cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching short-term psychological counselling to primary-care residents: a course description.

Abstract Although primary-care physicians are increasingly expected to provide short-term psychological counselling services, few programs exist to teach residents the necessary skills. The Department of Family Practice and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School has developed a 10-week course for this purpose. This program familiarizes residents with the structure and process of psychological counselling as it may be conducted in a physician's office. Initially, participants are given a schema for assessing the patient's current status and for planning intervention. Residents then review their own videotapes and practice skill building. Evaluation of the course has been highly favorable. In their unsolicited comments, participants prefer a problemoriented approach to a concept-oriented one. The findings from this course suggest the development of a two-stage program of counselling courses for undergraduate medical students and residents.
Saccadic dysmetria induced by transient functional decoration of the cerebellar vermis

Saccadic dysmetria is seen in patients with cerebellar diseases as well as in monkeys whose vermis and fastigial nucleus are experimentally lesioned. We investigated the oculomotor signs of the vermis by blocking cerebellar impulses with bicuculline injections into the fastigial nucleus. The oculomotor abnormalities associated with the bicuculline treatment (in effect, functional as well as reversible, unilateral decortication of the vermis) were hypometric saccades toward the injection side and gaze deviation toward the opposite side. These oculomotor signs disappeared with the withdrawal of the bicuculline effect.
Reduced reactive oxygen species-generating capacity contributes to the enhanced cell growth of arsenic-transformed epithelial cells.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the activation of protein kinases, DNA damage responses, and cell apoptosis. The details of how ROS regulate these intracellular biochemical and genetic processes remain to be fully understood. By establishing transformed bronchial epithelial cells through chronic low-dose arsenic treatment, we showed that the capacity of ROS generation induced by arsenic is substantially reduced in the transformed cells relative to the nontransformed cells. Such a reduction in ROS generation endows cells with premalignant features, including rapid growth, resistance to arsenic toxicity, and increased colony formation of the transformed cells. To validate these observations, the capability of ROS generation was restored in the transformed cells by treatment with inhibitors or siRNAs to silence the function of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase and cell growth was determined following these treatments. Enhancement in ROS generation suppressed cell growth and colony formation of the transformed cells significantly. Despite the fact that the transformed cells showed a decreased expression of NF-κB signaling proteins IKKβ and IKKγ, the proteolytic processing p105 and p100 and NF-κB DNA binding activity were elevated in these cells. Increasing ROS generation by silencing SOD and catalase reduced the DNA binding activity of NF-κB in the transformed cells. Taken together, the transformed cells induced by arsenic exhibited a decrease in ROS generation, which is responsible for the enhanced cell growth and colony formation of the transformed cells, most likely through a sustained alternative activation of the NF-κB transcription factor.
Grain boundary energies and cohesive strength as a function of geometry

Cohesive laws are stress-strain curves used in finite element calculations to describe the debonding of interfaces such as grain boundaries. It would be convenient to describe grain boundary cohesive laws as a function of the parameters needed to describe the grain boundary geometry; two parameters in two dimensions and five parameters in three dimensions. However, we find that the cohesive law is not a smooth function of these parameters. In fact, it is discontinuous at geometries for which the two grains have repeat distances that are rational with respect to one another. Using atomistic simulations, we extract grain boundary energies and cohesive laws of grain boundary fracture in two dimensions with a Lennard-Jones potential for all possible geometries which can be simulated within periodic boundary conditions with a maximum box size. We introduce a model where grain boundaries are represented as high symmetry boundaries decorated by extra dislocations. Using it, we develop a functional form for the symmetric grain boundary energies, which have cusps at all high symmetry angles. We also find the asymptotic form of the fracture toughness near the discontinuities at high symmetry grain boundaries using our dislocation decoration model.
Binding of two potential imaging agents targeting amyloid plaques in postmortem brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

In vivo imaging of amyloid plaques may be useful for evaluation and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Towards that end, we have developed 6-iodo-2-(4′-dimethylamino-)phenyl-imidazo[1,2]pyridine (IMPY), and 4-N-methylamino-4′-hydroxystilbene (SB-13) as ligands for specifically targeting amyloid plaques. These ligands can be readily radiolabeled with I-123 or C-11, for in vivo imaging using single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET), respectively. However, in order to be useful in vivo, probes must show selective high affinity binding to a sufficiently abundant binding site on amyloid plaques. Therefore, as a prelude to in vivo imaging studies, we evaluated the binding properties of these two potential imaging agents to amyloid plaques present in human brain tissues. In vitro binding studies were carried out with [125I]IMPY and [3H]SB-13 in homogenates prepared from postmortem samples of affected cortex and cerebellum of pathologically confirmed AD patients and age-matched controls. Binding parameters such as Kd and Bmax were estimated. Competition study was designed to evaluate the amyloid plaque binding specificity using human brain tissues. Plaque binding was confirmed by thioflavin-S staining. Specific [125I]IMPY or [3H]SB-13 binding can be clearly measured in the cortical gray matter, but not in the white matter of AD cases. There was a very low specific binding in cortical tissue homogenates of control brains. Cerebellar homogenates prepared from either AD or control brains did not show any specific [125I]IMPY or [3H]SB-13 binding. The Kd values of AD cortical homogenates were 5.3±1.0 and 2.4±0.2 nM for [125I]IMPY and [3H]SB-13, respectively. High binding capacity and comparable values were observed for both ligands (14–45 pmol/mg protein). The location and density of specific signal detected by [125I]IMPY or [3H]SB-13 correlated with the distribution of amyloid plaques in these brain specimens, as confirmed by thioflavin-S staining. Competition profiles of known ligands suggest that the binding is highly selective and comparable to that reported by using preformed Aβ peptide aggregates. [125I]IMPY and [3H]SB-13 show an abundant binding capacity with high binding affinities for amyloid plaques in affected cortical regions of AD brains. These properties suggest that when labeled with I-123 or C-11, these two ligands may be useful to quantitate amyloid plaque burdens in the living AD patients.
Emergency department visits for alcohol-related unintentional traumatic injuries, United States, 2001.

The single greatest contributor to alcohol-related mortality in the United States is unintentional injury, accounting for approximately 26,000 deaths per year and placing a substantial burden on emergency departments (EDs). This study analyzes 2001 data from a nationally representative sample of hospital EDs to examine characteristics of ED visits for alcohol-related unintentional traumatic injuries and compared them with visits for unintentional traumatic injuries for which alcohol use was not noted in the ED medical chart. This study presents the first estimate of annual ED visits for alcohol-related traumatic injuries due only to unintentional causes; previous estimates have included injuries from all causes. The results indicate that in 2001 an estimated 314,304 patients were treated in EDs for alcohol-related unintentional traumatic injuries (ARVs). Compared with visits for unintentional traumatic injuries for which alcohol use was not noted in the ED medical chart, ARVs were more likely to involve injuries that require extensive health care services such as falls, motor-vehicle injuries, internal injuries, and brain injuries. The more serious nature of ARVs was also demonstrated by a four-fold higher hospitalization rate compared with non-ARVs.
What Remains of Communism Now

Some claim Marx was proved wrong by the collapse of the USSR but there is reason to think Marxism is more powerful than this view assumes. For example, the USSR never satisfied Marx′s view that socialism must be built on capitalism. Arguably, Marx is being borne out by some Western developments – e.g. the erosion of the principle of private property, socialization of land and even labour, etc. Still, a better way to understand these matters would seem to be the bourgeois position of individualism, whereby individual human beings can make first choices and influence the direction of events, slowly but surely. The result of such an understanding is just the mixed‐up world of human life we witness.
The Impact of Partner Alcohol Problems on Women's Physical and Mental Health

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between partner alcohol problems and selected physical and mental health outcomes among married or cohabiting women, before and after adjusting for potential confounders, and to compare these associations with those reflecting the impact of the women's own alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). Method: This analysis is based on data from the Wave 1 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a cross-sectional, retrospective survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 18 years of age and older. The analytic sample consisted of 11,683 married or cohabiting women. Classification of their own AUDs was based on self-report of symptoms operationalizing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Current partner alcohol problems were identified by the women after an explanation that recapitulated the essence of these c...
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-17 Synergistically Promote Viral Persistence by Inhibiting Cellular Apoptosis and Cytotoxic T Cell Function

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an important role in the development and progression of inflammatory responses, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Many viral infections, including Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), result in the vigorous production of IL-6. However, the role of IL-6 in the development of virus-induced inflammatory responses is unclear. The infection of susceptible mice with TMEV induces the development of chronic demyelinating disease, which is considered a relevant infectious model for multiple sclerosis. In this study, we demonstrate that resistant C57BL/6 mice carrying an IL-6 transgene (IL-6 Tg) develop a TMEV-induced demyelinating disease accompanied by an increase in viral persistence and an elevated Th17 cell response in the central nervous system. Either IL-6 or IL-17 induced the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL at a high concentration. The upregulated expression of prosurvival molecules in turn inhibited target cell destruction by virus-specific CD8+ T cells. More interestingly, IL-6 and IL-17 synergistically promoted the expression of these prosurvival molecules, preventing cellular apoptosis at a much lower (<5-fold) concentration. The signals involved in the synergy appear to include the activation of both STAT3 and NF-κB via distinct cytokine-dependent pathways. Thus, the excessive IL-6 promotes the generation of Th17 cells, and the resulting IL-6 and IL-17 synergistically promote viral persistence by protecting virus-infected cells from apoptosis and CD8+ T cell-mediated target destruction. These results suggest that blocking both IL-6 and IL-17 functions are important considerations for therapies of chronic viral diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. IMPORTANCE This study indicates that an excessive level of IL-6 cytokine produced following viral infection promotes the development of IL-17-producing pathogenic helper T cells. We demonstrate here for the first time that IL-6 together with IL-17 synergistically enhances the expression of survival molecules to hinder critical host defense mechanisms removing virus-infected cells. This finding has an important implication in controlling not only chronic viral infections but also autoimmune diseases and cancers, which are associated with prolonged cell survival.
The Epistemological Status of Computer-Assisted Proofs†

Several high-profile mathematical problems have been solved in recent decades by computer-assisted proofs. Some philosophers have argued that such proofs are a posteriori on the grounds that some such proofs are unsurveyable; that our warrant for accepting these proofs involves empirical claims about the reliability of computers; that there might be errors in the computer or program executing the proof; and that appeal to computer introduces into a proof an experimental element. I argue that none of these arguments withstands scrutiny, and so there is no reason to believe that computer-assisted proofs are not a priori.
Placental diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide in unanesthetized guinea pigs

Abstract In unanesthetized pregnant guinea pigs 5–7 ml of maternal blood which had been equilibrated with carbon monoxide (CO) was reinfused into the sow's carotid artery. Three serial blood samples were withdrawn from the sow and a single terminal fetal sample obtained for determination of CO content and hemoglobin concentration. Transplacental CO uptake (VCO) was determined as the product of fetal blood CO content and fetal CO space (11.8% of fetal weight). Placental diffusing capacity (DpCO) was calculated by dividing VCO by the mean partial pressure difference between maternal and fetal blood. D p CO (ml·min−1/torr) increased significantly with gestational age: 45–50 days = 0.0413, 51–57 days = 0.1092 and 58–68 days = 0.1858. This increase paralleled fetal weight but was not related to placental weight.
Methylation of mitochondrial RNA species in the wild-type and poky strains of Neurospora crassa

Abstract Methylation of mitochondrial RNAs in the me-3 and poky f+ me-3 strains of Neurospora crassa has been re-examined using procedures based on steadystate labeling with [methyl-3H]methionine and taking the precaution of adding sodium formate to suppress randomization of the methyl-3H label. Under these conditions, the values measured for the mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs are 0·05 to 0·16 methyl group per 100 nucleotides, much lower than had been reported previously and, in addition, there is no longer a significant difference between the me-3 and poky f+ me-3 strains (contrast Kuriyama & Luck, 1974). Control experiments rule out the possibility that the much lower values result from grossly inefficient labeling of intra-mitochondrial methyl groups.
Assessment of center for the advancement of pharmaceutical education (CAPE) outcomes in a capstone course of an accelerated pharmacy program

Abstract Objective Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education endorses assessment of achievement of learning outcomes in pharmacy programs. This is a process that is aided by requiring that course outcomes align with student learning outcomes (SLOs). We sought to assess student achievement of multiple outcomes that have been linked to a senior capstone course. Materials and Methods SLOs were applied to a capstone course that requires a professional poster presentation. Faculty assessment of SLOs achievement and students' self-assessment were completed using specific evaluation tools. Successful achievement was defined as an overall score of ≥70%. Results There were 158 students assessed by faculty; 92 students completed self-evaluations. Faculty assessment found that students completed 85% of the course evaluation items (70% expected, p ≤ 0.001), with student self-assessment consistent with faculty assessment. Conclusions The assessment methods in this course provided insight into how well our pharmacy curriculum prepares students for performance of tasks that are essential attributes for a graduating pharmacist.
A Data Mining Algorithm for Monitoring PCB Assembly Quality

A pattern clustering algorithm is proposed in this paper as a statistical quality control technique for diagnosing the solder paste variability when a huge number of binary inspection outputs are involved. To accommodate this goal, a latent variable model is first introduced and incorporated into classical logistic regression model so that the interdependencies between measured physical characteristics and their relationship to the final solder defects can be explained. This probabilistic model also allows a maximum-likelihood principal component analysis (MLPCA) method to recognize the dimension of systematic causes contributing to solder paste variability. The correlated measurement variables are then projected onto the reduced latent space, followed by an appropriate clustering approach over the inspected solder pastes for variation interpretation and quality diagnosing. An application to a real stencil printing process demonstrates that this method facilitates in identifying the root causes of solder paste defects and thereby improving PCB assembly yield.
Human annulus cells regulate PAPP-A and IGFBP-4 expression, and thereby insulin-like growth factor bioavailability, in response to proinflammatory cytokine exposure in vitro

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a metalloproteinase which cleaves IGF binding protein (BP)-4 in the extracellular matrix, making IGF available to nearby cells. We have shown that PAPP-A is present in the human intervertebral disc, and is significantly upregulated in more degenerated discs where increased proinflammatory cytokine levels are present. We hypothesized that increased proinflammatory cytokines present in the degenerating disc might be related to PAPP-A expression. Experiments exposed human annulus cells to IL-1-β or TNF-α to test this hypothesis. Treated cells showed significantly increased PAPP-A in conditioned media versus controls (p < 0.001). PAPP-A production following exposure to IL-1β was significantly greater in cells derived from more degenerated versus healthier discs (p = 0.05). PAPP-A gene expression (microarray analysis) was significantly upregulated in IL-1β- or TNF-α-exposed cells (p = 0.01-0.004). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed significant upregulation of IGFBP-4 in IL-1β- or TNF-α-exposed cells. Data have potential relevance to future cell-based biologic therapies for disc degeneration.
Wavelet-Based Pavement Distress Image Edge Detection with À Trous Algorithm

Edge detection is an alternative method in the process for identifying and classifying pavement cracks for automated pavement evaluation systems. A number of edge detectors are widely used in image processing; most specify only a spatial scale for detecting edges. However, pavement surface images frequently have various details at different scales. Therefore, wavelet-based multiscale technique can be a candidate to extract edge information from pavement surface images. Instead of detecting edges in the space domain, wavelet analysis has the ability to describe both domains in time and in frequency. It was first applied in image edge detection in 1992, using the local maximum of the magnitude of the gradient to obtain edge representation. Nevertheless, this subsampling algorithm leads to a loss of translation variance and may produce many artifacts. In this paper, wavelet edge detection based on a trous algorithm (holes algorithm) is used in pavement distress segmentation. This algorithm is an undecimated ...
On aberrations and field errors

Abstract The stability of the objective of a long-focus refracting telescope is examined. The coarse-wire objective grating method is applied to the determination of the coma-magnitude scale distortion and magnitude errors. Both of these field errors vary between wide limits and can lead to sizeable positional errors. Grating and direct photographs show a reduction in lens-aberrations with aperture-reducing diaphragms, which is accompanied by a scale-change and modest increase in accuracy at the smaller apertures. Hartmann tests show that the lens requires from 5 to 8 hours to adjust to initial temperature changes at the beginning of a night. The Hartmann method is also applied to the investigation of the variability of spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism. There are some indications of flexure effects also.
Examples of Scientific Problems and Data Analyses in Demography, Neurophysiology, and Seismology

Abstract Examples of scientific problems and data analyses are presented for the fields of demography, neurophysiology, and seismology. The examples are connected by the involvement of space or time. The demographic problem is to display quantities derived from spatially aggregated data and associated measures of uncertainty. The neurophysiological problem is to infer the presence of complex pathways among groups of neurons given sequences of firing times. There are two seismological problems: (1) to determine isoseismals of recorded intensities following the Loma Prieta earthquake and (2) to relate intensity and acceleration values measured at distinct locations. The statistical analyses are connected to each other by the application of smoothing in some form and by the provision of consequent graphical displays.
Paradoxical Loss of Excitation with High Intensity Pulses during Electric Field Stimulation of Single Cardiac Cells

Transmembrane potential responses of single cardiac cells stimulated at rest were studied with uniform rectangular field pulses having durations of 0.5-10 ms. Cells were enzymatically isolated from guinea pig ventricles, stained with voltage sensitive dye di-8-ANEPPS, and stimulated along their long axes. Fluorescence signals were recorded with spatial resolution of 17 microm for up to 11 sites along the cell. With 5 and 10 ms pulses, all cells (n = 10) fired an action potential over a broad range of field amplitudes (approximately 3-65 V/cm). With 0.5 and 1 ms pulses, all cells (n = 7) fired an action potential for field amplitudes ranging from the threshold value (approximately 4-8 V/cm) to 50-60 V/cm. However, when the field amplitude was further increased, five of seven cells failed to fire an action potential. We postulated that this paradoxical loss of excitation for higher amplitude field pulses is the result of nonuniform polarization of the cell membrane under conditions of electric field stimulation, and a counterbalancing interplay between sodium current and inwardly rectifying potassium current with increasing field strength. This hypothesis was verified using computer simulations of a field-stimulated guinea pig ventricular cell. In conclusion, we show that for stimulation with short-duration pulses, cells can be excited for fields ranging between a low amplitude excitation threshold and a high amplitude threshold above which the excitation is suppressed. These results can have implications for the mechanistic understanding of defibrillation outcome, especially in the setting of diseased myocardium.
Differentiation of solutions of lidstone boundary value problems with respect to the boundary data

Solutions of the 2m^t^h-order nonlinear differential equation u^(^2^m^) = f (x, u, u', ..., u^(^2^m^-^1^)) satisfying Lidstone boundary conditions are differentiated with respect to both boundary points and boundary values. The resulting functions are then shown to be solutions of the corresponding variational equation satisfying specific boundary conditions.
Do Women’s Land Rights Promote Empowerment and Child Health in Nepal?

Women’s land rights are increasingly put forth as a means to promote development by empowering women, increasing productivity, and improving welfare. However, little empirical research has evaluated these claims. This paper uses the 2001 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey to explore whether women’s land rights empower women and benefit young children’s health in Nepal. The results provide support for both of these hypotheses. Women who own land are significantly more likely to have the final say in household decisions, a measure of empowerment. Similarly, children of mothers who own land are significantly less likely to be severely underweight.
Approximate lattice thermal conductivity of MAX phases at high temperature

Abstract The temperature dependent lattice thermal conductivity (κph) of MAX phases, Mn+1AXn are calculated using the Debye theory as outlined by Slack. At high temperature the formula derived by Slack is a reasonable approximation to estimate the lattice thermal conductivity. The calculation used the large data base of elastic coefficients of stable MAX phases established recently. It is found that MAX phases with “A” = Al have higher κph at 1300 K, and the majority of MAX carbides have higher κph than MAX nitrides. We have also calculated the minimum thermal conductivities of these MAX phases using the empirical formula suggested by Clarke. It is shown that the minimal lattice thermal conductivities of MAX carbides and nitrides are closer to each other in the 211 phases than in higher n phases. The calculated κph for 8 MAX phases at 1300 K are in reasonable agreement with experimental data, especially in Ti2AlC, Nb4AlC3, Ta4AlC3, Nb2AlC and Nb2SnC phases.
The effects of photosensitizing antibiotics and ultraviolet irradiation on the biosynthesis of prostaglandins.

SUMMARY Oxygenation of arachidonic acid in vitro by calf skin microsomal acetone powder was enhanced by UV-irradiation at wavelengths of 254 and 360 nm. Further enhancement of the oxygenation reaction was observed in the presence of two photosensitizing cyclic antibiotics, tetracycline and demethylchlortetracy cline. To test whether or not the oxygenation of arachidonic acid was related to the biosynthesis of prostaglandins, [I-14C]-arachidonic acid was incubated with calf skin acetone powder in the presence of UV-irradiation and the cyclic antibiotics. Prostaglandin biosynthesis from arachidonic acid by the calf skin microsomal acetone powder was enhanced after exposure to UV-irradiation at 254 nm and moderately at 360 nm. Incubation in the presence of demethylchlortetracycline (0.2 mM) increased prostaglandin biosynthesis approximately 95% over control by UV-irradiation at 254 nm. No significant stimulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis was observed at 360 nm. Non-photosensitizing antibiotics had no effect either on the oxygenation of arachidonic acid or on the biosynthesis of prostaglandin with or without UV-irradiation. Since a previous report from our laboratory had demonstrated that other photosensitizers also stimulate prostaglandin biosynthesis in vitro after exposure to UV-irradiation and since these photosensitizing cyclic antibiotics have been associated with cutaneous inflammatory reactions such as erythema, it is reasonable to suggest from these data that the inflammatory reactions associated with these photoreactive antibiotics may in part, be via the biosynthesis and release of the prostaglandins which are known to produce cutaneous inflammatory reactions.
Minimum energy deorbit.

For a deorbiting satellite, it is often of interest to know the minimum retrovelocity required to achieve a specified path angle at initial atmospheric entry, or conversely, the maximum entry path angle obtainable with the given retrovelocity. This type of maneuver is termed the minimum energy deorbit, and its characteristics have been denned by previous investigators for circular orbits. Here, an exact expression is derived for solution of the minimum energy deorbit problem which is general for any conic. The principal equation obtained is rather cumbersome because of its form and the large number of variables involved, but it is quite suitable for case by case application. Typical results are obtained for an elliptical orbit of low eccentricity which indicate surprisingly large variations of the retrovelocity alignment and magnitude with respect to the entry point true anomaly.
Size effects of switching fields of thin Permalloy particles

Measurements of hysteresis loops were performed on thin Permalloy rectangular platelets with various dimensions prepared by nanolithography. The particle coercivity H/sub c/ exhibits a sensitive size dependence. The measured values of H/sub c/ are compared with micromagnetic predictions utilizing two-dimensional models without magnetization variation through the thickness. Excellent overall agreement is found, indicating that a simplified two-dimensional approach is sufficient for characterizing reversal mechanisms for particles with thicknesses smaller than or comparable to the exchange length. >
Diagnostic Breast Ultrasound: Current Status and Future Directions

This summary of breast ultrasound reviews the current indications for its use, discusses the potential technical and human pitfalls in its performance, and briefly examines possible future applications that currently are works in progress. It also contains an in-depth discussion of the use and interpretation of color Doppler and power Doppler imaging, techniques that do not seem to be understood or used fully in daily practice.
NADPH Oxidase as a Therapeutic Target for Oxalate Induced Injury in Kidneys

A major role of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase family of enzymes is to catalyze the production of superoxides and other reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS, in turn, play a key role as messengers in cell signal transduction and cell cycling, but when they are produced in excess they can lead to oxidative stress (OS). Oxidative stress in the kidneys is now considered a major cause of renal injury and inflammation, giving rise to a variety of pathological disorders. In this review, we discuss the putative role of oxalate in producing oxidative stress via the production of reactive oxygen species by isoforms of NADPH oxidases expressed in different cellular locations of the kidneys. Most renal cells produce ROS, and recent data indicate a direct correlation between upregulated gene expressions of NADPH oxidase, ROS, and inflammation. Renal tissue expression of multiple NADPH oxidase isoforms most likely will impact the future use of different antioxidants and NADPH oxidase inhibitors to minimize OS and renal tissue injury in hyperoxaluria-induced kidney stone disease.
Flexible fault tolerance in configurable middleware for embedded systems

MicroQoSCORBA (MQC) is a middleware platform that focuses on embedded applications by providing a very fine level of configurability of its internal orthogonal components. Using this configurability, a developer can generate a customized middleware instantiation that is tailored to both the requirements and constraints of a specific embedded application and the embedded hardware. One of the key components provided by MQC is a set of fault-tolerant mechanisms, which allow for support of applications that require a higher level of reliability. This document provides a detailed description of the algorithms and protocols selected for these mechanisms, along with a discussion of their implementation and incorporation into the MQC platform.
System Identification Based on a Generalized ADALINE Neural Network

System identification of linear time-varying systems consists of estimation of system parameters which change with time. In this paper, we present an online identification method for such systems based on a generalized ADAptive LINear Element (ADALINE) neural network. It is well known ADALINE is slow in convergence which is not appropriate for online application and identification of time varying system. Two techniques are proposed to speed up convergence of learning, thus increase the capability of tracking time varying system parameters. One idea is to introduce a momentum term to the weight adjustment during convergence period. The other technique is to train the generalized ADALINE network multiple epochs with data from a sliding window of the system's input output data. Simulation results show that the proposed method provides a much faster convergence speed and better tracking of time varying parameters. The low computational complexity makes this method suitable for online system identification and real time adaptive control applications.
Estimating the economic burden of food-induced allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in the United States.

Background Food allergy is reported to affect 4% to 6% of children and 1% to 2% of adults in the United States. Every year, allergic reactions result in visits to physicians, emergency departments, and hospitals. However, the economic burden of food-induced allergic reactions is unknown. Objective We sought to estimate the direct medical costs and indirect costs of food-induced allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in the United States. Methods Costs were estimated with a bottom-up approach from a societal perspective: the average cost of illness per patient was calculated and multiplied by reported prevalence estimates. Patients with an inpatient admission, emergency department admission, office-based physician visit, or outpatient visit for a food-induced allergic reaction were identified from a list of federally administered 2006 and 2007 databases by using International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, codes. Indirect costs were quantified by estimating lost productivity in terms of lost earnings caused by absenteeism and mortality of patients or caregivers. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to measure the robustness of the estimates. Results For 2007, direct medical costs were $225 million, and indirect costs were $115 million. Office visits accounted for 52.5% of costs, and the remainder was split between emergency visits (20%), inpatient hospitalizations (11.8%), outpatient visits (3.9%), ambulance runs (3%), and epinephrine devices (8.7%). Simulations from probabilistic sensitivity analyses suggested mean direct medical costs were $307 million and indirect costs were $203 million. Conclusions The economic burden of allergic reactions caused by food and anaphylaxis was an estimated half a billion dollars in 2007. Ambulatory visits accounted for more than half of the costs.
Sensitivity of the Pakistan Economy to Changes in Import Prices and Profits, Taxes or Subsidies

A revised 1 and condensed Pakistan input–output (I–O) model is used to trace and quantify the inflationary impacts of changes in ‘primary’ input prices on the domestic processing sectors of the Pakistan economy. The I–O model 2 is applied to estimate impacts of changes of primary input prices on a Laspeyres price index of input costs to domestic Pakistan industry. Cost push in ‘primary’input prices can include: new or increased tax rates, changes in the terms of trade and prices on imported goods, duties which raise import costs, or increases in the mark-up or profit rate in various industries.
Moths of the Neotropical genera Ischnopteris, Stegotheca and Rucana (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)

Abstract Three closely related Neotropical genera of ennomine moths of the tribe Nacophorini are revised: Ischnopteris, Stegotheca and Rucana. These genera are all redefined, and the concepts of Stegotheca and Rucana are extended; the previously monobasic Stegotheca is markedly expanded by the inclusion of two other genera as junior synonyms: Salasaca and Canelo. In Ischnopteris 37 species are recognized, 17 of which are newly described; six species, including one newly described, are recognized in Stegotheca, and nine species, including two newly described, are recognized in Rucana. All species of these genera are described fully, and several new synonyms and other taxonomic changes are published. A vital aspect of the work is to serve as an identification guide. To this end keys to the species are provided as are illustrations of all species: the moths are illustrated in colour; genitalia and other structures are in half‐tone. Information on the larvae and hostplants is given for several species of Isch...
A hermetic glass-silicon package formed using localized aluminum/silicon-glass bonding

A hermetic package based on localized aluminum/silicon-to-glass bonding has been successfully demonstrated. Less than 0.2 MPa contact pressure with 46 mA current input for two parallel 3.5-/spl mu/m-wide polysilicon on-chip microheaters can raise the temperature of the bonding region to 700/spl deg/C bonding temperature and achieve a strong and reliable bond in 7.5 min. The formation of aluminum oxide with silicon precipitate composite layer is believed to be the source of the strong bond. Accelerated testing in an autoclave shows some packages survive more than 450 h under 3 atm, 100% RH and 128/spl deg/C. Premature failure has been attributed to some unbonded regions on the failed samples. The bonding yield and reliability have been improved by increasing bonding time and applied pressure.
Localization of faults in software programs using Bernoulli divergences

Software testing and debugging play a vital role in developing reliable software. A crucial part of debugging is fault localization — the process of identifying the locations of bugs, i.e., lines of code that are faulty due to a human error. For real systems, fault localization can be costly, requiring much human time and effort. To address this code, researchers have proposed a number of useful techniques for fault localization. However, effective and accurate fault localization remains an elusive goal at present. This paper presents a novel approach, which is based on Bernoulli divergences — a family of divergences that use Bernoulli random variables — to automate fault localization. Thus, our approach takes concepts from information theory and machine learning and applies them to software engineering. Initial experimental results a suite of programs show this approach for fault localization holds promise.
Frequency of Serological Evidence of Bordetella Infections and Mixed Infections with other Respiratory Pathogens in University Students with Cough Illnesses

Banked acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples from a previous study of respiratory illness in university students were examined for significant (>/=2-fold) increases in ELISA titers of IgA and IgG antibody to Bordetella pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin, and fimbriae-2 and >/=4-fold titer increases to agglutinogens by agglutination. ELISA titers of antibody to pertussis toxin could not be determined because of technical problems. Chlamydia pneumoniae infections were diagnosed by culture or by a >/=4-fold increase in immunofluorescence assay titer or a single high titer (>/=512). Mycoplasma pneumoniae, influenza A and B, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus infections were diagnosed by >/=4-fold increases in complement fixation titer or a single high titer (>/=64). There were 319 subjects with cough of >/=5 days' duration, and of these, 47 (15%) had significant increases in antibody to B. pertussis antigens; 26 (8%) had significant increases to fimbriae-2 or agglutinogens, indicative of B. pertussis infection, and 2 (1%) had evidence of non-B. pertussis bordetella infections. Seventeen (36%) had evidence of mixed infections or cross-reacting antibodies (influenza B infections, 5; adenovirus infections, 4; influenza A infections, 3; C. pneumoniae infections, 3; and M. pneumoniae infections, 2). Our findings suggest that bordetella infections are common in young adults with cough illnesses (incidence, 9%), and a surprising number of these are mixed infections with other respiratory pathogens.
Heparanases Produce Distinct Populations of Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

Once internalized, cell-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans are degraded to short glycosaminoglycans by the action of endoglycosidases or heparanases. We have begun to address the question of how many heparanases are responsible for this process by analyzing short heparan sulfate chains produced in vivo by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell heparanases. Short heparan sulfate chains were purified from CHO cells and labeled at the reducing end with [3H]NaBH4. Hydrolysis of the chains to monosaccharides and analysis of the 3H-sugar alcohols indicate that heparanase activities in CHO cells are endo-beta-glucuronidases. The modification state of the heparanase-derived glycosaminoglycans was examined by treating the [3H]heparan sulfate chains with nitrous acid or bacterial heparin lyases, which cut the chain at specific sequences, and analyzing the products by P2 gel filtration chromatography. Two populations of short chains were identified that differ in the extent of modification on the nonreducing side of the heparanase cleavage site. One class of chains is unmodified for at least 9 residues from the reducing end, while the other group has a modified domain within 3-7 residues from the heparanase cleavage site. Our results suggest a model of heparanase action where the enzymes recognize differences in sulfate content between modified and unmodified regions and bind to sites that encompass both domains. The enzymes then cleave the glycosaminoglycan at junctions between the modified and unmodified sequences to produce the different populations of short heparan sulfate chains.
A POLÍTICA DE PESQUISA E A MEDIOCRIDADE POSSÍVEL

A politica de pesquisa implementada nas ultimas decadas, especialmente seu vinculo entre pesquisa e pos-graduacao, deveria, segundo o autor, ser olhada com prudencia. Sobretudo quando se consideram seus objetivos de contribuicao ao desenvolvimento e de retornos em termos de produtos e processos tecnologicos. O autor, sem desconhecer os avancos alcancados em termos de formacao de uma comunidade cientifica nacional, considera que a forma de avaliacao, implementada pela Capes, embora carregada de seriedade, pode nao ser convergente e, mais ainda, provocar efeitos de mediocrizacao ou medianizacao na dinâmica e nos produtos dos programas de pesquisa. A aparente seriedade da avaliacao pode ser vista, desde a prudencia que considera os efeitos nao desejados, como um produto da desconfianca que age de forma nao convergente e formalizadora das atividades, atuando contra a criatividade e a inovacao.
Application of immunoassay in the food industry

Immunoassay techniques using the highly specific and sensitive nature of immunological reactions have been developed and applied in the food industry for detecting the naturally occurring constituents, antibiotics, pesticide residues, microorganisms, and fragments of microbial constituents related to food analysis, food production, food processing, and food safety. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are employed for the development of the various immunoassay systems, including enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Immunoassay techniques provide complementary and/or alternate approaches in reducing the use of costly, sophisticated equipment and analysis time, but still maintaining reliability and improved sensitivity. Immunoassay techniques in their most simple forms provide excellent screening tools to detect adulteration and contaminations qualitatively. The application of immunoassay techniques contributes tremendously to the quality control and safety of our food supply.
The Early Childhood Project: A 5-Year Longitudinal Investigation of Children’s Literacy Development in Sociocultural Context

The Early Childhood Project examined the intimate culture of young children’s homes, defined by a confluence of parental beliefs, recurrent activities, and interactive processes, and the relation between that intimate culture and the children’s literacy development. The children in the 5-year longitudinal study came from low- and middle-income families of European-American and African-American heritage. Families joined the project when the children were in prekindergarten or kindergarten. Results showed the importance of parental beliefs and children’s home experiences to children’s literacy development. Although low and middle income children had somewhat different home literacy experiences, the intimate culture of the home was a more powerful predictor of literacy development than demographic factors such as family income and ethnicity. Children coming from an intimate culture that emphasized an entertainment approach, one that focuses on making interactions enjoyable and engaging for young children, were more likely to be involved in affectively positive reading interactions with their caregivers, to engage in frequent interactions with age-appropriate text, and, consequently to benefit in the development of literacy competencies.
Roles of Soft Computing and Fuzzy Logic in the Conception, Design and Deployment of Information/Intelligent Systems

The essence of soft computing is that, unlike the traditional, hard computing, it is aimed at an accommodation with the pervasive imprecision of the real world. Thus, the guiding principle of soft computing is: ‘….exploit the tolerance for imprecision, uncertainty and partial truth to achieve tractability, robustness, low solution cost and better rapport with reality.’ In the final analysis, the role model for soft computing is the human mind.
Optimization-based additive decomposition of weakly coercive problems with applications

We present an abstract mathematical framework for an optimization-based additive decomposition of a large class of variational problems into a collection of concurrent subproblems. The framework replaces a given monolithic problem by an equivalent constrained optimization formulation in which the subproblems define the optimization constraints and the objective is to minimize the mismatch between their solutions. The significance of this reformulation stems from the fact that one can solve the resulting optimality system by an iterative process involving only solutions of the subproblems. Consequently, assuming that stable numerical methods and efficient solvers are available for every subproblem, our reformulation leads to robust and efficient numerical algorithms for a given monolithic problem by breaking it into subproblems that can be handled more easily. An application of the framework to the Oseen equations illustrates its potential.
Reusable Security for Segmented Data Domains

For firms providing software development outsourcing services, the practice of software reuse can reduce overhead and increase margins. At the current time, an alarming number of enterprise software development projects are over budget, delivered late, or both. As software development organizations mature, so too should their ability to deliver increasingly complex software solutions on time and on budget. One strategy for achieving this is to identify opportunities for software reuse. In traditional manufacturing nomenclature, this process would be expressed as 'manufacturing efficiency' or 'economy of scale'. This paper explores one way in which open source Java 2 Enterprise Edition Security Realms can be used to facilitate code reuse - and thus manufacturing efficiency - into the enterprise software manufacturing process. Subsequently, enterprise software development firms who employ this methodology should expect to deliver software with greater efficiency and predictability at a lower cost.
Interlaminar Stresses Analysis in Symmetric Composite Laminates under Bending

An improved quasi-three-dimensional finite element procedure is developed to investigate the free edge effects in symmetric composite laminates of finite width under bending. The results for a angle-ply (±45)s laminate and symmetric cross-ply laminates are presented. Emphasis is placed on assessing the behavior of stresses in regions close to ply-interfaces and the exposed free edge. The results presented will help better understand the failure mode and failure process of composite laminates under combined loading.