cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity.

Abstract Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a single dose of 3 ml kg body wt, administered i.p. to male rats, caused a significant increase in the hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity. However, the level of cytochrome P-450, the activities of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, benzphetamine N-demethylase and aminopyrine N-demethylase were unchanged at 24 h post-treatment. DMSO interacted with control rat liver microsomes in vitro and produced a type II spectral change (peak at 420 nm and trough at 392 nm). On the other hand, liver microsomes from DMSO-treated rats gave qualitatively similar spectra, but with a higher magnitude of binding. Liver microsomes from DMSO-treated rats showed a 3.4-fold increase in Vmax for aniline hydroxylase, while Km was found to be the same when compared with control rat liver microsomes. In vitro addition of 6 mM DMSO to microsomal incubations from control and DMSO-treated rats caused a 9-fold and a 25-fold increase in Km, respectively, while Vmax values for aniline hydroxylase were unchanged. When DMSO (6 mM) was incubated with rat liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH, there was formation of formaldehyde. The results suggest an interaction of DMSO with microsomal cytochrome P-450.
The influence of substrate elastic modulus on retinal pigment epithelial cell phagocytosis

To better understand if a complex process such as phagocytosis is influenced by substrate stiffness, we investigated the influence of substrate elastic modulus on phagocytosis in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell line ARPE-19. RPE cells lie on Bruch׳s membrane, directly under the retina, and phagocytose the shed photoreceptor outer segments. Bruch׳s membrane is known to increase in stiffness by an order of magnitude with age and thus, this study has potential relevance in explaining retinal changes in age-related macular degeneration. ARPE-19 cells were plated on laminin-coated polyacrylamide substrates of varying elastic modulus. After 14 days in culture, a solution of latex fluorescent beads suspended in PBS was placed in each well. After an incubation time of 4 h, flow cytometry was performed to determine the number of cells that phagocytosed a bead. The number of ARPE-19 cells that phagocytosed a bead decreased continuously as a function of increasing substrate elastic modulus (p=0.0135), and this was found to be a linear relationship (slope=−0.03305±0.01104, R2=0.4726 per 10,000 cells). Our results suggest that RPE cells display decreased phagocytosis when grown on firmer substrates, and thus, RPE cells in older eyes, in which Bruch׳s membrane is stiffer, may demonstrate decreased phagocytosis. Impaired phagocytosis by RPE cells may contribute to impaired metabolism of photoreceptor outer segments and to development of macular degeneration. Material stiffness may be a critical parameter in the development of neural therapies, including retinal prosthetics and stem cell therapies.
A Growth Model for a Tenured-Labor-Managed Firm

The theory of the labor-managed firm is a recent addition to the economic literature on organization. Analyses of the behavior of workers' self-managed firms have produced two versions of the theory. The present paper is primarily concerned with the employment decisions of labor-managed firms, which are analyzed within the framework of a new model drawing upon both versions of the existing theory. We present a growth model for a firm characterized by the division of labor between tenured and nontenured workers, whose aim is the intertemporal maximization of the net income per tenured worker. Using Pontryagin's Maximum Principle, we obtain the optimality conditions, the transition path, and the steady state for the model. We also analyze a series of policy alternatives. Some references are made to the Yugoslav economy.
Enhancement of misonidazole chemosensitization effect by mild local hyperthermia.

Abstract In an attempt to increase the chemosensitization effect of the alkylating agents 1,3 bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and cyclophosphamide (CY), by misonidazole (MISO) at the tumor site, mild hyperthermic treatment (41.5°C, 1 hr) was applied at various administration sequences. C3Hf/Sed mice bearing subcutaneous FSa-II tumors in the foot were used for a tumor growth time assay. Local hyperthermic treatment increased the antitumor activities of BCNU and CY by 1.4 and 2.4 fold, respectively. MISO at 2.5 mmole/kg potentiated the antitumor activities of BCNU, but not CY, at normal body temperature. There were no significant improvement of MISO chemosensitization when heat was given before the administration of BCNU and CY. However, a significant enhancement of chemosensitization was observed when heat was given after the administration of MISO and the alkylating agents. Enhancement ratios of about 2.4 and 4.7 were observed with BCNU and CY, respectively. There may be two mechanisms responsible for this thermal enhancement. First, the MISO pre-incubation time that was required for the expression of chemosensitization effect decreased substantially at elevated temperatures. This hypothesis was supported by the pharmacokinetic studies that MISO was rapidly eliminated from tumors in the first 10 min during the local heat treatment and remained at a plateau with a concentration of about 5-fold less than the peak MISO concentration in the control tumors. This rapid elimination might result from the increase in the rate of hypoxic metabolism of MISO in heated tumors. Second, heat may increase the MISO-alkylating agent interactions, which are independent of pre-incubation time. This effect was especially pronounced in CY because pre-incubation-induced chemosensitization of CY in unheated tumor was insignificant in this study. The significant improvement of MISO chemosensitization at moderately elevated temperatures can be useful clinically in combined hyperthermia and chemotherapy treatment.
Three-dimensional ordering of impure linear-chain systems

The reduction of the three-dimensional ordering temperature ${T}_{c}$ by random substitutional impurities in spin-\textonehalf{} Ising and classical Heisenberg quasi-one-dimensional systems is calculated within an approximation which treats interchain coupling in mean-field theory. The reduction can be substantial for highly one-dimensional systems even for impurity concentrations of 1-at.% or less. A qualitative analysis of impurity effects on ordering applicable both to magnetic and to nonmagnetic linear-chain systems is also given, with particular attention to the possible role of impurities in promoting incomplete three-dimensional ordering, such as that observed in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor ${\mathrm{K}}_{2}$ Pt${(\mathrm{CN})}_{4}$${\mathrm{Br}}_{0.3}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} 3${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$O(KCP).
697: Novel biomarkers of preterm birth in maternal serum

JUAN GONZALEZ, JINGHUA CHAI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania OBJECTIVE: With the understanding that inflammation is implicated in spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) especially at 28 weeks, biomarkers and mediators of an inflammatory response have been assessed in maternal serum. These have focused largely on investigating a leukocytosis and/or cytokine response. However, mediators of early leukocyte and endothelial activation precede systemic cytokine responses. Using an established mouse model of PTB, the studies sought to assess if these biomarkers were elevated in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF). STUDY DESIGN: A mouse (CD-1) model of localized intrauterine inflammation was used. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline was injected into the right lower (RL) uterine horn (N 6-8/treatment group). Six hours later, prior to PTB, AF from the RL horn (closest to LPS infusion), left upper (LU) horn (most remote from LPS) and MS was collected. Levels of sE-selectin, sL-selectin, s-ICAM, and CxCL were assessed in AF and MS using commericially available ELISAs. RESULTS: SEE TABLE and FIGURE.
Real-time Internet video using error resilient scalable compression and TCP-friendly transport protocol

We introduce a point to point real-time video transmission scheme over the Internet combining a low-delay TCP-friendly transport protocol in conjunction with a novel compression method that is error resilient and bandwidth-scalable. Compressed video is packetized into individually decodable packets of equal expected visual importance. Consequently, relatively constant video quality can be achieved at the receiver under lossy conditions. Furthermore, the packets can be truncated to instantaneously meet the time varying bandwidth imposed by a TCP-friendly transport protocol. As a result, adaptive flows that are friendly to other Internet traffic are produced. Actual Internet experiments together with simulations are used to evaluate the performance of the compression, transport, and the combined schemes.
Bayesian approaches for comparative effectiveness research

Background A hallmark of comparative effectiveness research is the analysis of all the available evidence from different studies addressing a given question of medical risk versus benefit. The Bayesian statistical approach is ideally suited for such investigations because it is inherently synthetic and because it is philosophically uninhibited regarding the ability to analyze all the available evidence.Purpose To consider a variety of comparative effectiveness research settings and show how the Bayesian approach applies.Methods The Bayesian approach is described as it has been applied to the comparative analysis of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and mammographic screening, in the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network, in comparisons of patient outcomes data from different sources, and in designing adaptive clinical trials to support the development of ‘personalized medicine.’Results Bayesian methods allow for continued learning as data accrue and for cumulating meta-analyses and t...
Parallel Architectures

A number of factors have converged recently to make this an opportune moment for computer scientists to contemplate the future course of research and development activities in their field.
An alternative approach to rounding off generation models in power system reliability evaluation

Generation system models are used in single-area, multi-area, and composite system reliability studies. The smaller the number of states, the fewer will be the calculations involved in computing the reliability indices. This paper describes a new method of rounding off to reduce the number of states in the generation system model without sacrificing the accuracy. The accuracy and efficiency are studied using three sample systems.
Bias and error in multiple-choice tests

A formula for estimating real scores on a multiple-choice test from a knowledge of raw scores is derived. This formula does not involve the assumption of a binomial distribution of real scores as does the Calandra formula. Other important formulas derived show: the variance of real scores in terms of the variance of raw scores and the correlation between real scores and raw scores. If the variance of real scores (or of raw scores also) is binomial, the regression of real scores on raw scores is linear; but, otherwise the regression is curvilinear. Yet the linear estimating formula is a close approximation to the curvilinear relationship. Factors affecting the regression of real scores on raw scores and the correlation coefficient are: (1) the number of choices per question; (2) the number of questions answered; (3) the ratio of the average group raw score to the variance of raw scores.
Unmasking the open secret of posting and transfer practices in the health sector.

This article focuses on processes of granting posts and transfers to health care workers and administrators that can be described as ‘mission inconsistent (MI)’, meaning that they are not conducted in a way that maximizes health outcomes or that respects the norms of health care worker professionalism. We synthesize relevant literature from several different disciplinary perspectives to describe what is known about the problem of MI posting and transfer in the health sector, to critically engage and interrogate these literatures, and to briefly discuss efforts that have been made to maximize mission consistency. The article concludes by suggesting principles for future research that would foster a more complete understanding of posting and transfer practices.
Prefrontal cortex activity is reduced in gambling and nongambling substance users during decision-making

Objective: Poor decision-making is a hallmark of addiction, whether to substances or activities. Performance on a widely used test of decision-making, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), can discriminate controls from persons with ventral medial frontal lesions, substance-dependence, and pathological gambling. Positron emission tomography (PET) studies indicate that substance-dependent individuals show altered prefrontal activity on the task. Here we adapted the IGT to an fMRI setting to test the hy- pothesis that defects in ventral medial and prefrontal processing are associated with impaired decisions that involve risk but may differ depending on whether substance dependence is comorbid with gam- bling problems. Method: 18 controls, 14 substance-dependent individuals (SD), and 16 SD with gam- bling problems (SDPG) underwent fMRI while performing a modified version of the IGT. Result: Group differences were observed in ventral medial frontal, right frontopolar, and superior frontal cortex dur- ing decision-making. Controls showed the greatest activity, followed by SDPG, followed by SD. Conclu- sion: Our results support a hypothesis that defects in ventral medial frontal processing lead to impaired decisions that involve risk. Reductions in right prefrontal activity during decision-making appear to be modulated by the presence of gambling problems and may reflect impaired working memory, stimulus reward valuation, or cue reactivity in substance-dependent individuals. Hum Brain Mapp 28:1276-1286, 2007. V C 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Atomic-scale structure of the orthoclase (001)–water interface measured with high-resolution X-ray reflectivity

In situ X-ray specular reflectivity and atomic force microscopy were used to determine the structure of the orthoclase (001) cleavage surface in contact with deionized water at 25°C. These are the first in situ measurements of the orthoclase–water interface structure performed to Angstrom-scale resolution. The orthoclase (001) cleavage surface has minimal roughness, and only one of two possible surface terminations is exposed. The X-ray data show that (1) the silica network at the orthoclase surface is terminated by an oxygen-containing species (e.g., O or OH) having a coverage of 1.9 ± 0.25 ML (the expected coverage is 2.0 ML, where 1 ML = 1 atom/55.76 A2), (2) the outermost layer of K+ ions have been removed with a derived coverage of 0.0 ± 0.08 ML (the bulk truncated K+ coverage is 1.0 ML), and (3) a complex relaxation profile affecting the near-surface structure propagates ∼26 A into the orthoclase with a maximum relaxation of ∼0.15 A near the surface. These data are inconsistent with K+ ion depletion below the topmost K+ layer. These results provide a new baseline for understanding the initial steps of the feldspar dissolution process, demonstrate the power of combining X-ray scattering techniques with scanning probe microscopies for understanding the intrinsic characteristics of complex mineral–water interface systems, and suggest a new approach for understanding feldspar dissolution mechanisms.
Multimedia visualization and interactive systems: Drawing board possibilities and server realities – a Cuban Rafter Paradigm Case

Purpose – This paper aims to present the schematic for building a multimedia information visualization system and digital archive which takes advantage of a wider spectrum of media elements (images, sound, datasets) and interactivity with regards to research level historical body of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology for this interactive multimedia visualized system was based on create a digital environment to explore larger bodies of research that expand on simple text‐based Information Retrieval Database systems. Through photos, videos, interactive maps, digital audio interviews, primary documents and narrative structures the system presents new methodologies for building digital libraries. The “educational” objective of this project was to present a stylistically elegant yet intellectually robust interactive multimedia information system for academic libraries.Findings – Building new online digital libraries must involve robust interactivity to take advantage of the computer's intr...
The glory of guidelines and the twilight of reality: controversies and challenges in the prevention and treatment of HIV in children.

Since the discovery of HIV 30 years ago, we have learned much about HIV in children and adolescents. Dramatic declines have occurred in mother-to-child transmission of HIV in resource-rich countries. Resource-poor countries struggle with improving prevention of mother-to-child transmission due to the lack of universal antiretroviral treatment for pregnant and nursing mothers. In children infected with HIV, pharmacokinetic, safety and efficacy data have been determined for many of the older drugs. Data are lacking for the newer, safer and more effective currently available drugs, resulting in the pediatric guidelines lagging behind adult recommendations. Although guidelines for prevention and treatment are helpful, the way they are created causes them to lag behind new scientific evidence, and in some situations they will be confusing or only based on expert opinion. Improving prevention of HIV infection in adolescents and young adults and in treating those who become HIV infected is crucially important. T...
LMP1 Strain Variants: Biological and Molecular Properties

The ubiquitous herpesvirus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is linked to the development of several malignancies, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is considered the EBV oncogene as it is necessary for EBV-induced transformation of B lymphocytes and is able to transform Rat-1 fibroblasts. LMP1 can activate a wide array of signaling pathways, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt and NF-κB. Six sequence variants of LMP1, termed Alaskan, China 1, China 2, Med+, Med−, and NC, have been identified, and individuals can be infected with multiple variants. The frequencies of detection of these variants differ for various EBV-associated malignancies from different geographic regions. In this study, the biological and signaling properties of the LMP1 variants have been characterized. All of the LMP1 variants transformed Rat-1 fibroblasts, induced increased motility of HFK cells, and induced increased homotypic adhesion of BJAB cells. While all the variants activated the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway to similar extents, the Alaskan, China 1, and Med+ variants had limited binding to the E3 ubiquitin ligase component homologue of Slimb and had slightly enhanced NF-κB signaling. These findings indicate that the signature amino acid changes of the LMP1 variants do not hinder or enhance their in vitro transforming potentials or affect their signaling properties.
Configuration-parametric query optimization for physical design tuning

Automated physical design tuning for database systems has recently become an active area of research and development. Existing tuning tools explore the space of feasible solutions by repeatedly optimizing queries in the input workload for several candidate configurations. This general approach, while scalable, often results in tuning sessions waiting for results from the query optimizer over 90% of the time. In this paper we introduce a novel approach, called Configuration-Parametric Query Optimization, that drastically improves the performance of current tuning tools. By issuing a single optimization call per query, we are able to generate a compact representation of the optimization space that can then produce very efficiently execution plans for the input query under arbitrary configurations. Our experiments show that our technique speeds-up query optimization by 30x to over 450x with virtually no loss in quality, and effectively eliminates the optimization bottleneck in existing tuning tools. Our techniques open the door for new, more sophisticated optimization strategies by eliminating the main bottleneck of current tuning tools.
Longitudinal dependence of middle and low latitude zonal plasma drifts measured by DE-2

We used ion drift observations from the DE-2 satellite to study for the first time the longitudinal variations of middle and low latitude F region zonal plasma drifts dur- ing quiet and disturbed conditions. The quiet-time middle latitude drifts are predominantly westward; the low latitude drifts are westward during the day and eastward at night. The daytime quiet-time drifts do not change much with longitude; the nighttime drifts have strong season dependent longitudi- nal variations. In the dusk-premidnight period, the equinoc- tial middle latitude westward drifts are smallest in the Eu- ropean sector and the low latitude eastward drifts are largest in the American-Pacific sector. The longitudinal variations of the late night-early morning drifts during June and December solstice are anti-correlated. During geomagnetically active times, there are large westward perturbation drifts in the late afternoon-early night sector at upper middle latitudes, and in the midnight sector at low latitudes. The largest westward disturbed drifts during equinox occur in European sector, and the smallest in the Pacific region. These results suggest that during equinox SAPS events occur most often at European longitudes. The low latitude perturbation drifts do not show significant longitudinal dependence.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Graft and Recipient Survival in Elderly Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Objectives To investigate racial and ethnic differences in graft and recipient survival in elderly kidney transplant recipients. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting First-time, kidney-only transplant recipients aged 60 and older of age at transplantation transplanted between July 1996 and October 2010 (N = 44,013). Participants United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. Measurements Time to graft failure and death obtained from the UNOS database and linkage to the Social Security Death Index. Neighborhood poverty from 2000 U.S. Census geographic data. Results Of the 44,013 recipients in the sample, 20% were black, 63% non-Hispanic white, 11% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and the rest “other racial groups.” In adjusted Cox models, blacks were more likely than whites to experience graft failure (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15–1.32), whereas Hispanics (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.70–0.85) and Asians (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.61–0.81) were less likely to experience graft failure. Blacks (HR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.80–0.88), Hispanics (HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.64–0.72), and Asians (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.57–0.68) were less likely than whites to die after renal transplantation. Conclusion Elderly blacks are at greater risk of graft failure than white transplant recipients but survive longer after transplantation. Asians have the highest recipient and graft survival, followed by Hispanics. Further studies are needed to assess additional factors affecting graft and recipient survival in elderly adults and to investigate outcomes such as quality of life.
Interstitial adenosine with dipyridamole: effect of adenosine receptor blockade and adenosine deaminase

Dipyridamole is proposed to increase coronary blood flow (CBF) by inhibition of adenosine uptake into cells, resulting in an increase in interstitial fluid (ISF) adenosine and an adenosine-mediated vasodilation. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in CBF and ISF adenosine, inosine, and hypoxanthine during dipyridamole infusion in the absence or presence of adenosine receptor blockade or adenosine deaminase. To sample cardiac ISF, cardiac microdialysis probes were implanted in the left ventricular myocardium of chloralose-urethan-anesthetized dogs and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer. The metabolite concentration in the effluent dialysate was used as an index of intramyocardial ISF metabolite concentration. In response to dipyridamole, CBF and dialysate adenosine concentration increased 4.4-fold and 2.2-fold, respectively, whereas dialysate inosine was unchanged and dialysate hypoxanthine decreased 50%. Adenosine receptor blockade, achieved by intracoronary 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline infusion, attenuated the increase in CBF induced by dipyridamole without changing dialysate adenosine concentration. Adenosine deaminase fully attenuated the dipyridamole-induced increases in CBF and dialysate adenosine. These results demonstrate that dipyridamole increases ISF adenosine in the dog and suggest that adenosine is the sole mediator of dipyridamole-induced coronary vasodilation.
Design of the SLAC RCE Platform: A general purpose ATCA based data acquisition system

The SLAC RCE platform is a general purpose clustered data acquisition system implemented on a custom ATCA compliant blade, called the Cluster On Board (COB). The core of the system is the Reconfigurable Cluster Element (RCE), which is a system-on-chip design based upon the Xilinx Zynq family of FPGAs, mounted on custom COB daughter-boards. The Zynq architecture couples a dual core ARM Cortex A9 based processor with a high performance 28nm FPGA. The RCE has 12 external general purpose bi-directional high speed links, each supporting serial rates of up to 12Gbps. 8 RCE nodes are included on a COB, each with a 10Gbps connection to an on-board 24-port Ethernet switch integrated circuit. The COB is designed to be used with a standard full-mesh ATCA backplane allowing multiple RCE nodes to be tightly interconnected with minimal interconnect latency. Multiple shelves can be clustered using the front panel 10-gbps connections. The COB also supports local and inter-blade timing and trigger distribution. An experiment specific Rear Transition Module adapts the 96 high speed serial links to specific experiments and allows an experiment-specific timing and busy feedback connection. This coupling of processors with a high performance FPGA fabric in a low latency, multiple node cluster allows high speed data processing that can be easily adapted to any physics experiment. RTEMS as well as Linux are ported to the module. The RCE has been used or is the baseline for several current and proposed experiments (LCLS, HPS, LSST, ATLAS-CSC, LBNE, DarkSide, ILC-SiD, etc)
UWB radar for indoor detection and ranging of moving objects: An experimental study

Ultrawideband (UWB) signals, due to their large bandwidth, can capture the fine temporal resolution of multipath propagation channel. This can be used for extracting geometric information related to the surrounding environment. In particular, Time Domain P410 UWB radios are used in our experiments, for channel sounding in bi-static and monostatic modes. In this paper, UWB radio pulses are used to determine the channel impulse response (CIR) in indoor environment. Based on the measured CIR, a statistical model is developed that is used in detection and range estimation of moving objects in indoor line-of-sight environment. The CIR measurements at different distances are used to study and model various channel characteristics in time and frequency domain. Our results show that UWB radar is capable of accurately detecting trajectory and speed of moving objects in indoor environments with minimum post-processing.
The association between pre-treatment occupational skill level and mood and symptom burden in early-stage, postmenopausal breast cancer survivors during the first year of anastrozole therapy

Previous research has explored occupational activity of breast cancer survivors but has not examined the influence of occupational level on symptoms prospectively. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between occupational classification and changes in mood and symptom burden for postmenopausal breast cancer survivors during the first year of anastrozole therapy. This was an exploratory secondary analysis in 49 postmenopausal women receiving anastrozole therapy for early-stage breast cancer. Participants reported their occupation at baseline and completed self-report questionnaires measuring mood and symptom burden at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Occupation was classified according to four major skill levels delineated by the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). Breast cancer survivors employed at occupational skill levels 1 through 3 reported significantly higher depressive symptoms, fatigue, and total symptoms on average than those employed at ISCO skill level 4. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, this pattern remained for the musculoskeletal, vasomotor, and gastrointestinal symptom subscales. Breast cancer survivors employed at lower skill levels (i.e., ISCO 1–3) reported poorer mood and greater symptom burden than breast cancer survivors employed at a higher skill level (i.e., ISCO 4). Assessing baseline occupation of occupationally active breast cancer survivors may improve understanding of the association between types of occupations and mood and symptom trajectories and may inform development of interventions to mitigate symptom severity in order to help breast cancer survivors maintain optimal occupational function and adherence to therapy.
Autonomy, Equality, Participation — with Qualifications:

The author, fearing that the three ideals of autonomy, equality, and participation may be interpreted too simply, proposes refinements in their meanings. In his view, autonomy in the complex global existence can seldom exist in a pure form but is involved in interdependence, including both dependence and independence (autonomy). He therefore proposes idealizing improved interdependence as itself a primary value. Similarly, he argues for equality to be understood in ways that respect individuals' uniquenesses and differences from others as well as their samenesses with others. As for participation by citizens in higher-level decision-making processes, it becomes increasingly impractical as populations increase and as problems become increasingly so intricate that specialized knowledge is needed for intelligent decisions. The ideals should accordingly recognize both the increasing limitations on the possibilities and the need for more expert participation.
Arms, Armageddon and the Evil Empire: Ronald Reagan's Religious Rhetoric on Defense Spending

This paper is a chapter drawn from a larger project. Increasing the amount the U.S. spent on defense was one of the major goals of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. As I show, Reagan frequently turned to religious themes as he appealed for support. I trace the development of several of these themes in this paper, including Reagan’s repeated comparisons between the “Godless” Communists and God-fearing Americans; his common citation of major passages from Scripture, particularly the Gospel of Luke; and his usage of a more generalized spiritual vocabulary when describing the goals of U.S. defense policy. Several major speeches, such as Reagan’s famous “Evil Empire” address, are considered in extensive detail. I attempt to gauge the effectiveness of these rhetorical choices by several metrics including an examination of public opinion change, a content analysis of op-ed articles that appeared in four major newspapers, a review of commentary in Christian publications, and a discussion of the fate of Reagan’s budgets in Congress. Ultimately I conclude that Reagan’s use of religious rhetoric did not benefit him. This finding is in keeping with the conclusion of the larger project- that being that presidents cannot manipulate the public by means of religious rhetoric. My conclusions therefore echo the influential work of George Edwards (2003) and disagree with the major extant research on presidential religious rhetoric by David Domke and Kevin Coe (2008) and Colleen Shogan (2007). This paper is relevant to anyone interested in presidential power, presidential rhetoric or the role of religion in U.S. politics.
Possible Cholinergic and Non-Cholinergic Actions of Transiently Expressed Acetylcholinesterase in Thalamocortical Development Projections

Recent studies from this laboratory and others have demonstrated that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity is expressed transiently in developing cerebral cortex of mammals (Kostovic and Goldman-Rakic, 1983; Kostovic and Rakic, 1984; Kristt and Waldman, 1981; Robertson, 1987; Robertson et al., 1988; Robertson and Yu, 1994; Schlaggar and O’Leary, 1994). Studies in rodents have demonstrated that the transiently expressed AChE is produced by the protein synthetic apparatus in the perikaryal cytoplasm of thalamic neurons and is transported along thalamocortical axons to their terminals in primary sensory cortex (Robertson, 1991; Robertson et al., 1988; Robertson and Yu, 1994). The AChE activity can first be detected in rats around the time of birth, reaches peak intensity during the second postnatal week, and then subsides to adult levels during the third postnatal week (Robertson, 1987). Interestingly, this temporal pattern of AChE expression coincides closely with the timing of thalamocortical axonal ingrowth into cerebral cortex (Catalano et al., 1991; Kageyama and Robertson, 1993; Schlaggar and O’Leary, 1994).
Adaptive Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian Finite Element Model for Metal Forming Problems

In this paper, adaptive methods have been implemented with the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element method for metal forming analysis. The r- method of node relocation, based on mesh distortion criterion, and the s- method of overlaying the global mesh with local mesh at high error regions have been implemented. A perturbed Lagrangian contact formulation has been incorporated to improve convergence in comparison with the penalty method. Two forming simulations for elastic-plastic materials have been conducted under plane strain conditions and the effect of adaptation has been studied.
ANOPHTHALMIC SOCKET AND ORBITAL IMPLANTS: Role of CT and MR Imaging

The role of CT and MR imaging examination of orbital implants and the anophthalmic socket is expanding constantly. As the imaging techniques gain refinement and resolution, the list of potential clinical application grows. Frequent clinical-radiologic queries regarding the anophthalmic socket include neuro-radiologic findings with congenital anophthalmia or bilateral microphthalmia, the vascularization or position of an orbital implant following enucleation, or orbital recurrence of tumor following enucleation. Common clinical-radiologic questions regarding orbital implants relate to the associated findings of trauma, infection, bleeding, or recurrence of tumor in relationship to the existing orbital implant.
Advantages and Requirements of Growing Theoretical and Computation Research and Dissemination of Results in Open Access Journals

Copyright: © 2013 Kar T. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Even without touching any chemical, the chemistry of a wide range of systems, starting from simple molecules to complicated biologically relevant molecules to nanomaterials, can be studied and several underlying chemical features can be understood using Theoretical and Computation methods. Theoretical and computational investigations are complementary and supportive to experimental studies, and became essential tools in modern high-end research. These tools are instrumental in understanding simple to complex chemical processes, complex structures and their reactivity. Besides these features, designing new materials by modeling, revealing new properties and on how to tune relevant properties in desired directions for applicationoriented products has become a key application of theoretical and computational chemistry research in present days.
Anaesthetic considerations for surgery in newborns

Almost 30 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn coauthored a policy statement strongly advocating for the use of anaesthesia in all neonates stating ‘local or systemic pharmacologic agents now available permit relatively safe administration of anesthesia or analgesia to neonates undergoing surgical procedures and that such administration is indicated according to the usual guidelines for the administration of anesthesia to high-risk, potentially unstable patients’. With current techniques and advanced monitoring, preterm and full-term infants routinely undergo surgical procedures under general anaesthesia to repair congenital defects that were lethal in years past. Recent research in immature animal models, however, has shown evidence of enhanced neuroapoptosis and other signs of neurotoxicity with all of the currently used anaesthetic agents. There is also increasing concern about the potential adverse effects of perioperative hypotension and hypocapnia on neurocognitive development in infants. This review outlines the most recent animal and human evidence regarding the effects of general anaesthesia and anaesthetic-related haemodynamic changes on the developing brain of newborns.
An Agent-Based Model of Posting Behavior During Times of Societal Unrest

Social media is increasingly monitored during periods of societal unrest to gauge public response and estimate the duration and severity of related protest events. To this end, we build an agent-based simulation model that accurately describes the shift in posting behavior of users as related to a real historical event. First we define an appropriate indication that an agent has become an “activist”, or someone who disseminates protest-related posts during times of unrest. We then build an agent-based model based on parameters estimated from before and during the protest. We validate our model using a complete collection of Tumblr data from six months prior to the Ferguson protest of 2014, until the state of emergency was lifted. Validation is performed by visual inspection of the similarity of simulated distributions of established emergent metrics to the empirically observed data. Our results show that our model has potential for predicting posting behavior during future protests.
A single center analysis of factors influencing study start-up timeline in clinical trials.

Aim: Efficient start-up phase in clinical trials is crucial to execution. The goal was to determine factors contributing to delays. Materials & methods: The start-up milestones were assessed for 38 studies and analyzed. Results: Total start-up time was shorter for following studies: device trials, no outsourcing, fewer ancillary services used and in interventional versus observational designs. The use of a centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) versus a local IRB reduced time to approval. Studies that never enrolled took longer on average to finalize their budget/contract, and obtain IRB than ones that did enroll. Conclusion: Different features of clinical trials can affect timeline of start-up process. An understanding of the impact of each feature allows for optimization.
Nay de Gambia y su himno a la libertad

La hoguera lame mi piel con carino de perro es una novela publicada en 2015 en Colombia por la critica literaria Adelaida Fernandez Ochoa sobre la vida de Nay de Gambia, la esclava de Maria de la novela homonima de Jorge Isaacs publicada en 1867......
A 200MSPS time-interleaved 12-bit ADC system with digital calibration

This paper proposes a time interleaved ADC architecture employing a digital background calibration technique based on evolutionary-computation. The algorithm iteratively minimizes an error function (EF) which models the gain, offset and timing mismatches between the ADC channels. The system was implemented using off-the-shelf Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed calibration technique allows an SNDR improvement of 26dB for just 32 iterations of calibration.
Light Induced Degradation of Nitrocellulose Lacquer Thin Films for Conservation of Art Objects

To better understand light induced changes in polymeric coatings commonly used to protect metal artifacts, this work details the decomposition of thin (~100nm) nitrocellulose-based lacquer films on silver, copper, and gold. Samples were exposed to various wavelengths of light including, UVA (~340nm), UVB (312nm), and UVC (254nm), under controlled temperature and humidity. Decomposition was characterized using reflection absorption spectroscopy (RAS) and monitoring infrared absorbance bands. The loss of NO2 functional groups was observed and the decrease was fit to a simple two step autocatalytic model involving primary and secondary decomposition steps. The decomposition rate under UVC light exposure was rapid and similar for all substrates. Rate constants for the primary and secondary steps were similar in magnitude and only mildly dependent on temperature. For UVB light exposure, all reaction rates were much slower and secondary decomposition was much faster relative to the primary decomposition step. Decomposition under all conditions resulted in the formation of oxidized species with an infrared spectrum similar to that of carboxylic acids.
Do emotion regulation difficulties explain the association between executive functions and child physical abuse risk

This study examined the associations between executive functioning problems, emotion regulation difficulties, and risk for perpetrating child physical abuse (CPA). It was hypothesized that: (a) poor executive functions (i.e., working memory problems and inhibition/switching problems) would be associated with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties and CPA risk; (b) emotion regulation difficulties would be positively associated with CPA risk; and (c) emotion regulation difficulties would partially explain the association between executive functions (i.e., working memory problems and inhibition/switching problems) and CPA risk. To examine these predictions, a sample of 133 general population parents (31% fathers) completed self-report measures of CPA risk, emotion regulation difficulties, working memory problems, and a performance-based measure of inhibition/switching skills. Results revealed that executive functioning problems were linked with emotion regulation difficulties, which in turn were associated with CPA risk. Moreover, emotion regulation difficulties explained the relationship between executive functions (working memory, inhibition/switching) and CPA risk. The final model accounted for 41% of the variance in CPA risk. Although additional research is needed, the present findings suggest that enhancing parents' executive functioning and teaching them effective emotion regulation skills may be important targets for CPA prevention efforts.
Education and Human Resource Development in Ghana: The Need to Revisit Indigenous Forms

Developing human resource is a daunting task that requires strategic thinking and focused action on achieving the needed goal. In this paper, we discuss education and human resource development (HRD) in Ghana and the need to revisit indigenous forms in our developmental efforts. Interfacing the indigenous and traditional knowledge systems into western education is critical for Ghana’s HRD efforts. Numerous research findings have confirmed the vitality of indigenous knowledge, in research, learning, and HRD. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive strategy for HRD in Ghana. We followed a multidisciplinary integrated literature review approach and also reviewed relevant models and theories to present a broader view of the problems with HRD in Ghana and proposed a model for sustainable HRD. We hypothesized that interfacing the indigenous and traditional knowledge systems into western-styled education will enhance HRD in Ghana. We view the critical HRD (CHRD) approach as fundamental in this effort. We draw on the concept of Tempered Radical Approach to provide a framework for a CHRD and explore ways by which this view can contribute to developing human resources who possess the requisite tools and character to function effectively in the 21st century and beyond.
Extended rapidly exploring random tree–based dynamic path planning and replanning for mobile robots:

It is necessary for a mobile robot or even a multi-robot team to be able to efficiently plan a path from its starting or current location to a desired goal location. This is a trivial task when the environment is static. However, the operational environment of the robot is rarely static, and it often has many moving obstacles. The robot may encounter one, or many, of these unknown and unpredictable moving obstacles. The robot will need to decide how to proceed when one of these obstacles is obstructing its path. In this article, a new method of dynamic replanning is proposed to allow the robot to efficiently plan a path in such complex environments. Our proposed replanning method is based on an extended rapidly exploring random tree. The robot will modify its current plan when unknown random moving obstacles obstruct the path. We extend the proposed replanning method to multi-robot scenarios in which the ability to share path planning and search tree information is valuable. An efficient method of node sh...
Perspectives on Sovereignty in the Current Context: An American Viewpoint

This article: (1) notes current attention to – and questioning of – the concept of “national sovereignty”; (2) indicates some of the ways scholars have defined sovereignty, as well as some other current meanings; (3) discusses some of the recent developments and changes in our world and ways in which peoples and nations now deal with each other that may be stimulating this recent questioning of the concept of sovereignty; and (4) suggests some implications of these developments, both for the continued usefulness of the concept of sovereignty and for how we think about the structure and governance of international society.The article recognizes that, in our more globalized and transnational international order, nationality and borders may be becoming somewhat less relevant, power and authority more diffuse, and the processes of transnational regulation and governance more multi-layered and complex. It concludes, however, that the state and its attributes – many of which are commonly described by the term “sovereignty” – will still be with us for some time to come. The author also suggests that the concept of sovereignty deserves at least a few words in its defense. The idea that every participant in a political community is entitled to some measure of autonomy – a private space in which (s)he is free to seek to realize her or his potential destiny, is a cherished feature of all liberal and non-totalitarian societies. To the extent that the concept of sovereignty reflects a similar claim by a political community to the freedom to choose and develop its own identity and policies without undue interference from more powerful neighbors – at least so long as it is not causing harm to its own people and others, it deserves some respect and deference.
Network Management User Interfaces

The ideas and views expressed in this paper represent the author’s attempt to organize and condense the contents of a three hour panel discussion session held as part of the Network Management and Control Workshop. The members of the panel were John L. Crawford of Microtel Pacific Research, Sunil Podar of US West Advanced Technologies, and Peter Ting and Abhay Jain of AT&T Bell Laboratories, as well as the author. While the various participants each brought a unique perspective to the panel, this paper emphasizes those areas where there was some degree of consensus. If this attempt to identify commonly held views has resulted in differences being blurred that other panel members consider crucial, the author apologizes for failing to draw those distinctions.