Re-interpretation of traditional architecture for visual comfort

In the history of stone traditional architecture there are constructive solutions which, with the same climatic conditions and materials used, produce a different final result. This result, which apparently is only a formal and figurative one, actually involves different physical–technical implications that inevitably determine, for these solutions, a different system of actions/reactions due to the change of stress of the physical environment they interact with. Starting from a constructive approach, linked to the Mediterranean culture and, in particular, to a specific declination represented by architecture from the Islamic architectural culture, the aim of the research work is to estimate how the logical–formal and physical operation of the walls of the traditional architecture, interacting with the outdoors, can be used and re-interpreted in order to assure a condition of visual comfort into internal spaces. Therefore, the attempt is that of a re-interpretation in a contemporary key, i.e. the possibility to use these solutions with the purpose of pointing out a methodological procedure which, even if referring to particular special configurations and specific visual duty in its experimental application, can be used in all types of environments; a methodology which contemplates and appraises all of the dynamics and problems linked to the sight and comfort of the average user.     

Hamartoma of the urinary bladder: case report and review of the literature

In this first article for the feature Humanism and Medicine, Rita Charon introduces an excerpt from Richard Selzer's introduction to his latest book, The Doctor Stories. In her introductory and concluding comments, Charon contemplates the role of stories in medicine and how both truth and healing can be found in both listening to and telling stories. In the excerpt presented, surgeon and writer Selzer muses on his twin crafts. As a writer, Selzer can fully appreciate that which he witnesses in his life as a doctor. His ruminations on his own dual citizenship suggests that all doctors, perhaps, can deepen their commitment to medicine, to their patients, and to themselves by strengthening their capacity to behold their patients and to grasp their predicaments. Selzer also traces his origins and, by implication, projects his future. As practicing physicians and medical educators, readers of Academic medicine might be inspired to do the same.     

A SequenceSpace analysis of Lys49 phopholipases A2: clues towards identification of residues involved in a novel mechanism of membrane damage and in myotoxicity

'SequenceSpace' analysis is a novel approach which has been used to identify unique amino acids within a sub-family of phospholipases A2 (PLA2) in which the highly conserved active site residue Asp49 is substituted by Lys (Lys49-PLA2s). Although Lys49-PLA2s do not bind the catalytic co-factor Ca2+ and possess extremely low catalytic activity, they demonstrate a Ca2+-independent membrane damaging activity through a poorly understood mechanism, which does not involve lipid hydrolysis. Additionally, Lys49-PLA2s possess combined myotoxic, oedema forming and cardiotoxic pharmacological activities, however the structural basis of these varied functions is largely unknown. Using the 'SequenceSpace' analysis we have identified nine residues highly unique to the Lys49- PLA2 sub-family, which are grouped in three amino acid clusters in the active site, hydrophobic substrate binding channel and homodimer interface regions. These three highly specific residue clusters may have relevance for the Ca2+-independent membrane damaging activity. Of a further 15 less stringently conserved residues, nine are located in two additional clusters which are well isolated from the active site region. The less strictly conserved clusters have been used in predictive sequence searches to correlate amino acid patterns in other venom PLA2s with their pharmacological activities, and motifs for presynaptic and combined toxicities are proposed.      

Experimental Evaluation of the Intrinsic Dissipation from Energy-Level Quantization in Josephson Devices

The main problem in realizing an experiment of macroscopic quantum coherence, namely, an experiment where the nonclassical behavior of a macroscopic system must be detected, is the fulfillment of many experimental constraints, in principle very difficult to achieve. One of the most critical parameters is the decoherence time of the system. The Rabi oscillations of a two-level system, in fact, are canceled if the quality factor associated with the oscillation is less than unity. In particular, it can be shown that the decoherence time for a SQUID system, once the temperature is given, depends only on the effective resistance. To evaluate the effective resistance of our system we have measured the energy-level quantization (ELQ) under stationary conditions at a temperature between 13 and 35 mK, for a Josephson junction and for an rf SQUID using the same type of junction. For both systems we can clearly see ELQ, because of the very low level of the intrinsic dissipation. From these measurements we can then set a lower limit for the effective system dissipation and then infer the decoherence time related to the overall setup of our experiment.     

Collaborative diagnosis over the Internet: a working experience

Pathologists reach more accurate diagnoses faster when their colleagues assist in evaluating tissue specimens. The Telemic software, designed for transmitting microscopic images over the Internet, gives collaboration a major boost with improved diagnostic quality and enhanced access to outside diagnostic expertise     

Analysis of temperature-induced saturation threshold voltage degradation in deep-submicrometer ultrathin SOI MOSFETs

This paper presents a systematic study of the temperature lowering influence on the saturation threshold voltage degradation in ultrathin deep-submicrometer fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs. It is observed that the difference between the threshold voltage obtained with low and high drain bias, increases at lower temperatures for nMOSFETs, whereas it is weakly temperature-dependent for pMOSFETs. Experimental results and two-dimensional numerical simulations are used to support the analysis. The influence of applied back gate bias on threshold voltage variation is also studied. It is demonstrated that the higher doping level into the body region provided by the halo ion implantation associated to the floating-body increases both the multiplication factor and the parasitic bipolar gain as the temperature is lowered contributing to the threshold voltage degradation. The absence of halo implantation efficiently improves this degradation. The use of double gate structure, even with high body doping level, suppress the saturation threshold voltage degradation in cryogenic operation.     

Defining team processes using OO metaphors

In 1996,the Office of the US Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), Clinical Business Area, began investigating the use of object oriented technology for its Computer-Based Patient Record program. It commissioned the CIOOT project (CPR Interoperability Using Object-Oriented Technology) and tasked multiple vendors and government offices to work within an integrated product team. At first, bringing order to the many diverse and conflicting views represented on the team seemed as impossible as herding cats. To deal with the project's complexity, the CIOOT project management team developed a process definition technique based on the metaphors of OO technology. The technique brought about common understanding and a clear project plan and, as a bonus, proved valuable for many other practical purposes     

On inequity aversion in nonhuman primates.

P. G. Roma, A. Silberberg, A. M. Ruggiero, and S. J. Suomi (see record 2006-03207-008) noted that the results S. F. Brosnan and F. B. M. de Waal (see record 2003-08401-002) attributed to inequity aversion could also be explained as a frustration effect. Roma et al. redressed this confound by designing a procedure that could have supported either of these interpretations. Nevertheless, they found that only a frustration effect accounted for both their data and those of Brosnan and de Waal (2003). The criticisms Brosnan and de Waal (2006) offered of Roma et al. ignored the fact that Brosnan and de Waal's (2003) research design was not capable of offering an unequivocal demonstration of inequity aversion. This conclusion holds no matter what the claimed inadequacies of Roma et al.'s procedures might have been. Caution is urged in inferring the existence of inequity aversion in nonhuman primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Capuchin monkeys, inequity aversion, and the frustration effect.

Each of 4 female capuchin monkeys ("model") was paired with another female capuchin ("witness") in an adjacent cage. In Phases 1 and 3, a model could remove a grape from the experimenter's hand while the witness watched. The witness was then offered a slice of cucumber, a less preferred food. Trials alternated between subjects 50 times, defining a session. In Phases 2 and 4, both were offered cucumber. Witness rejections of cucumber were infrequent and were not dependent on whether models received grape or cucumber. When models were offered cucumber, they rejected it at higher rates than did witnesses. These results fail to support findings of Brosnan and de Waal. An account based on the frustration effect accommodates these results and those of Brosnan and de Waal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)