cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Familienpolitik, Jugendhilfe und Altenhilfe

Familienpolitik umfast die Gesamtheit der Masnahmen und Einrichtungen, mit denen die Trager der Politik das Ziel verfolgen, die Familie als eine Institution zu schutzen und zu fordern, die fur ihre Mitglieder und fur die Gesellschaft unentbehrliche Funktionen erfullt. Unter dem Begriff der Familie werden sehr unterschiedliche Sachverhalte verstanden. Daher mus entschieden werden, welcher Familienbegriff Grundlage fur die Familienpolitik sein soll. In einer sehr weiten Bedeutung wird unter Familie eine Gruppe von Menschen verstanden, die miteinander verwandt, verschwagert oder verheiratet sind. In einem engeren Sinne ist mit Familie eine soziale Gruppe gemeint, die aus einem Elternpaar oder einem Elternteil und einem oder mehreren (auch adoptierten) Kindern besteht. Auf diese Familie im engeren Sinn (“Kernfamilie”) richtet sich die Familienpolitik in erster Linie. Innerhalb dieser Familie unterscheidet man begrifflich zwischen der vollstandigen, aus einem verheirateten Elternpaar und ihren ledigen Kindern bestehenden Familie und der unvollstandigen Familie, in der eine alleinstehende ledige, verwitwete, getrennt lebende oder geschiedene Mutter bzw. ein Vater mit einem oder mehreren Kindern zusammenlebt.
Analysis of Per-Item and Per-Lot Paced Visual Inspection for High Target Probability Conditions:

Inspection, a necessary component in manufacturing to ensure process and quality control, has two main components, visual search and decision-making. The human element, while not perfect, cannot be eliminated fiom the inspection process because of the inherent advantages that a human inspector has to offer. Since some type of pacing is generally incorporated into the manufacturing setting for cost effectiveness, discovering how speed and rigidity affect the accuracy of inspection is essential. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the relationship between time limits imposed on inspectors and the amount of flexibility they have in performing the inspection task.
On the Structure of 3-connected Matroids and Graphs

An element e of a 3 -connected matroid M is essential if neither the deletionM\e nor the contraction M/e is 3 -connected. Tutte?s Wheels and Whirls Theorem proves that the only 3 -connected matroids in which every element is essential are the wheels and whirls. In this paper, we consider those 3 -connected matroids that have some non-essential elements, showing that every such matroid M must have at least two such elements. We prove that the essential elements of M can be partitioned into classes where two elements are in the same class if M has a fan, a maximal partial wheel, containing both. We also prove that if an essential element e of M is in more than one fan, then that fan has three or five elements; in the latter case, e is in exactly three fans. Moreover, we show that if M has a fan with 2 k or 2 k+ 1 elements for some k? 2, then M can be obtained by sticking together a (k+ 1)-spoked wheel and a certain 3 -connected minor of M. The results proved here will be used elsewhere to completely determine all 3 -connected matroids with exactly two non-essential elements.
Asymptomatic intracerebral hematoma as an incidental finding.

Tntracerebral hemorrhage is being diagnosed with increasing frequency in less severely ill "stroke" patients. 1-3 An unexpected basal ganglia hemorrhage was diagnosed by computed tomographic (CT) scan in an asymptomatic 59-year-old woman. The scan was obtained as part of the diagnostic evaluation of a seizure disorder of 18 years' duration. This further expands the clinical spectrum of intracerebral hematoma. REPORT OF A CASE A 59-year-old right-handed woman came to the Strong Memorial Hospital Neurology Clinic, Rochester, NY, in January 1978 for evaluation of a seizure disorder. Her seizures began at age 41 years and were of the partial-complex type, with alteration of consciousness and motor automatisms. Seizures were controlled with phenytoin sodium, phenobarbital, and primidone. Several EEGs showed paroxysmal bitemporal slowing. She had a long history of treated hypertension, chronic renal failure, adequately treated syphilis (with a negative CSF VDRL), severe degenerative joint disease, and marked obesity. In searching
From Avoidance to Confrontation: Peasant Protest in Precolonial and Colonial Southeast Asia

Although there has been a dramatic broadening of the definition of social protest in recent years to include collective behavior that was once dismissed as criminal, irrational, or insignificant, our attention has continued to be focused on movements involving direct, often violent, confrontations between the wielders of power and dissident groups. Avoidance protest, by which dissatisfied groups seek to attenuate their hardships and express their discontent through flight, sectarian withdrawal, or other activities that minimize challenges to or clashes with those whom they view as their oppressors, has at best remained a secondary concern of students of social protest. Although specific forms of avoidance protest, such as the flight of slaves in the plantation zones of the Americas or the migration or serfs to the towns of medieval Europe and peasants to the frontiers of Tsarist Russia, have merited a prominent place in the historical literature on some societies and time periods, avoidance protest has rarely been systematically analyzed as a phenomenon in itself. There have been few detailed studies of the diverse forms which avoidance protest may take and the ways in which these are shaped by the sociopolitical contexts in which they develop. This neglect is serious because in many societies and time periods (perhaps in most in the preindustrial era), modes of protest oriented to avoidance rather than confrontation have been the preferred and most frequently adopted means of resisting oppression and expressing dissatisfaction.
Metal-Capped Brownian and Magnetically Modulated Optical Nanoprobes (MOONs): Micromechanics in Chemical and Biological Microenvironments†

Modulated optical nanoprobes (MOONs) are microscopic (spherical and aspherical) fluorescent particles designed to emit varying intensities of light in a manner that depends on particle orientation. MOONs can be prepared over a broad size range, allowing them to be tailored to applications including intracellular sensors, using submicrometer MOONs, and immunoassays, using 1-10 Im MOONs. When particle orientation is controlled remotely, using magnetic fields (MagMOONs), it allows modulation of fluorescence intensity in a selected temporal pattern. In the absence of external fields, or material that responds to external fields, the particles tumble erratically due to Brownian thermal forces (Brownian MOONs). These erratic changes in orientation cause the MOONs to blink. The temporal pattern of blinking reveals information about the local rheological environment and any forces and torques acting on the MOONs, including biomechanical forces as observed in macrophages. The rotational diffusion rate of Brownian MOONs is inversely proportional to the particle volume and hydrodynamic shape factor, for constant temperature and viscosity. Changes in the particle volume and shape due to binding, deformation, or aggregation can be studied using the temporal time pattern from the probes. The small size and the large number of MOONs that can be viewed simultaneously provide local measurements of physical properties, in both homogeneous and inhomogeneous media, as well as global statistical ensemble properties.
Three-Dimensional Minimum-Time Interception Trajectory Planning Using Nonlinear Programming and Collocation

A combined algorithm which has global and local optimization capabilities is applied to a statistical orbit determination problem. The objective is to estimate initial states of a nearearth satellite nonlinear dynamical system, as well as unknown parameters, by using discrete observations. A particle swarm optimizer is the selected global search tool, and it is used in the first phase to obtain the preliminary results over a large searching space. A batch filter which has faster convergence and higher accuracy in local optimization is applied in the second phase to refine the preliminary results. The initial experimental results show that the combined algorithm has the potential to solve a statistical orbit determination problem.
Resveratrol, an activator of SIRT1, upregulates sarcoplasmic calcium ATPase and improves cardiac function in diabetic cardiomyopathy

Reduced sarcoplasmic calcium ATPase (SERCA2a) expression has been shown to play a significant role in the cardiac dysfunction in diabetic cardiomyopathy. The mechanism of SERCA2a repression is, how...
Affect, Emotion and Emotion Regulation in the Workplace: Feelings and Attitudinal Restructuring

Excerpt] Almost 40 years after publishing A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations in 1965, the fields of negotiations and organizational behavior experienced an “affective revolution” (Barsade, Brief and Spataro 2003). Although Walton and McKersie could not have predicted the widespread academic and public interest in emotion and emotional intelligence, they foreshadowed this affect-laden direction in the section of their book on attitudinal structuring, which identified the dimension of friendliness-hostility as a critical aspect of the relationship between negotiating parties in the workplace and other settings.
Crosstalk in Integrated Microarrays With Current Sensing

Various investigators have developed DNA microarrays with electronic readout; however, crosstalk between microarray pixels has received little attention. Electronic crosstalk can occur through the solution between electrodes, giving false results. Here we analyze crosstalk when an integrating readout scheme is used to measure the electrode current for multiplexed single electrode systems (e.g., charge sensing). Crosstalk between channels can easily exceed 10% and thus can be the dominant factor in the microarray limit-of-detection. The crosstalk depends on amplifier design (gain and integrating capacitance), electrode-solution impedance, integration time, and the profile of the measured current. Proper selection of the integration time, integration capacitance, amplifier pole frequency, and dc amplifier gain can reduce crosstalk considerably. The area required for an integrated circuit implementation trades off with crosstalk.
A performative perspective on stability and change in organizational routines

This paper is about stability in organizational routines. It proposes a new explanation of stability, based on mindfulness rather than mindlessness. Traditional explanations of stability (or lack of change) in organizational routines suggest that organizational participants are not thinking about what they are doing, but repeating actions that they have taken in the past. In this paper I suggest that stability can also occur because organizational participants are making conscious efforts to understand what actions make sense in the context in which the work is being performed. The argument is that organizational participants use what they understand about how the organization operates to guide their performances within the routine. Relevant performances, such as the performances of supervisors, are integral to what people understand about how the organization operates. Organizational members use these understandings in choosing whether to enact the requested change. In so doing, they create and recreate the understandings about how the organization operates. This explanation is similar to performative explanations of change in organizational routines, though these explanations have focused on the effect of doing the routine on the production and reproduction of the routine rather than the production and reproduction of understandings about how the organization operates. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Modelling and distributed control of mobile offshore bases

Distributed modelling and control of mobile offshore base systems are considered in this paper. Specifically, a spatial array system paradigm is used with a particular structure in spatial and temporal dimensions. For the purpose of linearization, a suitable coordinate transformation is applied to the model. Comparisons between centralized and distributed control strategies for the robust control of the system are made. The distributed modelling approach results in lower order models than the centralized approach, thus making the control design both easier and faster, with no apparent degradation in performance.
Celiac Disease: Diagnostic Standards and Dilemmas

Celiac Disease (CD) affects at least 1% of the population and evidence suggests that prevalence is increasing. The diagnosis of CD depends on providers being alert to both typical and atypical presentations and those situations in which patients are at high risk for the disease. Because of variable presentation, physicians need to have a low threshold for celiac testing. Robust knowledge of the pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease has served as a catalyst for the development of novel diagnostic tools. Highly sensitive and specific serological assays including Endomysial Antibody (EMA), tissue transglutaminase (tTG), and Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) have greatly simplified testing for CD and serve as the foundation for celiac diagnosis. In addition, genetic testing for HLA DQ2 and DQ8 has become more widely available and there has been refinement of the gluten challenge for use in diagnostic algorithms. While diagnosis is usually straightforward, in special conditions including IgA deficiency, very young children, discrepant histology and serology, and adoption of a gluten free diet prior to testing, CD can be difficult to diagnose. In this review, we provide an overview of the history and current state of celiac disease diagnosis and provide guidance for evaluation of CD in difficult diagnostic circumstances.
Resistance of mRNA translation to acute endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducing agents in herpes simplex virus type 1-infected cells requires multiple virus-encoded functions

Via careful control of multiple kinases that inactivate the critical translation initiation factor eIF2 by phosphorylation of its alpha subunit, the cellular translation machinery can rapidly respond to a spectrum of environmental stresses, including viral infection. Indeed, virus replication produces a battery of stresses, such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress resulting from misfolded proteins accumulating within the lumen of this organelle, which could potentially result in eIF2α phosphorylation and inhibit translation. While cellular translation is exquisitely sensitive to ER stress-inducing agents, protein synthesis in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-infected cells is notably resistant. Sustained translation in HSV-1-infected cells exposed to acute ER stress does not involve the interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA-responsive eIF2α kinase PKR, and it does not require either the PKR inhibitor encoded by the Us11 gene or the eIF2α phosphatase component specified by the γ 1 34.5 gene, the two viral functions known to regulate eIF2α phosphorylation. In addition, although ER stress potently induced the GADD34 cellular eIF2α phosphatase subunit in uninfected cells, it did not accumulate to detectable levels in HSV-1-infected cells under identical exposure conditions. Significantly, resistance of translation to the acute ER stress observed in infected cells requires HSV-1 gene expression. Whereas blocking entry into the true late phase of the viral developmental program does not abrogate ER stress-resistant translation, the presence of viral immediate-early proteins is sufficient to establish a state permissive of continued polypeptide synthesis in the presence of ER stress-inducing agents. Thus, one or more previously uncharacterized viral functions exist to counteract the accumulation of phosphorylated eIF2α in response to ER stress in HSV-1-infected cells.
Estradiol effects on the dopamine transporter – protein levels, subcellular location, and function

The effects of estrogens on dopamine (DA) transport may have important implications for the increased incidence of neurological disorders in women during life stages when hormonal fluctuations are prevalent, e.g. during menarche, reproductive cycling, pregnancy, and peri-menopause. The activity of the DA transporter (DAT) was measured by the specific uptake of 3H-DA. We found that low concentrations (10-14 to 10-8 M) of 17β-estradiol (E2) inhibit uptake via the DAT in PC12 cells over 30 minutes, with significant inhibition taking place due to E2 exposure during only the last five minutes of the uptake period. Such rapid action suggests a non-genomic, membrane-initiated estrogenic response mechanism. DAT and estrogen receptor-α (ERα) were elevated in cell extracts by a 20 ng/ml 2 day NGFβ treatment, while ERβ was not. DAT, ERα and ERβ were also detectable on the plasma membrane of unpermeabilized cells by immunocytochemical staining and by a fixed cell, quantitative antibody (Ab)-based plate assay. In addition, PC12 cells contained RNA coding for the alternative membrane ER GPR30; therefore, all 3 ER subtypes are candidates for mediating the rapid nongenomic actions of E2. At cell densities above 15,000 cells per well, the E2-induced inhibition of transport was reversed. Uptake activity oscillated with time after a 10 nM E2 treatment; in a slower room temperature assay, inhibition peaked at 9 min, while uptake activity increased at 3 and 20–30 min. Using an Ab recognizing the second extracellular loop of DAT (accessible only on the outside of unpermeabilized cells), our immunoassay measured membrane vs. intracellular/nonvesicular DAT; both were found to decline over a 5–60 min E2 treatment, though immunoblot analyses demonstrated no total cellular loss of protein. Our results suggest that physiological levels of E2 may act to sequester DAT in intracellular compartments where the transporter's second extramembrane loop is inaccessible (inside vesicles) and that rapid estrogenic actions on this differentiated neuronal cell type may be regulated via membrane ERs of several types.
Erioderma pedicellatum (Hue) P.M. Jørg, New to the United States and Western North America, Discovered in Denali National Park and Preserve and Denali State Park, Alaska.

Abstract. Erioderma pedicellatum (Hue) P.M. Jorg is a globally rare, foliose cyanolichen known from Scandinavia and southeastern Canada. In August 2007, several thalli of E. pedicellatum were collected in Denali National Park and Preserve on the south side of the Alaska Range, Alaska, USA. Subsequently, several additional thalli were observed in nearby Denali State Park. Together they represent the first report of E. pedicellatum within the United States and western North America and mark a major range extension for one of the most rare and endangered lichens in the world. The existence of a third global population center raises intriguing questions about the nature of the genetic relationships among eastern North American, western North American and Scandinavian populations.
Genetic Programming Lab (GPLab) Tool Set Version 3.0

This report describes the release 3.0 of the Genetic Programming Lab (GPLab) tool set. GPLab is software that is publicly available and free to use under general public license (GNU) software regulations. MATLAB is a programming environment standard among scientist and engineers. This current release of GPLab handles bloat control, adjustment of fitness complementary to size, keeping track of fitness and raw fitness, and using adjusted values along the selection process. This paper contains a complete description of the GPLab utility suite and contains many details about the components of the tool. This guide is designed to run a research environment easily without need to browse extensively through the much detailed manual. Finally, this document is only for quick reference used to assist in the understanding of GPLab using a demonstration and a short example problem. The example shows how to analyze generation, fitness, nodes, pareto, and node trees (computer program) in the MATLAB/GPLab environment.
Identification of multivariate FIR systems using higher-order statistics

The identification of multichannel moving average (MA) parameter matrices {H(k)} using fourth-order output cumulants is considered. By analysing the eigenstructures of the cumulant matrices, it is shown that the MA parameter matrices can be identified uniquely up to a post multiplication of monomial matrices if H(0) does not have columns that are pairwise colinear and H=[H/sup t/(0),...,H/sup t/(L)]/sup t/ has full column rank. The constructive proof of this condition leads to a closed-form identification algorithm.
Vector register allocation

The problem of allocating vector registers on supercomputers is addressed in the context of compiling vector languages. Two subproblems must be solved to achieve good vector register allocation. First, the vector operations in the source program must be subdivided into sections that fit the hardware of the target machine. Second, the locality of reference of the vector operations must be improved via aggressive program transformations. Solutions to both of these problems, based on the use of novel aspects of data dependence, are presented. The techniques described extend naturally to scalar machines by observing that a scalar register is simply a vector register of length one. >
Influence of Self-Assembling Redox Mediators on Charge Transfer at Hydrophobic Electrodes

We report an investigation of the influence of reversible self-assembly of amphiphilic redox-mediators on interfacial charge transfer at chemically functionalized electrodes. Specifically, we employed (11-ferrocenylundecyl)-trimethylammonium bromide (FTMA) as a model self-assembling redox mediator and alkanethiol-modified gold films as hydrophobic electrodes. By performing cyclic voltammetry (CV, 10 mV/s) in aqueous solutions containing FTMA above its critical micellar concentration (CMC), we measured anodic (Ia) and cathodic (Ic) peak current densities of 18 ± 3 and 1.1 ± 0.1 μA/cm2, respectively, revealing substantial current rectification (Ia/Ic= 17) at the hydrophobic electrodes. In contrast, hydroxymethyl ferrocene (a non-self-assembling redox mediator) at hydrophobic electrodes and FTMA at bare gold electrodes, yielded relatively low levels of rectification (Ia/Ic= 1.7 and 2.3, respectively). Scan-rate-dependent measurements revealed Ia of FTMA to arise largely from the diffusion of FTMA from bulk s...
Joint weighted dictionary learning and classifier training for robust biometric recognition

In this paper, we present an automated system for robust biometric recognition based upon sparse representation and dictionary learning. In sparse representation, extracted features from the training data are used to develop a dictionary. Training data of real world applications are likely to be exposed to geometric transformations, which is a big challenge for designing of discriminative dictionaries. Classification is achieved by representing the extracted features of the test data as a linear combination of entries in the dictionary. We propose joint weighted dictionary learning and classifier training (JWDL-CT) approach which simultaneously learns from a set of training samples along with weight vectors that correspond to the atoms in the learnt dictionary. The components of the weight vector associated with an atom represent the relationship between the atom and each of the classes. The weight vectors and atoms are jointly obtained during the dictionary learning. In the proposed method, a constraint is imposed on the correlation between the atoms to decrease the similarity between these atoms. The proposed dictionary learning objective function enhances the class-discrimination capabilities of individual atoms that renders the designed dictionaries especially suitable for classification of query images with very sparse representation. Experiments conducted on the West Virginia University (WVU) and the University of Notre Dame (UND) datasets for ear recognition show that the proposed method outperforms other state-of-the-art classifiers.
Does Crystal Density Control Fast Surface Crystal Growth in Glasses? A Study with Polymorphs

As organic liquids are cooled to become glasses, crystal growth at the free surface can be substantially faster than in the interior, a phenomenon uncommon for other materials and for which different explanations exist. We have measured the surface and bulk growth rates of three polymorphs in carbamazepine glasses. Crystal density has no controlling effect on the extent to which surface crystal growth is enhanced over bulk crystal growth, in contradiction to models that relate fast surface crystal growth to the release of crystallization-induced tension.
Dissolution of Calcite at Up to 250 °C and 1450 bar and the Presence of Mixed Salts

The oil and gas production from deepwater has been challenged due to limited knowledge of mineral solubility and inhibitor efficiency at the extreme conditions of ultrahigh temperature, pressure, and TDS (total dissolved solids) contributed by mixed salts. The solubility of calcite (CaCO3) was measured for temperatures up to 250 °C and pressures up to 1450 bar (21 000 psi) in the presence of mixed electrolytes. A set of stability constants was selected based upon experimental measurements, which, together with the current set of Pitzer coefficients for activity coefficients, produce predictions consistent with measured data for the NaCl system. Predictions for the system with high concentrations of mixed electrolytes, however, demonstrate deviation from the measurements due to the presence of SO42–. A need is therefore suggested to re-evaluate the pressure dependence of Pitzer coefficients corresponding to the interactions between various key species in the calcite system and SO42–.
Investigation on a food poisoning incident caused by graceful jesamine in Guizhou province

Objective To identify the cause and process of the food poisoning incident and take effective measures to deal with.Methods The dinners,associated personnel and risk factors were investigated.Samples of suspicious poisoning food were analyzed and identified.Results 11 men were all poisoned by plant medicinal liquor with alcohol consumption ranged from 0.1 to 0.2 kg.The incubation period was 10-20 min,and the attack rate was 100%.Five cases died,and the death rate was 45.46%.Cases without drinking were unaffected.The more alcohol consumption would lead to a shorter incubation period and more serious symptom.The plant steeped in wine was identified as Graceful Jesamine.Conclusion This case of food poisoning was caused by poisonous plant Graceful Jesamine.In order to avoid similar accidents emerging in the future,the local government should put poisonous plant into the food safety education to enhance the consciousness.
Research on the New Robotics Sensitive Skin Based on Infrared Sensor

This paper discussed the design method of robotics sensitive skin based on infrared sensor. In (order) to collect the mass data of sensors properly, DSP chip is used as the main CPU in the system, circuits are realized by CPLD and parallel ports collect multiple high-speed data. The light intensity method is adopted to measure the distance between sensitive skin and obstacle. The experimental result shows that the sensitive skin can improve responsive ability of robot and resolve the prior problem of real-time obstacle avoidance.
WE-FG-207B-09: Experimental Assessment of Noise and Spatial Resolution in Virtual Non-Contrast Dual-Energy CT Images Across Multiple Patient Sizes and CT Systems

Purpose: To investigate the noise and spatial resolution properties of virtual non-contrast (VNC) dual-energy CT images compared to true non-contrast (TNC) images across multiple patient sizes and CT systems. Methods: Torso-shaped water phantoms with lateral widths of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 cm and a high resolution bar pattern phantom (Catphan CTP528) were scanned using 2nd and 3rd generation dual-source CT systems (Scanner A: Somatom Definition Flash, Scanner B: Somatom Force, Siemens Healthcare) in dual-energy scan mode with the same radiation dose for a given phantom size. Tube potentials of 80/Sn140 and 100/Sn140 on Scanner A and 80/Sn150, 90/Sn150 and 100/Sn150 on Scanner B were evaluated to examine the impact of spectral separation. Images were reconstructed using a medium sharp quantitative kernel (Qr40), 1.0-mm thickness, 1.0-mm interval and 20 cm field of view. Mixed images served as TNC images. VNC images were created using commercial software (Virtual Unenhanced, Syngo VIA Version VA30, Siemens Healthcare). The noise power spectrum (NPS), area under the NPS, peak frequency of the NPS and image noise were measured for every phantom size and tube potential combination in TNC and VNC images. Results were compared within and between CT systems. Results: Minimal shift in NPS peak frequencies was observed in VNC images compared to TNC for NPS having pronounced peaks. Image noise and area under the NPS were higher in VNC images compared to TNC images across all tube potentials and for scanner A compared to scanner B. Limiting spatial resolution was deemed to be identical between VNC and TNC images. Conclusion: Quantitative assessment of image quality in VNC images demonstrated higher noise but equivalent spatial resolution compared to TNC images. Decreased noise was observed in the 3rd generation dual-source CT system for tube potential pairs having greater spectral separation. Dr. McCollough receives research support from Siemens Healthcare
Bayesian active learning for posterior estimation

This paper studies active posterior estimation in a Bayesian setting when the likelihood is expensive to evaluate. Existing techniques for posterior estimation are based on generating samples representative of the posterior. Such methods do not consider efficiency in terms of likelihood evaluations. In order to be query efficient we treat posterior estimation in an active regression framework. We propose two myopic query strategies to choose where to evaluate the likelihood and implement them using Gaussian processes. Via experiments on a series of synthetic and real examples we demonstrate that our approach is significantly more query efficient than existing techniques and other heuristics for posterior estimation.
An Empirical Examination of the Pre-Purchase behavior of Opinion Leaders

This paper reports on an exploratory study which investigated the personal decision-making process of opinion leaders. A multivariate nominal analysis (MNA) model was developed which significantly predicted interpersonal communication categories with independent variables representing stages of a basic model of consumer decision making.
Budgets: Funding rises in France...

French spending on research will rise 1.4% to FFr 53bn (about £5.4bn) next year. Though barely more than the rate of inflation, the figure represents an increase on last year's budget and ends a downward trend. The money will be used to create 3500 new jobs in research and higher education.
Getting Real About Islamic Finance

This essay is most immediately about reliance on and the relationship among three discourses framed with reference to that which is deemed or thought to be “real”. One involves arguments within the context of pension-fund decision-making as to the potential importance of investment in “real assets,” among them, infrastructure as a real asset. Another pertains to debates about the role of “finance” in an economy, especially at the extreme insofar as it entails what some have referred to as “financialization” specifically as it is cast in terms of a problematic relationship between the sphere of finance and that of the “real economy.” A third involves discussion about investment decision-making undertaken with a conscious reference to settling upon them in light of an understanding of what Islam requires, permits, or bars – an exercise which falls under the broader rubric of “Islamic finance” – more particularly, the significance of “real assets” to that understanding. For the most part, the paper is focused on the third topic, the meaning and import of making investments offered within the context of Islamic finance. That meaning and import necessarily varies with the vantage point of those persons or organizations contemplating investments of that sort. They depend upon whether the person considering investment in some way embraces Islam; if so, how he or she accepts it, that is, how it shapes his view of the world and his or her place in it, and what it expects, encourages, or requires of him or her in diverse ways (including making of investments); if not, in what respects, how thinking (and acting) in such terms might, nonetheless be relevant, useful, and perhaps even potentially important. Our discussion is grounded in the latter vantage point though it necessarily entails an alertness to and appreciation of the other.
Early Diagnosis of Epilepsy Syndromes

The classification of epilepsy syndromes made initially on the basis of information at time of diagnosis was compared to that made 2 years later in a cohort of 613 children, followed by participating physicians in Connecticut, between 1993 and 1997.
The Prevalence and Clinical Significance of IgA Antiphospholipid Antibodies (aPL).

Abstract AIMS: We investigated the prevalence and clinical relevance and significance of the various immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes of the different aPLs and lupus anticoagulant (LAC). METHOD: Our study registry for the year 2003 included 472 patients who had a complete antiphospholipid antibody laboratory work up and clinical evaluation. 137 had the presence of LAC, detected by the dilute Russell's viper venom time (Dade Behring, Marburg, Germany), PTT-LA (Diagnostica Stago, Asnieres, France), or hexagonal phospholipid neutralization test (Diagnostica Stago, Asnieres, France); 211 had elevated titers of antibodies of IgG, IgM or IgA isotypes against cardiolipin (aCL), phosphatidylserine (aPS), or β2-glycoprotein-I (aβ2GPI), detected by ELISA (Corgenix, Inc, Westminister, CO, USA). 204 had no evidence of either LAC or aPL. RESULTS: Of the patients with aPL, 67 (32%) had elevated titers of IgG, 126 (60%) had IgM, and 118 (56%) had IgA. Thrombotic events occurred in 61% (41 of 67), 52% (65 of 126), and 61% (72 of 118) of the patients with IgG, IgM, and IgA respectively. Patients with IgG and IgA isotypes of aCL, aPS and aβ2GPI had higher rates (58–67%) of thrombotic events (see table 1) than patients with IgM isotypes (46–50%). Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified elevated titer of IgA of any aPL as an independent risk factor for thrombosis (see table 2), even in the absence of LAC. Thrombotic events observed include deep venous thrombosis (25%), pulmonary embolism (12%), cerebrovascular accident (50%), myocardial infarction (8%), and peripheral arterial occlusion (3%); pregnancy complication, retinal vascular thrombosis, and dialysis access thrombosis were also seen. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that aPL of IgA isotype is prevalent and significantly associated with thrombotic events. Proportions of Patients with Thrombosis amongst various aPLs and Ig Isotypes aCL aPS aβ2GPI Total IgG 28/43 (65%) 23/36 (64%) 13/21 (62%)* 41/67 (61%) IgM 17/37 (46%)* 28/58 (48%) 45/90 (50%)* 65/126 (52%) IgG 15/26 (58%)* 22/33 (67%) 54/91 (59%)* 72/118 (61%) Total 44/79 (56%) 58/105 (55%) 85/159 (53%) 118/211 (56%) * Two-sided P Risk Factors for Thrombosis Antibody Odds Ratio 95% Wald Confidence Limit LAC 1.627 1.073–2.466* IgG regardless of LAC 1.364 0.781–2.384 IgM regardless of LAC 0.874 0.569–1.344 IgA regardless of LAC 1.587 1.012–2.490* IgG LAC negative 1.790 0.863–3.714 IgM LAC negative 0.878 0.515–1.499 IgA LAC negative 1.812 1.035–3.172* * p
Tartarus: A relativistic Green’s function quantum average atom code

Abstract A relativistic Green’s Function quantum average atom model is implemented in the Tartarus code for the calculation of equation of state data in dense plasmas. We first present the relativistic extension of the quantum Green’s Function average atom model described by Starrett [1]. The Green’s Function approach addresses the numerical challenges arising from resonances in the continuum density of states without the need for resonance tracking algorithms or adaptive meshes, though there are still numerical challenges inherent to this algorithm. We discuss how these challenges are addressed in the Tartarus algorithm. The outputs of the calculation are shown in comparison to PIMC/DFT-MD simulations of the Principal Shock Hugoniot in Silicon. We also present the calculation of the Hugoniot for Silver coming from both the relativistic and nonrelativistic modes of the Tartarus code.
Abstract 3630: Preclinical evaluation of a BiTE® antibody construct with extended half-life that targets the tumor differentiation marker mesothelin

Bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®) antibody constructs redirect T cells to induce lysis of tumor cells. The anti-CD19/CD3 BiTE® Blincyto® can deplete target cells in both the blood and tissue compartment in B cell malignancies, suggesting that the BiTE® mechanism of action will also be effective against solid tumors. The tumor differentiation antigen mesothelin (MSLN) is an attractive target for the BiTE® approach. MSLN is highly expressed in >80% of ovarian and pancreatic tumors and mesothelioma. Expression of MSLN in normal tissues appears restricted to mesothelial cell surfaces such as the pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal layer. Here, we report the preclinical characterization of an anti-MSLN/CD3 BiTE® antibody construct with extended half-life. The BiTE® antibody construct binds MSLN and CD3 with low nM affinity and has low pM cytotoxic activity against MSLN-positive ovarian, pancreatic and lung cancer cell lines in vitro. Activity of the anti-MSLN/CD3 BiTE® antibody construct is observed at low effector to target cell ratios, and in cancer cells that express low levels of MSLN. This BiTE® antibody construct is also cytotoxic to cell lines that are resistant to chemotherapy. In mice, significant tumor growth inhibition of an established ovarian tumor xenograft model was achieved by IV dosing of the anti-MSLN/CD3 BiTE® antibody construct every 5 days. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of the anti-MSLN/CD3 BiTE® antibody construct in non-human primates demonstrated a half-life of 4-10 days. The potency and specificity of the anti-MSLN/CD3 BiTE® antibody construct, together with projected ability to dose once a week IV in humans, supports development of this BiTE® for treatment of MSLN-positive tumors. Citation Format: Alexander Sternjak, Fei Lee, Joachim Wahl, Dan Rock, Oliver Thomas, Sabine Stienen, Ralf Lutterbuese, Patrick Hoffmann, Tobias Raum, Peter Kufer, Benno Rattel, Angela Coxon, Matthias Friedrich, Julie Bailis. Preclinical evaluation of a BiTE® antibody construct with extended half-life that targets the tumor differentiation marker mesothelin [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3630. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3630
Complement component C4 regulates the development of experimental autoimmune uveitis through a T cell-intrinsic mechanism

In addition to its conventional roles in the innate immune system, complement has been found to directly regulate T cells in the adaptive immune system. Complement components, including C3, C5, and factor D, are important in regulating T cell responses. However, whether complement component C4 is involved in regulating T cell responses remains unclear. In this study, we used a T cell-dependent model of autoimmunity, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) to address this issue. We compared disease severity in wild-type (WT) and C4 knockout (KO) mice using indirect ophthalmoscopy, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and histopathological analysis. We also explored the underlying mechanism by examining T cell responses in ex vivo antigen-specific recall assays and in in vitro T cell priming assays using bone marrow-derived dendritic cells, splenic dendritic cells, and T cells from WT or C4 KO mice. We found that C4 KO mice develop less severe retinal inflammation than WT mice in EAU and show reduced autoreactive T cell responses and decreased retinal T cell infiltration. We also found that T cells, but not dendritic cells, from C4 KO mice have impaired function. These results demonstrate a previously unknown role of C4 in regulating T cell responses, which affects the development of T cell-mediated autoimmunity, as exemplified by EAU. Our data could shed light on the pathogenesis of autoimmune uveitis in humans.
A Theological Assessment of Whole Brain Emulation: On the Path to Superintelligence

Whole brain emulation, also called mind copying or mind uploading, is one of the several possible paths to superintelligence, which is machine intelligence that surpasses general human intelligence. This chapter examines whole brain emulation with regard to embodiment and personal identity. It contends that uploading can meet the embodiment requirement of Christian theology through a creative revisioning of body in light of developments in robotics and tissue engineering. This chapter demonstrates that uploading does not preserve personal identity according to the philosophical mental states theory, but the survival theory of David Parfitt does provide adequate philosophical grounding for one uploading scenario. Since uploading will likely evolve into superintelligent machines, the chapter calls for an “AI-Theology” conversation to address the theological significance of superintelligence and sketches out some possible avenues forward.
Síndroma de Stevens-Johnson: a importância do reconhecimento pelo médico de família

Introduction: Children are often affected by infectious diseases, not only because their most vulnerable epidemiological context, but also from their immaturity immune system. The rash illnesses are common at this stage of life, imposing to the family physician a high diagnostic difficulty to skin diseases. The purpose of this report is relates the importance of the family physician recognize skin diseases more severe, to behave as dermatologic emergencies. Case description: Female child, five years old without a history of relief. In August 2015, she appealed to general practice by fever, malaise and with two erythematous and ulcerated lower lip injuries. This was seen as chickenpox. Two days later it was complicated by similar lesions on the vaginal mucosa, palpebral edema and bilateral ocular mucopurulent exudates. Because total food refusal, she turned to a private emergency service, where she was hospitalized. Given the lack of improvement, she was transferred to the hospital of her home area three days later, prostrate with multiple aphthous lesions on the oral and vaginal mucosa, dispersed subconjunctival hemorrhages and keratitis. She was admitted to the pediatric service. Given the clinical picture of ulcerative stomatitis, purulent conjunctivitis and vulvoganite, the clinical diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome was assumed. Comments: Stevens-Johnson syndrome is characterized by a delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction, which affects the skin and mucous membranes. It constitutes a dermatological emergency with high potential for morbidity and mortality, difficult to diagnose in clinical practice of the family physician. Family physician need to pay special attention to the skin lesions or mucous membranes which are associated with drugs, viral infections, cancer or just injuries that concern some degree of suspicion should not be delayed urgent hospital referral.
A fast control-integrated and multiphysics-based multi-objective design optimization of switched reluctance machines

This paper proposes a comprehensive approach for the multi-objective design optimization of switched reluctance machines (SRMs). An analytical model that predicts the electromagnetic (EM) behaviors of SRMs with arbitrary geometries, materials or current profiles is first developed and validated by its finite-element analysis (FEA) counterpart in terms of various performance indices. Then, a hybrid thermal model combining a 2-dimensional (2D) finite-difference (FD) formulation and thermal equivalent circuits is used to estimate the temperature distribution within an SRM based on the loss distribution calculated by the analytical EM model. The multi-physics model can evaluate the performances of an SRM much faster than the prevalent finite-element analysis (FEA). In addition, to further reduce the computational cost, artificial neural networks (ANNs) are constructed based on the maximin Latin hypercube design (MLHD) to identify the relationship between the SRM performance indices and the selected design variables within the entire predefined design space. Then, incorporating the pre-trained ANN models, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based multi-objective optimization approach is utilized to identify the Pareto optimal design candidates in terms of maximizing the efficiency and torque density, and minimizing the torque ripple. The thermal constraints as well as the effects of current profiles are incorporated in the design process. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively generate the Pareto front within about half an hour with the evaluation of over 60,000 design candidates.
Necrotizing enterocolitis in patients with congenital heart disease: A single center experience

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods A retrospective review of neonates with CHD at a tertiary care center between January 2006 and January 2016 was performed. Diagnosis of NEC was based on modified Bell's criteria. Patients were grouped by Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1) or by ductal-dependent (DD) lesions that require a patent ductus arteriosus to supply pulmonary or systemic circulation. Results Of 1811 neonates with CHD, 3.4% (n=61) developed NEC. Eighteen (30%) of these required surgical management. The rate of NEC among DD patients was 5% (n=33/653), compared to 2.4% (n=28/1158) in the non-DD group (p=0.003). RACHS-1 score>2 had a higher rate of NEC 6.2% (41/658) compared to RACHS-1≤2 cases, 1.7% (20/1153) (p=0.005). DD patients and complex patients with RACHS-1>2 were more likely to develop NEC after cardiac surgery. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients had a rate of 9% (n=16/185). Surgical NEC was more prevalent in the non-DD group. Mortality was similar among groups. Conclusion CHD patients with ductal-dependent lesions or complex cases (RACHS-1 score>2) have higher rates of NEC than non-ductal-dependent patients or RACHS-1 score of 2 or less. Mortality is similar regardless of ductal dependence, but surgical NEC was more prevalent in non-DD patients. Level of Evidence Level IIb.
Let’s Get Them out of the Country! Reflecting on the Value of International Immersion Experiences for MPA Students

Public affairs education is beginning to reflect the increasing internationalization of the field. While many of our professors are experienced teachers of international and intercultural content, most of our programs are just starting to provide international immersion experiences. Crafting those opportunities in ways that are accessible to typical graduate students is a monumental, but rewarding, task.