cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
1-D modeling of hydrate depressurization in porous media

A thermal, three-phase, one-dimensional numerical model is developed to simulate two regimes of gas production from sediments containing methane hydrates by depressurization: the dissociation-controlled regime and the flow-controlled regime. A parameter namely dissociation-flow time-scale ratio, Rτ, is defined and employed to identify the two regimes. The numerical model uses a finite-difference scheme; it is implicit in water and gas saturations, pressure and temperature, and explicit in hydrate saturation. The model shows that laboratory-scale experiments are often dissociation-controlled, but the field-scale processes are typically flow-controlled. Gas production from a linear reservoir is more sensitive to the heat transfer coefficient with the surrounding than the longitudinal heat conduction coefficient, in 1-D simulations. Gas production is not very sensitive to the well temperature boundary condition. This model can be used to fit laboratory-scale experimental data, but the dissociation rate constant, the multiphase flow parameters and the heat transfer parameters are uncertain and should be measured experimentally.
Reoperative pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.

Abstract Background . Recurrent symptomatic pulmonary hypertension is uncommon after primary pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE). We reviewed our experience with patients undergoing repeat PTE to determine the risk factors for recurrent disease, and the selection criteria, relative risks, and functional outcomes of reoperative PTE. Methods . Since 1990, 13 of 870 (1.5%) patients underwent reoperative PTE at our institution. These 7 men and 6 women (mean age 38.6 years) were contrasted with the most recent 225 patients (111 men, 114 women, mean age 52.7 years) who underwent primary PTE for whom complete hemodynamic data are available. The preoperative evaluation of all patients was similar. Pulmonary hemodynamic data and outcome measures were compared between groups. Results . Of 13 reoperated patients: 69% (9/13) had their primary operation at another institution, 54% (7/13) initially underwent unilateral PTE, 38% (5/13) had identifiable coagulation disorders, 38% (5/13) had ineffective caval filtration, 31% (4/13) had suboptimal anticoagulation management, and 31% (4/13) had complete unilateral pulmonary artery obstruction. The mean interval to reoperation was 5.2 years (range 0.7 to 10.9 years). All control patients underwent bilateral PTE using hypothermic circulatory arrest. Operative mortality was 7.7% (1/13) with reoperation vs 8.4% (19/225) in controls. No difference ( p = NS) was observed between groups in the preoperative pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) or pulmonary vascular resistance; however, the control group had a significantly ( p −5 ) compared with the redo group. No substantial difference in morbidity or functional outcomes was observed between groups. Conclusions . Reoperative PTE can be performed with a perioperative risk comparable with primary PTE, although the improvement in pulmonary hemodynamics is not as favorable. Bilateral primary operation, effective caval filtration, and vigilant anticoagulant management would prevent the need for most reoperative PTEs.
Shock-avoidance and shock-escape drinking in rats: Rate of licking*

The drinking rates in rats were measured by interresponse times for licking under shock-avoidance or shock-escape contingent licking conditions. Interresponse times were quite comparable under either set of shock-contingent drinking conditions with the modal interlick interval approximately 145 msec. Well-established principles of behavior maintained on fixed ratio schedules would predict such results.
Relations Among Optimism, Perceived Health Vulnerability, and Academic, Self-Regulatory, and Social Self-Efficacy in Adolescent Survivors of Childhood Cancer

This study investigated relations among optimism, perceived health vulnerability, treatment intensity, and academic, self-regulatory, and social self-efficacy in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer. Fifty-six adolescent survivors (Mage = 16.19 years, SD = 2.48) completed questionnaires. Compared to a previously published sample of adolescents without a history of cancer, survivors reported similar academic, higher self-regulatory, and lower social self-efficacy. Optimism and health vulnerability were associated with changes in academic, self-regulatory, and social self-efficacy. Cancer-specific variables (e.g., treatment intensity, time since treatment ended) were unrelated to self-efficacy. Interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy may benefit from exploring optimism and health vulnerabilities as mechanisms for change.
The behavioral effects of pesticides in male mice.

Abstract Male Swiss mice, 25–30 g, were utilized to define some of the behavioral effects of the herbicides Lasso [alachlor 43%; (A)], Basalin [fluchloralin 45%; (F)], Premerge 3 [dinoseb 51%; (D)], and the fungicide Maneb-80 [maneb 80%; (M)]. These compounds were tested for their effects on locomotor activity and for their ability to establish a conditioned taste aversion following oral or dermal exposure. Individual and grouped (N = 5) activity measures were assessed immediately following the dermal administration of the commercially available pesticide formulations. Grouped activity measures were also assessed following the oral administration of the compounds. Total activity was significantly (p
Surface coating effects on the assembly of gold nanospheres

Optical spectra and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of individually selected spheres and mechanically assembled silica-coated gold nanosphere pairs were recorded. The shell served as a means of rigid control of the minimum spacing between the metal cores. The spectra of the assembled spheres were simulated using classical electrodynamics. The observed spectra resulted in superior characterization of the particle assembly geometry, relative to the AFM data. Experimental investigations regarding less-rigid polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sphere coatings were also performed and some comparisons were made.
A Qualitative Study of Resilience Factors of Bosnian Refugee Women Resettled in the Southern United States

ABSTRACT This study reports findings from a qualitative investigation of seven Bosnian refugee women's coping strategies as they resettled in two cities of the Southeastern United States over five years. It focuses on their personal experiences as refugees and the factors that contributed to their resilience. Their personal narratives highlight the importance of family as well as extended family, spirituality expressed in the form of non-organized religion, and the availability of community social support services that helped them adjust to resettlement. The research discusses implications for practice and further studies to improve refugees' mental well-being.
Walking out of two-level social traps (with a little help from my friends)

Studies of iterated prisoner's dilemmas (IPD) have shown that agents can escape the social trap of mutual defection by focusing on future gains or by learning from prior experiences. This terrain has been well charted. Yet only recently has attention turned to how groups of agents engage in an IPD scenario against other groups, a scenario that the author dubs âtwo-level social traps.â This article investigates the impact of group size on the performance of groups in a two-group IPD based on Michael W. Macy's STOCHASTIC LEARNING MODEL OF SOCIAL EXCHANGE. The findings of the study suggest that when a democratic (majoritarian) decision rule is used, larger groups perform better in moving from an uncooperative equilibrium to a cooperative equilibrium. The proposed explanation for this is that larger groups reduce uncertainty in the random processes of strategy selection.
Meiotic dysgenesis associated with behavioral mutants of Phycomyces

Phycomyces mutants, recently isolated for enhanced bending responses (hypertropic phenotype), have unusual genetic properties. In sexual crosses between hypertropic mutants and other strains, the progeny showed the following features: a) many incomplete tetrads, b) distortion of segregation ratios, c) progeny with nonparental phenotypes when hypertropic strains carrying mutations in the same gene or even the same allele were crossed, and d) morphologically abnormal progeny with phenotypes unrelated to those of the parents. In particular, the mesophorogenic colonies, which produced short sporangiophores, were genetically unstable; their mycelia produced sectors with normal morphology and segregated several alleles for different markers. Most of the phenomena (mutation, segregation distortion, and sterility) described in this paper resemble the “hybrid dysgenesis” syndrome in Drosophila. The results suggest that all seven hypertropic mutations affect the process of meiosis and thereby lead to unstable aneuploid progeny.
TactileMaps.net: A Web Interface for Generating Customized 3D-Printable Tactile Maps

Tactile maps are useful, but not commonly available, tools for providing visually impaired individuals with knowledge about their environment. We have developed a web tool to allow visually impaired users to specify locations and customize 3D map models for production with 3D printers. Our tool uses available online map data and encodes features such as roads and waterways into 3D-printable tactile features. We present a preliminary overview of our web interface and tactile map-generating software with a focus on the design choices that were informed by our pilot studies. We will also discuss additional findings from our focus group interviews and future plans for this work.
Stock Exchange Disclosure and Market Development: An Analysis of 50 International Exchanges: stock exchange disclosure

This study examines associations between measures of stock exchange disclosure and market development at 50 of the member stock exchanges of the World Federation of Exchanges. We focus on stock exchange disclosure systems (rather than actual company disclosures) because this approach links stock exchange policy with desired outcomes related to market development (such as liquidity, trading activity, and market size relative to gross domestic product). We find strong support for the hypothesis that the strength of the disclosure system (disclosure rules, monitoring, and enforcement) is positively associated with market development, after controlling for legal system, legal protection of investors, market size, and several other potentially relevant explanatory variables.
Design considerations for multicore optical fibers in nonlinear switching and mode-locking applications

We explore the practical challenges that should be addressed when designing a multicore fiber coupler for nonlinear switching or mode-locking applications. The inevitable geometric imperfections formed in these fiber couplers during the fabrication process affect the performance characteristics of the nonlinear switching device. Fabrication uncertainties are tolerable as long as the changes they impose on the propagation constant of the modes are smaller than the linear coupling between the cores. It is possible to reduce the effect of the propagation constant variations by bringing the cores closer to each other, thereby increasing the coupling. However, higher coupling translates into a higher switching power, which may not be desirable in some practical situations. Therefore, fabrication errors limit the minimum achievable switching power in nonlinear couplers.
Behavioral scale reliability and measurement invariance evaluation using latent variable modeling

A latent variable modeling approach to reliability and measurement invariance evaluation for multiple-component measuring instruments is outlined. An initial discussion deals with the limitations of coefficient alpha, a frequently used index of composite reliability. A widely and readily applicable structural modeling framework is next described that allows point and interval estimation of scale reliability. An easily employed procedure for testing measurement and reliability invariance in multiple population and longitudinal studies is then discussed. Unlike coefficient alpha that is in general a misestimator of scale reliability already at the population level, the article is based on the formal definition of the reliability coefficient, and its underlying modeling approach does not share alpha's limitations. The described reliability and measurement invariance evaluation procedures are illustrated on a set of data resulting from a Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and source codes for one of the most popular structural modeling programs, LISREL, are provided, which can be used to apply the outlined methods.
Strain localization—short to long correlation length transition

Abstract The current study considers the problem of the strain localization as being a dynamic transition in the range of the correlation length. Using the particle dynamic method within the framework of statistical physics the proposed model re-examines the assumptions and simplifications of the traditional, quasi-static, continuum localization theories. Special attention is focused on the softening regime, “mystery” of the vanishing fault width and the reasons for this “pathological” result. The proposed model suggests an objective and physically acceptable measure of the fault “width”.
Determining random responding for the category, speech-sounds perception, and seashore rhythm tests

A formula is presented for determining if scores from the Category, Speech-Sounds Perception, and Seashore Rhythm tests are significantly different from random responding. Confidence intervals for random responding are also presented. Results of published studies involving normative and non-normal subjects are reviewed, and the percentage of subjects responding in the random range are presented. Normative subjects' scores on the Category and Speech-Sounds Perception tests do not fall into the random range, but high percentages of their Seashore Rhythm Test scores do fall into the random range.
Comparative breeding success of Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis in two adjoining habitats

(2004). Comparative breeding success of Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis in two adjoining habitats. Ostrich: Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 327-328.
Modeling of Adsorption and Desorption in Pores of Simple Geometry Using Molecular Dynamics

We present results from molecular dynamics simulations of adsorption and desorption by diffusive mass transfer into model pores of well-defined geometry. The pore geometries considered were chosen to investigate issues related to classical theories of hysteresis in adsorption. We consider the slit pore with or without a closed end, a wedge or triangular pore, and finally a model with an ink bottle geometry. In each case we show that the molecular dynamics simulations yield the same results for adsorption and desorption as grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of the same systems. Using computer graphics visualization, we show how hysteresis for the slit and wedge geometries is related to the evolution of vapor−liquid interfaces in a manner largely consistent with the classical picture of these systems. We find that for the ink bottle geometry the large pore can empty during desorption even while the small pore remains filled with fluid. This behavior is different from the classical picture of adsorption...
Students’ Perceived Preference for Visual and Auditory Assessment With E-Handwritten Feedback:

Undergraduate business communication students were surveyed to determine their perceived most effective method of assessment on writing assignments. The results indicated students’ preference for a...
Interactivism: A manifesto

Abstract The interactivist model has grown over the last several decades from a narrower initial beginning into an evolving systematic theory and underlying philosophy. It has been induced to do so because the underlying assumptions that framed the beginnings of the model were fundamentally different from those that are dominant throughout psychology, cognitive science, and philosophy. Consequently, the model faced multiple instances of attempting to integrate with literature in neighboring fields, discovering that such integration was not possible because the basic assumptions were not compatible, and having to either give up on the model thus far constructed, or else extend it in a way consistent with those assumptions into those neighboring (and foundational) domains. This manifesto outlines the resultant interactivist framework, presents some of the arguments for its underlying assumptions, and argues that these avoid problems that are fatal for many standard approaches in the literature.
3-Hydroxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid: synthesis and inhibitory properties.

Abstract 3-Hydroxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid was synthesized by the condensation of N-acetyl d -mannosamine with bromopyruvate or hydroxypyruvate in yields of 24.4 and 12.7%, respectively. The product was characterized by its infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, thin-layer chromatography, optical rotation, neutralization equivalent and direct Ehrlich chromogen. This substituted sialic acid was a weak noncompetitive inhibitor of N-acetyl neuraminic acid aldolase purified from Clostridium perfringens. The inhibitor had a Ki of 75 m m and a minimum inactivation halftime of 0.80 min. Hydroxypyruvate was an effective noncompetitive inhibitor of the aldolase with a Ki of 0.70 m m . The mechanism of inhibition and possible reasons for the difference between the effectiveness of hydroxypyruvate and 3-hydroxy-N acetylneuraminic acid as noncompetitive inhibitors are discussed.
Tau-focused therapy and tau transmission: Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease and related tauopathies

Tau pathology is characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related tauopathies including Parkinson’s disease (PD) wherein a significant percentage of PD patients who develop dementia harbor AD-like tau pathology. Tau pathology is characterized by insoluble filamentous aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau in CNS neurons known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and neuropil threads (NTs). NFTs and NTs are implicated in mechanisms of neurodegeneration through gains of toxic functions or losses of normal tau functions. Hyperphosphorylation and decreased solubility of tau leads to a loss of the ability of tau to bind to and stabilize microtubules (MTs) which impairs axonal transport and results in neuronal dysfunction and degeneration. This presentation describes the use of MT stabilizing drugs to counteract the loss of tau function and prevent/ameliorate tau mediated neurodegeneration in a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of an AD-like neurodegenerative tauopathy. Briefly, proof of concept prevention and intervention studies of the brain-penetrant MT-stabilizing agent epothilone D (EpoD) are described in young (prevention) and aged (intervention) P301S mutant tau Tg mice (PS 19 mice) with little (young PS 19 mice) or abundant tau pathology and behavioral impairments (aged PS19 mice). In the prevention and intervention studies, EpoD treatment reduced axonal dystrophy and increased axonal MT density which led to improved neuronal integrity and cognitive performance. EpoD treatment also improved fast axonal transport in the aged PS19 Tg mice. Unexpectedly, aged PS19 mice treated with EpoD showed a marked reduction in forebrain tau pathology and increased hippocampal neuronal integrity. There were no dose-limiting side effects in the EpoD treated young and aged PS19 mice. These studies support the view that EpoD and other brain-penetrant MT-stabilizing drugs offset the loss of tau function in neurodegenerative tauopathies and therefore are potential therapeutics for the treatment of AD and related tauopathies. Finally, a new seeded transmission model of tauopathy is presented using injections of preformed tau fibrils into the brains of PS19 mice which presents new opportunities to assess the efficacy of MT stabilizers and other potential passive immunization therapies for AD and related tauopathies. Supported by grants from the NINDS/NIA.
Occupational change in mid-career: An exploratory investigation

Abstract Twenty-five people who had made voluntary, radical occupational changes in mid-career were interviewed and compared and contrasted with people remaining in matched occupations. Four categories of factors emerged from the data as being important to mid-career occupational change: factors associated with the first occupation, factors associated with the second occupation, obstacles to change, and personal factors. Dissatisfaction with the first occupation and attraction to a second occupation are both necessary for change to occur but do not in all cases cause change. Dissatisfaction results from a lack of congruence between a person's work orientations and the rewards of an occupation, and attraction results from a perceived congruence between the two. Obstacles to change are most financial in nature and can deter or delay change even when dissatisfaction and attraction exist. Differing personal beliefs about the control one has over one's life and one's ability to succeed in new areas in large part determine whether obstacles deter change or not.
Identifying patients, on the first day of life, at high-risk of developing parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease

Prolonged use of parenteral nutrition (PN) in neonates can lead to parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD), manifested by elevated direct bilirubin concentrations, and in some cases progressing to hepatic failure. When new potential means of preventing PNALD in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), such as Omegaven usage, are tested in clinical trials, the studies should enroll neonates at a very high risk of developing PNALD. However, it is not always clear, in the first days of life, which neonates are most likely to develop PNALD. Therefore, preparatory to devising studies of prophylaxis against PNALD, we conducted an evaluation of all NICU patients who received PN for ⩾14 day, assessing their likelihood of developing PNALD. We performed an historic cohort analysis of all neonates in the Intermountain Healthcare system, receiving PN for 14 days or more during their stay, with dates of birth between 1 January, 2002 and 30 June, 2006. During the 4½-year period, 9861 neonates were cared for in the Intermountain Healthcare NICUs. Of these, 9547 (96.8%) survived for at least 28 days, and of these 6543 (68.5%) received PN. Twenty-one percent (1366 patients) of those receiving PN, received it for ⩾14 days. PNALD was ascertained in this group by a direct bilirubin ⩾2.0 mg/dl. Neonates receiving PN for 14–28 days had a 14% incidence of PNALD, those receiving PN for 29–56 days had a 43% incidence, those receiving PN for 57–100 days had a 72% incidence and those receiving PN for >100 days had a 85% incidence. Groups of patients identifiable on the first day of life as having the highest risk of developing PNALD were birth weight <500 g (odds ratio (OR), 30.7), birth weight 500–749 g (OR, 13.1), gastrochisis (OR, 20.3) and jejunal atresia (OR, 24.0). Among 357 patients who developed PNALD, the highest direct bilirubin concentrations correlated with the highest serum alkaline phosphatase and transaminase concentrations. Deaths after 28 days were much more common in those with the highest direct bilirubin and transaminase concentrations (P<0.0001). In the first days of life, certain NICU patients can be identified as being at very high risk for developing PNALD. These are patients <750 g birth weight, those with gastrochisis and those with jejunal atresia. We speculate that these groups would be reasonable subjects for including in a PNALD prophylaxis trial, testing new preventative strategies such as Omegaven usage.
SMOKING CESSATION AMONG PERSONS IN RECOVERY

The literature on smoking cessation for those in recovery from other drug use is reviewed. Reasons for engaging in this work, arguments against treatment of smoking along with another drug, characteristics of drug users who smoke, and treatment content implications are reviewed. Outcomes of 24 studies are presented. It is concluded that the future of research and practice in this arena should include facilitating smoking cessation among those early in recovery.
TIPS stenosis: Treatment and prevention

Percutaneous shunt revision is an effective means of treating Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) dysfunction and of maintaining shunt patency. Stenotic shunts may be treated from a femoral approach by dilatation alone or by restenting and dilatation. Technical success approaches 100%. Revision of TIPS occlusion is successful in more than 80% of patients. Recanalized shunts are usually restented and then dilated. Acute thrombus may be redirected into varices using a balloon occlusion catheter. Extension of thrombus into the main portal vein is a serious but uncommon complication of shunt occlusion that can be effectively treated during shunt revision. New, promising techniques for the prevention of TIPS stenosis include the use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered stents and the creation of direct portacaval shunts using covered stent technology.
Combined drug therapy in petit mal epilepsy.

Summary 1. The therapeutic efficacy and toxicmanifestations of Milontin were investigated in a series of fifteen patients with petit mal epilepsy. 2. Milontin alone, when employed in sufficiently large doses, controlled only three of the patients without toxic effects. 3. Milontin in smaller doses, combined with Tridione, was more effective in the control of seizures in seven patients than either drug independently. 4. Because of toxic manifestations,Milontin was reduced in dosage in six patients and completely discontinued in three patients. 5. Milontin does not appear to havegreater benefit in the control of petit mal seizures when used alone than drugs previously available. However, it is more effective when used in combination with Tridione. 6. The toxic manifestations of thiscombined drug therapy are no greater than those of either drug used independently.
Lithium ion battery separators: Development and performance characterization of a composite membrane

Abstract The overall stability of the lithium ion battery separators, under potentially extreme battery operating conditions, will require leading edge design and fabrication techniques to exceed manufacturing and end performance requirements for large scale applications. This paper features the development and performance characterization of an inorganic fiber enhanced composite separator for LIBs. This composite separator can offer a thermally stable alternative for conventional porous polyolefin separators, which shrink significantly at high temperatures. The relative affinities between the electrolyte and the submicron inorganic fibers and the electrolyte and the polyvinylidene fluoride binder ensured a superior wettability of the final separator by the liquid electrolyte. The high porosity and the open porous structure of the composite separator resulted in a good effective ionic conductivity. Coin cells with this composite separator also exhibited stable cycle performance and improved rate capabilities, especially when discharged at rates greater than C/2.
The Threat and Imposition of Economic Sanctions, 1971—2000*:

Economic sanctions, increasingly used as instruments of foreign policy in recent decades, have been the focus of numerous academic studies. Recent theoretical advances in our understanding of sanctions cannot be tested adequately with existing data. This article presents a newly developed dataset that contains information on 888 cases in which sanctions were threatened and/or implemented in the 1971—2000 period. We describe the dataset, present descriptive statistics for some of the key variables included, and offer comparisons with the Hufbauer, Schott, and Elliot dataset on sanctions that has been frequently used in previous research. We also present simple statistical relationships between sanctions outcomes and some of the variables commonly believed to affect sanctions success.
Cyclic Liquid Crystalline Siloxanes: Chemistry and Applications

Cyclic Siloxanes, bearing mesogenic groups, connected with the backbone via aliphatic spacers exhibit phases analogue to the classic calamitics. Bearing two different mesogenic groups, these materials can be considered as cooligomers, whose degree of polymerization is given by the H-siloxanes used. These cooligomers consist of a mixture of molecules with substitution patterns determined by the statistics of the addition reaction of the mesogenic groups to the H-siloxane. Two types of materials are available, crosslinkable and non crosslinkable. As most important applications may be mentioned: Cholesteric reflectors and filters, storage materials for optical informations, retardation plates and pigments for iridescent or polarizing coatings.
Generation of a genetically encoded marker of rod photoreceptor outer segment growth and renewal

Vertebrate photoreceptors are specialized light sensing neurons. The photoreceptor outer segment is a highly modified cilium where photons of light are transduced into a chemical and electrical signal. The outer segment has the typical cilary axoneme but, in addition, it has a large number of densely packed, stacked, intramembranous discs. The molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to vertebrate photoreceptor outer segment morphogenesis are still largely unknown. Unlike typical cilia, the outer segment is continuously regenerated or renewed throughout the life of the animal through the combined process of distal outer segment shedding and proximal outer segment growth. The process of outer segment renewal was discovered over forty years ago, but we still lack an understanding of how photoreceptors renew their outer segments and few, if any, molecular mechanisms that regulate outer segment growth or shedding have been described. Our lack of progress in understanding how photoreceptors renew their outer segments has been hampered by the difficulty in measuring rates of renewal. We have created a new method that uses heat-shock induction of a fluorescent protein that can be used to rapidly measure outer segment growth rates. We describe this method, the stable transgenic line we created, and the growth rates observed in larval and adult rod photoreceptors using this new method. This new method will allow us to begin to define the genetic and molecular mechanisms that regulate rod outer segment renewal, a crucial aspect of photoreceptor function and, possibly, viability.
Targeting the unfolded protein response in heart diseases

In neurological disease and diabetes, the unfolded protein response (UPR) has been investigated for years, while its function in heart disease is less well understood. All three branches of the UPR are involved in ischaemia/reperfusion and can either protect or impair heart function. Recently, UPR has been found to play a role in arrhythmogenesis during human heart failure, and blocking UPR has an antiarrhythmic effect. This review will discuss the rationale for and challenges to targeting UPR in heart disease.
Duke Power Company's detailed control room design review

Duke Power Company has been unique among utilities in that, until the early 1990s, it has had its own design engineering and construction departments which designed and built the company's power plants. To conduct its Detailed Control Room Design Review (DCRDR), Duke relied heavily on these resources. To address the Control Room Design issues in NUREG-0737, Duke Power put together a Control Room Review Team (Core Team) of engineering personnel from the company's Design Engineering (DE) Department along with one senior reactor operator from each nuclear station. A Human Factors Consulting firm, BioTechnology, was also brought in to provide in depth human factors knowledge. Other DE personnel were utilized as necessary when additional resources were required. Duke Power's DCRDR had three phases: review phase, assessment phase, and implementation phase. These phases are briefly outlined.
A review of traditional and novel detection techniques for melamine and its analogues in foods and animal feed

Melamine, a nitrogen-rich chemical, has received much attention in recent years due to a series of highly publicized food safety incidents, including 2007 pet food recalls in North America and 2008 melamine contamination in milk, infant formula, and other milk-derived products in China. Current analytical methods fortesting melamine are time-consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in the food science and analytical chemistry field to develop simple, quick, sensitive, and cost-effective methods for detection of melamine and its analogues (e.g., cyanuric acid, melamine cyanurate, ammelide, and ammeline) in food ingredients, processed food, and animal feed. This review aims to summarize traditional and novel analytical techniques that have been used or show great potential to detect, characterize, and quantify melamine and its analogues in foods and animal feed.
Verruca vulgaris and radiation exposure are associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the finger.

background. Factors associated with the development of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the finger are verruca vulgaris, radiation exposure, burns, and arsenic ingestion, objectives. We wish to further document the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) and roentgen exposure to squamous cell carcinoma of the finger. methods. A retrospective study of 32 cases of digital squamous cell carcinoma seen at UCLA Medical Center was performed. results. Ten patients (31%) had histories ofverrucae at the site of the carcinoma. Eight patients (25%) had histories of x-ray therapy to the hand. conclusion. Our study further supports the association of verruca vulgaris and radiation exposure in the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the finger.
Skin Cancer Associated With the Use of Sorafenib and Sunitinib for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background Several case series have reported an association between sorafenib and the development of skin cancer, but they differ in the reported rapidity of skin cancer onset and the frequency of recurrence with ongoing multikinase inhibitor (MKI) treatment. Objective To compare the presentation and incidence of skin cancer in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with sorafenib and sunitinib. Materials and Methods This retrospective study reviewed the records of 69 patients with RCC treated with sorafenib or sunitinib at the University of Colorado Hospital between January 2005 and July 2009. Results Seven patients treated with MKI developed skin cancer (5 (13.5%) with sorafenib, 2 (6.3%) with sunitinib; 5 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 3 basal cell carcinomas (BCC)); all developed in sun-exposed areas during first-line MKI therapy. The median time from the start of MKI therapy until observation of a skin cancer lesion was 13.5 months. Conclusion We observed more cases of skin cancer during sorafenib treatment than during sunitinib treatment for advanced RCC; median MKI treatment duration before the identification of skin cancer was longer than 1 year.
Development and implementation of a perfusion-based high cell density cell banking process

A perfusion-based high cell density (HD) cell banking process has been developed that offers substantial advantages in time savings and simplification of upstream unit operations. HD cell banking provides the means to reduce the time required for culture inoculum expansion and scale-up by eliminating the need for multiple small to intermediate scale shake flask-based operations saving up to 9 days of operation during large-scale inoculum expansion. HD perfusion cultures were developed and optimized in a disposable Wave bioreactor system. Through optimization of perfusion rate, rocking speed and aeration rate, the perfusion system supported peak cell densities of >20 × 10(6) cells/mL while maintaining high cell viability (≥ 90%). The cells were frozen at HD (90-100 × 10(6) viable cells/mL) in 5-mL CryoTube vials. HD cell banks were demonstrated to enable direct inoculation of culture into a Wave bioreactor in the inoculum expansion train thus eliminating the need for intermediate shake flask expansion unit operations. The simplicity of the disposable perfusion system and high quality of the cell banks resulted in the successful implementation in a 2000 L scale manufacturing facility.
Improved watershed segmentation using water diffusion and local shape priors

The watershed algorithm has many nice properties in terms of robustness to image noise, topology, and effective handling non-rigid deformations. It also has drawbacks including oversegmentation and lack of regularization. We present new methods to overcome these drawbacks. We propose a novel region merging algorithm based on the water diffusion principle. Starting with a large number of markers, lakes formed around the markers are merged in the order they meet during the immersion. The merging is not performed immediately but delayed until the amount of water diffusion between two lakes is significant enough to overwhelm the small lake. The delay makes the merging result robust to "leaks" in object boundaries, when weak edges could trigger the merging of object into the background as in traditional methods. Regularization is achieved by imposing priors of local shape configurations. Local shape features are extracted from Gaussian derivatives of the object indicator function. The ensemble of shape features at multiple scales increases representation power. These features are used to incorporate smoothness and domain knowledge into the evolution of region boundaries in the watershed algorithm. The method has been successfully applied to segmentation of worms.
Cultural variation in young children’s access to work or involvement in specialised child-focused activities

Ethnographic literature indicates that in many cultural communities around the world, children have extensive opportunities to learn through observing and participating in their community's work and other mature activities. We argue that in communities in which children are often segregated from adult work (as in middle-class European American communities), young children instead are often involved in specialised child-focused activities such as lessons, adult--child play (and scholastic play), and conversation with adults on child-related topics. We examine this argument with systematic time-sampled observations of the extent of 2- to 3-year-old children's access to adult work compared to their involvement in specialised child-focused activities. Observations focused on 12 children in each of four communities: two middle-class European American communities (West Newton, Massachusetts and Sugarhouse, Utah), Efe foragers of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and indigenous Maya of San Pedro, Guatemala. West...
An artificial neural network for Naval Theater Ballistic Missile Defense program

This paper discusses the possible relationship between an artificial neural network (ANN) and the Naval Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) program, and potential applications of ANN to TBMD system. A successful marriage between ANN and TBMD program would result in more effective and efficient warfare planning, training, and operational effectiveness.
Changing circumstances: Experiences of child SSI recipients before and after their age-18 redetermination for adult benefits

This paper provides an analysis of the dynamics of the transition of child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients into adulthood using linked 2001-2002 National Survey of SSI Children and Families (NSCF) survey and Social Security Administration (SSA) administrative data. We examine the interaction of impairment status, reported health needs, and other self-reported indicators of human capital on SSI program and employment outcomes after age 18. Our primary objective is to examine the differences in pre-age-18 individual characteristics across subgroups of recipients by impairment status and determine whether these differences influence post-age-18 SSI participation and employment outcomes. We find that after controlling for measures of disability severity, duration, and human capital, youth with behavioral disorders and mental disorders other than mental retardation are much less likely to receive SSI at age 19. The findings also suggest that non-health factors, particularly education, employment, and social indicators, play an important role in the probability of a child SSI recipient being on adult SSI after age 18. Our findings indicate that, while some youth appear to be making a successful transition from child SSI benefits to adult benefits or other activities (off of SSI), others appear to have limited prospects for long-term self-sufficiency. A major concern is that some youth no longer on SSI after age 18, particularly those with behavioral disorders and mental disorders other than mental retardation, may not have been sufficiently prepared for life without SSI.
Children's moral and ecological reasoning about the Prince William Sound oil spill.

Sixty 2nd, 5th, and 8th graders were interviewed on their moral and ecological reasoning about the 1990 Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Results showed that children understood that the oil spill negatively affected the local Alaskan shoreline, marine life, fishermen, recreationists, and the oil company. Children cared that harm occurred to the shoreline and marine life and conceived of both types of harm as violating a moral obligation. Fifth and 8th graders, compared with 2nd graders, used a greater proportion of anthropocentric reasoning (e.g., that nature ought to be protected to protect human welfare) and biocentric reasoning (e.g., that nature has intrinsic value, rights, or a teleology). Discussion focuses on how studying children's reasoning about nature not only extends the bounds of what counts as moral--to include a relationship with the natural world--but also provides a unique means by which to conduct basic research on children's moral development.
Ribocation Transition State Capture and Rebound in Human Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase

Summary Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) catalyzes the phosphorolysis of 6-oxy-purine nucleosides to the corresponding purine base and α-D-ribose 1-phosphate. Its genetic loss causes a lethal T cell deficiency. The highly reactive ribocation transition state of human PNP is protected from solvent by hydrophobic residues that sequester the catalytic site. The catalytic site was enlarged by replacing individual catalytic site amino acids with glycine. Reactivity of the ribocation transition state was tested for capture by water and other nucleophiles. In the absence of phosphate, inosine is hydrolyzed by native, Y88G, F159G, H257G, and F200G enzymes. Phosphorolysis but not hydrolysis is detected when phosphate is bound. An unprecedented N9-to-N3 isomerization of inosine is catalyzed by H257G and F200G in the presence of phosphate and by all PNPs in the absence of phosphate. These results establish a ribocation lifetime too short to permit capture by water. An enlarged catalytic site permits ribocation formation with relaxed geometric constraints, permitting nucleophilic rebound and N3-inosine isomerization.
A PATH PLANNING-BASED STUDY OF PROTEIN FOLDING WITH A CASE STUDY OF HAIRPIN FORMATION IN PROTEIN G AND L

We investigate a novel approach for studying protein folding that has evolved from robotics motion planning techniques called probabilistic roadmap methods (PRMS). Our focus is to study issues related to the folding process, such as the formation of secondary and tertiary structure, assuming we know the native fold. A feature of our PRM-based framework is that the large sets of folding pathways in the roadmaps it produces, in a few hours on a desktop PC, provide global information about the protein's energy landscape. This is an advantage over other simulation methods such as molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo methods which require more computation and produce only a single trajectory in each run. In our initial studies, we obtained encouraging results for several small proteins. In this paper, we investigate more sophisticated techniques for analyzing the folding pathways in our roadmaps. In addition to more formally revalidating our previous results, we present a case study showing our technique captures known folding differences between the structurally similar proteins G and L.
Response of a modern cave system to large seasonal precipitation variability

Abstract Speleothems are capable of providing information on the response of middle and low-latitude terrestrial environments to global climate change during the Pleistocene and Holocene. Multiproxy speleothem studies, however, have demonstrated that complex interactions can occur in cave settings between processes that are directly and indirectly related to climate change. Thorough and extended monitoring of modern cave environments is necessary in order to fully understand how each cave responds to these processes on seasonal and interannual timescales, and how environmental signals are preserved in speleothem carbonate. Regular environmental monitoring began at Black Chasm Cavern in the Sierra Nevada foothills, California, during the winter of 2006–2007. Monthly measurements of cave air temperature, humidity, and p CO 2 in Black Chasm demonstrate that the cave is ventilated in the winter months, when cold, dense surface air sinks into the cave. Cave drip-water flow nearly ceases during the late summer and autumn, increases substantially during the winter and spring, and responds within hours to storm events during the height of the rainy season. Rainwater and drip water δ 18 O and δ 2 H are controlled by variations in surface air temperature and moisture source. While rainfall source influences rainwater isotopes through individual storm events, it has less influence on drip water isotopic composition due to mixing of recharge waters delivered by different rainfall events in the epikarst. Variations in drip water chemistry ( δ 13 C, Mg/Ca, and Sr/Ca) indicate that the greatest level of calcite precipitation upflow from the drip water collection site (prior calcite precipitation) occurs during the autumn (October–November) when drip rates are slow and cave air p CO 2 is low. The least prior calcite precipitation occurs during the summer (July–August) when drip rates are slow but cave air p CO 2 is at a maximum. While p CO 2 is a primary control on prior calcite precipitation during all seasons, the predominant influence of drip rate variability on prior calcite precipitation is evident when considering only those seasons (winter, spring, and autumn) characterized by low cave air p CO 2 . Thus, drip rate variability, and in turn rainfall amount, should provide the primary control on trace element variations ultimately captured in speleothem calcite. The isotopic and chemical variability observed in Black Chasm drip waters supports previous interpretations of speleothem paleoclimate proxy records from a nearby cave where such monitoring is not feasible. Observations of the modern cave environment at Black Chasm provide a reference point for the interpretation of stalagmite proxy records from similar seasonal (Mediterranean) climates.
Advancing Human Rights: A Voluntary Opportunity or a Moral Obligation for Business?

It is encouraging to see how many companies in the UN Global Compact are involved with projects which are advancing human rights in accordance with the UN Millennium Development Goals. The question...