cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Budgets to Bus Schedules: Contextual Barriers and Supports for Science Instruction in Elementary Schools

Improvements in teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge are critical in improving science education but may be insufficient to support and sustain instructional changes. This chapter describes how contextual factors influenced teachers’ use of research-based instructional strategies learned in professional development. The research draws on survey, observational, and interview data collected from 135 teachers who participated in four different intensive professional development programs that were situated in small, rural school districts with high-need student populations and that extended over 3 years. Each program had a slightly different STEM focus, but all four programs aimed to improve teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in science and to foster their use of research-based instructional strategies in science. Across programs, teachers’ science content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and self-efficacy increased over the course of the professional development. Overall, teachers more frequently used research-based practices for teaching science. But contextual factors varied substantially across schools and districts and both fostered and hindered teachers’ science instruction. The most influential contextual factors included time for planning and collaboration, time for science instruction, administrator support, access to resources, and regional constraints. Identifying the contextual factors that influence teachers’ use of pedagogical content knowledge gained through professional development is the first step for formulating strategies for supporting and sustaining teacher change.
CD8+ T cell-independent mechanisms of PD-1-mediated suppression of anti-tumor immunity in mice

Over expression of the inhibitory receptor PD-1 commonly occurs in cancer, and PD-1 signaling suppresses protective anti-tumor immune responses. While early clinical trials with PD-1 inhibitors in cancer have been promising, the majority of patients have not shown durable clinical benefit, and the mechanisms underlying both successes and failures remain poorly defined. CD8 + T cells can directly kill tumor cells, and CD8 + T cell infiltration of human tumors positively correlates with responses to PD-1 blockade. CD8 + T cells in tumors (TILs) often show high expression of PD-1; however, PD-1 is also expressed by other cell types, including CD4 + T cells, regulatory T cells (Treg), B cells, and some myeloid cells. Consequently, we hypothesized that loss of PD-1 only on CD8 + T cells may not be sufficient to control tumor burden. To address this question, we compared tumor responses in mice completely deficient for PD-1 (referred to as cKO) or selectively deficient for PD-1 on CD8 + T cells (E8i-cre PD-1 f/f mice, referred to as CD8ΔPD-1). Following subcutaneous implantation of MC38 adenocarcinoma tumor cells, 100% of PD-1 cKO mice cleared the tumor. In contrast, only 70% of CD8ΔPD-1 mice controlled the tumor. Moreover, in CD8ΔPD-1 mice that controlled tumor, the average time to clearance was delayed compared to PD-1 cKO mice. In both PD-1 cKO and CD8ΔPD-1 mice, CD8 + TILs showed elevated granzyme B levels and an increased CD8 to Treg ratio, suggesting that CD8 + T cell-independent mechanisms contribute to immunity following loss of PD-1 in MC38 tumors. On-going work examining both tumor cells and infiltrating immune cells is focused on identifying these CD8 + T cell-independent mechanisms of PD-1-mediated suppression.
Where's the fracking bias?: Contested media frames and news reporting on shale gas in the United States

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, is a drilling technique that accesses previously inaccessible oil/gas reserves. Although the process could aid U.S. energy independence, it is controversial and public opinion is divided. Guided by agenda-setting and framing, this study content analyses news coverage of fracking (N = 524) across cable networks (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC). Results show cable news lacks substance and relies on thematic framing. While all networks failed to provide factual information, issue-related topics discussed and sources used vary ideologically. Theoretical and practical implications, which include the potential for priming audiences and influencing future behaviors and judgments, are discussed.
Evacuating Routes in Indoor-Fire Scenarios with Selection of Safe Exits on Known and Unknown Buildings Using Machine Learning

We propose a scheme for calculation of indoor evacuation routes of a single-floor building in the event of a fire that uses selection of a potentially safe exit before evacuation starts. We refer to potentially safe exits to those that have high probability of being accessible at evacuation time. The scheme pre-calculates whether an exit may be reached by an occupant before being reached by the fire. Among those exits, the one with the shortest distance to the occupant is selected. This exit pre-selection improves evacuation success ratio by avoiding destination changes during evacuation. This approach is applicable to a building where the floor plan is known and analyzable. With such an evacuation routing scheme, we study the applicability of our approach to cases where the floor plan has not been characterized and yet we may be able to perform route calculation in a fast manner. To do so, we use machine learning with data obtained from a floor plan where the evacuation success ratio has been analyzed and apply it on the new floor plan. This approach indicates floor plan similarities and it is used to rapidly estimate evacuation routes with high probability of a successful evacuation. We show how floor similarity accuracy estimation increases with the use of data from an increasing number of analyzed floor plans.
Peroxy radical chemistry and the volatility basis set

Abstract. Gas-phase autoxidation of organics can generate highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) and thus increase secondary organic aerosol production and enable new-particle formation. Here we present a new implementation of the volatility basis set (VBS) that explicitly resolves peroxy radical ( RO2 ) products formed via autoxidation. The model includes a strong temperature dependence for autoxidation as well as explicit termination of RO2 , including reactions with NO, HO2 , and other RO2 . The RO2 cross-reactions can produce dimers (ROOR). We explore the temperature and NOx dependence of this chemistry, showing that temperature strongly influences the intrinsic volatility distribution and that NO can suppress autoxidation under conditions typically found in the atmosphere.
Reattachment to Work in the Morning and Day-Level Leader Outcomes (WITHDRAWN)

Successfully reattaching to work (i.e., mentally reconnecting) after a nonwork period can set the tone for the workday. Building on motivated action theory, this study examines anticipated task foc...
Participatory Research Interviewing Practices with Children

This chapter begins with the premise that while there is not one best research gathering approach that works for all children in all contexts, there are interview practices that are more apt to allow researchers to enter into the world of children and to engage in research with them, as opposed to doing research on them. This chapter considers issues surrounding four different participatory interviewing practices I have used in my research, including navigating the interview environment, using different data generation techniques, ensuring participant engagement, and dealing with the issue of power. The chapter concludes with suggestions and implications for participatory interviewing practices with young children.
The Importance of Construct Validity: Alternative Models for the Assessment of Behavioral Disorders.

Problems in the definition and conceptualization of behavioral disorders have created problems for both researchers and practitioners alike. The implications of these conceptual difficulties for as...
Mentoring: are you being or doing? That is the question

Mentoring is finally coming into its own. The signs are good: the General Dental Council thinks it's important; the British Dental Association thinks it's important; and the royal colleges, Health Education England and local dental committees have all stated that they support mentoring and mentors as beneficial and important. Confidence levels are rising that mentoring is something all dental professionals would benefit from. In this piece I would like to encourage all dental professionals not to view mentoring as something that needs to be an 'add on' or something extra but something that is intrinsic to what and who we are. If we can move away from 'doing' mentoring to 'being' mentors, we will all gain and all aspects of our professional life can be enriched.
Statistical volume element averaging scheme for fracture of quasi-brittle materials

Abstract To capture the randomness and inhomogeneity of rock at microscale, a statistical volume element (SVE) averaging approach is proposed. The microcrack statistics of a real-world Yuen-Long marble sample is used to realize 2D microcracked domains. The size effect, i.e. the decrease of the mean and variation of homogenized strength field by increasing SVE size, is analyzed. Increasing the crack density is shown to have a similar effect. While smaller SVEs maintain a greater level of inhomogeneity and are preferred for fracture analysis, it is shown that low density of microcracks pose a lower limit on the SVE size. Beside the actual power-law distribution of microcrack length, by varying the Weibull model shape parameter m other domains are created with different microcrack distribution shapes. Macroscopic fracture simulations, by the asynchronous Spacetime Discontinuous Galerkin (aSDG) method, study the effect of m for a uniaxial tensile problem. By increasing m from 0.5 to 4, the length distribution of microcracks become more uniform; this corresponds to a more uniform and stronger mesoscopic strength field, which results to about 3 and 6 times increase to macroscopic tensile strength and toughness, respectively. However, the more uniform length distribution of microcracks is shown to reduce rock brittleness.
Balancing Water Sustainability and Productivity Objectives in Microalgae Cultivation: Siting Open Ponds by Considering Seasonal Water-Stress Impact Using AWARE-US

Microalgae have great potential as an energy and feed resource. Here we evaluate the water use associated with freshwater algae cultivation and find it is possible to scale U.S. algae biofuel production to 20.8 billion liters of renewable diesel annually without significant water-stress impact. Among potential sites, water-stress is significantly more variable than algae productivity across location and season. Thus, it is possible to reduce water-stress impact, quantified as water scarcity footprint, through the choice of algae site location. We test three site-selection criteria based on (1) biomass productivity, (2) water-use efficiency, and (3) water-stress impact and find that adding water-stress constraints to productivity-based ranking of suitable sites reduces water-stress impact by 97% and water consumption by half, compared with biomass-productivity ranking alone, with little productivity impact (<1.7% per-site on average). With 20.8 billion liters, algae could meet 19.7% of U.S. jet fuel demand with a freshwater demand of less than 1.4% of U.S. irrigation consumption. Evaluating water-stress impact is important because the impact of unit water consumption on water stress varies significantly across regions and seasons. Considering seasonal water balances allows producers to understand the combined seasonal effects of hydrologic flows and productivity, thereby avoiding potential short-term water stress.
Musical Distribution Channels: New Networks

Distribution of music is an essential component of its social relevance. It is a core factor of the music’s socially relevant shape, in particular when given the direction of a quasi-simultaneous network resonance. In this chapter we examine the earlier stages of distribution, review the development of musical platform, and discuss the implications of a global network.
Automated Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring

Success of any commercial computer vision solution necessitates the use of right sensors and analytics over the data. RGB image sensors are proved to be efficient for deep learning methods to solve object detection, segmentation and classification problems. Very minimal works are reported in the literature that use other imaging sensors such as depth or infra-red. This work uses a deep learning method over depth sensor data to solve one of the needed solutions of hospitals, battery plants, and restaurants, the Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring. Our technical contributions are of three-folds: (1) we evaluate the working of transfer learning using RGB data pre-training and depth data re-training (2) we design a generic strategy for the application as existing solutions in the market are performed under controlled environment (3) finally we compare our deep learning solution performance with a conventional machine learning solution.
Synchrotron Operando Depth Profiling Studies of State-of-ChargeGradients in Thick Li(Ni 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 )O 2 Cathode Films

Higher energy densities in rechargeable batteries can be achieved using thicker cathode films, though this is a challenging endeavor since the electrochemical performance of thick electrodes is sub...
Cytogenetic studies in a patient with acute granulocytic leukemia of seven and one-half years duration.

During a 7 1/2-yr period we monitored a chromosomally aberrant cell line in a woman with acute granulocytic leukemia (AGL) whose disease followed a rather unusual course. Her initial remission induced with 6- mercaptopurine (6-MP) and prednisone was maintained for 52 mo with biweekly doses of methotrexate (MTX) given orally. Because signs of liver dysfunction occurred, maintenance therapy was stopped. After 15 mo without chemotherapy, she suffered her first relapse (5 yr 7 mo after the initial diagnosis). A second remission, again induced with 6- MP and prednisone, was maintained for 1 yr, after which a second relapse occurred. Another remission lasting for only 4 mo was followed by a relapse of the leukemic process which led to her death. Cytogenetic studies of marrow cells and peripheral blood at the time of her initial diagnosis showed abnormal stem lines with characteristic chromosome markers. A small percentage of malignant cells bearing these markers persisted in her marrow during the years of her prolonged remission. At the time of her first relapse, 75% of her marrow cells had the marker karyotype, and at the time of her death (7 1/2 yr after the leukemia was diagnosed) all analyzable marrow metaphases had the characteristic chromosome changes.
Why share? An analysis of the sources of post-conflict power-sharing:

Why do former belligerents institutionalize power-sharing arrangements after a civil war ends? The choice of power-sharing institutions shapes the nature of governance in many post-conflict setting...
Improving Scalability of LoRaWAN Networks by Spreading Factor Distribution

Long Range (LoRa) technology is receiving increasing attention in recent years for addressing the challenges of providing wireless connections to a large number of end devices in the field of Internet of Things (IoT). This is due to its long transmission range, low power consumption, and large network capacity. Despite these benefits, LoRa networks may not be able to achieve their full potential unless additional improvements are achieved in the network scalability. Specifically, the probability of success under heavy network traffic loads or large number of end devices needs to be improved. This paper explores the possibility of reducing the number of collisions in LoRa networks by allocating multiple spreading factors within the same network zones. We demonstrate that an optimum allocation of spreading factors increases the average probability of successful packet transmission to the gateway. Simulation results show that the proposed approach can substantially improve the network performance even for dense LoRa networks.
Relationship quality and objectively measured physical activity before and after implementation of COVID-19 stay-home orders.

In a sample of 28 individuals cohabiting with a partner in NYC, Boston, or Chicago, this study tested whether implementation of stay-home orders to combat the spread of COVID-19 disrupted physical ...
GYY4137 Regulates Extracellular Matrix Turnover in the Diabetic Kidney by Modulating Retinoid X Receptor Signaling.

Diabetic kidney is associated with an accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) leading to renal fibrosis. Dysregulation of retinoic acid metabolism involving retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) has been shown to play a crucial role in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Furthermore, RARs and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) are known to control the RXR-mediated transcriptional regulation of several target genes involved in DN. Recently, RAR and RXR have been shown to upregulate plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a major player involved in ECM accumulation and renal fibrosis during DN. Interestingly, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to ameliorate adverse renal remodeling in DN. We investigated the role of RXR signaling in the ECM turnover in diabetic kidney, and whether H2S can mitigate ECM accumulation by modulating PPAR/RAR-mediated RXR signaling. We used wild-type (C57BL/6J), diabetic (C57BL/6-Ins2Akita/J) mice and mouse mesangial cells (MCs) as experimental models. GYY4137 was used as a H2S donor. Results showed that in diabetic kidney, the expression of PPARγ was decreased, whereas upregulations of RXRα, RXRβ, and RARγ1 expression were observed. The changes were associated with elevated PAI-1, MMP-9 and MMP-13. In addition, the expressions of collagen IV, fibronectin and laminin were increased, whereas elastin expression was decreased in the diabetic kidney. Excessive collagen deposition was observed predominantly in the peri-glomerular and glomerular regions of the diabetic kidney. Immunohistochemical localization revealed elevated expression of fibronectin and laminin in the glomeruli of the diabetic kidney. GYY4137 reversed the pathological changes. Similar results were observed in in vitro experiments. In conclusion, our data suggest that RXR signaling plays a significant role in ECM turnover, and GYY4137 modulates PPAR/RAR-mediated RXR signaling to ameliorate PAI-1-dependent adverse ECM turnover in DN.
NMR-Based Metabolomic Profiles of Mice Fed a High Fat Diet and Supplemented with Resistant Starch and/or Lactobacillus

Incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is steadily increasing, and the contributions of diet and the gastrointestinal microbiota to these diseases are only partially understood. E...
Myoclonic epilepsies: syndromes and their treatment.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some of the better known myoclonic epilepsies and their treatment. Early myoclonic epilepsies referred to as early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with suppression-burst or Ohtahara syndrome is characterized by a triad of myoclonic, focal, and later tonic seizures. Their clinical manifestations include onset in early infancy, usually within the first three months, with 60% before ten days of age. Erratic and fragmentory myoclonus of the face or limbs, usually asynchronous and asymmetric, are noted early with massive myoclonic jerks appearing later. The main seizures are tonic spasms (similar to West syndrome) with other ictal events being partial and myoclonic. The electroencephalography (EEG) is characterized by suppression-burst pattern with complex bursts of high amplitude spikes and sharp and slow waves both during waking and sleeping states. Multiple etiologies are responsible for the syndrome but the majority of cases are associated with structural brain damage or severe bilateral injury. Early myoclonic encephalopathy is differentiated from Ohtahara syndrome by the main seizure type being erratic myoclonias, focal seizures and clusters of spasms, rather than tonic spasms primarily. Children with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI), also known as “Dravet syndrome,” have the onset of seizures in the first year of life with development being normal prior to their onset.
Status and Update of MVMA Component Testing

The report gives details of the development of a component side impact test device developed for MVMA by the MGA Research Corporation and later modified to improve its biofidelity. Testing has shown that the modified device meets the force-time corridors derived by MVMA from cadaver drop test data. Tests on twelve Ford LTD doors at speeds of 25.7 and 37 km/h showed that the MVMA device is simple to operate, is highly repeatable, and can discriminate between unpadded and padded doors. An issue for future research is how to select a priori a component test device impact speed which can account for differences in car size and side structure stiffness. (TRRL)
Decentralization as a Post‐Conflict Strategy: Local Government Discretion and Accountability in Sierra Leone

Summary Sierra Leone has made progress in recovering from a decade-long civil war, in part due to decentralization. As a post-conflict stabilization strategy, decentralization has been effective in satisfying the desire for more equitable political representation, and three rounds of peaceful elections have strengthened democratic norms. However, more needs to be performed to strengthen local governments in order to address regional horizontal inequity. Solely political decentralization is not sufficient in addressing regional differences in pro-poor service delivery, which was a key driver of conflict. It requires broader commitment to establish a functioning local government system, including central government subscription to the tenets of administrative and fiscal decentralization. Though Sierra Leone has remained stable in terms of political violence, recent data show that the nation has not made great strides in addressing weak and inequitable social service delivery. This paper argues that this stagnation is a product of the incomplete nature of the post-conflict stabilization strategy of decentralization and that correcting this failure will require strong commitment from the central government to implementing the full measure of the existing legal framework for decentralization. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How hospitality managers learn: Are today's education and training programs designed to get the biggest bang for the big buck we're spending?

Abstract The greatest constant faced by hospitality managers in the 1980s and 1990s will be change. This challenges education and industry to find the most effective training methods for managers. This paper suggests that serious attention must be paid to research on how adults learn.
Sports and the Law: Using Court Cases to Teach Sports Economics

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, it lays forth a rationale for the use of court cases in teaching a sports economics class. Second, it provides an overview of the most important cases related to sports economics. Court classes allow students to develop critical reading and reasoning skills while allowing the instructor to present readings outside the standard textbook that are accessible to most undergraduates. A sports economics course with a focus on legal issues also broadens the course to fit better within a liberal arts education rather than being a narrow speciality field.
Efficient data collection from Open Modeling Interface (OpenMI) components

2012 International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Processing Techniques and Applications, Las Vegas, NV, July 16-19, 2012
A Systems View of Lignocellulose Hydrolysis

With a growing need to produce low-carbon fuels and chemicals for sustainable economic development, there is growing interest in utilizing lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock resource for the emerging bioeconomy. Lignocellulosic biomass is currently available in large quantities as crop and forest residues or organic wastes, and could be produced at high yields by planting dedicated energy crops, but is not as easily processed by biochemical or thermochemical conversion technologies as other bio-based feedstocks such as sugars, starches, or oils. Many approaches to utilizing lignocellulosic resources and converting them into value added products first require deconstruction the plant cell wall polymers into their constitutive sugars for fermentation or chemical conversion, and often recover lignin as a co-product. This process of plant cell wall deconstruction, or hydrolysis, includes both pretreatment technologies that degrade the lignin, and saccharification technologies that produce sugar monomers and oligomers from sugar polymers such as cellulose and hemicellulose. This chapter reviews leading technologies for deconstructing lignocellulosic biomass, including mechanical, chemical, and biological approaches, and evaluates the advantages and tradeoffs among them.
Social Interactions Sparked by Pictorial Warnings on Cigarette Packs

The Message Impact Framework suggests that social interactions may offer smokers the opportunity to process pictorial warnings on cigarette packs more deeply. We aimed to describe adult smokers' social interactions about pictorial cigarette pack warnings in two longitudinal pilot studies. In Pilot Study 1, 30 smokers used cigarette packs with one of nine pictorial warnings for two weeks. In Pilot Study 2, 46 smokers used cigarette packs with one of five pictorial warnings for four weeks. Nearly all smokers (97%/96% in Pilot Study 1/2) talked about the warnings with other people, with the most common people being friends (67%/87%) and spouses/significant others (34%/42%). Pilot Study 2 found that 26% of smokers talked about the warnings with strangers. Discussions about the health effects of smoking and quitting smoking were more frequent during the first week of exposure to pictorial warnings than in the week prior to beginning the study (both p < 0.05). Pictorial warnings sparked social interactions about the warnings, the health effects of smoking, and quitting smoking, indicating that pictorial warnings may act as a social intervention reaching beyond the individual. Future research should examine social interactions as a potential mediator of the impact of pictorial warnings on smoking behavior.
Studies on the Protein Efficiency Ratio Method for the Evaluation of Poultry Feed Supplements. Modifications Associated with Choice of Dietary Protein Level for Assay

Four chick growth experiments were conducted to compare the protein efficiency ratio (PER) and the total protein efficiency ratio (TPE) methods for evaluating five protein concentrates; soybean meal, peanut meal, normal fish meal, fish meal subjected to either dry or moist heating; and gelatin-supplemented casein, the latter serving as the standard. The concentrates substituted for 40% of the total protein contents of basal corn-soybean rations varying widely in protein levels. There were no significant differences between the PER (based on average weight gain and protein intake) and the TPE (calculated as the total weight gain, including weight of dead chicks, divided by the total protein intake) at the protein levels studied. A new index, the maximum protein efficiency ratio (PERmax), was defined as the PER value estimated at the optimum dietary protein level. It was estimated at the point of inflection on the graph of feed efficiency vs. percentage protein content. Reasons and the procedure for the use of feed efficiency in the estimation are discussed. The three methods were further evaluated by comparing differences or separations among PER values determined at the conventional 10% protein level, PER at 18.5%, TPE at 18.5%, and the PERmax. For most paired comparisons, the conventional PER gave the widest separations, but in the case of dry- and moist-heated fish meals, separation by the PERmax method (at a higher protein level) was the widest. Based on the amino acid contents of the whole diets and literature information, it was concluded that the conventional PER gives greater separations where diets or proteins have greater relative deficiencies in sulfur amino acids. Where there are greater relative deficiencies in lysine, the PERmax or PER at higher but suboptimal protein levels gives greater separations. The importance of cystine/methionine ratio is also discussed.
Community Influence on Adolescent Development

For many, adolescence is a time when entities other than parents become an increasingly important source of developmental influence. The larger community may shape adolescents by serving as a source of risk, protection, or as a context for intervention. This chapter addresses three specific sectors of the community and their influence on adolescent development: peers, neighborhoods, and media.
Dissipative transport in monolayer MoS 2 : role of remote coulomb scattering

In this work, we calculate the scattering rates in monolayer MoS2 due to various a) intrinsic phonon, b) remote phonon, and c) remote Coulomb processes. We then study the electron transport in a monolayer MoS2 based FET device employing a particle based Monte Carlo device simulator. Our results show that the total scattering rate is strongly dominated by remote coulomb scattering, which, when compared to the ballistic regime, degrades the drain current by ~78%.
Perceptually based methods for robust image hashing

Hash functions are frequently called message digest functions. Their purpose is to extract a short binary string from a large digital message. A key feature of conventional cryptographic (and other) hashing algorithms such as message digest 5 (MD5) and secure hash algorithm 1 (SHA-1) is that they are extremely sensitive to the message; i.e., changing even one bit of the input message will change the output dramatically. However, multimedia data such as digital images undergo various manipulations such as compression and enhancement. An image hash function should instead take into account the changes in the visual domain and produce hash values based on the image's visual appearance. Such a function would facilitate comparisons and searches in large image databases. Other applications of a perceptual hash lie in content authentication and watermarking. This dissertation proposes a unifying framework for multimedia signal hashing. The problem of media hashing is divided into two stages. The first stage extracts media-dependent intermediate features that are robust under incidental modifications while being different for perceptually distinct media with high probability. The second stage performs a media-independent clustering of these features to produce a final hash. This dissertation focuses on feature extraction from natural images such that the extracted features are largely invariant under perceptually insignificant modifications to the image (i.e. robust). An iterative geometry preserving feature detection algorithm is developed based on an explicit modeling of the human visual system via end-stopped wavelets. For the second stage. I show that the decision version of the feature clustering problem is NP-complete. Then, for any perceptually significant feature extractor, I develop polynomial time clustering algorithms based on a greedy heuristic. Existing algorithms for image/media hashing exclusively employ either cryptographic or signal processing methods. A pure signal processing approach achieves robustness to perceptually insignificant distortions but compromises security which is desirable in applications for multimedia, protection. Likewise pure cryptographic techniques while secure, completely ignore the requirement of being robust to incidental modifications of the media. The primary contribution of this dissertation is a joint signal processing and cryptography approach to building robust as well as secure image hashing algorithms. The ideas proposed in this dissertation can also be applied to other problems in multimedia security, e.g. watermarking and data hiding.
Iron-sulfur clusters in type I reaction centers.

Abstract Type I reaction centers (RCs) are multisubunit chlorophyll–protein complexes that function in photosynthetic organisms to convert photons to Gibbs free energy. The unique feature of Type I RCs is the presence of iron–sulfur clusters as electron transfer cofactors. Photosystem I (PS I) of oxygenic phototrophs is the best-studied Type I RC. It is comprised of an interpolypeptide [4Fe–4S] cluster, FX, that bridges the PsaA and PsaB subunits, and two terminal [4Fe–4S] clusters, FA and FB, that are bound to the PsaC subunit. In this review, we provide an update on the structure and function of the bound iron–sulfur clusters in Type I RCs. The first new development in this area is the identification of FA as the cluster proximal to FX and the resolution of the electron transfer sequence as FX→FA→FB→soluble ferredoxin. The second new development is the determination of the three-dimensional NMR solution structure of unbound PsaC and localization of the equal- and mixed-valence pairs in FA− and FB−. We provide a survey of the EPR properties and spectra of the iron–sulfur clusters in Type I RCs of cyanobacteria, green sulfur bacteria, and heliobacteria, and we summarize new information about the kinetics of back-reactions involving the iron–sulfur clusters.
Considering Measurement Model Parameter Errors in Static and Dynamic Systems

In static systems, state values are estimated using traditional least squares techniques based on a redundant set of measurements. Inaccuracies in measurement model parameter estimates can lead to significant errors in the state estimates. This paper describes a technique that considers these parameters in a modified least squares framework. It is also shown that this framework leads to the minimum variance solution. Both batch and sequential (recursive) least squares methods are described. One static system and one dynamic system are used as examples to show the benefits of the consider least squares methodology.
Heterotrophic micro- and macrocultures of a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium.

Anabaena variabilis can be cloned in the dark from fragments with one and few cells, with an efficiency of about 40%, on the nitrogen-free medium of Allen and Arnon solidified with 0.5% agarose and supplemented with 5 mM fructose. The organism can be grown exponentially (τ2≅36 h) in fermentor cultures in the dark, fixing N2, to a density of greater than 10 g dry weight/l.
A method for obtaining proton scalar-coupling-correlated 2D spectra in protonated solvents

Presentation d'une strategie qui prend en compte l'effet des impulsions dans des experiences bidimensionnelles a impulsion multiple, l'introduction de la frequence de transmission au milieu du spectre, et une minimisation du cycle de phase
Direct genetic testing for Smad4 mutations in patients at risk for juvenile polyposis.

Abstract Background: The identification of germline mutations in juvenile polyposis (JP) families has made presymptomatic genetic testing possible. In this study we report the results of genetic testing in two large JP families and develop an algorithm for the clinical management of these patients. Methods: DNA was extracted from 55 members of 2 JP kindreds, and the Smad4 mutations in the germline were determined by direct sequencing. All family members were then tested for mutations with use of single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and were invited for genetic counseling. Results: All 18 affected members of both kindreds had a 4-bp deletion in exon 9 of the Smad4 gene. In 30 patients at risk for JP, 17 had previously had negative endoscopic screening results and 13 had never been screened. Five patients at risk had inherited germline Smad4 mutations. Two carriers have had hematochezia but have not been screened, whereas 3 were asymptomatic. The mean age of carriers was 29.8 years (range 9.1-49.5 years), whereas that of noncarriers was 41.0 years (range 8.1-76.5 years). Conclusions: Compliance has been a problem with endoscopic screening for JP. With genetic testing noncarriers may no longer require frequent screening endoscopy, whereas gene carriers can be targeted for close endoscopic surveillance and early intervention to prevent the development of gastrointestinal cancers. Direct genetic testing significantly improves the presymptomatic diagnosis of gene carriers in JP families with Smad4 mutations. (Surgery 1999;126:162-70.)
A Generic Framework for Monitoring Timing Constraints over Uncertain Events

This paper provides a comprehensive approach to the problem of monitoring timing constraints over event streams for which the timestamp values are inherently uncertain. We first propose a generic framework for capturing the early detection of the violation of timing constraints, based on the notion of probabilistic violation time. In doing so, we provide a systemic approach for deriving a set of necessary constraints at compilation time. Our work is innovative in that the framework is formulated to be "modular" with respect to the probability distributions on timestamp values. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework for two different timestamp models, Gaussian and Histogram. The gaussian model is appropriate for representing event timing from a wide variety of sensors with well-modelled physical noise characteristics; we show how we can efficiently derive the probabilistic violation time of timing constraints by exploiting the relation between the gaussian distribution parameters. The histogram model can be used where the timestamps of events are available from measurements only as arbitrary probability distributions: we show how to derive an efficient timing constraint monitoring method for the histogram model.
Candidate genes for non-diabetic ESRD in African Americans: a genome-wide association study using pooled DNA.

African Americans have increased susceptibility to non-diabetic (non-DM) forms of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and extensive evidence supports a genetic contribution. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) using pooled DNA was performed in 1,000 African Americans to detect associated genes. DNA from 500 non-DM ESRD cases and 500 non-nephropathy controls was quantified using gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometric analysis and pools of 50 case and 50 control DNA samples were created. DNA pools were genotyped in duplicate on the Illumina HumanHap550-Duo BeadChip. Normalization methods were developed and applied to array intensity values to reduce inter-array variance. Allele frequencies were calculated from normalized channel intensities and compared between case and control pools. Three SNPs had p values of <1.0E−6: rs4462445 (ch 13), rs4821469 (ch 22) and rs8077346 (ch 17). After normalization, top scoring SNPs (n = 65) were genotyped individually in 464 of the original cases and 478 of the controls, with replication in 336 non-DM ESRD cases and 363 non-nephropathy controls. Sixteen SNPs were associated with non-DM ESRD (p < 7.7E−4, Bonferroni corrected). Twelve of these SNPs are in or near the MYH9 gene. The four non-MYH9 SNPs that were associated with non-DM ESRD in the pooled samples were not associated in the replication set. Five SNPs that were modestly associated in the pooled samples were more strongly associated in the replication and/or combined samples. This is the first GWAS for non-DM ESRD in African Americans using pooled DNA. We demonstrate strong association between non-DM ESRD in African Americans with MYH9, and have identified additional candidate loci.
Review of controlled fusion research using laser heating.

Development of methods for generating high laser pulse energy has stimulated research leading to new ideas for practical controlled thermonuclear fusion machines. A review is presented of some important efforts in progress, and two different approaches have been selected as examples for discussion. One involves the concept of very short pulse lasers with power output tailored, in time, to obtain a nearly isentropic compression of a deuterium-tritium pellet to very high densities and temperatures. A second approach utilizing long wavelength, long pulse, efficient gas lasers to heat a column of plasma contained in a solenoidal field is also discussed. The working requirements of the laser and various magnetic field geometries of this approach are described.
Microvascular decompression: a surgical option for refractory hypertension of neurogenic etiology.

Essential or unexplained hypertension exists in a significant segment of the US population. Among those with essential or unexplained hypertension is a subset of patients who are diagnosed with ‘refractory hypertension’ (RHTN) or uncontrolled hypertension despite sustained therapy with at least three antihypertensive agents. Neurogenic etiologies are prevalent among patients with RHTN, with a notable proportion requiring surgical intervention to normalize their blood pressure. Microvascular decompression (MVD) has emerged as a surgical intervention that may be efficacious for the treatment of RHTN. A review of studies reporting outcomes associated with MVD as a treatment approach for refractory hypertension of neurogenic causes (RHTN-N) suggests that blood pressure can be normalized after MVD in some patients with RHTN-N. Consequently, additional studies are needed to offer additional evidence to support MVD as an effective surgical intervention for difficult-to-treat patients with RHTN-N.
The creep of intermetallics and their composites

This article evaluates the creep behavior of nickel aluminides, titanium aluminides, and molybdenum disilicides and their composites as a function of stress and temperature. Significant improvements in creep strength were achieved in NiAl by the addition of HfC dispersoids, and in MoSi2 and its alloys through the addition of SiC whiskers or particulates. On the basis of creep resistance, molybdenum disilicide alloys and their composites have a high potential for application at temperatures greater than 1,000°C, and they are also potential competitors to more brittle ceramic-ceramic composites.
MODELING OF A FERROELECTRIC FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTOR STATIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CELL

ABSTRACT Ferroelectric devices provide many benefits over standard Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices. There is considerable interest in the aerospace industry in the reliability and radiation hardening effects that the ferroelectric memory devices provide. The modeling of a Ferroelectric Static Random Access Memory (FeSRAM) cell is to be investigated. The SRAM memory cell under investigation is a standard four transistor cell with the MOS Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) replaced with Ferroelectric Field Effect Transistors (FeFETs). The SRAM FeFETs were simulated by using a previously developed model. Comparisons were made between the FeSRAM and a standard MOSFET SRAM.
Straw men and fairy tales: Evaluating reactions to A Natural History of Rape.

In this paper we respond to two frequent criticisms of our book, A Natural History of Rape (Thornhill & Palmer, 2000). The first criticism portrays the book as little more than a “just‐so” story that human rape is an adaptation. We demonstrate that this portrayal is not accurate. The second criticism reflects a common response to the book's challenge of the popular assertion that rapists are not motivated by sexual desire but instead commit these crimes motivated by the urge to power, domination, and violence, and the urge to degrade and humiliate women. We demonstrate that such criticisms of our book are inherently contradictory and illogical. We believe it is important for sex researchers to understand that these sorts of criticisms are seriously flawed so that future research efforts toward understanding the causes of sexual coercion are not stalled.
Towards flexible organizations: A multidimensional design

Abstract The author considers one way by which the readiness, willingness, and ability of organizations to change themselves can be increased. Specifically, he considers how organizations can be designed to be more flexible and, therefore, more capable of being changed and changing themselves. Flexibility does not guarantee adaptability but it is essential for it.
NOTES ® stapled cystgastrostomy: a novel approach for surgical management of pancreatic pseudocysts

Traditional approach for surgical management of mature pancreatic pseudocysts is by internal surgical drainage. Endoscopic drainage procedures have also been described. We describe Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES®) stapled cystgastrostomy as a less invasive surgical procedure. Case series. NOTES® cystgastrostomy was performed in six patients with mature pseudocysts from June 2007 to July 2009 under institutional review board (IRB) protocol. The size of the pseudocysts varied from 8 to 23 cm, and all of the pseudocysts were considered complex pseudocysts. The operative team included two general surgeons and a gastroenterologist. The procedure included endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided puncture of the stomach just below the gastroesophageal (GE) junction to gain access to the pseudocyst, guidewire placement, and then dilatation with a balloon to 18–20 mm. Endoscopic necrosectomy and debridement were performed when possible, followed by transoral surgical anastomosis under endoscopic visualization with the SurgAssist™ SLC 55 (Power Medical Interventions, Langhorne, PA) 4.8-mm stapler. Anastomotic length varied from 5.5 to 8 cm. In one patient, diagnostic laparoscopy was performed after the procedure due to inadvertent pneumoperitoneum; no leak or perforation was identified. Length of stay varied between 2 and 14 days. All patients had routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at 1 and 6 weeks postoperatively to evaluate patency; computed tomography (CT) scan was done at 2–3 months to demonstrate resolution of the pseudocyst. All patients had significant decrease in pseudocyst size with patent anastomosis on postoperative EGD, although one patient required endoscopic anastomotic dilatation due to continued symptoms 6 weeks after the operation. Her pseudocyst completely resolved 4 months postoperatively. An additional patient required subsequent distal pancreatectomy due to recurrent symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. NOTES® cystgastrostomy is comparable to previously described surgical approaches, yet is as minimally invasive as endoscopic drainage procedures previously described for management of pseudocysts. It is less invasive than laparoscopic or open cystgastrostomy, yet provides definitive treatment.
Permeation of Pb2+ through calcium channels: fura-2 measurements of voltage- and dihydropyridine-sensitive Pb2+ entry in isolated bovine chromaffin cells.

Fura-2 was used to monitor Pb2+ entry into isolated bovine chromaffin cells exposed to micromolar concentrations of Pb2+ in media containing basal or high concentrations of K+. The entry of Pb2+ consists of voltage-independent and voltage-dependent (K+-stimulated) components. The voltage-dependent Pb2+ entry is enhanced by Ca2+ channel agonist BAY K 8644 and blocked by the channel antagonist nifedipine, suggesting the involvement of the L-type Ca2+ channels. In contrast to the transient, K+-depolarization-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i, the increase in [Pb2+]i is sustained over a period of several minutes, suggesting the absence of channel inactivation and/or the saturation of Pb2+-buffering capacity of the cell cytosol.