cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of supervisor support, peer support, and Organizational culture among early career social workers in Child Welfare Services

Previous studies have demonstrated that those who are in the first years of Child Welfare Services (CWS) employment are at particularly high risk for turnover. This study explored how the effects of support and organizational culture on retention (as the antidote for turnover) vary across different stages of CWS careers. A sample of 767 workers was divided into subgroups based on their years in CWS. A series of multilevel models were used to examine the differences between the groups. Findings include the crucial role supervisor support plays in retaining workers not only in their agencies, but in the field of CWS. In addition, passive defensive organizational culture has a negative effect on early career workers, but not on mid or late career workers. This suggests that a unique sensitivity to passive defensive organizational cultures exists early in CWS workers' careers that appears to dissipate over time. Implications for organizational practices are discussed.
COMPUTATIONAL COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE: EXPLORING LINGUISTIC MANIFESTATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN ONLINE COMMUNICATION

COMPUTATIONAL COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE: EXPLORING LINGUISTIC MANIFESTATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN ONLINE COMMUNICATION
Adhesion and Signaling of Tumor Cells to Leukocytes and Endothelium in Cancer Metastasis

Heterotypic cell–cell adhesion in the near wall region under dynamic shear forces has been studied. In particular, we focus on neutrophil (PMN)–melanoma cell emboli formation in a non-linear shear flow and subsequent tethering to the vascular endothelium (EC) as a result of cell–cell aggregation. The extent of tumor cell adhesion to a vessel wall is governed by the kinetic formation/disruption of receptor–ligand bonds, soluble signaling proteins within the tumor microenvironment, and the hydrodynamic shear within the circulation. Upon tumor cell arrest on the endothelium, retraction of EC during tumor cell extravasation occurs due to the disruption of intercellular channels or disassembly of the vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin homodimers that allow the passage of soluble proteins and cells. Preliminary studies have found tumor-elicited PMNs increase melanoma cell extravasation, which involves PMNs tethering on the EC and subsequently capturing/maintaining melanoma cells in close proximity to the EC. Results have indicated a novel finding that PMN-facilitated melanoma cell arrest on the EC is mediated by binding between the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 (expressing on both melanoma cells and ECs) and β2 integrins on PMNs, influenced by tumor-induced inflammatory cytokines, e.g., interleukin (IL)-8, and hydrodynamic shear rates. Furthermore, the adherens junctions in terms of VE-cadherin are regulated by endothelial mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) in response to tumor cell adhesion to the EC, as well as to IL-8 and several other soluble signaling proteins within the tumor microenvironment. These studies will yield new evidence for the complex role of hemodynamics, protein signaling, and heterotypic cell adhesion in the recruitment of metastatic cancer cells to the EC in the microcirculation during metastasis, which will be significant in fostering new cross-disciplinary approaches to cancer treatment.
Abstract TP347: Nationwide Predictors of Hemorrhagic Conversion with IV tPA for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Hemorrhagic conversion (HC) is one of the most feared complication of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) use for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Prior studies have shown very high mortalit...
Disparities in Diabetes Education Program Use by Disability Status Among People with Diabetes: Findings from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2015

Background: Patients with diabetes and disabilities often have more difficulties in managing their diabetes. Little is known about how disabilities affect their use of diabetes education program. P...
Attractiveness of the dark central floret in wild carrots: do umbel size and height matter?

The function of the dark central floret (DCF) in the wild carrot, Daucus carota L. (Apiaceae), is uncertain. It has been suggested that it is a vestigial structure without a function, that it serves as a long or short distance signal to attract pollinators, or that it might function as a defense mechanism against herbivores. We experimentally assessed the role of the umbel size and height in the attractiveness of the DCF to insects in a coastal population of D. carota in western Turkey. We did not find differences in the number of insect visits between umbels with a DCF and umbels in which the DCF was removed when they were of average diameter (10 cm) and were placed either at the average inflorescence height (120 cm) or at 147 cm above ground. Similarly, we did not find differences in the number of insect visits before and after the removal of the DCF from an umbel or between umbels of small (5–7 cm) and large (11–13 cm) diameters. However, umbels of average diameter with DCF received more insect visits than those without it when we placed them at 81 cm above ground. These results suggest that umbel height, not diameter per se, influences the attractiveness of the DCF in the studied population. Thus, our study supports the hypothesis that DCF function depends on ecological context, reliant on both the visitor community and the predominant flower phenotype.
Organization and Cells of the Immune System

The human immune system is designed for protection against invading pathogens. The areas of the body exposed to microbes are the skin and mucosal surfaces of the intestinal, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary tracts. The immune system associated with these surfaces is called barrier immunity. Once a pathogen has entered the body, cells of the innate and adaptive immune system can be activated to fight the infection. Macrophages, dendritic cells, granulocytes, innate lymphoid cells, and invariant and conventional T and B cells function to protect the host. Characteristics of different immune cell types and some of their functions such as phagocytosis (eating) and NETosis (trapping) are presented in this chapter. In order to mount a coordinated and appropriate response, there is cross-talk between the different immune cells. Soluble mediators called cytokines and chemokines are important mechanisms for cell–cell communication. Cytokines and chemokines also provide communication between immune cells and other organs of the body. The adult lymphoid system is composed of primary (bone marrow and thymus) and secondary (lymph node, spleen, Peyer’s patches, tonsils, adenoids, lymphoid tissue associated with mucosal surfaces) lymphoid organs that are connected through blood and lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic vessels transport immune cells, fluid, antigen, and fat throughout the body. Tertiary lymphoid organs can form in the context of chronic inflammation. This chapter provides a broad overview of the components of the immune system with greater detail provided in later chapters.
Analysis of the effect of internal defects on fatigue performance of additive manufactured metals

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are growing rapidly to generate unique complex parts with short lead times. To achieve industrial standards for critical applications such as in biomedical and aerospace industries, AM parts should provide the required mechanical performance. This includes acceptable fatigue performance because of the typical cyclic loadings applied to these parts during operation. Resistance to fatigue failure is greatly influenced by the existence of defects since fatigue cracks often start at defects. In this work the effect of processing and post-processing conditions on defect content of L-PBF (Powder Bed Fusion) Ti–6Al–4V and 17–4 PH specimens was studied and effect of defects on fatigue performance of Ti–6Al–4V specimens was analyzed using data from this study and the literature. Despite the significant scatter, for similar AM machines with constant layer thickness and hatch spacing, an optimal region of energy density level created smaller defects. The number of fatigue critical defects in Ti–6Al–4V machined surface specimens decreased significantly after HIPing, however, the size of fatigue damage initiating defect slightly decreased. Gas porosities observed in heat treated 17–4 PH specimens shrank in size but did not completely fuse after HIPing. Fatigue performance was consistently better for Ti–6Al–4V with a lamellar microstructure compared to a martensitic microstructure with similar defect size. The effect of defects on fatigue performance was found to be dominant at longer lives, and less scatter was observed for specimens with larger defects. Extreme Value Statistics (EVS) showed promising results for estimating the size of fatigue critical defects.
Influence of space charge on the conductivity of nanocrystalline SrTiO3

A grand canonical multiscale space-charge model has been developed to study and predict the electrical properties of polycrystalline perovskites with complex defect chemistries. This model combines accurate data from hybrid exchange-correlation functional density functional theory calculations (defect formation energies, resultant grand canonical calculations of defect concentrations, and ionization states) with finite-element simulation of the electric field and its coupling to defect redistribution and reionization throughout the grain. This model was used to simulate the evolution of the oxygen partial pressure-dependent conductivity of polycrystalline acceptor-doped strontium titanate as the grain size decreases, and the results were compared to previous experiments. These results demonstrate that as the grain size is reduced from the microscale to nanoscale, the experimentally observed disappearance of ionic conductivity and forward shift of the oxygen partial pressure of the n–p crossover are successfully reproduced and explained by the model. Mechanistically, the changes to conductivity stem from the charge transfer from the grain boundary core into the grain interior, forming a space-charge layer near the grain boundary core that perturbs the local defect chemistry. The impact of the grain size on the electrical conductivity and the underlying defect chemistry across the grain are discussed. In addition to the findings herein, the model itself enables exploration of the electrical response of polycrystalline semiconductor systems with complex defect chemistries, which is critical to the design of future electronic components.
Coalitional Resistance: Challenging Racialized and Gendered Oppression in Teacher Education:

In this article, the authors push back against “unnatural invisibility” and stereotypes of Asian American women by introducing a culturally informed coalitional resistance framework. Drawing from e...
Beyond the Law: An Agenda for Policing Reform

Legal discussions about how best to manage the use of force by the police have focused on possible changes in the legal standards through which the police are held accountable for their actions—standards established in Graham v. Connor. We argue that such changes are unlikely to change police conduct in desirable ways. The police are currently trained and equipped to manage all the problems they face through the threat or use of coercion even though this approach is a poor fit to most of the issues the police actually deal with in their everyday work. The consequence of this mismatch is that police actions provoke and intensify conflict in many settings, leading inevitably to instances of the overuse of force. A better solution to the problem of the police use of force is to focus beyond the law on the organization of policing. We propose four approaches for possible reorganizations of the police. The goal of the first two approaches—exiting the social welfare field and collaboration with nonpolicing agencies—is to limit police actions to those situations in which their willingness and ability to compel obedience via force is appropriate. The other two approaches—specialization and civilianization—aim to diversify the skill set of police so that some members of the department are trained, equipped, and able to be deployed to deal with the variety of problems that can be better handled through a “social welfare” skill set.
2 Sisters, 2 Stories: Breast Cancer, Femininity, and Body Ownership

This chapter, opens up discussions on “femininity,” a noun that seems to have an easy semantics. However, in the context of breast cancer and mastectomy the noun becomes controversial because it opens up several debates on the nature of femininity and ownership of the body. The chapter is also an invitation to think collectively about ways to minimize breast cancer; how to raise awareness of prevention; and to understand the difference between a very well-known noun, “survivor,” and a rarely used one, “previvor.” The chapter uses two fictional characters created by me to show the benefits of medical humanities as integrated approaches toward ameliorating an illness. In a world dominated by fake beauty and increased usage of cosmetic products and plastic surgery, in a world where the body is shamed if it does not follow the pressures of (so-called) social norms, in a world where the body could be politically institutionalized, Mia and Meg, two sisters with (recently found) family history of breast cancer, talk openly about how prevention along with personal choices should be part of any patient’s educated decisions.
Comparing Collapsed Cone Convolution Algorithm With Acuros and Its Implication on NRG Clinical Trials.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) The Varian Eclipse implementation of the Linear Boltzmann Transport Equation, Acuros XB dose calculation algorithm has the same accuracy as Monte Carlo but is much faster and has already been implemented in many clinics. Like Monte Carlo, Acuros allows the user to report dose to water or dose to medium. The main aim of this study is to compare both Acuros XB dose-to-medium Dm,m and dose-to-water Dw,m algorithms with the widely used Collapsed Cone Convolution (CCC) algorithm and provide some implications on NRG clinical trials. MATERIALS/METHODS Six lung patients who previously received VMAT-based treatments at our institution were analyzed by recalculating their plans for each one with CCC algorithm (reviewed and approved by our Radiation Oncologists) and with both reporting modes of Acuros XB algorithm. All plans used the same monitor units (MU). For each patient, V100 of planning target volume (PTV) and D98 of gross tumor volume (GTV) in each plan were compared and dose distributions calculated by CCC, Acuros Dw,m and Acuros Dm,m were visually compared as well. RESULTS Differences between PTV V100 calculated by CCC and Acuros XB Dm,m varies from 13.2% to 0.4% with a mean value of 4.3%, while the differences between PTV V100 calculated by CCC and Acuros XB Dw,m varies from 4.2% to 0.6% with a mean value of 2.2%. The differences between PTV V100 calculated by Acuros XB Dm,m and Acuros XB Dw,m varies from 14.6% to 0.1% with a mean value of 3.9%. When GTV D98 is evaluated, the largest difference between CCC and Acuros XB Dm,m is 4.53% with mean value of 2.43%, while the largest difference between CCC and Acuros XB Dw,m is 4.11% with mean value of 1.77%. For all the cases, GTV D98 calculated by CCC is closer to the ones calculated by Acuros XB Dw,m. CONCLUSION The present study shows that the differences in dose calculated by CCC and Acuros Dm,m are larger than the dose differences between CCC and Acuros Dw,m. This difference will cause significant discrepancies if both CCC and Acuros Dm,m are used in clinical trials. This study indicates that Acuros Dw,m should be used to be consistent with CCC, however, this contradicts current recommendations in literature. Hence, further investigation and clarification are needed about which dose reporting mode should be used.
Global Freshwater Resources

Freshwater is essential for virtually all human endeavours and it is a criticalresource for ecosystem health. In terms of costs to human health and the economy,problems related to freshwater rank at the top of all environment and developmentproblems facing humankind. Freshwater is likely to become the critical resourcefor future development in many parts of the world. This article first describes theavailability of the world’s freshwater resources in relation to both quantity and qualityIt then focuses on the role of integrated watershed management and linkages toland degradation. The final part discusses the necessity of international co-operationin managing transboundary water resources. A case is made for comprehensive actionat all levels to avoid significant water-related problems in the future. There isneed to reduce water pollution, which requires both research, monitoring and technologicaldevelopment, as well as education and capacity building. Equally important isreducing the demand for the limited water resources. This can not be done by technologicalmeans alone, but will require policy and institutional measures. Marketbased approaches can be effective in managing demand, but it is important to payattention to the social costs, especially so that poor people are not adversely affectedby increased water prices. It is important to move towards a more holistic managementof water resources through an integrated ecosystem approach. Most majorfreshwater basins fall within the jurisdiction of two or more countries, and their userequires international co-operation. Responding to all of the above challenges willrequire significant financial resources. While governments and the public sector willcontinue to play an important role, it will also be essential to mobilise private sectorinvestment.
Photoionization energies of Cr3+-doped LiNbO3

Abstract We report on a study of intra-ion and electron transfer transitions in Cr 3+ -doped LiNbO 3 . The energies of the meta-stable emitting levels of Cr 3+ on both Li and the Nb sites are determined by standard optical spectroscopy techniques. Photoconductive measurements are used to determine the ionization energies of both species of Cr 3+ ions. From these results, energy level diagrams are created which give the energies of the optically active levels with respect to the host valence and conduction bands. The emitting 4 T 2 level of Cr 3+ on a Li site and on a Nb site is found to lie 1.5 and 1.2 eV below the conduction band bottom, respectively. These results lead to the suggestion that the lack of laser action found in LiNbO 3 :Cr 3+ may be due to strong excited state absorption transitions from the meta-stable 4 T 2 level to the host conduction band.
Chaos Theory and the Problem of Change in Family Systems

In spite of the fact that nonlinear dynamical models have been used for almost half a century in the area of family process theory, an appreciation of the potential of chaos models is a relatively recent development. The present paper discusses the shift of focus in our understanding of family processes resulting from Prigogine's chaos framework, and outlines a chaos approach to family interaction. It is argued that this approach allows us to more effectively address one of the central outstanding questions in the field, namely, how self regulatory behavior can contribute to structural transformation of the family system.
Epidendrum tripunctatum (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae): the tale of two species

Homonyms can often create confusion and this is the case with Epidendrum tripunctatum. A new combination, Prosthechea micropus, is required to correct the misapplied nomenclature. The author recognizes the Brazilian species as Prosthechea punctifera and the Central American species is recognized as Prosthechea micropus.
Functional decline in children undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy after age 10

Aim To compare function and gait in a group of children older than most children who received selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) with age- and function-matched peers who received either orthopedic surgery or no surgical intervention. Method A retrospective study examined ambulatory children with diplegic cerebral palsy, aged between 10 years and 20 years and categorized in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I or II. Three groups were considered: (1) children who had selective dorsal rhizotomy (n=8; two females, six males; mean age 15y 4mo at SDR, 16y 8mo at follow-up); (2) children who had orthopedic surgery (n=9; three females, six males; mean age 14y 6mo at SDR, 15y 1mo at follow-up), and (3) children who had no surgical intervention (n=9; two females, seven males; mean age 15y 6mo at follow-up). Longitudinal measures of gait analysis (velocity, gait deviation index, and gait variable scores) and gross motor function (GMFCS level, Gross Motor Function Measure scores, and centiles) were examined. Results No significant differences were found between changes in gait comparing rhizotomy with orthopedic surgery; however, the group who received orthopedic surgery demonstrated improved gait compared with the group without surgical intervention. Longitudinal comparisons of gross motor function demonstrated a decrease in the group who received SDR. Between-group analysis of outcomes also demonstrated worse outcomes of the SDR group compared with the orthopedic surgery group and with the no surgical intervention group. Interpretation Rhizotomy in older children was associated with functional declines compared with similar children who had no surgery and with those who underwent orthopedic surgery. This suggests that age greater than 10 years might be a contraindication for SDR if the goal is to improve motor skills.
Derived Interaction Parameters for the Tsai-Wu Tensor Polynomial Theory of Strength for Composite Materials

It is shown that the two interactive strength parameters in the Tsai-Wu tensor polynomial strength criterion for fiber composites can be derived in terms of the uniaxial or non-interacting strength parameters if the composite does not fail under practical levels of hydrostatic pressure or equal transverse compression. Thus the required number of parameters is reduced from seven to five and all five of the remaining strength terms are easily determined using standard test methods. The derived interactive parameters fall within the stability limits of the theory, yet they lead to open failure surfaces in the compressive stress quadrant. The assumptions used to derive the interactive parameters were supported by measurements for the effect of hydrostatic pressure and unequal transverse compression on the behavior of a typical carbon fiber composite.
Editor's Note: Sociological Re-Imaginations In & Of Universities

This is an editor's note to the Summer 2009 issue of Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Knowledge, themed after "Sociological Re-Imaginations In & Of Universities." Several faculty, graduate stu- dents or alumni, and current undergraduate students advance insightful, critical perspectives about their own learning and teaching experiences and personal "troubles," and broader university, disciplinary, and administrative "public issues" that in their view merit immediate attention in favor of fundamental rectifi- cations of outdated procedures and educational habita that continue to persist at the cost of more creative and, in fact more scientific and rational, approaches to production and dissemination of knowledge. The issue includes some very practical, creative, and pedagogically consequential exercises in the sociological imagination by several undergraduate students at UMass Boston, three of whom wrote their papers in their first year freshmen/women seminars.
Cluster-based mean-field and perturbative description of strongly correlated fermion systems: Application to the one- and two-dimensional Hubbard model

We introduce a mean-field and a perturbative approach, based on clusters, to describe the ground state of fermionic strongly correlated systems. In the cluster mean-field approach, the ground-state wave function is written as a simple tensor product over optimized cluster states. The optimization of the single-particle basis where the cluster mean field is expressed is crucial in order to obtain high-quality results. The mean-field nature of the Ansatz allows us to formulate a perturbative approach to account for intercluster correlations; other traditional many-body strategies can be easily devised in terms of the cluster states. We present benchmark calculations on the half-filled 1D and (square) 2D Hubbard model, as well as the lightly doped regime in 2D, using cluster mean-field and second-order perturbation theory. Our results indicate that, with sufficiently large clusters or to second-order in perturbation theory, a cluster-based approach can provide an accurate description of the Hubbard model in the considered regimes. Several avenues to improve upon the results presented in this work are discussed.
Density-functional study of the cubic-to-rhombohedral transition in α-AlF3

(Received 14 February 2003; revised manuscript received 20 October 2003; published 20 February 2004) Under heating, α-AlF 3 undergoes a structural phase transition from rhombohedral to cubic at temperature T around 730 K.The density-functional method is used to examine the T=0 energy surface in the structural parameter space, and finds the minimum in good agreement with the observed rhombohedral structure. The energy surface and electronic wave functions at the minimum are then used to calculate properties including density of states, Γ-point phonon modes, and the dielectric function. The dipole formed at each fluorine ion in the low-temperature phase is also calculated, and is used in a classical electrostatic picture to examine possible antiferroelectric aspects of this phase transition.
A new approach for teaching computer engineering laboratory using PLDS2

A brief overview of a development system, the Altera PLDS2 (programmable logic development system), is presented. The use of the PLDS2 in a laboratory course for digital logic design is reported to have made it possible for students to choose between TTL and CMOS-based EPLDs on the basis of cost effectiveness. The Altera PLDS2 is a complete hardware and software development system that enables the circuit designer (students) to develop an optimized code for programming the 'target' Altera EPLDs. The system allows various design input techniques for different logic design tasks. These inputs include schematic capture, netlist entry, Boolean-equations entry, and state-machine entry. Students are not restricted to just one entry method but may 'mix and match' methods to best meet the needs of the overall logic design. >
Electronic structure and reactivity of defect MoS2: I. Relative stabilities of clusters and edges, and electronic surface states

Abstract The defect structure of 2H-MoS2 is examined by density functional methods, and the results are compared with experiment where available. The defects considered range from edge structures to clusters of decreasing size to the single MoS2 molecule. Stability of the edges is found to be in the order (1 0 1 x ) (most stable) > (1 2 1 x ) > (1 2 1 0) > (1 0 1 0), where the inclination index x=3 or 4. A large relaxation energy is associated with the reconstruction of the edge from ideal geometry of a cut through the 2H-MoS2 crystal: for the (1 0 1 x ) edge, energy of 0.63 eV per MoS2 molecular formula is released upon a concerted movement of exposed S atoms that increases the coordination of the edge Mo atoms from 4 to 5. The electronic band structure calculation identifies surface states, which have a metallic character for the (1 0 1 x ) edge and a narrow gap semiconducting character for the (1 2 1 x) edge. For reference purposes, periodic band structure calculation of a single 2-D sheet of MoS2 by the LCAO DFT method used in this work yields practically identical results to earlier LAPW DFT calculations of Park et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 111 (1999) 1636]. The HOMO of the (1 0 1 x ) edge is a surface state that penetrates beyond the first layer of edge Mo atoms. The effective mass of an electron in this state is calculated to be 1.9 me, compared to 4.1 me for a hole in the HOMO of the 2-D sheet. Clusters of (MoS2)n (n=7, 3, 2, 1) also show large relaxation energies from the 2H-MoS2 geometry, with the main tendency to increase the coordination of the exposed Mo atoms by inward movement. The difference in energies of the spin singlet and triplet states increases from near zero for (MoS2)7 to 0.53 eV for the single MoS2 molecule, in excellent agreement with the data for MoS2 in frozen argon matrix reported by Liang and Andrews [J. Phys. Chem. A 106 (2002) 6945].
Parenting in Ecuador: Behaviors That Promote Social Competence

Parenting practices in Ecuador are dynamic, complex, and evolving. Parenting in Ecuador is shaped by its historical, economic, and political context. Parenting in Ecuador has been traditional in that parental authority was highly valued within a collectivist cultural context. Mothers and fathers followed traditional gender roles and socialization practices encouraged conformity to such patterns. Currently, Ecuador is experiencing many changes that are impacting parenting and family life. Gender roles are slowly changing, families often live in extended intergenerational households, many experience separation from family members due to emigration patterns, and divorce and single parenthood are becoming more common. Parenting practices that promote wellbeing and social competence for children and adolescence in Ecuador include an absence of punitiveness, neglect, and permissiveness. Positive parenting practices include the use of positive induction, involvement, monitoring, emotional closeness, and close family relationships. I also discuss parenting education programs and government policies.
Differences in Performance and Preference for Object-Oriented vs. Bit-Mapped Graphics Interfaces

This study used a standardized evaluation to compare two direct manipulation graphics interfaces: (1) object-oriented (vector) graphics and (2) bit-mapped graphics (object-oriented graphics interfaces are not to be confused with object-oriented programming or object-oriented data bases). Experienced and novice subjects performed objectively derived benchmark tasks appropriate for two-dimensional graphics packages. Both performance and preference data were collected. Task completion time, aborted attempts, learning effects, and errors constituted the performance measures. For the preference data, subjects completed questionnaires to rate the interfaces on both an absolute and a relative basis. Results indicate the superiority of the object-oriented graphics interface to the bit-mapped interface for most tasks, especially manipulation (e.g., scaling, moving, etc.) of graphics. The implications of these results for the use of direct manipulation graphics interfaces are discussed.
Minimizing the probability of load imbalance in heterogeneous distributed computer systems

We study the probability of load imbalance in heterogeneous distributed computer systems where nodes have different computing power. When load imbalance occurs in a distributed computer system equipped with a dynamic load balancing mechanism, jobs from some overloaded nodes are transferred to some underloaded nodes. Minimizing the probability of load imbalance is actually reducing the amount of system overhead, because job migration increases communication traffic, and excessive migration will degrade overall system performance. Since nodes have different processing speeds, we must assign more jobs to nodes with higher processing speed. Therefore, there is a problem of finding an optimal load distribution that minimizes the probability of performing dynamic load balancing. We develop a method to distribute load among heterogeneous nodes with different computing power in such a way that the probability of load imbalance in the entire system is minimized. We also show that a system with identical node utilization exhibits near-optimal performance in terms of probability of load imbalance.
Assessing Microcredit in Bangladesh: A Critique of the Concept of Empowerment

Assessing microcredit programs by testing their contribution to the empowerment of borrowers has been widely advocated and explored in the literature on women and development. There is considerable debate on whether microcredit empowers or disempowers women, and there are attempts to reconcile conflicting conclusions based on heterogeneous samples or data sets and grounded in a variety of methodologies. Although there is little agreement on the relation between microcredit and empowerment and no consensus on the meaning of the idea of empowerment itself, students of gender and development seem to be at one in regarding empowerment as a logically unproblematic concept. We argue that the idea of empowerment employed in this literature is vulnerable to a number of logical criticisms and cannot serve as a sound basis for determining the value of microcredit to borrowers. Our research suggests that in assessing the impact of microcredit, it is essential to consider generational and inter-generational differenc...
N-Methylpyrrole-Terminated Polyisobutylene through End-Quenching of Quasiliving Carbocationic Polymerization

Quasiliving isobutylene polymerization initiated by 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane/TiCl4/2,6-dimethylpyridine in 60/40 n-hexane/methyl chloride at −70 °C was allowed to reach 98+% monomer conversion and then reacted with N-methylpyrrole. All polyisobutylene (PIB) chains alkylated the N-methylpyrrole ring to form a mixture of 46% 2-PIB−N-methylpyrrole and 54% 3-PIB−N-methylpyrrole. GPC indicated the absence of coupled PIB, confirming that exclusively monosubstitution had occurred. Complete 1H and 13C NMR chemical shift assignments were made for both isomers. The product was converted exclusively to mixed 2- and 3-PIB−N-methylpyrrolidine by catalytic hydrogenation using PtO2 in glacial acetic acid. Quantitative 1H NMR integration of PIB initiated from the difunctional aromatic initiator, 5-tert-butyl-1,3-di(2-chloro-2-propyl)benzene, showed exactly two N-methylpyrrole end groups per aromatic initiator residue. Quantitative reaction of PIB chains with N-methylpyrrole could not be obtained with BCl3 systems....
Silicon Second Nature: Culturlng Artificial Life in a Digital World

Silicon Second Nature: Culturlng Artificial Life in. Digital World. Stefan Helmreich. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998. xii. 314 pp., notes, references, Index.
Representation and validation of domain and range restrictions in a relational database-driven ontology maintenance system

An ontology can be used to represent and organize the objects, properties, events, processes, and relations that embody an area of reality [1]. These knowledge bases may be created manually (by individuals or groups), and/or automatically using software tools, such as those developed for information retrieval and data mining. Recently the National Science Foundation funded a large collaborative development project for the semi-automated construction of an ontology of amphibian anatomy (AmphibAnat [2]). To satisfy the extensive community curation requirements of that project, a generic, Web-based, multi-user, relational database ontology management system (RDBOM [3]) was constructed, based upon a novel theoretical ontology model called an Ontology Abstract Machine (OAM [4]). The need to support concurrent data entry by multiple users with different levels of access privileges (as determined and assigned by the administrators) made it critical to ensure that the entered data were semantically correct. In particular, the ability to define and enforce restrictions on relations would help to identify inconsistencies in the ontology, maintain a higher level of overall integrity, and avoid erroneous conclusions that could be made by automated reasoners. In this paper we present a modified OAM model that accommodates one type of data restriction, domain and range, and facilitates associated validation. As proof of concept, we also describe how this modified abstract model has been implemented in RDBOM.
Biliary Complications Following Liver Transplantation

The aphorism that reconstruction of the biliary anastomosis is the "Achilles heel" of liver transplantation remains valid as biliary complications following liver transplantation remain a major source of morbidity with an incidence of 5-32%. Biliary complications include biliary strictures, biliary leaks, and stones. Biliary strictures can be divided into anastomotic and non-anastomotic. The management of biliary complications previously relied on surgical intervention. However, advances in endoscopic and radiological interventions have resulted in less-invasive options. The management of biliary complications post-liver transplantation requires a multidisciplinary approach and continues to evolve. Biliary complications also reflect the continued expansion of the donor pool with extended, live, and non-heart beating donors.
Socialization, mental health, and social class: A Santiago sample

As part of a larger study of social change, an investigation of a representative sample of 111 middle class and 64 lower class subjects of early adult age in Santiago, Chile, included several indices of mental health. As compared to the middle class the lower class disproportionately showed parental rejection, perceived their parents as punitive, and felt greater distance from their parents as well as recalling a less consistent and predictable emotional climate in the home. The lower class had also experienced less satisfactory relations with their siblings. Personal adjustment was more problematical in areas like isolation, self-control, paranoid projections, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and schizoid symptoms. Emotional health as revealed in a number of symptoms also favored the middle class.
Electrophoretic studies on serum proteins of young germfree, conventional and antibiotic treated conventional chickens.

SummaryThe effect of feeding procaine penicillin G (50 mg/kg diet) on the electrophoretic pattern of serum of young conventional chickens was studied and compared with data obtained from germfree animals. While the effect of the antibiotic on morphological characteristics of conventional chicken made itself felt after one month, up to the age of 2 1/2 months no differences were seen in the electrophoretic pattern. Both groups showed an equal increase in gamma globulin over the level found in serum of the germfree animal. At 4 months, however, the antibiotic-treated birds showed lower gamma globulin values than the untreated group, though the level was still substantially higher than found in germfree serum.
Aberrant Regulation and Function of MicroRNAs in Cancer

Malignant neoplasms are consistently among the top four leading causes of death in all age groups in the United States, despite a concerted effort toward developing novel therapeutic approaches [1]. Our understanding of and therapeutic strategy for treating each of these neoplastic diseases have been improved through decades of research on the genetics, signaling pathways, and cellular biology that govern tumor cell initiation, progression and maintenance. Much of this work has concentrated on post-translational modifications and abnormalities at the DNA level, including point mutations, amplifications/deletions, and chromosomal translocations, and how these aberrant events affect the expression and function of protein-coding genes. Only recently has a novel class of conserved gene regulatory molecules been identified as a major contributor to malignant neoplastic disease. This review focuses on how these small non-coding RNA molecules, termed microRNAs (miRNAs), can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, and how the misexpression of miRNAs and dysregulation of factors that regulate miRNAs contribute to the tumorigenic process. Specific focus is given to more recently discovered regulatory mechanisms that go awry in cancer, and how these changes alter miRNA expression, processing, and function.
Equations of state and optical properties of the high pressure phase of zinc sulfide

Abstract The static compression of the high pressure (B1) phase of zinc sulfide has been measured at room temperature using X-ray diffraction through a diamond anvil cell between 11 and 45 GPa. The volume, the bulk modulus, and its derivative of the B1 phase, extrapolated to zero pressure, are V 02 V 01 = 0.851 (±0.021), K 02 = 85.0 (±3.8) GPa , and K'02  4 based on a third order Birch-Murnaghan finite strain analysis. Alternatively, a universal equation of state fit yields V 02 V 01 = 0.895 , K02 = 47.5 (±8.2) GPa, and K02 = 6.2 (±1.1). The large discrepancy between these two sets of zero pressure parameters highlights the difficulty in extrapolating properties from a high pressure equation of state. Thin samples of the high pressure phase of zinc sulfide were discovered to transmit light in the visible region. Optical absorption spectra were recorded from 15.9 to 36.2 GPa. With the increase of a few GPa in pressure past the phase transition at 15 GPa, the direct band gap narrows to approximately 2.1 eV. Further compression induces a slight, but poorly resolved, increase of direct gap energy with compression ( ≈ 10 meV GPa ).
Inhibition of Replication of Lee Influenza Virus in Tissue Culture by Puromycin

Puromycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis with general growth inhibitory properties, was found to inhibit replication of influenza virus in tissue culture in low concentrations without destroying all met abolic activity of the tissue. The aminonucleoside of puromycin, reported to be as effective as the complet e compound against trypanosomes, was inactive as an inhibitor of the virus. Evidence suggests the mechanism of the virus inhibition is probably interference with protein synthesis, and that the antitrypanosomal activity has a different mechanism.
Anthrax edema factor potency depends on mode of cell entry

Anthrax edema factor (EF) is a highly active calmodulin-dependent adenylyl cyclase toxin that can potently raise intracellular cAMP levels causing a broad range of tissue damage. EF needs anthrax protective antigen (PA) to enter into the host cell and together they form edema toxin. Here, we examine factors that are critical for edema toxin cell entry and potency. In Y1, 293T and mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, EF causes cell rounding, aggregation, and sometimes detachment via protein kinase A but not Epac. The rate-limiting step for these EF-mediated effects is cellular entry via the anthrax toxin receptor. Finally, EF potency is also enhanced if the EF adenylyl cyclase domain is transfected into host cells, even in the absence of the anthrax PA-binding domain. These results indicate that the effects of EF in cells can differ dependent upon the mode of cellular entry of the adenylyl cyclase.
Schedule control of quantal and graded dose–effect curves in a drug–drug-saline discrimination

Pigeons were trained to discriminate among 5 mg/kg pentobarbital, 5 mg/kg morphine, and saline when responding was maintained under fixed-interval (FI) or fixed-ratio (FR) reinforcement schedules. After the discrimination was established, other drugs were substituted for the training drugs. After low doses of pentobarbital and chlordiazepoxide, responding shifted from the saline key to the pentobarbital key under both FR and FI schedules. After low doses of morphine and methadone, responding shifted from the saline key to the morphine key under both reinforcement schedules. After all doses of d-amphetamine, responding occurred largely on the saline key under both schedules. Responding also was confined largely to the saline key after phencyclidine administration under the FR schedule, but under the FI schedule, responding shifted from the saline key to the pentobarbital key at high doses of phencyclidine. When responding was maintained under the FR schedule, the dose-response curves for drugs that generalized to the training drugs were quantal in shape, while under the FI schedule, the dose-response curves for drugs that generalized to the training drugs were graded. These data extend observations that FR schedules generate quantal dose-response curves, and FI schedules generate graded dose-response curves to complex three-key drug discriminations.
Specific effects of potassium ion binding on wild-type and L358P cytochrome P450cam.

The camphor monoxygenase cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) requires potassium ion (K+) to drive formation of the characteristic high-spin state of the heme Fe+3 upon substrate binding. Amide 1H, 15N correlations in perdeuterated [U-15N] CYP101 were monitored as a function of K+ concentration by 2D-TROSY-HSQC in both camphor-bound oxidized (CYP-S) and camphor-and CO-bound reduced CYP101 (CYP-S-CO). In both forms, K+-induced spectral perturbations are detected in the vicinity of the K+ binding site proposed from crystallographic structures, but are larger and more widespread structurally in CYP-S than in CYP-S-CO. In CYP-S-CO, K+-induced perturbations occur primarily near the proposed K+ binding site in the B-B’ loop and B’ helix, which are also perturbed by binding of effector, putidaredoxin (Pdx). The spectral effects of K+ binding in CYP-S-CO oppose those observed upon Pdxr titration. However, Pdxr titration of CYP-S-CO in the absence of K+ results in multiple conformations. The spin-state equilibrium in the L358P mutant of CYP101 is more sensitive to K+ concentration than WT CYP101, consistent with a hypothesis that L358P preferentially populates conformations enforced by Pdx binding in WT CYP101. Thallium (I), a K+ mimic, minimizes the effects of Pdx titration on the NMR spectrum of CYP-S-CO, but is competent to replace K+ in driving the formation of high-spin CYP-S. These observations suggest that the role of K+ is to stabilize conformers of CYP-S that drive the spin state change prior to the first electron transfer, and that K+ stabilizes the CYP-S-CO conformer that interacts with Pdx. However, upon binding of Pdx, further conformational changes occur that disfavor K+ binding.
Developing the reverse logistics network for product returns

Reverse logistics is becoming a very important and necessary part of any business wanting to excel and move forward. One important aspect of reverse logistics is product returns. It is becoming essential to make sound decisions at all levels; strategic, tactical and operational, concerning the return flow of products. Thus, most firms have begun to explore the possibility of managing product returns in a more cost efficient manner. However, few studies have addressed the problem of determining the number and location of centralized return centers (i.e., reverse consolidation points) where returned products from retailers or end customers were collected, sorted, and consolidated into a large shipment destined for manufacturers or distributors' repair facilities. To fill the void in such a line of research, this paper proposes a nonlinear integer programming model that is subsequently transformed into an equivalent mixed integer linear programming model.