cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local scheduling for distributed cooperation

The emergence of mobile computing paradigms has created new dimensions for the problem of performing a collection of tasks in a distributed setting. Indeed, an intrinsic feature of mobile computing is that the communication topology changes over time, and some devices may not be able to communicate with others for prolonged periods of time. Efficient utilization of resources in such a setting requires tools for structuring computation with highly variable, or absent, processor connectivity. This article provides a family of efficient distributed scheduling building blocks for this purpose. Specifically, this paper presents new bounds for a fundamental distributed cooperation problem under the assumption that processors may need to schedule their work in isolation due to a prolonged absence of communication. The problem for n processors is defined in terms of t tasks that must be performed efficiently and that are known to all processors. This study gives tight bounds on the ability of the processors to schedule their work so that when some group of processors establish communication, the wasted (redundant) work these processors have collectively performed prior to that time is controlled.
CHARACTERIZATION AND PURIFICATION OF THE 94-KDA GLUCOSE-REGULATED PROTEIN

Increased synthesis of so-called glucose-regulated proteins (grp) of 78 and 94 kDa occurs in mammalian cells exposed to a variety of agents, including 2-mercaptoethanol, tunicamycin, agents which perturb calcium homeostasis, and amino acid analogs. Herein we describe a number of properties of 94-kDa grp (grp 94) and present a method for its purification to homogeneity. The protein, within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is modified by the addition of high mannose-containing oligosaccharides. The predicted amino acid sequence of grp 94, as determined by others, has revealed the protein to contain a putative transmembrane domain near its amino terminus, but in addition, a potential endoplasmic reticulum retention sequence (KDEL) at its COOH terminus. Consequently, the question of whether grp 94 exists as a transmembrane or luminal protein of the ER remains controversial. Results using isolated microsomes subjected to either limited proteolysis or lactoperoxidase-mediated iodination were consistent with the idea that the grp is a transmembrane protein. On the other hand, using the method of sodium carbonate extraction, grp 94 exhibited properties of both a luminal and integral membrane protein. These results raise the question of whether there exist two different forms of grp 94 within the ER.
Is it Possible and Desirable for Theologians to Speculate after Barth

This essay asks what Karl Barth meant by ‘speculation’ in volume two of the Church Dogmatics. Rather than equating speculative theology with metaphysical theology in general, Barth views speculation not as a monolithic act but as a conglomeration of modes of theological speech that undermine God's revelation in Jesus Christ. This essay argues that Barth's views of speculation, rather than undercutting the use of metaphysics in theology, pave the way for a responsible Christian use of metaphysics by tying one's use of categories and concepts in theology closely to the text of Scripture.
Vastus lateralis exhibits non-homogenous adaptation to resistance training

ADAM J. WELLS, MS, DAVID H. FUKUDA, PhD, JAY R. HOFFMAN, PhD, ADAM M. GONZALEZ, MEd,ADAM R. JAJTNER, MS, JEREMY R. TOWNSEND, MS, GERALD T. MANGINE, MEd, MAREN S. FRAGALA, PhD, andJEFFREY R. STOUT, PhDInstitute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness, University of Central Florida (UCF), 4000 Central Florida Blvd Orlando, Florida, 32816,USAAccepted 21 February 2014ABSTRACT: Introduction: Variations in transverse point of mea-sure on the vastus lateralis (VL) may significantly affect therelationship between structure and function. The purpose of thisstudy was to compare changes in muscle architecture at 2commonly used points of measure (VL0 and VL5). Methods:Maximal strength (1-repetition maximum [1RM] barbell squat)and muscle architecture were assessed PRE and POST 15weeks of periodized resistance training. VL0 was 50% of thestraight line distance between the greater trochanter and lateralepicondyle of the femur. VL5 was 5cm medial to VL0. Results:Increases in 1RM strength (3.762.4 kg; P50.004) wereobserved. Changes in muscle thickness (MT) at VL5 were sig-nificantly greater than at VL0 (P50.006). Changes in strengthcorrelated with changes in muscle architecture at VL0 only (MT:r50.561; fascicle length: r50.503). Conclusions: Changes inmuscle architecture appear to occur in a non-homogeneousmanner.
Engineering the optical transitions of self-assembled quantum dots

In this paper, we report a fast effective mass model for accurately calculating the bound states and optical transitions of self-assembled quantum dots. The model includes the atomistic strain effects, namely, the strain deformation of the band edges, and strain modification of the effective masses. The explicit inclusion of strain effects in the picture has significantly improved the effective mass model results. For strain calculations, we have found that atomistic strain depends solely on the aspect ratio of the quantum dot, and it has been calculated and reported here for a wide range of quantum dot aspect ratios. Following this sole dependence on the aspect ratio; The deformation theory has been used to include the strain deformation of the band edges. Density function theory has been used to study the effect of strain on the electron and hole effective masses. The proposed effective mass model have an accuracy that is close to full atomistic simulation but with no computational cost.
Development of the SCA/FEL for use in biomedical and materials science experiments

Abstract The Stanford SCA/FEL system is being modified to be used as a versatile source of photons for a wide range of biomedical and materials science experiments. Characteristics of the FEL beams to be provided are presented, as well as results of recent experiments on energy recovery. A new high brightness injector will be developed and tested, and the possibility of UV operation of an FEL has been assessed, assuming either fundamental or third harmonic output.
Mapping Language in Epilepsy with Functional Imaging

Surgery is an important therapeutic alternative for patients with uncontrolled epilepsy. Preoperative identification of brain regions important for language is important to reduce the risk of functional impairment after surgery. The Wada test suffers from several technical and clinical disadvantages and provides hemispheric data at best. More invasive methods such as intraoperative or chronic subdural cortical mapping have more limited application. New approaches using neuroimaging methods offer the opportunity to localize, as well as lateralize, language. In addition, normal volunteers can be studied with the same techniques, providing comparative and control data. Although most normal studies have been reported as group data, it is important for individual scans to be available for comparison with patient studies to understand the normal range of interindividual variability. Two techniques, PET with 15O-water-PET and fMRI, have been used. Both detect signal changes associated with increased regional blo...
The Conception of Problem and the Role of Inquiry in Social Education.

Abstract A persistent issue in teaching social studies is whether teacher or students select problems to be studied. Alternative conceptions of the meaning of problem influence the decision. Dewey rejected the position of positivism that problems simply emerge from the data, but his followers sometimes confused his positions on research in social science and problems as subjects of study in schoolrooms, particularly those child-centered theorists who saw the only legitimate problems as those posed by children. Earlier liberal critiques of positivist approaches are followed now by those of neoliberals and radicals. Neoliberals note failure to consider poetic, artistic, and other types of systematic thinking. Radicals or critical theorists stress concern about omission of problems for consideration that arise from political and social conditions, often because these problems are unrecognized or rejected as threatening to capitalistic interests. The various doctrinaire approaches have little appeal to most s...
A mathematical approach to organization theory

A qualitative and rather superficial review is presented of an on-going effort which seeks to explain the features of organizations, i.e. of systems consisting of men and/or machines, that have a reasonably well-defined task to execute.
Visual error is the stimulus for saccade gain adaptation

Saccade accuracy is fundamental to clear vision. The brain maintains saccade accuracy by altering commands for saccades that are consistently inaccurate. For example, saccades that consistently overshoot their targets gradually become smaller. The signal that drives the adaptation of saccade size is not well understood. Previous reports propose that corrective movements and visual errors, both generated after inaccurate saccades, could be responsible for a change in saccade size. Here we show that we can elicit normal reductions in saccade size while eliciting few or no correction saccades. These normal reductions in saccade size indicate that visual errors, not correction saccades, drive the adaptation of saccades.
Separation of double- and single-stranded DNA restriction fragments: capillary electrophoresis with polymer solutions under alkaline conditions.

Capillary electrophoresis in buffers containing hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was used to separate double- and single-stranded DNA restriction fragments under neutral and alkaline conditions in epox...
Multidimensional scaling research in vocational psychology

This review summarizes and evaluates the use of multidimensional scaling in vocational psychology. Multidimensional scaling applications are found in two primary areas: vocational interests and occupational perceptions. These areas correspond to the two major uses of multidimensional scaling: configural verifica tion and dimensional identification. Two issues—the relationship between multidimensional scaling and al ternative data analytic methods, and the selection of occupational stimuli—are discussed. A number of de veloping areas for the application of multidimensional scaling are identified.
Upper and Lower Bounds on the Makespan of Schedules for Tree Dags on Linear Arrays

We find, in polynomial time, a schedule for a complete binary tree directed acyclic graph (dag) with n unit execution time tasks on a linear array whose makespan is optimal within a factor of 1+o(1) . Further, given a binary tree dag T with n tasks and height h , we find, in polynomial time, a schedule for T on a linear array whose makespan is optimal within a factor of 5 + o(1) .
From parent to child to parent…: Paths in and out of problem behavior

This study used data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to examine relations between parenting, self-control and externalizing behavior from early childhood to mid-adolescence (N = 956; 49.9 % male). Results indicated that maternal sensitivity, parental harshness and productive activity are related to externalizing problems but that patterns of relations change from early childhood to middle childhood to adolescence, with evidence suggesting that externalizing behavior influences parenting more than the reverse from middle childhood onward. Self-control measured during early adolescence partially mediated relations between maternal sensitivity and adolescent-reported externalizing behavior. Parental monitoring during adolescence was also related to externalizing behavior at age 15. Monitoring partially mediated the relation between externalizing behavior in early adolescence and externalizing at age 15.
Effects of Pestilence and Plague, 1315–1385

The costs of poor health conditions are difficult to estimate for the Middle Ages. It is possible to establish in a tentative way a normal distribution by age and sex and to define what additional damage pestilence and plague did. One possible index is the number of able bodied persons (assuming persons of a definite age to be able bodied) compared to children, a dependency index. A second index is of the relative number of persons dying before they completed their life as able bodied persons. A third, not related to age, might be the number of persons too poor to pay certain taxes before and after the plague. Such persons were presumably too poor in part because of age or ill health.
Residence time of arctic haze aerosols using the concentrations and activity ratios of 210Po, 210Pb and 7Be

Abstract Pollutants from mid-latitudes (mainly from Eurasia) reach the polar region through long-range atmospheric transport during winter. Due to very low precipitation in the arctic region, the pollutant-laden aerosols in the stable, and dark polar atmosphere are believed to have relatively longer residence times. The disequilibrium between the daughter products of 222 Rn, in conjunction with the concentrations of 7 Be in arctic aerosols can be utilized to obtain information on the residence times and sources of the arctic haze. We have carried out a pilot study to explore the feasibility of determining the residence time of aerosols from the arctic haze. Towards this, we have analyzed 10 aerosol samples from two stations, Poker Flat and Eagle, Alaska for the concentrations and activity ratios of 7 Be, 210 Po, and 210 Pb. The activity ratios of 210 Po/ 210 Pb varied between 0 and 0.177. The corresponding residence time obtained using the disequilibrium between the 210 Po and 210 Pb, varied between 0 and 39 days. This is the first time an estimate on the residence time of aerosols from the arctic haze is determined. The 7 Be/ 210 Pb activity ratios varied between 2.2 and 14.0, possibly suggesting varying inputs of 7 Be from the upper atmosphere to the arctic atmosphere. Since long-range atmospheric transport is one of the major pathways of arctic pollution, this study has potential significance on the fate and transport of inorganic and organic atmospheric pollutants in the arctic region.
Behavioral Adjustment and Self‐Concept of Young Children with Hemangiomas

This study was conducted to determine the behavioral responses and self-concepts of young children with self-limited but transiently disfiguring capillary hemangiomas involving the head and neck. Nineteen children with hemangiomas, age 3 to 5 years, and their parents were compared with an age-matched control group without lesions. Responses to a parental checklist, informal interview, and self-concept test showed few differences between young children with hemangiomas and those without this neoplasm.
Model calculations for n-CdZnS light emitter grown on p-GaN hole injector

Abstract Recent energy diagrams for semiconductors suggest that p-GaN should inject holes into all the common II–VI compounds, including the sulfides. These diagrams treat only the energetics of the hole injection process, however, whereas kinetics are likely to play an important role as well. Hence, we have performed model calculations of the currents expected in the p-GaN n-ZnS heterostructure to assist in our MBE growth and device studies of this system, now beginning. The calculations indicated the need for an electron blocker so that hole injection into the sulfide layer would be the dominant current. An example illustrating these points is p-GaN/MgZnS/n-CdZnS, with the middle layer being the electron blocker. We present simulations of this structure based on realistic models of the heterojunction, including the self-consistent effects of the dopant and free carrier charges as a function of bias.
Tissue-Light Interaction During Monitoring of Thermal Lesion Using Quantum Dot Mediated Fluorescence Thermometry

Thermal therapy, destroying tumor in situ by localized heating, is emerging as one of the treatment options for benign and localized tumors. Despite many advantages of thermal therapy, its clinical application is still limited due to the lack of a reliable intraoperative monitoring technique of the thermal lesion. To address this challenge, an intraoperative thermometry technique has been proposed using the temperature-dependent fluorescence of quantum dots (QDs). Its feasibility is recently demonstrated by monitoring the spatiotemporal temperature during gold nanoshell-mediated heating. In the present study, the effects of tissue-light interaction on the QD-mediated thermometry were investigated both experimentally and theoretically so that the technique can be extended to in vivo applications. As for experimental investigation, the QD fluorescence through tissue phantom was characterized with varying the thickness of the phantom over a temperature range relevant to thermal therapy. The results showed that the QD fluorescence through tissue phantom was still linearly correlated to the local temperature, but the slope of the correlations decreased with the phantom thickness. As for theoretical investigation, the radiative transfer equation was reduced to the diffusion approximation, and the QD fluorescence through tissue phantom was predicted by numerically solving the diffusion approximation. The results confirmed that the diffusion approximation could describe the tissue-light interaction for the QD-mediated thermometry but further research is still required to improve the accuracy of the prediction.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Family Business Succession: Suggestions for Future Research:

Management succession is a significant moment in a family business's life and an issue that requires analysis from the perspectives of family, management, and ownership systems in order to understand adequately the perspectives of the different stakeholders. In an effort to help improve the quality of the research methodology on this subject, past family business research methodology will be reviewed and critiqued, and some specific recommendations will be presented that can enhance the quality and value of family business research.
Influence of Random Excitations on Acoustic Instabilities in Combustion Chambers

Although flows in combustors contain considerable noise, arising from several kinds of sources, there is a sound basis for treating organized oscillations as distinct motions. That has been an essential assumption incorporated in virtually all treatments of combustion instabilities. However, certain characteristics of the organized or deterministic motions seem to have the nature of stochastic processes. For example, the amplitudes in limit cycles always exhibit a random character, and even the occurrence of instabilities seems occasionally to possess some statistical features. Analysis of nonlinear coherent motions in the presence of stochastic sources is, therefore, an important part of the theory. We report a few results for organized oscillations in the presence of noise. The most significant deficiency is that, because of the low level of current understanding, the stochastic sources of noise are modeled in ad hoc fashion and are not founded on a solid physical basis appropriate to combustion chambers.
A GENERAL APPROACH TO TEMPORARY EMIGRATION IN MARK–RECAPTURE ANALYSIS

During mark-recapture studies of open populations, animals often tempo- rarily emigrate from study areas. Such temporary emigration can cause biased estimates of survival probabilities. We present a new statistical method to estimate survival probability from the capture histories of marked individuals in the presence of temporary emigration. This method uses stage-structured models that include one or more stages representing the individuals that have temporarily emigrated. Although not all parameters can be estimated in such stage structures, some important parameters are still estimable. Here, we determined the estimability of parameter values from the rank of the Jacobian of the likelihood function. We applied the temporary-emigration mark-recapture method to artificial data, representing various life histories and demonstrated consistency between actual and estimated values. As an example, we used the method to analyze data on reproductive female North Atlantic right whales. The method presented in this paper will be especially useful for studies of seabird, sea turtle, and marine-mammal populations where individuals are sampled only on their breeding grounds.
Socioeconomic status and perceptions of access and safety for physical activity.

Background: Environmental factors may play an important role on influencing physical activity (PA) behaviors.Purpose: Perceptions of access and safety for PA were compared among residents who were stratified as low or high in socioeconomic status (SES).Methods: Residents of a U.S. southeastern county (N = 1,194, 18–96 years of age) were contacted using a random-digit-dial method and asked about neighborhood and community environmental supports for PA. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify trails, sidewalks, public recreation facilities, and violent crime incidents.Results: A cluster analysis identified 10 census tracts as low SES and 11 census tracts as high SES (median household income, owner-occupied houses). More African Americans (66.5%) than Whites (33.5%) were classified as living in low-SES areas. Respondents from low-SES areas also reported engaging in less PA based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American College of Sports Medicine recommendations than respondents from high-SES areas (p < .05). Respondents from low-SES (vs. high-SES) areas reported higher perceptions of neighborhood crime, unattended dogs, unpleasantness of neighborhoods, untrustworthy neighbors, and less access to public recreation facilities (ps < .05). GIS data for presence of sidewalks, recreation facilities, and crime did not support these differences in perceptions; however, respondents from low-SES (vs. high-SES) areas had substantially fewer trails. Having and using trails in one’s community predicted sufficient PA and walking for 150 min/week for low-SES respondents but not for high SES respondents (ps = .05, adjusted for covariates).Conclusions: Having access to trails is an important environmental feature among low-SES communities and should be the focus of future community-based PA interventions.
Adsorption behaviour of trifluoromethane-sulfonate ions at the mercury/electrolyte interface from single salt solutions

Abstract A comparison is made of the adsorption behaviour of CF 3 SO − 3 ions on mercury from single salt and constant ionic strength solutions. For this purpose, thermodynamic analysis was made of the experimental results of measurements of capacitance, potentials of zero charge and surface tensions from single salt solutions in this work, and from constant ionic strength solutions, as reported in an earlier communication. The extent of adsorption from single salt and constant ionic strength solutions is small; however, the adsorption is larger from single salt than from constant ionic strength solutions. The maxima in plots of specifically adsorbed charge versus electrode charge, interpreted due to competition with water molecules, are observed only in constant ionic strength but not in single salt solutions. The structure of the interface and the adsorption isotherm for CF 3 SO − 3 ions are analysed in terms of an electrostatic model of the double layer.
Compressive Three-Dimensional Localization Microscopy

Localization microscopy requires a large number of image frames, an issue aggravated in 3D imaging. Sparse reconstruction methods can resolve overlapping 3D point spread functions from dense emitter scenes, leading to shorter measurement times.
Plane nonlinear shear waves in relaxing media

Model equations with cubic nonlinearity are developed for a plane shear wave of finite amplitude in a relaxing medium. The evolution equation for progressive waves is solved analytically for a jump in stress that propagates into an undisturbed medium. Weak-shock theory is used to determine the amplitude and location of the shock when the solution predicts a multivalued waveform. The solution is similar to that obtained by Polyakova, Soluyan, and Khokhlov [Sov. Phys. Acoust. 8, 78–82 (1962)] for a compressional wave with quadratic nonlinearity in a relaxing fluid. Numerical simulations illustrate the effect of relaxation on shock formation in an initially sinusoidal shear wave. The minimum source amplitude required for an initially sinusoidal waveform to develop shocks in a relaxing medium is determined as a function of the dispersion and relaxation time. Limiting forms of the evolution equation are considered, and analytical solutions incorporating weak-shock theory are presented in the high-frequency lim...
Economics of mining law

Modern mining law, by facilitating socially and environmentally acceptable exploration, development, and production of mineral materials, helps secure the benefits of mineral production while minimizing environmental harm and accounting for increasing land-use competition. Mining investments are sunk costs, irreversibly tied to a particular mineral site, and require many years to recoup. Providing security of tenure is the most critical element of a practical mining law.
Chronic Dietary l-Arginine Prevents Endothelial Dysfunction Secondary to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Normocholesterolemic Rabbits

Abstract Our goal was to determine whether environmental tobacco smoke causes endothelial dysfunction in the absence of hypercholesterolemia and whether such an effect can be prevented by supplementation with l-arginine. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is associated with an increase in coronary artery disease events and mortality. We have previously demonstrated that environmental tobacco smoke causes endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in rabbits with diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis and that chronic dietary l-arginine supplementation prevents this. The effects of l-arginine supplementation (2.25% solution ad libitum) and environmental tobacco smoke (smoking chambers for 10 weeks) were examined with a 2×2 design in 32 rabbits fed a normal diet. Acetylcholine, calcium ionophore A23187, and nitroglycerin-induced vasorelaxation were assessed in aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Endothelial l-arginine levels were measured by chromatography. Chronic l-arginine supplementation increased serum ( P <.001) and endothelial ( P =.003) l-arginine levels. Environmental tobacco smoke reduced endothelium-dependent acetylcholine-induced relaxation, and l-arginine blocked this adverse effect ( P =.04). Environmental tobacco smoke tended to increase phenylephrine-induced contraction ( P =.06). Neither environmental tobacco smoke nor l-arginine influenced A23187-induced relaxation nor endothelium-independent nitroglycerin-induced relaxation. Endothelial dysfunction secondary to environmental tobacco smoke may occur in the absence of diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Chronic dietary supplementation with a nitric oxide donor such as l-arginine offsets the endothelial dysfunction associated with environmental tobacco smoke in normocholesterolemic rabbits, possibly through substrate loading of the nitric oxide pathway.
Don't Forget to Vote: Text Message Reminders as a Mobilization Tool

Current explanations of effective voter mobilization strategies maintain that turnout increases only when a potential voter is persuaded to participate through increased social connectedness. The connectedness explanation does not take into account, however, that registered voters, by registering, have already signaled their interest in voting. The theory presented in this article predicts that impersonal, noticeable messages can succeed in increasing the likelihood that a registered voter will turn out by reminding the recipient that Election Day is approaching. Text messaging is examined as an example of an impersonal, noticeable communication to potential voters. A nationwide field experiment (n = 8,053) in the 2006 election finds that text message reminders produce a statistically significant 3.0 percentage point increase in the likelihood of voting. While increasing social connectedness has been shown to positively affect voter turnout, the results of this study, in combination with empirical evidence from prior studies, suggest that connectedness is not a necessary condition for a successful mobilization campaign. For certain voters, a noticeable reminder is sufficient to drive them to the polls.
Optical sensing of glucose using phase-modulation fluorimetry

Abstract We describe a fluorescence assay of glucose based on flurorescence resonance energy transfer and phase-modulation measurements of the donor decay times. The assay is based on the decreased decay time of a donor fluorophore linked to Concanavalin A (ConA) upon binding of acceptor-labeled sugar. Displacement of the labeled sugars by glucose results in a decrease in energy transfer and an increase in the donor decay time. The assay was demonstrated with several donor-acceptor pairs, demonstrating the robustness and generally of this this approach. A competitive glucose assay was demonstrated with both low-molecular-weight acceptors and with acceptor-labeled dextran. Use as a polymeric acceptor would allow the glucose sensor to be placed behind a glucose-permeable barrier, as may be needed in clinical applications. The use of energy transfer allows the selection of excitation and emission wavelengths compatible with the desired light sources and optical properties of the samples. The use of the fluorescence decay times rather than intensities, makes the measurements mostly independent of probe photobleaching, light losses in the optics, instrumental drifts, and mostly independent of scattering and/or adsoprtion of the sample.
Screening Breast MRI, Chemoprevention, and Risk-Reducing Surgeries in Unaffected BRCA Carriers.

BACKGROUND : BRCA testing has identified hundreds of families with deleterious BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the last 13 years. A primary goal of identifying these high risk families is to prevent breast cancer in unaffected BRCA carriers. Enhanced screening, chemoprevention, and risk-reducing surgeries provide a spectrum of options for BRCA carriers unaffected with breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research is to carefully quantitate the uptake of these interventions, and to also examine predictors for each of these interventions, in unaffected BRCA carriers. METHODS : We thoroughly surveyed all women who received BRCA counseling and testing at UCSF using the 2008 UCSF Cancer Risk Program mail-in survey. This comprehensive survey queried all BRCA testers about screening and preventive options, as well as their risk perception, cancer worry, knowledge, and opinions regarding screening and prevention. Statistical analyses were conducted to describe the unaffected BRCA+ population and their choices for screening and prevention. RESULTS: Over 80% of women (1137/1422) who received BRCA testing at UCSF in the last 13 years returned surveys. Approximately 20% of the UCSF BRCA testing population has tested positive for a known deleterious BRCA mutation. Of these, about 2/3 are affected with cancer at testing. 102 women are both unaffected with breast or ovarian cancer and BRCA+ (66 BRCA1+ and 36 BRCA2+). Their median age is 38 (mean 20-64). 29% of these unaffected carriers have undergone bilateral risk-reducing mastectomies, and 58% have undergone risk-reducing salpingo-oophrectomies. Of the women who did not undergo risk reducing mastectomies, 73% have received screening breast MRI and 7% have received chemoprevention (3.5% with tamoxifen and 3.5% with raloxifene). The following table describes differences and similarities in cancer knowledge, risk perception, and cancer worry among women who chose screening MRI, chemo-prevention, and risk reducing surgeries.* Percentage correct†1 (lowest) – 5 (highest)§1 (lowest) – 12 (highest) CONCLUSIONS: Most unaffected BRCA carriers identified at UCSF have received screening breast MRI, and only 7% have received chemoprevention. At a median age of 38, nearly twice as many have undergone risk-reducing salpingo-oophrectomy (58%) compared to risk-reducing mastectomy (29%). Cancer knowledge and cancer worry do not significantly differ among women who have chosen different options. There is a significant difference in risk perception among women who have undergone screening breast MRI compared to women who have undergone risk-reducing mastectomy. We will preform phone surveys of these unaffected carriers in the next 2 months to further examine their reasons for pursuing or not pursuing each of these options. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 4070.
Absorption of Solar Radiation by Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

The absorption spectra of the 4.3-μ band was measured at altitudes from 10 to 30 km along slant paths in the atmosphere using the sun as a radiation source. These spectra were obtained by the use of a balloon-borne grating spectrometer having a resolution of 0.5 cm−1. This resolution is high enough to require a line-by-line calculation to interpret the spectra. By making two assumptions it has been possible to calculate spectra (using a small computer) that agree quite well with the observed spectra. The primary approximations used were the assumption of like rotational structure for all isotopes and excited states, and the assumption of constant displacement between the various states of 12C and 13C. At the higher altitudes the Lorentz broadening theory resulted in a satisfactory agreement between the calculations and the experimental results, but at the lower altitudes use of the empirical modification proposed by Benedict was necessary to obtain agreement in the region of the high-frequency end of the band. The calculations cover the frequencies from 2235 to 2415 cm−1.
GAG Triplets as Splice Acceptors of Last Resort An Unusual Form of Alternative Splicing in Prothymosin α Pre-mRNA

Abstract Prothymosin α pre-mRNAs are alternatively spliced as a consequence of adjacent AG acceptor couplets at the intron 2/exon 3 boundary of the only expressed human prothymosin α gene. These acceptors are found in a unique sequence motif, GAGGAG, located immediately 3′ to a consensus polypyrimidine tract. The frequency with which each acceptor is utilized appears to be invariant in all human cells and tissues examined; two mRNA transcripts in the ratio of 9:1, shorter form:longer form, have been observed in every case. Production of the shorter mRNA violates two consensus rules for splice site selection: (1) the preferred AG dinucleotide is the second, rather than the first, following the polypyrimidine stretch; and (2) it lies in a potentially unfavorable, purine-rich region. The poor performance of the first AG dinucleotide cannot be explained by its position relative to other splicing signals; in mutant prothymosin α genes, this AG couplet promoted efficient splicing in vivo when preceded by a C residue or followed by a GAA triplet. The GAGGAG motif in prothymosin α genes has been retained by the African monkey, Colobus . Because the monkey's ancestors and our own diverged some 30 million years ago, the data suggest that the ambiguity in splice-site selection confers a selective advantage.
A shell theory compared with the exact three dimensional theory of elasticity

Abstract A theory for the equilibrium deformation of homogeneous isotropic shells is derived and compared with the exact theory of elasticity. The shell theory is derived axiomatically as follows. The potential energy is considered as a functional depending on displacements which are polynomials in the undeformed distance to the middle surface. The degree of the displacements tangent to the middle surface is a prescribed integer n and that of the displacement normal to the middle surface is n+ 1. The shell theory is then obtained by requiring that the potential energy be stationary with respect to all variations in this set of displacements. For each fixed n it is shown that a solution to the shell theory is an approximate solution to the exact theory at points not too near the edge of the shell provided that the displacement gradients, strains, loading, and thickness are sufficiently small. It is also shown that the agreement between the theories improves as n increases. Many of the proofs have been restricted to the case of zero body force, zero stress vector on the faces, and the strain energy density function of the linear theory, but the work has been carried out in more generality in a research report.
MEMOCODE 2012 hardware/software codesign contest: DNA sequence aligner

The MEMOCODE design contest for 2012 is exact substring matching: a simplified form of the DNA sequence alignment problem. The challenge is to efficiently locate millions of 100-base-pair short read sequences in a 3-million-base-pair reference genome. Contestants had a month to create a fast system that ran on a given set of test data. Entries were judged both on absolute time and the product of time and system cost. The two winning groups, which were invited to contribute papers describing their solutions, judiciously chose algorithms that exploited powerful hardware. The two winning entries employed a hash algorithm running on a Convey HC-1 FPGA/multicore hybrid with an aggressive memory system and a Burrows-Wheeler/hash hybrid running on a 12-core Intel system was second.
Utilization of Xanthophyll in Fresh-Cut and Field-Wilted, Dehydrated Alfalfa and Coastal Bermudagrass for Pigmenting Egg Yolks

Abstract Practical layer diets were formulated to contain 18.1 mg/kg total xanthophyll with 9.2 mg/kg of xanthophyll supplied by alfalfa (ALF) or Coastal bermudagrass (CBG) that was fresh-cut, field-wilted for 6 hr (daytime) or 16 hr (overnight), and then dehydrated. The diets were fed for 21 days after which eggs were collected for color and pigment analysis. Fresh-cut Coastal bermudagrass contained 84% more carotene and 36% more xanthophyll than the fresh-cut alfalfa. No consistent differences were found in xanthophyll utilization values (egg yolk xanthophyll to feed xanthophyll ratios), or CIE and L*a*b* values for yolks from hens fed diets containing the different forage products. Although alfalfa resulted in egg yolks that were slightly more red (Roche values of 10.3 vs. 9.6; a* values of 8.4 vs. 7.6) and exhibited a slightly higher dominant wavelength (580.6 vs. 580.3), these differences were thought to be due to the slightly higher xanthophyll content found in the analyzed alfalfa diets. Although total xanthophyll content may differ between these forages, or as a result of processing, when ALF or CBG products are fed to supply about equal levels of total xanthophyll, similar yolk color can be expected.
School Bullying in Taiwanese Adolescents

Little is known about bullying in Taiwan. This study investigated school bullying and its relation to parenting in 325 junior high school students (13 to 16 years) in Taiwan. The study examined (1) the prevalence of bullying, (2) the reactions of bystanders, and (3) the relationship between parents' authoritarian, authoritative, and overprotective parenting practices and their children's bullying. The results suggest that bullying is a prevalent problem in Taiwanese adolescents, and that it may be similar to bullying in Japan (ijime). In addition, relationships between parenting styles and bullying were found. The results highlight the importance of understanding family and school influences on bullying within a culture, and implications for the development of interventions are discussed.
Category change and risk perception: Hurricane Irene and coastal North Carolina

Objective: This research explores variations in risk perception with location and changes in the intensity of a hurricane (Hurricane Irene in 2011). Design: Surveys were mailed to a random sample of 601 year-round residents of two counties in coastal North Carolina. Within each county, areas were chosen based on their risk with respect to wind or storm surge; an equal number of surveys were sent to each area. A 31 percent return rate was achieved. Setting: Dare County on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Beaufort County on the Inner Banks were chosen as study areas because of the nature and extent of damage incurred from Hurricane Irene. Main Outcome Measure: Because Hurricane Irene was downgraded before it made landfall in North Carolina, it was anticipated that residents would perceive themselves to be at less risk to hurricane-related hazards with differences related to location on the Atlantic Ocean or on the Sound. Results: Little difference was found between the Inner and Outer Banks locations such that all reported the change in intensity influenced their perceptions by reducing the sense of risk. This varied somewhat, but not significantly, by hazard area. Conclusions: The downgrading of Hurricane Irene created a false sense of security. Residents of the study area believed themselves to be at low risk and were unlikely to evacuate, despite warnings. The long duration of the event, however, led to significant damages, surprising many, and suggesting the need to emphasize impacts in messaging, no matter the storm intensity.
Beam structure studies of low-energy ion beams

Abstract The ion beam structure at various axial positions along the beam-transport line has been monitored and studied utilizing a fluor screen and a video camera. The fluor material is aluminum oxide that is plasma-jet sprayed onto the surface of an aluminum or a water-cooled copper substrate. The visual representation of the beam structure is digitized and enhanced through use of false-color coding and displayed on a TV monitor for the on-line viewing by the experimentalist. Digitized video signals are stored for further off-line processing and extracting more information about the beam, such as beam profiles. This inexpensive and effective diagnostic enables the experimentalist to observe the real-time beam response (such as evolution of the beam structure, shifts in the beam intensity at various spatial locations within the beam perimeter, and shifts in the beam center and position) to parameter changes.
REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF RANDOM GUESSING FROM LATENT TRAIT ABILITY ESTIMATES

In latent trait models the standard procedure for handling the problem caused by guessing on multiple choice tests is to estimate a parameter which is intended to measure the “guessingness” inherent in an item. Birnbaum's three parameter model, which handles guessing in this manner, ignores individual differences in guessing tendency. This paper presents a model or procedure which uses the information contained in the interaction between a person and an item to remove the effects of random guessing from estimates of ability, difficulty, and discrimination. Simulated and real data are presented which support the model in terms of fit and information.
Magnetism of Ho 1-x Tb x Al 2 alloys: Critical dependence of a first-order transition on Tb concentration

HoAl${}_{2}$ exhibits a first-order spin reorientation transition at 20 K, which is manifested as a sharp peak in the heat capacity. When Ho is partially replaced by only 5$%$ of Tb, the sharp heat-capacity peak in ${\mathrm{Ho}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Tb}}_{x}{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$ ($x$ = 0.05) disappears, and then reappears again for $x$ \ensuremath{\ge} 0.07. For $x$ = 0.05, the anomaly corresponding to the spin reorientation transition is barely seen in the heat capacity, but as $x$ exceeds 0.07 the weak anomaly transforms to a sharp peak. The spin reorientation transition temperature increases to 29 K for $x$ = 0.05, and as $x$ increases further the transition shifts to lower temperature and returns to \ensuremath{\sim}20 K for $x$ = 0.25. The transition is no longer observed when $x$ exceeds 0.60. Temperature-dependent x-ray powder-diffraction data confirm the first-order nature of the spin reorientation transition for the alloy with $x$ = 0.40, and indicate that the compound retains the room-temperature cubic structure within the sensitivity of the technique. Experimental observations are discussed considering the easy magnetization directions of HoAl${}_{2}$ and TbAl${}_{2}$.
Development of an L6 myoblast in vitro model of moniliformin toxicosis

L6 myoblasts were used as an in vitro model to investigate the role of moniliformin and its interaction with monensin in turkey knockdown syndrome and sudden death syndromes in poultry. Cell viability and microscopic and ultrastructural alterations noted in L6 myoblasts cultured in the presence of moniliformin (0.0-0.3 microgram/microliter) were compared to those observed in parallel cultures also containing one of the following compounds: selenium (0-0.004 ng/microliter), thiamine (0-0.3 microgram/microliter), or pyruvate (0-0.46 microgram/microliter). Marked dilation of the RER, membranous whorls, glycogen deposition, membrane-bound cytoplasmic inclusions and necrosis were observed in myoblasts exposed to 0.03-0.30 microgram moniliformin/microliter medium. Supplementation of medium with thiamine and pyruvate, or selenium, provided significant protection to cells exposed to 0.0-0.3 microgram/microliter or 0.0-0.15 microgram moniliformin/microliter, respectively. Dose-dependent differences in protein and ATP production were not detected. Myoblasts grown in medium containing 0-0.15 microgram moniliformin/microliter and 7.5-50.0 microM A23187, beauvericin or monensin had degrees of cytotoxicity similar to parallel cultures receiving only an ionophore. L6 myoblasts were a useful model of moniliformin toxicosis. The findings of this study suggest cytotoxicity due to moniliformin in L6 myoblasts may be due in part to oxidative damage and altered pyruvate metabolism, and that moniliformin does not predispose myoblasts to ionophore toxicosis. This study supports the results of in vivo investigations in poultry that moniliformin and monensin do not act synergistically to induce knockdown or monensin toxicosis.
Association of number of follow-up providers with outcomes in survivors of hematologic malignancies

Studies examining follow-up care among cancer survivors have increased in number, and are mostly focused on who best provides care. It is not known whether having single or multiple physicians as follow-up providers has outcome implications. We prospectively studied the association between number of follow-up providers among survivors of hematologic malignancies and serious medical utilization (defined as emergency room visits or hospitalizations) within a 6-month period. Patients completing treatment (n = 314) were included. Patients seeing multiple follow-up providers were more likely to be younger, to reside farther away from the university hospital, to have prescription drug insurance, to have received prior cancer treatment, to have multiple myeloma, and to have undergone hematopoietic cell transplant as a part of cancer treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of follow-up providers was not associated with serious medical utilization (odds ratio 1.29, 95% confidence interval 0.68–2.48, p = 0.44) after adjusting for patient factors. Our study showed that among survivors of hematologic malignancies, outcomes were not different for survivors who were seen by single or multiple follow-up providers.
XML and the semantic web: what is the future?

This forum will look at the complex issues associated with the future of XML. Many issues that arise in XML have also been explored in other research areas, such as databases, knowledge representation, or knowledge discovery. Compounding this is the wide variety of ways that XML is currently being used today. The future direction of XML is unclear, and with this form we hope to provide a well thought out set of issues for future researchers to address.