cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytochrome P450 2E1 null mice provide novel protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and apoptosis

Cytochrome P450 2E1 null mice provide novel protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and apoptosis. Background Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) are important mediators of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and apoptosis. The site and source of generation of these metabolites are not well defined. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) are heme-containing enzymes that can generate ROM during the oxidative metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds. CYP2E1 was identified and localized to the kidney proximal tubule. There is evidence to suggest that CYP2E1 is involved in the generation of ROM. Methods The current study was performed utilizing CYP2e1 null mice ( CYP2e1-/- ). Cisplatin nephrotoxicity was induced in mice by single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin and animals were sacrificed 72 hours later. Renal function was assessed and various biochemical tests were performed, including histologic studies. Results CYP2e1-/- demonstrated marked functional and histologic protection against cisplatin-induced renal injury. Incubation of CYP2e1-/- kidney slices with cisplatin resulted in significant decrease in the generation of ROM and attenuation of cytotoxicity as compared to that of wild-type mice ( CYP2e1+/+ ). Cisplatin-induced apoptosis was also markedly reduced in the CYP2e1-/- mice. Direct incubation of cisplatin with the microsomes isolated from CYP2e1-/- kidney cortex produced significant decrease in the generation of hydrogen peroxide, catalytic iron content, and hydroxyl radical formation compared to CYP2e1+/+ microsomes. Conclusion Our results thus demonstrate a pivotal role of CYP2E1 in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and apoptosis. We postulate that the interaction of cisplatin with CYP2E1 results in the generation of ROM that causes renal injury and initiates apoptosis.
Nonlinear Transient Dynamics of Pendulum Torsional Vibration Absorbers

This paper describes an analytical and experimental investigation of the transient dynamics of centrifugal pendulum vibration absorbers, which are used for reducing torsional vibrations in rotating machines. Recently these absorbers have been proposed for use in automotive engines, to aid with fuel saving technologies such as cylinder deactivation and torque converter lockup. In order for them to operate effectively with minimal mass, they must be designed to allow for large amplitude, nonlinear responses. In this paper we consider the transient dynamics of these absorbers, focusing on the response during startup. During these transient events the absorbers experience a beating type motion, resulting in overshoot of the absorber response before reaching steady state conditions. Using a perturbation analysis of the system equations of motion, an approximate analytical expression for nonlinear overshoot is derived, relating the overshoot to the system and excitation parameters. These predictive results are derived for a general class of absorbers, and are verified by simulations of the full equations of motion and by experiments using a fully instrumented spin rig. It is found that the overshoot for absorbers with softening nonlinearity, such as circular path absorbers, can be well over the 100% upper limit for a linear absorber, and can be as high as 173%. For absorbers with tautochronic paths, the overshoot remains quite close to that of the linearized system, even for large amplitudes. These results provide a useful tool for the design of absorbers to meet transient response specifications.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Learning about Cohorts — A Masters Degree Program for Teachers

Abstract This article presents findings from a research study of a cohort-based Masters Degree program (Curriculum and Instruction) for practicing teachers. The two key data sources were participants' electronic portfolios and a quantitative survey that explored the eight cohort dimensions identified by Huey (1996). The data suggests that the use of a cohort-based delivery model enhanced program coherence and fostered collaboration, inquiry, and reflection. Four specific themes emerged from the data: (a) the cohort's potential for fostering personal and professional relationships, (b) the need for preparing college faculty for cohort teaching, (c) the positive benefits to consciously striving to build community within a cohort, and (d) the positive impact that a cohort format exerts upon participant learning.
Inherited disorders of renal hypomagnesaemia

The kidney plays a key role in the maintenance of normal magnesium balance. The distal tubule of the kidney, namely the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle and the distal convoluted tubule, is crucial for the regulation of serum magnesium levels and body magnesium content. The identification of molecular defects related to rare inherited magnesium losing disorders has contributed greatly to a better understanding of the process of renal magnesium handling. Since the number of genetic defects related to magnesium metabolism is still increasing, it might be expected that our knowledge on magnesium physiology will further improve. This knowledge will hopefully lead to therapeutic strategies that enable specific therapies for patients suffering from the symptoms and possible sequelae of chronic magnesium depletion.
Quantitative risk analysis for toxic chemicals in the environment

Abstract An overview and basic framework is presented for quantification of human health risks associated with toxic chemicals in the environment. The presentation is designed for program managers who require an introduction to the principles of risk analysis and an understanding of the current state-of-the-art. The basic terminology is explained, the methodological components are reviewed, and a series of procedures is discussed for estimating ambient concentrations, effect potency, and human exposure and risk levels for a chemical substance. Practical considerations are discussed, including the uncertainties introduced by data gaps and modelling assumptions. Finally, a simple numerical illustration of the calculation procedures is presented.
The behaviour of staff: An ignored variable in programme evaluation

The argument presented in this paper has three main sections. The first involves a critique of the research model typically employed in the evaluation of treatment services for the mentally ill. The major criticism of the model, is that the behaviour of staff themselves is seldom included within the independent variables selected for study. This omission results in an evaluation which (a) has few implications for the improvement of the programme and (b) which accounts for very little of the variance in patient outcomes. In the second section a case is made for the study of those staff behaviours which reveal whether or not staff themselves reflect about and test the patient-care consequences of their own behaviour. These behaviours were studied in the staff of two multidisciplinary teams in a state psychiatric hospital. Four open-ended interview questions were used to assess staff's ability to reflect about the consequences of their behaviour for patients and to design alternative treatment practices. Data are presented in the third section, which shows that the staff found such reflection very difficult, and monitored their progress towards affiliative rather than treatment goals. Finally, comparisons are drawn between the models used by programme evaluators and the informal evaluation processes used by staff themselves.
An XML-based Quality of Service Enabling Language for the Web

In this paper, we introduce an XML-based hierarchical QoS markup language, called HQML, to enhance distributed multimedia applications on the World Wide Web (WWW) with quality of service (QoS) capability. The design ofHQML is based on two observations: (1) the absence of a systematic QoS specification language, that can be used by distributed multimedia applications on the WWW to utilize the state-of-the-art QoS management technology and (2) the power and popularity of XML to deliver richly structured contents over the Web. HQML allows distributed multimedia applications to specify all kinds of application-specific QoS policies and requirements. During runtime, the HQML Executor translates the HQML file into desired data structures and cooperates with the QoS proxies that assist applications in end-to-end QoS negotiation, setup and enforcement. In order to make QoS services tailored toward user preferences and meet the challenges of uncertainty in the distributed heterogeneous environments, the design of HQML is featured as interactive andflexible . In order to allow application developers to create HQML specifications correctly and easily, we have designed and developed a unified visual QoS programming environment, called QoSTalk. In QoSTalk, we adopt a grammatical approach to perform consistency check on the visual QoS specifications and generate HQML files automatically. Finally, we introduce the distributed QoS compiler, which performs the automatic mappings between application- and resource-level QoS parameters to relieve the application developer of the burden of dealing with low-level QoS specifications.
Rhetoric between orality and literacy: Cultural memory and performance in Isocrates and Aristotle

The essay argues for a reconsideration of the role of the “literate revolution” in the disciplining of rhetorical practice in the fourth century BCE. Specifically, the argument addresses the tension between oral memory and literate rationality in Isocrates and Aristotle to illustrate two divergent possibilities of appropriating oral linguistic resources of a culture. Aristotle's literate classification of endoxa (received opinions) and pisteis (proofs) depoliticizes the oral utterances and maxims of contemporary Greek culture, thereby rendering discourse a mere accessory of a political agent. By contrast, Isocrates conceives of rhetorical performance as constitutive of political agency and civic identity.
Fully Soft-Switched Three-Stage AC–DC Converter

The paper presents a fully soft-switched three-stage ac-dc power supply for server applications. In this three-stage architecture, the front-end boost power factor correction (PFC) is followed by a dc-dc boost converter that serves as a preregulator to the isolated dc-dc output stage. Through magnetic integration, soft switching of all semiconductor switches in the PFC boost converter and the dc-dc boost preregulator is achieved in addition to a reduced number of magnetic components. Generally, the output dc-dc stage can be implemented with any isolated topology. In this development, a zero voltage switching half-bridge dc-dc converter is employed for the third stage. The performance of the proposed three-stage approach was evaluated on a 700-W/12-V, universal-line-range ac-dc prototype.
Magnetic resonance studies on radiation-induced point defects in mixed oxide glasses. I. Spin centers in B2O3 and alkali borate glasses

Radiation-induced spin centers in vitreous boron trioxide and alkali borate glasses were studied using pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). It is shown that electrons and holes in these glasses are trapped on valence alternation defects, undercoordinated oxygen (holes) and overcoordinated oxygen (electrons). The local environment around these defects has major effect on spin parameters of the corresponding spin centers. The electronic and atomic structure of spin-1/2 centers and their diamagnetic precursors is analyzed using semiempirical and ab initio calculations.
Connecting the Dots: The Tale of an Undergraduate Research Experience Investigating International Affairs Knowledge

While there is considerable information about the knowledge (or lack thereof) and views, informed or not, of U.S. citizens, and there are many studies that correlate levels of education with foreign policy views, this study was intended to fill a number of gaps in the literature by connecting knowledge of international affairs and sources of that knowledge with views on foreign policy. In 2008, we undertook a study of the foreign policy views of undergraduates at Michigan State University (MSU) as part of an innovative undergraduate honors college research seminar. Information about the sources of students' knowledge about international affairs is correlated with knowledge of past and contemporary international affairs and the foreign policy views they hold. Attention was also paid to a number of demographic characteristics, some of which proved to be statistically significant. The article also includes the insights and limitations of this particular study, as well as reflections on the research experience.
The Vinylcyclopropane Radical Cation Rearrangement and Related Reactions on the C5H8•+ Hypersurface

The structures and major reaction pathways of the vinylcyclopropane radical cation and several of its derivatives are studied using highly correlated QCISD(T) and hybrid density functional calculations. Three different reactions have been studied: (i) the stereoisomerization via acyclic intermediates, (ii) the [1,3] methylene shift to form the cyclopentene radical cation involving either a concerted or a stepwise pathway, and (iii) the [1,2] hydrogen shift leading to either 1,4-pentadiene or 1,3-pentadiene radical cations. The activation energies for these processes are found to be quite similar, making the different pathways competitive. At the QCISD(T)//QCISD level of theory, an activation energy of 21.6 kcal/mol was calculated for the concerted pathway of the radical cationic vinylcyclopropane rearrangement, with the stepwise pathway only 1.9 kcal/mol higher in energy. With the exception of a small overestimation of the stabilization of the acyclic intermediates by homoconjugation, the results from th...
Combining semantic and temporal constraints for multimodal integration in conversation systems

In a multimodal conversation, user referring patterns could be complex, involving multiple referring expressions from speech utterances and multiple gestures. To resolve those references, multimodal integration based on semantic constraints is insufficient. In this paper, we describe a graph-based probabilistic approach that simultaneously combines both semantic and temporal constraints to achieve a high performance.
Dynamics of Spontaneous Breathing during Partial Liquid Ventilation. † 1466

We tested the hypothesis that partial liquid ventilation (PLV) with perflubron (LiquiVent®) in spontaneously breathing (SB) animals would increase respiratory rate (RR), minute ventilation (Ve), and work of breathing when compared to animals treated with gas ventilation (GV). We studied 8 newborn piglets after sedation with ketamine, intubation, and placement of catheters and an esophageal balloon. CPAP was initially used, then animals were randomized to sequentially receive different modes of ventilation during GV (Drager Babylog): IMV-SIMV-AC, or AC-SIMV-IMV. We then instilled perflubron to FRC and repeated the sequence during PLV. Animals returned to CPAP during PLV at the end of the experiment. Each treatment lasted 30 minutes. Ventilator rate during IMV and SIMV, and backup rate during AC, was 10/minute. RR, Ve, and pressure- time product (PTP=ΔPes·Ti, by flow) were measured for all spontaneous and triggered breaths. Standardized PTP•RR is an index of work of breathing. Blood gases were measured and OI calculated every 15 minutes. Reported values are means for the treatment periods. Data analysis used paired t-tests (p<0.05).Table
Nitridation of GaAs single crystal surfaces using hydrazoic acid and 308 nm photon beams

Abstract We have investigated the nitridation of GaAs(110) and (100) by photodissociation of the adsorbed hydrazoic acid, HN3, at 308 nm and surface temperature of 120 K with HREELS, XPS and TDS analyses. At low coverages, the photodissociation of HN3(a) produced mainly NHx(a), whereas at high coverages, the photodissociation of multilayer HN3 yielded NHx(a), N2(a) and N3(a) as revealed by XPS and HREELS. The TDS of the irradiated multilayer sample gave an early N2 peak at 150 K, in addition to the one which tracked that of the parent HN3 above 160 K. The high temperature TDS contained a single AsN peak at 720 K before the decomposition of the substrate above 800 K, which yielded AsN, GaN and fragments of GaAs. The presence of these nitrides on the surface is consistent with the results of HREELS and XPS measurements. For GaAs(110), the decomposition products, NHx species formed bonds with surface As and Ga atoms as indicated by the 90 meV peak in HREELS and by the appearance of new peaks in As 2p 3 2 and Ga 2p 3 2 XPS. Annealing of the laser-irradiated sample at 450 K caused the partial desorption of the adsorbates and the breaking of the GaAs surface bonds as well as the NH bond. Meanwhile, the As 2p 3 2 XPS peaks at 1323.7 and 1325.1 eV shifted to 1324.5 and 1325.9 eV, respectively. The former peak is attributable to the AsN species with the N atom back-bonded to the Ga atom, while the latter peak could be attributed to the As atoms bonded to two NHx species. The results for the GaAs(100) surface were similar but the relative concentration of As nitride was generally lower, probably because the top layer atoms are Ga instead of As. The He(I) UP spectrum showed a significant surface states reduction after a GaAs(100)c(8 × 2) surface was exposed to HN3 and 308 nm photon beams and then annealed at Ts > 750 K.
The Demand for Imports and Exports in Japan: A Survey

Abstract One of the more important issues in applied international economics is the extent to which trade flows adjust to changes in income, relative prices, and exchange rates. In this article, we survey the literature on the empirical estimation of the demand for imports and exports for Japan. More precisely, this article updates earlier surveys by Stern et al. (“Price Elasticities in International Trade,” Basingstoke, London, 1976) and Goldstein and Khan ( in “Handbook of International Economics” (P. B. Kenen and R. W. Jones, Eds.), North Holland, Amsterdam, 1985). J. Japan. Int. Econ. , June 1997, 11 (2), pp. 247–259. Department of Economics and International Business, Southern Station Box 5072, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-5072; and Department of Economics and Finance, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968-0543.
An efficient graph planarization two-phase heuristic

Given a graph G = (V, E), the graph planarization problem is to find a largest subset F of E, such that H = (V, F) is planar. It is known to be NP-complete. This problem is of interest in automatic graph drawing, in facilities layout, and in the design of printed circuit boards and integrated circuits. We present a two-phase heuristic for solving the planarization problem. The first phase devises a clever ordering of the vertices of the graph on a single line and the second phase tries to find the maximal number of nonintersecting edges that can be drawn above or below this line. Extensive empirical results show that this heuristic outperforms its competitors. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cryptococcus gattii, No Longer an Accidental Pathogen?

Cryptococcus gattii is an environmentally occurring pathogen that is responsible for causing cryptococcosis marked by pneumonia and meningoencephalitis in humans and animals. C. gattii can form long-term associations with trees and soil resulting in the production of infectious propagules (spores and desiccated yeast). The ever-expanding number of reports of clinical and environmental isolation of C. gattii in temperate climates strongly imply that C. gattii occurs worldwide. The key ability of yeast and spores to enter, survive, multiply, and exit host cells, and to infect immunocompetent hosts distinguishes C. gattii as a primary pathogen and suggests evolution of C. gattii pathogenesis as a result of interaction with plants and other organisms in its environmental niche. Here we summarize the historical literature on C. gattii and recent literature supporting the worldwide occurrence of the primary pathogen C. gattii.
Controlled Lagrangians and the stabilization of mechanical systems. I. The first matching theorem

We develop a method for the stabilization of mechanical systems with symmetry based on the technique of controlled Lagrangians. The procedure involves making structured modifications to the Lagrangian for the uncontrolled system, thereby constructing the controlled Lagrangian. The Euler-Lagrange equations derived from the controlled Lagrangian describe the closed-loop system, where new terms in these equations are identified with control forces. Since the controlled system is Lagrangian by construction, energy methods can be used to find control gains that yield closed-loop stability. We use kinetic shaping to preserve symmetry and only stabilize systems module the symmetry group. The procedure is demonstrated for several underactuated balance problems, including the stabilization of an inverted planar pendulum on a cart moving on a line and an inverted spherical pendulum on a cart moving in the plane.
Prediction of Impending Pacemaker Failure in a Pacemaker Clinic

A pacemaker clinic has been established for the detection of impending pacemaker failure. Over a two year period, there were 121 operations on 87 patients, comprising a third of our living patients. Of the 93 pacemaker replacements evaluated, 77 (83 percent) were for failure of the pulse-forming circuit and 16 (17 percent) for wire dislogment, heart perforation on lead fracture. Sixty-four percent of the pacemakers were replaced electively as a result of changes detected in the electrical impulses or the electrocardiogram. Only 10 percent of replacements were elective in patients not attending the clinic. On the basis of observed defects in the pacemakers, a maximal yield of 83 percent elective pacemaker replacements could have been anticipated from the test procedures of the clinic. The most significant changes observed were decreases in the artifact amplitude and in rate, especially if found together or in conjunction with alteration in pulse width or impulse configuration. Absolute indications were uncommon but included rounding of the square wave of Electrodyne units and loss of synchronization of any unit with a sensing circuit (standby and synchronous pacemakers). A computer simplified the clinic procedure by providing real-time rapid analysis of the data and a neat, concise report for the records. However, the computer was not necessary for preparing and evaluating the tests although it will be used for analog to digital conversion in further development of the clinic. The clinic provides close follow-up of all patients and gives them and their physicians the assurance that trouble will usually be spotted before it occurs. We believe that premature and emergency replacement of pacemakers can be avoided with this semiquantitative method.
Hand and Mind: What Gestures Reveal about Thought

What is the relation between gestures and speech? In terms of symbolic forms, of course, the spontaneous and unwitting gestures we make while talking differ sharply from spoken language itself. Whereas spoken language is linear, segmented, standardized, and arbitrary, gestures are global, synthetic, idiosyncratic, and imagistic. In Hand and Mind, David McNeill presents a bold theory of the essential unity of speech and the gestures that accompany it. This long-awaited, provocative study argues that the unity of gestures and language far exceeds the surface level of speech noted by previous researchers and in fact also includes the semantic and pragmatic levels of language. In effect, the whole concept of language must be altered to take into account the nonsegmented, instantaneous, and holistic images conveyed by gestures. McNeill and his colleagues carefully devised a standard methodology for examining the speech and gesture behavior of individuals engaged in narrative discourse. A research subject is shown a cartoon like the 1950 Canary Row--a classic Sylvester and Tweedy Bird caper that features Sylvester climbing up a downspout, swallowing a bowling ball and slamming into a brick wall. After watching the cartoon, the subject is videotaped recounting the story from memory to a listener who has not seen the cartoon. Painstaking analysis of the videotapes revealed that although the research subjects--children as well as adults, some neurologically impaired--represented a wide variety of linguistic groupings, the gestures of people speaking English and a half dozen other languages manifest the same principles. Relying on data from more than ten years of research, McNeill shows thatgestures do not simply form a part of what is said and meant but have an impact on thought itself. He persuasively argues that because gestures directly transfer mental images to visible forms, conveying ideas that language cannot always express, we must examine language and gesture
Impact assessment of dredging to remove coal fly ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil plant using fathead minnow elutriate exposures.

On December 22, 2008, failure of an earthen containment structure resulted in the release of approximately 4.1 million m3 of coal fly ash into the Emory River and the surrounding area from the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant near Kingston, Tennessee, USA. The purpose of the present study was to assess the potential of dredging activities performed to remove the fly ash from the river to result in increased risk to pelagic fish, with special consideration of mobilization of metals. Elutriates were created using two sources of fly ash by bubbling with air over 10 d. This elutriate preparation method was designed to represent worst-case conditions for oxidation, metal release, and dissolution. Larval and juvenile Pimephales promelas underwent 10-d exposures to these elutriates. Larval end points included survival and biomass, and juvenile end points included survival, length, biomass, liver somatic index, and bioaccumulation. No significant toxicity was observed. Bioaccumulation of metals in juveniles was found to be primarily attributable to metals associated with particles in the gut. Results suggest little potential for toxicity to related fish species due to fly ash removal dredging activities given the extreme conditions represented by the elutriates in the present study. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:822–830. © 2013 SETAC
Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Body Fat Distribution in Patients with Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy Caused by Mutations in the AGPAT2 or Seipin Genes

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by extreme paucity of adipose tissue since birth, acanthosis nigricans, severe insulin resistance, marked hypertriglyceridemia, and early-onset diabetes mellitus. Recently, we reported mutations in the 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 2 (AGPAT2) gene in CGL pedigrees linked to chromosome 9q34 (CGL1 subtype), and mutations in the Seipin gene were reported in pedigrees linked to chromosome 11q13 (CGL2 subtype). Whether the two subtypes have differences in body fat distribution has not been investigated. We, therefore, compared whole-body adipose tissue distribution by magnetic resonance imaging in 10 CGL patients, of whom seven (six females, one male) had CGL1 and three (two males, one female) had CGL2. Both subtypes had marked lack of metabolically active adipose tissue located at most sc, intermuscular, bone marrow, intraabdominal, and intrathoracic regions. Paucity of mechanical adipose tissue in the palms, soles, orbits, scalp, and periarticular regions was noted in CGL2, whereas it was well preserved in CGL1 patients. We conclude that CGL patients with Seipin mutations have a more severe lack of body fat, which affects both metabolically active and mechanical adipose tissue, compared with patients with mutations in the AGPAT2 gene.
Microfabrication of plasma nanotorch tips for localized etching and deposition

We present the microfabrication and initial testing of an AFM-tip like device, or nanotorch, that is capable of generating a very localized microplasma at its tip. The submicron region near its tip provides a unique manufacturing environment where new methods for controlled direct-write micro and nanofabrication can be tested. The device has been fabricated using both surface and bulk micromaching techniques. We demonstrated both localized submicrometer oxidazion patterning and imaging with the same device. Preliminary experiments have also been carried out demonstrating localized plasma etching of a polymer surface at atmospheric conditions with an AC voltage of 1000V.
Collaboration Between Surgeons and Medical Oncologists and Outcomes for Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer

Specialist collaboration is associated with lower mortality without increased cost for patients with stage III colon cancer.
Distribution of birds along an elevational gradient in the Atlantic forest of Brazil: implications for the conservation of endemic and endangered species

SummaryIn this study I compare bird communities along an elevational gradient in an Atlantic forest remnant (Pico do Corcovado in Ubatuba) in coastal Sao Paulo state, Brazil. Forests at low elevations are structurally more complex and more diverse in plant species than those along the slopes and at higher elevations in this remnant. Consequently it is hypothesized that low elevation forests contain a greater diversity of bird species. Results from the study in the Corcovado area show clear differences in the distribution of forest birds along the elevational gradient from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The structurally more complex forest at low elevations contains the most diverse avifauna, including several of the rarest and most threatened species. The importance of this remnant as a whole is apparent due to the high diversity observed (254 species), the high proportion of endemic species, and the extent to which the avifauna is endangered. Protection of forests at all elevations along the Serra do Mar is required to maintain diversity of bird species, particularly the many endemic and endangered species restricted to specific elevations.
Using radio frequency identification in agent-based manufacturing control systems

The radio frequency identification (RFID) is a technology for automatic identification and localization of items, particularly in supply chain. Unlike bar code technology that detects the optical signals reflected from bar code labels, RFID uses radio waves to transmit the information from an RFID tag placed on the physical object to the RFID reader. A vast amount of raw data coming from RFID readers needs to be collected, filtered and preprocessed prior to providing it to high-level applications and information systems. Current architectures (like 'Savant', 'edge servers' and similar) for collection and filtering are most likely of centralized nature. It obviously does not conform to the distributed nature of agent-based solutions for the RFID-enabled manufacturing control systems. In this paper, we present an agent-based solution where specialized agents collect and filter the RFID data obtained directly from RFID readers and provide the data to other agents via standard agent communication mechanisms.
Temperature and reactive etching effects on the microstructure of microwave plasma deposited diamond films

In the microwave induced plasma deposition of diamond from methane-hydrogen-oxygen mixtures, the variables available for controlling the microstructure of the resulting films are the plasma composition and density, the substrate surface properties, and the temperature. It has been demonstrated that the competition between nucleation site formation and the rate of reactive plasma etching is the critical feature in the development of the film microstructure on silicon substrates. On diamond substrates, the favorable lattice match dominates and homo-epitaxial films are formed over a wide temperature range. Raman scattering studies also demonstrate that the reactive etching of the diamond surface by oxygen-containing species is critical to the removal of non-diamond carbon species over the temperature range 450–1050 °C.
"The myth of mental illness:" continuing controversies and their implications for mental health professionals.

Since the publication of "The Myth of Mental Illness" in 1960, there has been an ongoing debate about Thomas Szasz's ideas concerning mental illness. In this paper, Szasz's views are summarized, as are the views of Szasz's critics. Specifically, the following areas are addressed: Szasz's definition of disease, his notions regarding the unconscious and rationality, his beliefs regarding culpability, his proposed differences between psychiatry and other branches of medicine, the uses of the term "mental illness," and the possibility of implicating physical lesions in some mental illnesses. With this discussion as a backdrop, the importance of these issues to mental health practitioners is addressed.
Fetal Cephalometry Using a Multiple Head Transducer Scanning Device

To evaluate the accuracv and facilitv of multihead transducer scanning in recording fetal ceohalometry, we have studied 20 obstetrical patients in the third or late second trimester of pregnancy. The study utilized an electronic scanning device consisting of a linear array of 64 independent transducer segments placed over the abdomen of pregnant women. Recordings were made on videotape and on polaroid.
Maintaining abstinence in a northern plains tribe.

In this article, we examine how American Indian individuals with a history of alcohol dependence have been able to maintain their abstinence despite strong pressures to return to drinking. This work builds on close collaboration with individual tribal members who have resolved their problems with alcohol and community-based service providers to develop open-ended qualitative interviews. Using these, we explored how former drinkers respond to the twin challenges raised by their former drinking associates and strong feelings that emerge when alcohol is no longer an option for coping with life's difficulties. The resolution of these challenges is central to abstinence, given the strong ties between drinking and sociality in some American Indian communities (including the one where this study was conducted) and underscores the ways in which alternate relations to alcohol can be established even within a heavy drinking cultural context. Interviews were conducted with 133 individuals from a northern plains tribe who were identified in a previous epidemiological study as having a lifetime history of alcohol dependence. Inquiry into the processes involved in the meaningful constitution of abstinence for these men and women highlights the role of religion and spirituality for some, but by no means all of these individuals and, more broadly, the emergence of what Bea Medicine has characterized as “new ways of coping,” which force us to expand on leading conceptualizations of coping in the literature on problems with alcohol.
Block Modeling with Connected Fault-Network Geometries and a Linear Elastic Coupling Estimator in Spherical Coordinates

Geodetic observations of interseismic deformation provide constraints on the partitioning of fault slip across plate boundary zones, the spatial distribution of both elastic and inelastic strain accumulation, and the nature of the fault system evolution. Here we describe linear block theory, which decomposes surface velocity fields into four components: (1) plate rotations, (2) elastic deformation from faults with kinematically consistent slip rates, (3) elastic deformation from faults with spatially variable coupling, and (4) homogeneous intrablock strain. Elastic deformation rates are computed for each fault segment in a homogeneous elastic half-space using multiple optimal planar Cartesian coordinate systems to minimize areal distortion and triangular dislocation elements to accurately represent complex fault system geometry. Block motions, fault-slip rates, elastic coupling, and internal block strain rates are determined simultaneously using a linear estimator with constraints from both geodetically determined velocity fields and geologic fault-slip rate estimates. We also introduce algorithms for efficiently implementing alternative fault-network geometries to quantify parameter sensitivity to nonlinear perturbations in model geometry.
Physiological and Ecological Correlates of Prolonged Incubation in Sea Birds

Sea birds with long incubation periods are identified, together with the features of their incubation physiology which distinguish them from birds in general. Most sea birds with prolonged incubation are members of the order Procellariformes. The majority of Pelecaniformes and Charadniformes with long incubation periods are tropical species. The total amount of water lost from the egg during incubation is a similar fraction of the initial egg weight in sea birds with prolonged incubation as in other birds. The oxygen consumption of the newly hatched chick is similarly related to the chick weight, regardless of the duration of incubation. Within the constraints imposed by these similarities, sea birds with prolonged incubation display a number of adaptations. The daily rate of water loss from the egg, the water vapor conductance of the egg shell, and the total functional pore area of the egg are all relatively low in sea birds with prolonged incubation. The eggs of sea birds with long incubation times are large in relation to the size of the adult bird in the two species that have been studied, the high energy content of the egg is paralleled by the greater total amount of oxygen consumed during incubation. However, the growth of the embryo is relatively slow in at least one sea bird with a long incubation time so that prolonged incubation probably entails a comparatively high allocation of energy resources to maintenance requirements. In some species with prolonged incubation, the interval between pipping and hatching is also long and it appears to be a period of great physiological importance. Ecologically prolonged incubation is associated with either pelagic feeding habits or a tropical environment, both factors may be related to food supply.
Lymphographic demonstration of cyclic changes in lymph node size during pel‐epstein fever

Pel-Epstein fever cycles, consisting of 1–2 weeks of high fever separated by afebrile periods of the same duration, are classically characteristic of Hodgkin's disease. Clinical observation has determined that the lymph nodes enlarge during periods of fever and reduce in size as the fever subsides. To our knowledge, the waxing and waning of lymph nodes in tempo with the fever cycle in Hodgkin's disease have never before been documented by lymphography. The alterations we verified radiographically resemble cyclic swings in classic autoimmune diseases. Speculations are offered regarding the observed changes.
White light interferometry

White light interferometry is an extremely powerful tool for optical measurements. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of white light interferometry compared to laser light interferometry. Three different white light interferometers are discussed: 1) diffraction gratin interferometers; 2) vertical scanning or coherence probe interferometers, and 3) white light scatterplate interferometers.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Patent Assertion Entities: Six Actions the Antitrust Agencies Can Take

One of the most pressing issues confronting antitrust in 2013 (and beyond) involves patent assertion entities (“PAEs”), previously known as patent trolls. Supporters proclaim PAEs’ benefits to “invention markets.” Critics lament extortion-like demands. Into this debate tiptoes antitrust, wondering if it can play any meaningful role. In this article, I offer six actions the antitrust agencies can take to address PAEs: (1) Offer guidance about potential harms from patent aggregation, (2) Promote transparency, (3) Prohibit transfers to PAEs that refuse to adhere to previous standards-based licensing promises, (4) Use PAEs’ distinct incentives to employ Clayton Act Section 7 when “plus” factors are met, (5) Monitor collusive activity, and (6) Consider the use of FTC Section 5. Antitrust enforcement is crucial to the protection of consumers and a competitive marketplace. Even if certain PAEs can justify some of their conduct, that does not mean that all PAE activity is immune from antitrust scrutiny. For if it was so protected, then the most aggressive and unjustified behavior, undertaken by PAEs with the greatest market power and largest portfolios, and inflicting the greatest harm on rivals and consumers, would fall through the antitrust cracks. The novelty of PAE behavior ensures that the framework must be applied flexibly. But antitrust enforcement cannot automatically be shunned in a context that presents new and powerful opportunities to inflict anticompetitive harm.
Urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate discriminates subsets of patients with osteoporosis.

To assess the biologic activity of the parathyroid hormone in osteoporosis, 32 patients with radiologic and clinical evidence of this disease were studied. Measurements of urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), serum calcitriol (1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D), calcium, phosphorus, albumin, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration were obtained. The high cAMP group averaged 5.68 µmol cAMP/g (SEM, 0.35) and the low cAMP group, 2.89 µmol cAMP/g (SEM, 0.22) of creatinine. Mean urinary calcium levels were lower (P
Pharmacologic control of swine reproduction.

Current approaches to control fertile estrus and parturition in the pig are discussed. Techniques to induce estrus in acyclic pigs (pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin) to synchronize estrus in cyclic females (progestins), and to control onset of ovulation (human chorionic gonadotropin) are described. Regimens that induce parturition (prostaglandins) and precipitate farrowings at more predictable times (oxytocin) are addressed.
All-laser-driven compton x-ray light source

Experimental results are discussed on a compact and energetic laboratory source of x-ray light (tunable from 50 keV to 20 MeV). It produces the highest peak brightness of any MeV energy x-ray source.
Microgrid Dynamic Economic Dispatch Based on Improved Particle Swarm Optimization

This paper studied the dynamic economic dispatch of microgrid operation with grid mode,and established a microgrid optimization mathematical model of distributed generation output,simultaneously taking into account the power input from main grid optimization. The mathematical model objective was to minimize the total electric cost in microgrid,in which the purchase cost from the main grid was treated as part of the electric cost. With considering the power balance within the microgrid,the distributed generation output and the ramp constraint conditions,the objective function was optimized.The power flow calculation was used to solve power balance constraint,in which the point of common coupling was treated as the slack bus,and the adjustments could be done timely according to the balance situation between output and load in microgrid. This paper used particle swarm optimization( PSO) to solve the mathematical model,and improved PSO with adding self-adaptation measure to solve non-convex,high-dimensional,nonlinear optimization problems. Typical numerical example shows that the proposed model for microgrid dynamic economic dispatch is reasonable and the algorithm has good practical value.
Other examples of recruitment problems and solutions

Plans to recruit patients for a clinical trial must begin early and must utilize a variety of workable techniques if patients are to be acquired at an acceptable rate. Publicity campaigns must be directed toward winning the confidence and good will of the public and of interested physicians.
RESEARCH ARTICLE: Representation of Fracking in Mainstream American Newspapers

This study employed deductive content analysis how hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, in online versions of elite American newspapers. The media sources The New York Times, Los Angeles T...
The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: How to Optimize Brain Health and Performance at Any Age, by Alvaro Fernandez, Elkhorn Goldberg, and Pascale Michelon

The purpose of The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness: How to Optimize Brain Health and Performance at Any Age is to provide a comprehensive guide of brain fitness from a “holistic” perspective. To...
The pathophysiological significance of reactive oxygen formation in rat liver.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of various important human diseases and their therapeutic interventions, e.g. ischemia/reperfusion injuries such as myocardial infarction, stroke, shock and organ transplantation (McCord, 1985). Evidence for the involvement of ROS is mainly based on pharmacological interventions. Since in most cases several potential damaging mechanisms could contribute to cell and organ injury, the exact role of ROS remains unknown. We recently have been studying the quantification of intracellular ROS formation in various models of no-flow ischemia (Jaeschke et al., 1988) and hypoxia (Jaeschke et al., 1988; Jaeschke and Mitchell, 1989; Jaeschke, 1990a) in the liver by measurement of the biliary and sinusoidal release of glutathione disulfide (GSSG). It was found that during hypoxia even the physiological formation of ROS was suppressed by more than 80% (Jaeschke, 1990a). During reoxygenation ROS formation was estimated as 0.15 μmol O2-/min/g liver wt., a 3–4 fold increase above physiological values (Jaeschke et al., 1988; Jaeschke and Mitchell, 1989). Formation of ROS caused by reperfusion after hepatic no-flow ischemia was estimated by these methods to be less than 0.05 μmol O2-/min/g (Jaeschke et al., 1988).
Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: what we know and what we don’t

In August 2016, the NEJM published the results of the MGTX prospective multicenter randomized trial comparing extended trans-sternal thymectomy and prednisone versus prednisone without surgery as primary treatment for myasthenia gravis (1). A total of 126 patients ranging in age from 18 to 65 years were randomized over 6 years at 36 sites. The thymectomy arm was statistically superior for both improved symptoms (as evidenced by a time-weighted average Quantitative Myasthenia score and less hospitalizations for exacerbations) and lower dose of both prednisone and azathioprine. This trial is of historic interest due to the accomplishment of completing such a trial in MG. It is also of interest due to the additional insight that it provides in regards to the contribution of surgery to treat a systemic disease.
HIV: Finding latent needles in a haystack.

Antiretroviral therapy can keep HIV at bay, but a few cells remain infected, so the disease cannot be cured. The discovery of a protein that marks out these infected cells will facilitate crucial studies of this latent viral reservoir. See Letter p.564 A barrier to curing HIV-1 infections is the persistence of the virus in cellular reservoirs, the predominant reservoir being resting CD4 T cells. Monsef Benkirane and colleagues identify a protein that is upregulated on the surface of HIV-1-infected quiescent CD4 T cells, thereby constituting the first marker for this reservoir. The protein is the Fcγ receptor CD32a, which is normally expressed by effector cells of the innate immune system but not by lymphoid cells. Although the functional significance of CD32a expression on reservoir cells remains unclear the identification of this marker will aid future study of the resting CD4 T-cell HIV reservoir.