced form of that equation, does not have conserved or periodically conserved quantities other than the mass, momentum, and (for the reduced equation only) the Hamiltonian. Implications of this result for the problem of four-wave mixing in collisions of pulses in optical telecommunication channels, are discussed.
The structural role of Fe3+, Ga3+, Al3+ and homogeneous iron redox equilibria in K2OAl2O3Ga2O3SiO2Fe2O3FeO melts

Abstract The compositional dependence of the iron redox ratio (FeO/FeO1.5) has been experimentally determined in K2OGa2O3SiO2Fe2O3FeO silicate melts. Compositions were equilibrated at 1450°C in air, with 78 mol% SiO2 and 1 mol% initial Fe2O3. The ratio K2O/(K2O + Ga2OO3) was varied from 0.4 to 0.7. Peralkaline K2O > Ga2O3) melts have low and constant values for the redox ratio, while this ratio increases with decreasing K2O/(K2O + Ga2O3) in pergallic (K2O
“Critical Empiricism” in American Legal Studies: Paradox, Program, or Pandora's Box?

This essay was originally presented at the Conference on American and German Traditions of Sociological Jurisprudence and Critical Legal Thought organized by the Center for European Legal Policy, Bremen, Federal Republic of Germany, July 10-12, 1986. Subsequent versions were discussed at the Department of Sociology, Northwestern University (February 1987) and the Workshop on Legal Theory at the University of Virginia Law School (March 1987). Comments by participants at these events, members of the Amherst Seminar, Boaventura Santos, Kristin Bumiller, and G. Edward White are gratefully acknowledged. An earlier version of the paper appears in Joerges & Trubek, eds., Critical Legal Thought in Germany and America: A German-American Debate (Baden-Baden: NOMOS, 1989).
A Reexamination of the Mediating Effect of Trust among Alarm Systems' Characteristics and Human Compliance and Reliance

The most widely accepted view regarding the relationship among the characteristics of alarm systems and human compliance with and reliance on such systems is that trust plays a critical mediating effect. Researchers have promoted this contention based on theoretical and empirical evidence. However, there are some limitations associated with the prior empirical work that researchers have used to support this contention. The purpose of this research was to present an approach that more adequately assesses the potential mediating effect of trust among systems' characteristics and human compliance and reliance by establishing temporal precedence in the measurement of trust, compliance, and reliance. Contrary to previous theory and empirical findings, the preliminary results from this approach suggest that trust does not serve as a mediating factor. These findings seem to suggest that although trust is related to human compliance and reliance, it is simply a result of systems' characteristics that may or may n...
Experimental study of Nafion-based ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) with glycerol as solvent

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) consist of a perfluorinated ionomer membrane (usually Nafion or Flemion) plated on both faces with a noble metal such as gold or platinum and neutralized with a certain amount of counterions that balance the electrical charge of anions covalently fixed to the membrane backbone. IPMCs are electroactive materials that can be used as actuators and sensors. Their electrical-chemical-mechanical response is highly dependent on the cations used, the solvent, the amount of solvent uptake, the morphology of the electrodes, and other factors. With water as the solvent, the applied electric potential must be limited to less than 1.3V at room temperature, to avoid electrolysis. Moreover, water evaporation in open air presents additional problems. These and related factors limit the application of IPMCs with water as the solvent. Glycerol has a viscosity of about 1000 times that of water at room temperature, and has a greater molecular weight. Like water, it consists of polar molecules and thus can serve as a solvent for IPMCs. We present the results of a series of tests on both Nafion-based IPMCs with glycerol as the solvent, and compare these with the results obtained using water. We also present the response of Nafion-based IPMCs with various cation forms treated with glycerol stimulated with suddenly applied and then sustained (DC) electric potentials in open air. IPMCs with glycerol as their solvent have greater solvent uptake, and can be subjected to relatively high voltages without electrolysis. They can be actuated in open air for rather long time periods. They may be good actuators when high-speed actuation is not necessary.
Spontaneous fractures of the humerus during pitching A series of 12 cases

We report the recent occurrence of spontaneous humeral shaft fractures in 12 pitchers. The subjects were interviewed over the telephone using a standard questionnaire. Radiographs and medical records were solicited from their physicians. Their average age was 36 years and they had pitched an average of 11.4 years with an average layoff of 14 years (range, 7 to 24). Mean time between games pitched was 21 days (range, 3 to 56). The average number of pitches before the fracture occurred was 38 (range, 10 to 100). Pain was experienced at some point before the fracture in 75% of the pitchers and 75% of the fractures were spiral. These fractures were most probably spontaneous fractures brought on by accumulated fatigue damage. The period of buildup after a prolonged period of layoff was probably insufficient time for proper bone remodeling to occur in these men. While a large percentage of these men had pain before their injury, suggesting a predisposing stress fracture, there is no doubt that their fractures could still be caused by a sudden torsional load without the presence of a stress fracture.
Dynamic limbic networks and social diversity in vertebrates: from neural context to neuromodulatory patterning.

Vertebrate animals exhibit a spectacular diversity of social behaviors, yet a variety of basic social behavior processes are essential to all species. These include social signaling; discrimination of conspecifics and sexual partners; appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors; aggression and dominance behaviors; and parental behaviors (the latter with rare exceptions). These behaviors are of fundamental importance and are regulated by an evolutionarily conserved, core social behavior network (SBN) of the limbic forebrain and midbrain. The SBN encodes social information in a highly dynamic, distributed manner, such that behavior is most strongly linked to the pattern of neural activity across the SBN, not the activity of single loci. Thus, shifts in the relative weighting of activity across SBN nodes can conceivably produce almost limitless variation in behavior, including diversity across species (as weighting is modified through evolution), across behavioral contexts (as weights change temporally) and across behavioral phenotypes (as weighting is specified through heritable and developmental processes). Individual neural loci may also express diverse relationships to behavior, depending upon temporal variations in their functional connectivity to other brain regions (“neural context”). We here review the basic properties of the SBN and show how behavioral variation relates to functional connectivity of the network, and discuss ways in which neuroendocrine factors adjust network activity to produce behavioral diversity. In addition to the actions of steroid hormones on SBN state, we examine the temporally plastic and evolutionarily labile properties of the nonapeptides (the vasopressin- and oxytocin-like neuropeptides), and show how variations in nonapeptide signaling within the SBN serve to promote behavioral diversity across social contexts, seasons, phenotypes and species. Although this diversity is daunting in its complexity, the search for common “organizing principles” has become increasingly fruitful. We focus on multiple aspects of behavior, including sexual behavior, aggression and affiliation, and in each of these areas, we show how broadly relevant insights have been obtained through the examination of behavioral diversity in a wide range of vertebrate taxa.
Endobronchial Polyposis Secondary to Thermal Inhalational Injury

A 28-year-old man who sustained inhalational injury in a house fire developed symptoms of chronic cough and hemoptysis requiring bronchoscopy. Two months after the initial injury, numerous endobronchial polyps were found in the trachea and throughout the bronchial tree. His symptoms have subsequently improved over a six-month period while receiving steroid therapy. To our knowledge, this delayed complication of inhalational burn injury has not been previously reported.
Clinical implications of low-penetrance breast cancer susceptibility alleles.

Our understanding of breast cancer genetics is evolving beyond deleterious mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. In the past several years, several low- and moderate-risk breast cancer susceptibility alleles have been identified that have a relative risk for breast cancer of ≤ 2. The availability of new techniques such as genome-wide association studies ensures that more low-risk alleles will be identified. This article reviews our current understanding of low-penetrance genes, with a specific focus on their clinical implications.
The use of intravenous anesthesia and sedation techniques in oral and maxillofacial surgery

In 1943, Olson described a method for administration of thiopental for anesthesia during oral surgical procedures (J Oral Surg 1:197, 1943). Patients were instructed not to eat for 4 hours before the scheduled surgery and to bring an escort. Premedication with atropine or morphine was not routinely used. Following venipuncture, a 2- to 3-mL test dose of thiopental (Pentothal, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL) was injected. After a pause of 15 to 20 seconds, 6 mL was injected slowly over 40 to 50 seconds. Additional medication was titrated slowly in intermittent doses to maintain an adequate level of anesthesia. The mouth was packed and kept meticulously dry to prevent coughing or laryngospasm. The patient's color and respiration were continually observed and the airway maintained. Initially, a 5% solution was used by Olson; later it was changed to 2%. Use of this concentration made it easier to titrate to “upper levels” of anesthesia because profound depth was not required. Also, adverse effects (eg, coughing, laryngospasm) occurred less frequently, and there was less venous irritation with the 2% solution. Based on his experience of 8,203 cases, Olson claimed that most patients tolerated the anesthetic well, but he recommended avoiding this technique for children younger than 12 years of age.
Optical properties and laser thresholds of thirty-nine ruby laser crystals

Measurements were made of optical path uniformity, chromium concentration, fluorescence linewidth, large-angle scatter, and laser threshold on 39 flame fusion rubies. Results show that index of refraction variation is explainable by variation of chrome concentration and wander of the optic axis. Residual stress plays little role in optical defects, but may broaden the 77°K linewidth. Optical quality of lasers cut from regions of boules selected by interferometry remains constant after cutting, but warping destroys their parallelism. Threshold increases with chromium concentration, indicating that the rods are optically thick at the pumping bands. Threshold is not correlated with other optical properties, however.
Distinct roles of Ca2+ mobilization and G protein usage on regulation of Toll‐like receptor function in human and murine mast cells

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expressed in mast cells play important roles in orchestrating host defence against bacterial pathogens. Previous studies demonstrated that TLR2 agonist tripalmitoyl-S-glycero-Cys-(Lys)4 (Pam3Cys) stimulates both degranulation and cytokine production in human mast cells but only induces cytokine production in murine mast cells. To determine the molecular basis for this difference, we utilized a human mast cell line LAD 2, murine lung and bone marrow-derived mast cells (MLMC and BMMC). We found that Pam3Cys caused a sustained Ca2+ mobilization and degranulation in LAD 2 mast cells but not in MLMC or BMMC. Despite these differences, Pam3Cys stimulated equivalent chemokine CCL2 generation in all mast cell types tested. Cyclosporin A (CsA), an inhibitor of Ca2+/calcineurin-mediated nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activation, blocked chemokine production in LAD 2 but not in MLMC or BMMC. In contrast, inhibitors of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) completely blocked CCL2 production in MLMC and BMMC but not in LAD 2 mast cells. Pertussis toxin and U0126, which, respectively, inhibit Galphai, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation substantially inhibited Pam3Cys-induced CCL2 generation in LAD 2 mast cells but had little or no effect on chemokine generation in MLMC and BMMC. These findings suggest that TLR2 activation in human LAD 2 mast cells and MLMC/BMMC promotes the release of different classes of mediators via distinct signalling pathways that depend on Ca2+ mobilization and G protein usage.
Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling: increased uptake in two public community health centers in South Africa and implications for scale-up.

Background: International guidance recommends the scale up of routinely recommended offered and delivered health care provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) to increase the proportion of persons who know their HIV status. We compared HIV test uptake under PITC to provider-referral to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT referral) in two primary health centers in South Africa. Methods: Prior to introducing PITC clinical providers were instructed to refer systematically selected study participants to VCT. After PITC and HIV rapid test training providers were asked to recommend offer and provide HIV testing to study participants during the clinical consultation. Participants were interviewed before and after their consultation to assess their HIV testing experiences. Results: HIV test uptake increased under PITC (OR 2.85 95% CI 1.71 4.76) and more patients felt providers answered their questions on HIV (104/141 [74%] versus 73/118 [62%] for VCT referral; p 0.04). After three months only 4/106 (3.8%) HIV-positive patients had registered for onsite HIV treatment. Providers found PITC useful but tested very few patients (range 0-15). Conclusion: PITC increased the uptake of HIV testing compared with referral to onsite VCT and patients reported a positive response to PITC. However providing universal PITC will require strong leadership to train and motivate providers and interventions to link HIV-positive persons to HIV treatment centers.
Rethinking “Brain Drain” in the Era of Globalisation

This paper discusses a range of issues concerning the idea of “brain drain” within the context of recent thinking on transnational mobility. It argues that the traditional analyses of brain drain are not sufficient, and that we can usefully approach the topic from a postcolonial perspective concerned with issues of identity, national affiliations, and deterritorialisation of cultures. Based on interviews conducted with international students from India and China in Australian and American universities, this paper analyses the ways in which student subjectivities and career aspirations relate to the dilemmas of globalisation: the opportunities provided by the new knowledge economy and global labour markets on the one hand, and the perceptions of national and community loyalties on the other.
Noise analysis and characterization of a sigma-delta capacitive microaccelerometer

This paper reports a high-sensitivity low-noise capacitive accelerometer system with one micro-g//spl radic/Hz resolution. The accelerometer and interface electronics together operate as a second-order electromechanical sigma-delta modulator. A detailed noise analysis of electromechanical sigma-delta capacitive accelerometers with a final goal of achieving sub-/spl mu/g resolution is also presented. The analysis and test results have shown that amplifier thermal and sensor charging reference voltage noises are dominant in open-loop mode of operation. For closed-loop mode of operation, mass-residual motion is the dominant noise source at low sampling frequencies. By increasing the sampling frequency, both open-loop and closed-loop overall noise can be reduced significantly. The interface circuit has more than 120 dB dynamic range and can resolve better than 10 aF. The complete module operates from a single 5-V supply and has a measured sensitivity of 960 mV/g with a noise floor of 1.08 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz in open-loop. This system can resolve better than 10 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz in closed-loop.
Synthesis and adduction of fully deprotected oligodeoxynucleotides containing 6-chloropurine

Abstract Fully deprotected oligodeoxynucleotides containing 6-chloropurine have been synthesized and used in solution phase reactions with amine nucleophiles to prepare oligonucleotides containing substituted adenine residues. This strategy was used for the preparation of a double-stranded oligonucleotide crosslinked by a 4-carbon tether between N 6 positions of deoxyadenosines in the two strands.
Axotomy induces fusimotor-free muscle spindles in neonatal rats.

Abstract Crushing the nerve to the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle at birth and administering nerve growth factor to rats afterwards results in a reinnervated muscle with supernumerary muscle spindles, some of which must have formed de novo. Structure and innervation of spindles in the reinnervated MG muscles were studied in serial 1 μm transverse sections. Two types of spindle-like encapsulations were observed. The prevalent type consisted of one to three small diameter intrafusal fibers with features of nuclear chain fibers or infrequently a nuclear bag fiber. The second type of encapsulation consisted of the small-diameter fibers located in a compartment which abutted a compartment containing a large diameter extrafusal fiber. All intrafusal fibers in spindles of the experimental muscles were innervated by afferents, but most of them (85%) were devoid of efferent innervation. Thus, immature fusimotor neurons may be more susceptible than spindle afferents to cell death after axotomy at birth.
The neuron doctrine is an insult to neurons

As presently implemented, the neuron doctrine (ND) portrays the brain's neurons and chemical synapses as fundamental components in a computer-like switching circuit, supporting a view of brain = mind = computer. However, close examination reveals individual neurons to be far more complex than simple switches, with enormous capacity for intracellular information processing (e.g., in the internal cytoskeleton). Other poorly appreciated factors (gap junctions, apparent randomness, dendritic-dendritic processing, possible quantum computation, the living state) also suggest that the ND grossly oversimplifies neuronal functions. In the quest to understand consciousness, the presently implemented ND may throw out the baby with the bath water.