cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geohydrological models and earthquake effects at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Yucca Mountain, the proposed site for the high-level nuclear waste repository, is located just south of where the present water table begins a sharp rise in elevation. This large hydraulic gradient is a regional feature that extends for over 100 km. Yucca Mountain and its vicinity are underlain by faulted and fractured tuffs with hydraulic conductivities controlled by flow through the fractures. Close to and parallel with the region of large hydraulic gradient, and surrounding the core of the Timber Mountain Caldera, there is a 10- to 20-km-wide zone containing few faults and thus, most likely, few open fractures. Consequently, this zone should have a relatively low hydraulic conductivity, and this inference is supported by the available conductivity measurements in wells near the large hydraulic gradient. Also, slug injection tests indicate significantly higher pressures for fracture opening in wells located near the large hydraulic gradient compared to the opening pressures in wells further to the south, hence implying that lower extensional stresses prevail to the north with consequently fewer open fractures there. Analytical and numerical modeling shows that such a boundary between media of high and low conductivity can produce the observed, large hydraulic gradient, with the high conductivity medium having a lower elevation than the water table. Further, as fractures can close due to tectonic activity, the conductivity of the Yucca Mountain tuffs can be reduced to a value near that for the hydraulic barrier due to strain release by a moderate earthquake. Under these conditions, simulations show that the elevation of the steady-state water table could rise between 150 and 250 m at the repository site. This elevation rise is due to the projected shift in the location of the large hydraulic gradient to the south in response to a moderate earthquake, near magnitude 6, along one of the major normal faults adjacent to Yucca Mountain. As the proposed repository would only be 200–400 m above the present water table, this predicted rise in the water table indicates a potential hazard involving water intrusion.
Light-Controlled Graphene-Elastin Composite Hydrogel Actuators

Hydrogels actuators (HAs) that can reversibly respond to stimuli have applications in diverse fields. However, faster response rates and improved control over actuation timing and location are required to fulfill their potential. To address these criteria, we synthesized near-infrared light-driven HAs by interfacing genetically engineered elastin-like polypeptides with reduced-graphene oxide sheets. The resulting nanocomposites exhibited rapid and tunable motions controlled by light position, intensity, and path, including finger-like flexing and crawling. This work demonstrates the ability of rationally designed proteins to be combined with synthetic nanoparticles for the creation of macroscale functional materials.
Education: a syllabus survey: examining the state of current practice in introductory computer graphics courses

This column is the second in a series revisiting the introductory computer graphics course for undergraduate computer science majors. It has been 10 years since the last formal discussions resulted in a list of topics for Curriculum 91[1]. Given the great changes that have occurred in computer graphics during that time, the SIGGRAPH Education Committee is reexamining this issue.At SIGGRAPH 98, several computer graphics educators met to compare syllabi and as a result of the discussion that ensued, decided to solicit syllabi from educators at a variety of institutions across the country. Scott Grissom, Lew Hitchner, Bill Jones, Susan Reiser and I collected syllabi from 23 educators. For a list of the instructors who contributed syllabi, please see the Education column in the last issue of Computer Graphics[2]. Of the 23 collected, two were strictly for graduate students and one was primarily an image-processing course. This column examines the remaining 20 syllabi.
Impurity transport during the H-mode in DIII-D

In H-mode plasmas in DIII-D, large modulations in spectroscopically measured impurity densities have been observed during shots with giant edge localized modes (ELMs). These spectral modulations have been analysed with the MIST impurity transport code. This analysis indicates that impurities are alternately flowing towards the plasma centre and then away from it. This alternating flow is correlated with ELM produced changes in the electron density. The electron density oscillations are extreme, causing the density profile to switch from hollow (just before an ELM) to centrally peaked (just after an ELM). Neoclassical convection, dependent on ion density gradients, causes impurities to concentrate most heavily where the electron density is largest and can explain the modulating impurity behaviour. Anomalous diffusion, D 1.0 × 104 cm2/s, reduces the degree of impurity peaking. As the plasma current increases, the increase in hollowness of electron density profiles can account for the observed decrease in central impurity accumulation. Transport of cobalt, injected by laser ablation, has also been studied; cobalt transport variations are consistent with the ELM induced changes seen in intrinsic impurity transport. The transport results may be consistent with neoclassical impurity convective fluxes and suggest that impurity accumulation in tokamaks will occur unless the electron density profile is flat or particle confinement is low.
Upper Bound on the Scale of Majorana-Neutrino Mass Generation

We derive a model-independent upper bound on the scale of Majorana-neutrino mass generation. The upper bound is , where v ≃246 GeV is the weak scale and mν is the Majorana-neutrino mass. For neutrino masses implied by neutrino oscillation experiments, all but one of these bounds are less than the Planck scale, and they are all within a few orders of magnitude of the grand-unification scale.
Constraining fault constitutive behavior with slip and stress heterogeneity

[1] We study how enforcing self-consistency in the statistical properties of the preshear and postshear stress on a fault can be used to constrain fault constitutive behavior beyond that required to produce a desired spatial and temporal evolution of slip in a single event. We explore features of rupture dynamics that (1) lead to slip heterogeneity in earthquake ruptures and (2) maintain these conditions following rupture, so that the stress field is compatible with the generation of aftershocks and facilitates heterogeneous slip in subsequent events. Our three-dimensional finite element simulations of magnitude 7 events on a vertical, planar strike-slip fault show that the conditions that lead to slip heterogeneity remain in place after large events when the dynamic stress drop (initial shear stress) and breakdown work (fracture energy) are spatially heterogeneous. In these models the breakdown work is on the order of MJ/m 2 , which is comparable to the radiated energy. These conditions producing slip heterogeneity also tend to produce narrower slip pulses independent of a slip rate dependence in the fault constitutive model. An alternative mechanism for generating these confined slip pulses appears to be fault constitutive models that have a stronger rate dependence, which also makes them difficult to implement in numerical models. We hypothesize that self-consistent ruptures could also be produced by very narrow slip pulses propagating in a self-sustaining heterogeneous stress field with breakdown work comparable to fracture energy estimates of kJ/M 2 .
A tumbling magnetic microrobot with flexible operating modes

This paper presents a magnetic tumbling microrobot design at the micro-scale with flexible operating modes. The microrobot has a dumb-bell shape whose largest dimension is 400 μm. When subjected to an exterior predefined magnetic field, the magnetic microagent performs a tumbling motion driven by the interacting magnetic forces and momentums. By switching the magnetic field during the motion cycle the agent is also able to perform a sliding locomotion that is useful for micromanipulation. The magnetic field providing the drive force is generated by a portable coil system consisting of five electromagnetic coils. Under the available driven field, the prototype has shown adaptable mobility through tumbling mechanism on various types of surface in both dry and fluid environments, and also shown pushing manipulation in viscous fluid. This manipulation force has been experimentally evaluated through testing with AFM tip and a micro force sensor and shown to be on the order of several μNs.
Cyclic changes in pain perception: An ROC analysis

The rating scale responses of three groups of men and women to thermal and painful radiant heat stimuli were studied over a 4-weekperiod. Receiver operating characteristic curve parameters were computed for each of the phases of the menstrual cycle. Women with normal menstrual periods experienced a heightened sensitivity to pain during ovulation. This effect was absent in women using oral contraceptive pills and in men. The findings demonstrate that past reports of pain threshold changes in association with menstrual phase were basically sensory effects and not just a result of shifts in the observer's criteria for reporting pain. In addition, sex differences in pain perception were found only when men were compared with women who were ovulating. The present project reanalyzes the phenomenon of biological rhythms in pain research using the modern psychophysical procedures of the relative operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Evidence for cyclic changes in pain thresholds has been presented in the several studies. Herren (1933) repeatedly measured the 2-point threshold for pain and touch during three phases of the menstrual cycle in women. Premenstrual thresholds were consistently lower than postmenstrual thresholds, and there were no differences found be­ tween intermenstrual and postmenstrual phases. Procacci, Zoppi, Maresca, and Romano (1974) report data from a series of investigations with both men and women using the radiant heat method to measure pain thresholds. In women, the pain threshold was found to vary cyclically, reaching a peak at menstruation and a low point at ovulation. For women taking oral contraceptives, the rhythm disappeared. However, a rhythm was reported in menopausal women and to some degree in young men. More recently, Tedford, Warren, and Flynn (1977) reported cyclic changes in the pain threshold in association with the menstrual phases. They did not use a traditional pain detection measure. Instead, a shock aversion threshold was measured in women who had a normal menstrual period, women taking oral contraceptives, and men. The data indicated that only the women in the first group showed significant differences in threshold values among the four phases of the menstrual cycle. Taken together, these studies, employing a variety of techniques, demonstrate a fluctuation of the pain threshold in association with the phases of the men­ strual cycle in young women. However, although the
Crystallization microstructure in transparent monotectic alloys

The surprising funguslike morphology which occurs at the liquid(1)/liquid(2)/solid triple junction in directionally solidifying miscibility gap systems at the monotectic temperature is described. The monotectic temperature in a binary mixture is the one at which two immiscible solutions of the same two components form phases in equilibrium with the solid phase of one of the components. The growth of this morphology is described, and a similarity between it and that of a known crystal growth morphology is pointed out.
Repair of Femoral Capital Physeal Fractures in 12 Cattle

Objective— To document signalment, clinical signs, and long-term outcome of surgical treatment for femoral capital physeal fractures in cattle. Study Design— Retrospective study. Animals— Twelve cattle with femoral capital physeal fractures. Methods— Cases were identified by a search of radiographic records. Historical, diagnostic, surgical, and outcome data were collected from the medical records. Owners were contacted for follow-up information by telephone. Results— Fractures were repaired by screws inserted in lag fashion in 4 animals and by use of multiple intramedullary pins in 8 animals. Six of 12 animals required repeat surgery to reposition screws or pins. Nine animals were considered successfully treated at discharge. Six months after surgery, 6 of 11 animals for which follow-up was obtained were still sound. At 12 months, 4 of 4 animals alive were still sound. Animals that bore weight earliest postoperatively were more likely to have a successful outcome. Animals 12 months of age. Conclusions— Prognosis for serviceable soundness is good in cattle 12 months of age after surgical repair of femoral capital physeal fracture by stacking intramedullary pins or by screws inserted in lag fashion. Clinical Relevance— Surgical repair of femoral capital physeal fracture is most successful in younger cattle and can result in productive animals.
Markets or governments: Choosing between imperfect alternatives

Economic studies historically have either extolled the virtues of perfect markets or decried the market's shortcomings, proposing that governments correct market failure. This book proposes as a counterweight to these views a theory of nonmarket failure, and examines in great detail the shortcomings of government efforts to replace or to regulate markets. It is an unusually thorough analysis that can be used to make more systematic comparisons between markets and governments and to arrive at more intelligent choices between them.After reviewing the existing theory of market shortcomings, Wolf develops a parallel framework for analyzing the shortcomings of government, elaborating the inherent characteristics of government operations and the problems they present. He then considers how these predictable types of nonmarket failure can be taken into account in improving the formulation of public policy. And he compares market and nonmarket alternatives, both in their theoretical and empirical aspects.Wolf concludes that, while both markets and governments have inherent shortcomings, and the choice between them is never a pure one (real-world situations always involve some combination of the two alternatives), markets do a better job than governments. They are more efficient according to both static and dynamic criteria. With respect to equity and other non-efficiency considerations, however, both markets and governments have strengths and weaknesses. Finally, Wolf points out that government can play an important role in improving and extending the functioning of markets. And, perhaps most controversially, he argues that market forces themselves can play an important role in improving thefunctioning of government. They can reduce the incidence of nonmarket failure by injecting market incentives into government operations.Charles Wolf, Jr. is Dean of the RAND Graduate School of Policy Studies and director of the RAND Corporation's Research Program in International Economic Policy. He was chairman of RAND's Economics Department for 12 years, and has written widely in the fields of economics, defense policy, and foreign policy. A RAND Corporation Research Study.
Married womens' tastes and the decision to participate in the labour market: results from a fixed effects model

In the paper, we report estimates from two logit models of Women's labour force participation. A model with out fixed effects, estimated from cross-sectional data-indicates a significant postive relation between work experience and particiption. We ask whether the relation is due to a causal influence extered by the former variable on the latter or to a common underlying variable: taste for market attachement. To answer this question. we present results from a fixed effects model estimated from panel data. In this model, the estimated coefficients of experience are insignificant, suggestion that a taste for market attachement underlies both experience and participation is the presence of preschool children.
Unforgettable: History, Memory, and the Vichy Syndrome

In 1987, the French historian Henry Rousso formulated an interpretive model that has decisively influenced the directions and forms of inquiry scholars have pursued in relation to les annees noires, the period between 1940 and 1944 during which France endured a catastrophic military defeat and four years of occupation by a neighboring fascist state... This article is available in Studies in 20th Century Literature: http://newprairiepress.org/sttcl/vol23/iss1/3 Unforgettable: History, Memory and the Vichy Syndrome Rosemarie Scullion University of Iowa In 1987, the French historian Henry Rousso formulated an interpretive model that has decisively influenced the directions and forms of inquiry scholars have pursued in relation to les armies noires, the period between 1940 and 1944 during which France endured a catastrophic military defeat and four years of occupation by a neighboring fascist state. Inspired by Pierre Nora's exploration of the complex interplay between "history and memory, "' Rousso astutely recognized the pall that the traumas of World War II and the Nazi Occupation had cast over French cultural and political life of the postwar period. Marshaling compelling evidence of the seemingly intractable collective malaise he terms "The Vichy Syndrome," Rousso defined this affliction as the complex of heterogeneous symptoms and manifestations revealing, particularly in political, cultural and social life, the existence of traumas engendered by the Occupation, especially those linked to internal divisions-traumas that have been maintained, and sometimes heightened after the events are over. (Le
Childhood Sexual Exploitation: Long-Term Effects Among a Group of Nursing Students

The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine differences in levels of self-esteem and depression between students who reported incidents of sexual exploitation in childhood and those who did not. A nonprobability sample of 55 nursing students enrolled in a university-based program completed the Childhood Sexual Experiences Survey, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed significant differences between groups in self-esteem (F = 4.387, p = 0.041) and in depression (F = 8.015, p = 0.007). Subjects who reported incidents of childhood sexual exploitation had lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depression than the comparison group. Results support previous research and have implications for long-term effects of sexual exploitation in this special population of young adults.
c-Jun Decreases Voltage-Gated K+ Channel Activity in Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells

Background Activity of voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channels controls membrane potential (Em) that regulates cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) by regulating voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel function. A rise in [Ca2+]cyt in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) triggers vasoconstriction and stimulates PASMC proliferation. Whether c-Jun, a transcription factor that stimulates cell proliferation, affects Kv channel activity in PASMCs was investigated. Methods and Results Infection of primary cultured PASMCs with an adenoviral vector expressing c-jun increased the protein level of c-Jun and reduced Kv currents (IK(V)) compared with control cells (infected with an empty adenovirus). Using single-cell reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, we observed that the mRNA level of Kv1.5 and the current density of IK(V) were both attenuated in c-jun–infected PASMCs compared with control cells and cells infected with antisense c-jun. Overexpression of c-Jun also upregulated protein expression of Kvβ...
Overview of diisocyanate occupational asthma

Surveillance programs established around the world have determined that diisocyanate chemicals are the most common cause of occupational asthma. In the United States approximately 100,000 workers are exposed to these chemical compounds in the workplace each year and 5-10% of these workers will develop occupational asthma. There are no known reliable risk factors or biomarkers which can be used to predict which exposed worker will develop diisocyanate-occupational asthma. Diisocyanate-occupational asthma workers manifest characteristic physiologic responses after specific bronchoprovocation which correlate with pathologic changes in their airways. However, the mechanism(s) for diisocyanate-occupational asthma remains unclear. Specific IgE antibody production to diisocyanates is found in only 10-30% of these workers. Bronchial biopsies and bronchoalveolar lavage have confirmed the presence of T-lymphocytes and eosinophils in the airways of these workers suggesting that T-cell mediated immune responses are more likely to play a central role in this disease. It is essential to diagnose diisocyanate-occupational asthma as early as possible in order to prevent or reduce the significant asthma morbidity associated with continuous long term exposure to these chemicals. Treatment of choice is removal of the worker from further exposure. Prospective studies evaluating larger populations of diisocyanate-exposed workers is essential for a better understanding of the pathogenesis and natural course of diisocyanate-occupational asthma.
Learning integral calculus through non-template problem solving

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to share a series of problems designed to provide students with opportunities to develop an understanding of applications of the definite integral. The problems require a variety of problem solving strategies. Template solutions, solutions in which students mimic a rehearsed strategy without understanding, are discouraged as the variety of problems helps prevent the construction of a template. The problem series is designed to be incorporated into the integration component of a traditional calculus course. Generally these tasks are suitable for small groups, however, some of the problems are appropriate as test questions where each student works alone. Some tasks require a basic (non-graphing) calculator.
The Effect of Dose-Volume Parameters and Interfraction Interval on Cosmetic Outcome and Toxicity After 3-Dimensional Conformal Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Purpose To evaluate dose-volume parameters and the interfraction interval (IFI) as they relate to cosmetic outcome and normal tissue effects of 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI). Methods and Materials Eighty patients were treated by the use of 3D-CRT to deliver APBI at our institutions from 2003-2010 in strict accordance with the specified dose-volume constraints outlined in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B39/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0413 (NSABP-B39/RTOG 0413) protocol. The prescribed dose was 38.5 Gy in 10 fractions delivered twice daily. Patients underwent follow-up with assessment for recurrence, late toxicity, and overall cosmetic outcome. Tests for association between toxicity endpoints and dosimetric parameters were performed with the chi-square test. Univariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of interfraction interval (IFI) with these outcomes. Results At a median follow-up time of 32 months, grade 2-4 and grade 3-4 subcutaneous fibrosis occurred in 31% and 7.5% of patients, respectively. Subcutaneous fibrosis improved in 5 patients (6%) with extended follow-up. Fat necrosis developed in 11% of women, and cosmetic outcome was fair/poor in 19%. The relative volume of breast tissue receiving 5%, 20%, 50%, 80%, and 100% (V5-V100) of the prescribed dose was associated with risk of subcutaneous fibrosis, and the volume receiving 50%, 80%, and 100% (V50-V100) was associated with fair/poor cosmesis. The mean IFI was 6.9 hours, and the minimum IFI was 6.2 hours. The mean and minimum IFI values were not significantly associated with late toxicity. Conclusions The incidence of moderate to severe late toxicity, particularly subcutaneous fibrosis and fat necrosis and resulting fair/poor cosmesis, remains high with continued follow-up. These toxicity endpoints are associated with several dose-volume parameters. Minimum and mean IFI values were not associated with late toxicity.
Development of high‐pressure composite butt‐weld joints

There is currently a need to develop high-pressure composite butt-weld joints to meet the needs of deepwater activities. In this study, a tapered butt-weld composite joint configuration is proposed. Finite element analysis was conducted to validate the proposed structural configuration through stress-strain distribution analysis. Test samples were assembled using the hand lay-up technique. The prepared specimens were hydro-tested. The test results justified the proposed joint configurations. An approximate 35.7% increase in bursting pressure in the tapered butt-weld composite joint was observed over currently used composite butt-weld joints.
Consumer Acceptance of Peanut-Flavored Frozen Desserts. I. Preferred Flavor Level and Type of Peanut Ice Cream,

Abstract A consumer acceptance study was conducted in which levels of peanut butter and various types of peanut flavoring materials in ice cream were evaluated by a consumer panel. The consumers based their decisions on taste (86 to 92%), body and texture (41 to 45%), and color (9 to 10%), with most consumers using more than one of these criteria in making their selection. The over-all preference ratings were in favor of the 5% level of peanut butter in 46% of the cases, for the 7.5% in 30%; whereas, 22% of the participants indicated no preference between the two flavor levels. When degrees of preference were considered, 72% of the consumers indicated they liked the 5% product, 62% liked the 7.5% peanut butter ice cream, whereas 14 and 25% disliked the 5 and 7.5% product, respectively. The type of peanut flavoring material used in ice cream was not of great concern to the consumers, with 69% preferring plain peanut butter ice cream, 64% the peanut butter ripple, and 70% the ice cream containing peanut particles. Approximately 59 to 70% of the consumers indicated they would purchase the particular type of peanut ice cream they preferred if it were made available, indicating that peanut ice cream would be a worthy competitor on the ice cream market.
Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in 24 461 Patients Aged 80 Years or Older

Background Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is increasingly common in patients of age ≥80 years. Single-institution reviews have cited a wide range of mortality results after bypass surgery in this age group, in part because of limited sample sizes. Using claims data, we examined recent national trends in the use and outcomes of bypass surgery in the very elderly. Methods and Results From an examination of Medicare data from 1987 through 1990, we identified 24 461 patients of age ≥80 years who underwent bypass surgery. We compared surgical outcomes in these patients with those in Medicare patients of age 65 to 70 years. We found that the national use of bypass surgery in patients of age ≥80 years increased 67% between 1987 and 1990. Compared with patients of age 65 to 70 years, the very elderly had significantly longer postoperative hospital stays (mean, 14.3 versus 10.4 days), higher charges (mean, $48 200 versus $38 000), and greater costs (mean, $27 200 versus $21 700). In-hospital (11.5% versus 4....
Evolution of enzymatic activities in the enolase superfamily: functional assignment of unknown proteins in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli as L-Ala-D/L-Glu epimerases.

The members of the mechanistically diverse enolase superfamily catalyze different overall reactions by using a common catalytic strategy and structural scaffold. In the muconate lactonizing enzyme (MLE) subgroup of the superfamily, abstraction of a proton adjacent to a carboxylate group initiates reactions, including cycloisomerization (MLE), dehydration [o-succinylbenzoate synthase (OSBS)], and 1,1-proton transfer (catalyzed by an OSBS that also catalyzes a promiscuous N-acylamino acid racemase reaction). The realization that a member of the MLE subgroup could catalyze a 1,1-proton transfer reaction, albeit poorly, led to a search for other enzymes which might catalyze a 1,1-proton transfer as their physiological reaction. YcjG from Escherichia coli and YkfB from Bacillus subtilis, proteins of previously unknown function, were discovered to be l-Ala-d/l-Glu epimerases, although they also catalyze the epimerization of other dipeptides. The values of kcat/KM for l-Ala-d/l-Glu for both proteins are ∼104 M-1...
Highly conserved proteins that modify plant ethylene responses

The plant hormone ethylene controls many aspects of growth and development, including organ abscission, leaf and flower senescence, and, in certain species, fruit ripening. It also has a critical role in mediating many stress responses. The importance of ethylene to many fundamental processes in plants has resulted in a great deal of research on how plants perceive and respond to this hormone. Simple genetic screens have facilitated isolation of many of the genes encoding mediators of ethylene responses, most notably the receptors (1, 2). Plants have small gene families of ethylene receptors; Arabidopsis thaliana, for example, has five. These receptors are homologous to bacterial two-component regulators and have protein kinase activities (3, 4). Genetic analyses of the receptor family are consistent with a model in which receptors actively suppress ethylene responses in the absence of the hormone. There is redundancy built into the system: single loss-of-function mutants have no visible phenotype, whereas higher-order loss-of-function mutants exhibit varying degrees of enhanced ethylene responses (5). In contrast, single amino acid changes in the ethylene-binding domain of receptors frequently result in dominant ethylene insensitivity. This insensitivity is believed to be the consequence of an inability to recognize ethylene (6). Mechanistically, little is known about how the receptors bind to ethylene and transduce that information to the downstream signaling components. The only protein that is known to physically interact with the receptors is the RAF-like protein kinase CTR1 (7).
Notes and Communications A NON‐DUAL APPROACH TO SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS—THE RIGHT‐HAND‐SIDE CASE

Linear programming and sensitivity analysis in linear programming have long been integral parts of business school curricula, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Most business school students are required to take an introductory course in management science emphasizing linear programming and sensitivity analysis. This note is educational and presents a non-dual approach to restoring the optimal solution to a linear program when changes in the right-hand-side vector render the current solution infeasible and thus nonoptimal.
Intermediate structure in the neutron-induced fission cross section of 236U.

Neutron-induced fission of $^{236}\mathrm{U}$ has been measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center with a white neutron source using a fast parallel plate ionization chamber at a flight path of \ensuremath{\sim}56 m. In the resonance and the intermediate resonance region, very little of the previously reported structure was detected. Only five resonance structures were observed. Additionally, the width of the 5.45 eV resonance is approximately 100 times smaller than previously reported. An explanation for the discrepancies between old data and data reported here is discussed. New fission widths for resonances from 5.45 eV to 10.4 keV are reported. The new data are in agreement with theoretical estimates.
The Determination of Sense via Deleuze and Blanchot: Paradoxes of the Habitual, the Immemorial, and the Eternal Return

Eternal return is the paradox that accounts for the interplay between difference and repetition, a dynamic at the heart of Deleuze's philosophy, and Blanchot's approach to this paradox, even and especially through what it elides, further illuminates it. Deleuze draws on Blanchot's characterisations of difference, forgetting, and the unlivable to depict the ‘sense’ produced via eternal return, which, for Blanchot, is where repetition implicates or ‘carries’ pure difference. However, for Deleuze, difference and the unlivable are also developed by the living repetition or ‘contraction’ of habit, which results in his distinctive characterization of ‘force’, ‘levity’, and sense in eternal return.
A computational approach for the modeling/decomposition strategy in the MINLP optimization of process flowsheets with implicit models

This paper describes a computational approach for performing topology optimization in process flowsheets that are described by implicit models using the modeling/decomposition strategy. The key point in the proposed approach is a procedure for the generation of the MILP master problem that would correspond to the approximation one would have obtained with an equation-oriented system (e.g., PROSYN-MINLP). Two numerical examples are presented.
Plastic film materials for dosimetry of very large absorbed doses

Abstract Most plastic films have limited response ranges for dosimetry because of radiation-induced brittleness, degradation, or saturation of the signal used for analysis (e.g. spectrophotometry) at high doses. There are, however, a few types of thin plastic films showing linearity of response even up to doses as high as 2 × 106 Gy (200 Mrad) without severe loss of mechanical properties. Among many candidate film types tested, those showing such resistance to radiation damage and continued response at such high doses are polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, dyed polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, dyed and undyed polyhalostyrenes, dyed aromatic polyamides, and polyvinylidene fluoride. Although most of these systems have fairly stable absorption spectra after irradiation, tests of dependence on dose rate and on temperature during irradiation show that only polystyrene and some of the polyhalostyrenes have essentially rate-independent and moderately temperature-dependent responses to such large doses of ionizing radiation. While radiation-induced optical absorption in the ultraviolet for polystyrene is unstable following irradiation, thus leading to an intrinsic low-intensity rate dependence, the dyed polychlorostyrenes show essentially the same response to radiation-processing gamma-ray fields and to very high-intensity electron beams, and a relatively stable absorption spectrum at wavelengths for dosimetry analysis in the visible spectral region of ≈430 nm.
Oxygen and carbon assay of metal foils by nuclear reactions

Abstract Oxygen and carbon impurities in metal foils have been assayed with a sensitivity of 2–25 ppm by measurement of proton energy spectra in reactions induced by 14 MeV protons. Energy spectra of α-particles from (p, α) reactions have been used to distinguish between surface and body impurities.
Fostering chemopreventive agent development: How to proceed?

Improved molecular-based detection of early epithelial cancer creates an oupportunity for selective pharmacologic agents to arrest the development of emerging cancers. Developing a successful prevention approach to cancer control could eventually lead to a significant decline in cancer mortality rates; progress depends on the amount of resources committed to this area. Most major prevention trials are federally supported due to their size, duration, and cost. Much of the initial developmental cost for advanced cancer treatment agents was supported by the pharmaceutical industry. Developing a cancer treatment agent is perceived as more clearly defined and achievable than for prevention agents. Preliminary discussions with representatives of the pharmaceutical and biotech industry have identified a number of barriers to chemoprevention product development. Researchers agree that a number of promising agents are being passed over for expeditious development due to the uncertainty associated with chemoprevention drug development. The major factors affecting this circumstance are considered, including cost of clinical trials, absence of a positive model, and inability to project liability exposure. Similar problems were encountered in the area of childhood vaccine development. Insights from that process may have applicability to prevention drug development. Resolving these problems now can have a significant effect on the rate of progress in this promising new approach to cancer control.
An Ecological Approach to Experiential Learning in an Inner‐City Context

In-depth, qualitative interviewing was employed to describe processes and competencies experienced by family science interns, who practiced in a high-risk ecological context. Twenty interns from a 3-year period were recruited. All had interned on the same federally funded, HIV/substance abuse prevention grant in the same focal city. Within this sample, it was determined that experiential learning—vis-a-vis the internship—facilitated both intrapersonal processes and ecological competencies for family science interns, who may otherwise have lacked this knowledge when assuming professional roles. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Quantitation of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in dried blood spots: Feasibility assessment for newborn screening of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency

Abstract Objective SSADH deficiency, the most prevalent autosomal recessive disorder of GABA degradation, is characterized by elevated gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). Neurological outcomes may be improved with early intervention and anticipatory guidance. Morbidity has been compounded by complications, e.g. hypotonia, in undiagnosed infants with otherwise routine childhood illnesses. We report pilot methodology on the feasibility of newborn screening for SSADH deficiency. Method Dried blood spot (DBS) cards from patients affected with SSADH deficiency were compared with 2831 archival DBS cards for gamma-hydroxybutyric acid content. Following extraction with methanol, GHB in DBS was separated and analyzed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results Methodology was validated to meet satisfactory accuracy and reproducibility criteria, including intra-day and inter-day validation. Archival refrigerated dried blood spot samples of babies, infants and children (N = 2831) were screened for GHB, yielding a mean +/− S.D. of 8 ± 5 nM (99.9%-tile 63 nM) (Min 0.0 Max 78 nM). The measured mean and median concentrations in blood spots derived from seven SSADH deficient patients were 1182 nM and 699 nM respectively (Min 124, Max 4851 nM). Conclusions GHB concentration in all 2831 dried blood spot cards was well below the lowest concentration of affected children. These data provide proof-of-principle for screening methodology to detect SSADH deficiency with applicability to newborn screening and earlier diagnosis.
Evidence for 5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoate as a mediator of human neutrophil aggregation

Abstract The human polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) aggregation responses to 5(S),12(R)-dihydroxy- cis -6,14- trans -8,10-eicosatetraenoate (diHETE), C5a, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), and 1- 0 -alkyl-2- 0 -acetyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine (AAGPC) were desensitized by preincubating the cells with small amounts of diHETE. Desensitization developed rapidly, persisted in washed cells, and was not due to stimulus inactivation. The desensitized cells exhibited normal aggregation responses to ionophore A23187 and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Thus, responsiveness to diHETE appears necessary for the aggregation response to C5a, FMLP, and AAGPC. Endogenous diHETE, which forms rapidly in cells challenged with these latter stimuli, may mediate their aggregating actions.
The effect of strategic alignment on the use of IS-based resources for competitive advantage

Abstract Persuasive evidence has described the strategic use of information resources in organizations. As a result, IS researchers have sought empirically to link that use to improved organizational performance. However, this alignment-performance relationship has been difficult to confirm. The current study contributes by distinguishing the alignment of the information systems plan with the business plan (ISP–BP) and the reciprocal alignment (BP–ISP). The study used 107 matched pairs of IS executives and other senior executives. Analysis showed that for IS executives both ISP–BP and BP–ISP alignment predicted the use of IS-based resources for competitive advantage. However, for other senior executives, only ISP–BP alignment predicted it. Study results suggest both groups of subjects share an understanding of the role of ISP–BP in creating competitive advantage from their information systems investments. However, the lack of a shared understanding of BP–ISP alignment may prevent organizations from achieving that advantage.
Growth rate of loudness, annoyance, and noisiness as a function of tone location within the noise spectrum

The relation between overall perceived magnitude (loudness, annoyance, and noisiness) of noise‐tone complexes and the location of the tone within the spectrum was investigated by absolute magnitude estimation (AME). Single tones at 250, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz were added to low‐ and high‐pass noises. In contrast to noisiness, loudness and annoyance growth behavior depends on the relationship between the frequency of the added tone and the spectral shape of the noise. Tones centered in noise produce nonmonotonic loudness and annoyance growth functions; those added to the skirt produce power functions. The measured exponents are invariant across tone‐to‐noise ratio when the tones are positioned within the spectrum, but not when they are added to the skirt. Moreover, for complexes at approximately the same overall SPL, the tone’s position determines the functional relationship between loudness (or annoyance) and tone‐to‐noise ratio. Although a tone correction for annoyance is warranted for certain noise‐tone configurations, none of the proposed calculation procedures considers all the variables relevant to perceived annoyance of tonal components. To a large extent, complex auditory interactions generated by the simultaneous presentation of noise and tone can account for the observed effects.
Robot-assisted triple neurectomy for iatrogenic inguinal pain: a technical note.

Painful neuromas are a relatively common complication of hernia and abdominal wall surgery. Surgical neurectomy has the potential to to provide durable relief for chronic pain; however, current surgical approaches are not without morbidity or anatomical challenges.We sought a surgical alternative. In the treatment of a case of incapacitating inguinal pain, we performed an anterior transperitoneal approach using a surgical robot. This approach was facile and provided elegant anatomical visualization. This case describes the first known robot-assisted laparoscopic triple neurectomy and details a simplified, transperitoneal approach.
Siblings at Birth: A Survey and Study

: The recent literature describing sibling presence at childbirth is reviewed. The parents of 43 children who were present at the births of their siblings were interviewed to assess the reactions of the children to the birth, the parents and the new baby. Based on this information, guidelines are presented to assist parents in preparing their children to be present at the birth, and to care for their older child during labor and delivery.
Risk Taking in Latin American Economic Restructuring: Lessons from Prospect Theory

Prospect theory, a psychological theory of decision making that has shed new light on foreign policy choices, maintains that people tend to take high risks when facing losses, while proceeding with great caution when anticipating gains. This article introduces prospect theory to the study of comparative politics in order to account for the bold economic policy choices that presidents made in crisis-ridden Argentina, Brazil, and Peru, and the surprising degree of popular support that such risky and costly measures commanded in these countries; and conversely, to explain the cautious course of reform recently pursued in Chile, a country with better economic prospects. Theories based on rational choice, the leading approach to political decision making, did not anticipate these decisions. Particularly, these theories predicted that fear for their political survival would prevent democratic leaders from enacting tough economic policies. This article thus suggests that hypotheses derived from prospect theory serve as a useful alternative to extant rational choice explanations in elucidating decision making during crises. Why did democratic governments in contemporary Argentina, Brazil, and Peru run enormous risks by enacting tough shock programs of neoliberal adjustment and restructuring?1 These reforms impose high costs on many sectors of society, can elicit fierce resistance from powerful groups, and have a low likelihood of success. Why did governments in fledgling democracies jeopardize their fate by embarking on such risky measures? And why did large numbers of people who knew they would be hurt by neoliberal reforms endorse their adoption? Why, on the other hand, did many Venezuelans protest violently against similarly harsh adjustment measures which their president, Carlos Andres Perez, boldly enacted in 1989? Why, by contrast, has the government in Chile's new democracy avoided all risk and accepted the basic outlines of the free-market model imposed by General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), which it had severely criticized before coming to power? And why have most Chileans supported this highly cautious stance?
Pharmacological properties of a marine natural product, stypoldione, obtained from the brown alga Stypopodium zonale

Stypoldione (Fig. 1), an ortho-quinone monoalcohol with a molecular weight of 426, is derived from the brown seaweed Stypopodium zonale. It was found as part of a study by Gerwick & Fenical (1981) in which mechanisms of chemical defense against foraging in the marine environment were being elucidated. Living samples of the alga had been observed to be toxic to fish in aquaria, and algal extracts were then investigated using icthyotoxicity as an indication of biological activity. Stypoldione was not the most potent of the compounds extracted from S. zonale, but due to its chemical stability, was chosen as representative of the compounds isolated.
ADHD drugs: values that drive the debates and decisions.

Use of medication for treatment of ADHD (or its historical precursors) has been debated for more than forty years. Reasons for the ongoing differences of opinion are analyzed by exploring some of the arguments for and against considering ADHD a mental disorder. Relative to two important DSM criteria — that a mental disorder causes some sort of harm to the individual and that a mental disorder is the manifestation of a dysfunction in the individual — ADHD’s classification as a mental disorder is found to be contentiously value-laden. The disagreements spill over to reasoning regarding appropriate management, because justification for a drug prescription is in part predicated on the idea that the drugs manage mental disorders. These debates do not appear to be nearing resolution, so individuals offering advice, or trying to decide whether ADHD drugs are appropriate for themselves or their children, may find it helpful to compare the values underlying various perspectives with their own.