Pin&Play: the surface as network medium

Integrating appliances in the home through a wired network often proves to be impractical: routing cables is usually difficult, changing the network structure afterward even more so, and portable devices can only be connected at fixed connection points. Wireless networks are not the answer either: batteries have to be regularly replaced or changed, and what they add to the device's size and weight might be disproportionate for smaller appliances. In Pin&Play, we explore a design space in between typical wired and wireless networks, investigating the use of surfaces to network objects that are attached to it. This article gives an overview of the network model, and describes functioning prototypes that were built as a proof of concept.     

Microstructural and textural characterization of a hot-rolled IF steel

The present paper reports the experimental results on the microstructural and textural characterization of a hot-rolled IF steel. The IF steel was hot-rolled in multiple passes in the austenitic field (1,070 °C) followed by air-cooling. SEM, TEM, and LOM were used to image the microstructure of the material. The global texture was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The mesotexture of selected regions was investigated by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Results show the presence of a diffuse (nearly random) and weak texture in the hot-band that consists of recrystallized polygonal grains and subgrains. The fraction of boundaries with misorientations comprised in the interval 2° ≤ ψ < 15° was found to be lower than 5%. It can be concluded that these low angle boundaries and the presence of subgrains can be associated to the existence of a few areas softened by recovery during or after hot rolling in austenitic field.     

The effect of a split in WAIS-R VIQ and PIQ scores on patients with cognitive impairment and psychiatric illness

To determine the most effective treatment for acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, several clinical trials were undertaken in recent years to evaluate whether a 2-week course of ceftriaxone would be superior to oral antibiotics. Of the 46 patients suffering from acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, 14 were treated with ceftriaxone 2g for 15 days. The remaining patients received either oral penicillin V 1.5 million IU t.i.d. or doxycycline 100 mg b.i.d. for 20 to 30 days. Patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Of the 14 ceftriaxone-treated patients four showed incomplete regression of the inflammatory skin changes after 6 to 12 months. Two out of five patients who were monitored for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA excretion were still positive after 12 months as compared to none of six patients who were treated orally for 20-30 days. Six out of 11 patients treated orally for only 20 days needed retreatment after 6 months because of continuing skin manifestations, neuropathy or arthralgia. A 30-day duration of treatment with oral antibiotics and not the chosen antibiotic is crucial for curing acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. The duration of treatment with ceftriaxone needed for eradication of Borrelia in acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans has yet to be determined in future studies.     

A comparative cerebral blood flow study in a baboon model with acetazolamide provocation: 99mTc-HMPAO vs 123I(IMP)

Pharmacological interactions are important when nuclear medical procedures are applied to patients under drug therapy, or drug provocation. This study compares in baboon models (regional) cerebral blood flow [(r)CBF] results from 99mTc-HMPAO and 123I-iodoamphetamine [123I(IMP)] each with and without acetazolamide, the latter a suggested drug for testing cerebrovascular reserve. Expected differences in cerebral uptake were observed between the two radio-tracers without acetazolamide. The increase in tracer uptake resulting from acetazolamide is significantly enhanced for 123I(IMP), which could have diagnostic implications.     

Localization of interferon-gamma and Ia-antigen in T cell line-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

This study reports the cellular localization of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and MHC class II antigen (Ia) in the spinal cord of rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by adoptive transfer of myelin basic protein-specific T cells. Numerous IFN-gamma-positive cells, stained with two different monoclonal antibodies against IFN-gamma, were present from days 3 to 7 after cell transfer. Their number was greatly reduced on day 10. A subpopulation of T cells was IFN-gamma positive. Moreover, a large number of ED1-positive macrophages contained IFN-gamma immunoreactivity. The transient presence of immune cells containing IFN-gamma immunoreactivity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis suggests a pathogenic role of this cytokine in immune-mediated demyelination of the central nervous system.     

Estimates of the dollar value of employee output in utility analyses: An empirical test of two theories.

Examined distributions of estimates of the dollar value of performance in studies employing the method of F. L. Schmidt et al (1979) for estimating the standard deviation of job performance (SDy) and found evidence that (1) the mean 50th percentile estimate is biased downward, (2) estimates of SDy appear to be a constant percentage of the 50th percentile estimate, and (3) estimates of SDy as a percentage of the 50th percentile value (SDp) are quite similar to empirical SDp values based on actual employee output. These findings suggest that the downward bias in the mean estimate of the 50th percentile causes the mean estimates of SDy to be similarly biased downward, but does not bias the estimates of SDp. Finally, an objective method for estimating the value of average employee output is described. The product of this value and the mean supervisory estimate of SDp yields an unbiased estimate of SDy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)