MEETING THE IT CHALLENGES OF BUSINESS The Changing Mandate for MBAs

What is the implication for business when information technology (IT) changes in the workplace without a commensurate change in the composition of business programs educating tomorrow's employees? A survey of MBA graduates forms the basis of this article on the IT skills needed in the marketplace.     

Large-deviation inequalities for parameter estimators in stochastic systems

Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 2, pp. 95–112, March–April, 1994.     

A semantic modeling approach for image retrieval by content

We introduce a semantic data model to capture the hierarchical, spatial, temporal, and evolutionary semantics of images in pictorial databases. This model mimics the user's conceptual view of the image content, providing the framework and guidelines for preprocessing to extract image features. Based on the model constructs, a spatial evolutionary query language (SEQL), which provides direct image object manipulation capabilities, is presented. With semantic information captured in the model, spatial evolutionary queries are answered efficiently. Using an object-oriented platform, a prototype medical-image management system was implemented at UCLA to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among haemodialysis patients in Pune (western India)

Vascular injuries may occur as complications of elbow dislocation and usually involve the brachial artery. A case report is presented in which only the radial artery was compromised as a result of the dislocation.     

Platelet aggregation inhibiting and anticoagulant effects of oligoamines, XX: 4,4',4'-(1,3,5)-benzene-tris-sydnone imines

The synthesis of ten tris-sydnone imine derivatives, unknown up to now, is described. All compounds are alkyl or arylalkyl substituted in 3-position of the sydnone imine. The most powerful agent was the 3-propyl derivative 6c. It inhibits the aggregation of human platelets induced by collagen in a concentration of 1 mumol/L half maximally. Its N-ethoxycarbonyl derivative 7c, which was designed as a prodrug, showed only small antithrombotic effects in rats. The reason for this low degree of activity is discussed.     

Genetic aspects of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. Empirical risk of recurrence and case presentation

Nutrient uptake by the hindlimb was investigated utilising the arteriovenous difference technique in 5 Thoroughbred horses fed to maintenance a diet of 100% roughage or 52% oat grain and 48% roughage. Arterial blood was obtained from a catheter inserted into the carotid artery while venous blood was simultaneously collected from a catheter placed into the iliac vein via the medial saphenous vein. The arteriovenous difference for glucose was significant and represented a mean extraction of 10 +/- 1% with no effect of diet. If fully oxidised, glucose uptake (corrected for lactate and pyruvate arteriovenous difference) was sufficient to account for 78 +/- 13% or 107 +/- 15% of the oxygen consumed by the hindlimb in horses fed a roughage or 52% oat grain diet respectively. Acetate was also a major metabolite of the hindlimb, showing a 39 +/- 5% extraction with no effect of diet. However, the 52% oat grain diet did induce a significant decline in the concentration of acetate in arterial blood. The potential contribution to oxidation in the hindlimb was significantly reduced from 32 +/- 4% in horses fed roughage to 21 +/- 3% when fed 52% oat grain. D-3-Hydroxybutyrate uptake could account for 9 +/- 1% of the oxidation by the hindlimb with no effect of diet. The technique for measuring nutrient uptake across the hindlimb using the arteriovenous difference is relatively simple and would be valuable in investigating fuel use by muscle during exercise.     

Modified surface-active monomers for adhesive bonding to dentin

PMGDM, a PMDM-type adhesive monomer, was synthesized from pyromellitic dianhydride and glycerol dimethacrylate. Only the para isomer of PMDM, a solid, is used in dental adhesives. The adhesive monomer PMGDM is a liquid and consists of a mixture of para- and meta isomers. This study shows that PMGDM has several advantages over PMDM. For example, the adhesive can be applied at a greater thickness, and additives and/or additional initiators for improved curing can be incorporated. Use of the liquid monomer PMGDM also provided a convenient means of varying the thickness of the adhesive layer between dentin and composite. The adhesive bonds were tested in both shear and tensile modes. PMDM was used as the control. The reliability of the bonds, as judged from the Weibull modulus and Weibull characteristic strength, was improved by (1) use of more concentrated solutions of PMGDM adhesive, (2) use of an adhesive thickness of about 25 microns, and (3) modification of PMGDM with a diluent monomer which is expected to enhance the degree of cure and/or the dentin-wetting properties of the adhesive resin.