A general computational recognition primed decision model with multi-agent rescue simulation benchmark

Analytical decision making strategies rely on weighing pros and cons of multiple options in an unbounded rationality manner. Contrary to these strategies, recognition primed decision (RPD) model which is a primary naturalistic decision making (NDM) approach assumes that experienced and professional decision makers when encounter problems in real operating conditions are able to use their previous experiences and trainings in order to diagnose the problem, recall the appropriate solution, evaluate it mentally, and implement it to handle the problem in a satisficing manner. In this paper, a computational form of RPD, now called C-RPD, is presented. Unified Modeling Language was used as a modeling language to represent the proposed C-RPD model in order to make the implementation easy and obvious. To execute the model, RoboCup Rescue agent simulation environment, which is one of the best and the most famous complex and multi-agent large-scale environments, was selected. The environment simulates the incidence of fire and earthquakes in urban areas where it is the duty of the police forces, firefighters and ambulance teams to control the crisis. Firefighters of SOS team are first modeled and implemented by utilizing C-RPD and then the system is trained using an expert’s experience. There are two evaluations. To find out the convergence of different versions developed during experience adding, some of the developed versions are chosen and evaluated on seven maps. Results show performance improvements. The SOS team ranked first in an official world championship and three official open tournaments.     

4-[(1H-imidazol-4-yl) methyl] benzamidines and benzylamidines: novel antagonists of the histamine H3 receptor

A series of amidine substituted phenyl-, benzyl-, and phenethylimidazoles based on the known H3 agonist SK&F 91606 (4) has been synthesized and tested as ligands for the histamine H3 receptor. Insertion of a phenyl ring between the imidazole ring and the amidine moiety produces antagonists. The benzyl series was found to be the most potent and was further investigated. Compounds 9c and 18 (entries 5 and 12, Table 1) are potent ligands for the H3 receptor with K(i) values of 16 nM and 7.2 nM respectively. In vivo, both compounds were shown to be equipotent to thioperamide (2), the standard H3 antagonist.     

The concentration of vitamin C and selenium in serum of volunteers,receiving different vitamin preparations

Dynamics of changes in serum ascorbic acid and selenium concentration as a result of single dose consumption was investigated on 18 volunteers (12 males and 6 females). Pure ascorbic acid and complex preparation intake was shown to effect the serum ascorbic acid level to a lesser extent than pure vitamin C. The highest concentration of both vitamin C and selenium were observed 2 hours after the administration of "Selmevit".     

Induced-fit docking of mometasone furoate and further evidence for glucocorticoid receptor 17alpha pocket flexibility

An induced-fit docking method was used to characterize the interactions of the glucocorticoid receptor binding-site with mometasone furoate, a glucocorticoid with a lipophilic ester at the C17alpha position. Two validation studies demonstrated that the protocol can reproduce crystal structures of nuclear receptors, and is appropriate for modeling ligand binding to the glucocorticoid receptor. Key hydrogen bonding interactions between mometasone furoate and the glucocorticoid receptor, as well as favorable hydrophobic interactions between the furoate group and the 17alpha pocket, contribute to high affinity and specificity of this ligand for the receptor. Using the glucocorticoid des-ciclesonide, which has an even larger moiety at the 16,17alpha position, induced-fit docking demonstrates the ability of the 17alpha pocket of the receptor to expand even further to accommodate the ligand.     

Dietary intake and urinary excretion of various mineral substances in patients with hypertension and ischemic heart disease

A total of 150 inpatients were examined for the content of mineral substances (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in the blood, daily diet and daily urine. In normal subjects, intake of liquid and the elements was found to slightly exceed their excretion with urine. In patients with stage IIA essential hypertension and circulatory failure, stage I-II, the excretion of the elements exceeded their intake, which was likely to be associated with intake of diuretics. In patients with coronary heart disease, potassium was eliminated in a greater amount and calcium in a less amount as compared with the amounts supplied with the diet. The most demonstrable retention of sodium was recorded in patients with stage III essential hypertension. These patients showed a certain elevation of sodium concentration and potassium lessening in red cells. In making up the diets for patients, it is desirable to consider the pattern of changes in the ratio of the amount of mineral substances supplied with food and excreted with urine, plasma and red cell concentrations of sodium and potassium (which are mainly excreted by the kidneys), as well as those of calcium and magnesium, but with a certain reservation, since the latter ones are excreted from the body via the gastrointestinal tract.     

Wear and failure of babbit bushes in steam turbine sliding bearings

An investigation of wear and failure of babbit bushes was completed in this study. The results showed that wear at dry sliding of babbit obtained by plasma spraying was less than that of babbit in the as-cast state and after a deformation heat treatment. The failure of babbit bushes was caused by a simultaneous and interrelated exhibition of fatigue and wear processes that depend considerably on cohesion strength between the bush and the bearing base and accumulation of defects on the contact surface between the bush and the shaft.     

Monitoring of bacterial community changes in leachate and wetland soil using T‐RFLP analysis

The removal of toxic materials in municipal solid waste (MSW) can be carried out within both bioreactors and constructed wetlands. In this study, the microbial community was analysed to monitor populations related to leachate. Wetland soil samples of two landfill sites were analysed and the microbial communities were compared during organic matter removal processes. The extracted DNA was amplified using FAM63F and HEX518R primers and T‐RFLP analysis was carried on with AluI digested terminal fragments. The bacterial populations of the wetland soil from Bury and Beccles landfill sites were absolutely dissimilar in the beginning of the treatment processes. But after four weeks of treatment the similarity was 45%. These community shifts can explain the effect of leachate on bacterial population. The T‐RFLP electropherograms indicated that the bacterial population of the bioreactor was very similar to the constructed wetland’s population in recent samples. The similarity within both sites might increase as the treatment process continues.     

An expression system for mammalian amino acid transporters using a stably maintained episomal vector

Aggressive tumor reduction surgery has been widely used in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma before initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy. No randomized controlled trial has been carried out to confirm the benefits of such procedures. To examine the role of cytoreductive surgery in the management of stage 2 and 3 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma treated with postoperative adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy, survival analysis was carried out on patients with initial microscopic disease documented on staging laparotomies, patients with large volume of disease at time of exploration and tumor reduced to microscopic residuals, and patients who were suboptimally debulked with more than 2-cm residual disease. Twenty-four, 81, and 191 patients were identified from a computerized data base, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed that 62% with initial microscopic residual are alive with no evidence of disease at 5 years and 56% of patients left with microscopic residuals after tumor reduction are alive and well at 5 years. There was no statistical significant difference between these two groups. The groups are equivalent with respect to known adverse prognostic factors. In contrast, 5-year survival in the suboptimal debulked group was significantly lower at 15%. Debulking surgery to achieve microscopic residual disease improved the prognosis in patients with initial large volume of disease. Survival was similar to survival in patients with microscopic disease at time of exploration. The beneficial effect may be attributed to the removal of chemoresistant clones in bulky tumors. Tumor reduction surgery remains important in the management of advanced stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma.