cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of pregnancy, mode of administration and neonatal age on the pharmacokinetics of zalcitabine (2', 3'-dideoxycytidine) in the pigtailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina).

Our objective was to determine the effect of pregnancy, mode of administration and neonatal age on the pharmacokinetics of the anti-HIV drug zalcitabine (2 ,3 -dideoxycytidine; ddC) in the pigtailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina). Zalcitabine was administered as an iv bolus dose to pregnant dams (n = 3) at term and at 6 weeks post-partum. No significant differences were found between the pre- and post-partum systemic plasma clearance, steady-state volume of distribution or terminal plasma half-life of zalcitabine, indicating that pregnancy does not affect the pharmacokinetics of the drug in the macaque. The observed maternal plasma, fetal plasma and amniotic fluid concentration‐time profiles were compared with profiles that were simulated using pharmacokinetic parameter estimates obtained in an earlier constant iv infusion study in pregnant macaques. The fetal:maternal ratio of the area under the simulated zalcitabine plasma concentration‐time profile after an iv bolus dose (0.58) was close to the earlier observed fetal:maternal steady-state plasma concentration ratio after iv infusion of the drug (0.58 ± 0.05). The excellent agreement between observed and simulated fetal:maternal ratio of zalcitabine demonstrates that the steady-state infusion experimental design can be used to estimate the drug exposure to the fetus after a single dose. To determine the influence of age on the pharmacokinetics of zalcitabine, the drug was administered as a single iv bolus dose to four infant macaques serially at the ages of 1‐2 weeks, 1 month and 4 months. The systemic plasma clearance of zalcitabine was significantly smaller and the terminal plasma half-life significantly longer at age 1‐2 weeks than at 1 and 4 months of age. If replicated in humans, these substantial age-dependent changes in the pharmacokinetics of zalcitabine would warrant smaller and less frequent dosing with zalcitabine in HIV-infected neonates than in older children and adults.
Atomistic Study of Crack Propagation and Dislocation Emission in Cu-Ni Multilayers

We present atomistic simulations of the crack tip configuration in multilayered Cu-Ni materials. The simulations were carried out using molecular statics and EAM potentials. The atomistic structure of the interface was studied first for a totally coherent structure. Cracks were simulated near a Griffith condition in different possible configurations of the crack plane and front with respect to the axis of the layers. Results show that interface effects predominately control the mechanical behavior of the system studied.
Improving program slicing with dynamic points-to data

Program slicing is a potentially useful analysis for aiding program understanding. However, slices of even small programs are often too large to be generally useful. Imprecise pointer analyses have been suggested as one cause of this problem. In this paper, we use dynamic points-to data, which represents optimal or optimistic pointer information, to obtain a bound on the best case slice size improvement that can be achieved with improved pointer precision. Our experiments show that slice size can be reduced significantly for programs that make frequent use of calls through function pointers because for them the dynamic pointer data results in a considerably smaller call graph, which leads to fewer data dependences. Programs without or with only few calls through function pointers, however, show only insignificant improvement. We identified Amdahl's law as the reason for this behavior: C programs appear to have a large fraction of direct data dependences so that reducing spurious dependences via pointers is only of limited benefit. Consequently, to make slicing useful in general for such programs, improvements beyond better pointer analyses will be necessary. On the other hand, since we show that collecting dynamic function pointer information can be performed with little overhead (average slowdown of 10% for our benchmarks), dynamic pointer information may be a practical approach to making slicing of programs with frequent function pointer use more successful in reality.
Low-power memory addressing scheme for fast fourier transform processors

In this paper, a new memory addressing architecture is proposed for low-power radix-2 FFT implementations. Two optimization schemes are presented for dynamic power reduction. First, a multi-bank memory structure is introduced. Second, twiddle factor access times are significantly reduced with a new addressing sequence. For performance evaluation, FFT kernels with transform sizes ranging from 16 to 512 are implemented in CMOS 0.18µ technology. The synthesis results and architectural analysis indicate significant switching power reduction with no performance penalty. Power reduction factor grows with the transform size, making this architecture ideal for applications requiring long FFT operations.
Continuous skeleton computation by Voronoi diagram

The skeleton of a continuous shape can be approximated from the Voronoi diagram of points sampled along the shape boundary. To bound the error of this approximation, one must relate the spatial complexity of the shape to the boundary sampling density. The regular set model of mathematical morphology provides a practical basis to establish such a relationship. Given a binary image shape, we exhibit a corresponding continuous, regular shape such that the sequence of points describing its boundary constitutes a sufficiently dense sampling for an accurate skeleton approximation. Additionally, we bound the regeneration error from the sampling density and the regularity parameter. This approach opens significant new possibilities for shape analysis by the exact, Euclidean skeleton. As a simple example, we describe how the skeleton can be refined by pruning, without introducing significant error in the regenerated image.
Molecular Markers Reveal Infestation Dynamics of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) within Apartment Buildings

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), has experienced an extraordinary global resurgence in recent years, the reasons for which remain poorly understood. Once considered a pest of lower socioeconomic classes, bed bugs are now found extensively across all residential settings, with widespread infestations established in multiapartment buildings. Within such buildings, understanding the population genetic structure and patterns of dispersal may prove critical to the development of effective control strategies. Here, we describe the development of 24 high-resolution microsatellite markers through next generation 454 pyrosequencing and their application to elucidate infestation dynamics within three multistory apartment buildings in the United States. Results reveal contrasting characteristics potentially representative of geographic or locale differences. In Raleigh, NC, an infestation within an apartment building seemed to have started from a single introduction followed by extensive spread. In Jersey City, NJ, two or more introductions followed by spread are evident in two buildings. Populations within single apartments in all buildings were characterized by high levels of relatedness and low levels of diversity, indicative of foundation from small, genetically depauperate propagules. Regardless of the number of unique introductions, genetic data indicate that spread within buildings is extensive, supporting both active and human-mediated dispersal within and between adjacent rooms or apartments spanning multiple floors.
Some consequences of Lexical Phonology

Phonological theory in recent years can be said to have undergone a ‘modularisation’ in several respects. The formal theory is no longer expected to explain everything about phonology by itself: generalisations about phonological change which previously were used to motivate constraints on abstractness or opacity have turned out to make more sense as effects of real-time language acquisition and use. Secondly, phonological representations have become multi-tiered arrays, and much that seemed problematic about the application of rules has resolved itself in terms of properties of these arrays. Lastly, phonology itself is seen as applying both within the lexicon to the output of each morphological process, and to the output of the syntsactic component. The lexicon, moreover, may itself be organised into a hierarchy of levels, each constituting a quasi-autonomous morphological and phonological domain. In this paper I propose to investigate some consequences of this third kind of modularisation, the approach which has come to be known as LEXICAL PHONOLOGY.
Optical and Thermal Stimulation of Reactions in α-A12O3 Containing V3+, V4+, Co3+, and Co2+

Optically or thermally stimulated reactions among the species V,V,Co, and Coin single crystals of α-A1,O, and the location of the ground state energy levels of these species with respect to the valence or conduction band are studied. A previously unidentified anisotropic absorption band, peaking near 310 nm, is identified as a charge transfer transition of V.Excitation in this band results, with appreciable probability, in the formation of free positive holes and the consequent conversion of Vto Vand of Co to Co;this probability is found to increase as the excitation wavelength decreases. At temperatures above 400 oC an equilibrium is readily established among these four ions and the temperature dependence of this equilibrium is studied. It is shown that this equilibrium is arrived at by a mechanism involving the thermal formation of holes at Co and V. Optisch oder thermisch stimulierte Reaktionen zwischen den Species V, V, Co und Coin α-A1203,-Einkristallen und die Lokalisierung der Grundzustandsenergieniveaus bezuglich Valenz oder Leitungaband werden untersucht. Eine bisher nicht identifizierte anisotrope Absorptions bande bei etwa 310 nm wird als Ladungstransferubergang von Vgedeutet. Anregung in dieser Bande fuhrt mit betrachtlicher Wahrscheinlichkeit zur Bildung von freien positiven Lochern und der nachfolgenden Konversion von Vzu V und von Co zu Co; dabei wird gefunden, das die Wahrscheinlichkeit mit abnehmender Anregungswellenlange zunimmt. Bei Temperaturen oberhalb 400 oC wird ein vollstandiges Gleichgewicht zwischen diesen vier Ionen hergestellt und die Temperaturabhangigkeit dieses Gleichgewichts untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, das dieses Gleich gewicht durch einen Mechanismus erreicht wird, der die thernmische Bildung von Lochern an Cound Veinschliest.
Bayesian modelling and ensemble reconstruction of mid-scale spatial variability in North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures for 1850–2008

Existing historical records of sea-surface temperature extending back to the mid-1800s are a valuable source of information about climate variability on interannual and decadal time-scales. However, the temporal and spatial irregularity of these data make them difficult to use in climate research, where gridded and complete data fields are expected for both statistical analysis and forcing numerical models. Infilling methods based on constraining the solution to the linear space spanned by the leading eigenvectors of the global-scale covariance, otherwise known as reduced-space methods, have proven very successful in creating gridded estimates of sea-surface temperature. These methods are especially useful for infilling the vast regions of unobserved ocean typical of the earliest segments of the data record. Regional variability, on the other hand, is not well represented by these methods, especially in data-poor regions. Here we present a method for augmenting the established large-scale reconstruction methods with a statistical model of the mid-scale variability. Using high quality sea-surface temperature data from the last 30 years including satellite-derived records, we specify a spatially non-stationary, anisotropic covariance model for the mid-scale sea-surface temperature variability. With the parameters of the covariance model estimated from the modern record, historical observations are used for conditioning the posterior distribution. Specifically, we form the expected value and correlated uncertainty of the mid-scales as well as generating samples from the posterior. While this work focuses on a limited domain in the midlatitude North Atlantic Ocean, the method employed here can be extended to global reconstructions. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Conjoint analyses of the students' life satisfaction scale and the Piers-Harris self-concept scale

This study investigated the convergent and discriminant relationships between a children's life satisfaction measure, the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS; Huebner, 1991a), and a widely used self-concept measure, the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale (Piers, 1984). Correlational and regression analyses demonstrated stronger relationships between the SLSS and the Piers-Harris Happiness and Satisfaction subscale compared to the other Piers-Harris subscales. The results of a conjoint principal components analysis also revealed predictable overlap between the SLSS and the Piers-Harris Happiness and Satisfaction subscale. Implications for future research are discussed.
Effects of cholecystokinin and caerulein on gastric emptying

The effect of exogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) on the gastric emptying of liquid and solid diets, as well as the action of oxethazaine, a topical anesthetic, on the satiety effect of endogenous CCK, were investigated in adult rats. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of the synthetic octapeptide of CCK (CCK-OP) and caerulein slowed the gastric emptying of both solid and liquid diets. The suppression of feeding produced by L-phenylalanine, which is known to release endogenous CCK, was abolished when the rats were pretreated with oxethazaine. The dose of CCK-OP and caerulein administered in the present work (80 Ivy dog units or 2.7 micrograms/kg i.p. for CCK-OP; 2 micrograms/kg i.p. for caerulein), had significantly depressed the intake of fasted rats in previous experiments. There seems to be a relationship between gastric emptying and the effectiveness of CCK in inducing satiety in rats. It is further concluded that the release of CCK from the duodenal mucosa is neural in character.
A rotating condenser and off-axis zone plate monochromator for the TXM at the undulator U41 at BESSY II

The G . ottingen transmission X-ray microscope at the low emittance electron storage ring BESSY II uses the concept of dynamical aperture synthesis (Reynolds, DeVelis, Parrent, Thomson (Eds.), The New Physical Optics Notebook, SPIE, 1990, pp. 536–548) for the object illumination. The concept is well suited as a condenser, as it can match any required numerical aperture of the TXM objective. Furthermore, a novel off-axis transmission zone-plate monochromator is included, which can generate a monochromaticity of several thousand in the object illumination. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Hearing impairment in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: the inaudible and noiseless foot of time.

Abstract Aim of the Study Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are at high risk of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is known to increase this risk, but little is known about other potential causes. We evaluated the impact of several risk factors on SNHL development in CDH survivors not treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Methods All high-risk CDH survivors consecutively treated between 1999 and 2005 were included. SNHL was diagnosed based on formal assessment with standard audiologic tests. Patients with and without SNHL were compared for patient-related and treatment-related risk factors. Subsequently, a logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with SNHL development. Main Results Out of 87 CDH survivors, 82 had a formal audiologic evaluation and 40 (49%) had SNHL. Patients with SNHL had significantly lower gestational age ( P = .045); higher prevalence of sepsis ( P P P = .045); higher prevalence of inhaled nitric oxide use ( P = .005); longer mechanical ventilation ( P = .009); and longer aminoglycosides ( P = .006), furosemide ( P = .004), and pancuronium bromide ( P = .001) treatments. On logistic regression analysis, the only variable independently associated with the development of SNHL was patient's age at audiologic follow-up ( P = .012). Conclusions Several risk factors were associated with SNHL development at univariate analysis. After logistic regression, only age at evaluation remained independently associated with SNHL. Routine audiologic follow-up is advocated in all CDH patients. Further studies are needed to define if other (genetic) factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of SNHL in patients with CDH.
Search for astronomical neutrino sources with the super-Kamikande detector

High energy neutrino sources of astronomical origin are sought with data from the Super-Kamiokande-I detector. In this search, upward going muons with a minimum track length of 7m are used. During the first 5 years of operation, we have accumulated 2331 such events, of which 452 stopped in the detector and the rest passed through. This search, using the entire sample of upward going muon data from SK-I detector, revealed no statistically significant neutrino sources, setting new flux limits on astronomical neutrino sources.
Interference detection and collision avoidance among three dimensional objects

Two methods for detecting intersections among three dimensional objects are described. The first method involves detecting overlap among the projections of the objects on a given set of planes. The second method uses a three dimensional octree representation of the objects. Intersections are detected by traversing the trees for the obstacles and the moving objects. Application of the methods to collision avoidance is discussed.
Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide Synthase Protein Expression in Ovine Placental Arteries

During the third trimester, fetoplacental and uterine blood flows increase dramatically to meet the high metabolic demands of the growing fetus. We hypothesized that the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in fetoplacental artery endothelium and the concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) in amniotic fluid (AF) are increased during the third trimester of ovine gestation. Placental arteries and AF were collected from ewes at 110, 120, 130, and 142 days of gestation (n 5 24; mean 6 SEM term 5 145 6 3 days). Expression of eNOS protein was measured in intact and denuded placental arteries and in endothelium-derived protein by Western analysis and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Concentrations of NO (nitrates plus nitrites) and cGMP were determined in AF. Placental artery eNOS protein expression was localized to the endothelium, where it was markedly greater than in vascular smooth muscle. Placental artery endothelium-derived eNOS expression and AF cGMP concentrations were similar at 110 and 120 days of gestation; however, both peaked at 130 days at levels two- to threefold above baseline (P , 0.05) before returning to baseline at 142 days of pregnancy. The AF NO (nitrates plus nitrites) levels, however, increased progressively between 120 days of gestation and term (P , 0.05). We concluded that endothelium-derived placental artery eNOS levels, AF NO (nitrates plus nitrites), and AF cGMP were markedly increased during the third trimester, thus supporting a role for NO-mediated elevations in cGMP in the control of fetoplacental blood flow. cGMP, endothelium, nitric oxide, placenta, pregnancy
THE ELASTIC FIBER: I. The Separation and Partial Characterization of its Macromolecular Components

The two morphologically different constituents of the mature elastic fiber, the central amorphous and the peripheral microfibrillar components, have been separated and partially characterized. A pure preparation of elastic fibers was obtained from fetal bovine ligamentum nuchae by extraction of the homogenized ligament with 5 M guanidine followed by digestion with collagenase. The resultant preparation consisted of elastic fibers which were morphologically identical with those seen in vivo. The microfibrillar components of these elastic fibers were removed either by proteolytic enzymes or by reduction of disulfide bonds with dithioerythritol in 5 M guanidine. The microfibrils solubilized by both methods were rich in polar, hydroxy, and sulfur-containing amino acids and contained less glycine, valine, and proline than the amorphous component of the elastic fiber. In contrast, the amino acid composition of the amorphous component was identical with that previously described for elastin. This component demonstrated selective susceptibility to elastase digestion, but was relatively resistant to the action of other proteolytic enzymes and to reduction. These observations establish that the microfibrils consist of a different connective tissue protein (or proteins) that is neither collagen nor elastin. During embryologic development the microfibrils form an aggregate structure before the amorphous component is secreted. These microfibrils may therefore play a primary role in the morphogenesis of the elastic fiber.
Wind sets from SMS images - An assessment of quality for GATE

The paper analyzes the accuracy, representativeness, and reproducibility of tracer winds in the 1974 GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment whose data are used as ground truth. The tracer winds were generated by tracking clouds in SMS (Synchronous Meteorological Satellite) images. Data availability limits comparisons to satellite winds with ship winds at the surface and at 250 mb. Attention is focused on how accurately the cloud displacements can be measured and on the extent to which the cloud displacements represent the wind field. Operator errors in obtaining the cloud displacements are examined in a series of reproducibility tests and wind sets. Differences between proximate satellite and ship winds were all under 3 m/sec. Representativeness of cloud tracers for cumulus and cirrus level flow is found to be good within the accuracy of currently available ground truth data.
Novel Molecular Imaging Approaches to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Risk Stratification

Selection of patients for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is currently based on aneurysm size, growth rate, and symptoms. Molecular imaging of biological processes associated with aneurysm growth and rupture, for example, inflammation and matrix remodeling, could improve patient risk stratification and lead to a reduction in abdominal aortic aneurysm morbidity and mortality. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide magnetic resonance imaging are 2 novel approaches to abdominal aortic aneurysm imaging evaluated in clinical trials. A variety of other tracers, including those that target inflammatory cells and proteolytic enzymes (eg, integrin αvβ3 and matrix metalloproteinases), have proven effective in preclinical models of abdominal aortic aneurysm and show great potential for clinical translation.
The Value of Open: An Update on Net Neutrality

An open Internet allows anyone with an idea and a domain name to add content to the web for all to use. It’s a system that most believe works very well, generating billions in economic benefits for the American public every year. This policy brief analyzes the economic uncertainties of weakening our current, open Internet and sees potential trouble ahead if it is not preserved. The conclusion finds that removing net neutrality could endanger the economic benefits that now flow to Internet users. It advises federal policymakers to proceed with its proposed rules that would maintain net neutrality as the law of the land. The analysis further found that movement away from net neutrality could be irreversible. The report shows that a failure to defend the rules of an open Internet now may not be easy to reverse later. However, insistence on net neutrality today could be relaxed down the road if more attractive alternatives present themselves.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: HISTORICAL AND CROSS-DISCIPLINARY THEMES. Danny P. Wallace. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2007, vii, 235 pp. $60.00, ISBN 978-1-59158-502-2

For most of us, knowledge management is a relatively new concept. Beyond its newness, knowledge management (or KW) also presents an additional challenge for the uninitiated in that it lacks a preci...
Evaluating the Use of Plain Language in a Cancer Clinical Trial Website/App

Medically complex titles and descriptions found on clinical trial websites and online applications present a barrier to comprehension for users from the general public. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of plain language trial descriptions for user comprehension of basic trial details. Two hundred seventeen volunteers recruited from patient waiting areas completed 441 user tests of ten plain language trial descriptions. The majority of volunteers adequately comprehended the cancer type and basic inclusion/exclusion criteria from plain language trial descriptions. Difficulty comprehending the treatment being studied was seen in seven of ten descriptions tested. Revision and retesting of the seven trial descriptions showed continued user challenges in comprehending the treatment being studied. Plain language clinical trial descriptions integrated into a website/app allowed users to understand basic inclusion/exclusion criteria. Despite plain language used, discerning the treatment being studied may be difficult for some users. Integration of plain language descriptions into clinical trial online applications can help users understand trial basics. Further research regarding effective use of plain language to communicate the treatment being studied is needed.
Adding insult to injury: neural sensitivity to social exclusion is associated with internalizing symptoms in chronically peer-victimized girls

Despite evidence documenting activation of the social pain network in response to social rejection and its link to temporary distress, far less is known regarding its role in pervasive emotional difficulties. Moreover, research has not considered the intersection between neural activation to experimentally induced social exclusion and naturally occurring social adversity. This study examined an integrated social pain model of internalizing symptoms, which posits that (i) neural sensitivity in the social pain network is associated with internalizing symptoms, (ii) this linkage is more robust in youth with than without a history of social adversity, and (iii) heightened avoidance motivation serves as one pathway linking neural sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. During a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan, 47 adolescent girls (M age = 15.46 years, SD = .35) with well-characterized histories of peer victimization were exposed to social exclusion. Whole-brain analyses revealed that activation to exclusion in the social pain network was associated with internalizing symptoms. As anticipated, this linkage was stronger in chronically victimized than non-victimized girls and was partially accounted for by avoidance motivation. This research indicates the importance of integrating neural, social and psychological systems of development in efforts to elucidate risk for internalizing symptoms among adolescent girls.
Chicks Don't Dig It: Gender, Attitude and Performance in Principles of Economics Classes

Women are less likely to major in economics than men. While this simple fact is well documented, the cause of this difference is still up for debate. Most previous research has focused on identifying causes through skill differences and pedagogical practices. Heretofore neglected is the role of students' attitudes towards economics. This work establishes that women and men have no performance differences in principles of economics courses, but that attitudes differ significantly. Furthermore, the finding that women have a significantly more negative attitude towards economics prior to taking the principles course is compounded by the results that indicate a polarization of attitudes after taking the course. In other words, women have more negative attitudes and men have more positive attitudes towards economics after taking the course. Women can do economics, but are less inclined to like it.
An immunofluorescent study of tumors with specific antisera for squamous epithelial intercellular substance and basement membrane.

Forty primary and six metastatic neoplasms, principally of noncutaneous origin, were stained by the immunofluorescent technic with antisera from cases of pemphigus specific for the intercellular substance of squamous epithelium. They were also stained with sera from patients with bullous pemphigoid which contained antibodies to squamous epithelial basement membrane. All 18 of the primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinomas studied contained intercellular substance. Of these tumors, 16 were shown to have formed basement membranes. Both intercellular substance and basement membrane substance were clearly seen in some of the epithelial “pearls” in the better-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Four malignant neoplasms, not of squamous cell origin, also contained intercellular substance.
Lightning Fault Location Method and Its Application for Transmission Line Based on Traveling Wave Method

To improve the lighting location of transmission lines, taking engineering requirements into consideration, we put forward a novel lightning location method based on the traveling wave theory for non-contact lightning monitoring systems. The method is improved from the traditional single-end method and the double-end method to avoid influence of wave velocity. Firstly, we determine the lightning range according to the arrival time and polarity of the first wave. Then, the different wave fronts can be sequenced by analyzing the polarities of reflected waves. Lastly, through wavelet transformation, we can extract the corresponding arrival time of each wave front for locating lightning. We verify the proposed method through simulations in EMTP-ATP. It is shown that the method has error less than 0.5%, which indicates higher precision than traditional location methods. Plus, the improved double-end method has error less than 0.3%, which is smaller than that of the improved single-end method, so it suits engineering applications better. Using the proposed method, we calculate some field data from a non-contact lightning monitoring system, further proving that the novel method is practical.
On Breaking Up Time, or, Perennialism as Philosophy of History

Current and recent philosophy of history contemplates a deep change in fundamental notions of the presence of the past. This is called breaking up time. The chief value for this change is enhancing the moral reach of historical research and writing. However, the materialist view of reality that most historians hold cannot support this approach. The origin of the notion in the thought of Walter Benjamin is suggested. I propose a neo-idealist approach called perennialism, centered on recurrent moral dilemmas and choices. This suggests a view of the relations of moral thought and ontology placed in the diachronic context that historians study.
As raízes do regalismo brasileiro

(primeiro paragrafo do texto) Do Concilio de Trento ate 1750, quando o Marques de Pombal tornou-se Primeiro Ministro de Dom Jose I, Portugal havia permanecido isolado do movimento intelectual da Europa de alem-Pirineus. Pombal, que havia de governar Portugal ate 1777, iniciou entao um periodo de rapidas transformacoes que afetaram profundamente a Igreja e a sociedade em geral. E como resultado de seus esforcos o Regalismo, ou seja, o controle excessivo da Igreja pelo Estado com a consequente perda da influencia romana, apareceu como a atitude dominante em Portugal e, por extensao, no Brasil. As relacoes entre Igreja e Estado devem dai em diante ser estudadas sob esse prisma. Dado que no Brasil a Igreja foi grandemente influenciada pelas medidas do Marques de Pombal em relacao a Companhia de Jesus e a Universidade de Coimbra, e sobretudo no seculo XVIII que encontraremos as forcas e as transformacoes que determinaram o carater do Regalismo brasileiro.
Escherichia coli as a Pathogen

Abstract Many Escherichia coli strains are harmless, and they are an important commensal in the intestinal microflora; however, pathogenic strains also exist. The pathogenic strains can be divided into diarrhea-inducing strains and strains that reside in the intestines but only cause disease in bodily sites outside of the gastrointestinal tract (extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli [ExPEC]). Intestinal E. coli pathotypes may induce a watery diarrhea leading to dehydration; however, Shiga toxin–producing E. coli cause severe diarrhea or hemorrhagic colitis, and infection may result in hemolytic-uremic syndrome and death. The intestinal E. coli pathotypes are transmitted to humans via food and water, and transmission can also occur from animals and person-to-person. ExPEC cause diseases such as urinary tract infection, neonatal meningitis, and sepsis, as well as infections in other bodily sites. Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) are a cause of poultry diseases and are closely related to the E. coli strains that induce urinary tract and neonatal meningitis infections. Poultry contaminated with ExPEC and APEC may be an important source of E. coli strains that cause illness in humans in extraintestinal sites; however, additional research is needed to confirm this.
Image enhancement in positron emission mammography

Purpose: To evaluate an efficient iterative deconvolution method (RSEMD) for improving the quantitative accuracy of previously reconstructed breast images by commercial positron emission mammography (PEM) scanner. Materials and Methods: The RSEMD method was tested on breast phantom data and clinical PEM imaging data. Data acquisition was performed on a commercial Naviscan Flex Solo II PEM camera. This method was applied to patient breast images previously reconstructed with Naviscan software (MLEM) to determine improvements in resolution, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR.) Results: In all of the patients’ breast studies the post-processed images proved to have higher resolution and lower noise as compared with images reconstructed by conventional methods. In general, the values of SNR reached a plateau at around 6 iterations with an improvement factor of about 2 for post-processed Flex Solo II PEM images. Improvements in image resolution after the application of RSEMD have also been demonstrated. Conclusions: A rapidly converging, iterative deconvolution algorithm with a novel resolution subsets-based approach RSEMD that operates on patient DICOM images has been used for quantitative improvement in breast imaging. The RSEMD method can be applied to clinical PEM images to improve image quality to diagnostically acceptable levels and will be crucial in order to facilitate diagnosis of tumor progression at the earliest stages. The RSEMD method can be considered as an extended Richardson-Lucy algorithm with multiple resolution levels (resolution subsets).
Chronic Opioid Therapy Modifies QST Changes After Ketamine Infusion in Chronic Pain Patients.

Abstract The long-term effects of opioids on sensitization processes are believed to be mediated through the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) changes observed after a ketamine infusion have been previously described but the effect that chronic opioids will have is not known. The results of this prospective randomized factorial trial compared the thermal QST changes observed after a .05 mg/kg ketamine infusion or a saline placebo in chronic pain subjects who were either opioid-naive or were chronically using opioids for chronic noncancer pain are presented. No baseline QST differences were noted between the 4 groups at baseline. Comparison of changes preinfusion with postinfusion QST measurements resulted in decreased average change in temporal summation response between opioid subjects who received a placebo compared with those who received a ketamine infusion (−5.22, SD = 9.96 vs 13.81, SD = 19.55; P = .004). Additionally, the average change in temporal summation was decreased among subjects who received a ketamine infusion and were not chronically using opioids compared with subjects who were using chronic opioids and received a placebo infusion (−1.91, SD = 13.25 vs 13.81, SD = 19.55; P = .007). The results indicate that low-dose ketamine infusions produce subtle changes in QST phenotypes that are modified by the chronic use of opioids. This illustrates the potential diagnostic and therapeutic value of ketamine in the setting of chronic opioid use. Perspective The presented data further our understanding of modulation of sensory perception in the setting of chronic opioid use and the role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. The use of low-dose ketamine infusions may be useful for the treatment as well as diagnosis of opioid-related neuropathic conditions.
Improving the efficiency of forward-backward algorithm using batched computation in TensorFlow

Sequence-level losses are commonly used to train deep neural network acoustic models for automatic speech recognition. The forward-backward algorithm is used to efficiently compute the gradients of the sequence loss with respect to the model parameters. Gradient-based optimization is used to minimize these losses. Recent work has shown that the forward-backward algorithm can be efficiently implemented as a series of matrix operations. This paper further improves the forward-backward algorithm via batched computation, a technique commonly used to improve training speed by exploiting the parallel computation of matrix multiplication. Specifically, we show how batched computation of the forward-backward algorithm can be efficiently implemented using TensorFlow to handle variable-length sequences within a mini batch. Furthermore, we also show how the batched forward-backward computation can be used to compute the gradients of the connectionist temporal classification (CTC) and maximum mutual information (MMI) losses with respect to the logits. We show, via empirical benchmarks, that the batched forward-backward computation can speed up the CTC loss and gradient computation by about 183 times when run on GPU with a batch size of 256 compared to using a batch size of 1; and by about 22 times for lattice-free MMI using a trigram phone language model for the denominator.
A Fast Recursive Algorithm for Spectrum Tracking in Power Grid Systems

A major challenge for future wide area measurement systems is how to efficiently monitor and control the power system, which requires accurate and real-time tracking of the phase, frequency, and power factor of the system. The presence of inter and sub harmonics, especially in a distribution system caused by widely used nonlinear power loads, rectifiers, and inverters, will distort estimation of phase/frequency and make it difficult to track the voltage, current, and frequency variations. In this paper we present a new approach to identify and track the harmonics, sub-harmonics, and inter-harmonics, as well as observe their impact on the power system. We propose a two-stage processing approach that consists of a subspace-based estimation method to detect and identify all harmonic components, followed by a low-complexity fast tracking algorithm to monitor frequency variations of voltage and current signals in real-time with great accuracy. The simulation results show that the proposed approach can provide highly reliable estimation and fast tracking of the harmonic components, while avoiding the impact of time variance.
MEMS gyro drift compensation using multiple rate measurements derived from a single resonator

Axisymmetric resonators possess multiple pairs of nominally degenerate modes, each of which can be configured as a Corilois vibratory gyro. In this paper we report a technique to extract simultaneous angular rate measurements from the same resonator. Specifically, both of the n = 2 and n = 3 pairs of modes in a disk resonator are configured to yield measurements of angular rate. Although the short-term noise is uncorrelated between these rate measurements, the long-term drifts show very strong correlation. A technique is implemented to fuse the two measurements into a single estimate of rate with much lower drift thereby providing a technique for in-situ bias drift compensation.
Semantic-Aware Clustering-based Approach of Trajectory Data Stream Mining

The rapid development of mobile sensing technologies (like GPS, RFID, accelerometer, gyroscope etc. various sensors in smart phones) has caused a rise in the large-scale capture of positioning data. These mobility data generated by heterogeneous mobile devices with embedded sensors are mostly known as trajectories. There are different algorithms to process the large amounts of mobility data for identifying mobility patterns. Even though few of these algorithms consider the use of semantic annotations on the data, none of the existing research has considered semantic annotations for online sub-trajectory clustering-based movement behavior analysis. In this paper, we incorporate semantics annotation in the raw trajectory data in order to discover various movement relationships between subtrajectories of mobile devices. We conduct experiment on a realworld data set. Along with the added advantage of semanticaware movement behavior analysis, our method is able to identify outliers in the clustering process with almost similar performance (average recall 0.92) as classic density-based clustering algorithm DBSCAN.
HL7 Terminology Management for Disease Surveillance

Objective: The objective of this abstract is to illustrate how the Utah Department of Health processes a high volume of electronic data. We do this by translating what reporters send within an HL7 message into "epidemiologist" language for consumption into our disease surveillance system. Introduction: In 2013, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) began working with hospital and reference laboratories to implement electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) of reportable communicable disease data. Laboratories utilize HL7 message structure and standard terminologies such as LOINC and SNOMED to send data to UDOH. These messages must be evaluated for validity, translated, and entered into Utah’s communicable disease surveillance system (UT-NEDSS), where they can be accessed by local and state investigators and epidemiologists. Despite the development and use of standardized terminologies, reporters may use different, outdated versions of these terminologies, may not use the appropriate codes, or may send local, home-grown terminologies. These variations cause problems when trying to interpret test results and automate data processing. UDOH has developed a two-step translation process that allows us to first standardize and clean incoming messages, and then translate them for consumption by UT-NEDSS. These processes allow us to efficiently manage several different terminologies and helps to standardize incoming data, maintain data quality, and streamline the data entry process. Methods: UDOH uses the Electronic Message Staging Area (EMSA) to receive ELR messages, manage terminologies such as LOINC and SNOMED, translate messages, and automatically enter laboratory data into UT-NEDSS. LOINCs and other terms, such as facility name, sent by reporting facilities in an HL7 message are considered child terms. All child terms are mapped to a master LOINC or term and each master LOINC or term is mapped to a specific value within UT-NEDSS. In EMSA, the rules engine used for automated processing of electronic data is set to run at the master level and these rules will determine how the message is processed. No rules are set up or run on child terms. Results: As of 09/20/2017, EMSA contains 2,613 unique child LOINCs that are mapped to 906 master LOINCs. Those 906 master LOINCs are mapped to 179 UT-NEDSS test types and 2003 child facility names are mapped to 1043 master facility names Conclusions: Mapping child terminologies from an HL7 message to a master vocabulary helps us to standardize incoming data, allows us to accept non-standard terminologies and correct reporting errors. Translating this data into a format that is understandable to epidemiologists and investigators enables UT-NEDSS to work effectively in identifying outbreaks and improving health outcomes. This framework is working for ELR and will continue to grow and accept more data and the different terminologies that come with that.
Denitrification Bioreactor in Northeast Iowa

Denitrification bioreactors for removal of nitrate in tile drainage are a new water quality technology that has rapidly gained interest in Iowa. A bioreactor is composed of an excavated trench filled with woodchips that are colonized by denitrifying bacteria. As drainage waters containing nitrate flow by these “good” bacteria, they convert the nitrate in the water to nitrogen gas. A critical component in evaluating the performance of these treatment systems is the documentation of nitrate-N reduction over a range in weather and flow conditions.
The learning benefits of leisure.

Recreation planners, managers, and researchers have given little attention to the learning benefits of leisure. Learning, education, and protecting the environment are high priority concerns for th...
Hybridization betweenPsidium guajava andP. guineense (Myrtaceae)

Psidium guajava andP. guineense are characterized, illustrated and contrasted. Population samples ofPsidium guajava andP. guineense and apparent hybrids were collected from four localities: two in Mexico, one in Honduras, and one in Argentina. Seven morphological characters, one micromorphological (stomatal density), and one chemical character (presence or absence of myricetin) that distinguish the parent species were found to be useful in the evaluation of specimens and population variation. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that hybridization occurs between these species, but in three localities it may not go beyond Fl ’s. Back crossing between hybrids andP. guajava was not detected at any locality.
Additive manufacturing of ceramic nanopowder by direct coagulation printing

Abstract This work investigates the feasibility of a binderless, extrusion-based additive manufacturing approach to fabricate alumina ( A l 2 O 3 ) parts from nanopowder. Traditional manufacture of ceramics with subtractive methods is limited due to their inherent hardness and brittleness, inevitably leading to ceramic parts with less-than-optimal geometries for the specific application. With an additive manufacturing approach, ceramic parts with complex 3D geometries, including overhangs or hollow enclosures, become possible. These complex ceramic parts are highly valuable in heat exchanger, condenser, biomedical implant, chemical reactant vessel, and electrical isolation applications. This research employed direct coagulation of alumina nanopowder slurries with the polyvalent salt tri-ammonium citrate providing the solidification mechanism in an extrusion-based printing process. The viscosity of the slurries was adjusted from ∼35 Pa-s to ∼1000 Pa-s by adjusting pH from ∼9 to ∼4, resulting in a paste that is suitable for extrusion, which retains near-net geometry. It was shown that the direct coagulation approach can be used to create a suspension with tuneable flow characteristics and coagulation rate, and a mechanism describing the process was proposed. The direct coagulation printing (DCP) method is described in detail, including how slurry is extruded, solidified, and printed in complex geometries, and sintered to full density. Parts were printed with a sintered resolution of 450 μm and green densities as high as 65%. After sintering at 1550 °C for up to 2 h, parts were shown to be fully dense (>97%) with an average grain size of ∼2 μm. Mechanical properties were characterized with a comparison to different materials and methods from literature, showing hardness and flexural modulus up to ∼1800 HV and 400 GPa, respectively.